«Lower your weapons to the ground,» Ryld said, «and we'll consider listening to you.»

«I think not,» the daughter countered. «At least, not until we have some assurances that you won't attack us the moment we do. I don't know for sure that you weren't in league with my mother.»

Ryld snarled, raising Splitter and advancing again. Valas was doing likewise, still looking to maneuver around to the priestesses' left side.

«Ryld, Valas, wait,» Pharaun called out quietly.

He had no doubt that the two warriors could dispatch the drow females with relatively little difficulty, as long as the wizard was backing them up with a careful selection of spells, but he was intrigued. Ryld cast a quick glance back over his shoulder at the wizard then shrugged and held his ground.

«I can assure you that we have never met your mother and had no dealings with her, ever. That wild tale in the audience chamber above was merely a contrivance to stall for time—ruffle everyone's feathers, so to speak. You seem to know who we are,» Pharaun said, addressing the daughter of House Melarn, «but we are at a disadvantage. Who are you, and what is this information you are planning to use to buy our trust?»

In a flash of bluish light, Valas was stepping through a dimensional doorway, and as the one named Danifae turned to face the point where the scout had been standing only a split-second earlier, the Bregan D'aerthe scout was behind her, one hand gripping her wrist tightly where she held her morning star, the other hand holding a kukri at the line where her jawbone faded into her graceful neck. Though she was several inches taller than the scout, Valas was easily able to keep her overbalanced by shifting his hip under hers and levering her up off her feet.

Danifae's eyes bulged wide as she realized she'd been outmaneuvered, and she flailed about helplessly for a second or two until she grasped that the blade was at her neck, at which point she froze.

«Lay them down,» Ryld said to both drow females, gesturing to their weapons with his greatsword. «To the floor, nice and quietly.»

The Melarn daughter gasped in surprise at Valas's maneuver, narrowed her eyes, and took half a step toward her companion. When she realized she was outmatched, she sighed and settled her mace to the floor at her feet. Danifae sagged a bit in Valas's grasp and relinquished her weapon to the other female, who set that down as well.

«Excellent!» Pharaun said as Ryld kicked the two weapons safely away. «That wasn't so bad, now was it?»

«You could have trusted us,» the daughter spat. «We gave you no reason not to.»

Pharaun laughed out loud. Ryld stifled a chuckle of his own, and Valas, who released Danifae but kept his kukri carefully placed in the small of her back, was grinning behind her.

«You are a dark elf,» the wizard said finally, regaining his composure. «That alone is enough for me not to trust you, but beyond that, if you think we're going to trust anyone in this cursed city, you're the biggest fool I've met in a while. Yet, I am not completely uninterested in negotiating, so you may still get a chance to redeem yourself. You can start by answering my questions. Who are you, and what is the nature of this information?»

The Melarn daughter grimaced but finally answered, «I am Halisstra Melarn, as you have surmised by now, I'm sure. This is Danifae, my personal servant. What I meant was, your friend the high priestess and her demon companion aren't dead.»

Pharaun felt his eyes bulge at this revelation. He heard both Ryld and Valas breathe in sharply.

«Really,» the mage said, trying to sound offhand as he regained his composure, «and how would you know that?»

«Because I've seen them,» Danifae, still locked in Valas's grip, answered.

«Apparently,» Halisstra said, «Ssipriina Zauvirr simply told everyone that the priestess was dead so that there would be no demands for her side of the story. They probably should have killed them, but I guess Faeryl had other plans for her.»

At the mention of the ambassador, Pharaun tilted his head.

«You know Faeryl Zauvirr?» he asked.

«Yes,» Halisstra replied, «I know her. We grew up together. Since our Houses have—or rather, had — a business relationship, her mother and mine spent quite a bit of time together. She might very well be with the Baenre priestess right now. I suspect she's torturing them both.»

«Is that so?» Pharaun asked.

Ryld, who still had his greatsword trained on the two females, snorted, «Why does that not surprise me?»

«I wonder how the esteemed high priestess managed to get herself caught in the first place?» Pharaun pondered aloud.

«It was an ambush,» Halisstra said. «When they were at a Black Claw Mercantile storehouse. Faeryl was in on it, I guess. Her mother met them there with a host of guards who subdued the high priestess and the demon that was with them. They claim they had to kill my mother, who was trying to escape, though now I wonder if she truly is dead.»

«Well now,» Pharaun said, even more intrigued than before, «some things are beginning to make more sense. Now I know why Faeryl was being so agreeable during the trip here. She wanted Quenthel to go to the storehouse. It was their plan to take Quenthel all along.»

