[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
."I've thought long on this—asked myself the very questions you'reasking now.Then I realized that feigning his own death and giving the priestesses the illusionof control was all part of the Masked Lord's plan.Just as we infiltrate the settlements of theNight Above in the guise of surface elves, Vhaeraun has infiltrated Eilistraee's realm.Ourclerics are within her shrines, constantly testing the limits of her priestess's control with scoresof tiny acts of defiance.Soon, we'll be inside the Promenade itself.When the time comes,Vhaeraun will throw off his disguise, and those who have maintained his faith will take herstrongholds from within."It sounded good—too good.-Karas couldn't allow himself to be seduced by it."And what ifyou're wrong?" he countered."What if it's Eilistraee's priestesses who are eroding our faithfrom within?" He gave a bitter laugh."We're already nine-tenths defeated.Better to claim whatpower you can within the new order than to cling to false hope.""It is not a false hope!" Valdar snapped, his pink eyes blazing."Nobody saw Vhaeraun die.Noteven me—and I was here, staring through the gate as it opened.Think about it.Vhaeraun hastricked Eilistraee's faithful into joining our fight.He's using her shrines as a stepping stone.Astaging ground for the eventual overthrow of Lolth and her matriarchies.Then the natural orderwill be restored.We Nightshadows will return to the Underdark, and males will rule." Hepaused to catch his breath."Vhaeraun's plan is a brilliant one, in every detail.What moreperfect treachery can there be than to feign one's own death and infiltrate the very body of one'senemy? It's the perfect disguise."Karas had been listening intently.But the time for talking was almost at an end.In anothermoment, he'd finish it—kill his target, and probably take a fatal wound himself.If he survived,he might very well wind up trapped in this cavern, eventually dying of starvation.He wasresigned to that.But before he pressed home his attack, there was one last question he had toask."It all sounds plausible," he said."But what proof can you offer that it's true?"Valdar's eyes gleamed."The order to kill me came from a priestess.And that priestess—whoever she is—takes her orders from her deity.Do you honestly believe Eilistraee wouldcondone an assassination of one of her own? Or does that strike you as being more like an orderthat Vhaeraun would give?""Why would he order you killed? If, as you say, you only did as he commanded."Valdar's eyes bored into his."As a trial.He knew it would bring you face to face with me, andtest your faith."Karas's body was still, but his thoughts churned.He searched for a counter argument, butcouldn't find one.Nor did he want to.Something was breaking in him—breaking open.Thebrittle shell he'd encased his anguish in, these past four months."There's a way to test whether what I say is true," Valdar said softly."Return to the female whogave you the order.Tell her I've been slain.See if divine retribution follows." He leanedforward, lowering his voice."Or if reward follows, instead,"Without waiting to hear what Karas would say next, he sheathed his dagger.For several moments, Karas remained motionless.Then he nodded to himself."I think I'll dojust that.If you're wrong, I can always kill you another day." Slowly, he slid his own daggerback into its sheath.CHAPTERThe Month of Eleint The Year of the Haunting ( DR)Halisstra cringed on the floor, watching Lolth.The goddess was in her spider form, her body aglossy black, her eyes a burning crimson.She dangled upside down from the ceiling of theweb-choked room, slowly spinning in place.Halisstra kept her head bowed—she didn't dare look fully upon the goddess.As she watched,the hourglass-shaped pattern on the underside of Lolth's abdomen shrank as her bodycontracted.A crack appeared beside each of Lolth's fang-tipped jaws.With a sharp crackingsound it enlarged until the skin peeled back from her face.The goddess shuddered.She contracted still more, tearing the rest of her head free from its hardcoating of chitin.Then the cracks spread to the abdomen, releasing her.Lolth tumbled ontothe cold iron floor, leaving her molted skin behind.The empty husk, still dangling from itsstrand of web, twisted above her.As she stood, Lolth assumed her hybrid form, sprouting a drow head.Her spider body wasenormous [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]