To his surprise； he saw that the worm was not pressing its attack but had drawn back against the far wall。 He must have wounded it more grievously than he'd thought。 Then； to his horror； he saw a bulge form in the worm's side…and disappear。 A bulge that could only have been made by a creature moving inside it。
Halisstra！ She was still alive！
He saw that the tip of the songsword was still protruding from the worm's cheek and he realized she had nothing to save herself with。
Ryld tried to rise； tried feebly to reach for Splitter； but found that his body no longer obeyed his will。 Each breath only increased the roiling agony in his gut； and the air around him seemed to have bee tinged with gray。 The arm he was using to support himself collapsed； and the floor rushed up to strike his face。 The stone； he noticed dully； felt cool against his burning cheek。
Chapter Thirty…one
Pharaun peered in the direction Valas was pointing and at last saw what had prompted the mercenary's warning。 Far across the Lake of Shadows； a storm was churning the surface。 The water twisted in an enormous circle； as if flowing down a drain。 Above the whirlpool was a waterspout that must have been a hundred paces high。 The top of it bobbed up and down against the ceiling； scattering clouds of bats with each touch。
The storm was still some distance away but was approaching rapidly。 Pharaun measured its progress as it passed through one of the beams of sunlight； and estimated its advance at the speed of a riding lizard running full out。 Already he could hear the low rush of spinning water。 That the storm was magical he had no doubt。 Had it always been there…or had something triggered it？ Their use of the portal； perhaps？
The others had spotted it as well。 Quenthel stared at the storm with a clenched jaw； the serpents at her hip softly swaying。 Jeggred turned his head from side to side； sniffing the humid air。 Danifae took one look at the storm； then glanced out of the corner of her eye at Quenthel； Valas； and Jeggred in turn。 Pharaun noted where those glances lingered： on the amulets each wore that would allow them to either levitate up through one of the holes in the cavern ceiling or…in Valas's case…step through the dimensions to escape the storm。
Catching her eye； Pharaun held his hand up in a reassuring gesture and signed； Wait。
Then he turned to Valas and asked； 〃Did the rogue who told you about the portal mention anything about this？〃
Valas shook his head。 〃He didn't linger here。 As soon as he reached the cavern he levitated straight up and out。〃 As he spoke he glanced up at the nearest of the sunlight…limned holes in the ceiling as if measuring the distance to it。 Then he gave a resigned sigh and stared grimly at the approaching storm。
Quenthel； meanwhile； had turned her attention to the wand Danifae had recovered from the treasure vault and was experimenting with different mand words。 Jeggred； crouching beside her； pawed at her sleeve and muttered something…and received a backhanded slap for disturbing his mistress。 The draegloth prostrated himself at her feet； whimpering his apologies。 Quenthel ignored him and continued to try to find the wand's mand word。
Pharaun rolled his eyes。 At the moment； the storm was a more pressing problem than trying to find the ship of chaos； but Quenthel's muttering was getting on his nerves。
〃It's probably a word in the duergar tongue；〃 he told her。 〃Try 'treasure；' or 'seek' or something like that。 And turn the wand around…you have to hold the forked end for it to work。〃
Quenthel's serpents hissed with irritation； but she did as he suggested； turning the wand and switching to the guttural tongue of the duergar。 Meanwhile； the storm whirled ever closer。 The sound of it had grown loud enough that they had to raise their voices slightly； and its breeze stirred Pharaun's hair。
Danifae shifted nervously。
〃If we're still here when the storm hits； we'll be smashed against the rocks；〃 she said。
〃Or drowned；〃 Valas muttered； glancing below at the waves that were already starting to lap against the bottom of the cliff。
〃You're forgetting my teleport spell；〃 he told them。 〃One quick incantation； and we'll be back in the World Above。 The only question is； where to go？〃
Valas squinted against the swirl of mist that was starting to strike the ledge。
〃In a few moments；〃 the scout said； 〃anywhere is going to be better than here。〃
