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me。
〃I yield；〃 she said in the human's brutish tongue。
Halisstra allowed her head to fall back against the stream bank and her eyes to close。 She felt herself jerked upright； her mail stripped from her； and her hands bound roughly behind her back。 The whole time she studiously ignored her captors； keeping her mind sequestered from her situation by focusing on the exhaustive catechisms to Lolth she had been obliged to learn as a novice。
〃She must be someone important。 Look at this armor。 I don't think I've ever seen its equal。〃
〃We've a lyre here； and a couple of wands；〃 muttered the ranger with the broken hand as he pawed through her belongings。 〃Be careful； lads； she may be a bard。 We ought to gag her to be safe。〃
〃Bring me that healing potion； quickly。 Fandar is dying。〃
Halisstra glanced over at the elf swordsman whose hip she had shattered。 Several of his panions knelt by him in the snow and mud； trying to fort him as he writhed weakly in agony。 Bright blood flecked the snow nearby。 She watched the scene absently； her mind a thousand miles distant。
〃Cursed drow witch。 Thank the gods they don't all fight like that。〃
The elf wizard appeared in front of her； his handsome face taut and angry。
〃Hood her； fellows；〃 he ordered the others。 〃No sense letting her know where she is。〃
〃Where are you taking me？〃 Halisstra demanded。
〃Our lord has some things he would like to know；〃 the wizard replied。 His smile had a distinctly cold and wintry cast to it； and his eyes were as sharp as knives。 〃In my experience； most drow are so venomous they'd rather choke on their own blood than do anything sensible and useful； and I expect you'll prove no different。 Lord Dessaer will ask you a few questions； you'll call him something impolite； and we'll take you out back and gut you like a fish。 That's a damned sight better than our captives fare in your hands； after all。〃
The hood came down over Halisstra's face and was jerked tight around her neck。
Ryld crouched in the shadows of a great tree with a trunk so thick and tall it might have been the forest's Narbondel。 Splitter rode between his shoulders； virtually unused in the pany's most recent battle。 He leaned out a little and carefully peered into the dappled moonlight and shadow of the forest floor； searching for a target。 With Pharaun he'd waited quietly to guard the party's backtrail； hoping to turn the tables on the elves and humans who'd harried them so long。 After several valiant attempts to bring the drow to close bat； the surface elves and their human allies had learned to respect the dark elf party's skill and ferocity。 They soon fought a slow and stealthy battle of arrows in the dark； punctuated with quick ambuscades and quicker retreats。
An arrow hissed in the dark。 Ryld jerked back just in time to glimpse a white…feathered shaft fly past； so close to the tree trunk that its fletching kissed the bark。 Had he relied on the tree for cover； the expertly aimed arrow would have skewered him through the eye。
〃No point waiting any longer； now；〃 Pharaun whispered。
The wizard had greeted Quenthel's order to lay an ambush with a distinct lack of enthusiasm； and he wasn't at all unhappy to call the effort a failure and rejoin the rest of the band。 He muttered the harsh syllables of a spell and gestured in a peculiar fashion； concentrating。
In a moment the wizard straightened and motioned to Ryld； e。 I've created an image that will make it seem that we still stand guard here； but you and I are invisible to our antagonists。 Follow me quietly； and stay close。
Ryld nodded and moved off stealthily just behind the wizard。 He took one last glance at the desolate forest behind them； wondering if the wizard's trick would work。
Halisstra is back there somewhere； he thought。 Most likely dead。
The surface dwellers had shown no interest in taking prisoners； and in the logical part of his mind Ryld simply wrote off her loss as another casualty of battle； just as he might account for the untimely fall of any useful rade。 He'd fought enough battles over the years to understand that warriors die； but despite that； he found Halisstra's loss strangely unsettling。
Pharaun paused； turning in a slow circle as he searched for some sign of the rest of the pany or any foes still on their trail。 Ryld held still and listened。 A gentle wind moved the treetops and sighed in the branches overhead。 Leaves rustled； and branches creaked。 A small brook trickled nearby； but he could detect nothing that might signal danger…or Halisstra's return。
Stupid to hope for such a thing； he told himself。
Something troubles you？ motioned Pharaun。
No； the weapons master replied。
The wizard studied him； the brilliant silver moonlight gleaming on his handsome face。
Tell me you're not worried about the female！
Of course not； Ryld replied。 I'm concerned only because she's been a valuable rade； and I don't like the idea of proceeding without her skill at healing。 But I am not concerned on any other account。 I am no fool。
I think perhaps you protest too much； Pharaun signed。 It does not matter； I suppose。
He started to say more； but at that moment a soft rustle behind them cut off his words。 Wizard and swordsman turned together； Ryld's hand stealing to Splitter's hilt as he aimed his crossbow with the other hand； but from the bright shadows Valas Hune suddenly appeared。 Of all the pany； the Bregan D'aerthe seemed almost as skilled as the surface dwellers in the patient cat…and…mouse game of forest hunting。
Did you catch sight of any of our foes？ the scout asked。
No； but someone saw enough of Ryld to shoot an arrow； Pharaun replied。 Since they seemed to guess where we were； we left an illusion and came to rejoin you。
Any sign of Halisstra？ Ryld asked。
No。 Nor you； then？ Valas replied。
Perhaps half an hour ago we heard sounds of fighting from back down the trail。 It went on for a couple of minutes。 That might have been her； Pharaun signed。
〃There it is； then；〃 Valas muttered under his breath。 〃Well； e on