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Ryld sighed。 Pharaun knew how he felt。 Generally speaking； the wizard relished a baffling； braincramping puzzle； but even he was growing impatient at their lack of progress。
Given the lack of any sensible leads； he resolved to follow where intuition led。 Still caught up in his role of sympathizer； he dared to step to the cot and pat Smylla on her bony shoulder。 She gasped。 In all likelihood； no one had touched her for a long while； either。
〃Don't abandon hope；〃 Pharaun said。 〃Perhaps we can still make a trade。 Fortunately； my rade and I are interested in other matters as well。 Has anything peculiar occurred in the Braeryn of late？〃
The clairvoyant rasped out another painfulsounding laugh。
〃You mean aside from the fact that last tenday； the animals rose up against me？〃
〃I do find that interesting。 As you confessed； your magical talents withered away some time ago。 Since then； you've dominated the goblins through bluff and force of personality； and it worked until a few days ago。 What changed？ Where did the Undercreatures find the courage to turn against you？ Have you noticed anything that might account for it？〃
〃Well；〃 said Smylla； 〃it could just be they saw me failing physically； but—〃 Her cracked lips stretched into a grin。 〃You're good； Master Mizzrym。 You give me a smile； friendly conversation； a soft touch on the arm； and my tongue starts to flap。 That's loneliness for you。 But I will have my cure before I give up anything of importance。〃
〃Very sensible。〃 Pharaun extracted an empty cocoon from one of his pockets。 〃What do you wish to bee？〃
〃One of you；〃 she said； leering。 〃I once heard a philosopher say that everyone bees the thing he hates。〃
〃He must have been a cheery fellow to have about。 Now； brace yourself。 This will only take a moment； but it may hurt a little。〃
Employing greater care than usual； he recited the incantation and used the ridged silken case to write a symbol on the air。
Magic shrilled through the air； and the temperature plummeted。 For a moment； the whole room rippled and shimmered； then the distortion concentrated itself on Smylla's shriveled body。 Tendons standing out in her neck； she screamed。
Beyond the door； one of the bugbears shouted； 〃We want to get even； too〃
Smylla's sores faded away； and her emaciated form filled out into a healthy slimness。 Her ashen skin darkened to a gleaming black； her blue eyes turned red； and her ears grew points。 Her features became more delicate。 Her snowy hair thickened； changing from brittle and lusterless to wavy and glossy。
〃The pain went away；〃 she breathed。 〃I feel stronger。〃
〃Of course；〃 Pharaun said。
She stared at her hands； then sat up； rose from the cot； and tried to walk。 At first she moved with an invalid's caution； but gradually； as she proved to herself that she wouldn't fall； that hesitancy passed。 After a few seconds； she was striding； jumping； and spinning like an exuberant little girl testing her strength； her grimy nightshirt flapping about her。
〃You did it〃 she said； and the pure； uncalculated gratitude in her crimson eyes showed that even wearing the flesh of a dark elf maiden； she was still human at the core。
Though it was foreign to his own nature； Pharaun found her appreciation rather gratifying。 Still； he hadn't transformed her to bask in her naive sentimentality but to elicit some answers。 〃Now；〃 he said； 〃please； tell us。〃
〃Right。〃 She took a deep breath to pose herself and said； 〃I do believe something emboldened the Undercreatures in this house。 What's more； I think it's affected goblinoids throughout the Braeryn。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Ryld。
〃I don't know。〃
The warrior grimaced。
〃What led you to infer this agency？〃 Pharaun asked。 〃I assume you were housebound even before you barricaded yourself in your room。〃
〃I saw a change in the brutes who live here。 They were surly； insolent； and foultempered； ready to maim and kill one another at the slightest provocation。〃
Ryld hitched his shoulders； working stiffness out or shifting Splitter to lie more fortably across his back。
〃How is that different than normal？〃 asked the weapons master。
Smylla scowled at him and said； 〃All things are relative。 The creatures exhibited those qualities to a greater extent than before； and whenever I heard tidings from beyond these walls； they suggested the entire precinct shared the same truculent humor。〃
Pharaun nodded。 〃Did you hear about tribal emblems appearing in the streets？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃That bespeaks a kind of madness； don't you think？〃
〃Maybe in one or two thralls；〃 said Ryld。 〃What of it？ You promised my friend information。 Tell us something we don't already know； and I mean facts； not your impressions。〃
