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nifae as the battle captive stuffed Quenthel's bedroll and blankets into her pack。 The rest of the pany kept to a studious silence and pretended not to notice the interplay； either between Quenthel and Pharaun； or Quenthel and Danifae。 They gathered up their own belongings and broke camp。
Halisstra picked up her own pack and followed Pharaun across the floor of the sinkhole； scrambling up after him along the hidden path that ascended to the forest floor。 Standing in the clearing surrounding the sunken spot where the cavern mouth had undermined the hillside； she found that the forest was very dense and pressed in close on all sides。 Everywhere she looked； the wall of trees and brush was the same； a verdant barrier with no landmarks at all； no distant mountains by which she could orient herself； not even an orderly plan of sand…covered streets to follow。 Even in the most twisted caverns of the Underdark； one usually was offered only a handful of choices at a time…forward or back； left or right； up or down。 In the forest； she might simply walk off in any direction she liked and eventually arrive somewhere。 It was an unsettling and unfamiliar feeling。
She finished her careful examination of the forested hillside； and faced Pharaun again。 The rest of the pany watched him as well； variously standing or squatting on their heels and shading their faces with their hands as they awaited the wizard's guidance。
〃If I say anything；〃 said Pharaun； staring into the trees and speaking over his shoulder； 〃anything at all； mark it carefully。 I may or may not understand exactly what it is I see。〃
He extended his arms wide and closed his eyes； whispering harsh syllables of arcane power over and over again as he turned in a slow circle。
The eldritch sensation of magic at work tugged at Halisstra； a feeling that was almost palpable； yet maddeningly distant。 A strange； cold breeze arose； sighing in the treetops as it bent them first one way； then another； growing stronger moment by moment。 Boughfuls of snow shifted and fell as the weird wind increased to a wild； shrieking gale。 Halisstra raised a hand to shield her eyes from flying dust and grit。 Through it all； she heard Pharaun's voice growing deeper； more powerful； as the spell took on a life of its own and seemed to drag itself from his throat。 She lost her footing and slid awkwardly to one knee； her hair whipping around her head like something alive。
The magic of Pharaun's divination bore him aloft。 Arms still outstretched； he revolved in the air as the winds circled with him。 His eyes were blank and silver； cast upward to the heavens。 A nimbus of green energy began to coalesce around the wizard's body； and he gave out a great howl of anguish。 Bolts of emerald fire exploded from his halo to scour and blast at the boulders nearby。 Each green ray sliced into rock like a rapier into soft flesh； causing the stones to split and flake with deafening cracks。 Where each green bolt played； a black rune or pattern formed in the damaged stone； appearing as if etched by acid in the exposed rock。 The designs made Halisstra's eyes ache to look at them； and from the air in the center of the clearing； Pharaun began to mutter in a horrible voice that somehow carried through the wind and thunder。
〃Five days west lies a small river；〃 the wizard intoned。 〃Turn south and follow its dark swift waters upstream another day； to the gates of Minauthkeep。 The Masked Lord's servant dwells there。 He will aid you and betray you； though neither in the manner you expect。 Each of you save one will mit betrayal before your quest is done。〃
The spell concluded。 The wind died away； the green energy dissipated； and Pharaun came slumping down from his lofty perch as if he'd been dropped from a rooftop。 The wizard struck the hard earth awkwardly and crumpled； huddling with his face in the cold slush covering the ground。 As the reverberations of the spell's violence fell away in the snowy wood； the black…etched runes carved into rocks and boulders faded as well； flaking away in tiny bits of ebon dust that evaporated within the space of moments。
The rest of the pany straightened and exchanged dark looks。
〃I can see why he's slow to cast that spell；〃 Ryld remarked。
He moved forward and caught Pharaun by one feebly waving arm； turning him over and checking for any obvious signs of injury。 Pharaun looked up and managed a weak grin。
〃Good news and bad； I suppose；〃 he said。 〃Tzirik seems to be alive and well； at least。〃
〃The directions are clear；〃 Valas said with care。 〃I think I can keep us heading west easily enough。〃
〃What did you mean by that last bit？〃 Jeggred said to Pharaun； ignoring Valas。 〃About the betrayal？〃
The draegloth tightened his fists。
〃About each of us betraying someone？ Why； I couldn't begin to guess；〃 the wizard said。 He coughed and sat upright； waving away Ryld's help。 〃It's the nature of the magic to offer cryptic predictions like that； threatening little riddles that you have little hope of solving until it suddenly bees obvious that the event you feared has e to pass。〃 He offered a wry chuckle。 〃If only one of us doesn't have some shocking act of treachery to pull off in the near future； I must say I'd like to know who's sleeping on the job。 He'll tarnish our reputation if he's not careful。〃
Halisstra studied the rest of the pany； noting the impassive faces； the thoughtful eyes。 Danifae met her gaze with a slight smile and the merest flicker of her gray eyes toward Quenthel； a gesture so small and secret that no one save Halisstra could note it。
Despite the wizard's easy dismissal of the exact words of the divination； she wasn't pleased to learn that every one of her panions would at some point in the future mit some kind of treacherous act or another。 Or； more likely； all but one of her panions。 Just because Halisstra planned no immediate act of betrayal didn't mean she might not choose to take advantage of an opportunity arising later。 She had not held her rank as First Daughter of House Melarn without developing a certain ruthless instinct for such things。 If ruin had not e to Ched Nasad；