e。 Several priestesses lay battered and insensible on the floor。 For a moment； Quenthel couldn't make out what had caused the mess； then the culprit scuttled across her field of vision toward another hapless servant of Lolth。
The intruder was a gigantic spider bearing a close resemblance to the gleaming black effigies around it； and upon seeing it； Quenthel scowled at an unfamiliar and unwele pang of doubt。
On the one hand； the demon； if that was what it truly was； was attacking her pupils and staff； but on the other； it was a kind of spider； sacred to Lolth。 Perhaps it was even her emissary； sent to punish the weak and heretical。 Maybe Quenthel should simply step aside and permit it to continue its rampage。
It sensed her somehow； turned； and rushed toward her as if it had been looking for her all along。 Though many spiders possessed several eyes； this one； she observed； was exceptional beyond the point of deformity。 The head behind the jagged mandibles was virtually nothing but a mass of bulging eyes； and a scatter of others opened here and there about the creature's shiny black bulb of a body。
Its peculiarities notwithstanding； the spider's manifest hostile intent resolved Quenthel's uncertainty in an instant。 She would kill the freakish thing。
The question was； how？ She did not feel weak—she never had and never would—but she knew it was scarcely the optimal time for her to fight such a battle。 On top of any other disadvantages； she wasn't even wearing her mail tunic or piwafwi。 She rarely did within the walls of ArachTinilith。 For the most part； her minions feared her too much to attempt an assassination； and she had always been confident that she wouldn't need armor to disappoint any who did not。
As she backed away from the charging spider； her slim； gleaming obsidian hands opened the pouch at her belt； extracted a roll of vellum； and unrolled it for her scrutiny； all with practiced ease and likewise with a certain annoyance； for the magical scroll was a treasure； and she was about to use it up。 But it was necessary； and the parchment was scarcely the only magical implement hoarded within those walls。
Rapidly； but with perfect rhythm and pronunciation； she read the verses； the golden characters vanishing from the page as she spoke the words。 Dark； heatless flame leaped from the vellum to the floor and shot across that polished surface faster than a wildfire propagating itself across a stand of dead； dry fungus； defining a path that led from herself to the demon。
The black conflagration washed over the demon's dainty bladed feet。 It should also have driven the manyeyed creature helplessly backward； but it didn't。 The arachnid kept ing nimbly as before； which was to say； considerably faster than the best effort of a drow。
〃The spirit has defenses against the magic〃 cried K'Sothra； perhaps the least intelligent of the whip vipers and certainly the one most inclined to belabor the obvious。
Quenthel wouldn't have time to attempt another spell before the spider reached her； nor could she outrun it。 She would have to outmaneuver it instead。 Dropping the useless sheet of parchment； she turned and dived beneath the belly of one of the statues。 Unless it had the power to shrink or shape shift； the invader wouldn't be able to negotiate the same low space。
She slid on the floor； rubbing her elbows hot。 One of the snakes cursed foully when its scaly； wedgeshaped head rapped against the stone。 She rolled over and saw that she had only bought herself a moment。 No； the demon couldn't slip under the statue but； clustered eyes glaring； it was rapidly clambering over the top of it。 Up close； it had a foul； carrion smell。
Quenthel knew that if she permitted the spider to pounce down on her； the monster would hold her down and snip her apart with its mandibles。 She sprang to her feet and swung her whip。
The vipers twisted in flight to bring their fangs to bear。 Those poisonous spikes plunged deep and ripped downward； tearing gashes in some of the demon's bulging； clustered eyes before yanking free。 The ans gushed fluid and collapsed； and the serpents thrashed in joy。
Quenthel could feel their exultation through the psionic link they shared； but she knew it was premature。 The spider had plenty of other eyes； and the stroke had only balked it for an instant。 It was still going to spring。
Though caught without certain of her protections； Quenthel was at least wearing the necklace of dull black pearls。 She reached up； slipped one of the enchanted beads from the specially crafted fine gold chain； and threw it at the spider。
White light blazed around her； seemingly emanating from all directions at once。 Thanks be to Lolth； this time her magic had an effect。 The spider slipped and floundered。 Encased in an invisible sphere of magical force it thrashed about in panic。 The explosion had opened horrid sores that speckled the creature's body。 Unfortunately； it seemed able to ignore whatever pain those wounds caused it and continued scratching at the restraining sphere。 Bluewhite sparks flashed at the tips of its feet； and Quenthel knew it was using more than brute force and panic to break free。
