Chapter Twenty-Six: Wicked Webs

Inside the hut was a woman covered in spider-silk. InuYasha called her Kikyou, and Shippou seemed somehow appalled to have come across her. Duck felt only confusion and curiosity. What intrigued her the most was that Kikyou not only was unharmed by the webs, she seemed to be aware of their existence.

"Don't touch the webs," she urged.

"Webs?" InuYasha asked, blundering right into one as he knelt at Kikyou's side.

Are they something only girls can see? Duck wondered, feeling more perplexed by the moment.

Shippou tried to skirt around her and follow InuYasha; alarmed, Duck hurried between him and the hut again, spreading her wings and quacking a loud warning. Shippou frowned. "You don't want me to go in there?"

"Quack!"

"You'll only be caught," Kikyou said. "Like I am, and InuYasha is. This is a trap laid by Naraku."

"A trap..." Shippou's eyes widened.

"You can't see them, but there are spider-webs everywhere. Naraku created them to ensnare me. All it takes is the slightest touch to be trapped. And once they catch hold of something," she said, wincing slightly, "they taint it. My spiritual power is tainted by darkness now. I cannot free myself any more than I can free you. I have no hope of destroying Naraku. I can no longer even move from this place."

Duck turned to peer past InuYasha into the depths of the hut, feeling sorry for Kikyou. It must be awful to know she was caught in a trap, but be unable to free herself from it.

InuYasha's lips curled back in a snarl and his hand went to the hilt of his sword. "I'll get you out of here."

"You cannot. The only one who can break this spell is Kagome."