ce。 She was on foot； not mounted on a lizard or enthroned on a floating stone disk。 She was alone； not acpanied by a column of guards and servants； and most strangely of all； no one paid her any real attention。 Oh； slaves scurried out of her path； and males ofnotfered her a cursory show of respect； but no one feared her or cringed in awe of her。 Indeed； she herself had to offer obeisance to the noble fenotmales she encountered along the way； lest their soldiers chastise her for insolence。
It was galling； unsettling； and somehow tempting as well。 In her most private thoughts； she'd imagined herself simply running away from the imnotplacable foe who worked so assiduously to kill her。 It might be the only way she could survive。 If she opted to flee this minute； she was already off to a good start。 She'd managed to slip away from Tier Breche with no one； she hoped； the wiser。
Flight was a cowardly notion； though； unworthy of a Baenre； and it annotgered her when she entertained it even for a moment。 Until the attacks began； she never had before。 She turned a corner； and Qu'ellarz'orl； came into view。 Her destination was nigh； and she focused her thoughts on the task at hand。
Sneaking away from the Academy had been a little plicated。 First； she'd had to surreptitiously lay hands on nondescript outerwear that would allow her to pass for a moner。 Such a piwafwi certainly hadn't existed among her own garments； all of which were costly and bejeweled； but she'd found it among the effects of one of the kitchen staff。 After disposnoting of the cook lest the missing garment be reported； she had to exit Arach…Tinilith without anyone realizing it was her； including her own watchful sentries。 Finally； she needed to skulk to the edge of the plateau and float down to the cavern floor below without the guards at the top of the staircase noticing。
She'd managed it； though； and she was confident of her ability to sneak back into the Academy； even after the plateau had been put on a state of heightened security。
A road ran up the eminence that was Qu'ellarz'orl to the castles of Men…zoberranzan's greatest families。 It wasn't off limits to moners。 Mernotchants and supplicants used it all the time； but they were subject to search and interrogation by House Baenre patrols。
Quenthel started up the twisting road and made it better than halfway to the top before she heard the distinctive grunt and hiss of a riding lizard。 She scurried off the path into the forest of giant； phosphorescent mushnotrooms； where she crouched behind a particularly massive specimen。
The patrol； a mounted officer and a dozen foot soldiers； marched by without so much as glancing her way。 Hiding from her own troops was another bizarre； almost surreal experience。
When the warriors passed； she hurried on up the slope。 In another minute； she reached the top of the rise。 Before her rose the most opulent fortresses in the city。 At the easternmost end of the expanse； House Baenre towered on the highest ground of all； dwarfing every other structure。
She turned her steps toward the tall； slender spire known as Spelltower Xorlarrin； residence of the Fifth House。 Bands of shimmering faerie fire striped the iron walls。
She climbed the steep steps to the gate under the watchful eyes of the sentries on the battlements。 Had she not already known it； their vigilance would have shown that she could maintain plete anonymity no longer。
Still； she'd do the best she could。
When a sentry armed with spear and long sword strode over to ask her business； she said； 〃I'm going to show you something remarkable。 Don't let your amazement show。〃
He looked skeptical。 He lived in the Spelltower； after all； and had seen his share of marvels。
〃All right； ma'am。 Show me； if you will。〃
She twitched open her piwafwi； giving him a glimpse of the Baenre House insignia hanging at her throat。
His eyes widened； but otherwise； he did a fair job of doing as she'd bade him。
〃How may I serve you？〃 he asked softly； the slightest quaver in his voice。
〃I want to enter the tower without anyone paying the least attention to me； and I want to talk to your matron alone。〃
〃Please； e with me。〃
The guard led her through the gate and into a confusion of service pasnotsages such as every castle possessed。 The corridors eventually brought them into a nicely appointed room with fortable…looking sandstone chairs； a carnelian…and…obsidian sava set awaiting a pair of players； and frescos of some of Lolth's attendant demons adorning the walls。
Her escort departed in search of his mistress； leaving Quenthel to prowl restlessly about the room。 Finally the door opened； an