Valas returned at that moment； gesturing for them to follow him。 Together； they crept forward into a new corridor； and Valas pointed to a doorway on the opposite side。
That's a kitchen； he signaled； and beyond it is a pantry。 On the other side； here…the scout pointed to a door near the trio…is a mess hall。 I think we're in the barracks section。
Well； that's not a good place to be； Pharaun gestured。 We want to avoid the guards； not e bunk with them。
Valas gave Pharaun a baleful look and motioned for the other two to follow him。 I think there's a stairwell leading up just past this area； he flashed as he led the way through the passage。
Ryld thought they might actually get lucky and get through the guards' quarters unnoticed； but as they neared the opposite end of the passageway that bisected the barracks and the mess； they heard the approach of a large contingent from ahead of them。 As one； the three drow turned to scamper back in the other direction； but at that moment several House Zauvirr soldiers appeared at the other end。 They were pinned between the two forces。
〃Damn！〃 Pharaun growled as he reached inside his piwafwi。 〃Hold them off while I see what I can do。〃
Nodding； Ryld slipped Splitter free and approached the group ing from where Valas had indicated stairs。
If we can cut through them； the warrior reasoned； at least we can continue the way we want to go。
The soldiers； numbering four； gave a shout of warning and unsheathed their weapons。
〃e on； you son of a drider；〃 one of them snarled； stepping in with a long sword and a short sword together； one in each hand。
The other three fanned out； looking for a chance to flank the burly intruder。 Ryld kept his blade level and loose； waiting and watching； shifting from foot to foot in hopes of preventing any of his foes from getting past him and to his back； or reaching Pharaun。 He worried that his hands； still covered with drying blood； would be too slick to wield his blade properly。
The first opponent stepped in； slashing with his short sword up high； then bringing his long sword through in a sweep across Ryld's midsection。 The weapons master ducked below the first slice and parried the lower blow with Splitter。
Try that again； and I'll have you down to two short swords； Ryld thought； watching to see if the other drow would fall into a pattern。
To his left； another of the soldiers was trying to scoot along the wall； obviously hoping he could squeeze past Ryld； but the Master of Melee…Magthere was keeping them all in his line of sight。 He made a quick slash to the side； causing the soldier to flinch back。 Ryld bounced back to the middle of the corridor； still watching the drow with two blades。 The other two drow； both on Ryld's right； were waiting and watching。
Fine with me； Ryld thought； keeping his main attention on the one in front of him。
The drow changed tactics this time； stepping in with the long sword leading； and proceeded through a flurry of blows with only that weapon； watching how Ryld blocked them。 When Ryld swung through a parry and counterattacked； the other warrior was ready； deflecting the stroke with the short sword。 Unfortunately； the engagement allowed the drow on Ryld's left to finally shoot past him。
〃Pharaun！〃 Ryld called； 〃watch out！〃
He stepped away from the center of the hallway； angling backward to keep his opponents in his sight； and the weapons master could hear cries of pain and terror behind him。 He hoped it was the other group of drow； and not his two panions。 The male with two swords pressed in again； and this time Ryld was ready for him。 When the first swipe from the short sword passed high； Ryld knew that the long sword would follow low。 This time when the stroke approached Ryld cut sharply with his own blade； neatly slicing the long sword in half。 The broken end skittered away with a clatter。
〃Damn you； motherless rothé！〃 the other drow snarled； but he gasped in the next instant as Ryld's momentum spun the weapons master fully around in a circle and into him again。
His cut was quick and true； and the opponent dropped to the floor with a groan。 Ryld didn't waste time watching him fall。 He was already sidestepping the attack from the soldier who'd gotten behind him and who was trying to cut at him from the back。 He took a short spear in the side of his leg for his troubles and growled in pain as he back…stepped from the attack； limping。 He couldn't let himself get turned away from anyone； yet they were moving to do just that by surrounding him。
