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〃Why　have　you　sought　it　here？〃　Zeerith　asked。
〃The　Xorlarrins　have　always　supported　the　Baenre　and　profited　thereby。　Try　as　I　might；　I　can't　think　of　a　pelling　reason　you'd　want　me　dead；　and　your　House　boasts　many　of　the　best　wizards　in　Menzoberranzan。　So；　if　I　must　trust　someone；　you're　a　good　chance。　Will　you　aid　me；　Matron？〃
Zeerith　took　her　time　replying。　Quenthel　knew　the　other　female　was　coldbloodedly　pondering　whether　to　help；　deny；　or　betray　her。　Where　did　the　greatest　advantage　lie？
〃Your　plight　is　an　outrage；〃　the　Xorlarrin　said　at　last；　〃an　affront　to　all　priestesses。　Of　course　I'll　aid　you。　For　ten　thousand　talents　of　gold；　and　your　support　when　my　clan's　dispute　with　House　Agrach　Dyrr　bees　public　knowledge。〃
〃What　dispute？〃
〃The　one　I'll　be　stirring　up　in　a　tenday　or　two。　Do　we　have　a　bargain？〃
Quenthel's　mouth　tightened。　If　she'd　e　to　the　Spelltower　in　the　full　panoply　of　a　Baenre　princess；　Zeerith　would　have　thought　twice　about　making　conditions；　but　by　arriving　incognito　the　mistress　had　shown　her　desperation　and　in　so　doing；　shifted　the　transaction　to　another　level。
〃Yes；〃　she　growled；　〃I　agree。〃
〃I　thank　you　for　your　generosity。　What　do　you　require？〃
〃Every　night；〃　said　Quenthel；　〃a　new　demon　es　to　kill　me；　and　I　fend　it　off　as　best　I　can。　If　this　goes　on；　a　night　will　e　when　the　entity　kills　me　instead。　I　need　to　do　more。　I　need　to　end　the　siege；　and　it's　my　hope　your　mages　know　a　way。　I　confess　I　don't。　I've　ransacked　every　vault；　chest；　and　drawer　in　ArachTinilith　and　found　nothing　that　will　serve。〃
〃So　that's　why　you　came　in　secret。　You　want　a　weapon；　and　you　don't　want　your　foe　to　know　about　it。　Otherwise；　he　might　take　countermeasures。〃
〃Correct。〃
Zeerith　rose。　〃We'll　ask　Horroodissomoth。　He　can　do　it　if　anyone　can；　and　he'll　keep　his　mouth　shut　after。〃
She　opened　the　door　and　directed　Antatlab；　who'd　been　standing　watch　outside；　to　go　and　fetch　her　patron　and　House　wizard。
Horroodissomoth　arrived　shortly　thereafter。　Quenthel　felt　a　little　twinge　of　disgust；　for　the　mage　was　the　antithesis　of　the　typical　vital　dark　elf　male。　His　features　were　lined　and　wrinkled；　and　his　posture；　bent。　Rumor　had　it　that　his　appearance　of　decrepitude　had　resulted　not　from　extreme　age　but　rather　some　dangerous　magical　experimentation。
Moving　stiffly；　all　but　creaking　audibly；　Horroodissomoth　tendered　obeisance　then；　at　Zeerith's　invitation；　settled　in　a　chair　to　listen　to　a　reprise　of　Quenthel's　story。　At　first　the　wizard's　demeanor　was　impassive；　perhaps　even　utterly　disinterested；　but　a　light　came　into　his　rheumy　eyes　when　he　realized　she　was　asking　him　to　solve　a　magical　problem。
〃Hmm；〃　he　said；　〃hmm。　I　think　I　might　have　something　that　will　help。　In　a　way；　I　regret　giving　it　to　you；　because　as　far　as　I　know；　it's　unique。　Even　we　Xorlarrins　don't　know　how　to　make　another。　But　on　the　other　hand；　I've　always　been　curious　to　see　if　it　actually　works。〃
Gossip　whispered　that　at　some　point　in　the　distant　past；　the　females　of　House　Ousstyl　had　interbred　with　humans。　Naturally　the　contemporary　Ousstyls　denied　it　and　would　do　their　meager　best　to　punish　anyone　they　suspected　of　passing　the　rumor。　Still；　as　Faeryl　gazed　across　the　table　atTalindra　Ousstyl；　Matron　Mother　of　the　Fiftysecond　House；　she　could　readily　believe　it。　Talindra　was　tall　and；　for　a　dark　elf；　extraordinarily　rawboned。　Her　jaw　was　too　square；　and　her　ears；　insufficiently　pointed。　Most　telling　of　all　was　the　scatter　of　empty　plates　before　her。　She'd　annihilated　every　morsel　of　her　sevencourse　supper　with　a　lesser　being's　insatiable　voracity。
Talindra　finished　with　a　juicy　belch。
〃Excuse　me。〃
〃Of　course；〃　Faeryl　said。　She　thought　she　heard　a　thump　issuing　from　elsewhere　in　the　ambassadorial　residence。　Inwardly；　she　flinched　but　Talindra　didn't　seem　to　notice　the　sound。
