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Drizzt had little trouble convincing Bruenor to reverse their course and head back to the west While the das anxious to get to Sundabar and find out what Helht know, the possibility of valuable infor
As to how he had come by the infor only that he hadthe night Though the story sounded contrived to the him fully, did not question hiis hoped that , for the biscuits that this traveler had given to Drizzt were truly delicious and incredibly refreshing After only a few bites, the halfling felt as if he had spent a week at rest And theand back, and he walked without a cane for the first tiar suspected that Drizzt’s encounter had involved so before the drow revealed the low of opti sparkle in his eyes that reflected the indoh trials that would have crushed most men, had returned, fully and dramatically The barbarian didn’t need to know the identity of the person; he was just glad that his friend had coh the depression
When they , they see an adventure than a road-weary band Whistling and talking, they followed the flow of the Rauvin on its westerly course For all of the close calls, they had coh the brutal ood progress toward their goal The summer sun shone down upon them and all the pieces of the puzzle of Mithril Hall seeuessed that murderous eyes were upon theh above the travelers, the goleic spells of seeking that Dendybar had bestowed upon it, Bok soon looked down upon the band as they moved across the trail Without hesitation the monster obeyed its directives and started out to find Sydney
Bok tossed aside a boulder that lay in its path, then cli the advantages of si around the stones Bok’s path was clearly set and the monster refused to deviate fro one!" chuckled one of the guards at the post on the Rauvin when he saw Bok across the clearing Even as the words left his er - that this was no ordinary traveler!
Courageously, he rushed out to olem headon, his sword drawn and his cooal, Bok paid no heed to their warnings
"Hold where you are!" the soldier commanded one final tioleuards as they struck They stood to block the way, though, and Bok swatted theht, the incredible force of itsdefenses and launching theole under the rushing waters
Alarate across the river saw the spectacle at the guard post The huge gates were drawn tight and secured as the Knights of Silver watched the Rauvin for the reappearance of the ht across the bottoh the silt and hty push of the currents When the uard post, the knights lining the city gate gasped in disbelief but held their stations, griate was farther up the Rauvin froolem continued on to the city wall, but didn’t alter its course to bring it to the gate
It punched a hole in the wall and walked right through
Entreri paced anxiously in his rooes, near the center of the city "They should have cohtening the bonds that held Catti-brie
Before Sydney could respond, a ball of flame appeared in the center of the rooe of fla in that particular spot on another plane The fires writhed and transforasped
"My greetings," replied the specter "And the greetings of Dendybar the Mottled"
Entreri slipped back into the corner of the roo Catti-brie, helpless in her bonds, sat very still
Sydney, versed in the subtleties of conjuring, knew that the otherworldly being was under Dendybar’s control, and she was not afraid "Why has my master bid you to come here?" she asked boldly
"I bear news," replied the specter "The party you seek was turned into the Evero, to the south of Nesme"
Sydney bit her lip in anticipation of the specter’s next revelation, but Morkai fell silent and waited as well
"And where are they now?" Sydney pressed impatiently
Morkai smiled "Twice I have been asked, but not yet coone
"The Evermoors," said Entreri "That would explain their delay"
Sydney nodded her agrees on herthe specter’s parting words Disturbing questions nagged at her Why had Dendybar waited a week to send Morkai with the news? And why couldn’t the wizard have forced the specter to reveal more recent activity of the drow’s party? Sydney knew the dangers and li, and understood the tremendous drain of the act on a wizard’s power Dendybar had conjured Morkai at least three times recently - once when the drow’s party had first entered Luskan, and at least twice since she and her companions had set out in pursuit Had Dendybar abandoned all caution in his obsession with the Crystal Shard? Sydney sensed that the reatly, and she hoped that Dendybar would be prudent with any future sus, at least until he had fully rested
"Weeks could pass before they arrive!" Entreri spat, considering the news "If ever they do"
"You ht have fallen in the o in after them," Sydney said without hesitation
Entreri studied her for a few reat indeed," he said
"I have my duty, and I shall not fail my master," she replied sharply "Bok will find the!"
"We must decide our course soon," Entreri insisted He turned his evil glare on Catti-brie "I groeary of watching this one"
"Nor do I trust her," Sydney agreed "Although she shall prove useful e meet with the dwarf Three o back to Nesme, and into the Evermoors if we must"
Entreri nodded his reluctant approval of the plan "Did you hear?" he hissed at Catti-brie "You have three more days to live, unless your friends arrive If they are dead in the moors, we have no need of you"
Catti-brie showed no ehout the entire conversation, deter of her weakness, or strength She had faith that her friends were not dead The likes of Bruenor Battlehammer and Drizzt Do’Urden were not destined to die in an unrave in soar was dead until the proof was irrefutable Holding to her faith, her duty to her friends was toher personal battle, that the paralyzing fear Entreri held over her lessened every day She would be ready to act when the time came She just had to make certain that Entreri and Sydney didn’t realize it
She had noted that the labors of the road, and his new co the assassin Entreri revealed et this job over and done Was it possible that he ht make a mistake?
"It has come!" echoed a cry fronized the voice as Jierdan’s, who had been watching the Vault of Sages A second later, the door burst in and the soldier scraed
"The dwarf?" Sydney asked, grabbing Jierdan to steady hiolem! Bok has entered Silveryate A wizard was summoned"
"Damn!" Sydney spat and she started fro Jierdan’s ar theirl," the assassin ordered
Jierdan glared at him "She is your probleht there, Catti-brie noted, hoping that Jierdan had read the assassin’s deadly look as clearly as she
"Do as you are told!" Sydney screau the door behind them
"He would have killed you," Catti-brie told Jierdan when Entreri and Sydney had gone "You know that"
"Silence," Jierdan growled "I’ve had enough of your vile words!" He approached her threateningly, fists clenched at his sides
"Strikethat even if he did, his code as a soldier would not allow hih in truth I be yer only friend on this cursed road!"
Jierdan stopped his advance "Friend?" he balked