Pharaun saw Valas； who had moved silently into position behind Jeggred； sheathing his kukris。 Pharaun raised an eyebrow； then nodded his thanks at the mercenary。 He had neither seen nor heard Valas draw the twin daggers…he was glad that the Bregan D'aerthe scout had chosen to back him and not Jeggred。
〃As for the offer I made to you；〃 Pharaun continued； turning to Danifae； 〃it still stands。 It's just that it's not 。 。 。 expedient for you to leave us at the moment。 With our numbers reduced； I may need you。〃
Danifae stood with her hands on her hips； an invitation and a challenge in one。
Interesting how quickly she begins to offer up her enticements； the wizard thought； now that Quenthel is gone。
〃The question still remains；〃 she said。 〃What do we do now？〃
〃We continue to try to get the information we need from Oothoon；〃 Pharaun answered； stooping to tuck his spellbook back in his pack。 〃Or rather； I continue。 I'm going back to Zanhoriloch。 Alone； this time。〃
〃Are you mad？〃 Valas asked； shaking his head。 〃You'll vanish down Oothoon's gullet； just as Quenthel did。 Then where will we be？〃
Pharaun shrugged and said； 〃Free to do as you wish； I suppose。〃 He winked at Danifae； then added； 〃Which would mean you'd have to walk to 。。。 where you want to go。 Perhaps your own mistress will return to claim you again； or maybe our valiant mercenary would escort you。〃 He laughed and patted his backpack。 〃Don't worry。 I've prepared a little magical surprise for the aboleth。 My memories won't be added to Oothoon's。〃
Danifae gave him a mock pout and said； 〃See to it that they aren't。〃
Pharaun wasted no time in making his preparations。 He pulled a leather glove onto one hand in preparation for a spell he would cast once he arrived in Zanhoriloch and made sure his wands were close at hand。 He then cast two protective spells in quick succession。 The first would shield him from any attempts the aboleth made to dominate his mind。 The second created eight illusionary images of himself that mirrored his every move。
All nine Pharauns nodded their farewell and smiled as Valas saluted them。 The one that was second from the left…the real Pharaun…cast the spell that allowed him to breathe water。 Mirrored by the others； he stepped into the river； and； as soon as the cold water closed over his head； he spoke the word that would teleport him to Oothoon's audience chamber。
His arrival took the aboleth matriarch pletely by surprise。 Oothoon was resting in her niche； admiring a large black pearl held in the tip of a tentacle。 As Pharaun and his eight illusionary doubles materialized suddenly in the room； she startled； then coiled her tentacle tightly around the pearl； drawing the precious object closer to her body。
Another aboleth was just outside in the spiraling corridor； guarding the entrance。 It blinked its three eyes in startled surprise to see nine drow suddenly appear in the audience chamber but reacted with the swiftness of a trained soldier。 A powerful stroke of its fluked tail propelled it into the room。 One of the illusionary Pharauns disappeared in a sparkle of magical energy as the aboleth tore through it in an attack as savage and swift as that of a shark。
As the aboleth guard turned for a second attack Pharaun raised his gloved hand and flexed it； swiftly fingering an evocation with his other hand in the silent speech。 An enormous ebony…skinned hand appeared in the water。 Fingers open； it met the guard head…on； then wrapped itself around the aboleth。 It squeezed tight； smashing the aboleth's tentacles against its body。 The guard； nearly blinded by a finger that covered two of its eyes； gurgled with rage and gnawed at the palm of the hand； which was pressed up against the mouth in its belly。 The hand； however； was made of magical energy； not flesh； and so the guard's attempts to bite it were futile。 The aboleth thrashed helplessly in the hand's firm grip； slime from its body clouding the water around it。
Pharaun gave a quick mental push； and the hand carried the guard out of the room and down the corridor。
All that happened in the space of a few heartbeats。 Immediately after shoving the guard away； Pharaun turned…together with his mirror images…and cast a powerful enchantment at Oothoon。 A wash of magical energy stirred the water around the aboleth matriarch； and an instant later Pharaun saw Oothoon's tentacles relax。 Still wary； he spoke to Oothoon in sign； testing the effects of his charm。 If the spell had worked； she would be not just willing but eager to chat with her 〃old friend〃 Pharaun。
I apologize for the abrupt intrusion； he signed； but I wanted to find out how our little plan went。 I have heard that Quenthel came to you； and that you consumed her。 Now will you keep your part of the bargain and tell me where the ship of chaos lies？
Oothoon glanced at the corridor； bereft of its guard； then back at the mage。
〃Your 'priestess' had no magic。〃
Pharaun had anticipated that response。
I suppose you learned from her memories that Lolth is。 。 。 unavailable； he signed。 In time； however； the goddess will awaken； and you will have full use of the spells you just acquired。
〃I did not consume Quenthel。 She was not worth eating。〃
Pharaun blinked。
But the one who acpanied her came back to us and told us you consumed her。 He saw you swallow her whole。
〃The four…armed one saw what I wanted him to see；〃 Oothoon said； tentacles quivering and mouth open in what Pharaun took to be a wide grin。
