never ventured into Halaster's halls before, and I was thrilled at the prospect. It's all the rage these days, you know.'
Artek and Beckla rolled their eyes but kept listening.
'The hunting party set out from Lord Thai's private entrance into Undermountain,' Corin went on, his enthusiasm growing. 'We were a grand sight. A dozen strong, and all bearing bright swords. Of course, I had my trusty rapier here.' He patted the slender blade at his hip.
Artek barely managed to stifle a snort. A real monster wouldn't even feel the bite of that rat-sticker. Nobles, he thought derisively-they were all fools of fashion, and nothing more.
'I was having an absolutely marvelous time.' Corin’s bright expression darkened. 'That is, until I got lost. It was my own fault. I lingered behind to examine a fascinating stone vase-I think it was Third Dynasty Calishite-while the others continued on ahead. When I tried to catch up, the rest of the party was nowhere to be seen. We had been making for a place called the Emerald Fountain. I tried to find the fountain, hoping to meet the others there, but it was no use. And then,' said Corin, shuddering, 'the Outcasts captured me.'
'Wait a minute,' Beckla interrupted. 'Why were you going to the Emerald Fountain?'
'It was Darien's idea,' Corin answered. 'He said it was a magical font, and that if I drank from its waters, I would gain wisdom beyond my years. I could do with a little extra wisdom, as I am to take the seventh seat on the Circle of Nobles in two days' time.'
'It's not wisdom you would have gained from drinking from the Emerald Fountain,' Beckla said darkly. 'Death is all you would have found in its green waters.'
'But Darien's my dearest friend!' Corin protested. 'Why would he tell me to drink from the fountain if it wasn't safe?'
Artek bit his lower lip. That was a good question. Tell me something, Silvertor,' he said. 'If you were not present when the vote was held, who would ascend to the Circle of Nobles in your stead?'
Corin shrugged. 'Why, I imagine Lord Thai is the next in line. But what does that-oh!' The young lord's eyes went wide with sudden realization.
Artek nodded. This was all starting to make sense. He plied Corin with more questions about Darien Thai and the hunting trip and soon pieced together a story. While he wasn't certain if it was exactly right, he knew it couldn't be far from the truth.
Without doubt, Lord Darien Thai wanted the vacant seat on the Circle of Nobles for himself He had invited Corin on a hunt into Undermountain, secretly planning for the young lord to meet with an unfortunate 'accident,' after which nothing would stand between Darien and the seat on the Circle. Yet Darien had not counted on Corin getting lost before the foolish young lord could be disposed of.
That's where I came in, Artek thought angrily. Darien did not want to take the chance that Corin would somehow manage to stumble on a way out of Undermountain in time for the vote. He needed someone to go below and finish the job. All along it had been Artek's task not to rescue Corin, but to make certain that he never returned from Undermountain. The golden box from Melthis had not malfunctioned at all. The gate had taken them exactly where Darien had intended-deeper into Undermountain.
'Guhr og noth!' Artek swore. It was an orcish oath, learned from his father. Rage boiled in his blood at the one possible conclusion.
Lord Darien Thai had betrayed him.
Webs of Deceit
Arms crossed over her chest, Beckla paced in agitation before a leering statue of some nameless beast. Corin watched, apprehension written plainly across his boyish face.
'This is just wonderful,' the wizard said acidly. 'I thought you were going to get me out of this dump, Ar'talen, and now Fm deeper than ever.' She let out a sharp sigh of exasperation. 'I suppose that will teach me to trust a thief.'
Artek slumped against a wall. He stared blankly at the bas-relief carving of lost souls falling into the dark void of the Abyss. So this is how the line of Arthaug ends, he thought bitterly. Not in glory, ruling over the Garug-Mal once more, but in ignominy, alone and forgotten in a hole in the ground. Artek sighed dejectedly. He had been wrong to turn his back on the darkness within him. And this was the punishment that deed had wrought.
“I’m sorry to have led you to a bad end, Beckla,' he said hoarsely. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way.'
The wizard paused in her pacing to glare hotly at him. 'Oh, that's just great,' she said disgustedly. 'First you get me into this mess, and then you decide to just lie down and give up. You know, I don't think you're half the thief all the stories made you out to be, Artek Ar’talen.'
No, I'm only a quarter, he almost spat, but swallowed the words instead. 'You said it yourself, Beckla,' he said grimly. 'No one has ever gone this deep in Under-mountain and returned to tell about it. In an entire year, you couldn't find a way out of this maze's uppermost halls. So what chance do we have this deep down?'
Beckla clenched her too-square jaw angrily but said nothing.
After an uncomfortable silence, Corin cleared his throat. 'Excuse me,' he said in a meek voice. 'I know Fm hardly the most qualified person to offer an opinion on this matter, seeing as I'm the one who's theoretically being rescued here.' He made a vaguely hopeful gesture with his hands. 'But couldn't we at least try to find a way out of this dreadful place? It certainly seems like the reasonable thing to do.'
Artek let out a derisive snort. 'You see this?' He thrust out his arm, pulling up the sleeve of his jerkin to reveal the magical tattoo. 'In less than two days, this thing is going to kill me. And in less than two days, the nobility of Waterdeep is going to hold its vote, and Lord Darien Thai will ascend to the seventh seat on the Circle of Nobles.'
He jerked the sleeve back down, covering the tattoo. 'Don't you understand? There's no point in trying to escape. Even if we could find a way out of this hole, it would certainly take us more than two days, and by that time I'd be dead. And if you managed to get out, Corin, Fm sure the first thing Darien would do in his new position of power would be to find a way to dispose of you.'
Chagrined, Corin fell silent and hung his head.
'Well, that still leaves me,' Beckla snapped. 'Or had you forgotten? I certainly still want to try to find a way out of this pit.'
Then be my guest,' Artek grumbled. He turned his back on the wizard.
Anger burned in her brown eyes. She ran a frustrated hand through her dose-cropped brown hair. For a moment she bit her lip, considering something. Then, abruptly, she spoke several harsh, guttural words.
'Morth al hough nothok, Artek Ar'talen! Bettah al nothokari!'
The words sliced at Artek like knives. It had been years since he last heard them. Drawing in a hissing.breath, he spun around, advancing on the wizard. 'Where did you learn to speak that?' he demanded fiercely.
Beckla stepped backward, momentarily startled by the fury blazing in his black eyes. Corin stared at the two in open alarm. Then, visibly, the wizard steeled herself. 'I once traded spells with an orcish sorcerer!” she said evenly, a sly smile on her lips. 'Of course, I learned a few things other than spells from him. And I heard him use that oath once or twice.'
Artek shook with rage. Old memories surfaced in his mind, of a father berating his child for being too afraid to pick a rich merchant's purse. 'Do you know what those words mean?' he choked.
Beckla nodded solemnly. '‘Your heart is not that of an orc. It is that of a goblin.' I think that's an accurate translation, don't you?' She clucked her tongue at his shocked expression. 'Come now, Ar'talen. Don't be so surprised. All the stories say that orcish blood runs in your veins.'
Artek opened his mouth, but he could find no reply. Only once had Arturg used those words with him, but once had been enough. There was no greater insult among ore kindred than to have one's heart compared to a goblin's. It was an accusation of cowardice, a brand of worthlessness. As a child, Artek had done everything he could to please his father in order to make certain that he never heard those hateful words again. Now this arrogant wizard had dared to speak them herself.
