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taggered； and dropped his guard。 The skeletons surged forward； and the twins； who'd been hovering at the periphery of the fight； darted in as well。
Caught by surprise； Pharaun only just had time to conjure a dazzling； crackling fork of lightning。 The power held the enemy back for a moment； and Ryld recovered his balance。
〃All right？〃 asked the Master of Sorcere。
〃Yes。〃 Ryld chopped a spearwielding skeleton's legs out from under it。 〃Something was trying to tamper with my mind； but it's gone now。〃
〃It won't stay gone unless I confront the spell casters。〃
Pharaun floated up into the air； beyond the skeletons' reach； making sure he would have a clear shot at Greyanna and the others。 In his absence； the creatures would likely be able to surround Ryld； but that couldn't be helped。
Surveying the scene； he saw that Relonor was still lying motionless on his back。 Positioned beyond the melee； Greyanna and her sister priestess were reading from scrolls。
For a moment； Pharaun's thoughts exploded into a terrifying madness； but reason quickly reasserted itself。 He sucked in a deep breath； trying to quell the residual fear； and a second assault wracked his body。 He cried out； and the agony passed。 Somehow he'd weathered both spells。
He threw a seething ball of lighting at Greyanna； but it winked out of existence halfway to the target； unmade by the priestess's defenses。 She and the other cleric employed their scrolls again。
A dazzling； searing beam of light erupted from Greyanna's hand。 It slashed across Pharaun's face； and he closed his eyes just in time to keep it from blinding him。 It was painful nonetheless； but his own defenses kept it from burning his face off。
The other priestess flailed at him with a sizzling bolt of lightning。 As it was one of his own favorite forces to mand； it hardly seemed fair。 He stiffened with the shock for a moment or two； and the magic lost its grip on him。
He feared the spasm had cost him precious time。 By the time it passed； he thought the priestesses were surely in the process of casting new spells； but when he looked at the lesser of the two she wasn't creating any magic。 She'd dropped her suddenly blank scroll on the ground and was rooting in her leather pouch； presumably for another means of magical attack。
Clasping a bit of coal and a tiny dried eyeball held in a little vial； Pharaun created an effect。 Power sighed and rippled through the air； and a mass of darkness appeared around the female's head； blinding her。
The wizard's thoughts flew apart once more； then reassembled themselves。 He rounded on Greyanna。 She was still clutching her scroll； evidently still casting from it。 He began to conjure； and she； evidently uncertain of the parchment's power to protect her； tore open the bag。
It had occurred to Pharaun that the sack might have more spores in it； but he'd assumed they would produce more skeletons。 This time； though； the glittering motes burst in midair； swelling into ugly little beasts resembling a cross between a bat and a mosquito。
The stirges swirled around him； jabbing at him with their proboscises； striving to drink his blood。 They interfered with the motion of his hands and so spoiled his conjuration。 He restored his weight and fell back to the ground； where Ryld； beset by clinking skeletons on all sides； beheaded one with a sudden cut。 One of the twins edged toward him but balked when the big male pivoted in his direction。
Pharaun slammed down on the street。 Trailing chattering stirges； he sprinted toward the fallen Relonor。 A couple skeletons turned to hack at him； but most of them were too intent on killing Ryld to notice him。 Up close； the things stank。 Pharaun thought they must still have some scraps of rotting flesh about them somewhere。
Just as he reached the unconscious wizard； Greyanna's foulwing landed on the other side of the body with a groundshaking thump。 Pharaun roared out a painfully loud magical shout； and the beast recoiled； carrying its rider with it。
Pharaun stooped； ripped the brooch off Relonor's sash； turned； and ran。 Greyanna screamed in rage。 The foulwing roared its strange double roar； and two sets of jaws clashed shut behind the fleeing male。
A stirge's proboscis jabbed him in the back； staggering him； but was unable to penetrate his piwafwi。 Another spell rattled his mind but with no permanent ill effects。 A skeleton appeared on his flank； swinging a notched； rusty axe at his head。 Splitter flashed in an arc and smashed the undead thing into tiny pieces。
