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d deeply cleft chin； they carried pale bone longbows slung over their backs in preference to the more mon crossbows。
Greyanna herself remained on her mount and produced a scroll from within her piwafwi。 Thanks to his remaining ring； Pharaun could see from the plex corona of magical force shining around the rolled parchment that it contained； among others； a spell to disrupt the other fellow's magic。 Perhaps she intended to use it to render the dancing rapier inert long enough for her minions to break or immobilize it。
The wretched ropes were digging into the wizard's flesh like knives。 He would hardly have been surprised if they drew blood。 They were certainly cutting off his circulation and numbing his extremities。 Trembling with effort； he shifted his fingers another inch。
〃My panion is Ryld Argith；〃 he said； 〃a Master of MeleeMagthere。 He's never done anything to you； and you will place yourself in debt to the warriors of the pyramid by killing him。〃
Entangled as he was； Pharaun couldn't even turn his head to look at his friend anymore； but he could hear Ryld grunting and swearing and feel him shaking the net。 The swordsman was plainly trying to free himself； but it seemed unlikely that even his extraordinary strength would be enough if he was unable to bring one of his blades to bear； and apparently such was the case。
〃I've kept tabs on you through the years。〃 Greyanna said。 〃I know Master Argith is your most valued rade。 I don't need him trying to liberate or avenge you。 Our mother will handle MeleeMagthere。〃
On further inspection； Pharaun observed that the subordinate priestess had readied a scroll as well。 That struck him as vaguely odd； but he supposed this was hardly the time to ponder the possible significance。
The warriors were approaching steadily but warily； and not merely； he suspected； because of the hovering rapier。 Greyanna could neutralize the weapon； but they feared that Pharaun would work some terrible magic that only required speech； not gestures or a focal object。 He was sorry to disappoint them。 He did have one or two such spells in his memory but none that could annihilate all five of these unpleasant folk at a single stroke； and he knew that once he conjured some devastating attack； they would abandon any intention of taking him alive for a demise by torture。 They would strike back as fast and murderously as possible； and immobilized in the mesh； he would have little hope of defending against their efforts。
〃Actually； you ought to think twice about harming either of us；〃 he said； hoping that further conversation would slow the fighters' advance； even if only for a second。
Greyanna chuckled。 〃Be assured； I've thought of it a thousand thousand times。〃
〃The archmage won't like it。〃
〃I'm acting on behalf of the Council。 I doubt he'll deem it politic to retaliate 。 。 。 any more than MeleeMagthere will。〃
〃Well； Gromph won't sign his name to your cadaver； but someday 。。。〃
Pharaun's fingers finally jerked into the pocket and closed around a small but sturdy leather glove。 With the net still tightening every second； it was just as hard to withdraw the article as it had been to reach it。 He experimented to see if he could possibly fumble it through the proper mystical pass。
Such a cramped； tiny motion was neither easy nor natural for him。 He was accustomed to conjure with a certain flair； making sweeping； dramatic gestures。 Yet he had on occasion practiced making the signs as small as possible。 It was good for his control and had a few times allowed him to cast a spell without an adversary realizing what he was about。 So he had some hope of properly manipulating the glove。 If only the web wasn't so constrictive or his hand so dead and awkward。
〃Excuse me；〃 Greyanna said； then suspended the conversation to read from her scroll。
It was of course divine magic； not arcane； and Pharaun didn't recognize all the words。 The effect； however； was unmistakable。 The rapier jerked and fell to the ground with a clank。 The masked wizard stepped forward and scooped it up。 Pharaun was content at least with the fact that the rapier's peculiar enchantment would make it impossible for Greyanna's henchman to turn the weapon on him—at least not for an hour or so。
Pharaun recognized the mage； whose high； wide forehead and small； pointed chin were unmistakable。 Pharaun had always thought they made the other mage's head look like an egg。 He was Relonor Vrinn； an able wizard and longtime Mizzrym retainer。 He was still wearing his silk sash with the spell foci tucked inside and an eightpointed gold brooch securing it。
