ave。 He heard the choked sob he made as he obeyed。 Ryld forced his mind deeper into meditation； at the same time bracing himself for what he knew was ing next。 When the centipede fell onto his thigh； he didn't flinch。 As the centipede bit into his flesh like the stab of a fire…heated skewer； he told himself to remain calm； to breathe in through his left nostril； out through his right； in through his left nostril； out through his right。 。 。
Then the centipede scurried across his groin； its hundreds of legs tickling； its head moving from side to side as if it was looking for a second spot to bite。 In the space between two heartbeats； Ryld nearly forgot how to breathe。 He felt his heart begin to race； while instinct screamed at him to leap to his feet； to brush the foul insect away。
Then he remembered his life before Melee…Magthere…his life in the Stenchstreets； and the time； years before； when the nobles had e on their hunt。 He was only six years old then； but he remembered lying there； blistered from the fireball that had left corpses strewn all around him。 In order to survive； he'd been forced to lie utterly still； to play dead while the hunters claimed their trophies： teeth； ears； and occasionally an entire head。 Ryld had learned then to control his breathing； to make it shallow and slow； inaudible above the sawing of blades through flesh。 Thankfully； they did not deem any parts of a small； scrawny boy worth taking。
Remembering that trial； he found the strength to ignore the tickle of the centipede and its second painful bite。
When the ordeal was over； the masters nodded； silently acknowledging the fortitude of Ryld and the other five students who had passed the test。 Ryld had been almost unable to walk for an entire tenday afterward。
Lying in the forest； riding the waves of the war between the belladonna and the disease； Ryld used what he'd learned that day。 Focusing on his breathing； on the drawing in of air； the slow filling of his lungs； and the slow exhalation that followed； he slowed his racing pulse。 He drove the heat from his skin； imagining it flowing from him with each breath。 Slowly； his body returned to normal； and he shivered。
His eyes； however； continued to see the fantastic images the belladonna had limned on the world。 The trees remained grayish…white against a sky studded with impossibly bright stars。 The moon； trailing brighter stars in its wake； hurt to even glance at。 Wavering shadows danced in the forest。 One of those shadows stepped out from the others and coalesced into the form of a woman。
〃Halisstra 。 。 。〃 Ryld breathed； then he saw that he was mistaken。
The woman was a drow but was not Halisstra Melarn。 She was naked； her white hair hanging well past her hips。 As she moved closer to Ryld； his fevered eyes saw that her skin was covered in evening dew。 Drops of it covered her body； sparkling in the moonlight like stars against the sky…black of her skin。
She stood before him a moment； staring down with eyes that reflected the light like twin crescent moons。 Then she touched the hilt of the sword he'd accidentally speared into the earth。 Slender fingers traced a lazy circle around the leather…wrapped hilt。 To Ryld's eyes the fingers looked as if they were dancing。 Her lips parted； but instead of speech Ryld heard the notes of a flute。 Its tune was somehow both weling and harsh at the same time； as if the flautist was of two minds about what tune to play and was able to play both at once。 All the while； the woman stared deeply into Ryld's eyes； as if she was trying to see into his soul。 Her hand closed around the hilt of the sword。
Something crackled in the forest。 Startled； the woman looked up； just as a small black wolf burst from the underbrush。 Teeth bared； snarling； it leaped for her chest。 When it struck； the woman exploded into a million motes of starlight。 The wolf continued its leap as if she had never been there。 Watching it disappear into the forest once more； Ryld confirmed his earlier thought。 It was all just an hallucination。 The woman； the wolf。 。 。 neither were truly there。
Something warm and moist nuzzled his ear。 It was a nose。 Then a warm； furry body lay down next to him。 A tongue licked his cheek； and dark eyes stared into his。
Ryld didn't move and didn't speak。 Instead he continued to concentrate on his breathing； forcing the last of the belladonna's poison from his body with each slow breath。
Eventually； he fell into Reverie。
When he became aware of his surroundings once more； it was daylight。 He heard a crackling noise and smelled roasting meat； and rolled over to see Yarno squatting beside a small fire。 The boy was holding a stick on which had been impaled the body of a small； four…legged animal。 It had been gutted and neatly skewered； but Ryld could identify it by the tail。 It was a rat。 Yarno lifted the stick from the flames。
〃You'll need strength；〃 he said。 〃Eat。〃
Ryld sat up； shaking away the last of his lethargy。 Rising to his feet； he moved his shoulders； his arms； his fingers。 All were in working order； the poison was gone from his body。 He squatted and accepted the rat。
〃Thank you；〃 he said。 〃I haven't eaten rat since I was a child。〃
Yarno studied him through narrowed eyes。 Ryld realized the boy was trying to decide if he was being mocked。 Ryld smiled and bit into the fire…seared meat； chewing it with gusto。
Yarno flicked back the lock of black hair that hung across his forehead and smiled。
〃It's good； isn't it？〃 asked the boy。
