Томас Рейд - Insurrection

Before anyone had a chance to speak, Pharaun flashed, Someone was watching us today, with magic. No one say a word until I ward the room.

With that, he produced a small mirror and a tiny brass horn and used them to cast a spell of some sort, though Quenthel could not see any visible difference. Nor that she expected to, but the idea of the wizard performing spells of his own accord, like everything he did, made her uneasy.

«The city is about to boil over,» Pharaun said when he was finished casting. He took a seat on the couch and avoided looking directly at Quenthel.

He knows he's about to catch it, the high priestess thought.

«What do you mean? Who's been watching you? And what were you doing out there, anyway? Didn't I instruct you to get some rest and meet back here before the evening meal?»

«Actually, you did not, Mistress,» Pharaun answered as the other two found places to lean against the far wall. «You said that you were going to rest, and you specifically told us to leave you alone. Under such circumstances, I didn't see the wisdom in disturbing you with trivialities like a refreshing walk.»

Quenthel sighed. Once again the wizard was twisting her words around, using them to his advantage.

«As for who was watching us, I can't say. It might have been nothing, just a curious mage checking out some unusual-looking characters as a matter of course and moving on. Then again, it could have been someone specifically worried about us. I didn't see who was scrying. When I returned, I pulled out my grimoires and studied a spell that would detect scrying, though not stop it from happening. If I give a signal, everyone must be silent.»

Quenthel nodded once, curtly, knowing that the wizard was taking wise precautions.

«Very well,» she said. «What did you discover while you were strolling through the city that makes you believe it is about to 'boil over'? »

«It's true,» Valas said quietly from his corner. «The lesser races are growing restless. We witnessed an attack today.»

«So what?» the high priestess responded. «They squabble among themselves all the time back home.»

«Yes, but this was a gang of them, assaulting a priestess,» Ryld said. He was glowering, though at whom, Quenthel was not sure. «They were bold enough to kill her in front of everyone in an open plaza.»

«They would dare?» It was Faeryl, sitting on the edge of the bed, her red eyes glittering with anger, «And you did nothing?»

«Truth be told, she was quite inebriated,» Pharaun said, reclining on the couch. «Still, she provided us with the proof we needed. Ched Nasad's clergy suffers the same, ah … challenges that you do, Mistress.»

Quenthel had folded her arms beneath her breasts and moved to stand in front of the wizard.

«You did nothing to aid her?» she asked, turning her gaze toward the other two males, watching as they looked away, some notion of guilt on their faces.

Pharaun shrugged and said, «To have interfered would have only drawn attention to the fact that we were in the city, Mistress. If we are to continue to investigate, we must maintain our inconspicuous-ness. Besides,» he added, leaning forward again, «she was pleading for Lolth to return to her, right there in the open courtyard. She had clearly lost her resolution and was not, in my most humble opinion, fit to serve the goddess.»

«In your—!» Faeryl seethed. «The opinion of a mere male is counted upon for very little in most issues. In the matters of the sisterhood, it matters not at all!»

She stood, taking a step toward the wizard. With a gesture from Quenthel, Jeggred was instantly between them. The ambassador shrank back from her one-time tormentor.

«Faeryl, my dear, in this you are usually correct,» Quenthel said in her most soothing voice. It was one she rarely used, but in this instance she believed it was warranted. For his part, Pharaun gaped at her, which made her smile. «But, my dear, think on it,» the high priestess continued. «The wizard is actually correct, though he may have stumbled upon this conclusion accidentally, addled with brandy though his mind seems to be. I understand your fears, but you must not let them eat away at your logic. If a priestess loses her faith in such a public spectacle, does she do her sisterhood any service?»

Faeryl shook her head as she backed away from Jeggred, returning to her spot on the bed.

«No, of course not,» she mumbled at last. «She shames us all with her cowardice.»

«Precisely,» Quenthel said, nodding sagely, «and as foolish as it was for them to be out and about in the first place, these three silly boys would have only caused more harm to our progress if they had made a spectacle of themselves as well.»

«Forgive my impudence, Mistress Quenthel,» Faeryl said, her tone dreary «I have returned home to find my city on the brink of implosion, where thralls dare to assault priestesses in open markets. As you love Menzoberranzan, your city and homeland, so I love Ched Nasad and do not wish to see her come to this end. I forgot myself in a moment of emotion.»

Quenthel dismissed the apology with a wave of her hand.

«Understandable, in this time of crisis,» she said, «but you must learn to control that emotion if we are to move forward.»

«Do I take it, then, that you believe there is still more to be uncovered?» Pharaun asked.

«Perhaps,» the high priestess answered, pacing once more. «I am willing to hear what the rest of you think, before I make my decision.»

It was Valas who spoke first.

«I think it's unsafe to remain in the city for long, Mistress,» the diminutive scout said. «We have discovered what we came here to learn, and I think it would be wise to return to Menzoberranzan before riots fill the streets and we get caught up in another slave revolt, or worse.»

«I agree with Valas,» Ryld added. «It is clear to me that the clerics here have handled the vanishing of Lolth less well than you and yours back home. There is little they can do for us.»

Quenthel looked to Pharaun, knowing he would have something completely different and unorthodox in mind.

Pharaun shifted a bit, eyeing the other two males before saying, I think we might do better to investigate further. Valas opened my eyes to another possible avenue of study, one that I would like to take advantage of. There are other races who venerate the Dark Mother besides drow, and it would behoove us to discover whether or nor they, too, suffer her loss.»

Quenthel nodded and said, «An interesting idea, but not one of much practicality. We are not loved by many others, and I doubt that those who worship Lolth would too freely impart such secretive information to us. Notice how we haven't been too forthcoming ourselves, even to the dark elves of our sister city. However, as there is still business I consider unfinished here, we will not be going just yet.»

«Yes, precisely,» Pharaun replied. «While you're busy with all that, I plan to at least look into my theory. I think I might know of a way to confirm it by tomorrow.»

«I have other work for you tomorrow,» Quenthel said, giving the wizard a cold gaze. «Faeryl, Jeggred, and I shall pay a visit to the storehouses of Black Claw Mercantile and take what rightfully belongs to House Baenre while the three of you find a means to transport it back. I intend to get out of the city with those goods as quickly as possible. The caravans are long overdue in Menzoberranzan, and we are here to make sure due payment is made.»

Pharaun scowled briefly, and Quenthel was expecting an argument, but the wizard merely stood, nodding again.

Pharaun was surprised when Quenthel asked him to remain behind for a moment after dismissing the rest of the group, along with specific instructions to Jeggred to keep an eye on Faeryl, instructions that made the ambassador actually tremble. The wizard stood silently as Quenthel closed the door, then he cocked an eyebrow at her when she asked him if his detection spells were still in place.