F O U R (19 page)

Some new peril may be lurking in the on behalf of your people? Even more iUnderdark and massacring dmportantly, I believe you may be right. row left andright. I don't want it to kill you as well.

I certainly wouldn't want the other nobl I hold you in too high an esteem, and es of Ched Nasad to think that I blithely sent you to your doom. They might infer th

at I have

even the most exalted officers of your  splendid  city     little regard for , when  of  course, nothin

could be farther from the truth."                     g

"You honor me. Yet considering what's  at stake—"

"Nothing is  more  important  than  your  safety

.  Anything could happen if  you

attempt to traverse the tunnels at this  unsettled time. You might not even makeit out of Bauthwaf. Why

,  one of Menzoberranzan's  own patrols, weary from toomuch duty

,  imagining a dwarf crouched behind every stalagmite, might

mistake your band for a hostile force and

Y                  loose a volley of poison darts at you. ou might die  an  agonizing death at  the hands  of  your own friends,  in which

case I would never forgive myself."

A chill crept up Faeryl's  spine, because she understood what Triel had reallsaid. The m                             y

atron mother had just forbidden her to leave the city, on pain of

death.

But why? What accounted for Matron Baenre'sidea until she happened to glance up at the draegloth' sudden hostility? Faeryl had no

s  face. Somehow the halffiend'

T s leer suggested an explanation.riel had decided Faeryl was less diplomat  than spy,  an agent for some  power

inimical to Menzoberranzan, who'd concocted this business of missing traders to

provide herself with a good excuse to leave the city and report to her superiors.

Richard Lee Byers

49

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

Matron Baenre couldn't allow it, couldn't  permit a spy to pass along the tale  of

Menzoberranzan's  newfound weakness. She  didn't dare, because it was enpossible that not all dark elf enclaves had suffered the sam       tirely e  calamif the                            ity, and even y  had, perhaps the  dwarves,  duergar, deeWhat rem               p  gnomes, and illithids had not.ained unclear was why Tr                  heidea in her head, and what did that persiel believed as she did. Who had put ton have to gain by holding Faeryl in thecity?

Jaw tight, the emissary stifled the impulse  to confront Triel about the latter's true concerns. She knew she wouldn't be able to draw the Baenre into angenuine consideration of the allegations against her.  Taking a malicious pleasurein the  play-acting, Triel would simply  feign shock that  Faerand good will.                     yl doubted her trust

Indeed, if Faeryl wanted to avoid further humiliation, all she could do was goalong with the pretense.

She smiled and said, "As I said before, Matron Mother,  your concern honors me, and I will of course obey you. I'll remain in the City of Spiders and savor itsmany delights."

"Good," said Triel, and Faeryl imagined the words that remaW                            ined unspoken: e'll know where to find you when it's tim

"May I have your permission to withdrawe for your arrest.? I see there are mathe benefit of your wisdom."                ny others seeking

"Go, with m
Faeryl of
y
fered her obeisance, exited th
blessing."
        
e hall, and walked through the great mound that was the Baenre citadel until she found herself alone and unobserved in a short connecting passageway.  She took the rolled mathe charts she had imagined that she and T       ps of the Underdark, riel might consult togetherbeneath her arm                       , from.  Teeth bared in a snarl,  she smashed them repeatedly against the wall until the stiff parchment cylinder  flopped limp and battered in her hands.

and masters of Sorcere perform the rGromph and Quenthel strolled about the plateau watching the apprentices ituals. The sound of chanting and thepungent scent of incense filled the air

flashes of light, dancing  shadows, demonic faces app, along with various conjured p

henomena:

earing and disappearing,

moaning  and  crackling.  All to  lay  a  new  set of  wards about  Tier  Breche.

