Caelynn kept a watchful eye on Thia. Her friend was pale, and she was quiet. Not that Thia ever spoke much, mind you. But she’d barely said five words beyond what was necessary to cast spells since they’d started the descent into the Underdark.

“You okay?”

Thia only nodded in response.

“Leave the corpse,” Ishacte ordered, stepping over the fallen demon. “There’s enough carrion feeders down here that it’ll be picked clean within a week. We need to keep moving.”

“Give us a minute,” Adam said. Caelynn exchanged a look with him. He was as concerned about Thia as she was.

Ishacte snorted, “Why? Is the mongrel in need of coddling?”

“She’s not a mongrel,” Caelynn spat at her. “Her name is Thia. And she just had that thing threaten to rape her. It’d throw anyone off!”

Ishacte glared at her. “You think that’s the worst that can happen down here, Thia?” Derision dripped from her voice. “Grow up. Life in the Underdark is harder than you can imagine. The only way to survive is to be meaner, harder, and more diabolical than anyone else. And that’s what Lolth will turn you into. Instead of fearing what a man would do to you, they’ll fear what you will do to them.” She strode toward Thia, and Caelynn stepped in front of her. The Drow stopped, her attention on the bard. “You think you’re protecting her? There’s only one way to do that. And your best shot at it is in a coffin, heading to the City of Spiders. You can keep moving and get him back, or you can stay here and let him die. Along with your chance at ever stopping the hunt. The closer we get, the more creatures are going to come after her. She needs to keep moving.”

“Let’s go,” Thia said, pushing past Caelynn and Ishacte. “We’re wasting time that Jinnaari doesn’t have.”

Caelynn stared at Ishacte. “When this is over,” she told her, “you and I are going to have a reckoning.”

“Try it,” the Drow whispered before turning and walking down the passageway.