〃Assuming I do summon a demon； how can we possibly hope to prevent it from tearing us limb from limb； let alone coerce it into being a tour guide for some little jaunt to the Abyss？ Even Archmage Gromph wouldn't think of whistling up a demon without a golden pentacle to bind it。 We're in the wilderness…in the Realms of Sunlight； in case you hadn't noticed。 Where am I supposed to get the spell ponents to…〃
〃Jeggred。〃
Pharaun blinked； wondering if he'd heard Quenthel correctly。
〃Jeggred；〃 she repeated。 〃We'll use his blood。 You can draw the summoning diagram with that。〃
〃Ah 。 。 。〃 Pharaun cursed silently as he realized that Quenthel was； unfortunately； right。 The blood of a draegloth could indeed bind a demon； but only one： the demon who had sired Matron Mother Baenre's half…demon son。 The demon that was Jeggred's father。
Pharaun had no desire to meet him； in the flesh or otherwise； but he could see he had little choice in the matter。 Not if he wanted to maintain his delicate balancing act of apparent loyalty to Lolth…necessary if he was to keep his position as Master of Sorcere。 Just as Valas had done； Pharaun bowed。
〃As you mand； Mistress；〃 he said…with just enough of a sarcastic twist on the final word to remind her that her title was a hollow one。 Mistress of Arach…Tinilith she might be； back in Menzoberranzan； but he was hardly one of her quivering initiates。 He swept a hand in the direction Valas had indicated earlier。 〃Let's do the spellcasting below ground； shall we？ I'd like to get out of this wretched sunshine。〃
As Valas and Quenthel set off； Pharaun pretended to follow them。 He paused； picked up a twig； and used it to collect a bit of spiderweb from the trail。 Lolth might be silent； but the sticky nets woven by her children were still useful； spiderweb was a ponent in more than one of his spells。 Tucking the web…coated twig into a pocket； he hurried after the others。
Chapter Two
Halisstra stood on top of the bluff； staring out across the forest。 Snow…blanketed trees stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction； here and there dimpled by a lake of an impossibly bright blue or divided by a road as neat and straight as a part through hair。 For the first time； Halisstra understood what the word 〃horizon〃 meant。 It was that distant line where the dark green of the forest met the eye…hurting； white…streaked blue of the sky。
Beside her； Ryld shivered。
〃I don't like it up here；〃 he said； holding a hand to his eyes to shade them。 〃It makes me feel 。 。 。 exposed。〃
Halisstra glanced at the sweat trickling down Ryld's ebony temple and shivered herself as the chill winter wind blew against her face。 The climb had been a long； hot one； despite the age…worn stairs they'd found carved into the rock at one side of the bluff。 She couldn't explain what had pelled her to lead Ryld up there； nor could she explain why she felt none of the apprehensions the weapons master did。 Yet despite his anxiety； Ryld…who stood fully as tall as Halisstra herself； even though he was a male…was in every respect a warrior。 He wore a greatsword strapped across his back； a cuirass with a breastplate wrought of dwarven bronze； and vambraces； articulated at the elbows； that sheathed his lean； muscled arms in heavy steel。 A short sword for fighting at close quarters hung in a scabbard at his hip。 His hair was cut close to his scalp so that enemies could not grab it during bat。 Only a fine stubble remained： hair as white as Halisstra's own shoulder…length locks。
〃There was a surface dweller…a human mage…who dwelt for a short time in Ched Nasad；〃 Halisstra said。 The vastness of the sky above them made her speak softly； it felt as if the gods were lurking up there just behind the clouds； watching。 〃He spoke of how our city made him feel like he was living in a room with too low a ceiling…that he was always aware of the roof of the cavern over his head。 I laughed at him； how could anyone feel enclosed in a city that was so loosely woven…a city balanced on the thin lines of a calcified web？ But now I think I understand what he meant。〃 She gestured up at the sky。 〃This all feels so 。。。 open。〃
Ryld grunted and asked； 〃Have you seen enough？ We're not going to find an entrance to the Underdark up here。 Let's climb back down and get out of the wind。〃
Halisstra nodded。 The wind found its way inside the armor she wore； even through the thickly padded chain mail tunic that covered her from neck to knees； and from shoulders to elbows。 A silver plate attached to the tunic's chest was embossed with the symbol of a sword； standing point…up across a full moon surrounded by a nimbus of silvery filaments。 It was the holy symbol of Eilistraee； goddess of the surface…dwelling drow。 The padding of the chain mail still smelled of blood…that of the priestess Halisstra had dispatched。 The smell haunted the armor like a lingering ghost； even though the blood was several days old。
Halisstra had not only claimed the armor from Seyll after her own armor was stolen； but also Seyll's shield and weapons…including a slender long sword with a hollow hilt that had holes running the length of it…a hilt that could be raised to the lips and played like a flute。 A beautiful weapon； but it hadn't helped Seyll any…she'd died before getting a chance to draw it。 Lulled by Halisstra's feigned interest in her goddess； Seyll had been utterly surprised by Halisstra's sudden attack。 And despite Halisstra's treachery； Seyll had told her； 〃I have hope for you still。〃 She'd said it with such certainty； as if； even in her final； dying moments； she expected Halisstra to save her。
