F O U R (58 page)
He glumly concluded that until he knew more, it would be foolish to continue
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attacking a foe seemingly capable of tuSo he'd break off hostilities. rning his own potent wizardry against him.
And, he thought, with a sudden pang of uneasiness, hope his sister didn't guesswho'd engineered her recent perils.
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C h a p t e r
S E V E N T E E N
cellarAll the undercreatures gawked when
Pharaun and R
, and why not? The mage doubted this foul little drinking pit had e
yld strolled into the
ver
seen such an elegant figure as himself, an aristocrat exquisite ornaments, dress, and coiffure . . . well, he hoped that, after some of graceful carriage,
emer
In any case, it wgency adjustments, his hair was at least passable.as plain the goblins, ores, and whatevers had little interest in aesthetic appreciation. They whispered,
whenever they thought the two dark elves weren' glowered, and fingered their weapons and hate in the sweltering, low-ceilinged room were pt looking at them, and the fear
alpable. Pharaun
supposed that considering what Greyanna and her Br hunters had wrought in the
aeryn the previous night, a measure of surli
understandable. ness was, if not good form, at least
He wondered how they'd react if they discovered his sister had slaughtered
their fellows by the score merely to create an opportunity to kill him. Perhaps
it was a question best left in the realm of the hypothetical.Knowing that R
yld was watching his back, the Master of Sorcere sauntered tothe bar and, with a sweep of his arm
currency was the usual miscellany encountered in Menzoberranzan—rounds, , scattered clattering coins across it. The squares, triangles, rings, spiders, and octagons— half of it mi
or so greatest noble Houses and the rest imported from other lands in the nted by the dozen Underdark and even the W
orld Above. It was all silver
though, m , platinum, or gold, ore precious metal than this squalid hole probably saw in a decade."Tonight," Pharaun announced, "this com
pany of boon companions drinks at
m
The tavernery expense!" , a squat ore with a twisted, oozing mouth and a ma
stared for a heartbeat or two, scooped up the coins, and began dipping sngy scalp, ome foulsmelling brew from a filthy tub. Cursing and threatening one another, the rest of
the undercreatures shoved forward to get it. The wizard noted that no one thanked him
.
After looking around for another moment, Pharaun spotted another dark elfslouched in a corner, evidently one of the wretches who'd sunk so low the
goblinoids accepted him as one of their own."Com
The outcast flinched. "Me?"e here, my friend," the wizard beckoned.
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"Yes. What's your name?"
The fellow hesitated, then said, "Bruherd, once of House Duskryn.""Indeed, until your noble kin kicked you out. W
e have much in comm
Bruherd, for I m on, yself am outcast twice over. Now come advise me on a matter of vital im
"I' portance."m, uh, all right where I am."
"I know you don't mean to be unsociable," said Pharaun, setting blue sparks dancing on his fingertips.
The Duskryn sighed, and, limping in a manner that betrayed some chronic pain, did as Pharaun had bade him
.
his neck and jaw He was gaunt, and half a dozen boils studded . He'd evidently parted with his
piwafwi
at some point during his decline, but he still wore a filthy robe that, the Mizzrym noted with m
had once been a wizard's. With the aid of the silver ring, he could see that the ild surprise,
dozens of pockets no longer held the slightest trace of ma"They m gic.
ay kill me
"They only tolerate m for this," Bruherd said, subtly indicating the goblins.e because they believe me cut off from my own race.""I'll pray for your w
elfare," Pharaun said. "Meanwhile, what I need to know
is this: Of all the libations laid up in our host's no doubt vast and well-stockedcellar
, which is the least vile?""Vile?" Bruherd'
s lip twitched. "You get used to them."
Pharaun handed the other drow a gold, ham"One hopes not." mer-shaped coin minted in somedwarf enclave.
"Tell the barkeep you want the stuff that bubbles," Bruherd advised.
'The stuff that bubbles.' Charming. Clearly, I've fallen among connoisseurs "
.
"It'll do," said Ryld, still unobtrusively studying the crowd. "The important
thing is that we toast our victory ".Pharaun waited a beat, then chuckled. "You're supposed to ask him
what he's
talking about," he said to Bruherd, "thus affording us a graceful way to
commence boasting of our trium
The lip twitched again. "I don'ph."t think much about victories or triumphs
anymore."Pharaun shook his head. "So m
uch bitterness in the world! It weighs on the
heart. Would it cheer you to learn I've avenged us in some small measure?"
Across the room"Us?" Bruherd grunted.
faced gnoll. As the com, a scufbatants rolled about the floorfle erupted between a shaggy hobgoblin and a wolf-, somebody tossed them a knife, apparently just out of curiosity as to which would m
anage to grab it first.
"Hark to the glad tidings," said the Master of Sorcere. "I'm Pharaun Mizzrymexpelled first from the Seventh House and ,now Tier Breche, neith
er time for an
rational cause. Incensed, I chose to take vengeance on the Academ yy. With the aid of m
y similarly disgruntled friend Master Argith, I destroyed a patrol in theBazaar earlier today
. You may have heard something about it."
Bruherd stared. The kobold and goblins within earshot did the same."It's true," said R
yld.
insane? They'"That was you?" Bruherd said. "And ll hunt you down!" you're bragging about it? Are you
"I'Pharaun said, "They were trying anyway." The entire cellar was falling quiet. ve heard rumors of an agency that will spirit a drow boy away if he's well
and truly discontent with his lot in life, as I trust Ryld and I have shown we are ".
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Bruherd said, "I don'"Well," Pharaun said, "they probably have to think you can be of some use to t know what you're talking about."them, and if you'll forgive my saying so . . ." rner of his eye, and turned just intime to see the taverner fall back in twHe caught a flash of movement from the coo pieces. Evidently he'd been in the process of climbing silently over the bar with a short sword in hand, and Ryldsensing him, had pivoted and cut him. The drow warrior spun smoothly back ,around, Splitter at the ready.rushing him. He snatched three smooth gray stones from a pocket and sPharaun turned back as well, just in time to see a mass of undercreatures tartedto recite a spell. Ryld's greatsword flicked across the wizard's field of vision,killing two gnolls that sought to engage him, allowing him to finish theincantation unmolested.