In and out, in and out, that's right.

Harborg's hands wove the spider silk through the fabric despite the protest from his heart. The fabric would be used to conceal Korban, the enemy of the King. The spider silk woven in an ancient pattern of concealment from all who would wish the wearer ill. The pattern itself wasn't evil, but Korban certainly was. Surely there was some way to overcome this spell and break away from the spider.

In and out, in and out. Protest all you wish, but in the end you still do my bidding.

Harborg hated the voice in his head almost as much as the feeling of the spider legs on scalp. At first they were wispy and soft, but the more he protested, the sharper they became until he could feel them burrowing through his skin into his skull.

In and out, in and out.

His struggling was doing no good. He needed a diversion, but what could he do while this spider controlled his every movement? The only thing he had control over were his thoughts and little good that could do for him. His wife, Emaude, always joked that she could read his mind. If only that were true. Sweat streamed down his back, his mental efforts taking a toll on his body.

In and out, in and out, almost finished.

A noise in the corridor caught his attention. He wondered what it could be as nobody ever came down this far into the castle. His hope rose and then quickly diminished as the footsteps passed his chamber and continued down the hall. He felt the spider shift and yes, that tiny distraction was enough to allow him to move his hand an inch to the right, disrupting the pattern. Hoping the spider hadn't noticed, he shifted back and continued on as its grip tightened once more and the mantra resumed.

In and out, in and out.

With the final stitch in place, his duties were no longer needed and the spider injected him with venom. Harborg's final thoughts weren't for his wife, but his King. Hopefully the break in stitching was enough to reveal the traitor among them...