and others punished them for their temerity。 Perhaps the matron mothers took the lesson to heart。〃
〃So instead of hatching schemes to topple one another； they 。 。 。 what？ Enlisted every single priestess in a grand conspiracy to conceal their fall from grace？ If your mad idea is right； that's what they must have done。〃
〃Why is that implausible？ Picture the day—a few tendays past？—when they lost the ability to draw power from their goddess。 Clerics of Lolth routinely collaborate in magical rituals； so they would have discovered fairly quickly that they were all similarly afflicted。 Apprised of the scope of the situation； Triel Baenre； possibly in hurried consultation with our esteemed Mistress Quenthel and the matrons of the Council； might well have decided to conceal the priesthood's debility and sent the word round in time to keep anyone from blabbing。〃
〃The word would have to pass pretty damn quickly；〃 said Ryld； examining Splitter's edge。 As he'd expected； despite all the bone it had just bitten through； it was as preternaturally keen and free of notches and chips as ever。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 the wizard said。 〃If you lost the strength of your arms； would you be eager to announce it； knowing the news would find its way to everyone who'd ever taken a dislike to you？ Anyway； since this is the first we've learned of the problem； the deception obviously did anize in time。〃
〃Or else everything is as it always was； and the plot exists only in your imagination。〃
〃Oh； it's real。 I'm sure Triel deemed the ruse necessary to make sure no visitor would discern Menzoberranzan's sudden weakness。〃 He grinned and added； 〃And to fix it so we poor males wouldn't swoon with terror upon learning that our betters had lost a measure of their ability to guide and protect us。〃
〃Well； it's an amusing fancy。〃
〃Fire and glare； you're a hard boy to convince； and I'll be cursed if I know why。 You've already lived through the Time of Troubles； the previous Matron Baenre's death； and the defeat of Menzoberranzan by a gaggle of wretched dwarves。 Why do you assume our world cannot have altered in some fundamental way when you've watched it change so many times before？ Open your mind； and you'll see my hypothesis makes sense of all that has puzzled us。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Whatever they're up to； how is it that for the past month an unusual number of males have dared to elope from their families？ Because they somehow tumbled to the fact that a priestess's wrath now constitutes less of a threat。〃
〃While the clerics；〃 said Ryld； catching the thread of the argument； 〃are eager to catch them because they want to know how the males know about the Silence； if we're going to call it that。 Hells； if all those males had the nerve to run away； maybe they even know more about the problem than the females do。〃
〃Conceivably；〃 said Pharaun。 〃The priestesses can't rule it out until they strap a few of them to torture racks； can they？ But they don't want Gromph involved with capturing the rogues because 。 。 。 ？〃
〃They don't want him to find out what the runaways know。〃
〃Very good； apprentice。 We'll make a logician of you yet。〃
〃Do you think the archmage already knows the divines have lost their magic？〃
〃I'd bet your left eye on it； but he's in the same cart as the high priestesses。 He posits that the fugitives might know even more。〃
Ryld nodded。 〃In a war； or any crisis； you have to cover every possibility。〃
〃The notion of the Silence even explains why the Jewel Box was so crowded； and why some of the patrons were in a belligerent humor or even bruised and battered。 Females divested of their magic might well feel weak and vulnerable。 Consciously or otherwise； they'd worry about losing control of the folk in their household and pensate by instituting a harsher discipline than usual。〃 〃I see that；〃 said Ryld。
〃Of course you do。 As I said； the one hypothesis accounts for every anomaly。 That's why we can be confident the idea is valid。〃
〃How does it account for the relative paucity of goods in the Bazaar？〃
Pharaun blinked； narrowed his eyes in thought； and finally laughed。 〃You know； it's difficult for genius to soar in the face of these carping little irrelevancies。 Actually； you're right。 At first glance； the Silence doesn't explain the marketplace； but it explains so much else that I still believe the idea correct。 Have I persuaded you？〃
〃I。。。 maybe。 You do make a kind of twisted sense。 It's just that it's a hard idea to take in。 The one truth our people have never questioned is that Menzoberranzan belongs to Lolth。 Everything in the cavern is as it is because she willed it so； and the might of her priestesses is the primary force maintaining all that we have and are。 If she's turned her face from the entire city； or is lost to us in some other way。 。 。 。〃 Ryld spread his hands。
〃It is unsettling； but perhaps； just perhaps； it affords us an opportunity as well。〃
Ryld extended a telescoping metal probe； attached a cloth to the hook on the end； and started swamping out the bloodclogged scabbard。
The warrior asked； 〃What do you mean？〃
