In a secret chamber, three female drow watched the projection cast by a crystal ball.
The crystal ball floated in midair, pale violet light rippling across its surface as it projected a clear view of the scene outside the city gates onto the wall.
There was Tristana, the unusually tall drow swordsman behind her, and, farther away, a mind flayer hovering in midair.
"Tristana Nightbreeze... the Nightwind Family's Fourth Daughter?" A priestess holding the Six-Headed Snake Whip sounded deeply skeptical. "According to the intelligence submitted by the Shadowblade dispatched by the Ruling Council, this Raiding Party did not defect, but it was attacked by mind flayers and wiped out..."
The priestess abruptly turned to look at a female drow standing behind her with her head bowed.
A three-headed snake whip hung at the female drow's waist, and her fingers involuntarily tightened around its handle.
"Fyvree." A malicious smile curled the priestess's lips. "Have you nothing to say about your younger sister?"
Faced with the mockery of a priestess whose rank far exceeded her own, Fyvree did not raise her head. She stared at the tips of her boots and spoke humbly.
"This must be a false likeness created by the mind flayers, an attempt to enter the city and desecrate Lolth's sacred ground."
"Oh?" The priestess drew out the word. "That mind flayer is clearly Tristana's servant. Can't you see that?"
"Or is it... that you don't want your sister to live?"
Fyvree clenched her teeth, the muscles in her cheeks twitching.
"Absolutely not! It's just... this is too bizarre. The Raiding Party was all but wiped out. How could Tristana have escaped the Mind Flayer Hive alone? And fulfilled Lolth's divine decree, no less? I believe..."
"That is Quelyn's youngest daughter."
A languid, low voice came from the depths