Pharaun caught hold of the hem of Ryld's piwafwi and glanced around at Greyanna。 Her face a mask of fury； she tossed away her scroll； which was likely blank； and held her hands high to receive the long staff materializing from some extra dimensional storage。 He could see why she wanted the instrument。 It blazed with mystic power； but it was also slow in attaining tangibility。 Some chance interaction of the magical energies playing about the battleground was retarding its transition to the physical plane。
Why； then； didn't she leave off summoning it and attack in some other manner？ Why—
In a flash of inspiration； the answer came to him； and it was astonishing。
But he was scarcely in a place conducive to contemplation of his discovery； and it was time to remedy that。 He peered at the brooch he'd taken from Relonor； found the trigger word implicit in the kaleidoscopic pattern shining around it； and spoke。
Greyanna regarded the open space in the middle of the ring of aimlessly milling skeletons； and the stirges swooping and wheeling above。 A moment before； Pharaun and his hulking acplice had been standing there； but they were gone。 If her eyes had not deceived her； her brother had flashed her that old familiar mocking grin as he vanished。 How dare he smirk at her like that when it was she who had driven him from House Mizzrym
She regarded her iron staff； taller than she was； square in crosssection； graven with hundreds of tiny runes； and warm as blood to the touch。 The weapon had failed her。 She trembled with the impulse to swing it over her head and smash it against the stone beneath her feet until it was defaced； deformed； and useless。
She didn't； because she knew Pharaun's escape was really her fault； not the staff's。 She should have summoned the weapon sooner。 She should have been more aggressive with the sack。 Damn this degrading and inexplicable season Because of its vicissitudes； her mother had instructed her to play the miser with every personal resource； even though she was fighting for the welfare of House Mizzrym and all Menzoberranzan。
Well； she wouldn't make the same mistake next time。 It was her responsibility to look after her troops and return them to the castle。 She dismounted； squared her shoulders； put on a calm； manding expression； and proceeded with the business at hand。
Neither of the twins were hurt； and her cousin Aunrae merely needed the ball of darkness around her head dispelled。 It was Relonor who concerned Greyanna； but fortunately the mage was still alive。 A healing potion mended him sufficiently to stand； clutching his sash so it wouldn't slip off and shrugging out of his iceencrusted cloak。
While the twins helped Relonor hobble about and so restore his circulation； Aunrae came sidling up to Greyanna。 To her cousin's admittedly jaundiced eye； in Aunrae the usual Mizzrym tendency to leanness had run to a grotesque extreme。 The younger female resembled a stick insect。
〃My miseration on your failure；〃 Aunrae said。
Her expression was grave； but she wasn't really trying to hide the smile lurking underneath。
〃I didn't realize just how powerful Pharaun has bee；〃 Greyanna admitted。 〃Before his exile； he was quite petent but nothing extraordinary。 It was his cunning that made him so dangerous。 I see that all the decades in Tier Breche have turned him into one of the most formidable wizards in the city。 That plicates things； but I'll manage。〃
〃I hope the matron will five you your ignorance；〃 Aunrae said。 〃You've wasted so much magic to no effect。〃
The conjured skeletons and stirges began to wink out of existence； leaving a residue of magic energy。 The air seemed to tingle and buzz； though if a person stopped and listened； it really wasn't。
〃Is that how you see it？〃 Greyanna asked。
Aunrae shrugged。 〃I'm just worried she'll feel you bungled things； that your hatred of Pharaun made you blind and clumsy。 She might even decide someone else is more deserving of the preeminence you currently possess。 Of course； I hope not You know I wish you well。 My plan for my future has always been to support you and prosper as your aide。〃
〃Cousin； your words move me；〃 Greyanna said as she lifted the staff。
No one could heave such a long； heavy implement into a fighting position without giving the opponent an instant's warning； so Aunrae was able to e on guard。 It didn't matter。 Not bothering to unleash any of the magic within her weapon； wielding it like an ordinary quarterstaff； Greyanna bashed the mace from the younger priestess's fingers； knocked her flat with a ringing blow to her armored shoulder； and dug the tip of the iron rod into her throat。
〃I'd like to confer on one or two matters；〃 said Greyanna。 〃Do you have a moment？〃
Aunrae made a liquid； strangling sound。
〃Excellent。