s are。〃
〃Yes； Mother。〃 The half…demon crouched； leered into Faeryl's face； and said； 〃I can make the fun last。 You'll see。〃
He stuck out his long； pointed tongue and licked blood from her face。 The member was as rough as a beast's。
The figure in the chapel doorway had a bulbous head with huge； pronottruding eyes； dry； wrinkled hide； and four wriggling tentacles surnotrounding and obscuring the mouth。 It had gnarled three…fingered hands； a body with contours and proportions different than those of a drow； and an assortment of talismans and amulets burning with strange enchantments。 Syrzan； Pharaun had no doubt； was a member of the psionically gifted species called illithids。 Specifically； it was one of the few such creatures to follow the path of wizardry and ultimately transform itself into an undead entity known as an alhoon。 The thing was surely prodigiously powerful； immune to the ravages of time； and still entirely capable of reading the masters' minds and discerning the treachery therein。
Like Pharaun； Ryld had sprung up from his bench。 The hulking warrior flung himself at Houndaer； no doubt in an attempt to get his weapons back。 Pharaun； who thought he needed his spell ponents just as badly； scrambled after his friend。
The weapons master threw a punch； knocked Houndaer backward off his bench； and snatched up Splitter。 He whirled； looking for the next threat； and almost whacked his fellow teacher with the blade。
Pharaun reached for his cloak； then realized Houndaer's unassuming panion was singing a wordless arpeggio。
Had Pharaun already been wearing the piwafwi with all its protective enchantments； he might have resisted the song； but instead its power stabbed into his mind。 He laughed convulsively； uncontrollably； and stagnotgered backward。 Finally； he fell to his knees； his stomach muscles clenchnoting and aching。
He'd suspected the nondescript little male was more than he'd seemed； a formidable batant employing a bland appearance to throw his adnotversaries off guard； and he'd been right。 The 〃craftsman〃 was in reality a bard； a spellcaster who worked his wonders through the medium of music。
Teeth gritted； Pharaun shook off the pulsion to laugh。 Gasping； he lifted his head and looked around。 The bard was simultaneously drawing his enchanted dagger and starting another song； this time pitched falsetto。 Houndaer was on his feet battling Ryld； their swords ringing。 At the end of the room； Tsabrak； shifting his eight legs in agitation； aimed an arrow at Pharaun； while in the doorway the alhoon simply stood with only its mouth tentacles moving； seemingly content to let its patriots do the fighting。
Pharaun threw himself sideways。 The arrow missed him and clacked and skipped across the floor。 The mage slapped the stone； and a wall of sheltering darkness sprang up between him and the foe。 Moving with a practiced； silent grace； he scrambled on。
Something clamped down on Pharaun's mind； smothering his will and robbing him of the ability to move。 The undead mind flayer hadn't been idle after all。 Syrzan had simply utilized its psionic strength in preference to its wizardry and thus hadn't needed to whirl its three…fingered hands in arcane passes。 The wall of shadow no impediment； the Prophet had reached out； found Pharaun's intellect； and struck a crippling blow。
The barricade of darkness disappeared。 Syrzan must have employed a bit of countermagic to dispel it and in so doing； afforded Pharaun a view of the space beyond。 Rather to his surprise； Houndaer was still alive； pernothaps because Tsabrak had discarded his bow； drawn a broadsword； and e to fight alongside him。 The two conspirators were trying to catch Ryld between them； generally an effective tactic； but thus far the teacher's piwafwi； dwarven armor； and prowess had preserved him from harm。
The Tuin'Tarl made a halfhearted slash； and Ryld； recognizing the feint for what it was； didn't react。 The pale phosphorescence of the carvings gleaming on his naked limbs； Tsabrak spat venom onto his blade。 The bard brought his shrill singing to a crescendo； crossed his legs； and wrapped his arms tightly around his torso； all but tying himself in knots。
With the aid of his ring； Pharaun saw a glittering pulse of magic fly from the singer to Ryld。 He could even tell what it was intended to do。 His friend was supposed to contort his own body in helpless imitation of the bard's constrictive posture。 But； strong of spirit； Ryld resisted the pulnotsion without even realizing he was doing it。
The weapons master faked a cut at Houndaer's head； then whirled and dived。 He slid between Tsabrak's legs； breaking away from th