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〃Do　you　think　I　haven't　realized　I　have　an　enemy　here　in　Menzoberranzan；　someone　with　access　to　Matron　Baenre？　Two　tendays　ago；　Triel　considered　me　loyal。　She　approved　of　me。　She　granted　a　good　deal　of　what　I　asked　on　behalf　of　our　people。　Now；　she　doubts　me；　because　someone　has　persuaded　her　to　question　my　true　intentions。　What　did　my　foe　offer　to　lure　you　to　her　side？　Don't　you　realize　that　in　betraying　me；　you　betray　Ched　Nasad　itself？〃
The　scribe　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Matron　Baenre　has　people　watching　the　residence。　Someone　is　watching　us　right　now。〃
〃Perhaps；〃　Faeryl　replied。
Umrae　swallowed。　〃So　you　can't　harm　me。　Or　they'll　harm　you。〃
Faeryl　laughed。　〃Rubbish。　Triel's　agents　won't　reveal　their　presence　just　to　keep　me　from　disciplining　one　of　my　own　retainers。　They　won't　see　anything　odd　or　detrimental　to　Menzoberranzan's　interests　in　that。　Now；　be　sensible　and　surrender。〃
After　another　pause；　Umrae　said；　〃Give　me　your　word　you　won't　hurt　me。　That　you'll　set　me　free　and　help　me　flee　the　city。〃
〃I　promise　you　nothing　except　that　your　insolence　is　making　me　angrier　by　the　second；　and　a　quick　capitulation　is　your　only　hope。　Tell　me；　who　turned　you；　and　why？　What　does　anyone　hereabouts　have　to　gain　by　persecuting　an　envoy；　one　who　stands　apart　from　the　feuds　and　rivalries　among　the　Menzoberranyr　Houses？〃
〃You　must　understand；　I　fear　to　betray　them　and　remain。　They'll　kill　me　if　I　do。〃
〃They　won't　get　the　chance。　I'm　the　one　pointing　a　poisoned　dart　at　you。　Who　are　your　employers？〃
〃I　won't　say；　not　without　your　pledge。〃
〃Your　friend　didn't　slander　me　to　Triel　until　after　I　started　contemplating　a　return　to　Ched　Nasad。　Was　that　the　point　of　the　lie？　To　keep　me　from　venturing　out　into　the　Underdark？　Why？〃
Umrae　shook　her　head。
〃You're　mad；〃　Faeryl　said。　〃Why　would　you　condemn　yourself　to　perpetuate　someone　else's　existence？　Ah　well；　you're　plainly　unfit　to　live；　so　I　suppose　it's　for　the　best。〃
She　made　a　show　of　sighting　down　the　length　of　the　crossbow。
〃No　You're　right；　why　should　I　die？〃
〃If　you　answer　my　questions；　perhaps　you　won't。〃
〃Yes。〃
Trembling　a　little；　her　nerve　having　been　broken；　the　clerk　raised　her　hand　to　her　face；　perhaps　to　massage　her　brow。　No—to　lift　a　tiny　vial　to　her　lips
Faeryl　pulled　the　trigger　and　her　aim　was　true；　but　by　the　time　the　quarrel　pierced　Umrae's　stomach；　the　secretary's　form　was　changing。　She　grew　even　thinner；　shriveling；　but　taller　as　well。　Her　flesh　cooled　and　stank　of　corruption；　leathery　wings　sprouted　from　her　shoulder　blades；　and　her　eyes　sank　into　her　head。　Even　her　garments　altered；　blurring　and　splitting　into　moldering　rags。　No　blood　flowed　from　the　wound　the　poisoned　dart　had　made；　and　it　didn't　seem　to　inconvenience　her　in　the　slightest。　She　didn't　even　bother　to　pull　the　missile　out。
Faeryl　was　furious　at　herself　for　allowing　Umrae　to　trick　her。　Next　time；　she'd　remember　that　even　a　dark　elf　devoid　of　beauty；　grace；　and　facile　wit；　seemingly　undone　by　fear；　was　yet　a　drow；　born　to　guile　and　deception。
The　potion　had　temporarily　transformed　Umrae　into　some　sort　of　undead；　in　which　form　she　likely　wouldn't　suffer　at　all　from　her　usual　clumsiness。　Had　Lolth　not　forsaken　her　priestesses；　Faeryl　might　have　controlled　the　cadaverous　thing　with　her　clerical　powers；　but　that　was　no　longer　an　option。　Nor　were　any　of　her　other　retainers　likely　to　notice　her　plight　and　dash　to　her　rescue。　She　had　them　all　too　busy　packing　up　the　house。
It　was　unfortunate；　because　like　most　undead；　except　for　the　lowly　corpses　and　skeletons　spell　casters　reanimated　to　serve　as　mindless　thralls；　Umrae　in　wingedghoul　form　could　probably　do　grievous　harm　with　any　strike　that　so　much　as　grazed　the　skin；　and　Faeryl　didn't　even　have　a　shield　to　fend　her　off。　How　was　she　to　know　the　spy　would　possess　such　a　potent　means　of　defense？
Umrae　took　a　shambling　step；　then；　with　a　clap　of　her　wings；　bounded　forward。　Faeryl　hastily　retreated；　dropped　the　useless　crossbow；　and　opened　the　clasp　of　her　cloak。　Pulling　the　garment　off　her　shoulders　with　one　hand；　she　unsheathed　a　little　adamantine　rod　with　the　other。　At　a　snap　of　her　wrist；　the　harmlesslooking　object　swelled　into　Mother's　Kiss；　the　longhafted；　basaltheaded　war　hammer　the　females　of　House　Zauvirr　had　borne　since　the　founding　of　their　line。　Perhaps　an　enchanted　weapon　would　slay　Umrae　where　the　envenomed　quarrel　had　failed。
