blinked its three eyes in startled surprise to see nine drow suddenly appear in the audience chamber but reacted with the swiftness of a trained soldier. A powerful stroke of its fluked tail propelled it into the room. One of the illusionary Pharauns dis-appeared 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 matri-arch, 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 glancedat 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. . . unavail-able,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.
Butthe one who accompanied 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 creatingillusions. 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 hispiwafwi 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 spot-ted the missing pieces of the puzzle. There, clinging to the doorway, was a handful of sticky strands that looked like the