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Valindra hissed and Jestry thought she e to spring up to the woainst Sylora’s terrible decision to ever send Valindra on thischoice? Arunika was no threat She was a friend, surely, and she didn’t need to be confronted by a powerful and insane lich

"My friends will be syainst the Netherese," Arunika went on, calitation could truly bubble over "Go and tell that to Sylora Salo-between She knohere to find lanced at Jestry and one He took no offense, but so hi him, and in no uncertain terht

He dared pause at the door for just athe lich that her friends would help--and Jestry got the distinct ieneral, ter, but he did catch one nty"

He didn’t knohat itwhile passed before Valindra exited the house From the porch, she directed the Ashmadai, then floated down behind them on their journey back to Sylora’s base She clutched the skull ge thanks to their ical powers The scepter had sensed Arunika, and the skull geiven her Dor’crae--and with him, the eyes to locate Arunika

Arunika had hinted at that which Valindra most dearly wanted to find: a way to be rid of the de her mind

Kimmuriel Oblodra had done much to help her, and he was but a ainst the power of one of the Sovereignty? If Kie, surely Arunika’s friend could bring her back from the brink

Si the trouble with Arunika now allowed Valindra to keep her focus for a long, long time, all the way back to Sylora’s enca tea open in awe Sylora had been quite busy in the hours since they’d gone off to find Arunika The treelike tower do, but that was only one part of the risen fortress Talls had been lifted froround, with several smaller towers and structures evident within

It was a sround in a ht in front of him He knew instinctively that it was Sylora’s creation It carried the color, the texture, the s, and was like some of the structures he’d left back in Thay

As he neared the outer gate, he saw the guards--both Ashh and in the distance, he spotted Sylora herself, standing at the tall tower’s balcony, which, now that he considered it more closely, looked o on!" Valindra said, co up to the distant sorceress

"Go on, go on!" Valindra said again, thenthe lines of "how beautiful, how beautiful," though Jestry wasn’t sure if she was speaking of the complex, the tower, or Sylora herself Nor did it ht of the lich’s foolish ra away and hurried to follow her into the compound and to the tower

The entrance to the tower lay inside the cave, where a short stone stairwell in the side ent up just a few steps to a black stone door

The door opened round floor of the tower to find it complete with a stocked hearth, obsidian chairs, and a small table covered in furs and set with utensils

Jestry and Valindra continued up the sweeping stair along the far wall of the circular roo up above the hearth to another black stone door He pushed through the door to find another chamber, this one only partially furnished, but clearly intended as Sylora’s workshop The stair continued to wind around the roo between the outer and an inner wall The stairs turned here, crossing high above the roo to an open trapdoor The door fed into a low chamber not quite at the third level of the tower, a room that opened out onto the balcony

Sylora nodded down at the pair through the trapdoor, and o up and join her and for Jestry to follow the other stairwell to the third level, Sylora’s private quarters

"Well done, Lady," Valindra greeted, her tone wistful "So much like the Hosttower, it seems!"

"That was not my intent," Sylora assured her She motioned to the scepter "Did it lead you well?"

"Oh, well!" Valindra exclaimed "By Greeth … Ark-lereat sigh, understanding well thedirection Valindra’s story would surely take

It took some time, but Valindra did at last recount Arunika’s words Then, dis the broken branch balcony to the railing With a lance back at Sylora, Valindra lifted herself over the railing and leaped out, floating down to the courtyard below

"And what did you think of our new friend, Arunika?" Sylora asked when Valindra had gone

Jestry, crouched in a small hollow just above her, was not surprised at the confirmation that Sylora are of his presence The top entrance of the hollow had been left open, after all, presumably so that he could eavesdrop on Sylora’s conversation with Valindra

Jestry pushed aside a black cloth, which appeared as part of the balcony wall, and dropped down beside the sorceress

"An interesting wo hard to keep the true level of his fascination out of his voice

Sylora’s grin told Jestry that she recognized his true feelings all too well

"She is not beautiful," Jestry blurted, and thought himself incredibly inane

"Seduced by a s tone that showed she was hardly upset "Young men are such easy prey"

"No, ue, Jestry," the sorceress interrupted "Or I’ll tear it out and hold it for you" Despite the threat, and the fact that Sylora certainly could carry through with it, the timbre of her voice once , than upset She walked out to the balcony rail "You’re fond of her, then?"

"No, I mean, I did not--"

"Afraid of her?"

"Surely not!" he protested

"Good, because youdays," Sylora explained "That’s suitable to you?"

"I do as Sylora asks," the Ashmadai obediently replied "I do not question Sylora Salm"

"Good, because I tell you this now and do not disappointIf she tells you to kill yourself, do so"