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casting new spells； but when he looked at the lesser of the two she wasn't creating any magic。 She'd dropped her suddenly blank scroll on the ground and was rooting in her leather pouch； presumably for another means of magical attack。
Clasping a bit of coal and a tiny dried eyeball held in a little vial； Pharaun created an effect。 Power sighed and rippled through the air； and a mass of darkness appeared around the female's head； blinding her。
The wizard's thoughts flew apart once more； then reassembled themselves。 He rounded on Greyanna。 She was still clutching her scroll； evidently still casting from it。 He began to conjure； and she； evidently uncertain of the parchment's power to protect her； tore open the bag。
It had occurred to Pharaun that the sack might have more spores in it； but he'd assumed they would produce more skeletons。 This time； though； the glittering motes burst in midair； swelling into ugly little beasts resembling a cross between a bat and a mosquito。
The stirges swirled around him； jabbing at him with their proboscises； striving to drink his blood。 They interfered with the motion of his hands and so spoiled his conjuration。 He restored his weight and fell back to the ground； where Ryld； beset by clinking skeletons on all sides； beheaded one with a sudden cut。 One of the twins edged toward him but balked when the big male pivoted in his direction。
Pharaun slammed down on the street。 Trailing chattering stirges； he sprinted toward the fallen Relonor。 A couple skeletons turned to hack at him； but most of them were too intent on killing Ryld to notice him。 Up close； the things stank。 Pharaun thought they must still have some scraps of rotting flesh about them somewhere。
Just as he reached the unconscious wizard； Greyanna's foulwing landed on the other side of the body with a groundshaking thump。 Pharaun roared out a painfully loud magical shout； and the beast recoiled； carrying its rider with it。
Pharaun stooped； ripped the brooch off Relonor's sash； turned； and ran。 Greyanna screamed in rage。 The foulwing roared its strange double roar； and two sets of jaws clashed shut behind the fleeing male。
A stirge's proboscis jabbed him in the back； staggering him； but was unable to penetrate his piwafwi。 Another spell rattled his mind but with no permanent ill effects。 A skeleton appeared on his flank； swinging a notched； rusty axe at his head。 Splitter flashed in an arc and smashed the undead thing into tiny pieces。
Pharaun caught hold of the hem of Ryld's piwafwi and glanced around at Greyanna。 Her face a mask of fury； she tossed away her scroll； which was likely blank； and held her hands high to receive the long staff materializing from some extra dimensional storage。 He could see why she wanted the instrument。 It blazed with mystic power； but it was also slow in attaining tangibility。 Some chance interaction of the magical energies playing about the battleground was retarding its transition to the physical plane。
Why； then； didn't she leave off summoning it and attack in some other manner？ Why—
In a flash of inspiration； the answer came to him； and it was astonishing。
But he was scarcely in a place conducive to contemplation of his discovery； and it was time to remedy that。 He peered at the brooch he'd taken from Relonor； found the trigger word implicit in the kaleidoscopic pattern shining around it； and spoke。
Greyanna regarded the open space in the middle of the ring of aimlessly milling skeletons； and the stirges swooping and wheeling above。 A moment before； Pharaun and his hulking acplice had been standing there； but they were gone。 If her eyes had not deceived her； her brother had flashed her that old familiar mocking grin as he vanished。 How dare he smirk at her like that when it was she who had driven him from House Mizzrym
She regarded her iron staff； taller than she was； square in crosssection； graven with hundreds of tiny runes； and warm as blood to the touch。 The weapon had failed her。 She trembled with the impulse to swing it over her head and smash it against the stone beneath her feet until it was defaced； deformed； and useless。
She didn't； because she knew Pharaun's escape was really her fault； not the staff's。 She should have summoned the weapon sooner。 She should have been more aggressive with the sack。 Damn this degrading and inexplicable season Because of its vicissitudes； her mother had instructed her to play the miser with every personal resource； even though she was fighting for the welfare of House Mizzrym and all Menzoberranzan。
Well； she wouldn't make the same mistake next time。 It was her responsibility to look after her troops and return them to the castle。 She dismounted； squared her shoulders； put on a calm； manding expression； and proceeded with the business at hand。
Neither of the twins were hurt； and her cousin Aunrae merely needed the ball of darkness around her head dispelled。 It was Relonor who concerned Greyanna； but fortunately the mage was still alive。 A healing potion mended him sufficiently to stand； clutching his sash so it wouldn't slip off and shrugging out of his iceencrusted cloak。
While the twins helped Relonor hobble about and so restore his circulation； Aunrae came sidling up to Greyanna。 To her cousin's admittedly jaundiced eye； in Aunrae the usual Mizzrym tendency to leanness had run to a grotesque extreme。 The younger female resembled a stick insect。
〃My miseration on your failure；〃 Aunrae said。
Her expression was grave； but she wasn't really trying to hide the smile lurking underneath。
〃I didn't realize just how powerful Pharaun has bee；〃 Greyanna admitted。 〃Before his exile； he was quite petent but nothing extraordinary。 It was his cunning that made him so dangerous。 I see that all the decades in Tier Breche have turned him into one of the most formidable wizards in the city。 That plicates things； but I'll manage。〃
〃I hope the matron will five you your ignorance；〃 Aunrae said。 〃You've wasted so much magic to no effect。〃
The conjured skeletons and stirges began to wink out of existence； leaving a residue of magic energy。 The air seemed to tingle and buzz； though if a person stopped and listened； it really wasn't。
〃Is that how you see it？〃 Greyanna asked。
Aunrae shrugged。 〃I'm just worried she'll feel you bungled things； that your hatred of Pharaun made you blind and clumsy。 She might even decide someone else is more deserving of the preeminence you currently possess。 Of course； I hope not You know I wish you well。 My plan for my future has always been to support you and prosper as your aide。〃
〃Cousin； your words move me；〃 Greyanna said as she lifted the staff。
No one could heave such a long； heavy implement into a fighting position without giving the opponent an instant's warning； so Aunrae was able to e on guard。 It didn't matter。 Not bothering to unleash any of the magic within her weapon； wielding it like an ordinary quarterstaff； Greyanna bashed the mace from the younger priestess's fingers； knocked her flat with a ringing blow to her armored shoulder； and dug the tip of the iron rod into her throat。
〃I'd like to confer on one or two matters；〃 said Greyanna。 〃Do you have a moment？〃
Aunrae made a liquid； strangling sound。
〃Excellent。 Listen and grow wise。 Today's little fracas was not in vain。 It proved that Relonor can locate Pharaun with his divinations。 Even more importantly； the battle enabled me to take our brother's measure。 When we track him down again； we'll crush him。 Now； do you see that I have this venture well in hand？〃
Deprived of her voice； Aunrae nodded enthusiastically。 Her chin bumped against the butt of the staff。
〃What a sensible girl you are。 You must also bear in mind that we aren't hunting Pharaun simply for my own personal gratification。 It's for the benefit of all； including yourself。 Therefore； this isn't an ideal time to seek to discredit and supplant one of your betters。 It's a time for us to swallow our mutual distaste and work together until the threat is gone。 Do you think you can remember that？〃
Aunrae kept nodding。 She was shaking； too； and her eyes were wide with terror。 Small wonder； she must have been running short of breath。 Still； she had the sense not to try to grab the staff and jerk it away from