Quenthel； meanwhile； was relieved to learn that there was a way out of her dilemma…one that would finally pay Pharaun back for his intolerable insubordination。
She stared at Yngoth expectantly and asked； How am I to avoid being eaten by the aboleth？
The viper bared its fangs in a menacing smile。
You still have your rod； Yngoth replied。
Quenthel nodded。
And that bottle of lace fungus wine you've been saving。
Yes； Quenthel answered。 But how in the Abyss are those going to…
Listen； Yngoth said again。 And I will explain。 。 。 。
Quenthel listened avidly。 By the time Yngoth was finished speaking； her lips were parted in a feral grin。
It might just work； she thought to the snake； sending a wave of excitement along with the thought。 Then； on a grimmer note； she added； It must。
The other vipers； who had maintained a respectful silence as Yngoth outlined the plan； writhed in anticipation of seeing it carried out。 Even Qorra； the serpent who almost never spoke； could hardly contain herself。
Oh！ she said。 This will be such fun！
Jeggred waited just outside the audience room in which Quenthel was speaking with the aboleth matriarch； every muscle in his body tense。 Quenthel was in there； atone； with two of them。 She'd let one of the creatures…the one that wasn't Oothoon…move into a position behind her。 Why had she allowed it to do that？
Jeggred didn't like the bloated fish…folk。 They could not be trusted。 Even with water filling his nostrils； he could smell the stink of deceit。 He glanced； eyes narrowed； at a third aboleth； which had been ordered out into the corridor by its matriarch when Quenthel had told Jeggred to wait outside。 Jeggred itched to rend its rubbery looking flesh； to see if its blood ran red。 He could picture it 。。。 the blood would fill the water in a cloud。 What a heady feast that would be…to inhale blood with each breath！
One of the trailing tentacles of the aboleth guarding him drifted close to his shoulder。 Jeggred lashed out； clawing a furrow in its flesh。
Its three eyes blinking； the aboleth let out a burbling cry and yanked the tentacle away。 It did not attack。
Jeggred； his pulse pounding in his ears； prepared to hurl himself after it； to close for the kill。 Then； out of the corner of his eye； he saw that Quenthel had turned。 She was signing at him furiously。
Hold your temper； she ordered。 We are their guests。
Had it been a male who had spoken； Jeggred would have snarled back in defiance…then torn him to pieces。 Instead； he bowed to his mistress。
As you mand； Mistress。
As he signed； he snuck a glance at the aboleth he'd wounded。
He'd been wrong about aboleth blood。 It was green and didn't flow freely but oozed out like sap。
Satisfied the stupid creature was not going to retaliate； Jeggred returned his attention to Quenthel。 He could have guarded her better if he'd been allowed to remain at her side； but an order was an order。 He had obeyed； as he always did； without question。 As a result； he could understand nothing of the conversation…Oothoon's voice was pitched too low for him to hear； and he could not see what Quenthel was signing； since her back was to him。
It didn't matter though。 Jeggred didn't need to know what was being said。 He could read Quenthel's emotions by the way she held her body。 That stiffening of her shoulders was tension。 And that furtive drift of her hand toward her wand was caution…perhaps even fear。
Strangely； the vipers in Quenthel's whip were drifting lazily with the current； pletely relaxed。 They； even more than Jeggred himself； should have sensed her rising tension。 But instead the stupid things were off guard。 Quenthel was wrong to put such stock in the bound imps； which were little better than slaves。 Always asking their opinions…instead of trusting her own heart… made her weak。
The draegloth didn't like the feeling of that thought。 He wasn't sure what to do with an idea like that； the idea that the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith； his aunt； sister to his mother the Matron Mother of the First House of Menzoberranzan； was 。 。 。 weak？ He pushed the thought from his mind and found it quickly replaced by a growing unease。
Growling low in his throat…a low gurgle of water…Jeggred readied himself。 Something was about to happen。 He braced a foot against the far wall…one kick would send him into the room…and flexed his claws。
Quenthel drew her wand； and in a swift motion spun and aimed it at the aboleth behind her。 A sticky glob shot out of the end of the wand； expanding swiftly as it raced through the water。
Simultaneously raking the aboleth beside him with one clawed hand； Jeggred kicked himself into the audience chamber…
…only to find his head and shoulders tangled in a sticky mass。 Quenthel's shot had missed when the aboleth ducked swiftly aside。 The viscous glob struck the doorway instead and pletely blocked the opening。
Roaring with rage； Jeggred twisted his body around and braced both feet against the sides of the opening。 Heaving； calf and thigh muscles nearly bursting from the strain； he tore his head free； then his shoulders。 Ignoring the sting where hair had torn from his scalp； he clawed at the sticky barrier with a fighting hand。 It got stuck； too。
Meanwhile； inside the audience chamber； Quenthel corrected her aim。 A second glob erupted from the wand； and it struck the aboleth guard in the mouth just as its teeth were about to close on the drow priestess。 Gurgling； the aboleth tried to spit out the sticky ball but could not。
The aboleth that had been out in the corridor with Jeggred had been motionless at first； but it soon moved in to attack。 It reared above Jeggred； opening its mouth； attempting to bite。 Jeggred raked its belly with his free hand； tearing a deep slash。 Green blood oozed out…lots of blood…clouding the water Jeggred breathed。 It tasted vile； like pungent seaweed…not at all as Jeggred had imagined。
The aboleth turned and bolted down the tunnel； retreating with powerful strokes of its fluked tail。 Jeggred growled； knowing it had probably gone to summon more of the fish…folk。
He continued ripping at the sticky ball that blocked the audience chamber doorway。 Each time； his hand got stuck…but each time he ripped off a few strands。 Smelling real blood； the draegloth began to pant…then he realized that the blood was his own。 His hand was raw where skin had been torn from it。
Inside the audience chamber； Quenthel held Oothoon at bay with her rod。 The aboleth matriarch stared for several moments； her three eyes unblinking； then she launched herself out of the niche。 Mouth gaping； she sped across the chamber。
For some reason that Jeggred could not imagine； Quenthel seemed to be having trouble making her rod work。 Only at the last moment did its magic e to life。 A glob streaked toward Oothoon…and missed。 As Quenthel flailed back in terror； the aboleth matriarch closed on her； and swallowed the high priestess whole。
For a moment； Jeggred could only stare in horror。 His mistress was gone。 Eaten。 Dead！
Fury seized him。 He tore at the sticky mess that held him； heedless of the skin that was being ripped from his hands and arms。 Panting water in and out of his lungs…or perhaps vomiting it up and swallowing it again…he thrashed like a fish caught in a net。
All the while； Oothoon stared at him mockingly； one tentacle stroking a bulge in her stomach。
The sticky mass blocking the doorway tore but did not e free。 Tipping his head back in frustration…and tearing out yet more hair that had bee stuck in the viscous glob…Jeggred howled in rage and sorrow but at last came to his senses。
The Mistress was wise； he thought。 She had foreseen this。
And she had given him an order…a final order that had to be carried out quickly； before the wounded aboleth returned with reinforcements。
Wrenching himself free of the sticky doorway； Jeggred swam as fast as he could down the corridor； looking for a way out。
Chapter Twenty…one
Pharaun listened dispassionately as Jeggred gasped out his story。 Th