Beside him； Quenthel gave a gasp of satisfaction as the wand came to life in her hands。 The end of it trembled and jerked back and forth like the head of a lizard that smelled blood； and a loud whine filled the air。 As Quenthel moved the wand in a wide； horizontal arc the whining noise rose； then fell…then rose again as she swung the wand so that it pointed at the waterspout。
As the storm grew nearer； filling the air with a spray of water and an even louder roar； she shouted exultantly； 〃There！ The ship of chaos is inside the whirlpool！〃
Pharaun squinted at the storm。
〃Yes；〃 he told Quenthel。 〃I can see it now。〃
And there really was something there…a dim； dark shape at the eye of the storm。 For once； the high priestess seemed to have gotten something right。 Belshazu had told them the ship was lost in a 〃terrible storm〃 and they were looking at just that…a storm that had raged for centuries。
The ship of chaos might have been whole when the surviving demon swam away from it； but after centuries of being buffeted by wind and water it seemed unlikely that it would still be intact。 The storm had yet to hit them fully； but already the wind of it was tearing at Pharaun's piwafwi and pelting him with spray。 Just being at the outer edge of the storm was like being struck； repeatedly； by water thrown from a bucket。 Pharaun pulled his piwafwi tighter around him； making sure it covered the backpack in which his spellbooks were stored。
〃We've got to get a look inside that whirlpool；〃 Quenthel shouted； oblivious to the drops of water striking her face。
〃And how do you propose we do that？〃 Pharaun asked。 〃Dig our claws into the rock and hang on； as Jeggred's doing； then dive into the eye of the storm？〃
To his surprise； Quenthel nodded vigorously。
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 〃Valas can do it。〃
The mercenary's eyes widened。
〃Dispel your polymorph spell；〃 Quenthel shouted back。 〃Valas can swim into the whirlpool and take a look。〃
Valas's eyebrows rose even higher。
〃Swim？〃 he protested； staring at the violently spiraling water。 〃Through that？〃
He folded his arms across his chest； ignoring the angry twitching of Quenthel's serpents as she drew her whip。 His eyes…which for once he did not lower under her glare…said it all。 He'd rather die by her lash than embark on such a suicidal mission。
Danifae； meanwhile； gripped Pharaun's arm。
〃We're wasting time；〃 she whispered。 〃Leave these fools behind。 Cast your teleportation spell。〃
Pharaun plucked her hand free…earning a wrathful glare from the battle…captive…and he reached into a pocket of his piwafwi。 Pulling out his last pinch of seeds； he held them tightly between thumb and forefinger； wary lest the storm pluck them away。 Squeezing past the others； he walked to one end of the narrow ledge to a spot he judged to be well beyond the portal。
〃I've got a better idea；〃 he told them all。
Releasing the seeds； he barked out the words of his spell and stabbed a finger toward the rock。 A tunnel opened in the wall…at an angle； running in the direction the wind had carried his seeds。 Stepping inside it； he motioned for the others to join him。
They needed no urging。 The storm was upon them； whipping their hair and piwafwis and soaking them with sheets of water。 Stumbling along the slippery ledge； they hurried inside； Quenthel and Jeggred shoving their way past Danifae and causing her to slip on the bat guano that had been soaked by the storm。 Pharaun reached out to steady her； but Valas was quicker。 Grabbing Danifae's arm； he shoved her forward into the tunnel。
Pharaun tried to convey his apologies in a glance； but Danifae ignored him。 Sighing； he waved the others to the back of the tunnel； then pulled out his cone of glass。 Pointing it at the open mouth of the tunnel； he hurriedly cast a second spell。 A blast of bitterly cold air erupted from the glass cone； turning the water that was spraying into the tunnel into pellets of hail。 A sheet of water crashed full…on into the ledge outside…and was instantly turned to solid ice； sealing the tunnel。 Pharaun held the spell for a moment or two longer； until the ice wall had thickened sufficiently； then he lowered his hand。
Turning to Quenthel； he bowed； then swept a hand in the direction of the plug of ice。
〃Won't you step up to the viewing platform； Mistress？〃 he asked。 〃I'm sure the ship of chaos will be along directly。〃
Quenthel stared at him for a long moment as if trying to decide whether or not she was being mocked。 Her whip vipers snapped at each other； then relaxed。 Nose in the air； Quenthel strode past Pharaun and stared out through the ice； leanin