〃Clearly； the Council must reach some decisions quickly；〃 Triel Baenre said； breaking her thoughtful silence。 〃We don't have much time if we wish to meet the duergar outside the city； so I will order half of Baenre's troops to make ready to march。 I advise the rest of you to do the same。 If we decide to stand on the defensive in the city cavern； we can have our soldiers stand down； but if we decide to march； we will want to be able to inarch soon。〃
〃I favor a vigorous and aggressive defense of the city；〃 said Yasraena Dyrr。 〃Hard exertion now may serve to deter further attacks later。 I will order half the strength of House Dyrr to make ready at once。〃 She studied the other matrons carefully and added； 〃Provided； of course； that some other Houses agree to shoulder a share of the risk and assist us。 Either we all make the same mitment； or none。〃
〃House Baenre guarantees Agrach Dyrr until the return of the expedition；〃 Triel said briskly。
Nimor nodded to himself。 He'd expected that the leader of Menzoberranzan's strongest House would choose to lead by example in this instance。 Among other things； it deflected any predatory designs of the other Houses into an external activity； where the Baenre could be seen to be taking strong and decisive action to secure the city。 Triel was badly in need of such measures。
She looked up at the various guards； advisors； and guests in the council chamber and said； 〃The matron mothers must discuss how best to meet this treacherous attack in private。 Leave us。〃
〃Captain Zhayemd；〃 Yasraena Dyrr said； 〃I would like it if you took mand of the Agrach Dyrr contingent and began your preparations at once。 I know you have fought your way through great peril already today； but you have intimate knowledge of the field of battle； and I have the utmost confidence in you。〃
〃I will serve to the best of my abilities；〃 Nimor said。 〃With the goddess's aid； I will scour our city's foes from our territory。〃
He offered another deep bow to the matron mothers； and quietly withdrew。
The forest sounds abruptly returned； signaling the end of the spell of silence。 Wind sighed in the treetops； a small brook ran somewhere nearby； and tiny rustles and scuttling sounds whispered in the darkness as the small creatures of the woods…or larger ones who knew how to be stealthy…moved about nearby。 Halisstra listened for a long time； hoping to hear some sort of positive evidence that the surface dwellers had gone or that her rades battled on somewhere nearby； but no ringing swords or thunderous spells split the night。 She heard nothing as convenient as an enemy conversation to help her decide if her foes had left； or were instead crouched silently outside the darkness； waiting for her to emerge。 Halisstra could be quite patient when it suited her； and she was not unused to hardship and danger； but the sheer nervous tension of stretching out to identify and categorize every tiny sound that came to her ears soon left beads of sweat trickling down her face。
If Quenthel and the others were nearby； I would hear it； she decided。 The fight must have carried them far ahead by now。
Her heart pounded at the thought of being lost in the endless woods alone； a reviled enemy to any creature who walked the surface world。
Better to die trying to rejoin the others； Halisstra decided。 At least I know where they're going； if I can manage to keep my course。
First； she needed to escape from the darkness that sheltered her。 She did not choose to dismiss the magical gloom； deciding to leave it to continue until it failed in an hour or two。 There was a small chance that her enemies might be waiting quietly outside for the darkness to fail before moving in。 Halisstra groped in her belt pouch and withdrew a slender ivory wand。 She felt very carefully to determine if it was the wand she needed； and when she was convinced that she had the right one； she tapped it against her chest and whispered a word。
Though there was no way for her to verify it； sitting on the forest floor in the magical darkness； the wand's magic had made her invisible。 She stood as quietly as she could； cringing at every soft rustle or clink of her mail； and began steadily moving away。
Halisstra broke out into the open night much sooner than she expected…it seemed she had been sitting no more than six or seven feet from the edge of the darkness。 Confident in her invisibility； she stood up straight and looked around。 The forest looked much as it had before； except there was no sign of her panions or the woodsmen and surface elves who had attacked them。 The moon was rising； and its brilliant silver light flooded the forest floor。 She set off in what she hoped was a westerly direction； moving as quickly and quietly as she could。
She soon came upon the scene of a furious battle； if she read the signs right。 Several large； blackened circles in the forest still smoldered。 In other places the bodies of perhaps half a dozen surface elves and green…garbed human warriors lay where they'd fallen； most bearing the marks of sword； mace； and talon。 Of the drow； there was no sign。
Halisstra tried to remember what she'd seen of the pale elves and their human allies； deciding that there might have been as many as fifteen to twenty of the surface folk。
〃Where are your rades； I wonder？〃 she asked the fallen warriors before moving on。
Halisstra only managed another half mile through the moonlit forest before she stumbled into the ambush。 One moment she was stealing along； quick and confident； eager to catch up to the rest of the pany and the familiar perils of their association； the next she was surprised by the appearance of a surface elf wizard who simply stepped out of a tree and hurled a spell at her； barking words of arcane might as he gestured with his hands。
〃Quick！〃 he shouted。 〃We have her！〃
Halisstra's invisibility failed at once； undone by the surface wizard； and from the foliage and tree trunks all around her a dozen of the pale elves and the green…clad humans abruptly appeared； weapons at the ready。 They leaped at her； murder in their eyes； filling the forest with their war cries and shouts of exultation。
Recognizing the hopelessness of her plight； Halisstra snarled in pure drow rage and charged to meet the surface warriors； determined not to sell her life cheaply。
The first foe in her path was a hulking human with a bristling black beard； fighting with a pair of short swords。 He launched into a spinning attack； stabbing one blade at her eyes to raise her shield and slipping the other low to gut her while her guard was high。 Halisstra simply dodged aside and hammered down at his extended left arm with her mace； striking a heavy blow that cracked bone and jarred the blade from his injured hand。 The man grunted in pain but kept at her； giving ground grudgingly as he continued to hew and slash with his one remaining sword。
Three more of his rades moved up to engage Halisstra from all sides； and she was forced on the defensive； batting spear and blade aside with her shield and delivering crushing parries with her magical mace。 The forest echoed with the sounds of steel on steel。
〃Take her alive if you can；〃 called the wizard。 〃Lord Dessaer wants to find out who these newers are and where they came from。〃
〃Easier said than done；〃 grunted the first swordsman； still holding his ground despite the loss of his off…hand blade。 〃She does not seem interested in surrendering。〃
Halisstra growled in frustration and abruptly turned on the elf to her left； slipping inside the point of his spear and rushing him。 The fellow backstepped and brought in his weapon as quickly as he could； but she had him。
With a snarl of cold glee she smashed her mace hard at the bridge of his nose。 The weapon struck with a deadly crack of thunder and blew apart the skull of her victim； who fell in a nerveless heap。
She paid the price for her aggressive move a moment later when the elf swordsman behind her jammed the point of his weapon into her left shoulder blade despite her cat…quick effort to twist away from the attack。 Steel grated on