by Филип Этанс
She'd been enjoying the ruse and would never have trouble admitting that she found the drow attractive—she even found herself more attractive as a drow—but she'd still been rather nervous around Phaere. Now, though, all she could think about was the bath. She shed her torn clothes quickly enough, not even thinking to try to explain them and their state to Phaere. They weren't drow clothes.
Phaere sat down on a low marble bench lined with rich cushions. As she sat, she pulled from a concealed pocket in her robe a long, thin wand that seemed to be made from crushed gemstones.
Imoen slid into the tub and let the water wrap around her. She closed her eyes and let out a long, relieved breath.
"It's been a long time?" Phaere asked. Imoen opened her eyes and saw Phaere twirling the wand between two fingers.
"What is that?" Imoen asked.
"Do you mean am I going to kill you with it?" Phaere asked, not looking at her.
Imoen wasn't sure how to answer, so she didn't. The warm, perfect water was like satin on her skin, and it was quickly making her sleepy.
"It's a wand," Phaere said, almost bored. "Lightning bursts from it on my command."
"Impressive," Imoen said, her voice even lower still.
Phaere looked at her and Imoen closed her eyes.
"Tomorrow is an auspicious day," the drow said.
"Is it?" Imoen asked, not even sure why she needed to keep the conversation going.
Phaere stood slowly and stepped toward the bath. "I truly begin my ascent tomorrow," She said. "I mean to replace my mother."
Imoen said nothing, not even sure what Phaere meant.
"That information would be worth a lot to her," Phaere said. "I'd have to kill you if you sold it to her, though, so please don't."
Imoen opened her eyes and regarded Phaere calmly. "I know who my friends are," she said.
"Good," Phaere answered and let her robe slip to the ground. Imoen pulled in a short breath and opened her mouth too speak, but no sound came out.
Phaere, eyes still on Imoen's, stepped into the tub and lowered herself into the water as slowly as Imoen had. The bath was huge enough that a good half dozen yards of warm water separated the two women.
"Do you know what a mythal is?" Phaere asked.
Imoen shook her head, her body suddenly tense.
"In a few days' time I'll have one at my disposal, and all I have to do is march a few hundred of my mother's all-too-expendable soldiers through a gate into some surface-elf forest. How long have they been expecting that? The arrogant fools actually think we're down here with nothing more interesting to occupy our minds than plans for their meaningless downfall."
Imoen closed her eyes again, willing herself to relax, and said, "So why give them their wish?"
"I must have been six the first time my mother told me never to make a deal with a vampire," answered Phaere cryptically.
The word «vampire» gave Imoen a chill, and her hand came up enough to disturb the water around her.
"Yes," Phaere said, misinterpreting the gesture. "It's not an easy thing to stomach, I assure you, but I'm getting the better end of the bargain. They have some secret weapon—some unsuspecting humans who carry some kind of curse that's supposed to help them. It's typically ham-handed human conniving—transparent and unmotivated amateurs that they are. The vampire even sent some chubby little human to help lure these others in or send them on their way through the gate for some reason. How this little man doesn't realize his mistress plans to kill him immediately afterward, I certainly don't understand. Not that the vampire's any smarter. I'm sure that bloodsucking bitch doesn't even know what a mythal is—has no idea what she's giving up in favor of a diversion."
"Diversion?"
Phaere slipped closer to Imoen in the bath, sending warm waves lapping against the soft underside of Imoen's chin.
"They have some grudge against one of the surface elves," Phaere said, obviously growing bored with the conversation. "I make this elf think the great drow invasion has finally come, and in all the chaos that follows, Bodhi and Irenicus do whatever it is they've set out to do. In exchange, I get power enough to ascend to the highest position in Ust Natha."
"A good bargain," Imoen said.
When Phaere had mentioned Bodhi and Irenicus by name, another chill ran down her spine. When Phaere touched her, a sensation of an entirely different nature followed.
* * *
Abdel was worried about Imoen. She was surprisingly good at pretending to be someone she wasn't, but Abdel realized that every second they spent in Ust Natha brought them closer to being found out. Not to mention the fact that the dragon had warned them that they didn't have much time. If the spell wore off and they were revealed to be human, suddenly couldn't even speak the language, they'd be in serious—very serious—trouble.
