Windwalker - Elaine Cunningham [56]
Come to think of it, his day was far from over.
Perhaps, Durham mused, his old friend Khelben could wait awhile before learning about this night's adventure.
CHAPTER SEVEN
homecoming
Shakti paused at the gate of House Hunzrin. Wrapped in her new piwafwi and cloaked in invisibility, she gazed at her childhood home and her inheritance.
The family mansion lay on the outskirts of Menzoberranzan, close to the fields and pastures whose care was the business of House Hunzrin. The estate was not as large as many of the city's mansions, comprising only three large stalactites, a few connecting bridges, and a number of rather ramshackle outbuildings.
Even so, pride filled Shakti. It was not an imposing estate, but it was hers, or soon would be. Judging from the individual standards that draped one of the crosswalks, her older sister had finally succumbed to that mysterious wasting disease. The banner bearing her mark-a ridiculous thing showing the silhouette of a rothй against a circle meant to depict a wheel of cheese-no longer hung in second position. In its place hung a banner emblazoned with Shakti's symbol, a pitchfork flowing with magical energy. She was now her mother's heir, a high priestess in the full favor of Lolth. In many regards, her future looked deliciously dark.
But first she had to sort through the puzzling secret that had been entrusted to her. It would be rank foolishness to show herself at House Hunzrin before these matters were settled. She had a younger sister who would not hesitate to exploit the weakness that Shakti's uncertain state presented.
Still wrapped in invisibility, Shakti walked through the city to the Baenre estate. As she neared the outer wall, she flipped back her concealing cloak and revealed herself to the guards. Magical wards surrounded the house like a moat, and it was better to come openly than to be caught approaching in stealth.
A squadron of guards surrounded her at once. They listened with narrowed eyes to her demand for audience and sent a runner to carry this message to the Matron Mother. In moments Triel's response arrived: a floating disk meant to convey a visiting priestess with honor.
Shakti settled down on the conveyance and held her head high as she progressed through the several gates that warded the residence. She had no doubt that Gromph would hear of her arrival within the hour.
Resolutely she put that out of mind. She would need all her wits to deal with the subtle and treacherous Triel. Any distraction would be lethal.
The disk brought her to directly to the door of Triel's audience chamber. Shakti dismounted on the driftdisk and began the long walk toward the matron's throne. The chamber was huge, with high-vaulting ceilings and intricately carved walls. Each footstep echoed softly, the sound like that of stones dropped into deep wells. This approach was meant to intimidate, but knowing this did not lessen the effect in the slightest.
Triel watched her approach through narrowed crimson eyes. The diminutive priestess had augmented her mother's throne with a gorgeously carved footrest. Shakti supposed it was less than dignified for a matron's feet to dangle like a child's when she sat in state.
She came to a stop at a respectful distance and sank into a low obeisance. The Baenre matron acknowledged Shakti's reverence with a steady, unreadable gaze, which Shakti met with an equally unwavering stare. Looking directly into the Baenre female's eyes, she announced, "Matron Triel, I have failed."
For a long moment, silence ruled the chamber as Triel plumbed this strange pronouncement for hidden depths.
"You did not bring Liriel with you," she said at last.
"I have not," Shakti admitted, still on her knees. "Lolth has a purpose for the princess that I do not yet fully understand."
The First Matron's crimson eyes narrowed dangerously. "You presume to speak for Lolth?"
Shakti bowed her head. "I only repeat the words her handmaiden the yochlol spoke to me."
She was rewarded with another silence-briefer this