Suddenly, the ooze was gone, vanished back into the Ethereal Plane.
Cavatina sucked in a shuddering breath, exhaled through her nostrils, and blew out the sludge the ooze had left behind. She sang her thanks to the goddess-but couldn't hear anything. Movement behind her caught her eye: Leliana scrambling to her in utter silence, sword in hand, an astonished look on her face. The Protector halted at the edge of the acid slick the ooze had left behind and shouted something-but her words were lost in the magical silence. She switched to silent speech instead.
Where did you come from? Where did the ooze go?
The second question was the important one. It's ethereal, Cavatina signed back. Be careful. It might materialize again.
Behind Leliana, the male touched his fingers to the floor. He waved, hoping to catch their attention, then signed. Keep still. When the spell wears off, it will be able to feel us moving.
Cavatina glanced at Leliana. He cast the silence?
Leliana nodded. He's a Nightshadow.
Smart. But where's his mask?
Later.
The Nightshadow, his ruined eyes staring sightlessly, maintained his vigil, his fingers lightly touching the floor. The three waited-long enough for the acid that was everywhere to dry to a crust. Cavatina would have to renew her protection when she eventually washed it off. But that was the least of her worries. What mattered now was whether the ethereal ooze rematerialized.
It didn't.
Cavatina realized she could hear herself breathing.
"That was close," Leliana whispered.
The Nightshadow cocked his head. Nodded. Too close, he signed.
Cavatina was impressed. The male's senses were sharp. "I think we're safe now," she said, speaking aloud for his benefit. "If the ooze were going to attack again, it would be on us already. Oozes aren't intelligent enough to lie in wait." She crawled to the arch. Leliana followed.
"Where did you come from, Lady Cavatina?" Leliana repeated. "Did you find the portal?"
Cavatina was surprised. "You knew about it, too? How did you get into the room?"
"What room?"
Cavatina realized they must be talking about different portals. "Why don't you start by telling me how you got here, Leliana. In detail."
Leliana told a strange story of following a wizard's construct into a cavern that wept gray ooze. "It must have escaped from the Pit," she concluded. "It-"
"Yes. There's a planar breach."
"How did you know?"
"I saw it," Cavatina said grimly. "Finish your report."
Leliana bowed her head in acknowledgement of the order. She continued her report. It seemed that she and the male, whose name was Naxil, had done battle with a molten ooze-the one that had disfigured him. They'd journeyed to this spot along the route Cavatina had explored, past the now-solidified lava and up the staircase.
"How did you get around the barrier at the top of the stairs?" Cavatina asked.
Leliana held up her hand and nodded at the ring on her finger. "The same way I activated the portal. By touching gold to it-on purpose, this time."
That explained the golden glow. Cavatina took a closer look at the ring. It looked like an ordinary band of gold. "Is it magic?"
"Its ensorcelments have nothing to do with it. I think that anything gold will activate the portals." Leliana's smile faded. She slapped her ringed hand against the blocked archway. "Except for this one."
Cavatina nodded. Her thoughts were on the archway at the top of the stairs, and the ooze pressing against it. "Let's just pray that the oozes haven't fed on anyone wearing gold jewelry," she said, thinking of the sacrifice she'd seen earlier. "Or the ones that aren't ethereal will escape too."
"I hadn't thought of that," Leliana said. Then she shook her head. "But oozes are mindless things. They don't have enough intelligence to open the barrier on purpose, and the odds of any gold they carry inside them coming into contact with the barrier by random chance are small."
The Nightshadow flicked a hand. Something's happening.
"What is it?" Cavatina hissed. "The ethereal ooze?"
The Nightshadow shook his head. He slid his fingers along the intricate carving that formed the frame of the arch. "The stone feels warm," he whispered back. "I think the portal may be activating."
"Finally!" Leliana exclaimed. "Go on through, Naxil."
The Nightshadow started to move toward the arch. Cavatina caught his shoulder. "One moment, Naxil."
He halted. "Lady?"
"Once we're back in the Promenade, say nothing of the planar breach until I've had a chance to report it to the battle-mistress. We don't want to start a panic." The real reason, of course, was that she didn't want it known she'd seen the planar breach first-hand. If word of that reached Qilue's ears, the high priestess would realize that Horaldin had not only recognized her portal for what it was, but had led Cavatina to it.
Naxil bobbed his head. "Of course, Dark Lady."
"Off you go, then," Cavatina said.
"Wait for me on the other side, Naxil," Leliana added. "I'll guide you to the Hall of Healing."
"Someone else can take him there," Cavatina said. "Battle-mistress Rylla will want to hear your observations, as well."
"But it will only take a moment to-"
Cavatina held up a warning finger. "You're coming with me. That's an order, Protector."
The Nightshadow crouched by the arch, waiting.
Leliana's cheeks darkened, but she made no further protest. "Go on through, Naxil," she said gently. "I'll catch up to you once I've made my report."
He nodded, crawled forward into seemingly solid stone, and disappeared.
As soon as he had gone, Leliana wheeled on Cavatina. "There's something you're not telling me. What is it?"
Cavatina sighed. Suddenly, she felt utterly exhausted. "Rylla will explain."
"What about Lady Qilue? She'll want to hear our report too. Has she been called back to the Promenade?"
Cavatina hid her wince at the use of the high priestess's name. She resisted the urge to glance around. Was Qilue now listening in on their conversation? Was Wendonai? "She'll be contacted, if Rylla deems it necessary."
" 'Necessary?'" Leliana repeated, her voice incredulous. "Of course it's necessary that Qilue-"
"Lady Leliana," Cavatina said sternly. "This portal may only remain active for a short time, and we don't want to be trapped down here. Step through it, please. Promptly."
Visibly fuming, Leliana at last stepped into the portal. As the Protector disappeared, Cavatina briefly closed her eyes. If Qilue had been corrupted by a demon, the Promenade was in danger from two fronts: from without and within.
What was it that Qilue had said, when she'd ordered the attack on the Acropolis of the death goddess? The memory of that conversation returned like a chilling premonition. "Cut off the head, and the temple will fall."
"Eilistraee protect us," Cavatina whispered. "Grant that it not be so."
She squared her shoulders and walked through the "stone" that filled the arch. A heartbeat later, she emerged on the other side, within the Hall of Empty Arches. Leliana and Naxil stood there, together with Rylla, who must have been called to the hall the moment the portal reactivated.
Qilue was just behind them.
Cavatina exchanged glances with Rylla as they followed Qilue back to the Hall of the Priestesses. Leliana was with them, but Naxil had been led away to the Hall of Healing. Just as well-that was one less person who might let something slip in Qilue's presence. Cavatina noticed Rylla toying with a strand of hair. The battle-mistress was keeping her hand close to her holy symbol.