〃It is indeed；〃 Ryld answered； wiping grease from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand。
Yarno stood and scuffed soil over the fire with a dirty foot； turning his back to the fire and scraping the ground like a dog。
〃Grandfather is feeling better now；〃 he told Ryld。
〃My masters taught me well；〃 Ryld answered。 〃That…and I've had lots of practice binding wounds。〃 He eyed the smudges of dirt that covered Yarno's pale； naked body； then added； 〃The first thing you need to do with a wound is clean it with hot water； as I did for your grandfather。 Then bind it in a clean； boiled cloth。 Remember that…it could save your life someday。〃
〃I'll remember；〃 the boy said。
Ryld wrinkled his nose； doubting it。 Yarno seemed to attract dirt like a gutter attracted night soil。 And he had fleas…as Ryld found out to his disgust a moment later when he felt the needle…sharp twinge of one of the vermin biting his chest。 His memory of the werewolf sleeping beside him must have been accurate。 How much else of the past night had also been real…and how much hallucination？
Ryld rose to his feet and glanced around at the forest floor。 Aside from the paw prints of a small wolf and the footprints of a barefoot boy； he could see no other tracks。
〃Yarno；〃 he asked； 〃when you found me last night； was there a woman standing next to me？〃
Yarno shrugged。
〃What did you leap at？〃
Yarno stared at the ground。
〃I don't remember；〃 he answered finally； shrugging again。 〃I never do。〃
Ryld nodded； understanding。 Driven into a frenzy by the light of the full moon； the boy hadn't been in control of his actions…or his mind。 Strange； then； that he had sought Ryld out and protected him…his bloodlust should have caused him to tear Ryld's throat out； instead。 Perhaps the stench of belladonna had driven him back…but why then did Ryld remember the boy lying beside him； keeping him warm throughout the night？
He drew his short sword from the ground； cleaned the mud from its tip； then re…sheathed it。
〃Which way is the temple？〃 Ryld asked。
Yarno pointed； then met Ryld's eye in what the weapons master would have taken as a challenge； had the boy been a trained swordsman。
〃What will you do when you reach it？〃 Yarno asked。
〃Rescue Halisstra；〃 Ryld said。 His eyes narrowed； and he added； 〃If she's still alive。〃
〃And if she isn't？〃 Yarno asked。 〃Will you kill the priestesses to avenge her death？〃
Ryld considered that for a moment； then smiled grimly。
〃As many as I can； before I'm slain myself；〃 he said。
〃Good；〃 Yarno said。
The boy's head lifted as if he'd heard something。 He stared in the direction in which he'd just pointed。
Ryld； too； could hear it； the blare of a dozen or more hunting horns； muffled by distance； ing from the direction of the temple。
〃I'd better get back；〃 Yarno said； eyes wide with fear。 〃Grandfather needs me。〃
The boy shifted into wolf form and fled into the forest。
Ryld turned； and hurried the other way…toward the sound。 As he wove his way between the trees； roughly shouldering branches aside in his haste； a single thought echoed in his mind。
Halisstra had confessed to the murder of one of the temple priestesses…and was almost certain to be punished for her crime。 Was it Halisstra who was being hunted？
Chapter Seventeen
Danifae followed Pharaun through the round doorway in the side of the stalagmite； into a corridor that spiraled upward。 The water she swam through was fouled by the slime of the aboleth that led them。 Danifae could taste it each time she inhaled。 A second aboleth followed close behind her； crowding her forward。
The corridor through which they swam was grayish pink and as shiny as the surface of a pearl。 Deep lines were carved into it； revealing the dark gray stone underneath。 Most were spirals or wavy lines。 Danifae glanced at them； wondering if they were a form of written language。 Then she remembered that the aboleth had no need for written texts。 Whatever knowledge their minds contained was passed on to future generations when their hatchlings swarmed over them； tearing them to pieces。
She smiled ruefully； sorry that Lolth hadn't given the drow the ability to consume knowledge in that way。 Still； there were other ways to find out what one needed to know。 。 。 。
The corridor wound past several round doorways； then opened at last on a room that must have been near the stalagmite's core。 Swimming into it； Danifae halted near Pharaun； letting the weight of her chain mail pull her to a standing position on the curved floor。 The aboleth that had been following her swam into the room behind her and hovered in the water just close enough that it could reach her with its tentacles； if it chose。 Danifae saw that the first aboleth had taken up a similar position on the other side of Pharaun。
On the far side of the chamber； enthroned within a niche in the wall； was an aboleth Danifae guessed was Oothoon。 The creature rested on what looked like a nest of spongy kelp； occasionally using a tentacle to rip off a chunk and stuff it into the mouth in its belly。 Its bluish…green； rubbery skin was dotted with white patches of freshwater barnacles； and its belly was a darker pink than those of the two that had acpanied Danifae and Pharaun into the room。 Danifae searched in vain for a clue as to the thing's sex but found none…she thought perhaps the creature was male and female in one…though the others had referred to Oothoon as the aboleths' 〃matriarch。〃
She felt a tickle against her scalp； and an instant later a sparkle of ma