Jaheira was getting better at the ruse herself, but she wasn't as good as Imoen. Abdel watched her carefully and took some consolation in the fact that Solausein took his odd behavior to be simple jealousy. The drow thought Jaheira was doing to Abdel what Phaere had done to Solausein only hours before. Let him think whatever he wanted, Abdel decided, it had brought them to the eggs.
Getting past the guards was easy enough. Solausein was their captain, and they deferred to him, not daring to question why he might be there or who his unfamiliar companions were. Abdel had done enough of that kind of work to understand the soldiers' point of view. It wasn't so much that they were afraid to ask, they just didn't care.
"Perfect," Jaheira said, standing in front of the row of enormous eggs.
Solausein, maybe a little drunk judging by the sway in his walk, grinned openly at his new mistress's reaction. "As I promised."
"A fortune," Abdel offered, still reluctant to play along.
"Enough to establish my own—" Jaheira said, stopping when she realized the guards could overhear.
Solausein picked up on that right away and barked, "You men, load these things onto the cart outside, and be quick about it—quick but careful. The mistress has need of the eggs elsewhere."
Satisfied easily enough with the order, the guards hopped to. It took two of them to move each of the eggs, and Jaheira, Abdel, and Solausein stood in silence, watching, until they were done.
When the guards finished, Solausein said, "Leave us, there's nothing here to guard."
The drow guards nodded and took full advantage of their opportunity to stop standing around eyeing a bunch of giant dragon eggs by practically falling over each other to leave.
It was all Abdel could do not to follow them. Outside was Solausein's cart, hitched to a lizard three times longer than a horse. The lizard seemed to make a good enough pack animal. It was surefooted in the cavern terrain and strong enough to pull heavy loads. Abdel judged it to be as strong as a team of three, maybe four horses.
"We should be going, mistress," Abdel prodded.
Jaheira turned and said, "Indeed, we need to—"
"They're being moved?" an all-too-familiar voice sounded in the empty room. Abdel, Jaheira, and Solausein turned simultaneously, and Abdel's head spun at the sight of Yoshimo, flanked by two unhappy-looking drow guards, strolling casually into the room. "I was hoping to see these great dragon eggs for myself."
Jaheira said, "Uh—" and turned away.
Abdel tried to do the same thing without being obvious.
"What is this … thing doing here?" Solausein asked the guards.
"It's a human, sir," one of the guards reported flatly. "It's a guest of the mistress's."
Abdel caught the look on Yoshimo's face and realized the Kozakuran didn't understand what was being said.
Abdel's mind reeled. What could Yoshimo possibly be doing here?
He was in league with Irenicus, then … it was all starting to make sense. Abdel realized that it really was important to make sure Yoshimo didn't recognize him or Jaheira. So far, it appeared he didn't.
"This man is known to us," Jaheira said to Solausein, and Abdel fe
lt a short wave of panic wash over him. Jaheira had met Yoshimo in Irenicus's prison but didn't know the rest of it. She didn't know what Abdel knew. "He's of use to me," Jaheira continued. "Dismiss the guards."
She turned her back on Yoshimo, and Solausein, without hesitation, said, "You heard the mistress. We'll take it from here."
These guards were a little more reluctant to be relieved of their duty, but they still bowed to Solausein and left the room. Yoshimo plastered an inane grin on his face. He was surprised by this turn of events and even without looking too directly at him, Abdel could tell he was nervous.
"I did not mean to intrude," Yoshimo said.
Abdel didn't want to look at him—didn't want to show any sign that he understood what the Kozakuran was saying.
"I don't understand this human," Solausein said.
"I must beg your pardon, my black-skinned friend," Yoshimo said, "but I am unfamiliar with the tongue of your underground city."
Abdel felt a tingling feeling shudder through his whole body and was surprised—even a little disappointed—by his nervousness.
"Abdel?" Yoshimo asked, quietly, tentatively.
