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will be here to watch over our bodies until I return； just as someone you trust will be watching over you。〃
〃Ah；〃 Tzirik said。 〃You are a dark elf indeed。 Do as you will。〃
〃He might mean to have this whole castle descend upon whomever we leave behind；〃 Jeggred snarled。 〃Best leave two； maybe three。〃
〃Our sentry's only duty will be to cut Tzirik's throat before he's overwhelmed；〃 Pharaun said。 〃The question is； who stays？〃
Quenthel glanced at Ryld； then her eyes slid toward Halisstra。 For a moment Halisstra feared that Quenthel meant to leave her behind in order to deny her the audience she sought with Lolth； but even as her heart thudded in apprehension she realized that the last thing the Baenre would want…if she truly viewed Halisstra as a threat； anyway…would be a Melarn conscious and alone with her own helpless body。 Quenthel's eyes narrowed as she weighed the same considerations； and she turned to Jeggred。
〃You must stay here；〃 she said to the draegloth。
Jeggred contorted himself in a spasm of anger。
〃I am not going to sit here staring at your living corpses while you face the perils of the goddess's realm！ Mother told me to guard you。 How can I do that when you leave me behind？〃
〃You will be guarding me；〃 Quenthel said。 〃No harm can e to me in astral form。 It is here that I will be vulnerable； and I trust no one else with the task。 It must be you； Jeggred。〃
The draegloth waved all four arms in protest and said； 〃You of all people know what awaits you in the Demonweb Pits； Mistress。 You will need my strength there。〃
〃Cease this at once；〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith manded。 Her eyes flashed； and her whip rippled and spat。 〃It is not for you to question me； nephew。 You will discharge your obligation in the manner I direct。〃
Jeggred subsided into a sulking silence。 In disgust he turned away and threw himself down on the stone floor； shucking his pack and bandoleer。 Quenthel glanced at the others； and nodded at the couches。
〃e；〃 she said。 〃The goddess awaits。〃
Tzirik waited while the Menzoberranyr chose divans and stretched out。 He moved to the last one and sat down； then glanced over at Jeggred。
〃If you will be staying here； half…demon； you should know that some of my kinfolk will be acpanying you on your vigil。 Do not cause them any trouble； and I think you will find that they will be happy to leave you alone。〃
Jeggred sneered in answer； and Tzirik laid himself down awkwardly in his plate armor； arranging his mace so that it lay at his side。
Halisstra found that she was lying between Ryld and Danifae。 She glanced over at the weapons master。 Ryld's expression was taut and nervous。 Clearly； astral travel was something beyond his experience too。
If our spirits are doing the traveling； why do we need all our weapons？ he motioned to her。
They're part of you； she replied。 Your consciousness includes your belongings in your definition of yourself。 Therefore； when your soul roams free from your body； your mind will imagine for you an astral copy of anything you have close at hand。
〃Reach out and take each other's hands；〃 Tzirik said。 〃Make sure you have a good grasp。 I do not want to leave anyone behind。〃
The priest started to chant again in his melodious voice。 Halisstra stared at the ceiling and reached out to grasp Danifae with her right hand； and Ryld with her left。
Perhaps I should imagine for myself some good strong drink； Ryld observed。
He reached out and caught Halisstra's hand in his strong grip before she could reply。
Behind her； unseen on the other side of the circle； Tzirik continued his spell； speaking the harsh words of the magic with confidence and ease。 Halisstra felt an electric jolt race through her body from hand to hand as the magic began to take life； joining her to Ryld and Danifae with a strange； tingling sensation。 A sense of detachment swept through her； as if she'd all at once bee weightless。 She seemed to be floating up and out of herself； drawn by some irresistible force tugging on her in a direction she could not relate to up or down； left or right。 The stone ceiling wavered and grew dim； pulling away from her faster and faster。
And she was gone。
Triel Baenre stalked gracefully past the ranks of her battered soldiers； her face held rigidly expressionless by nothing more than sheer iron determination。 The exhausted troops stood at attention for her as best they could in the narrow tunnel。 She'd had Nauzhror transport her immediately to the scene of the retreat to view with her own eyes the scope of Menzoberranzan's defeat； and she found that she did not like what she had seen。 She did not like it all。
The passage was the better part of ten miles long； one of the main thoroughfares leading from the way…meeting at the Pillars of Woe to the shell of twisting passages and wild caverns known as Menzoberranzan's Dominion。 It seemed that every second or third soldier she passed carried some obvious injury…a bandaged torso here； an arm in a sling there； a fellow using a broken spear shaft as a crutch against the other wall。 The wounded did not bother her； though。 What Triel found truly disconcerting was the fatigue and moroseness of the soldiers。 She'd expected to find them tired； of course…Andzrel had marched the army for a day without halting to salvage something from the disaster of the Pillars of Woe…but she hadn't expected to find her soldiers so 。。。 defeated。 They'd been beaten； and they knew it。
Andzrel trailed a respectful step behind the matron mother； not presuming to speak until addressed。
〃How bad were the losses？〃 she finally asked； not looking at her weapons master。
〃For the whole army； somewhere around a quarter to a third of our strength； Matron Mother。 Some Houses fared much better or much worse than that； depending on the fortunes of battle。〃
〃And House Baenre's contingent？〃
〃Ninety dead； forty…four seriously wounded；〃 Andzrel replied。 〃About a quarter of our strength。〃
〃We were fortunate to save that much； Matron Mother；〃 Zal'therra added。 〃Some of the minor Houses were slaughtered to a male in…〃
〃I did not address you；〃 Triel said。
She folded her arms and tried not to let the sick horror in her stomach show。
It will be a miracle if the Council doesn't rise in open revolt against me； the matron mother thought。 Thank the goddess that Mez'Barris is lost somewhere； and Fey…Branche so badly weakened。 Byrtyn Fey must guard her response with half her House army destroyed； and I will have some time to consider what must be done before I have to confront Mez'Barris； Lolth willing。
Then again； she thought； what was left of the Council； anyway？ Faen Tlabbar； the Third House； was in the hands of an untried girl； and Yasraena Dyrr was not likely to present herself at the next meeting； was she？ She and all her filthy House were barricaded in their castle； awaiting the arrival of their duergar allies； and apparently quite prepared to stand a siege。
That left Zeerith Q'Xorlarrin； Miz'ri Mizzrym； and Prid'eesoth Tuin as the only matron mothers she