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.She took Armod's place as guide and led us forward, and the gloomy citadels of the City Rebuilt were replaced by shadowy piles of rubble.The sound of Halah's hooves changed from a regular slurp to an unpredictable clatter, and the light of the full moon shone down to pave our way in glimmering silver.The stench of the Harbor Ward vanished, and Svanhild grew less tense behind me.She leaned forward and brought her lips close to my ear."Why did you come to Zhentil Keep?" she whispered."You must know the Cyrinishad is gone.We spent an entire year sending letters to important True Believers.""You didn't send one to me," I retorted."But I do know of the letter you sent my Caliph.""So, why are you here?"I held my tongue, for I had no wish to blurt out the truth to this woman.Fzoul might have stayed in his tower all day, watching and wondering when we would arrive-or someone might have told him we were coming at dusk, and that someone could be Svanhild as easily as any other of Zhentil Keep's acolytes."Well?" Svanhild pressed.I craned my neck over my shoulder."You ask too many questions, Sister."Svanhild jerked back as though I had struck her, yet her arms stayed tight around my waist-the better to hold me when Fzoul sprang his trap, I supposed.I furtively scanned the shadows, until it came to me I had little to fear from an ambush.With Tyr's protection to keep me whole and a mount such as Halah to insure my escape, no assault would harm me or my quest.Thus assured, I did a foolish thing: I leaned down to pat my faithful horse on the neck.Halah swung her head around and bared her sharp teeth, and I barely had time to move my leg before her jaws snapped together.Svanhild leaned forward."What's wrong with her?""She is angry because the dog escaped." Mystra's spell compelled me to add, "Or maybe because I took her bone away.""Who is the master?" Svanhild snorted."You or Halah?""Who do you think? As I said, Cyric made her."Kelda turned down a broad, rocky furrow that had once been a street.About fifty paces ahead, the path ended beneath a high, unbroken wall.There we found the rest of the acolytes.They were waiting in the mouth of a steep-sided trench where someone, or perhaps something, had tunneled through the rubble to create a narrow passage.One of the brothers pointed down the channel."The Annihi-lator went there.Thir is still-""Hurry!" Thir's voice sounded muffled and distant as it rolled out of the trench."He's trying to escape!"Kelda and the others rushed into the trench at once, but I held Halah in check and let them clatter through the dark alone."Go!" Svanhild commanded, kicking at Halah's flanks.A snarl like a lion's rumbled up from the mare's throat and she took a tentative step forward.I jerked the reins to stop her, and she in turn kicked up her rear legs, nearly dislodging Sister Svanhild."Malik! What are you doing?" Svanhild clutched my waist to keep from falling."I thought you wanted to catch Fzoul!""As I said, you ask too many questions." Mystra's spell compelled me to add, "I did not get this far by being stupid.I see the ambush you are planning.""Ambush?" Truly, she sounded surprised, and I realized how practiced she was at lying.A loud crack echoed out of the narrow trench, then a silver flash bounced off its steep walls.Someone screamed in agony."See?" I exclaimed."I am no fool!"The acolytes cried out as one.A soft roar crackled out of the trench, then an orange glow lit the stones in its depths.Svanhild took one arm from my waist, and something sharp pricked my back."You wanted to find the Annihilator, and we have found him.Now ride!""Stupid woman-do you think I fear your knife?" Despite my words, I had nudged Halah into the trench, for I still meant to track Fzoul to his home."You saw the quarrels bounce off my back when I entered Zhentil Keep.I am protected by Tyr himself!"Tyr?" Svanhild shoved her dagger forward, but the blade tangled in my robe and scraped past my ribs and did not inflict even a scratch.She spat on my neck."Traitor! Tyr-loving spy!""Me?" I paid no attention to her attempt to kill me."You are the betrayer!"As all this happened, we rode half the length of the trench.I could have leaned out and touched the stones to either side, and the walls loomed so high above us they blocked the moonlight.Halah raised a terrible clatter as she stumbled through the darkness-but this hardly mattered, for a mighty roaring and a horrid screaming suddenly arose from the far end of the channel.I looked up to see an imposing, long-haired figure twenty paces down the trench, trapped against a half-buried wall.A low curtain of fire burned between him and the handful of his attackers still standing; the rest of the One's acolytes lay rolling on the ground, screaming in agony and beating at the flames on their bodies.My throat grew dry at the prowess of my quarry, but I had no time for wonderment.Svanhild pushed herself from Halah's rump and dropped to the rubble behind us.She fell to her knees and raised her arms to the heavens
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