Ryld turned to wade ashore； and Halisstra looked away into the blue…gray light of the dawn。 She could hear his footsteps in the water then on the rocks behind her； but she didn't want to look at his face just then。
Danifae materialized on the deck of the ship of chaos and was instantly struck by how much had changed。 Valas appeared next to her； and she watched his expression change from his normal stoic； blank pragmatism to an uneasy curiosity…he'd noticed it too。
Pharaun and Quenthel both looked bad and smelled bad。 The ship itself looked different。 The deck； which had been a dull white expanse of stark bone； was covered in spots with pink tissue and crossed with gently throbbing arteries。 Sinew and what might have been ligaments stretched between gaps in the bone。 The ship felt alive。
Pharaun and Jeggred both looked up at them when they appeared； but only Pharaun stood。 The draegloth looked to one side； and Danifae followed his gaze to Quenthel。 Jeggred's eyes burned when he looked at the high priestess； who sat on the deck with her back to the others； one hand absently caressing one of the vipers that made up her whip。
〃Wele back to the Underdark's dull wet arse；〃 the Master of Sorcere said。 He only glanced at Danifae but approached Valas with his hand out。 〃You have what we need？〃
The Bregan D'aerthe scout nodded and handed the wizard one of the magical sacks that held their supplies。
Danifae kept her attention on Jeggred； who made eye contact with her finally and nodded。 The former battle…captive gave the draegloth a smile and a slight bow…then she noticed that the bound uridezu was missing。
〃What happened here？〃 she asked Pharaun。
The wizard began to laugh； and at first it seemed as if he would be laughing for a long time。 When no one joined him； he calmed himself and took a deep breath。
〃Mistress？〃 Danifae called to Quenthel。
Nothing。
Jeggred stared at the high priestess's back； saying nothing as well。
〃Are we 。。。 ？〃 the scout asked Pharaun。
〃Oh； yes；〃 the wizard replied； 〃we'll be setting sail as planned。 It turns out that we didn't need the captain's services after all。 Jeggred was kind enough to retire his mission for us。 I will be piloting the ship to the Abyss and back；〃
Valas nodded； sat； and began to sort through their supplies。 Pharaun stood over him； occasionally menting on what the scout had purchased。 Quenthel continued to sit with her back to the rest of them； saying nothing。 Danifae approached Jeggred； gauging his mood as she moved closer。 He seemed to want to speak to her； so she sat down next to him。
〃Reverie？〃 she asked； nodding at Quenthel。
〃No；〃 said the draegloth； making no effort to lower his voice。 〃She has been unable to take the Reverie。 The mistress is weakening。〃
Danifae took a deep breath； searching the draegloth's eyes for some hint that he was anything but genuinely angry with Quenthel。 It didn't seem possible that Jeggred had e that far in the relatively short time that she and Valas had been gone； but obviously things had progressed much more swiftly than she'd hoped。
〃The 'captain'；〃 Jeggred grumbled； 〃gated in some of his kind。 They attacked us； and we prevailed。〃
〃Quenthel didn't fight？〃 Danifae guessed。
Jeggred looked at the silent high priestess and thought about that for a while。
〃She fought；〃 the draegloth said finally； 〃but she 。 。 。〃
Danifae waited a few heartbeats for him to finish then prodded； 〃We all serve greater mistresses； Jeggred。 The Matron Mother of House Baenre； in your case； and in mine； Lolth herself…both greater mistresses than Quenthel。 If you have something that either your matron mother or your goddess need to know； you must speak。 Duty demands it。〃
Jeggred looked deep into her eyes； and she let him。 She held the half…demon's gaze for a long time； never permitting herself the slightest twitch； the most minuscule sign of weakness or indecision。
〃She's 。 。 。 sensitive；〃 the draegloth said。
〃Sensitive？〃 Danifae pressed。
〃The Mistress of Arach…Tinilith has a sensitivity to beings from the outer planes；〃 he said。 〃She can sense the presence of demons and municate with them。 It's not something that everyone knows about her； but I do。〃
〃Then why didn't she know that Raashub was gating in 。 。 。 ？〃 She let the question fade away。
The look in Jeggred's eyes as he stared at Quenthel's still back told her all she needed to know。
〃I am a priestess of Lolth；〃 she told the draegloth。 〃I serve the Queen of the Demonweb Pits； and on this ship that means I serve Quenthel Baenre。〃