Appearing as if from nowhere； Valas caught the soldier with the long sword from behind； sliding an arm around his neck and planting one of his kukris into the fellow's back。 Seeing the attack； Ryld quickly turned and parried several thrusts from the short spears。 The final two drow had hoped to get in close and attack Ryld while his attention was focused on the opposite side； but they'd lost their chance。
Ryld stepped fully into the middle of the hallway again； wanting as much room as possible to use Splitter。 When the two House Zauvirr soldiers saw that the odds were down to two to one and would quickly be even with Valas beside him； they faltered and began to back up。
A staccato series of glowing bluish…white missiles shot past Ryld； slamming into the two drow as they tried to turn and flee。 A few of the magical streaks of light fizzled out as they reached their targets； but far more of them struck true； causing the two soldiers to shudder and convulse as they went sprawling to the floor。 Ryld glanced back to see Pharaun holding a slender length of some darkly stained wood cut from a tree on the surface world。
The wizard nodded in satisfaction and tucked the wand away。
〃We mustn't tarry；〃 he said； 〃Everyone in the entire House probably heard that。〃
Curious； Ryld took another glance back past Pharaun to where the other contingent of drow had been。 They were all dead； clutched in the grip of the black； shiny tentacles the mage sometimes summoned。 The tentacles continued to squeeze and contract around the bodies of those unfortunate soldiers or flailed about blindly if they had nothing to grip。
Turning back； Ryld followed the other two past the dead drow and into the stairwell。
***
Halisstra stumbled and lost her balance as the deep rumble shook House Melarn。 To either side of her； the guards who were 〃escorting〃 her into the audience chamber stumbled as well； losing their grips on the drow noble's arms as they flailed about； trying to regain their collective balance。 All around Halisstra； shouts rose as drow began to mill about uncertainly in the confusion caused by the vibration； whatever it was。 Stunned as much by the proceedings that had been taking place in her mother's House…her House now； Halisstra realized…as by the shock wave that tore through the place； Halisstra merely stood in place； dressed in only her underclothes and with her arms securely manacled behind her back； staring at the chaos around her。
When the liveried servant from House Nasadra ran into the room； announcing the fighting outside； Halisstra blinked in astonishment。
Duergar？ Attacking House Melarn？ Why in the Abyss would they…
A second blast rocked House Melarn and knocked Halisstra off her feet。 Or rather； it would have if someone hadn't caught her from behind。
〃On your feet。 。 。 I've got to get you out of here。〃
It was Danifae； dressed for battle and looking remarkably like just another guard in a House Zauvirr piwafwi。
Halisstra struggled to right herself with Danifae's help； then turned to look at her battle captive。 The servant was not normally permitted to arm and armor herself； but she was currently wearing her old chain shirt and buckler and had her morning star at her side。 Halisstra wondered how Danifae had managed to get to her accoutrements； which had been locked away in Halisstra's rooms； but she wasn't going to take the time to plain just then。
Halisstra heard a shout from behind them； and she turned； expecting to see her original guards realizing she was free。 Instead； she discovered that a thick mist had filled the room； and she could see very little beyond a couple of paces away。
〃e on；〃 Halisstra hissed； scrambling through the mist toward the back of the room； to a doorway leading deeper into the House where her own chambers were located。 〃Back to my rooms； and you can get these…〃she held her arms out away from her back to indicate the manacles…〃off me。〃
〃Of course； Mistress；〃 Danifae said； steering her superior by one arm through the thick； obscuring mist； along the wall and toward the door。 〃We'll thank someone later for hiding our escape with this fog。〃
〃You mean； that's not something you and Lirdnolu Maerret planned to help extricate me from Ssipriina Zauvirr？〃
Danifae laughed once； a bitter chuckle。
〃Hardly；〃 she said； 〃Despite my convincing performance before Matron Mother Zauvirr； you didn't really expect her to let me wander free did you？ I had no way to reach House Maerret。 No； that motion back there was someone else's doing；