Danifae looked up at Oothoon in surprise and signed,You've heard of it?
"The one who escaped from the cage told Jooran the name."
And that aboleth reported it to you,Pharaun concluded, cutting Danifae off before she could question Oothoon further.
"Yes. I found it within Jooran's mind when I ate him."
Danifae shivered, wondering if Oothoon made a habit of eating everyone who came to the throne room. She let her hand drift down toward the morningstar that hung from her belt. If the aboleth made a lunge at her with its tentacles, she'd use her weapon's magic to beat them back. Then she reconsidered and let her hand fall from the mace. The fact that they'd been allowed to enter the aboleth matri-arch's throne room with their weapons wasn't very reassuring. The aboleth obviously didn't fear magical weapons - or even Pharaun's magic, when it came to that.
A brief shiver of apprehension swept through Danifae. Was she going to get out of there alive? She realized she was depending upon Pharaun, and she despised herself for it.
Pharaun was signing again. Danifae had been distracted and so just caught the end of it.
. . .tell us where it lies, and I'll arrange for you to meet Quenthel, the mage told Oothoon.
The aboleth matriarch's three eyes blinked rapidly.
"To what purpose?" she asked.
Pharaun nudged the piece of aboleth flesh with his toe, then glanced up.
To eat her,he said bluntly.
Danifae's eyes narrowed. She hoped Pharaun was bluffing.
Oothoon's tentacles writhed.
"Eat a drow priestess powerful enough to slay a god?" the aboleth asked in a voice that burbled with mirth. "You mock me!"
Not at all,Pharaun answered.Quenthel's spells are strong, but each takes a long time to cast. She is weak, physically - as weak as any other drow. Knowing this, she keeps a half-demon at her side at all times for protection. If she can be separated from this demon - perhaps by some trick - she will be unable to defend herself. The magical items she carries are paltry ones: her only dangerous weapons are her hammer - which is magical and can smite at a distance - and her snake-headed whip, whose vipers have a poisonous bite.
Danifae looked on in shock, astounded by Pharaun's audacity. He'd just told the aboleth everything she needed to defeat Quen-thel. The only detail he'd left out was the fact that Quenthel no longer had access to Lolth's magic. He'd baited his hook with Quen-thel's supposed god-slaying capabilities, and Oothoon, anticipating the acquisition of such a spell, was practically salivating as a result. Strangest of all, the mage had done it all in Danifae's presence. Did he realize that she would betray him to Quenthel - was he count-ing on it? Perhaps there was a deeper game the mage was playing at. ...
Danifae shook her head. There was no guessing the mind of a man who had matched wits with a demon and won. She made a quick hand gesture, the sign that indicated she wanted to speak to him in private.
Pharaun frowned, then turned and addressed Oothoon.
The spell sustaining my companion is waning,he told the aboleth.To recast it,I need to hold her hand for a moment. The spell will conjure up a small black cloud around our hands. Do not be alarmed by it, for it is harmless. Do I have your permission to proceed?
The aboleth's three eyes narrowed - an expression the creature had doubtless picked up from the drow.
"You may."
The two guards tensed, watching Pharaun closely as he took both of Danifae's hands in his. A moment later, a sphere of darkness just large enough to cover their hands appeared and Danifae switched to finger-speech. With a rapid series of taps, she spelled out words against his palm.
Do you seriously intend to sacrifice Quenthel?
The fate of Menzoberranzan hangs in the balance,Pharaun tapped back.I'm sure Matron Mother Baenre would consider it a worthy sacri-fice. If she was in my place, she would do the same.
Danifae could hardly argue with that logic. Instead she turned to a more pressing matter: herself.
You're asking me to take your side. To betray a priestess of my own faith. Why should I? I care nothing about Menzoberranzan.
What of Eryndlyn?Pharaun asked.
What of it?her fingers tapped back.
Would you like to return to it, one day?
That made Danifae pause.
Ihave visited Eryndlyn more than once,Pharaun tapped.Iknow the plaza that surrounds the Five Pillars very well. With a simple incan-tation, I could send you there.
There is nothing left for me in Eryndlyn,she replied.No