〃I…I beg forgiveness； Mistress Baenre；〃 Halisstra stammered。 〃I merely assumed…〃
〃Assumptions are best left to that miserable wretch； Pharaun；〃 Quenthel warned。
Halisstra bowed her head。
〃Of course； Mistress Baenre；〃 she said。 〃Nonetheless； I would humbly ask that you permit me and my servant to acpany you。 Our chances of survival are much greater if we stay together； and as you know； I have nothing left for me here。〃
The dark elf pursed her lips； obviously trying to control her emotions。 Danifae thought it somewhat unbeing； showing so much of her passion； but she would never say so； especially not in front of others。
Quenthel tapped her lips with her finger and nodded as though she understood the pain of Halisstras plight； though Danifae seriously doubted the high priestess held any true passion for Halisstras situation。
〃Yes； well； as long as you can continue to make yourself useful； and if you are willing to do what I say； then I see no reason why you cannot continue to travel with us。〃
Danifae cringed。 No doubt this would take her farther away from Eryndlyn； not closer。 She was going to have find a way to break the binding； and soon； and she thought perhaps the wizard had that capability。 It would be easy enough for her to manipulate him into helping her； the way she caught him eyeing her all the time。 Easy； indeed。
Halisstra bowed her head again in thanks and said； 〃If it is not too presumptuous； Mistress Baenre； may I ask what your intentions are？〃
〃Well； once we manage to get out of this city；〃 Quenthel replied； emphasizing the words to show of what a daunting task that would be in and of itself； 〃I think we might actually pay a visit to this friend of the scout's。 However infuriating the Mizzrym boy can be in so many other ways； he does occasionally have a good idea or two。
That's why you can't afford to alienate him or cause him bodily harm； Danifae surmised。
It wasn't difficult to see that Pharaun was really the most valuable member of the team。 That raised the question of who was really the leader。 Quenthel by default； but Pharaun by subtle necessity。
That will bear watching； Danifae thought with a smile。
***
Ssipriina surveyed the troops she'd assembled in the courtyard of her estate and grimaced。 So few remained of what she'd started the day with。 〃Would they be enough？ She let her gaze roam over them 。 。 。 soldiers； priestesses； wizards。 How many had she lost in the destruction of House Melarn？ How many more in the hours since； battling the rival Houses； her own duergar mercenaries； succumbing to the guardian spiders？
The matron mother shook her head； thinking of that debacle。 It was certainly a blunder； but she refused to label it ill…conceived。 Animating the creature to fight for her House had been clever； an idea her allies had all endorsed。 Certainly； none of them had been able to foresee that the mental link used to control the spiders was in some way tied to their connection to Lolth。 Without the goddess； there was no link； but once Ssipriina and the others had figured that out； it was too late。 They had all missed that； and she refused to accept sole blame for it。
Still； the damage could have been contained； if only that double…crossing fool Khorrl had done his duty。 She had paid him a matron mother's ransom。 He should have jumped at her every beck and call； but instead he turned his back on her； gathered his mercenaries； and was preparing to pull out of Ched Nasad all together。 The loss of his support was a tough blow； but what galled her more was how foolish he'd made her look…foolish in the eyes of her peers。
The other matron mothers； upon hearing that the duergar were no longer in House Zauvirr's service； had washed their hands of the alliance； immediately withdrawing their support for Ssipriina's claims。 They had their own Houses to consider and couldn't afford to weaken themselves further in a lost cause。
Lost cause！ Yes； she had been made to look foolish； and she would not have that。 Ssipriina Zauvirr would show them what a lost cause was。
Let the rest of them distance themselves from her。 Let them rot at the bottom of the chasm。 She was not going to let these setbacks foil her plans。 Half the city might burn； but when the smoke cleared； House Zauvirr would sit at the top of the heap。
Khorrl Xornbane was going to pay as well； but would her remaining troops be enough？ Between her own House and those from House Melarn who had switched allegiance； she had assembled a potent army； but so many had been lost。
