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enthel strode past Pharaun and stared out through the ice； leaning this way and that as she tried to see beyond the water that crashed against the other side of it。 The air inside the tunnel was bitterly cold； and her breath misted in the air。 She shivered in her wet clothes。 Even so； the high priestess peered with rapt attention…then stiffened。
At that； the others crowded forward。 Even Jeggred loped up to crouch and peer out past his mistress's legs。
〃That figure；〃 Quenthel gasped。 〃What is it？〃
Pharaun leaned forward for a better look。 The wall of ice he was staring through was half as thick as his forearm was long； and beyond it was the waterspout； several paces thick at that point and filled with whirling spray。 Dimly； at the very eye of the storm； he could see a twisting shape。 It was proportioned like a drow； with head； arms； and legs； but twice the height of the tallest female and with a whiplike tail。 It appeared to be naked； its skin a pale gray。 Pharaun thought it was flailing against the wind； raking the air around it with wide sweeps of its claws； but then he realized that it was spinning in place。 The creature itself wasn't moving…not a muscle。 It looked as though it had been rendered immobile by magic； by a spell that must have been cast centuries before。
Beside him； Danifae gasped。
〃The uridezu；〃 the battle…captive whispered。
Pharaun nodded。
〃And the ship！〃 Valas exclaimed； standing on tiptoes to peer down over the lip of the ledge outside and pointing。
Pharaun looked down at the point where the waterspout met the whirlpool。 The ship was indeed there； its hull stuck fast in the water that formed the inner wall of the whirlpool and its masts angled in toward the eye of the storm。 It was difficult to make out details through the wall of ice and the spray whipping horizontally past outside； but Pharaun could see enough to confirm that it must； indeed； be the ship of chaos。
The hull was bone…white in color； as were the three masts； from which hung tattered sails。
Quenthel laughed； shattering the tense silence。
〃I've done it！〃 she said。 〃The ship of chaos is mine。〃 Abruptly； she turned to Pharaun。 〃Prepare a binding spell。〃
〃The demon already appears to be 'bound；' 〃 observed Pharaun； nodding at the scene outside the ice wall。 〃Albeit not in the conventional manner。 My guess is that it was caught in a temporal stasis spell…a powerful one that I'll have to break once I've imposed a binding of my own。 And there's the little problem of the storm。〃
Quenthel flicked wet hair out of her face； then glowered down the ship of chaos； still whipping around in circles in the whirlpool。
〃We're not teleporting away；〃 she told him； a dangerous light in her eye。 〃Not now； when we're so close。〃
〃No；〃 Pharaun sighed。 〃I suppose not。 But to be quite frank； I'm not sure what to do next。 The storm's obviously magical。 If a spell created it； the incantation was powerful…and permanent。 Even I couldn't control that volume of water…which means any spell I cast won't be powerful enough to dispel the storm。〃
Valas scratched his head； then said in a thoughtful voice； 〃Could we sail the ship out of the storm？〃
〃Possibly；〃 Pharaun said； thinking aloud。 〃Or rather； the uridezu could。 But assuming I'm able to dispel the magic that froze the demon in time there's still the matter of binding it to my will。〃
〃That's easy；〃 Quenthel spat。 〃Just pull the demon out with one of your grasping…hand spells。〃
Pharaun sighed。 The spell Quenthel had mentioned was unnecessary。 The binding spell itself would draw the demon to the deck。 The problem lay in the ship itself。 Pharaun had pictured it wrecked on shore or perhaps resting quietly at the bottom of the lake…not half awash and buffeted by spray and wind。 Drawing a pentagram on the deck of the ship would be an impossible task。
There was an alternative to using a magic diagram； but it presented its own problems。 He could render the demon's image in miniature； either on vellum or in the form of a statuette。 The latter could easily be done…he had wax and an opal in his enchanted pockets…but as soon as he placed the statuette on the deck； one sweep of a wave would wash it overboard。 And how； in the name of the silent Spider Queen； was he going to e up with a length of chain？
Then he remembered the amulet that had protected Valas from the wraiths。 Its chain…having faded to the color of lead； a most suitable material indeed…still hung around his neck。
