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ry　Pharauns　disappeared　in　a　sparkle　of　magical　energy　as　the　aboleth　tore　through　it　in　an　attack　as　savage　and　swift　as　that　of　a　shark。
　　　As　the　aboleth　guard　turned　for　a　second　attack　Pharaun　raised　his　gloved　hand　and　flexed　it；　swiftly　fingering　an　evocation　with　his　other　hand　in　the　silent　speech。　An　enormous　ebony…skinned　hand　appeared　in　the　water。　Fingers　open；　it　met　the　guard　head…on；　then　wrapped　itself　around　the　aboleth。　It　squeezed　tight；　smashing　the　aboleth's　tentacles　against　its　body。　The　guard；　nearly　blinded　by　a　finger　that　covered　two　of　its　eyes；　gurgled　with　rage　and　gnawed　at　the　palm　of　the　hand；　which　was　pressed　up　against　the　mouth　in　its　belly。　The　hand；　however；　was　made　of　magical　energy；　not　flesh；　and　so　the　guard's　attempts　to　bite　it　were　futile。　The　aboleth　thrashed　helplessly　in　the　hand's　firm　grip；　slime　from　its　body　clouding　the　water　around　it。
　　　Pharaun　gave　a　quick　mental　push；　and　the　hand　carried　the　guard　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　corridor。
　　　All　that　happened　in　the　space　of　a　few　heartbeats。　Immediately　after　shoving　the　guard　away；　Pharaun　turned…together　with　his　mirror　images…and　cast　a　powerful　enchantment　at　Oothoon。　A　wash　of　magical　energy　stirred　the　water　around　the　aboleth　matriarch；　and　an　instant　later　Pharaun　saw　Oothoon's　tentacles　relax。　Still　wary；　he　spoke　to　Oothoon　in　sign；　testing　the　effects　of　his　charm。　If　the　spell　had　worked；　she　would　be　not　just　willing　but　eager　to　chat　with　her　〃old　friend〃　Pharaun。
　　　I　apologize　for　the　abrupt　intrusion；　he　signed；　but　I　wanted　to　find　out　how　our　little　plan　went。　I　have　heard　that　Quenthel　came　to　you；　and　that　you　consumed　her。　Now　will　you　keep　your　part　of　the　bargain　and　tell　me　where　the　ship　of　chaos　lies？
　　　Oothoon　glanced　at　the　corridor；　bereft　of　its　guard；　then　back　at　the　mage。
　　　〃Your　'priestess'　had　no　magic。〃
　　　Pharaun　had　anticipated　that　response。
　　　I　suppose　you　learned　from　her　memories　that　Lolth　is。　。　。　unavailable；　he　signed。　In　time；　however；　the　goddess　will　awaken；　and　you　will　have　full　use　of　the　spells　you　just　acquired。
　　　〃I　did　not　consume　Quenthel。　She　was　not　worth　eating。〃
　　　Pharaun　blinked。
　　　But　the　one　who　acpanied　her　came　back　to　us　and　told　us　you　consumed　her。　He　saw　you　swallow　her　whole。
　　　〃The　four…armed　one　saw　what　I　wanted　him　to　see；〃　Oothoon　said；　tentacles　quivering　and　mouth　open　in　what　Pharaun　took　to　be　a　wide　grin。
　　　That　made　Pharaun　pause。　He　had　heard　that　aboleths　had　mind　magic　capable　of　creating　illusions。　It　seemed　that　Oothoon　had　used　just　that　talent　on　Jeggred。　Was　she　dulling　Pharaun's　senses　with　an　illusion　even　then？　Were　the　audience　chamber　and　the　corridor　beyond　not　as　empty　of　guards　as　they　seemed？
　　　Pharaun　had　with　him　a　vial　of　ointment　that；　when　rubbed　on　the　eyes；　would　instantly　reveal　the　truth　once　the　words　of　the　spell　that　activated　its　potency　were　spoken…but　using　it　meant　reaching　inside　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi　and　closing　his　eyes　briefly。　If　there　were　illusion…cloaked　guards　nearby；　it　would　be　the　ideal　moment　in　which　to　overpower　him。
　　　No；　he'd　rely　on　the　magic　he'd　already　protected　himself　with。　Seven　of　the　mirror　images　he'd　created　were　still　hovering　in　the　water　next　to　him。　If　a　surprise　attack　came；　there　was　only　a　one…in…eight　chance　that　he　would　be　the　one　who　was　targeted。
　　　Oothoon；　meanwhile；　seemed　relaxed。　The　aboleth　matriarch　rested　easily　in　the　niche；　the　only　sign　of　unease　the　fact　that　the　pearl　was　cupped　protectively　against　her　belly。　Oothoon　hadn't　called　for　more　guards　to　replace　the　one　Pharaun　had　incapacitated　and　hadn't　made　any　threatening　moves。　Pharaun　was　probably　worrying　needlessly。　His　charm　spell　had　obviously　taken　hold。　He　decided　to　test　it　further　by　asking　a　question　the　aboleth　wouldn't　answer　unless　charmed。
　　　Where　is　Quenthel　now？　Pharaun　asked。
　　　〃Gone　in　search　of　the　ship　of　chaos。〃
　　　You　told　her　where　it　was？
　　　The　aboleth　matriarch　just　stared　at　him…but　the　silence　was　answer　enough。