Solausein said something Abdel didn't understand, and Abdel suddenly realized the feeling wasn't nerves. He wasn't a dark elf any more.
* * *
Imoen quivered lightly from fatigue and nervousness as she tiptoed lightly, barefooted, across the cold marble tiles of Phaere's dark bedchamber.
The tub was drained now, and her tattered clothes had been taken away. She wore a luxurious spidersilk robe borrowed from Phaere's extensive closet, and scared as she was, she felt better than she had in—how long? Days? Tendays even? She was clean; they had eaten, relaxed, and grown intimate in a way Imoen was never afforded in the monastery-fortress of Candlekeep. Her mind was a blur of conflicting emotions, but she was realistic enough to know what she had to do. She couldn't stay a dark elf forever, as tempting as that might be.
She found the wand easily enough where Phaere had left it, and slid it into a fold of her robe. She turned halfway around, but stopped when Phaere spoke.
"Another bath?" The drow's voice echoed in the otherwise silent, empty marble-lined room.
Imoen drew in a breath and said, "You startled me."
"Shall I have the boys draw you another bath?" Phaere persisted.
"No," Imoen replied, "no, thank you. I was just. . just. ." she made a hopeless gesture with one hand while keeping the robe closed, and the wand secure, with the other.
"Well," Phaere said, apparently understanding what Imoen was trying to say. "I'll leave you to it."
Imoen nodded, and the dark elf paused briefly, maintaining a long, comfortable eye contact Imoen didn't want to release. Phaere finally turned and slipped back into the darkness of the bedchamber.
Imoen's skin crawled, and she was surprised and ashamed of the sensation … until she realized that her beautiful black skin was no more.
* * *
Abdel punched Solausein in the face so hard the drow's nose shattered in a spray of blood. He went down fast and hard.
"It is you!" Yoshimo exclaimed. He seemed legitimately happy to see Abdel and Jaheira. "My friends, am I happy to have found you!"
"Save it, Yoshimo," Jaheira said, surprising Abdel, who was rubbing bruised knuckles. Solausein didn't stir. "What are you doing here of all places?"
"Why, looking for you, of course," the Kozakuran replied.
Abdel had his sword out and at Yoshimo's throat before he could say anything else. "What in the Nine Hells is all this?"
"I can explain all," Yoshimo said, eyeing Abdel's blade with a mixture of fear and haughty offense. "I think we should be leaving this city of drow elves first, though, yes?"
"Easier said than done," Abdel growled. He turned to Jaheira and said, "We wasted too much time."
"I know a way out," Yoshimo said, "but it will take a while to get there from here."
"We have a cart," Jaheira said. She noticed Abdel's perturbed look and told him, "We need to get out of here. If he can get us to the dragon, I honestly don't care why he's doing it."
"He's working for Irenicus," Abdel said. "I should gut him now."
"Oh, my good friend, I have no idea what you're talking about," Yoshimo said weakly. "I have come to help—that is my one desire."
Solausein grumbled, still unconscious, and rolled slightly to one side.
"He's waking up," Jaheira warned. "We need to get out of here."
"I can get you straight to the surface through a most impressive magical gate."
"We're not going to the surface," Abdel said, glancing at Jaheira with a look of resignation.
"We have to give a dragon back its eggs first," Jaheira said.
"After we find Imoen," Abdel corrected.
"Imoen?" Yoshimo asked.
"We came with another woman—a human disguised as a dark elf," said Abdel.
"Ah.. "Yoshimo said. "She's with Phaere."
"Still?" Jaheira asked, though she didn't expect an answer.
"And the gate will take you to the dragon," the Kozakuran proffered.
"How's that?" asked Abdel, already pushing Yoshimo to the door.
"It was explained to me that you but think of the destination in your mind, and away you go."
"I can't think of anything better, Abdel," Jaheira said quickly, "and we need to get out of here right now."
Abdel smiled, looked at Yoshimo, and said, "Lead the way."
