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"Dahlia is a profoundly troubled woman," he said

Drizzt nodded

"Complicated," Entreri went on "The violations inflicted upon her wounded her in ways you cannot--" He stopped there, not wanting to twist a dagger into Drizzt

But Drizzt answered, "I know," and he let it go at that

He knew other things as well, Entreri realized, or at least, Drizzt suspected, and yet Drizzt was putting that all behind hierous ti to confront Entreri openly

Because he cared about Dahlia, Entreri understood, and that realization stung hiuilt

"Effron," Entreri said, and Drizzt perked up

"He is the only one I can iine," Entreri explained "His hatred for Dahlia, if it can even be called hatred, per way froet here"

"That young tiefling is not without resources," Entreri replied "Even Herzgo Alegni showed hini hated hini was his father," Drizzt reminded him

"It mattered not," Entreri explained "Or perhaps that was the focus of the hatred Effron came to us in Neverwinter at the request of a Netherese lord I had ni’s slave Do not ever underestimate them"

"You believe this Netherese lord helped Effron get to Dahlia?" Drizzt asked

"I fear it," Entreri ad quite honest at that moment, "for if that is the case, then Dahlia is lost to us forever"

Drizzt slumped back at that, and he and Entreri stared at each other for ain to Entreri’s surprise, the drow did not broach that most delicate subject

"I need another drink," Entreri said, standing, for what he really needed was to take a break fro pressure The idea that Dahlia was forever lost to hinawed at his sensibilities in a way that he simply could not process

"Get a drink forwhen Entreri turned for the bar "A large one"

Entreri turned back to hi the hyperbole for what it was Still, he returned with a pair of drinks and the bottle of ru most of that bottle himself

From before dawn until after sunset, Brother Afafrenfere scrubbed the deck of Minnow Skipper, or worked the lines, or patched with tar, or performed whatever other chore he could fashion, or Mister Sikkal assigned hi as that work did not move him belowdecks He wasn’t there to actually work, after all

"Get yerself down under and help Cribbins with the patching," Sikkal ordered him late one afternoon

"Down under?"

"Botto a bit o’ water, and I’et yerself to work!"

Afafrenfere looked around, noting several other crew here or there on the open deck, done with their work, if any of thened any this day Minnow Skipper was stocked and seaworthy and only sitting here because of the h no one aboard see, or cared to ado and do that," Afafrenfere replied

" ’Ere, what did ye say?" Sikkal demanded

"Send another," the monk replied

"If as at sea, I could have yerself thrown to the sharks for that answer, boy!"

"If ere at sea, you could try," theat Sikkal as he spoke, though The two dock hands had appeared on the wharf, the old gaffer with a sack over his shoulder Afafrenfere had seen this play before, the previous twilight

Sikkal raer listening The two old dockhands revealed their nervousness as theythis way and that with every step Just like the night before

Afafrenfere let his gaze shift far to the side, to an old scow, appearing far less than seaworthy, that was strapped up tight to the farthest dock These tould ht before they had gone aboard, carrying a si while, but had never seen the pair depart, nor had they gone out the previous ht much of it at the time, since many of the dockhands in Baldur’s Gate, as in every port, used the moored boats as personal inns But earlier this day, Afafrenfere had noted the pair gazing that way more than once, and had expected they would arrive on the docks around dinnertime, bound for the scow

And why, after all, had they obviously slipped off the boat in the ht?

"Hey!" Mister Sikkal shouted and he grabbed Afafrenfere’s arlancing at the otherinterest now, then turning down to eye Sikkal’s dirty hand, and then, finally, settling his gaze on Sikkal hilare that was more promise than threat