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〃You　didn't　want　to　leave　her　alive　and　angry　to　carry　tales　to　Greyanna；〃　the　weapons　master　said。
〃It's　unlikely　they　would　have　found　one　another；　but　why　take　the　chance？〃
〃And　you　asked　Smylla　about　the　marks　on　the　walls。　You're　just　too　cursed　curious　to　let　the　subject　go。〃
Pharaun　grinned。　〃Don't　be　silly。　I'm　the　very　model　of　singleminded　determination；　and　I　was　asking　to　further　our　mission。〃
Ryld　glanced　at　the　door　and　the　iron　bar。　They　were　still　holding。
〃What　does　the　strange　behavior　of　goblins　have　to　do　with　the　rogue　males？〃　he　asked。
〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　Pharaun　answered；　〃but　we　have　two　oddities　occurring　at　the　same　time　and　in　the　same　precinct。　Doesn't　it　make　sense　to　infer　a　relationship？〃
〃Not　necessarily。　Menzoberranzan　has　scores　of　plots　and　conspiracies　going　on　at　any　given　time。　They　aren't　all　connected。〃
〃Granted。　However；　if　these　two　situations　are　linked；　then　by　inquiring　into　one；　we　likewise　probe　the　other。　You　and　I　have　experienced　a　depressing　lack　of　success　picking　up　the　trail　of　our　runaways。　Therefore；　we'll　investigate　the　lower　orders　and　see　where　that　path　takes　us。〃
〃How　will　we　do　that？〃
〃Follow　the　drum；　of　course。〃
The　door　banged。
〃First；〃　said　Ryld；　〃we　have　to　get　out　of　here。〃
〃Easily　managed。　I'll　remove　the　locking　talisman　from　the　door；　then　use　illusion　to　make　us　blend　with　the　walls。　In　a　minute　or　two；　the　residents　will　break　the　door　down。　When　they're　busy　abusing　Smylla's　corpse　and　ransacking　her　possessions；　we'll　put　on　goblin　faces　and　slip　out　in　the　confusion。〃
　
Chapter
E　　L　　E　V　E　N
Quenthel's　patrol　had　stalked　the　shadowy；　candlelit　passages　of　ArachTinilith　for　hours；　until　spaces　she　knew　intimately　began　to　seem　strange　and　subtly　unreal；　and　her　subordinates'　nerves　visibly　frayed　with　the　waiting。　She　called　a　halt　to　let　the　underlings　rest　and　collect　themselves。　They　stopped　in　a　small　chapel　with　the　images　of　skulls；　daggers；　and　spiders　worked　in　basrelief　on　the　walls　and　the　bones　of　longdead　priestesses　interred　beneath　the　floor。　Rumor　whispered　that　a　cleric　had　cut　her　own　throat　in　this　sanctuary　and　her　ghost　sometimes　haunted　it；　but　the　Baenre　had　never　seen　the　apparition；　and　it　wasn't　in　evidence　then。
The　priestesses　and　novices　settled　on　the　pews。　For　a　while；　no　one　spoke。
Eventually　Jyslin；　a　secondyear　student　with　a　heartshaped　face　and　silver　studs　in　her　earlobes；　said；　〃Perhaps　nothing　will　happen。〃
Quenthel　stared　coldly　at　the　novice。　Like　the　rest　of　the　party；　the　younger　female　cut　a　warlike　figure　with　her　mace；　mail；　and　shield；　but　her　dread　showed　in　her　troubled　maroon　eyes　and　shiny；　sweaty　brow。　
〃We　will　face　another　demon　tonight；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃I　feel　it；　so　it's　pointless　to　hope　otherwise。　Instead　I　suggest　you　concentrate　on　staying　alert　and　remembering　what　you've　learned。〃
Jyslin　lowered　her　eyes　and　whispered；　〃Yes；　Mistress。〃
〃Wishful　thinking　is　for　cowards；〃　Quenthel　said；　〃and　if　you　fools　are　lapsing　into　it；　we've　lingered　here　too　long。　Up　with　you。〃
Reluctantly；　someone's　links　of　supple　black　mail　chiming　ever　so　faintly；　Quenthel's　minions　rose。　She　led　them　onward。
In　light　of　the　two　previous　intrusions　and　the　obvious　uselessness　of　the　wards　the　mages　of　Sorcere　had　created；　Quenthel　had　placed　ArachTinilith　on　alert　and　anized　her　staff　and　students　into　squads　of　eight。　Most　of　the　units　would　stand　watch　at　set　locations；　but　several　would　patrol　the　entire　building。　The　Baenre　princess　had　opted　to　lead　one　of　the　latter。
She'd　also　decided　to　throw　open　the　storerooms　and　armories　and　dispense　all　the　potent　enchanted　tools　and　weapons　still　deposited　there。　Even　the　firstyear　students　bore　enchanted　arms　and　talismans　worthy　of　a　high　priestess。
Not　that　the　gear　had　done　much　to　bolster　Jyslin's　morale；　nor　that　of　many　another　novice。　Had　Quenthel　not　been　suffering　her　own　carefully　masked　anxieties；　their　glumness　might　have　amused　her。　The　girls　had　seen　demons　throughout　their　childhoods。　They'd　even　achieved　a　certain　intimacy　with　them　in　ArachTinilith；　but　this　was　the　first　time　such　entities　had　posed　a　threat　to　them；　and　they'd　realized　they　hadn't　truly　known　the　ferocious　beings　at　all。