That made Pharaun pause。 He had heard that aboleths had mind magic capable of creating illusions。 It seemed that Oothoon had used just that talent on Jeggred。 Was she dulling Pharaun's senses with an illusion even then？ Were the audience chamber and the corridor beyond not as empty of guards as they seemed？
Pharaun had with him a vial of ointment that； when rubbed on the eyes； would instantly reveal the truth once the words of the spell that activated its potency were spoken…but using it meant reaching inside a pocket of his piwafwi and closing his eyes briefly。 If there were illusion…cloaked guards nearby； it would be the ideal moment in which to overpower him。
No； he'd rely on the magic he'd already protected himself with。 Seven of the mirror images he'd created were still hovering in the water next to him。 If a surprise attack came； there was only a one…in…eight chance that he would be the one who was targeted。
Oothoon； meanwhile； seemed relaxed。 The aboleth matriarch rested easily in the niche； the only sign of unease the fact that the pearl was cupped protectively against her belly。 Oothoon hadn't called for more guards to replace the one Pharaun had incapacitated and hadn't made any threatening moves。 Pharaun was probably worrying needlessly。 His charm spell had obviously taken hold。 He decided to test it further by asking a question the aboleth wouldn't answer unless charmed。
Where is Quenthel now？ Pharaun asked。
〃Gone in search of the ship of chaos。〃
You told her where it was？
The aboleth matriarch just stared at him…but the silence was answer enough。
Pharaun glanced quickly around the chamber and at last spotted the missing pieces of the puzzle。 There； clinging to the doorway； was a handful of sticky strands that looked like the remains of a broken web。 He also spotted； peeking out from the kelp on which Oothoon's belly rested； the neck of a wine bottle。 Not everything Jeggred had seen had been an illusion： Quenthel had used her wand…deliberately…to block him on the other side of the doorway。 Later； after she'd gotten the information she wanted from Oothoon； she'd dissolved the barrier with alcohol。
Together； Quenthel and Oothoon had played an elaborate and illusion…enhanced ruse on Jeggred…and Pharaun。 Oothoon had been waiting for her reward all the time。 The aboleth matriarch knew that Pharaun； as soon as he heard of Quenthel's 〃death；〃 would return…
Pharaun's hands rose to cast a spell； but before he could plete his incantation； the pearl Oothoon had been holding appeared just in front of him…the real him； not one of his mirror images…as if out of nowhere。 In the instant before it struck his chest； Pharaun realized what must have happened。 The aboleth matriarch had put it in her mouth and had spat it at him； masking the action with an illusion。
The pearl struck his chest and exploded in a rush of sound that drove the water from his lungs and made his ears ring。 Stunned； unable to gesture or speak； he hung limp and alone in the water； his mirror images dissipated by the force of the blast。 Though he was weak； dizzy； too stunned to move； a part of his mind was still able to note the irony of what had just happened。 He'd been about to stun Oothoon with a spell； only to have the aboleth lay him low with precisely the same form of magic。 What he'd mistaken for a 〃pearl〃 was none other than one of Quenthel's magical beads of power。
It looked as though Oothoon hadn't succumbed to his charm spell； after all。 Nor had the aboleth matriarch been fooled by his mirror images…an illusion Oothoon had obviously seen through； since she managed to pick the right Pharaun to spit the bead of power at。 She'd been teasing him with the truth； knowing he'd soon be as helpless as a flutter lizard in a web。
Launching herself out of the niche； Oothoon streaked toward the spot where Pharaun hung helpless； jaws open wide； she sucked Pharaun into her mouth。 Still stunned by the blast of the bead； Pharaun didn't even have the strength to scream as the jaws snapped shut。 Darkness enveloped him； and razor…sharp teeth sawed into his body。
Chapter Twenty…two
Halisstra stood near one of the trophy trees； the hilt of the songsword raised to her lips。 After she'd killed the phase spider two nights before； the priestesses had let her keep the broken sword； as well as Seyll's shield and chain mail。 They'd also given her back her House insignia…which Halisstra had tucked into a pocket； instead of pinning to her piwafwi…and her other enchanted rings and devices。 She also still had her magical lyre； though she felt as disinclined to use it as the other things from the Underdark she had set aside。 Instead she practiced on the songsword； fingers dancing as she tried to create a tune to suit the mood of the snow…dappled woods and the clouds drifting lazily overhead； as white and fine…spun as hair。
Ryld sat cross…legged on a log a short distance away； sharpening his shortsword。 His eyes were squinted against the morning sunlight even though he'd chosen a spot in deep shade。 He sat with his back against a large boulder； under a canopy of tree branches that hung no more than a handspan above him。 He was obviously still struggling with his unease of open spaces； of having nothing but the sky over his head。
After a while； the arrhythmic rasp 。 。 。 rasp rasp。 。 。 rasp of Ryld's sharpening stone grated on Halisstra's nerves； forcing her to lower the songsword。
〃Ryld；〃 she said in exasperation。 〃If you have to do that here； could you at least work in time with my music？〃
Startled； Ryld looked up。
〃Fine；〃 he sai