"The child's mother will be leaving this house", Gromph Baenre told the elf-size golem. "See to it, and inform her family that she met with an unfortunate accident on the way to the Bazaar."

The stone servant bowed and then disappeared into the wall as easily as a wraith might pass through a fog bank. A moment later, the scream of a drow female came from a nearby chamber - a scream that began in terror and ended in a liquid gurgle.

Gromph leaned forward and blew out the candle, for darkness best revealed the character of the drow. All light fled the room, and the archmage's eyes changed from amber to brilliant red as his vision slipped into the heat-reading spectrum.

"You are Liriel Baenre, my daughter and a noble of the First House of Menzoberranzan", he announced, and then sat back to study the child's reaction.

The crimson glow of heat and warmth drained from her face, and her tiny, pale-knuckled hands gripped the edge of the desk for support. It was clear that the little drow understood all that had just occurred. Her expression remained stoic, however, and her voice was firm when she repeated her new name.

Gromph nodded approvingly. Liriel had accepted the reality of the situation - she could hardly do otherwise and survive - yet the rage and frustration of an untamed spirit burned bright in her eyes.

This was his daughter, indeed.

Over 2 million drow novels sold! Now in paperback, this best-selling first in a trilogy set in the New York Times best-selling world of Menzoberranzan introduces the adventures of drow princess Liriel Baenre. When Liriel finds a way to bring her magic to the surface world, she must flee for her life from Menzoberranzan or face a fate worse than death.

Summoning a fireball spell, Liriel Baenre braced her feet and set off the small missile. She heard the fireball strike the enemy ship's unseen shield and counted rapidly until an answering flash exploded from he darkness that stretched between the battling ships. It was her own weapon, rebounded back. The fireball diminished as it came, falling just short of the Elfmaid's deck and disappearing into the water with a weak fizzle.

A smile of triumph flashed across the drow's face. She now knew how long she had between attack and escape. Again magic fire erupted from her fingers. A barrage of fireballs spewed forth, so quickly it appeared as though multicolored lightning flashed from her outstretched hand.

The exhausted drow dropped to the deck. But she struggled back to her knees, hands clasping the Windwalker amulet, face set in determination as she called forth the gate spell that would take the pirate ship several miles to the south ... and safety.

Nothing... A scream of pure, primal rage tore from the drow's throat - never had magic refused to obey her call! Her scream ended in a shriek of prayer, a final desperate plea - to Lloth.

Utterly spent, Liriel watched as her own weapons rebounded toward the ship in a colorful storm, whistling as they burst through the magical darkness and hurtled downward like falling stars. The illusion she had hoped to cast - the destruction of the Elfmaid and the deaths of those aboard - would soon be all too real.

Exiled from her home, the beautiful dark elf Liriel Baenre wanders the surface world with her companion Fyodor. But even far from the dark haunts of Menzoberranzan, she is not safe from the vengeance of her arch-enemy. Even as she and her friend sail the dangerous seas of the Sword Coast, a drow priestess plots a terrible fate for them.

And in the depths of the earth, the spider queen Lloth weaves her own webs of terror and treachery.

The sequel to the best-selling Daughter of the Drow finds the dark elf princess Liriel Baenre and her human berserker warrior companion engaged in a quest for power that will ultimately pit them in deadly conflict against each other!

Crossing the wide realms of Faerûn in search of adventure, the dark elf princess Liriel Baenre and her companion Fyodor find themselves in the barbarian's homeland of Rashemen. In a land ruled by witches, Liriel must disguise herself lest she spark the people's hatred of dark elves.

Yet from the deep tunnels of the Underdark, glittering eyes and a mind twisted by malice are watching her every move, preparing for vengeance.

Their quest complete, Liriel and Fyodor set out for the barbarian's homeland to return the magical Windwalker amulet. Amid the witches of Rashemen, Liriel learns of new magic and love and finds danger everywhere.