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he surface folk would simply put her to the blade。
〃I have no more to say to your lord；〃 she said； though the thought crossed her mind that selling out her rades was preferable to death by torture； especially if she could gain her freedom in the exchange。
〃Fine；〃 a woman's voice replied。 〃I hope then that you will consent to speak with me。〃
A slender figure slipped through the open door； which was closed and locked behind her。 Veiled in a long； dark cloak； the visitor paused to study Halisstra then she reached up with hands as black as coal and slipped back her hood to reveal a face of gleaming ebony； and eyes as red as blood。
〃I am Seyll Auzkovyn；〃 the drow said； 〃and I have e to give you my lady's message： 'A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above； in the Land of the Great Light。 e in peace and live beneath the sun again； where trees and flowers grow。' 〃
〃A priestess of Eilistraee；〃 Halisstra murmured。 She had heard of the cult before； of course。 The Spider Queen held nothing but scorn for the weak； idealistic faith of the Dark Maiden； whose worshipers dreamed of redemption and acceptance in the World Above。 〃Well； I did e in peace； and I do seem to have found my rightful place in this tidy little cell。 I expect wonderful flowers bloom just beyond the bars of my window； and I am more than a little thankful that the thrice…cursed sun shines no deeper into my prison。〃 She laughed bitterly。 〃Somehow the holy message of your silly little dancing goddess rings a little false today。 Now go away； and let me get back to the important business of preparing myself for the inevitable tortures that await me when the so…called lord of this fetid dungheap of a village loses his patience with my intransigent ways。〃
〃You sound like me； when I first heard Eilistraee's message；〃 Seyll replied。 She moved closer and sat on the floor beside Halisstra。 〃Like yourself； I was a priestess of the Spider Queen who found herself a captive of the surface folk。 Though I've lived here for several years now； I still find the light of the sun overly harsh。〃
〃Don't flatter yourself； apostate；〃 snarled Halisstra。 〃I'm nothing like you。〃
〃You might be surprised；〃 Seyll continued calmly； her placid demeanor unchanged。 〃Have the Spider Queen's punishments ever struck you as needless or wasteful？ Have you ever failed to nurture a friendship because you feared betrayal？ Have you ever； perhaps； watched a child of your own body； your own heart； destroyed because she failed at a senseless test； only to tell yourself that she was too weak to live？ Did you ever wonder if there was a point to the deliberate and calculated cruelty that poisons our entire race？〃
〃Of course there's a point；〃 Halisstra replied。 〃We're surrounded on all sides by vicious enemies。 If we didn't take steps to hone our people to their finest edge； we would bee slaves…no； worse yet； we would bee rothe。〃
〃And have Lolth's judgments in fact made you stronger？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃Prove it； then。 Offer an example。〃 Seyll watched her； then leaned forward and said； 〃You remember countless tests and battles； naturally； but you can't prove that you were made stronger by them。 You don't know what might have happened if you hadn't been subjected to those tortures。〃
〃Simple semantics。 Naturally I can't prove that things are other than they are。〃
Halisstra glared at the heretic； profoundly annoyed。 She would have found the conversation irritating and irrelevant under the best of circumstances； but with her hands and feet chained together； slumped against the cold； hard wall of a stone cell with a painful shaft of sunlight slanting in； it was positively infuriating。 Still； she had very little to occupy her mind otherwise； and there was a small chance that a display of enthusiasm for Seyll's faith might win her a parole of sorts。 Lolth was pletely intolerant of apostates； but to feign acceptance of another faith in order to win the freedom to betray the trust of one's captors 。 。 。 that was the sort of cleverness the Spider Queen admired。 The trick； of course； was not to appear too eager； yet just uncertain enough that Seyll and her friends might e to hope for a true change in Halisstra's heart。
〃You are annoying me；〃 she said to Seyll。 〃Leave me alone。〃
〃As you wish；〃 Seyll said。 She stood gracefully； and offered Halisstra a smile。 〃Consider what I've said； and ask yourself if there might be some truth to it。 If your faith in Lolth is as strong as you think； surely it can withstand a little examination。 May Eilistraee bless you and warm your heart。〃
She pulled her hood back over her head； and silently withdrew。 Halisstra turned her own face away so Seyll couldn't see the cruel smile that twisted her features。
Rear guard； mused Ryld； seems to be the spot Quenthel saves for the person she deems least useful at the moment。
He paused to listen to the forest around him； seeking for any sound that might indicate an approaching enemy。 He heard nothing but the steady patter of cold rain。 Pharaun's fire…spiders had managed to set a smoky blaze in the woods behind them； but the rain had likely prevented the fires from burning too much of the forest。 The weapons master glanced up into the sky； allowing the cold drops to splash on his face and noting the sullen silver glow behind the clouds。
At least the rain is washing out our trail； he thought。
After a hard march the previous night and lying low in a thick tangle of brush through a long； sunny day； they had resumed their hike in the evening only to meet a deluge soon after setting out。 The forest floor was nothing but mud and slush。
Taking a moment to adjust his hood； Ryld set out again； trying hard not to hurry his steps too much。 He would not be much of a rear guard if he closed up right behind the others； but on the other hand； the last thing he wanted to do was fall so far behind that he missed an innocent turn of the trail and wandered off alone into the endless woods。 If Halisstra wasn't worth going back for； he was under no delusions as to what would happen if he managed to bee separated from the rest of the pany。 He tramped on for quite some time； pausing every few dozen yards to listen and scan the forest。
Soon he became aware of the louder； more insistent sound of water in motion…a swift forest stream； dark and wide； that sluiced through muddy banks covered in thorns and bracken。 A large log had been felled to cross the stream； its upper surface sawn flat to form a reasonably secure bridge。 Quenthel and the others waited there； silently watching their surroundings。 Ryld noted the crossbows pointed in his direction； and the acute attentiveness of his panions。 Clearly the running battle with the surface folk had taught his rades to be wary of the woods。
〃Hold your fire；〃 he called softly。 〃It's Ryld。〃
〃Master Argith；〃 Quenthel said。 〃I was beginning to wonder if you'd lost the trail。〃
Ryld bowed to Quenthel and joined the others。 He took a moment to sit on the stump of the log； fishing in the pockets of his cloak for a small flask of duergar brandy。 Normally he wouldn't risk di