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Ryld considered that for a moment； then smiled grimly。
〃As many as I can； before I'm slain myself；〃 he said。
〃Good；〃 Yarno said。
The boy's head lifted as if he'd heard something。 He stared in the direction in which he'd just pointed。
Ryld； too； could hear it； the blare of a dozen or more hunting horns； muffled by distance； ing from the direction of the temple。
〃I'd better get back；〃 Yarno said； eyes wide with fear。 〃Grandfather needs me。〃
The boy shifted into wolf form and fled into the forest。
Ryld turned； and hurried the other way…toward the sound。 As he wove his way between the trees； roughly shouldering branches aside in his haste； a single thought echoed in his mind。
Halisstra had confessed to the murder of one of the temple priestesses…and was almost certain to be punished for her crime。 Was it Halisstra who was being hunted？
Chapter Seventeen
Danifae followed Pharaun through the round doorway in the side of the stalagmite； into a corridor that spiraled upward。 The water she swam through was fouled by the slime of the aboleth that led them。 Danifae could taste it each time she inhaled。 A second aboleth followed close behind her； crowding her forward。
The corridor through which they swam was grayish pink and as shiny as the surface of a pearl。 Deep lines were carved into it； revealing the dark gray stone underneath。 Most were spirals or wavy lines。 Danifae glanced at them； wondering if they were a form of written language。 Then she remembered that the aboleth had no need for written texts。 Whatever knowledge their minds contained was passed on to future generations when their hatchlings swarmed over them； tearing them to pieces。
She smiled ruefully； sorry that Lolth hadn't given the drow the ability to consume knowledge in that way。 Still； there were other ways to find out what one needed to know。 。 。 。
The corridor wound past several round doorways； then opened at last on a room that must have been near the stalagmite's core。 Swimming into it； Danifae halted near Pharaun； letting the weight of her chain mail pull her to a standing position on the curved floor。 The aboleth that had been following her swam into the room behind her and hovered in the water just close enough that it could reach her with its tentacles； if it chose。 Danifae saw that the first aboleth had taken up a similar position on the other side of Pharaun。
On the far side of the chamber； enthroned within a niche in the wall； was an aboleth Danifae guessed was Oothoon。 The creature rested on what looked like a nest of spongy kelp； occasionally using a tentacle to rip off a chunk and stuff it into the mouth in its belly。 Its bluish…green； rubbery skin was dotted with white patches of freshwater barnacles； and its belly was a darker pink than those of the two that had acpanied Danifae and Pharaun into the room。 Danifae searched in vain for a clue as to the thing's sex but found none…she thought perhaps the creature was male and female in one…though the others had referred to Oothoon as the aboleths' 〃matriarch。〃
She felt a tickle against her scalp； and an instant later a sparkle of magic crackled through the water； pushing the tickle back as the protective spell Pharaun had cast earlier was triggered。 Danifae glanced at the mage out of the corner of her eye and saw him nod slightly。 His boast had proved true。 His magic was strong enough to keep the aboleth's mind probing at bay。
Oothoon stirred； rising slightly from the kelp nest。 A chunk of something that had been trapped under the aboleth's massive body…it looked like fresh meat but left a smudge of green in the water rather than red…swirled in the current and floated gently to the floor。 Aboleth flesh； Danifae decided； noting its mottled skin。
Ignoring it； Oothoon let one of her tentacles drift out toward Pharaun to hover a mere hand's breadth from his face。 Another moved toward Danifae。
Pharaun's hand drifted slightly behind his back； where Oothoon wouldn't see it。
Steady； he signed。
Danifae stared at the taunting tentacle； tasting the rancid…grease odor that clouded the water around it。 Fearing that even that slight exposure to it might transform her； she held her breath； not wanting to breathe the clouded water in。 After a moment； Oothoon withdrew first the tentacle that was menacing Pharaun…then； when Danifae began to see spots before her eyes and was at last forced to inhale； the second tentacle。 The creature's three eyes narrowed in what Danifae took to be a catlike smile。
