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〃Your family is cursed？〃 Ryld asked； not bothering to inquire as to what a 〃full moon〃 might be。
〃Not cursed；〃 the old man said。 〃Diseased。 And it's a disease that can be spread 。 。 。 through bites。〃
〃They call us 'monsters；' 〃 Yarno added in a pained whisper。 〃They hunt us。〃
Ryld nodded； understanding the boy's pain。 Life as a werewolf in that forest would be much like living in the slums of Menzoberranzan。
He recalled his own childhood； always dreading the next group of drunken nobles who round sport in raging through the narrow streets； blasting the screaming wretches of the Braeryn with bolts of magic； slashing as they rode past on their lizards； leaving their victims to bleed to death on the dirty stone of an alley。
The boy； Yarno； was staring intensely up at Ryld； his eyes filled with a lingering； unsalved hurt。 Human the boy might be； but looking into his eyes was like staring into a mirror。 Ryld's lips parted； and he nearly spoke the words aloud： I was hunted； too。 I understand…
Then the boy's grandfather interrupted。
〃I have belladonna；〃 he said。 〃Yarno's parents planted it in the woods； hoping it would 。。 。 spare their son。 This was once their home。〃 He paused to catch his breath； then went on。 〃The herb will make you sick； but if you eat it。。。 you might avoid the disease。〃
Ryld nodded and sheathed his sword。
〃Tell me where the temple is； and I'll see what I can do to clean your wound； and set those bones。 Then I'll think about trying that belladonna。〃
Chapter Twelve
Valas awoke to the feel of something soft and slimy stroking the left side of his face。 Jerking his head back； he saw it was a tentacle…one of four that grew from the body of an enormous； fishlike creature with three slitted eyes。
Thrashing away from it through the water； Valas found his back up against the bars of a cage。 He stared out through the front of the enclosure at the aboleth that was lazily withdrawing its tentacle。 The creature had a body half a dozen paces long； with a wide fluked tail。 Its rubbery looking skin was blue…green with gray splotches and covered in a thick coating of slime。 Its belly was greenish…pink； with an enormous mouth that opened and closed like that of a fish。 Three eyes…red and slitted…were lined up in a vertical row on its forehead。 The tentacles； each half as long as the body； sprouted from a point just behind the head。 They drifted lazily； leaving a smudge of slime in the water。
Valas could feel the slime on his face where the tentacle had touched him； and he could smell the clot of it that clogged his left nostril。 He exhaled through his nose； blowing it violently away。
He checked his weapons and saw that his kukris were still in their sheaths。 A quick glance told him his talismans were still pinned to his shirt。 Reassured and ready； he looked around at his prison。
The cage was made from stout iron and had no door that he could see。 Its floor rested on the bottom of the lake； on top of waist…high kelp that had been mashed flat by its weight。 Beyond the cage； tiny glowing fish darted in and out of the gently waving strands。 In the distance； stalagmites rose to meet the surface of the water； high overhead。 The sides of those rock formations were punctuated by round openings through which aboleth swam。 Valas realized the stalagmites must be the buildings of Zanhoriloch。
The aboleth was making no move to attack； it simply stared； like a visitor at a zoo。 Valas spoke to it in sign； hoping it would understand。
Why am I a prisoner？
The answer came in a voice that sounded like bubbles erupting into water： 〃You trespass。〃
The words were spoken in Undermon； a language prised of a blend of simple words and phrases from several different Underdark tongues。
For good reason； Valas signed back。 With his lungs filled with water； the scout couldn't speak。 I am searching for something； A ship of bone and flesh； made by demons。
〃You hunger for this knowledge。〃
Yes。 Have you seen such a ship？
〃I have not consumed it。〃
Valas frowned； puzzled。 The slime the aboleth had smeared across his face was back in his left nostril again。 He pinched the other one shut and blew。
You have seen this ship…but not eaten it？ he signed again。
The aboleth fluttered its tentacles in what might have been a sign of irritation…or the equivalent of a drow shrug。
〃I have not seen it。 Nor have I consumed any knowledge of it。〃
Consumed？ Valas didn't like the sound of that。
How do you consume knowledge？ he asked。
