subjected you to。〃 She stared coldly down at Pharaun； and gave a terse order： 〃Release him。〃
Behind her； Danifae gestured rapidly at Pharaun； No！ The demon will only be waiting at the ship when we…
With the speed of one of her serpents； Quenthel turned and； in one smooth motion； pulled the whip from her belt。 Hissing with glee； the vipers lashed out at Danifae。
〃I ordered you not to speak！〃 Quenthel shrieked。
Caught by surprise； Danifae was slow to react。 She reared back…but not before the longest of the serpents grazed her cheek with its teeth。 Its work done； the viper curled back； eyeing the livid red lines it had drawn in the drow's soft flesh。 As its venom flowed through Danifae's body； she sagged to her knees； already gasping for air。
Quenthel stood staring coldly down at Danifae； stroking the head of the viper that had inflicted the near…fatal kiss。
〃Don't worry；〃 she told Danifae。 〃Zinda may be the largest； but her poison is the least venomous。 You'll live…if you're strong enough。〃 Ignoring Danifae's choking sobs； she turned back to Pharaun and said； 〃Well？〃
Once again； Pharaun bowed…a little deeper…and he addressed himself to the more pressing issue。 Carefully。
〃I can speak the word that will release Belshazu； but he won't be able to return to the Abyss until the ice melts；〃 he told Quenthel。
〃Then speed it up；〃 she spat back。 〃Fill the cavern with a ball of fire。〃
Pharaun cocked an eyebrow。
〃Unfortunately； knowing we would be underground in confined quarters； I did not prepare that spell；〃 he offered； resisting the urge to say what he truly thought。
Quenthel was being even more stupid than usual…why； Pharaun asked himself； did the others persist in obeying her？
Jeggred was mindlessly； slavishly loyal to the nearest； highest…ranking female of his House； and Valas was getting paid to be there。 But Danifae must surely have realized that her unfailing loyalty would go unrewarded。 Especially with Lolth silent and presumably no longer watching the actions of her servants。
Valas cleared his throat。
〃The ice will melt in time；〃 he observed in a neutral tone。 〃What's a day or two of delay…to a demon？〃
As Quenthel rounded on him； sputtering indignation at his 〃insolence；〃 Pharaun at last realized what she must have had in mind。 She hoped to curry favor with Belshazu。 Like her sister Triel； Quenthel hoped to enter into unholy union with a demon； one day。 And not just any demon。
Pharaun stared at Jeggred； who squatted at Quenthel's side； teeth bared in a silent snarl。 Blessed of Lolth the hulking creature might be； but Menzoberranzan didn't need another draegloth。 One fouling the air with its putrid breath was enough。
〃I'm sure Belshazu will remember that you spoke for him；〃 Pharaun reassured Quenthel。 〃I'm equally sure he'll 。 。 。 look favorably upon you 。 。 。 when the time es。〃
The demon broke into a leer； tongue lolling as it stared up at the priestess。 Its goatlike horns gave it the look of a satyr…if one discounted the misshapen body and the sole remaining pincer。
Pharaun shuddered。
〃Very well；〃 Quenthel said at last。 〃Speak the release word； Pharaun； and let Belshazu find his way back to the Abyss in his own time。 When the ice melts。〃
〃I will…as soon as the rest of you are safely out of here。〃 Careful not to get within range of the remaining pincer； Pharaun skated around the demon on the ice and climbed back up to where the others stood。 He looked around； then asked； 〃Where's Ryld？〃
Danifae； who had already fought off the worst of the poison and risen； shaking to her knees； answered； 〃We heard 。。。 a noise in the tunnel behind us。 Just before 。 。 。 the demon freed itself。 Ryld went to see what it was。〃
〃He should have e back by now；〃 Pharaun said； a touch of worry in his voice。
Quenthel glanced at Jeggred and jerked her chin。 The draegloth loped up the tunnel and returned； a few moments later； with the head of a broken crossbow bolt。 He handed it to Quenthel； his nose twitching。
〃Blood；〃 he grunted。 〃Ryld's。〃
〃We should go after him；〃 Pharaun said。
He started up the tunnel； but Quenthel caught his arm。
〃You're not finished here yet；〃 she said； indicating the demon。 〃And there's no point。 The weapons master will either catch up to us or he won't。 We've got to get moving； or we'll be trapped in this dead end。 That bolt came from the bow of a surface elf。〃
〃She's right；〃 Valas said。
Grudgingly； Pharaun nodded。 Even wounded； Ryld could take care of himself。 He'd catch up to them eventually。 Yet； since the warrior's absence had been pointed out； Pharaun felt it keenly。 With Ryld gone； there was no one in the group to watch his back。 Or to banter with。 If Ryld was dead； Pharaun would miss him。 Perhaps for days。
Quenthel glanced down at Danifae； who was still on her hands and knees。
〃If you're quite finished lolling about； then get up；〃 Quenthel told her。 〃We have a ship to find。〃
The vipers in her whip hissing with derisive laughter； Quenthel followed Valas out of the cavern。 Jeggred growled one last time over his shoulder at Belshazu； then loped after his mistress。
As soon as he was certain Quenthel could no longer see him； Pharaun bent and offered Danifae his hand。 She gave him a calculating look； as if deciding whether to vent her pent…up anger upon him； then she allowed him to help her rise。 He supported her into the tunnel； then turned and spoke the words to a spell before hurrying after her。
