Extinction

All four of Oothoon's tentacles began twitching at once. So too did the tentacles of their guards. Shared surprise, perhaps? Or humor at so audacious a statement? Danifae didn't let her mind dwell on the question. Instead she stared at Pharaun, wondering what he'd say next. He caught her eye and held it a moment in a silent warning to say nothing.

"Your leader is a fool," Oothoon said at last. "Her goddess will devour her, instead."

Our leader is no inexperienced novice but a most high-ranking priestess, Pharaun answered. She knows a spell that makes it possible for her to slay a god. Any god.

Hearing that outrageous lie, Danifae had to struggle to keep her face composed. Whatever mad scheme Pharaun was playing at, she didn't want to spoil it. He'd been crafty in his dealings with the demon Belshazu, after all. He was obviously up to more of the same.

"Who is this leader of yours?" Oothoon asked.

But when Pharaun began to spell out a word?Q-u-e-n? Danifae felt compelled to give the mage a warning nudge, disguising it as a swimming motion.

Don't! she signed, making the motion between strokes of her hand.

The mage continued as if he hadn't seen it.

?t-h-e-l.

"Quenthel," the aboleth said, repeating it aloud, then smacking her lips as if the sound itself tasted sweet. Her three eyes blinked rapidly. "I have never heard of her."

I'm not surprised, Pharaun answered. We've come from a city of the Underdark that is many leagues from here.

"Menzoberranzan?"

Danifae looked up at Oothoon in surprise and signed, You've heard of it?

"The one who escaped from the cage told Jooran the name."

And that aboleth reported it to you, Pharaun concluded, cutting Danifae off before she could question Oothoon further.

"Yes. I found it within Jooran's mind when I ate him."

Danifae shivered, wondering if Oothoon made a habit of eating everyone who came to the throne room. She let her hand drift down toward the morningstar that hung from her belt. If the aboleth made a lunge at her with its tentacles, she'd use her weapon's magic to beat them back. Then she reconsidered and let her hand fall from the mace. The fact that they'd been allowed to enter the aboleth matriarch's throne room with their weapons wasn't very reassuring. The aboleth obviously didn't fear magical weapons?or even Pharaun's magic, when it came to that.

A brief shiver of apprehension swept through Danifae. Was she going to get out of there alive? She realized she was depending upon Pharaun, and she despised herself for it.

Pharaun was signing again. Danifae had been distracted and so just caught the end of it.

. . tell us where it lies, and I'll arrange for you to meet Quenthel, the mage told Oothoon.

The aboleth matriarch's three eyes blinked rapidly.

"To what purpose?" she asked.

Pharaun nudged the piece of aboleth flesh with his toe, then glanced up.

To eat her, he said bluntly.

Danifae's eyes narrowed. She hoped Pharaun was bluffing.

Oothoon's tentacles writhed.

"Eat a drow priestess powerful enough to slay a god?" the aboleth asked in a voice that burbled with mirth. "You mock me!"

Not at all, Pharaun answered. Quenthel's spells are strong, but each takes a long time to cast. She is weak, physically?as weak as any other drow. Knowing this, she keeps a half-demon at her side at all times for protection. If she can be separated from this demon?perhaps by some trick?she will be unable to defend herself. The magical items she carries are paltry ones: her only dangerous weapons are her hammer?which is magical and can smite at a distance?and her snake-headed whip, whose vipers have a poisonous bite.

Danifae looked on in shock, astounded by Pharaun's audacity. He'd just told the aboleth everything she needed to defeat Quenthel. The only detail he'd left out was the fact that Quenthel no longer had access to Lolth's magic. He'd baited his hook with Quenthel's supposed god-slaying capabilities, and Oothoon, anticipating the acquisition of such a spell, was practically salivating as a result. Strangest of all, the mage had done it all in Danifae's presence. Did he realize that she would betray him to Quenthel?was he counting on it? Perhaps there was a deeper game the mage was playing at. …

Danifae shook her head. There was no guessing the mind of a man who had matched wits with a demon and won. She made a quick hand gesture, the sign that indicated she wanted to speak to him in private.

Pharaun frowned, then turned and addressed Oothoon.

The spell sustaining my companion is waning, he told the aboleth. To recast it, I need to hold her hand for a moment. The spell will conjure up a small black cloud around our hands. Do not be alarmed by it, for it is harmless. Do I have your permission to proceed?

The aboleth's three eyes narrowed?an expression the creature had doubtless picked up from the drow.

"You may."