Chapter Seventeen
Phaere was more than a little unhappy. The young woman Jaenra had disappeared at some point during the night, and Phaere found that disrespectful. She had opened herself and her home more quickly and more completely to Jaenra than she'd ever done before, and though Phaere had a rather thick skin, she just couldn't help but take it personally… and take it out on someone.
She slapped the mage across the face with a hard, practiced backhand that sent the drow man reeling. The sorcerer hit the marble tiles of the plaza, and a pouch of spell components he wore on his belt burst open, scattering bits of string, crystals, feathers, and live spiders all over the tiles. He looked up at Phaere in horror, fully expecting to be killed.
"Ready!" Phaere shouted at the man. "Complete! Prepared! These words mean nothing to you?"
"The gate is ready, mistress," the mage said quickly, his voice quivering, "You have my word. I—"
She kicked him hard between the legs, and the man doubled over in pain.
"I didn't ask for your word you little—"
She was interrupted by the roar of a pack lizard rumbling across the plaza floor. She turned and saw something that made her blink several times before she could believe it.
The pack lizard was pulling an open cart onto which the silver dragon eggs were lashed. The cart was being driven by humans, their pale skin positively glowing in the ambient light of the plaza gate. One of them looked familiar—the big one, but how could he? There was a half-elf woman—Phaere had never seen a real half-elf before. She was underwhelmed.
This was Bodhi's crew, though Phaere thought there was supposed to be three of them. She counted two, plus the round-faced human Bodhi called out of the gate to … well, to apparently do what he was doing at this moment. The cart was headed for the gate.
Phaere waved a hand signal in the air that made the guards step back from the gate. Crossbows and hand crossbows were leveled at the cart, but the guards were all obedient enough to follow orders and not fire.
Phaere smiled though she was still disappointed. It had begun.
* * *
Abdel had stopped trying to keep a count of the obvious set-ups that had been perpetrated on him lately, they were coming so quickly and so regularly now. He saw the drow mistress Phaere standing over some cowering male drow at the edge of the plaza in the center of Ust Natha. She held a hand up in the air and made some gesture. Abdel couldn't understand drow sign language—didn't even know there was such a thing as drow sign language—but he c
ould see the guards lining the plaza withdraw. They all glanced at Phaere, and though they raised their crossbows to fire, they held back. Abdel was running the cart fast and hard through the narrow streets, and the open construction of their vehicle gave them no cover. He'd been relying on dumb luck to get them through the gate, but thanks to Phaere he wouldn't need it. It was as if she was expecting them—and that couldn't be good at all. He said as much to Jaheira and Yoshimo.
"We have no choice!" Yoshimo yelled over the clatter of the cart's wheels on the marble tiles. "It's the only way out!"
"It's a trap!" Abdel repeated.
"What isn't?" was Yoshimo's cryptic reply. "Trust me one time."
Abdel opened his mouth, intending to regale Yoshimo with the full list of reasons why he'd never trust the Kozakuran when a lithe, pale body leaped into the cart behind him.
"Imoen!" Jaheira gasped.
"Don't go through that gate!" Imoen shouted to Abdel, clutching his shoulder to steady herself on the bouncing cart.
That was all Abdel had to hear. He pulled hard on the reins, and the lizard pulled up short. Everything and everyone on the cart slid rapidly forward, and Abdel nearly fell sprawling onto the giant lizard's back. Imoen and Jaheira collided with Abdel from behind, and both of them grunted at the same time. Yoshimo fell against the back of Abdel's seat, bloodying his nose.
"Destroy it!" Imoen panted even as the cart fish-tailed to a stop. "We have to destroy that thing—they mean to march an army through it."
"That's great," Abdel said as he pulled the reins to the left, forcing the giant pack lizard around. In the plaza the drow guards stepped forward but still held their fire. Abdel knew it would take nothing but a wave of Phaere's hand to make pincushions out of them all.
"How do we destroy the thing?" Jaheira asked Imoen. "It's not like you can just—"
"With this!" Imoen exclaimed, producing a crystalline wand out of her shimmering spidersilk robe.
"Don't do this," Yoshimo said, his voice ragged and desperate. "In the names of all our ancestors, I beg of you. It is our only way out of here. You have to—"