That was Clan Xornbane's fault； too。 They'd let the battle around House Melarn get out of control。 It was their horrible firepots that made the stone burn； that allowed the House to fall。 It was needless destruction； brought about after needless fighting。
Ssipriina had no doubt that the gray dwarf captain had spoken the truth。 Zammzt could very well have been behind the premature exposure of her mercenaries； but why？ Which matron mother was he in league with？ Which of them had something to gain by watching her plans build up； then teeter to disaster？ There were so many； but she would have to determine that later。
Ssipriina would miss Zammzt。 She needed his efficiency； his battle acumen。 She didn't have enough strategists to put in charge of the forces she'd assembled。 The ugly male would have served in that capacity nicely。 Faeryl would be a suitable replacement； but she'd not been seen since the chaos at the end of the gathering of matron mothers。 Ssipriina suspected that her daughter had perished when the estate crumbled into the bottom of the cavern。
Foolish girl； the matron mother thought。 Good riddance。
Sighing； Ssipriina shook herself out of her musings and swept her gaze one last time over her undersized army。 They would have to be enough。 She would lead them herself； and they would be enough。
〃Gather yourselves；〃 the matron mother said； moving to a protected place in the middle of the milling mass of drow。 〃It's time to claim what's ours。〃
EIGHTEEN
Pharaun tried to stay near the perimeter of the city as he made his way toward the Flame and Serpent。 For one thing； he didn't relish the thought of being crushed at any moment by falling debris from above。 Though it had only happened once； he'd been far too intimately involved with it than he cared to remember。 He would avoid a repeat incident； if he could。
Secondly； the wizard knew that navigation would be easier if he followed the wall of the chasm； rather than trying to work his way through the central section of the city。 Even then； the thick smoke caused him difficulty in flying。 He was surprised at how haze…choked the cavern had bee。 More than once； he nearly careened off a trench wall； still intact web street； or building。 Nonetheless； he still considered the challenge of navigating through that to be far safer than having to maneuver through the center of Ched Nasad； where the sound of fighting was constant。 Occasionally he heard explosions； loud pops； and howling winds in the distance as fierce magical battles raged。 Arcane forces were being unleashed on gathering troops。 There was no doubt about it…the entire city was engaged in a desperate struggle for control of the streets。
Mostly； the reverberations of conflict reached the mage's ears from his level or below。 What had in all likelihood begun in the plaza outside of House Melarn had quickly spread； engulfing the citizens and visitors all across the city； on every level。 The wizard wondered how many had actually managed to flee into the caverns surrounding the City of Shimmering Webs。 Though the team from Menzoberranzan had been indisposed for much of the Initial martial activity； he recalled that； since their escape from the collapse of House Melarn； they had seen surprisingly few ordinary folk in the streets。 Of course； that was also because they'd spent most of their time high in the city； where only the nobles prowled。 Farther down； in the lower sections； he imagined a much different scene。 There； he supposed； the general rabble had gotten caught up in the fighting； much like the rebellion back home。
The uprising had taken a decidedly different twist than the insurrection in Menzoberranzan； though。 The insurgents involved in the upheavals in Ched Nasad were the noble Houses themselves。 Their own infighting was the flash point。 Pharaun counted himself fortunate that the Houses of Menzoberranzan had proven less prone to petty backbiting。 If they had； there might not be a city for him to return to。 The mage grimaced； thinking of Gromph's attempts on Quenthel's life； and his own sister Greyanna's failed efforts to kill him。
There might not be anything left； he thought； before this is pletely finished。
As he neared the section of the city where the inn was located； the wizard noticed that the damage was less severe there。 In fact； the Flame and Serpent was thus far unscathed。 Immediately he saw the reason why。 A horde of mismatched drow and other creatures； probably residents of the inn； self…reliant mercenaries； and whatnot had formed a perimeter defense ar