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ch as he remembered； the same powerful； shapely limbs and heart…shaped face； with only a few more scars where one or another of her visitors had pressed down two hard； as well as a split lip and closed； puffy eye where a more recent caller had beaten her。
She lifted her face； saw him； and charged with her long…nailed hands outstretched。 Then she staggered as one of her governing enchantments riddled her body with pain； and an instant later hit the end of the chains securing her to the wall。 She lost her balance and fell on her rump。
〃Hello； Pellanistra；〃 Pharaun said。
She spat at him； then screwed up her face at another flare of punishnotment。 The gobbet of saliva fell well short of the wizard's soft； high boots。
〃Much as I dislike descending to the obvious；〃 Pharaun said； 〃I feel pelled to observe that you're only hurting yourself。〃 He stepped fornotward and extended his hand。 〃e on； let's sit and have a talk； just like in the old days。 I'll even remove the shackles if you wish。〃
〃We had a bargain！〃 she said。
〃I refuse to have an extended conversation with someone sitting on the floor。 It promises my dignity as much as it does yours。 e on； be sensible。 Take my hand。〃
She didn't do that； but； chains clinking； she did clamber to her bare feet unassisted。 He caught a whiff of some flowery scent that Nym had forced her to wear。
〃Now； isn't that better？〃 he asked。 〃Do you want the manacles off？〃
〃We had a pact； and I was holding up my end。〃
〃I wish you'd invite me to sit down。〃
〃You abandoned me！〃
Pharaun spread his slender； long…fingered hands and said； 〃All right； priestess。 If you think it necessary； we'll belabor the self…evident a bit longer。 Yes； I recruited you into my service。 Yes； you were doing splennotdidly…well on your way to earning your liberation…but my circumnotstances changed。 Surely you heard something about it。〃
〃Yes。 You backed the wrong sister； and Greyanna made a fool of you。 She killed her twin； and you were powerless to stop it。 If you hadn't turned tail and run away to Sorcere； she would have slain you； too。〃
Pharaun smiled crookedly。 〃I don't think I'll encourage the bards to put it quite that way when they pose the epic story of my life。〃
〃But after you established yourself up on Tier Breche； after you were free to e and go as you pleased； you could have returned here。〃
〃I have； on occasion； just not to call on you。 I thought it might be a little awkward。〃
〃I could have helped you the same as before。〃
〃Alas； no。 After my withdrawal from House Mizzrym； I no longer had a stake in the power struggles within my family or among the noble Houses； either。 I no longer needed intelligence about such matters。 The only rivalry that concerned me was the one among wizards； and even if you number the foremost practitioners of my art among your guests； I doubt they whisper the esoterica of their newly invented spells in your ears。 When it es to our discoveries； we wizards are a closemouthed breed。〃
〃You don't know what it was like for me 。 。 。 is like for me； abused and degraded by my inferiors； constrained in body； mind； and soul； unable to mune with Lolth。 。。。〃
Pharaun raised his hand。 〃Please； you're embarrassing yourself。 You sound like a whining human； or one of our foul cousins in the World Above。 Cease this tirade； take a breath； and think； then you will realize； enemy of Menzoberranzan； that my concern for your well…being has always been； at best； limited。 How could it be otherwise？ Sentiment cernottainly wasn't strong enough to make me spend a fortune buying you free of Nym； or； if he and I couldn't strike a deal； break you out of