Jeggred tipped his huge head to one side； his wild mane of white hair spilling over his muscular； gray…furred shoulders。
〃I serve her；〃 Danifae went on； 〃whether she knows it or not； whether she appreciates it or not； and whether she desires it or not。 Something is 。。。〃
Danifae wasn't sure how to finish that thought。
〃She has succumbed；〃 the draegloth said。
〃Succumbed？〃 asked Danifae。
〃To fear。〃
Danifae let that settle in then said； 〃She requires our services more than ever now。 Lolth's servant demands our service； and we both live to serve； do we not？〃
Jeggred nodded slowly； making it plain he was waiting to hear more。
The former battle…captive reached into her pouch and drew out one of the rings she'd taken from the cold； dead hand of her former House mage。 She held it up so that only Jeggred could see it； sliding it between her fingertips so that it reflected the feeble illumination…enough for the draegloth's dark…sensitive eyes to see it。 Jeggred opened one hand； and Danifae let the ring fall onto the half…demon's palm。
I need you to go somewhere with me； Danifae signed； her hands close to her stomach so none of the others could see； and do something for me。
Ask； he replied； also careful to keep his hands where only she could see them。 I live to serve； Mistress。
Chapter Fourteen
They hadn't managed to kill each other yet。
Gromph floated in the still darkness above the Clawrift surrounded by a globe of magical energy。 He'd conjured it from his staff； draining some of the item's magical essence in the process。 The cost was worth it to keep out even the rudimentary spells the globe protected him from。 Gromph knew the lich was capable of much more powerful castings…spells that would pass through the globe without the slightest degradation in power…but at least it would limit Dyrr's options。
Regardless of the globe； no matter what he tried； Gromph couldn't get within sixty yards of the lich。
The repulsion effect is ing from Dyrr's staff； Nauzhror whispered into Gromph's mind。 We are studying possible solutions。
The repulsion was another petty defense； another meager drain on a powerful item； and in that way Gromph and Dyrr were even…again。
〃What are you afraid of； lich？〃 the archmage called to his opponent。 〃I won't try to kiss you。〃
Dyrr； who was also floating above the black depths of the Clawrift； actually laughed。
〃We could simply float here；〃 Dyrr replied； 〃waiting for one of the defenses to go down…your globe； my repulsion 。 。 。 but where's the sport in that？〃
〃Good question；〃 Gromph whispered； not caring if the lich could hear him or not。
The archmage began to cast a spell； and the lich pressed his fingertips together； waiting to defend against it。 Gromph set himself moving through the air toward the lich the second he finished his incantation and knew it was successful when the distance between them abruptly closed。 The repulsion effect successfully dispelled； Gromph swooped in quickly to get into range for a more damaging spell。
Dyrr； who didn't seem the least bit surprised； dropped out of the air。 Gromph knew he'd dispelled the repulsion effect； not Dyrr's ability to fly。 The lich was trying to escape into the black abyss of the Clawrift。
Gromph dropped after him。 The air； moving fast over the surface of the magical globe that still surrounded him； made a curious humming sound that Gromph found distracting。 Still； he managed to cast another spell as he flew and succeeded in closing the distance between them even more。
A bead of pulsing orange light appeared in Gromph's right hand。 He looked up at Dyrr； brought his arm back to throw the bead； and hesitated。 Dyrr； a cold light in his dead eyes； was ing at him。 The distance between the two mages was closing faster and faster…and the lichdrow was casting a spell。
The words of Dyrr's spell…a series of almost nonsensical quatrains in an obscure dialect of Draconic…echoed around them both。 Gromph drew his right arm back farther still； aiming the bead at his opponent's face while holding his staff in his left hand。 Dyrr had something cupped in his own left hand and his own staff in his right。 It was as if they were both looking in a mirror。
Dyrr threw his first。 A cloud of sparkling red dust…Crushed rubies； Grendan reported…burst into the air around the lich。 The dust swirled on some twist of wind for half a heartbeat then was gone。 As the last grain of the powdered g