Realms of the Underdark - J. Robert King [26]
"Turn over," Zak ordered. "Let me see your face. But do it slowly, or you'll lose your head in the process."
The other rolled over. Zak raised an eyebrow in surprise. This was hardly the foe he had expected.
"Hello, Master Zaknafein," Drizzt Do'Urden said in a polite voice.
Despite himself, a chuckle rose in Zak's throat. The boy was a good fighter, and even though he had been defeated, there was no fear in his eyes. The young drow had spirit. More's the pity, Zak thought, for it would only be ground out of him in the years ahead. But right now, Zak had other matters with which to concern himself. He hauled Drizzt to his feet and flipped back the boy's piwafwi. Tucked into Drizzt's belt was an ornate knife, a large purple gem winking in its hilt. The spiderjewel had not erred.
Zak gave the boy a sharp stare. "Tell me how you came by this. Now."
Drizzt nodded in quick compliance. In even tones, he told of stumbling on the treasure room and the scrying bowl, and how he had reached into the water to grasp the relic. Zak listened in growing amazement. He did not doubt the boy's words. It was clear he was no liar- another trait that would cause him trouble in the dark world of the drow.
"Are you angry with me, Master Zaknafein?" Drizzt asked when he had finished.
Zak did not know how to answer that one. For some reason, he wished to reassure the boy. Impossible as it seemed-this was one of Rizzen's scions, after all- Drizzt reminded Zak of himself. He knelt and started to tell the boy that everything was going to work out now.
That was when he heard the chittering. Zak jerked his head up. A cold edge of dread sliced into his gut. He had forgotten about the jade spiders.
Two massive forms scuttled toward them, green and glistening, smooth stone made animate. The function of the house's jade spiders was to protect the compound against intruders. By attacking a scion of the house, Zak had made himself an intruder, and he had seen what jade spiders did to intruders. Usually there wasn't enough remaining to even identify the victim's race.
Smooth legs clicking against the stone floor, the jade spiders approached.
"What's happening?" Drizzt asked, glancing in confusion at the magical monsters. "Why are the jade spiders attacking us?"
"They're not attacking us," Zak growled. "It's me they're after. Now get back." He drew his swords, one in each hand.
A grim light flashed in the boy's strange purple eyes. "No, I'm going to help you."
Zak stared in astonishment, then shook his head. He started to tell the young drow to get back, but it was too late. The chitinous clicking sound crescendoed as the jade spiders attacked.
The weapons master was ready for them. His two blades formed a whirling barrier before him. The spiders reached out only to have their barbed legs beaten back. However, the swords did nothing more than keep the spiders at bay. Even the adamantite blades could not bite through enchanted stone. Zak continued to swing his swords in a dizzying pattern, fending off the spiders, but step by step, he lost ground, inching back toward the open archway.
He heard the chittering behind him almost too late. A third jade spider approached from the rear. He glanced over his shoulder to see it lumber through the archway, right toward Drizzt. In its attempt to get at Zak it would kill the boy. "Drizzt, run!" he shouted.
But the boy held his ground. He gripped the Dagger of Menzoberra in one hand, and with the other scooped up a carving knife from among the broken crockery on the floor. With an intent look, he waved the blades at the spider. His motions were wild and ineffectual, and the spider batted the knives aside, opening its pincers, ready to sink them into the boy's flesh. Zak tried to break away from the other spiders but could not disengage. The third spider lunged toward Drizzt for the killing blow.
It happened with such speed Zak almost didn't believe his eyes. Face grim with determination, Drizzt thrust out both knives