Speak to me； Quenthel thought； sure the words would be heard in the spider's mind。 She felt a connection； but a tenuous one； perhaps attenuated by the sphere of force。
The sphere faded as Quenthel swung the whip again； trying to smash through the creature's hideous visage and into the brain that presumably lay behind it。
The spider sprang away as explosively as one of its tiny jumping cousins； arcing high and landing at the far end of the chamber behind a rank of sculptures。 The spirit scuttled through the shadows； and even though Quenthel was watching intently； in another second she lost track of it。
Where are you？ she sent。
The reply was a burst of anger from the creature no mere words could convey。 Quenthel gave up trying to municate with it； though if it was a servant of Lolth； it should respond to her。
〃You could get out now； Mistress；〃 said Hsiv； the first imp Quenthel had bound inside a whip viper。 〃From over there； it couldn't reach you before you run out the door。〃
〃Nonsense〃 she snapped。 〃The brute disrupted my Academy； threatened my person； and I will have my vengeance。〃
Infected with her anger； the banded vipers reared and hissed until she silenced them with a mental mand。
One of the priestesses sprawled on the floor was moaning in pain。 Quenthel stalked over to the spider's victim and kicked her in the head； silencing her instantly。
The drow high priestess had eliminated all extraneous sounds； but it didn't help her locate the spider。 Save for the soft hiss of her own breathing； the chamber was silent。
Turning slowly； heart pounding； she inspected the arachnid effigies all around her。 Did that jointed spindle of a leg just twitch？ Did that head； coyly turned just enough that she couldn't quite get an adequate look at it； possess too many eyes？ Had the figure on the right shifted a hair closer when she wasn't looking？
No； no； and no。 It was just her imagination； trying to supply what observation had not。
She sniffed repeatedly； but that was no help； either。 The spider's stink hung in the air； but it seemed no stronger in one direction than another。
Curse it； the demon had to be somewhere
Yes； she realized； but it didn't have to still be on the floor； not if it could skitter up vertical surfaces like its smaller kindred。
Assuming the demon was clinging to the upper walls or ceiling it might have taken it a moment to shake off the shock of the flare and its ugly wounds； but surely it was creeping into the best position from which to leap down on its adversary。
Quenthel peered upward。 The artists had decorated the shadowy highest reaches of the chamber as well。 The ceiling was an octagonal web a crawl with painted spiders； providing splendid camouflage for the creature。 If it was in fact crouching in their midst； she couldn't see it。
Still scanning the ceiling； the whip vipers keeping watch as well； she backed to one of the wall sconces and read the trigger phrase from another scroll； whereupon the candle flame leaped up and turned a roiling black。 She put her arm into the dark fire； and her flowing gossamer sleeve caught instantly。
Though they were at the end of what was； thus far； the nonburning arm； the serpents hissed and coiled in alarm。 Quenthel brought them to heel with a brutal thrust of her will。 Feeling naught but a pleasant warmth； she silently manded the dark fire。 A portion of the magical stuff flowed down her arm and congealed into a soft； semisolid ball in her palm。 She threw it； and her magic shot it up like a sling bullet to strike the ceiling fresco where it splashed into a great gout of murky flame。
Quenthel followed that first missile with a steady barrage。 Where the dark fire had kissed it； the fresco began to burn with ordinary yellow flame； suffusing the air with eyestinging smoke and a vile stink that was also a sickening； throatclenching taste at the back of her mouth。
She was throwing blindly； but with the blaze above spreading； it shouldn't matter。 Surely the spider wouldn't simply sit still and allow itself to burn。 The fire ought to spur it into motion and thus into visibility。
Unless； of course； the spider wasn't really on the ceiling； which was a real possibility。 Maybe it was actually hiding elsewhere。 It might even be creeping up on her while she stared at the burning painting and the nervous vipers worried more about their proximity to a dark fire than about keeping watch。
No； her intuition had pointed her in the right direction。 She spotted the spider as it gathered itself to spring down at her； and having flushed it out； she need only survive its renewed attack。
She dived from beneath its plummeting form and rolled； leaving a trail of black； burning scraps of cloth behind on the floor。 The creature with its tattered； oozing eyes landed with a thump； its eight legs flexing to absorb the impact。
Quenthel scrambled up and backed away from it。 Her whole gown was aflame； nearly her entire body shrouded in dark fire。 She threw another ball of the stuff； which spattered on the demon's back and streamed down its flanks。 To her delight； her magic affected it again。 The spider too wore a mantle of sha