She'd been a fool。 Yet Halisstra could no more get the priestess's dying words out of her mind than she could get the smell of blood out or the armor she'd claimed。
Was this what guilt felt like： a lingering stench that wouldn't go away？
Angered by her own weakness； Halisstra shook the thought out of her head。 Seyll had deserved to die。 The priestess was stupid to have trusted a person who was not of her faith…even more foolish to trust a fellow drow。
Still； Halisstra thought； as she paused to let Ryld descend the stairs first； Seyll had been right about one thing。 It would be nice not to always have to watch your back。
Ryld descended the stairs in silence； listening to the faint clink of Halisstra's chain mail and trying in vain to pull his mind away from the shapely legs he would see if he would just turn around。 Where was his concentration？ As a Master of Melee…Magthere； he ought to have more control； but Halisstra had ensnared him in a web of desire stronger than any Lolth's magic could spin。
At the bottom of the stairs； away from the chilling wind of the open bluff； Halisstra paused to finger a crescent shape that had been carved into the rock。
〃This was a holy place； once；〃 she said； looking over the scatter of broken columns that lay among the snow…shrouded trees。
Ryld scowled。 In the World Above； vegetation covered everything like an enormous mold。 He missed the clean rock walls of the caverns； empty of the smells of wet loam and leaf that choked his nose。 He scuffed at the snow with his boot； uncovering a cracked marble floor。
〃How can you tell？〃 he asked。
〃The crescent moon…it's the symbol of Corellon Larethian。 The elves who once lived in these woods must have worshiped here。 Their priests probably climbed these stairs to work their magic under the moon。〃
Ryld squinted up at the ball of fire that hung in the sky。
〃The moon's not as bright as the sun；〃 he said； 〃at least。〃
〃It casts a softer light；〃 Halisstra replied。 〃I've heard that this is because the gods who claim it as their symbol are kinder to those who worship them…but I don't know if that's true。〃
Ryld stared for a while at the ruined masonry then said； 〃The gods of the surface elves can't be very strong。 Corellon let this temple fall into disrepair； and Seyll's goddess was powerless to save her from you。〃
Halisstra nodded and replied； 〃That's true。 Yet when Lolth tried to overthrow Corellon and establish a new coronal in his place all those millennia ago； she was defeated and forced to flee to the Abyss。〃
〃The Academy teaches that the goddess left Arvandor willingly；〃 Ryld said。 Then he shrugged。 〃More of a strategic retreat。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 Halisstra mused。 〃Still； I can't help but think that what we saw in the Demonweb Pits…that black stone in the frozen image of Lolth's face…was a lock； a seal that made Lolth's own temple a prison。 A prison fashioned by some other god's hand。 Will Lolth eventually emerge from behind it…or will she remain trapped for eternity； her magic forever stilled？〃
〃That's what Quenthel means to discover；〃 Ryld said。
〃As do I；〃 Halisstra answered。 〃But for different reasons。 If Lolth is dead； or trapped in eternal Reverie； what point is there in following Quenthel's orders？〃
〃What point？〃 Ryld exclaimed。 He was beginning to see the dangerous fork in the road down which Halisstra's musings had taken her。 〃Only this： spells or no spells； Quenthel Baenre is both Mistress of Arach…Tinilith and First Sister to the Matron Mother of House Baenre。 Were I to defy Quenthel； I'd lose my position as Master of Melee…Magthere。 The moment Menzoberranzan learned of my treachery； everyone in the Academy would have their daggers out and be thirsting for my blood。〃
Halisstra sighed and said； 〃That's true。 But perhaps in another city…〃
〃I have no desire to beg for scraps at someone else's table；〃 Ryld said bluntly。 〃And the only city in which I might have made a home for myself…with the sponsorship of your House…has been destroyed。 With Ched Nasad gone； you have no home to return to。 All the more reason to get in Quenthel's good favor； so that when we return to the Underdark you can find a new home in Menzoberranzan。〃
After a long moment of silence； Halisstra said； 〃What if I don't？〃
〃What？〃 Ryld said。
〃What if I don't return to the Underdark？〃
Ryld glanced at the forest that hemmed them in on every side。 Unlike the solid； silent tunnels he was used to； the wall of trees and underbrush was porous； filled with rustling and creaking； and the quick； tiny movements of animals flitting from branch to branch。 Ryld couldn't decide which was worse： the shrinking feeling he'd experienced under the empty expanse of the sky； or the feeling he had then…as though the woods were watching them。
〃You're mad；〃 he told Halisstra。 〃You'd never survive out here alone。 Especially without spells to…〃
As anger blazed in Halisstra's eyes； Ryld suddenly regretted his rash words。 With all Halisstra's talk of surface gods； he'd forgotten； for a moment； that she was also a priestess of Lolth and a female of a noble House； He started to bow deeply and beg her pardon； but she surprised him by laying a hand on his arm。
Then she said something； in a low murmur he had to strain to hear： 〃Together we'd survive。〃
He stared at her； wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him。 All the while； he was overwhelmingly aware of her hand upon his arm。 The touch of her fingers was