Daughter of the Drow - Elaine Cunningham [15]
Even with this pleasing prospect before them, Liriel's companions grew more uneasy with every step. The utter darkness of the passage did not inconvenience them in the slightest, but the silence deeply unnerved them. In Menzoberranzan, the noise of the city melted into a constant, spell-muffled murmur spiced by an occasional scream. In these tunnels their quiet footsteps thudded in their ears with a hollow, echoing sound, like stones falling into a deep well. Liriel, of course, walked like a shadow, thanks to her enchanted elven boots and two dozen years' experience with such exploration. Her gait was light and eager, her eyes fixed on the adventure ahead.
Yet Liriel was not unaware of her companions' discomfort. She knew Bythnara Shobalar well; the two of them had trained together from a young age. Gromph had apparently tired of his precocious daughter soon after adopting her, and sent her to House Shobalar to be fostered and trained by that clan's female wizards. A childhood rivalry had sprung up between Liriel and Bythnara that had followed them throughout the years. Liriel took this in stride, and in fact found it rather enjoyable. It sharpened both their efforts and added a necessary spice to their friendship. Despite their mutual interest in magic, the two had little in common. Bythnara did not share Liriel's delight in adventure or her sense of fun. The female wizard could be remote at times-and downright dull the rest of the time-but Liriel was well accustomed to the limits of friendship.
"Are we almost there?" Bythnara complained behind her.
"Soon."
"But we've been walking for hours, and by now Lloth only knows where we could be! We could die out here, and no one would know the difference!"
Liriel glanced back over her shoulder and winked at her friend. She did not, however, slow her pace in the slightest. "Correction, Bythnara: you could die out here and not know the difference."
The wizard's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"
"Of course not," Liriel said mildly, turning back to the path ahead. "It's an insult. When I die, I'll no doubt realize something has changed. You, on the other hand…"
"Perhaps I don't run through life at your pace, but that is no matter for scorn. 'Caution is the better part of wisdom."
"Bythnara quoted in a tight voice.
"And the major part of boredom," Liriel returned lightly.
"What about you, Syzwick?" she asked the male. Bythnara's latest consort was the son of a well-to-do perfume merchant. He was obscenely wealthy, highly decorative, spirited yet manageable-all qualities that made him very popular with the females in their set. "Are you having second thoughts, as well?"
"Of course not," the male said staunchly, shifting his spear to his other shoulder. "Still, we have been gone quite a long time."
"It'll be worth every moment," Liriel promised. She stopped suddenly, flinging out a hand to indicate they should do likewise. She pointed downward, and both of her companions gasped.
The trio stood on the very edge of a riverbank. Several feet below them lay a calm, dark expanse of water. The river ran deep, silent, and very cold. Its waters were said to come from lands of ice far above the Underdark. Although the air here was warmer than the water, a constant cloud of mist floated over the river like a guardian wraith.
The boat is moored right below us," Liriel said, pointing down at a long, narrow skiff.
She leaped