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have good reason to fear the plane of shadow. As a younger and more impulsive mage I learned—the hard way—that shadow walking confers no special protection against the attentions of those creatures that dwell in the dark realm. In fact, I was very nearly devoured by something I would not care to meet again.” The wizard offered a wry grin and added, “Naturally, I now regard shadow walking as an option of last resort. I only suggest it now because I deem it slightly less dangerous than tendays of travel across the surface world.”
    “We will exercise all due caution,” Quenthel said. “Let’s be about it, then.”
    “Not so fast. I must prepare the spell. I will require about an hour to make ready.”
    “Do so without delay,” Quenthel said. She glanced around at the ruins, and shaded her eyes. “The sooner we are back below ground, the better.”

Chapter
    TWO
    While Pharaun retired to a dark, quiet chamber to study his grimoires and ready his spells, the rest of the party gathered their gear and prepared to leave. They were woefully unprepared for a long journey on the surface; Halisstra and Danifae had no packs or supplies of any kind. The Menzoberranyr had wisely recovered their packs before escaping Ched Nasad, but their long journey to the City of Shimmering Webs had depleted their stores.
    While they waited for Pharaun, Halisstra studied the ruins in more detail. She had something of a scholarly inclination, and deliberately taking an interest in the ancient city was as good a way as any of keeping her mind from dwelling on the last awful hours of her home city. The others busied themselves with the small tasks of breaking camp, or waited patiently in the deepest shadows they could find. Halisstra gathered the few things she had brought and set out from the ruined court. Her eye fell on Danifae, who knelt quietly in the shade of a broken arch, calmly watching her leave.
    Halisstra paused, and called, “Come, Danifae.”
    She didn’t like the idea of leaving her servant alone with the Menzoberranyr. Danifae had served her well for years, but circumstances had changed.
    The maidservant stood smoothly and followed. Halisstra led her through the crumbling shell of the palace surrounding the courtyard, and they emerged onto a wide boulevard arrowing through the heart of the old city. The air had warmed noticeably in the hour or more since sunrise, but it was still bitterly cold, and the brilliance of the day seemed almost enhanced by the crystal clarity of the skies. Both women stood blinded for several long moments in the sunshine.
    “This is no good,” muttered Halisstra. “I’m squinting so hard I can’t see my hand in front of my face.”
    Even when she managed to open her eyes, she could see little more than bright, painful spots.
    “Valas says it’s possible to get used to daylight, with time,” Danifae offered. “I find that hard to believe, now that I have experienced it myself. A good thing we mean to return to the Underdark soon.” Halisstra heard a small tearing sound from beside her, and Danifae pressed a strip of cloth into her hand. “Tie this over your eyes, Mistress. Perhaps it will help.”
    Halisstra managed to arrange the dark cloth as a makeshift veil. It did indeed help to abate the fierce glare of the sun.
    “That’s better,” Halisstra said.
    Danifae tore another small strip and bound it around her own eyes as her mistress examined the ruins. It seemed to Halisstra that the palace they’d taken shelter in was one of the more prominent buildings, which only made sense. Magical portals were not easy to make, and were often found in well-hidden or vigilantly guarded locations. A colonnade stood along the front of the palace, and across the boulevard was another great building—a temple, or perhaps a court of some kind. There was something familiar about the architecture of the buildings.
    “Netherese,” she said. “See the square column bases, and the pointed arches in the