　　　Pharaun　glanced　quickly　around　the　chamber　and　at　last　spotted　the　missing　pieces　of　the　puzzle。　There；　clinging　to　the　doorway；　was　a　handful　of　sticky　strands　that　looked　like　the　remains　of　a　broken　web。　He　also　spotted；　peeking　out　from　the　kelp　on　which　Oothoon's　belly　rested；　the　neck　of　a　wine　bottle。　Not　everything　Jeggred　had　seen　had　been　an　illusion：　Quenthel　had　used　her　wand…deliberately…to　block　him　on　the　other　side　of　the　doorway。　Later；　after　she'd　gotten　the　information　she　wanted　from　Oothoon；　she'd　dissolved　the　barrier　with　alcohol。
　　　Together；　Quenthel　and　Oothoon　had　played　an　elaborate　and　illusion…enhanced　ruse　on　Jeggred…and　Pharaun。　Oothoon　had　been　waiting　for　her　reward　all　the　time。　The　aboleth　matriarch　knew　that　Pharaun；　as　soon　as　he　heard　of　Quenthel's　〃death；〃　would　return…
　　　Pharaun's　hands　rose　to　cast　a　spell；　but　before　he　could　plete　his　incantation；　the　pearl　Oothoon　had　been　holding　appeared　just　in　front　of　him…the　real　him；　not　one　of　his　mirror　images…as　if　out　of　nowhere。　In　the　instant　before　it　struck　his　chest；　Pharaun　realized　what　must　have　happened。　The　aboleth　matriarch　had　put　it　in　her　mouth　and　had　spat　it　at　him；　masking　the　action　with　an　illusion。
　　　The　pearl　struck　his　chest　and　exploded　in　a　rush　of　sound　that　drove　the　water　from　his　lungs　and　made　his　ears　ring。　Stunned；　unable　to　gesture　or　speak；　he　hung　limp　and　alone　in　the　water；　his　mirror　images　dissipated　by　the　force　of　the　blast。　Though　he　was　weak；　dizzy；　too　stunned　to　move；　a　part　of　his　mind　was　still　able　to　note　the　irony　of　what　had　just　happened。　He'd　been　about　to　stun　Oothoon　with　a　spell；　only　to　have　the　aboleth　lay　him　low　with　precisely　the　same　form　of　magic。　What　he'd　mistaken　for　a　〃pearl〃　was　none　other　than　one　of　Quenthel's　magical　beads　of　power。
　　　It　looked　as　though　Oothoon　hadn't　succumbed　to　his　charm　spell；　after　all。　Nor　had　the　aboleth　matriarch　been　fooled　by　his　mirror　images…an　illusion　Oothoon　had　obviously　seen　through；　since　she　managed　to　pick　the　right　Pharaun　to　spit　the　bead　of　power　at。　She'd　been　teasing　him　with　the　truth；　knowing　he'd　soon　be　as　helpless　as　a　flutter　lizard　in　a　web。
　　　Launching　herself　out　of　the　niche；　Oothoon　streaked　toward　the　spot　where　Pharaun　hung　helpless；　jaws　open　wide；　she　sucked　Pharaun　into　her　mouth。　Still　stunned　by　the　blast　of　the　bead；　Pharaun　didn't　even　have　the　strength　to　scream　as　the　jaws　snapped　shut。　Darkness　enveloped　him；　and　razor…sharp　teeth　sawed　into　his　body。
　　　
Chapter　Twenty…two
　　　Halisstra　stood　near　one　of　the　trophy　trees；　the　hilt　of　the　songsword　raised　to　her　lips。　After　she'd　killed　the　phase　spider　two　nights　before；　the　priestesses　had　let　her　keep　the　broken　sword；　as　well　as　Seyll's　shield　and　chain　mail。　They'd　also　given　her　back　her　House　insignia…which　Halisstra　had　tucked　into　a　pocket；　instead　of　pinning　to　her　piwafwi…and　her　other　enchanted　rings　and　devices。　She　also　still　had　her　magical　lyre；　though　she　felt　as　disinclined　to　use　it　as　the　other　things　from　the　Underdark　she　had　set　aside。　Instead　she　practiced　on　the　songsword；　fingers　dancing　as　she　tried　to　create　a　tune　to　suit　the　mood　of　the　snow…dappled　woods　and　the　clouds　drifting　lazily　overhead；　as　white　and　fine…spun　as　hair。
　　　Ryld　sat　cross…legged　on　a　log　a　short　distance　away；　sharpening　his　shortsword。　His　eyes　were　squinted　against　the　morning　sunlight　even　though　he'd　chosen　a　spot　in　deep　shade。　He　sat　with　his　back　against　a　large　boulder；　under　a　canopy　of　tree　branches　that　hung　no　more　than　a　handspan　above　him。　He　was　obviously　still　struggling　with　his　unease　of　open　spaces；　of　having　nothing　but　the　sky　over　his　head。
　　　After　a　while；　the　arrhythmic　rasp　。　。　。　rasp　rasp。　。　。　rasp　of　Ryld's　sharpening　stone　grated　on　Halisstra's　nerves；　forcing　her　to　lower　the　songsword。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　said　in　exasperation。　〃If　you　have　to　do　that　here；　could　you　at　least　work　in　time　with　my　music？〃
　　　Startled；　Ryld　looked　up。
　　　〃Fine；〃　he　said。　He　crawled　out　from　under　the　overhanging　branches；　stood；　and　shoved　the