〃Why have you e？〃 Oothoon asked in a voice like rumbling bubbles。
Danifae let Pharaun do the talking。 The mage used the drow silent speech； which Oothoon seemed to understand。 The aboleth matriarch must have consumed a drow or two at some point in the past。
Centuries ago； a demon ship visited your city； Pharaun began。 After it left Zanhoriloch； it was caught in a storm and was lost on this plane。 We are searching for it。
〃Why？〃
Our leader； a powerful priestess of Lolth； wishes to find it。 She wants to use it to sail to the Abyss； to meet her goddess。
Danifae glanced out of the corner of her eye at Pharaun； a frown starting to form on her brow。 Quenthel had specifically ordered Pharaun to say nothing of herself…or of their quest。 Was he telling the aboleth all that just to spite her？
No； Danifae thought； her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the mage。 Pharaun knew better than that。 He was up to something。
Once again； Oothoon's answer was a question： 〃Why does your leader wish to do this？〃
Pharaun's expression grew troubled； and he replied； She wants to consume Lolth。
All four of Oothoon's tentacles began twitching at once。 So too did the tentacles of their guards。 Shared surprise； perhaps？ Or humor at so audacious a statement？ Danifae didn't let her mind dwell on the question。 Instead she stared at Pharaun； wondering what he'd say next。 He caught her eye and held it a moment in a silent warning to say nothing。
〃Your leader is a fool；〃 Oothoon said at last。 〃Her goddess will devour her； instead。〃
Our leader is no inexperienced novice but a most high…ranking priestess； Pharaun answered。 She knows a spell that makes it possible for her to slay a god。 Any god。
Hearing that outrageous lie； Danifae had to struggle to keep her face posed。 Whatever mad scheme Pharaun was playing at； she didn't want to spoil it。 He'd been crafty in his dealings with the demon Belshazu； after all。 He was obviously up to more of the same。
〃Who is this leader of yours？〃 Oothoon asked。
But when Pharaun began to spell out a word…Q…u…e…n… Danifae felt pelled to give the mage a warning nudge； disguising it as a swimming motion。
Don't！ she signed； making the motion between strokes of her hand。
The mage continued as if he hadn't seen it。
…t…h…e…l。
〃Quenthel；〃 the aboleth said； repeating it aloud； then smacking her lips as if the sound itself tasted sweet。 Her three eyes blinked rapidly。 〃I have never heard of her。〃
I'm not surprised； Pharaun answered。 We've e from a city of the Underdark that is many leagues from here。
〃Menzoberranzan？〃
Danifae looked up at Oothoon in surprise and signed； You've heard of it？
〃The one who escaped from the cage told Jooran the name。〃
And that aboleth reported it to you； Pharaun concluded； cutting Danifae off before she could question Oothoon further。
〃Yes。 I found it within Jooran's mind when I ate him。〃
Danifae shivered； wondering if Oothoon made a habit of eating everyone who came to the throne room。 She let her hand drift down toward the morningstar that hung from her belt。 If the aboleth made a lunge at her with its tentacles； she'd use her weapon's magic to beat them back。 Then she reconsidered and let her hand fall from the mace。 The fact that they'd been allowed to enter the aboleth matriarch's throne room with their weapons wasn't very reassuring。 The aboleth obviously didn't fear magical weapons…or even Pharaun's magic； when it came to that。
A brief shiver of apprehension swept through Danifae。 Was she going to get out of there alive？ She realized she was depending upon Pharaun； and she despised herself for it。
Pharaun was signing again。 Danifae had been distracted and so just caught the end of it。
。 。 。 tell us where it lies； and I'll arrange for you to meet Quenthel； the mage told Oothoon。
The aboleth matriarch's three eyes blinked rapidly。
〃To what purpose？〃 she asked。
Pharaun nudged the piece of aboleth flesh with his toe； then glanced up。
To eat her； he said bluntly。
Danifae's eyes narrowed。 She hoped Pharaun was bluffing。
Oothoon's tentacles writhed。
〃Eat a drow priestess powerful enough to slay a god？〃 the aboleth asked in a voice that burbled with mirth。 〃You mock me！〃
Not at all； Pharaun answered。 Quenthel's spells are strong； but each takes a long time to cast。 She is weak； physically…as weak as any other drow。 Knowing this； she keeps a half…demon at her side at all times for protection。 If she can be separated from this demon…perh