Pharaun nodded at the amulet and said； 〃I believe I'm correct； Valas； in assuming your amulet is no longer functional？〃
Valas gave Pharaun a wary frown but nodded。
〃May I have the chain it's hung on？〃 Pharaun asked； holding out a hand。
Valas plied…taking care to keep the amulet hidden inside his tunic as he slid it off the chain。 Pharaun could guess why。 Judging by its sun shape； it had been created by surface elves。 And not just any surface elves； but those who worshiped Labelas Enoreth； Lord of Longevity。 If Quenthel saw the mercenary wearing it； her fury would be unbounded。 She'd rather have lost a valuable ally to the wraiths than admit that an amulet created by 〃sunspit〃 was anything other than an abomination。
As Valas handed Pharaun the chain； Danifae leaned closer to the wall of ice； her breath fogging in the chilled air。
〃Careful；〃 Pharaun cautioned。 〃Don't touch the ice with your tongue。〃
She gave him a disdainful look； then indicated the storm outside with a jerk of her chin。
〃If you're going to try to bind the demon； you'd better get started；〃 she told him。 〃The whirlpool is starting to move away。〃
Nodding； Pharaun squatted and began his preparations。 From the pockets of his piwafwi he took a lump of beeswax he'd picked up in Menzoberranzan； months before； from a trader from the World Above； and a black opal the size of his little fingernail； shot through with veins of red。 He warmed the beeswax by working it with his hands； then he sculpted the softened lump； modeling the arms； legs； tail； and snout of an uridezu demon。 The statuette was crude； but it would suffice。 Slicing open its chest with a fingernail； Pharaun pushed the opal inside； then pinched the wound shut。 He wrapped Valas's chain around one of the statuette's legs； securing it there by joining two links together。
〃There；〃 he said； nodding in satisfaction at the chain that bit slightly into the wax statuette's ankle。 〃That should hold him long enough to get us to the Abyss。〃
Chapter Thirty…two
As the worm's mouth closed around her； Halisstra squeezed her eyes shut。 She gasped as a wave of acid splattered against the exposed portions of her body…her face； neck； and hands…then regretted it as the stench of acid filled her nostrils。 Rivulets of agony trickled through her hair and down her neck； searing her chest and back as they found their way under her chain mail and padded tunic。
Clinging to the hilt of the songsword； she twisted violently against the rippling； sucking force of the worm trying to swallow her down。 She managed to get her feet braced against the worm's lower jaw； but when she tried to lever the mouth open her boots slipped。 The worm swallowed her； wrenching her hands away from the hilt of the sword。
As the worm's throat muscles constricted； forcing her down its throat； Halisstra began to pray。 To open her burning lips would mean swallowing acid； which would further increase her torment； so she prayed silently； fervently； begging Eilistraee to help her。 Despite the fact that she could feel her skin erupting into blisters； she didn't attempt a curative spell…that would only delay the inevitable…instead she pleaded for something that would help her to escape。
The worm thrashed back and forth； bending Halisstra violently this way and that。 She heard dull； muffled thuds that must have been Ryld hacking at the worm with his sword； but then the creature twisted suddenly and they stopped。 The motion forced the air from Halisstra's lungs…and she dared not try to inhale。 Instead she forced her hand down； scraping it against her acid…slimed chain mail to touch the amulet hanging from her belt； next to her empty sheath。
Eilistraee； she prayed。 Help me。 Send me a weapon。
Something nudged against her hand…something hard and smooth。 Grasping it； Halisstra realized it was the hilt of a sword…obviously the weapon of some other unfortunate victim of the worm。 She wasted no time in using what the goddess had provided。 Forcing her elbow back against the pulsing wall of the worm's gut； she brought the point of the weapon to bear and felt it slide into the worm's flesh。 Then she began to saw。
Her entire body was covered in acid。 The worm's digestive juices had seeped under her armor and clothing and onto her skin。 She could feel blisters erupting and could feel the acid flowing into the rupturing skin with each move that she made。 Head pounding from a lack of air； she sawed desperately； her movements made short and jerky by the fact that the worm's gut was pressing her arm against her side。 Flashes of red danced before her eyes； but still she c