«Not just Quenthel, but all of you,» said Halisstra. «I'm guessing she intended to capture all of you at once, but when you didn't appear at the storehouse with the others she had to amend her plan. She'd be quite pleased, I'm sure, if you were all dead.»

«Yes,» the mage said wryly, «we were informed of that very fact not an hour ago. Needless to say, we weren't too keen on the idea, ourselves.»

«So where's Mistress Baenre?» Ryld demanded. «We're going to find her and leave. You can help us or join everyone else who's gotten in our way thus far.»

Halisstra looked appraisingly at the warrior.

«What is it you expect to accomplish by finding her?» she asked.

«We're going to get her out of here, and were going to go find—»

«Weapons Master Argith,» Pharaun interrupted, pulling the warrior to the side where they could talk privately. «I'm not sure that's really the wisest course of action. We need to get out of here before the whole House falls down, don't you agree?»

«And leave the Mistress of the Academy here?» Ryld countered. «We should try to find her.»

Pharaun looked questioningly at his companion and asked, «Why in the Underdark would we do that?»

Ryld's eyes flashed in anger.

«You may be eager to be rid of her, wizard,» he said, «but I am not.»

«Oh?» Pharaun replied, growing hot himself. «If I didn't know better, I would think you were sweet on the high priestess. Have you forgotten so soon her disdain for you?»

«Whatever your own ambitions are, I still serve the task I was given by Matron Mother Baenre and the rest of the High Council. Quenthel still plays a large part in that, and I have no desire to betray Menzoberranzan herself to suit my own personal vendettas.»

Another shock wave tore through House Melarn, and Pharaun was forced to rise into the air to keep his balance.

«Can we argue about this later?» Valas interjected, still gripping Danifae as the two of them tried to maintain their balance. «I agree with Ryld, at least for the moment. We may yet need Quenthel, who is still our best connection to the Dark Mother, and the only one who can tell us if we're succeeding in reconnecting with Lolth. If we do find Tzirik, it may behoove us to have her there.»

Pharaun sighed, chagrinned that he had raised his voice enough to be overheard.

«Very well,» he said. «We will attempt to find her before we depart, but remember what I said. If the House falls down around our ears, I will personally blame both of you.»

He smiled, hoping a little levity would ease the tensions. Ryld still scowled but nodded curtly once the decision was made.

Another rumbling shock wave rocked House Melarn and forced everyone to shift their feet in order to keep their balance. Halisstra looked around with no small level of concern in her eyes.

«If you want to find your high priestess, then let me take you to her,» she said. «Danifae and I have no quarrel with you, as I admitted before, and everything I've told you thus far is the truth. We have no allies here, and neither do you. Joining together could be mutually beneficial.»

«All right,» Pharaun said. «We'll suppose for the moment that we're going to trust you to take us to her. It will make our chances of getting out of here in one piece markedly better, but just to make certain you don't consider trying anything, shall we say, troublesome, I think Danifae here will accompany us with her arms bound behind her. Valas and I will keep a good eye on her while you and Ryld keep to the front.»

Danifae's eyes widened the slightest bit in protest at the suggestion, but Halisstra nodded after only a moment's consideration.

«Very well,» she agreed. «We'll do it your way—for now. First, you must do something for me. You must answer a question, if you can. What is the state of things out on the streets? I have not had a chance to find out for myself since the shock waves began.»

Pharaun shrugged helplessly.

«I fear I cannot tell you with any degree of accuracy,» he said. «You were in the audience chamber when the attacks began and heard the warning cry. These duergar appear to be organized, though. My suspicion is that someone else, someone powerful, is behind them.»

Halisstra looked sharply at the wizard and asked, «What gives you that impression?»

«The blasts we're feeling are due to incendiary alchemy. We encountered similar destruction back home recently. Whoever is supplying the duergar with them may be associated with the forces we dealt with in Menzoberranzan, and I will warn you now, the stone does indeed burn. We will be at risk as long as we remain inside your House.»

Halisstra looked fearful, but she nodded in thanks.

«Then the sooner I can get you what you want, the sooner we can get outside and find out for sure. Danifae, I want you to comply with their instructions. Do you understand me?»

With a small sigh, the other drow female nodded.

«Yes, Mistress,» she answered then moved over so that Valas could use a length of cord to bind her hands securely behind her back.

«Wonderful. It's nice to see how we're all getting along so well together,» Pharaun said. «Now, Halisstra Melarn, why don't you lead the way?»

«Before I do, allow me to help you in a more immediate way. Let me heal your injuries.»

Pharaun glanced over at Ryld, who subtly shook his head, frown-ing. Shrugging, the wizard decided to ignore his companion's con-cerns. His face hurt where the acid had burned him.