No　doubt　some　of　the　females　had　also　been　perceptive　enough　to　recognize　that　they　themselves　had　been　in　paratively　little　danger　until　Quenthel　mustered　them　in　what　was　more　or　less　her　personal　defense。　If　so；　their　resentment；　like　their　uneasiness；　was　irrelevant。　They　were　her　underlings；　and　it　was　their　duty　to　serve　her。
〃It's　the　wrath　of　Lolth　herself；〃　whispered　Minolin　FeyBranche；　a　fifthyear　student　who　wore　her　hair　in　three　long　braids。　Obviously；　she　didn't　intend　for　her　voice　to　carry　to　the　front　of　the　procession。　〃First　she　strips　us　of　our　magic；　then　sends　her　fiends　to　kill　us。〃
Quenthel　whirled。　Sensing　her　anger；　her　whip　vipers　rose；　weaving　and　hissing。
〃Shut　up〃　she　snapped。　〃The　Spider　Queen　may　be　testing　us；　eliminating　the　unfit；　but　she　has　not　condemned　her　entire　temple。　She　would　not。〃
Minolin　lowered　her　eyes。　〃Yes；　Mistress；〃　she　said　tonelessly。
Quenthel　noticed　that　no　one　else　looked　reassured；　either。
〃You　disgust　me；〃　the　Baenre　said。　〃All　of　you。〃
〃We　apologize；　Mistress；〃　said　Jyslin。
〃I　remember　my　training；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃If　a　novice　showed　a　hint　of　cowardice　or　disobedience；　my　sister　Triel　would　make　her　fast　for　a　tenday；　and　eat　rancid　filth　for　another　after　that。　I　should　do　the　same；　but　unfortunately；　with　ArachTinilith　under　siege；　I　need　my　people　strong。　So　all　right；　though　it　should　shame　you　take　it；　you　can　have　another　rest。　You'll　fill　your　bellies；　and　it　had　better　stiffen　your　spines。　Otherwise；　we'll　see　how　many　of　you　I　have　to　flog　before　the　rest　cease　their　cringing　and　whining。　e。〃
She　led　them　on　to　a　classroom　where　the　kitchen　staff　had　set　a　table。　She'd　ordered　them　to　prepare　a　cold　supper　and　leave　it　at　various　points　around　the　temple；　so　that　the　weary　sentinels　could　at　least　refresh　themselves　with　food；　and　the　cooks　had　done　a　decent　job　of　it。　On　a　silver　salver　lay　pink　and　brown　slices　of　rothe　steak　steeped　in　a　tawny　marinade；　their　aroma　peting　with　ArachTinilith's　omnipresent　scent　of　incense。　Other　trays　and　bowls　held　raw　mushroom　pieces　with　a　creamy　dipping　sauce　and　a　salad　of　black；　white；　and　red　diced　fungus；　while　the　pitchers　presumably　contained　wine；　watered　as　per　her　mand。　Quenthel　hoped　the　alcohol　would　hearten　those　residents　whom　Lolth's　absence　and　the　incursions　of　the　past　two　nights　had　terrified；　but　she　didn't　want　any　of　the　temple's　defenders　sloppy　drunk　and　incapacitated。
Some　of　Quenthel's　minions　fell　to　as　if　they　expected　this　to　be　their　last　meal。　Others；　likely　as　certain　of　their　fate；　seemed　too　tense　to　do　more　than　pick　at　the　viands。
The　mistress　of　the　Academy　supposed　that；　though　she　intended　to　survive　the　night；　in　a　sense；　she　belonged　to　the　latter　party。　Her　stomach　was　somewhat　queasy；　and　the　long　hours　of　edgy　anticipation　had　killed　her　appetite。
e　on；　demon；　she　thought；　let's　get　this　over　with。　。　。　。
The　entity　failed　to　respond　to　her　silent　plea。
She　decided　her　throat　was　a　little　parched；　caught　Jyslin's　eye；　and　said；　〃Pour　me　a　cup。〃
〃Yes；　Mistress。〃
The　secondyear　novice　performed　the　service　with　mendable　alacrity。　She　filled　the　silver　goblet　too　high　for　gentility's　sake；　but　Quenthel　expected　no　better　from　a　moner。　The　Baenre　accepted　the　cup　with　a　nod　and　raised　it　to　her　lips。
Her　whip　of　fangs　hung　from　her　wrist　by　the　wyvernhide　loop　that　pierced　its　handle。　She　felt　a　thrill　of　alarm　surge　across　the　psionic　link　she　shared　with　the　vipers。　At　the　same　instant；　the　snakes　reared　and　dashed　the　goblet　from　her　grasp。　She　stared　at　them　in　amazement。
〃Poison；〃　Yngoth　said；　his　slitpupiled　eyes　glinting　in　their　scaly　sockets。　〃We　smelled　it。〃
Quenthel　looked　around。　Her　followers　had　heard　the　serpent's　declaration　and　were　gawking　at　her　and　the　reptiles　in　consternation。　They　appeared　to　be　in　perfectly　good　health；　but　she　trusted　the　vipers　and　knew　it　wouldn't　last。
〃Purge　yourselves；〃　she　said。　〃Now〃
They　never　got　the　chance。　Almost　as　one；　they　suc