F O U R (14 page)

Richard Lee Byers

35

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

it."

"How would I do that?"

"Don't be disingenuous. It doesn't  suit you.  The same  way as always. I assume

foolish boys  still sometimes  gossip and boast to their hired females, even  though if

they stopped to think about it, they'd  remember you loathe them  and wish themonly ill. I likewise imagine that you still som

etim

entertain at gatherings where such idio      es find yourself obliged to their m               ts, unmindful of your presence, discuss

ost secret affairs with one another ".

"In other words, you wish to resume  our old arrangement. Which still had four years to run. If I assist you with your current problem, will you c

ontinue to

concern yourself with 'mundane'  affairs,  or will you lock yourself away in your

tower once more?"

He considered lying, but his instincts told him  she'd see through it."I'

m  not entirely sure what will become of me

I'                     ," he said. "As far as I know, if m  successful, I ought to wind up reestablished in Sorcere with all m

transgressions for                           ygiven, but for some  murky reason, I wonder.  I'm  caught up in

something I don't yet understand, and only the dark powers  know where it will

lead."

"Then if you want my  help, you'll have to set me  free . . . today "."Impossible, I don't have the requisite  funds on m

y  person, nor the leisure todicker with Nym

,  for that matter.  You know he'd  stretch any negotiation out fordays, just to be annoying. Nor do I have tim

e to arrange an escape ".She only stared at him

,  and he understood."Ah," he said.

"Is it a bar ain?"

"It is if you actually give mg         e  some help. My problem  is this: An unusual

number of males have run away from  home of late."

"That's your errand? To  find some  rogues? What makes it im

send a Master of Sorcere?"                 portant enough to

He smiled. "I have no idea. Do you know anything about it?"

She shook her head. "Not much."

"Frankly,  any crumb of genuine information will put me  ahead of where I am

now."

"W

of an unusual numell, I've heard only the vaguest hints, ber of m       but they suggest this isn't just a case ales deciding i

the sam               ndependently to elope. They all ran to e  place for the same  reason, whatever that reason may be ".

"I thought as much," said Pharaun. "Otherwise, why would Grominterested? But it's reassuring to hear that your own agile mind has arrived aph be t  the

same  conclusion."

She sneered.

robe.Pharaun absently ran his fingertip along one  of the swirling lines woven into his

"I doubt a threat would suffice to draw  so many boys away from  home," he  said.

"Some would have the courage to defy the  threatener or the sense to appeal to

their kin for protection. Nor would a hypnotic charm  do the trick. Aside from the

natural  resistance  to  such  effects  that  all  we  dark  elves  possess,  some of  the  males

would  have  carried  wards  in  the  form  of  amulets  and  such.  No,  I  think  we  have  to

assume  the rogues sneaked away of  their own volition to accomplish some

positive end. But what?""They'

re organizing a new merchant clan?"

Richard Lee Byers

36

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

"I thought of that, but Gromph says no, and I'm  sure he's  correct. For if  thatwere the case, then why the secrecy? Since trade is im

Menzoberranzan, people don't generally object when a m portant to all ale becomes a

merchant. It's  one of the two or three  legitima

Mother'                  te ways to distance oneself froms  harsh and arbitrary hand." He grinned. "No offense. I'm  sure that in

happier times, the ma"You can bet I would give themles under your authority had no reason to complain of you."

reason now."

"Given your more recent experiences, that's  understandable.  So, if the r

aren'                               ogues t                                lee

Menzoberranzan for good and all? Or putting together a caravan, what, goddess forbid, have they s are they doing? Preparing to flipped awaalready?"                               y

"I don't think so. I can't  tell you precisely  where they are, but I believe they're

still somewhere in the city proper,  the Mantle, or conceivably out in  the

Bauthwaf."

"Now that truly is good news. I wasn't  keen on a hunt through the wilds of the Underdark. Not only is there a general  lack of amenities, the wine-mak

ers are

uncorking the new vintages the tenday after next."Pellanistra shook her head. "You haven't changed."

"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment. Now  let'the                     ,  s get down to the crux of

matter,  shall we?  I require  names . Which of your visitors  dropped  these

Va

She gave hguest hints'i  which you have so sagaciously interpreted?"m  a smile radiant with spite. "Alton Vandree and Vuzlyn Freth "."Who themselves subsequently disappeared and are thus unavailable for

questioning. It makes sense, I suppose, but it's unfortunate all the same.""I'

ve given you everything I have," she said. "Now fulfill your end of the deal ".

The wizard frowned and said, "My dear collaborator, it would devastate me  todisappoint you. Y

et I stipulated that you'd  have to offer me  information of  some

significance, and frankly,  I'm  not sure you've delivered. I really know little more than I did before."

"Do it, or I'll tell every soul who comes runaways. Perhaps that will have som  into this cell that you're looking for the

e 'significance'  for your mission. I assume

hit is supposed to be a secret. Things usually are where  you're involved, and you aven't  mentioned  a  legion  of assistants  following  you  about."

Pharaun laughed. "Well played. I surrender.  How shall we do this?""I don't care. Burn m

e  with your magic. Stick a dagger in me. Break my  neck

with those long, clever fingers."  d just as soon that Nym  didn't bill m

e

dem"Interesting suggestions all, but I'ise. If we can m                        for your ake it look as if your heart just stopped of its own accord

sometime after I look my  leave, I'll have a chance."

experimHe cast about, noticed the thick, fluffy  pillow on the bed, picked it up, and entally gripped it at both ends. It felt good in his hands."This ought to work," he said. "Perhaps you could oblige m

e  by lying down?"

Richard Lee Byers

37

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

C  h  a  p  t  e  r

F   I   V   E

Ryld sipped his chilled, tart wine  with a  sense  of satisfaction, secure  in the  knowledge that the game, though technically still in progress, was already won. In three more moves, his onyx wizard and ore would trap  and mate his opponent's  carnelian mother.

As usual, he had accomplished his victory  without recourse to the dice. Truth to tell, those clattering ivory cubes  with  the  magically  warmed  images  incised  on  the faces were the one aspect of
SUVA
 
he didn't like. They interjected blind luck into what should be a contest of pure c

R           unning. yld's  adversary,  a scrawny young merchant  clansman with an uncouth habit  ofletting drops of liquor slide from  the corners  of his mthe dice early on and gloated when chance allowed himouth as he guzzled, had thrown to eliminate one of the older male's  priestesses.

Shoulders hunched, brow sweaty, he stared at the board as if  the fate of his soul were being decided thereupon. A truly competent player would have recognized almost instantly that there was only one move  he could  make.  Indforeseen the inevitable m                 eed, he would have ate just  three moves hence and resigned. sound only casually interested, took up the thrMindful of his true purpose for visiting  the Jewel Box, Read  of the  conversatyld, doing his best to ion  that  he  and  the slightly tipsy trader had been carrying on in fits and starts.