Faeryl　would　have　to　hope　so。　Even　if　she　were　willing　to　stand　meekly　aside　and　let　the　traitor　fly　away；　Umrae；　her　thoughts　perhaps　colored　by　the　predatory　guise　she'd　assumed；　plainly　wanted　a　fight；　and　the　envoy　could　see　no　way　to　evade　her。　It　would　be　stupid　to　evoke　darkness　and　run。　In　undead　form；　Umrae　would　likely　manage　better　in　the　murk　than　its　maker　did。　It　would　be　even　more　pointless　to　try　to　levitate　or　ascend　through　the　use　of　the　airwalking　charm　when　the　shape　shifter　could　simply　spread　her　ragged　wings　and　follow。
Faeryl　waved　her　piwafwi　back　and　forth　at　the　end　of　her　extended　arm；　to　confuse　Umrae　and　serve　as　some　semblance　of　a　shield。　No　one　had　ever　taught　Faeryl　to　fight　thusly；　but　she'd　observed　warriors　practicing　the　technique；　and　she　tried　to　believe　that　if　mere　males　could　do　it；　it　would　surely　present　no　difficulty　to　a　high　priestess。
Umrae　lunged；　Faeryl　lashed　the　cloak　in　a　horizontal　arc。　Possibly　thanks　to　luck　as　much　as　skill；　the　garment　blocked　Umrae's　hands。　Her　talons　snagged　in　the　weave。
Surprised；　Umrae　faltered　in　the　attack　and　struggled　to　free　her　hands。　Faeryl　stepped　through　and　smashed　the　pointed　stone　head　of　her　hammer　into　the　center　of　the　servant's　carious　brow。　Bone　crunched；　and　Umrae's　head　snapped　backward。　A　goodly　portion　of　her　left　profile　fell　off　her　skull。
Certain　the　fight　was　over；　Faeryl　relaxed；　and　that　was　nearly　the　end　of　her。　Transformed；　Umrae　could　evidently　endure　more　damage　than　almost　any　creature　with　warm　flesh　and　a　beating　heart。　She　opened　her　mouth；　exposing　long；　thin　fangs；　and　what　was　left　of　her　head　shot　forward　over　the　top　of　the　cape。　The　ambassador　only　barely　managed　to　fling　herself　back　out　of　the　way　in　time。
The　piwafwi　was　stretched　taut　between　the　two　batants；　as　if　they　were　playing　tugofwar。　Both　yanked　on　it　simultaneously；　and　Faeryl　was　the　luckier。　The　cloak　tore　free　of　Umrae's　grasp；　but　despite　the　garment's　reinforcing　enchantments；　it　returned　to　the　ambassador　with　long　rips　the　ghoul's　claws　had　cut。　A　few　more　such　rendings　and　it　would　be　useless。　The　cape's　sudden　release　also　sent　Faeryl　stumbling　backward。　With　another　beat　of　her　festering　wings；　Umrae　hopped　and　closed　the　distance。　Her　clawed　hands　shot　forward。
Crying　out　in　desperation；　Faeryl　managed　to　plant　her　feet　and　arrest　her　helpless　stagger。　She　lashed　out　with　the　hammer　and　clipped　one　of　Umrae's　hands。　The　imitation　ghoul　snatched　it　back　and　gave　up　the　attack。　Instead；　she　began　to　circle。　Just　as　a　living　creature　would；　she　shook　her　battered　extremity　several　times　as　if　to　dislodge　the　pain；　then　lifted　it　back　on　guard。
Faeryl　turned　to　keep　the　foe　with　her　crushed；　halfflayed　head　in　view。　What　is　it　going　to　take　to　stop　this　thing？　the　ambassador　wondered。　Can　I　stop　it？
Yes；　curse　it
When　she　was　a　child；　her　cousin　Merinid；　weapons　master　of　House　Zauvirr；　dead　these　many　years　since　her　mother　tired　of　him；　had　told　her　that　any　opponent　could　be　destroyed。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　finding　the　vulnerable　spot。
Umrae　lunged。　Once　again；　the　ambassador　snapped　out　the　folds　of　her　frail；　flapping　shield。　The　cloak　entangled　one　of　the　servant's　hands。　The　other　raked；　rasping　and　snagging；　across　Faeryl's　coat　of　fine　adamantine　links。　The　winged　ghoul's　touch　sowed　cramping　sickness　in　its　wake；　but　the　claws　hadn't　quite　sheared　through　the　sturdy　mail；　and　the　sensation　only　lasted　an　instant。
Faeryl　swung　at　Umrae's　withered　chest　in　its　covering　of　filthy；　crumbling　cloth。　If　she　couldn't　slay　the　ghoulthing　with　a　strike　to　the　head；　then　the　heart　must　be　the　vulnerable　spot；　just　as　with　a　vampire。　Or　at　least　she　hoped　so。
To　her　surprise；　Umrae　denied　her　the　chance　to　find　out　one　way　or　the　other。　It　looked　as　if　the　traitor　had　so　mitted　to　her　attack　that　she　would　find　it　i