〃From our parents； after we hatch。 From other creatures； such as yourself。 We consume them。〃
You 。 。 。 eat them？ Valas asked。 Are you going to eat me？
〃That is not my privilege；〃 the aboleth said。 Then； 〃Do you have knowledge of this ship？〃
Valas quickly shook his head and backed it up with an emphatic sign。
No。 I was told that the aboleth knew of such a ship； so I came here to learn if it was real or rumor。
〃Where are you from？〃 the aboleth asked。 〃How did you e here？〃
Valas considered how to answer that。 Was the aboleth trying to find out whether he had e to Lake Thoroot alone…or was it weighing the potential information stored in Valas's mind； prior to devouring him？ He tried to think of an answer that wouldn't make him sound like an appealing snack； at the same time sizing up his chances of escape。 The fact that he was in a cage…that the aboleth hadn't consumed him immediately…was promising。 Valas thought that perhaps he was being saved for some other aboleth； one with more 〃privilege。〃
At least； that's what he hoped was true； if the aboleth left to report the results of its initial questioning to its superior； Valas could use the star…shaped amulet that was still pinned to his shirt to escape。
I am from Menzoberranzan； Valas signed。 I am a soldier in service to one of the Houses of that city。 The matron mother used her magic to send me here； to inquire about the demon ship。 Shortly she will use that same magic to summon me home again。
Thus explaining my impending disappearance from the cage； Valas thought。 And； hopefully； causing the aboleth to think that any search for me will be futile。
Once again； he noticed that his nostril had filled with mucus； and he blew it out。 He scrubbed his face furiously with a sleeve； but it only served to spread the tentacle slime across his face。 Growing worried； Valas stopped scrubbing。 The image of the drow…thing that had been herding the jellyfish loomed large in his mind。 Was his left ear tingling？ He resisted the urge to reach up and touch it； fearful that it might already be melting away。
〃You will not return to your city；〃 the aboleth said。
Valas shuddered； fighting down the sick feeling that filled his stomach。
Am I to be made a slave？ Does your city have no matron mother… no ruler whom I can appeal to？
A ripple passed through the aboleth's body。 Valas wondered whether it was a sign of annoyance or pleasure。
〃It has been many flows since Oothoon met with one of the dry folk。 You are merely a servant among your people and do not warrant her attention。 As for your question； you are a slave to Oothoon already。 When your transformation is plete； you will begin to serve her。〃
This time； Valas did touch his ear。 Its tip was still pointed； but it was definitely tingling； as was the left side of his face； and his left hand and wrist。 The fingers of that hand felt sticky。 Trying to spread them； he found that his forefinger was starting to fuse with the one beside it； and the little finger with the finger beside it。 A web of grayish skin was growing between the two malformed digits and was already up to the first knuckle。
How long will the transformation take？ he asked； his left hand already clumsy。
〃No longer than three boorms；〃 the aboleth said。 〃When it is finished； I will return to release you。〃
With a powerful flick of its tail； it swam away。
Valas had no idea how long a 〃boorm〃 was。 It might be as long as one cycle of Narbondel…in which case； he still might have time to make it back to the others if Pharaun's spell didn't run out first。 Or； for all he knew； a boorm might be as short as a heartbeat。 Glancing at his left hand； he shuddered。 The sooner he started back； the better。 The aboleth was swimming strongly back toward the city； no longer looking at him。
Valas touched the nine…pointed star on his chest and felt the familiar wrench of its magic。 He found himself standing in the spot he'd chosen…a good hundred paces away…but the cage had been transported there with him。 It landed on a fresh patch of kelp； raising a knee…high cloud of dirt and scattering a school of tiny； frightened fish。
Had part or his body touched the cage…was that why it had slid sideways between the dimensions with him？ The cage was far too heavy to have been included in the talisman's magic； but it was the only explanation Valas could think of。
Sculling； he positioned himself exactly at the center of the cage； and tried again…a shorter hop。 Once again； the cage came with him。