Eventually Cammie knocks on the door. Because she (presumably) is allowed around the castle.

She fell back, glaring up at the creatures.

Izz is with her



Their spindly legs were huge needles, shiny and pointed as they skittered over the ground. But their upper bodies were of gaunt, emaciated women with pale skin and bulging black eyes. Their arms were made of wire, and long, needlelike fingers uncurled like claws as they approached, their legs clicking over the gravel.

"Here she is," hissed one as they surrounded her, grinning. "Just as the king said she would be."

"Too easy," rasped another, peering at her with a bulbous black eye. "Im rather disappointed. I thought she would be a good catch, but shes just a skinny little bug, trapped in a web. What is the king so afraid of?"

"Izzy? It's Camm and Izz." Cammillinna calls softly.

After a long moment, Isiea opens the door.

Izz offers her an encouraging smile.

"What're you doing here?" She asks flatly. Camm's smile fades a little.

She glared at them, not saying a word.

"We came to see how you were doing. No need to act so rude."


A flash of cold blue light erupted between the hags and Lise. The Iron faery gave a shriek and...disintegrated, becoming thousands of tiny slivers that rained down around her. They glimmered in the darkness, needles and pins catching the moonlight as the spider-hag departed the world in the manner of her kind. The other two wailed and drew back as something tore the net off Lise and stepped between them.

She stood up and moved back away from them.

She raises an eyebrow. "You said you never wanted to go anywhere magical again, and you also said if Cammie came back she'd be hunted and murdered because she's an exile in the siren kingdom. So why are you here?"