The sound of the portal drake's wings echoed from above； doubled； then doubled again； and more…not just echoes。
Five； Valas counted。
Still cloaked in auras of invisibility and the gloom of the long…abandoned cavern； Valas started forward。
Five portal drakes swooped out of the shadows in formation。 The two at the far ends swept inward； and two others shifted out。 They changed positions as they flew； but their target was the same。
Danifae hesitated。 Valas could see it in her step。 She heard them and knew they could fly faster…many times faster…than she'd ever be able to run。 To her credit； though； she didn't look back。
The five portal drakes were identical in every detail； and no one who had traveled as extensively as Valas had could have been fooled for long。 Only three wing…beats into it； Valas knew what they were。
Not all of the trinkets the scout wore were enchanted； but the little brass ovoid was； and Valas touched it as he ran。 The warmth of his fingers brought the magic to life； and only a thought was needed to wake it fully。 It happened without a sound； and Valas never missed a beat or revealed himself at all。
Danifae stopped running anyway； leaving Valas to wonder why。
Similarly confused； the portal drakes drew up short； fluttering to a halt； crossing each others' paths and ing within fractions of an inch from collision。
Danifae smiled at the dragons…all five of them rearing up to shred her with claws like filet knives…and she said； 〃Careful now。 Look behind you。〃
The toothy sneer that was the drake's reply played out simultaneously on all five sets of jaws。
Valas let his arrow fly； and all four of his own conjured images did the same。 The little brass ovoid…a container for a spell that had been very specially crafted by an ancient mage whose secrets had long ago been lost…had done its work； and for each of the five portal drakes； there was a Valas。
For each of the five portal drakes there was an arrow。
The dragon might have heard them or sensed them in some other way； or maybe its curiosity had gotten the better of it。 The creature whirled around and met the arrows with its right eye。 Four of the arrows blinked out of existence the instant they met with the false drakes； and those illusionary dragons disappeared as well。 The barrage left only one real arrow； one real portal drake； and one real eye。
The force of the impact made the creature twitch then stagger back a step。
Valas could tell that the dragon could see him…all five of him…with its one good eye。
〃I'll eat you alive 。 。 。〃 the portal drake rasped； 〃for that。〃
Valas drew his kukris； and his images did the same。 The dragon； blood pouring from its ruined eye； didn't bother to pull out the arrow that still protruded from its eye socket。 Instead it charged； wings up； claws out； jaws open。
Valas stepped to the side； into the drake's blind spot。 The creature had obviously never fought with only one eye before； and it fell for the feint。 Valas got two quick cuts in…cuts each answered with a deep； rumbling growl。
The drake lashed out； and Valas stepped in and to the side； letting one of his images cross in front of the attack。 The portal drake's claw touched the image's shoulder； and by the time the talon passed through the false scout's abdomen the illusion was gone。
The dragon grumbled its frustration； and Valas attacked again。 The creature twisted out of reach and snapped its jaws at Valas…ing dangerously close to the real dark elf。 When the dragon's single eye narrowed and smoldered； the scout knew the dragon had pegged him。
Valas danced into the drake's blind spot； stepping backward and spinning to keep the dragon off balance and to keep his own mirror images moving frenetically around him。 The drake clawed another one into thin air then bit the third out of existence。
Valas watched the image disappear and followed the portal drake's neck with his eyes as it passed half an arm's length in front of him。 He looked for cracks； creases； for any sign of weakness in the monster's thick； scaly hide。
He found one and sank a kukri between scales； through skin； into flesh； artery； and bone beneath it。 Blood pumped from the creature in torrents。 The dragon flailed at Valas； though it couldn't quite see the scout。 As the creature died； it managed to brush a claw against the last false drow。 The drake started to fall； and Valas skipped out of the way。 The narrow head whipped around on its long； supple neck； and the jaws came down on Valas's shoulder； crinkling his armor and bruising the black skin underneath。
The scout pulled away； rolled； and came to his feet with his kukris in front of him。
No attack came。 The portal drake splayed across the floor of the cavern。 Blood came less frequently and with less urgency with every fading heartbeat。
〃Always knew 。 。 。〃 the dying dragon sighed； 〃it would be 。。。 a drow。〃
The portal drake died with that word on its tongue； and Valas lifted an eyebrow at the thought。
He stepped away from the poisonous corpse and sheathed his kukris。 There was no sign of Danifae。 Valas didn't know if she'd kept running back the way they'd e or if she was hiding somewhere in the shadows。
With a shrug and a last glance at the portal drake； Valas turned and went to the abandoned monastery。 Assuming that the Melarn battle…captive would eventually return to the cavern and the portal that was their goal there； Valas climbed into the great downturned mouth。
Inside the semicircular structure were two tall； freestanding pillars。 Between them was nothing but dead air and the side of the tall cavern wall。 The interior was shrouded in darkness； and from it came the sharp smell of the portal drake's filth。
Danifae stood between the pillars； her weight on one foot； her hand on her hip。
〃Is it dead？〃 she asked。
Valas stopped several strides from her and nodded。
Danifae looked up and around at the dead stone pillars and the featureless interior of the huge face。
〃Good；〃 the battle…captive said。 〃Is this the portal？〃
When she looked back at Valas； he nodded again。
〃You know how to open it；〃 she said； with no hint that it might be a question。
Valas nodded a third time； and Danifae smiled。
〃Before we go；〃 she said as she pulled a dagger from her shapely hip； 〃I want to harvest some poison。〃
Valas blinked and said； 〃From the portal drake？〃
Danifae walked past him； smiling； spinning her dagger between her fingers。
〃I'll wait here；〃 he told her。
She kept going without bothering to answer。
If she survives that； Valas thought； she might just be worth traveling with。
Pharaun traced a fingertip along the line of something that hadn't been there the day before： a vein。 The blood vessel followed a meandering path along the length of the bone rail of the ship of chaos。 At random intervals it branched into thinner capillaries。 The whole thing slowly； almost imperceptibly； pulsed with life…warm with the flow of blood。 When they'd first e aboard the demonic ship； the railing was solid； dead bone。 Half a tenday spent gating in minor demons and feeding it to the ship was changing it。 It was ing to life。
〃Will it eventually grow skin？〃 Quenthel asked from behind him。
Pharaun turned and saw the high priestess crouching； examining the deck the same way he was examining the rail。
〃Skin？〃 the wizard asked。
〃These veins it's growing seem so fragile；〃 she said。 Her voice sounded bored； distant。 〃If we step on them won't we cut them？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Pharaun said。 What he meant was that he didn't care。 〃What difference could it possibly make？〃
〃It could bleed；〃 she said； still looking down at the deck。 〃If it can bleed； it can die。 If it dies when we're 。 。 。〃
Pharaun could tell she didn't finish that thought because she was afraid to。 He hated it when a high priestess was afraid。 Things rarely went well if they started with that。
〃Not everything that bleeds dies；〃 he said with a forced smile。
She looked up at him； and t