ed on carrying with him on campaign。 Snarling； he kicked over the enormous brazier that stood next to it。
〃Abyss take Nimor！〃 he shouted； his skin blazing with radiant heat。 〃He promised the drow would be in disarray； unable to mount a coherent defense。 Now my army sits stalled and impotent； while the duergar claim all the glory。〃
Glowing red coals scattered across the rugs； which began smoldering。 Aliisza picked up one of the coals and juggled it back and forth across her palm。 Its heat tickled her skin。
〃So why not march your troops north and join the duergar attack？〃 she suggested； her black wings framing the question with a shrug。
〃And give the drow an opportunity to attack us from the rear； and in territory they know well？〃 Vhok shook his head and added； 〃Your grasp of tactics…or lack thereof…astounds me。 Sometimes I wonder just whose side you're on； Aliisza。〃
Setting her glass aside； Aliisza rose to her feet。 She stood on tiptoe and locked her hands behind Kaanyr Vhok's head。 Drawing his mouth down to hers； she kissed him。
〃I'm on your side； darling Kaanyr；〃 she murmured。
The half…demon broke off the kiss。
〃This Nimor begins to annoy me；〃 he grumbled。 〃He promised us the spoils of the noble Houses…an empty promise。 Even without Lolth； Menzoberranzan is proving to be； as Horgar so aptly noted； a tough stone to crack。 And if Lolth suddenly returns 。 。 。〃
He paused； lost in thought as he stared at one of the small fires that had erupted in the carpet at his feet。
〃That group of drow you were spying on； back in Ched Nasad 。 。 。〃 he said。
Aliisza was busy nuzzling the cambion's coal…hot neck。
〃Mmm？〃 she purred。
〃What were they doing？〃
Aliisza pouted but asked； 〃Does it matter？〃
〃It might；〃 Vhok said。 〃Which is why I have another little job for you。 I want you to find them…and； more importantly； learn what they're up to。 If I'm right； we may need to rethink our alliance。〃
Aliisza cocked her head and smiled…not at the treachery Kaanyr Vhok was hinting at； but at the thought of seeing Pharaun again。
He certainty was delicious。
Chapter Fourteen
Gromph felt the blood drain from his face as he stared； horrified； at the illithid。 Were he not trapped in the gods…cursed sphere； he could have dealt with the creature in a summary fashion； casually flicking a death…dealing spell in its direction； but instead he was at its mercy。 Every fleeting thought that passed through Gromph's mind would be heard by the illithid as if spoken aloud。 None of Gromph's secrets…or the secrets of Sorcere…were safe； unless he could deliberately not think of them。 That effort would only cause them to e bubbling to the surface of his mind。 The only good thing about his situation was that the mind flayer's gently waving tentacles were on the other side of the glass。 The illithid could no more reach in and attack Gromph than Gromph could send his magic out to blast the illithid。
The mind flayer's telepathic speech was another matter。 It penetrated the sphere with ease。
Sorcere？ Which building is it？
A fleeting image formed in Gromph's mind： Sorcere's sculpted stalagmite tower； standing proudly beside the other two edifices of the Academy： the pyramid of Melee…Magthere； and the eight…legged temple of Arach…Tinilith。
Gromph cursed； and quickly fixed his mind on something else； but it was too late。 The illithid swam up until its head broke the surface of the lake。 It glanced to its right； toward the northern end of the city； blank white eyes searching for the raised grotto that opened off the main cavern of Menzoberranzan。 Its tentacles lifted slightly； and its mouth began to move。
A bright sparkle of magical energy enveloped the illithid； and the view of the lake and shore disappeared。 With a sinking heart； Gromph realized that things were even worse than he'd thought。 His captor was no ordinary illithid but one capable of sorcery。
Gromph immediately recognized the spot that the illithid's spell had carried them to。 They were in the wide cavern that led from the Dark Dominions into Tier Breche。 Exhausted duergar sprawled on the cavern floor； many of them wounded。 Others； carrying enormous axes and battle…chewed shields； hurried through the tunnel； their officers urging them toward Tier Breche； which was filled with the flashes of exploding spells。
Still other gray dwarves busied themselves just inside the mouth of the tunnel； hurriedly assembling siege engines and shelters。 The duergar labored without ceasing； even though an occasional ball of fire or ice or crackling electricity arced over and smashed into the ground near the siege walls they had set up just inside Tier Breche。 Glowing pits of molten rock or ice…shattered stone attested to the force of those blasts。