The clairvoyant smiled。 〃All right。 I was building up to it。 Every few nights a drum beats somewhere in the Braeryn； calling the lower orders to some sort of gathering。 Many of the occupants of this house clear out。 With what little remains of my clairvoyance； I've sensed many others skulking through the streets； all converging on a mon destination。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Ryld。 〃Why has no drow patrol heard the signal and e to investigate？〃
〃Because；〃 said Pharaun； 〃the city possesses enchantments to mute sound。〃
〃Well； maybe。〃 Ryld turned back to Smylla。 〃Where do the creatures go； and why？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said； 〃but perhaps； with my health and occult talents restored； I could find out。〃 She beamed at Pharaun。 〃I'd be happy to try。 I fulfilled the letter of our bargain； but I do realize I haven't provided you with all that much in exchange for the priceless gift you gave me。〃
〃That remark touches on the question of your future；〃 the wizard said。 〃You'd have no difficulty reestablishing your dominion here in the Stenchstreets； but why live so meanly？ I could use an aide of your caliber。 Or； if you prefer； I can arrange your safe repatriation to the World Above。〃
As he spoke； he surreptitiously contorted the fingers of his left hand； expressing himself in the silent language of the dark elves； a system of gestures as efficient and prehensive as the spoken word。
〃I think—〃 Smylla began； then her eyes opened wide。
She whimpered。 Ryld pulled his short sword out of her back； and she collapsed。 Pharaun skipped back to keep her from toppling against him。
〃Despite her previous experiences；〃 the lanky wizard said； 〃she couldn't quite leave off trusting drow。 I suppose it shows you can take the human out of the sunshine； but not the sunshine out of the human。〃 He shook his head。 〃This is the second female I've slain or murdered by proxy in the brief time since our adventure began； and I didn't particularly want to kill either one of them。 Do you suspect an underlying metaphysical significance？〃
〃How would I know？ I take it you bade me kill the snitch because she was feeding us lies。〃
〃Oh； no。 I'm convinced she was telling the truth。 The problem was that I deceived her。 Her metamorphosis didn't really purge her disease。 It was a bit tricky just suppressing it for a few minutes。〃
Pharaun stepped back again to keep the spreading pool of blood from staining his boots； and Ryld cleaned the short sword on the dead human's bedding。
〃You didn't want to leave her alive and angry to carry tales to Greyanna；〃 the weapons master said。
〃It's unlikely they would have found one another； but why take the chance？〃
〃And you asked Smylla about the marks on the walls。 You're just too cursed curious to let the subject go。〃
Pharaun grinned。 〃Don't be silly。 I'm the very model of singleminded determination； and I was asking to further our mission。〃
Ryld glanced at the door and the iron bar。 They were still holding。
〃What does the strange behavior of goblins have to do with the rogue males？〃 he asked。
〃I don't know yet；〃 Pharaun answered； 〃but we have two oddities occurring at the same time and in the same precinct。 Doesn't it make sense to infer a relationship？〃
〃Not necessarily。 Menzoberranzan has scores of plots and conspiracies going on at any given time。 They aren't all connected。〃
〃Granted。 However； if these two situations are linked； then by inquiring into one； we likewise probe the other。 You and I have experienced a depressing lack of success picking up the trail of our runaways。 Therefore； we'll investigate the lower orders and see where that path takes us。〃
〃How will we do that？〃
〃Follow the drum； of course。〃
The door banged。
〃First；〃 said Ryld； 〃we have to get out of here。〃
〃Easily managed。 I'll remove the locking talisman from the door； then use illusion to make us blend with the walls。 In a minute or two； the residents will break the door down。 When they're busy abusing Smylla's corpse and ransacking her possessions； we'll put on goblin faces and slip out in the confusion。〃
Chapter
E L E V E N
Quenthel's patrol had stalked the shadowy； candlelit passages of ArachTinilith for hours； until spaces she knew intimately began to seem strange and subtly unreal； and her subordinates' nerves visibly frayed with the waiting。 She called a halt to let the underlings rest and collect themselves。 They stopped in a small chapel with the images of skulls； daggers； and spiders worked in basrelief on the walls and the bones of longdead priestesses interred beneath the floor。 Rumor whispered that a cleric had cut her own throat in th