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The ride from Luskan ift indeed Entreri and his cohorts appeared to any curious onlookers as no icalcreature could have overtaken thereat stiff-legged strides

So smooth and easy were the seats atop Dendybar’s conjured steeds that the party was able to keep up its run past the dawn and throughout the entire next day with only short rests for food Thus, when they set their camp after the sunset of the first full day on the road, they had already put the crags behind theht an inner battle that first day She had no doubt that Entreri and the new alliance would overtake Bruenor As the situation stood now, Catti-brie would be only a detriment to her friends, a pawn for Entreri to play at his convenience

She could do little to remedy the problem, unless she found sorip of terror that the assassin held on her That first day she spent in concentration, blocking out her surroundings asher inner spirit for the strength and courage she would need

Bruenor had given her e such a battle, skills of discipline and self-confidence that had seen her through many difficult situations On the second day of the ride, then, more confident and comfortable with her situation, Catti-brie was able to focus on her captors Most interesting were the glares that Jierdan and Entreri shot each other The proud soldier had obviously not forgotten the hu on the field outside of Luskan Entreri, keenly aware of the grudge, even fueling it in his willingness to bring the issue to confrontation, kept an untrusting eye on the- perhaps her only - hope of escaping, Catti-brie thought She conceded that Bok was an indestructible, ht try to lay upon it, and she learned quickly that Sydney offered nothing

Catti-brie had tried to engage the young e in conversation that second day, but Sydney’s focus was too narrow for any diversions She would be neither side-tracked nor persuaded froe Catti-brie’s greeting when they sat down for their midday meal And when Catti-brie pestered her further, Sydney instructed Entreri to "keep the whore away"

Even in the failed attee had aided Catti-brie in a way that neither of them could foresee Sydney’s open contempt and insults came as a slap in Catti-brie’s face and instilled in her another tool that would help to overcoer

They passed the halfway point of their journey on the second day, the landscape rolling surrealistically by the, and camped in the small hills northeast of Nesme, with the city of Luskan now fully two hundred miles behind them

Campfires twinkled in the distance, a patrol froo there and learn e et

"You and I," Sydney agreed "We can get there and back before half the night is through"

Entreri looked at Catti-brie "What of her?" he asked the e "I would not leave her with Jierdan"

"You think that the soldier would take advantage of the girl?" Sydney replied "I assure you that he is honorable"

"That is not hter of Bruenor Battlehaone into the night before we ever returned"

Catti-brie didn’t welcome the compliment She understood that Entreri’s co firewood, than any recognition of her own prowess, but the assassin’s unexpected respect for her would make her task doubly difficult She didn’t want Entreri thinking of her as dangerous, even resourceful, for that would keep hio," she told the goleh for Catti-brie to easily hear "If the prisoner tries to flee, run her down and kill her!" She shot Entreri an evil grin "Are you content?"

He returned her s his arm out in the direction of the distant camp

Jierdan returned then, and Sydney told him of their plans The soldier didn’t seeether, though he said nothing to dissuade theleft alone with her and the golem didn’t bother hi friendship between his two road-mates Catti-brie understood and even expected this, for Jierdan was in the weakest position of the three - subservient to Sydney and afraid of Entreri An alliance between those two, perhaps even a pact excluding Dendybar and the Hosttower altogether, would at the least put him out, and more probably spell his end

"Suren the nature of their dark business works against them," Catti-brie whispered as Sydney and Entreri left the ca confidence

"I could help ye with that," she offered to Jierdan as he worked to colared at her "Help?" he scoffed "I should er is known to me," Catti-brie countered sympathetically "I meself have suffered at Entreri’s foul hands"

Her pity enraged the proud soldier He rushed at her threateningly, but she held her composure and did not flinch "This work is below yer station"

Jierdan stopped suddenly, his anger diffused by his intrigue at the coo, the young wonored

"What could you know of my station?" he asked

"I know ye are a soldier of Luskan," Catti-brie replied "Of a group that’s feared throughout all the northland Ye should not do the grovel hile the ht"

"You’re rowled, but he paused to consider the point "You set the ca ahis superiority over her Catti-brie didn’ther subservient role without coan to take definite shape in herher enemies, or at least put herself in a position to plant the seeds of jealousy in Jierdan’s mind

She listened, satisfied, as the soldierunder his breath

Before Entreri and Sydney even got close enough for a good view of the enca told them that this was no caravan from Nesme They inched in -haired barbarians, dark and tall, and dressed in cereriffon toteardt," Sydney explained "The Griffon tribe We are near to Shining White, their ancestral low of the ca of value here"

Entreri followed her back toward their own campsite "Should we ride now?" he asked when they were safely away "Gain more distance froardt will dance the night through All the tribe partakes of the ritual; I doubt that they even have sentries posted"

"You knowtone, a hint to his sudden suspicions that therethe events around them

"I prepared ardt keep few secrets; their ways are generally known and documented Travelers in the northland would do well to understand these people"

"I am fortunate to have such a learned road coy

Sydney, her eyes straight ahead, did not respond

But Entreri would not let the conversation die so easily There wasline of suspicions He had consciously chosen this time to play out his hand and reveal his distrust even before they had learned the nature of the encampment For the first time the tere alone, without Catti-brie or Jierdan to complicate the confrontation, and Entreri e

"When am I to die?" he asked bluntly

Sydney didn’t miss a step "When the fates decree it, as with us all"

"Let rabbing her by the ar her to face him "When are you instructed to try to kill olem?" Entreri reasoned "The wizard puts no store in pacts and honor He does what he oals in the er needs When my value to you is ended, I am to be slain A task you may find more difficult than you presume"

"You are perceptive," Sydney replied coolly "You have judged Dendybar’s character well He would have killed you simply to avoid any possible complications But you have not considered my own role in this On my insistence, Dendybar put the decision of your fate into h her words He could easily kill her right now, they both knew that, so the candor of her calm admission of a plot to murder him halted any immediate actions and forced him to hear her out