〃Just for fun； let's make the same leap of faith—or fear—that Gromph and the Council did。 Assume the rogue males can explain the cessation of Lolth's beneficence。 Assume you and I will find them and extract the information。 Finally； assume we can somehow employ it to restore the status quo。〃
〃That's a lot of assuming。〃
〃It is。 Obviously； I'm letting my imagination run amok。 Yet I have a hunch—only a hunch； but still—that if two masters of the Academy could acplish such a triumph； they might thereby win enough power to make my friend the Sarthos demon look like small beer。 You wanted to find something to our advantage； as I recall。〃
〃Your sister may find us first。 She tracked us once。 Do you still think we shouldn't kill her； or her vassals either？〃
〃That's a good question；〃 Pharaun sighed。 〃They're attacking us with potent magic。 I suspect that leather bag holds nine sets of servant creatures； each deadlier than the one before。〃
〃In that case； why didn't she chuck them all at us？〃
〃Perhaps； in the absence of her innate powers； she was trying to conserve her other resources。 Alas； she may not be so parsimonious next time。〃
〃So what do we do？〃
〃Well； you know； I truly do want to kill Greyanna。 I always have； but I suppose the prudent course is to avoid our hunters if possible。 If not； we'll do what we must to survive。 I may at least make a point of disposing of Relonor。 I suspect he located us with divinatory magic。 He was always good at that。〃
〃Can you shield us？〃
〃Perhaps。 I intend to try。 Stay right where you are； and don't speak。〃
Pharaun rose and reached into one of his pockets。 Out in the lake； something big jumped。 Noticing the splash； an ore on a raft grunted to his fellows； and they readied their barbheaded lances。
Ch a p t e r
NINE
As Drisinil took hold of the door handle； the stump of her little finger throbbed beneath its dressing。 The novice still found it difficult to believe that； after fighting for her life against the demon spider； Mistress Quenthel had immediately returned to the matter of the wouldbe truants and their selfinflicted punishment。 It bespoke a calm and meticulous nature。 Drisinil admired those qualities； but it didn't make her hate their exemplar any less。
She took a final glance around the deserted corridor。 No one was about； and no one was supposed to be； not in that length of that particular wing of ArachTinilith at that hour of the night。
She slipped through the sandstone door and pulled it shut behind her。 Unlike much of the temple； no lamps； torches； or candles burned in the room beyond the threshold。 That was by design； to keep a telltale gleam from leaking out under the door。
Drisinil's sister conspirators awaited her。 Some were novices with bandaged hands； just like herself。 Others were instructors。 Those high priestesses； hampered by their dignity； were having some difficulty making themselves fortable among the haphazardly stacked boxes and tangles of furniture littering the halffotten storeroom。 Of course； it didn't help that they hesitated to clear away the shrouds of filthy cobwebs dangling everywhere for fear a living spider remained within。
Drisinil wondered if that particular prohibition made sense any longer。 Perhaps spiders were no longer sacred。
Then； angry at herself； she pushed the blasphemous thought away。 Lolth abided； beyond any question； and was likely to chastise those who even for a moment imagined otherwise。
Once she wrenched her mind back to immediate concerns； Drisinil was momentarily nonplussed to find the pany regarding her expectantly。 Did they expect her to preside over the meeting？
But then again； why not？ She might be a novice； but she was Barrison Del'Armgo as well； and breeding mattered； perhaps more than ever when even the most powerful priestesses were running out of magic。 Besides； the secret gathering had been her idea。
〃Good evening；〃 she said。 〃Thank you all for attending；〃—she smiled wryly—〃and for not reporting me to Quenthel Baenre。〃
〃We still could；〃 said Vlondril Tuin'Tarl； a strange smile on her wrinkled lips。 〃Your task is to convince us we shouldn't。〃
The teacher was so old that she had begun to wither like a human crone。 Most folk believed her mystical contemplations of ultimate chaos had left her a little mad。 No one； not even another instructor； had opted to sit in her immediate vicinity。
〃With respect； Holy Mother；〃 Drisinil said； 〃isn't that selfevident？ The goddess； who nurtured and exalted our city since its founding； has turned her back on us。〃
Once again； Drisinil couldn't help thinking of other possibilities； but even if she'd seen a point to it； she wouldn't have dared to mention them。 No one would； not in her present pany。
〃And Quenthel is to blame；〃 added Molvayas Barrison Del'Armgo。
Though stockier and shorter than Drisinil； her aunt had the same sort of sharp nose and unmon green eyes。 Richly clad； the elder scion of the House carried an enemy's soul imprisoned in a jade ring； and at quiet moments one could occasionally hear the spirit weeping and pleading for release。 Second to Quenthel as Barrison Del'Armgo was ever second to Baenre； Molvayas had helped her niece pass word of the meeting； a