Belshazu shook its remaining pincer at Pharaun's back。
〃I will see you again； mage；〃 it roared。
Pharaun chuckled as he scrambled up the tunnel and said； 〃When Hell unfreezes； Belshazu。〃
Which it was unlikely to do； since Pharaun had just cast a permanency spell upon the ice。
Chapter Six
The surface world was cloaked in darkness by the time Ryld emerged from the tunnel。 He had traveled for some time after leaving the others in the cavern。 A full moon hung above the tree…tops； half hidden by clouds but still casting so much light that it impeded his darkvision。 The snow that covered the ruined temple was covered with footprints； but Ryld was able to pick out those belonging to the cleric and warriors of House Jaelre。 They led in one direction only…into the tunnel。 The escaped cleric hadn't returned that way。
Ryld scanned the trees； searching for any sign that more of House Jaelre's warriors might be lurking in the forest。 Seeing none； he crept out of the tunnel mouth。
A moment later he heard a soft； melodic whistle。 It was a tune he recognized。
〃Halisstra？〃 he whispered。
Halisstra negated the spell that had rendered her invisible and rushed； over to embrace him。
〃Ryld！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I thought you weren't ing back。〃
He tried to ask why she'd doubted him； but she pressed her lips against his； kissing him。 For several long moments he returned her embrace； feverishly drinking in her scent and taste。 She was alive！ Then he remembered the warriors he'd killed…and the cleric who had gotten away。
〃We can't stay here；〃 he told her。 〃House Jaelre is on our trail。 I ran into one of their scouting parties below。〃
〃I know；〃 she said； surprising him。 〃I saw three of them pass through the woods； just after sunset。 I made some noise； and they were drawn this way。 They didn't find me； even though they searched for a long time after finding my gloves。〃
〃I'm glad；〃 Ryld whispered fiercely。 〃No need to worry about them now； though。 They're dead。〃
He heard her draw a sharp breath and thought she was reacting to his words。 Then he realized that it was his grip on her arm that had prompted the gasp。 She was wounded。 Turning her arm； he saw a puncture just below the spot where the sleeve of her chain mail ended。 The wound had been healed…probably by magic…but freshly so； since it still pained her。
〃I think I got your gloves back；〃 he said。 〃What happened？〃
〃Stirges。 Dozens of them； but they're dead now。〃
〃How？〃
〃I blasted them with magic； then made myself invisible。〃
〃With your lyre？〃
When Halisstra shook her head and grinned； Ryld blinked in surprise。
〃How； then？〃 he asked。 〃Has Lolth reawakened？〃
Halisstra laughed scornfully and said； 〃Let's check。 Are you awake； Lolth？ Can you see this？〃
Smiling fiercely； she made a blasphemous gesture； flipping her hand palm…up； fingers curled in the sign for a dead spider。
Ryld cringed； but several heartbeats later； when nothing happened； he slowly allowed himself to relax。
Halisstra smiled and patted the hilt of the sword she'd taken from Eilistraee's cleric。
〃I've found a new way to work my magic。 I don't need my lyre…or Lolth…any more。〃
Ryld nodded； disturbed not so much by her blasphemy but by the fear of what would follow。 Above them hung the moon…symbol of the god who had driven Lolth out of Arvandor。 Was Halisstra about to be claimed by Corellon or one of the other surface gods？
Trying to ignore his own question； Ryld glared at the ruins of the creator god's temple。
〃We should get moving；〃 he said； more harshly than he'd intended。 〃This place is dangerous。〃
Halisstra stared at him a moment； then nodded and said； 〃Let's go。〃
With a quick motion of his hand； Ryld caught Halisstra's attention。
Be still； he signed。 Then； do you hear that？
They had walked for the rest of the night through the forest without hearing anything but the pattering of the rain that was melting the slush underfoot； but from somewhere ahead came the sound of an animal's howl。 It was answered a few moments later by a second howl； somewhere to the right； that ended in a series of brief； excited yips。 The yips had a pattern； almost like that of speech。
There're at least two of them； Halisstra signed back。
Ryld nodded。 He peered into the forest but the light of the rising sun； slanting in through a crack in the heavy cloud cover； was ruining his darkvision。
Halisstra reached for her sword as she signaled； They're ing our way。
Yes。 And they're moving fast； but。。。 He listened for a moment and heard a high…pitched yelp of alarm。 They're not hunting。 They're fleeing from something。
A grim look on her face； wet hair dripping onto the shoulders of her armor； Halisstra drew her sword。 Curiously； she did not ready it but instead reversed the blade and held the hilt to her lips。
Levitate； she said with her free hand。 Hide。
She pressed her lips to the hilt and blew； and a haunting music filled the air。 An instant later she disappeared。 The only way Ryld could tell she was still there was by looking at the ground。 The spot where no rain was falling marked where she stood。
As the howls and yips drew closer； Ryld touched his brooch。 He rose silently into the air through sodden tree branches； then paused at a height of about ten paces and readied his crossbow。 A moment or two later； he heard a rustling in the underbrush。 An enormous gray…furred animal that walked on four spindly legs burst into sight； running full out with its ton