I turned from Theridialis to take my first good look around. At nothing. A round chamber, dome just a few feet above my head without doorways, windows, cracks even. Nada. Zippo.

We were trapped.

"Now what?" Sassafras looked around. "What is this place?"

"First level of protection," Theridialis said. "Only Node monitors can find it. If, for some reason, those without true knowledge were to make their way here, they would be truly caught for all ...