Scimitars in hand； the warriors approached the net。 Judging from their smiles； they'd decided there was nothing to fear and were looking forward to beating the two prisoners unconscious。
Pharaun was not yet satisfied with his employment of the glove； but he was rather clearly out of time。 He would just have to try the pass and see if it worked。 He shifted the focus one more time； meanwhile reciting an incantation under his breath。
A giant hand； radiant and translucent； appeared beneath the net。 The instantaneous addition of another object lodged inside jerked the mesh even tighter。 Pharaun knew the jolt was ing； but he cried out anyway。
The pain only intensified when； responding to the wizard's unspoken mand； the hand hurtled twentyfive feet into the air； carrying the net and its prisoners along。 For a moment； Pharaun feared he would black out； but the pressure eased。 As he'd hoped； and despite the best sliding； bunching efforts of the web of ropes； his own weight was dragging him free。 He shoved and thrashed to speed the process along。
When he was able； he looked over at Ryld。 The hulking warrior was wrestling free of the net as well； though he lost hold of Splitter doing it。 The great sword fell point first； narrowly missed plunging through one of the Mizzrym warriors； and stuck pommel up in the smooth stone surface of the street。
〃We have to fall；〃 said Ryld。 〃If we just float here； they'll shoot and magic us to pieces。〃
〃Let's go；〃 Pharaun replied。
The masters released their holds and plummeted。 One of the soldiers hit Ryld with an arrow； but the missile failed to penetrate his armor。 A ball of flame exploded in the air； but Relonor had aimed too high； and the blast only made his targets flinch。 Pharaun used his House insignia to slow his descent just a little。 He thought that otherwise he'd break his legs。
As a result； he saw Ryld—who possessed a similar levitating talisman； his bearing the sigil of MeleeMagthere—reach the ground a moment ahead of him。 The Master of MeleeMagthere tucked into a ball； rolled； sprang up with short sword in hand； and lunged at the soldier who'd loosed the arrow。 The masked male leaped backward； dropped his bow； and whipped his scimitar out of its scabbard again。 While he was so engaged； Ryld yanked Splitter out of the ground。
Pharaun landed。 Despite his attempt to cushion the impact； it slammed up his legs and sent him staggering。 As he fought to recover his balance； he noticed Relonor swirling his hands in a starshaped pattern。
As the Master of Sorcere lurched upright； the other mage pleted his incantation。 A long； angular reptilian thing sprang from the palms of the older drow's outstretched hands as if they were the doorway to another world。 Wreathed in flowing blue flame； the monster charged Pharaun。
Relonor was a gifted mage but no marvel as a tactician。 In the excitement of the moment； he'd reflexively cast his favorite spell； and characteristically for a Mizzrym retainer； it was an illusion。 He'd fotten that his foe； born in the same House； might well recognize the sequence of mystic passes。 Of course； even if Pharaun hadn't； his silver ring would have shown him what sort of magic the other male was creating。
He ignored the phantasm and reached into a pocket to snatch a tiny crystal and mence a spell。 He ignored the apparition even when it lunged so close he felt the imaginary but searing heat of its halo of flame。
An intense coldness； visible in the fan of drifting ice crystals it instantly created； exploded from his hand。 It passed right through the reptile； dissipating the illusion in the process； and washed over Relonor。 It painted him with rime； and he fell backward。
Pharaun grinned。 Greyanna was a fool to accost him with so few retainers in her train。 Didn't she realize that two masters of Tier Breche were more than equal to the worst that she and her four dolts could do？
The foulwing flapped its bat like wings and hopped closer to the melee。 As its legless body pounded down on the ground； Greyanna opened a leather bag and flung a handful of its contents into the air。
The falling motes flared with greenish light when they struck the ground。 Each seethed and sparkled upward like a spore instantaneously growing into a fungus。 In an instant； a number of animate skeletons stood upon the street。 They carried a miscellany of weapons and shields but shared a mon purpose。 As one； they oriented on the masters and advanced。
Shifting back and forth； Ryld cut the undead creatures down。 Pharaun took momentary shelter behind his friend； then the swordsman cried out； staggered； and dropped his guard。 The skeletons surged forward； and the twins； who'd been hovering at