tellinotgence； to reestablish munication…〃
〃I told you I have been in munication with Ched Nasad；〃 Triel said。
〃To reestablish trustworthy munication 。。。〃 Faeryl persisted； 〃to make myself useful and so demonstrate I'm your loyal vassal； never a traitor。〃
Triel made a spitting sound； then said； 〃My loyal servants obey me。〃
Faeryl wanted to weep； not from fear； though she was experiencing plenty of that； but from sheer frustration。 Jeggred ran his claw along her carotid artery。
〃Matron；〃 the Zauvirr said； 〃I beg you。 Let me confront the person who traduced me。 Give me that one chance to prove my fidelity。 Is it so hard to imagine someone telling you a lie？ Don't your courtiers slander one annotother all the time as a means of vying for your favor？ Is it impossible that someone or something in Ched Nasad is lying to you even now…telling you all is well while days； then tendays； then months go by without a single caravan？〃
Triel hesitated； and Faeryl felt a thrill of hope。 Then the ruler of Men…zoberranzan said； 〃You're the liar； and it will do you no good。 If you want me to show any mercy at all； tell me whose creature you are。 The svirfneblin？ The aboleths？ Another drow city？〃
〃I serve only you； Sacred Mother。〃
Faeryl said the words without hope； for she saw that she would never convince the Baenre of her innocence。 It was too hard for Triel to measure up to her predecessor； too hard to rule in these desperate times； too hard to make decisions。 She wasn't about to rethink one of the few she'd mannotaged to squeeze out； no matter how foolish it was。
Jeggred slapped Faeryl and kept on slapping until she lost count of the blows。 Finally time seemed to skip somehow； and he wasn't hitting her anymore。 Why should he bother？ He'd already battered all the strength out of her。 She would have fallen if not for the ropes holding her up。 A broken tooth had lodged under her tongue； and it was all she could do just to spit it out。
〃I told you；〃 the draegloth snarled； 〃respect
〃I am respectful；〃 Faeryl wheezed。 〃That's why I give the truth even when it might be easier to lie。〃
Triel peered up at her son and said； 〃Princess Zauvirr will not distract you from your duties。〃
Jeggred inclined his head。 〃No； Mother。〃
〃But at such times as I do not require you；〃 the matron continued； 〃you may use the spy as you see fit。 If she tells you anything of interest； pass it along； but the point of your efforts is chastisement； not interrogation。 I doubt she has anything all that important to confide。 We already know who our enemies are。〃
〃Yes； Mother。〃 The half…demon crouched； leered into Faeryl's face； and said； 〃I can make the fun last。 You'll see。〃
He stuck out his long； pointed tongue and licked blood from her face。 The member was as rough as a beast's。
The figure in the chapel doorway had a bulbous head with huge； pronottruding eyes； dry； wrinkled hide； and four wriggling tentacles surnotrounding and obscuring the mouth。 It had gnarled three…fingered hands； a body with contours and proportions different than those of a drow； and an assortment of talismans and amulets burning with strange enchantments。 Syrzan； Pharaun had no doubt； was a member of the psionically gifted species called illithids。 Specifically； it was one of the few such creatures to follow the path of wizardry and ultimately transform itself into an undead entity known as an alhoon。 The thing was surely prodigiously powerful； immune to the ravages of time； and still entirely capable of reading the masters' minds and discerning the treachery therein。
Like Pharaun； Ryld had sprung up from his bench。 The hulking warrior flung himself at Houndaer； no doubt in an attempt to get his weapons back。 Pharaun； who thought he needed his spell ponents just as badly； scrambled after his friend。
The weapons master threw a punch； knocked Houndaer backward off his bench； and snatched up Splitter。 He whirled； looking for the next threat； and almost whacked his fellow teacher with the blade。
Pharaun reached for his cloak； then realized Houndaer's unassuming panion was singing a wordless arpeggio。
Had Pharaun already been wearing the piwafwi with all its protective enchantments； he might have resisted the song； but instead its power stabbed into his mind。 He laughed convulsively； uncontrollably； and stagnotgered backward。 Finally； he fell to his knees； his stomach muscles clenchnoting and aching。
He'd suspected the nondescript little male was more than he'd seemed； a formidable batant employing a bland appearance to throw his adnotversaries off guard； and he'd been right。 The 〃craftsman〃 was in reality a bard； a spellcaster who worked his wonders through the medium of music。
Teeth gritted； Pharaun shook off the pulsion to laugh。 Gasping； he lifted his head and looked around。 The bard was simultaneously drawing his enchanted dagger and starting another song； this time pitched falsetto。 Houndaer was on his feet battling Ryld； their swords ringing。 At the end of the room； Tsabrak； shifting his eight legs in agitation； aimed an arrow at Pharaun； while in the doorway the alhoon simply stood with only its mouth tentacles moving； seemingly content to let its patriots do the fighting。
Pharaun threw himself sideways。 The arrow missed him and clacked and skipped across the floor。 The mage slapped the stone； and a wall of sheltering darkness sprang up between him and the foe。 Moving with a practiced； silent grace； he scrambled on。
Something clamped down on Pharaun's mind； smothering his will and robbing him of the ability to move。 The undead mind flayer hadn't been idle after all。 Syrzan had simply utilized its psionic strength in preference