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The first part of that last sentence had Effron’s ears perking up "Moved on?" he asked under his breath

"Worry not about that," Draygo instructed "Trust that I ahtened, and he winced when he realized that Draygo Quick had noted the nervousness in his tone

"What do you coo?" he asked

"Go back to your studies I will inform you when you are needed"

Effron rooted hi the unacceptable order, but having no real power to contradict or countero Quick looked at him curiously

"I wish to return to Toril," he blurted, and he knew that he sounded desperate and pathetic

Draygo Quick smiled

Effron shifted uncomfortably He was at the old warlock’s mercy He had just ader, I would presuo Quick remarked

"I will help you scout out Drizzt Do’Urden"

"You will strike out and be destroyed--"

"No!" Effron emphatically interrupted "I will not Not without your express permission"

"Why should I trust you? Why should I allow you this?"

Effron ed, and such a curious and pathetic move uselessly behind his back He had no answer, of course, and so he was surprised when Draygo Quick agreed

"Go to Toril, then," the old warlock said "Check on Valindra and confirm your suspicions and expectations--and know that I will not be h and not anxious This is important!"

"Yes, Master"

"Then scout the city as you safely can Drizzt and his co that as their base, but if not, then follow in their footsteps Find them, but watch them from afar Learn of the people around the of their environ: the towns, thethat they na they na futilely to keep the excitement out of his voice

"And learn for oddess does Drizzt Do’Urden pray?"

"Mielikki, one would presuo Quick stared at him hard, and he backed away a step

"And discern as well, if you can, which goddess answers his call"

"Master?"

Draygo Quick just sat there, unblinking, as if there were nothing left to discuss

With a curt bow, Effron spun around and rushed from the room to prepare his pack for the journey back to Toril He didn’t ih he hoped to follow hisDraygo Quick again--he realized that this particular group had deflected, diffused, and defeated any and every plan or trap that he, his father, and Draygo Quick had set for them

Effron intended to be prepared, o would understand

He waited for an opportune o Quick’s private quarters He knew the roo served as direct understudy to the man for close to a decade He e oak wainscoting decorated by aShadovar hunters in pursuit of a fleeing elk

Effron hooked his fingers behind the elk’s antlers and pushed down, and the wainscoting slid aside, revealing a pigeonhole e box behind it, thirty rows across by twenty rows top to bottoh cubbies for six hundred separate scroll tubes Most were filled

Effron knew the filing system, since he had implemented it In the very reatest spells He slid one out, glanced at it, and replaced it--one after another, until he found the dweoers, he opened the scroll tube and slid the parch to even unroll it This spell was far beyond him, he knew, for without the scroll he couldn’t even attempt to cast it And even with the scroll, it would be a desperate move

But these were desperate times