Tangled webs - Elaine Cunningham [86]
Rethnor did not dispute her words, for he himself had occasionally wondered why his Kraken contact-whom until recently he had visualized as the woman in his lost scrying ring-had insisted that the portal could be used only by her fey messengers.
"What type of beings carry your orders?" the drow demanded, her words echoing his unspoken thoughts. "Nereids. They are vain and malicious creatures from another world-"
"The elemental plane of water," she interrupted. "Yes, i know all about those. But what about mortal beings? Humans, elves? The illithid's sea ogre troops? Can they pass through?"
Rethnor considered this. "i do not know."
Shakti gave a derisive sniff. "Perhaps we should find out." She jolted suddenly as if a new and illuminating thought had struck her.
"Liriel has proven herself skilled at managing portals," she mused. "if she can move an entire ship, surely she could find a way to pass through the gate that leads from Ruathym to Ascarle."
"Ah," Rethnor said, smiling a little as he nodded his approval. "You plan to lure this drow through the portal to Ascarle."
"Try not to be any more of an idiot than you must," Shakti advised him coldly. "Of course i would not risk such a prize in an untried portal! But think on this: by now the illithid knows Liriel Baenre as well as i myself do! Vestress has asked me many questions about the rogue wizard and has no doubt taken any information from my mind that i did not speak aloud. I now understand the illithid's interest. Mark me, Vestress needs the yellow-eyed bitch as much as i do!"
"To help her open the portal," Rethnor reasoned.
"it is the only possible explanation," Shakti agreed in a glum tone. The illithid had brought Shakti here, ostensibly to learn about recent events in the Underdark. Shakti, in return for this information, had been given surface contacts to the vast trade and intrigue network of the Kraken Society. It had seemed a worthwhile exchange for both. But as she reviewed her conversations with the illithid, Shakti realized Vestress had shown an inordinate amount of interest in Liriel and her adventures. Whatever worth Shakti had to the illithid was temporarily overshadowed by the promise of Liriel's wizardly skill. This deeply angered Shakti. Despite her newfound power and confidence, she found that her resentment of the Baenre princess was as keen as ever.
The drow seethed with deep frustration as she measured the delay Liriel's escape would bring. Shakti wished to return to Menzoberranzan as soon as possible. She could not do so, however, on her own power. The water wraith had brought her to the elemental plane of water, and from there to the undersea city. Shakti had expected a brief meeting with the head of the Kraken Society, not an extended stay. The demanding Baenres-Matron Triel and that wretched Gromph-might accept a brief absence while Shakti met with surface conspirators, but this delay was becoming untenable. The longer Shakti stayed away from Menzoberranzan, the more important it became that she return with a captive Liriel in tow. She could not wait for Rethnor's spies to find the wizard. It was time for her ally from the elemental plane to make good on their deal. "Where is iskor?" she demanded.
"The water wraith? She disappeared when the water elemental was destroyed, and i say good riddance to them both," Rethnor responded.
A wise move on iskor's part, Shakti thought grimly. The priestess was losing patience with the flighty creature and had started contemplating ways by which she might shatter the water nymph's glassy form. But those pleasant thoughts aside, Shakti needed to fmd Liriel, and soon, or her own welcome in Menzoberranzan would be less than cordial.
Neither Matron Triel nor Gromph were known for patience.
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