Gromph was mildly impressed. By and larj                    ge, his minions were doing a good

ob

i   of it, though they weren't laying any enchantments he couldn't pierce. In fact, s nce  he  was  supervising  them  at  their  labors,  getting  past  the  wards  would  be

easy.

skirt rippling in the stray breeze "I wonder if all this will actually protect kicked up by someone'us," said Quenthel,  scowling, her long s  incantation.Gromph was surprised that even after Beradax's attack, she hadn't donned a suit

of mail. Perhaps she thought her frightened novices and priestesses required ashow of confidence.

"It didn't protect us before," hissed

comprising the whip on her belt.     one of the annoyingly vocal snakes Four of them were twisting this way  and that, watching for danger

.  The fifth

Richard Lee Byers

50

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

kept  its  cold  eyes  staring at  Gromph, not, the  Archmage  was  convinced, because

his sister suspected him of trying to murder her.  Or rather she did, but not

specifically.  She  simply  had too many viable  suspects.  There  were  subordinates

who aspired to be Mistress of Arach-Tinilith, and the myriad foes of House Baenre. Perhaps it was even T

riel seeking to forestall the all but inevitable day when

Quenthel would challenge her for preeminence."Enchantments can attenuate with  time," said Gromph, honestly enough.

"The new ones will be stronger.  Strong enough, I trust, to keep you safe inArach-Tinilith."

"It isn't just the temple at risk," Quenthel snapped. "Next time, a demon

could attack Sorcere or Melee-Magthere."Don't count on it, Grom

"I'          ph thought, but he said, "I understand."ve seen enough for now," said the mistress, her scowl deepening. "Don't

let your males slack off. I want the defenses complete before you leave  to  castyour spell into Narbondel."

"Consider it done."

Quenthel turned and walked back toward Arach-Tinilith. The primary

entrance  to  the  imposing  spider-shaped  temple  had  become  merely  an  oddlooking hole. The artisans hadn't yet finished repairing the crumpled

adamantine  leaves  of  the  gate.  Gromph  smiled  to  think  how  that  must

his sister. Knowing her as he did, he  was fairly certain the unfortunate annoy

me

Wtalworkers had already felt the weight of her displeasure.ell, perhaps they wouldn't have to bear it for much longer.  He fingered a

small orname

Quenthel hadn'nt, a black stone clasped int asked about the trinket, a silver claw dangling over his heart. nor had Gromph expected her to. Healways wore his amulet of eternal youth and the brooch that helped him  imbue

Narbondel with radiant warmth. Beyond those two staples, he tended to adorn

the Robes of the Archmage with a constantly changing array of charms and

talismans, depending on his whim  and the particular magical tasks he expected

to perform  that day.  His sister had had no reason to suspect that this particulartrinket was of any particular significance, c

ertainly not to herself.

If she had noticed it at all, she probably assumed the stone was onyx,  ebonyor jet. In actuality, it was polished ivory cut from  a unicorn'         ,

s  horn after Gromph

slew  the  magical  equine—sacred  to  the  despicable  elves  of  the  World  Above—

in a necrom

inside it only two hours before.antic rite. The orb was only black because of the entity he had placed "That was her

, " he murmured, too softly  for any of the spell casters bustlinabout him  to overhear                         g

Y        . "Did you take her scent?"es, the demon answered, its silent voice like a nail scratching the inside
 
of

Gromph's head. Though it was unnecessary. I ma

that has never hindered m          y not possess the power of sight, but e  as I sought my  prey.

"I was just maOf course. No one of your world has everking sure. Now,  can you succeed where Beradax failed?" escaped m

e. Afterward, I will feast on

Quenthel's soul, one tiny morsel at a time. Most likely the netherspirit would do exactly that, and if it failed, G

romph had

six more waiting in line to pick up where it left off. Perhaps it wouldn't even come

to that. He had, after all, manipulated events in such a way as to inspire more

mundane assassins.

A third-year student came scurrying  up with a stubby chalcedony wand in hish

and.  Recalled  to  more  immediate concerns, Gromph  sighed  and  prepared  to  teach

Richard Lee Byers

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