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"Yet he has done just that," said Draygo Quick "I did not mask my annoyance, and still he persisted"

"Then there is soed and did not disagree

"Dangerous creatures are these drow," Parise Ulfbinder added

"Are you hinting that I should release Drizzt to them?"

"Nay!" Parise replied without hesitation "I would advise just the opposite Ad and release no one, and then ill scrutinize the reactions of Bregan D’aerthe henceforth If Jarlaxle’s clairounded even remotely in truth, then his failed attempt to secure Drizzt’s release will likely be taken up by a higher authority"

"House Baenre," Draygo Quick reasoned

"It would seeiven the involveo"

"It would seem prudent for them to have me keep Drizzt away from that one"

"Who can tell with these curious drow?" Parise replied "We seek infor us many revelations, I expect"

"Revelations or eno Quick reminded

"Either ill learn much If they push harder, then we can hand him over, and perhaps learn even more in the subsequent events If House Baenre bothers to come for him, then we can be confident that the Spider Queen is involved, and perhaps then this battle between Drizzt and Tiago Baenre, of which Jarlaxle hinted, will indeed prove instructive"

"Until then, we hold the upper hand," Draygo Quick remarked

"Do we?" Parise was quick to ask "You have studied the sonnet"

Draygo Quick started to respond, but again ed

The old shade draped the cloth over the crystal ball again, severing the connection, then sat back in his chair and glanced over at the glowing cage holding the shrunken Guenhwyvar

So ains, it seemed to him, had proven to be noVictory

YOU SHOULD JUST LET HIM GO," JARLAXLE SAID TO LORD DRAYGO, THE two standing in the checkerboard entry hall

Draygo Quick put on an amused expression He had just bid Jarlaxle farewell, after infor further to discuss

"You will better find your answers in that case," Jarlaxle continued "And truly, if Drizzt is so favored by one god or another, what gain to you to keep hio Quick replied, a phrase he had thrown Jarlaxle’s way on several occasions Indeed, in their hours together, the Netherese lord had never admitted that Drizzt ithin his castle

But Jarlaxle knew better, for Ki warlock, as well, in separate locked roo of the castle Kimmuriel had found the others, statues all, as well, in a room not far from this very spot

"If I am errant in my suspicions, then of course--" Jarlaxle started

"And you annoy o Quick continued "Do be on your way, Jarlaxle, before I areeain unless you are invited, or unless your request to pay a visit is accepted Now, if you’ll excuse me, or even if you will not, I have o Quick acknowledged him with just a curt nod, and walked off across the floor to the doorway that would lead him to his tower and private quarters Jarlaxle watched hi stairwell in the rear of the hall, cliht behind decorated railings

No shortage of Shadovar guards stood up there, looking back at hily, standing at the top of the staircase with one of Drizzt’s sci ht, and in his mind, he could sense Kimmuriel’s disco beside hio Quick exited the roouards at the door in front of you, and more outside as well, Kimmuriel silently warned

Jarlaxle bowed to the stern-faced sentries on the balcony, conveniently sweeping off his hat as he did

Do not kill the lord, Kiuidesalvos properly, Jarlaxle replied His hand slipped inconspicuously inside the hat, gripping the edge of the portable hole

"I’ll not be using your door," Jarlaxle announced to the guards as he turned back as if to exit the castle "I have one, as Lord Draygo instructed," the guard commander on the stairs, the one with Drizzt’s scimitar, shouted down

Jarlaxle smiled and pulled forth the portable hole, set his hat back on his bald head, and flipped the spinning and elongating hole in the general direction of the guards flanking the castle exit The tidened their eyes in unison and hustled aside in fear, but the hole plopped down on the floor short of them without any overtly ill effects, and now seemed no more than an actual hole in the castle floor

With the obvious distraction derand hall, Jarlaxle slipped his hand into a pouch and produced a small cube--and reminded himself that his brother Gromph had promised him all sorts of pain if he ruined this particular device

Draygo is safely ascending his tower, Ki, seeing the door sentries edging over to the curious pit, unable to resist the urge to peek in The o Quick had exited, and turned back to the guards on the balcony