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〃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 diluting his senses with alcohol； but hours of marching in cold rain had soaked his clothing and left him chilled to the bone。 The liquor brought a hot glow to the middle of his body with one good mouthful。
〃Is this your stream？〃 he asked Pharaun。
〃Yes；〃 the wizard said without hesitation。 〃Here； we cross and turn to the south； following the river upstream。 House Jaelre is not more than a couple of miles away。〃
He pointed at Ryld with one finger and muttered a magical syllable。 The flask rose up from the weapons master's hand and bobbed through the air to the wizard； who promptly helped himself to a healthy swallow。
〃My thanks；〃 said Pharaun。 〃The gray dwarves may be odious churls； but they distill a good brandy。〃
〃Don't drink too much；〃 Quenthel said。 〃The Jaelre are as likely to shoot us as look at us。 I need you alert and sharp…witted； wizard。 Master Argith； keep up close with the rest of us from this point on。 I'm more worried about what lies before us now than behind。〃
〃As you wish； Mistress；〃 Ryld said。
He held out his hand to Pharaun； who took one more small swallow and tossed the flask back to Ryld。 The weapons master stood； shouldered his pack； and led the way across the bridge。 The surface of the log was slick and uneven； and doubtless would have been trouble for a clumsy dwarf or awkward human； but the dark elves negotiated the crossing with ease。
On the other side； they found the overgrown remnants of an old stone road； cracked and broken by the twisting roots of countless trees and hundreds of years of frosts and thaws。 Smooth white stone； expertly joined； marked it as the work of the ancient surface elves who once inhabited the forest。 Ryld was not so poorly educated that he had not heard of Cormanthor； the great forest empire of the surface elves； or the fallen glory of its legendary capital city of Myth Drannor。 Other than the names； though； he knew very little of who the builders of the fore