Gromph could see everything but could not hear the shouts of the duergar…who nodded to the newly arrived illithid…nor could he smell the sulfurous explosions。 The sphere enclosed him in a world filled only with his own breathing…which became rapid as he realized that Gracklstugh's army had not only reached Menzoberranzan but had established a foothold inside Tier Breche itself。 The duergar were attacking the three buildings that were the most heavily fortified in the city； aside from the noble Houses themselves。
Hands pressed to the curved wall of his prison； Gromph strained his eyes； looking for the jade spiders that should have been guarding the tunnel。 They were nowhere to be seen。
They serve a different master； now； the illithid said with a smirk。 As will the drow； soon enough。 The army is already inside Menzoberranzan。
Whose army？ Gromph wondered。 Not an army of illithids； surely； or the one who carried him would have said 〃our army。〃 Had the duergar of Gracklstugh reached Menzoberranzan on their own？
The answer came swiftly。
Yes。 And tanarukks march with them。 The drow cannot stand against their bined might。
Gromph had no way of knowing whether or not that was true。 If only he could get free of the sphere he could use his magic to drive the enemy back。 But in order to free himself he needed to find a wizard who knew the precise spell required； And he needed to get inside Sorcere…specifically； to his quarters； where the lichdrow had cast his imprisonment spell。 Unfortunately； both those things were on the other side of the duergar siege wall。
Gromph glanced up at the illithid and thought； Or 。 。 。 are they？
Deliberately； Gromph let his mind dwell upon that thought。
The reply was tinged with arrogance。
Of course I know that spell； but why should I use it to set you free？ All of your secrets will be mine； in time。 I will flay your mind； layer by layer； like the skin of a…
The illithid broke off in mid…sentence； suddenly glancing at someone who was approaching。 Long； purple fingers closed tightly around the sphere。 The illithid held it in both hands； hiding what it contained。 It rubbed its fingers deliberately against the glass； smearing its surface with the slime that coated its palms。 Gromph tumbled to his hands and knees as the illithid dropped the hand holding the sphere to its side。 He scrambled forward to look out through the only clear spot that remained on the surface of the glass。
One of the duergar stood in front of the illithid； his face level with the sphere。 Like the others of his race； the dwarf had pale gray skin； a snub nose that looked as if it had been flattened by a mace； and a bald head。 He was dressed in mottled gray…and…black clothing the color of stone but wore a bronze breastplate so untarnished and free of dents that Gromph was willing to bet it was magical。 He carried a greataxe whose double…bladed head swirled with ghostly patterns…likely the trapped souls of those it had slain； or so Gromph guessed。
The gray dwarf didn't have his head tilted up to speak to the illithid but kept his eyes level with the mind flayer's waist。 The gray dwarf's gaze occasionally creeped down to the sphere； and he gestured repeatedly at Tier Breche。
Glancing up； Gromph could see the illichid's tentacles ripple as it shook its head。 The gray dwarf； who obviously thought he was addressing another duergar； pointed at the sphere。
With a suddenness that surprised Gromph； the illithid bent over the dwarf。 Its four tentacles lashed out； wrapping themselves around the duergar's face。 The dwarf flailed with his axe； but the illithid had anticipated that move and countered it with magic。 The dwarf's body went suddenly rigid； the axe poised above his head。 Tentacles flexed； and the duergar's head split open like a ripe fungus ball。 One of the tentacles relaxed； and； while the remaining three held the head in a vicelike grip； it began scooping pinkish gobs of brain into the illithid's mouth。 Gromph； sickened by the sight； turned his face away from the glass。
The other duergar turned； shocked looks on their faces。 One or two reached for their weapons； took a look at the illithid's blank white eyes； then all of them suddenly relaxed。 Gromph could only imagine how easy it was for the illithid to cloud the simple minds of a g