〃Well；〃　the　matron　said；　〃that　was　tasty；　but　I　believe　you　invited　my　brood　to　supper　and　spirited　me　away　to　this　private　room；　because　you　wanted　to　talk　of　something　more　important　than　cuisine。〃
Faeryl　smiled　and　said；　〃You've　found　me　out；　and　I　have　a　confession　to　make。　I　don't　always　devote　myself　to　the　interests　of　Ched　Nasad　as　a　whole。　Occasionally　I　work　solely　to　advance　the　fortunes　of　House　Zauvirr。〃
〃How　could　it　be　otherwise？〃　Talindra　said；　raising　her　golden　cup。　〃Family；　always。　Family　over　all。〃
Faeryl　joined　the　other　noble　in　the　toast。　She'd　always　enjoyed　the　sweet　dessert　wine；　but　this　time　it　tasted　too　sweet；　almost　sickeningly　so。　She　supposed　her　nerves　were　to　blame。
The　envoy　set　down　her　drink　and　said；　〃Let　us　discuss　how　our　two　families　might　be　of　service　to　one　another。　In　Ched　Nasad；　we　Zauvirr　are　allied　with　House　Mylyl。　For　the　immediate　future；　we　must　remain　so。　Yet　it's　also　time　for　the　Mylyls　to　begin　their　decline；　for　their　wealth　and　influence　to　start　passing　into　our　hands。　You　see　the　problem。〃
Talindra　grinned　and　said；　〃You　want　to　attack　the　Mylyls　without　them　realizing　who's　to　blame。〃
〃So　why　not　do　it　through　an　intermediary？〃
Elsewhere；　someone　let　out　a　thin；　little　wail。　Faeryl　tensed；　but　once　again；　her　guest　failed　to　react。　Fortunately；　the　sounds　of　pain　were　reasonably　mon　in　dark　elf　dwellings。
〃You　want　me　to　lend　you　some　of　my　males；〃　the　matron　said；　〃to　make　the　long；　dangerous　journey　to　Ched　Nasad　to　raid　and　kill　for　you。　It　makes　sense。　The　Mylyls　would　have　no　idea　who　they　are；　nor　that　they're　working　for　you。　But　what　do　I　get　out　of　it？　Why—？〃
A　warrior　threw　open　the　door；　strode　to　Talindra's　side；　and　raised　a　steel　baton。
The　matron　was　too　quick　for　him。　Surging　up　in　her　chair；　she　knocked　him　cold　with　a　punch　to　the　jaw；　drew　a　long　knife　from　her　belt；　and　pivoted　toward　Faeryl。
The　ambassador　snatched　up　Mother's　Kiss；　which　had　been　lying　under　the　table　all　the　while。　She　sprang　up；　swung　the　basaltheaded　war　hammer　in　an　arc　and　balked　the　oning　Talindra　for　an　instant。
For　the　next　few　seconds；　the　two　nobles　battled；　neither　able　to　score；　then　Talindra　used　her　free　hand　to　clasp　a　round　medallion　pinned　to　her　bodice。　Red　light　shone　from　between　her　fingers。　
If　the　matron　had　the　capacity　to　throw　a　spell；　that　changed　the　plexion　of　the　fight　considerably。　Faeryl　needed　to　end　it　quickly；　perhaps　before　the　first　magical　effect　manifested。　She　charged　her　opponent；　striking　at　her　head　in　an　allout　attack。
It　was　a　reckless　move；　and　she　suffered　the　consequences。　The　knife　point　jabbed　painfully　into　her　ribs。　Luckily；　it　failed　to　penetrate　the　mail　she　wore　beneath　her　silken　gown。　Mother's　Kiss　slammed　into　the　Menzoberranyr's　head　and　dashed　her　to　the　ground。　Her　hand　slipped　away　from　the　amulet；　and　the　glow　faded。
An　instant　later；　a　second　guard　burst　into　the　room。
〃We've　secured　them　all；　my　lady。〃
The　warrior　was　a　ruggedlooking　male　with　a　chipped　incisor　and　a　broken　nose；　whom　she　had　on　occasion　summoned　to　her　bed。
〃Good；〃　Faeryl　replied。　〃How　many　did　you　have　to　kill？〃
〃Only　one；　but　we　could　slaughter　the　rest。　If　I　may　say　so；　it　seems　more　sensible　and　less　bother　than　tying　them　up。〃
〃It　does；　but　I　came　here　to　promote　good　relations　between　Menzoberranzan　and　Ched　Nasad。　Even　though　some　schemer　has　rendered　my　efforts　futile；　I　won't　exacerbate　the　situation　by　mitting　any　more　outrages　than　necessary。　You　soldiers　will　do　as　I　bade　you。　Strip　the　Ousstyls；　gag　them；　and　tie　them　up。〃
Talindra　groaned　and　groped　feebly　for　her　knife。　Impressed　that　the　matron　was　still　conscious　to　any　degree　at　all　after　the　blow　she'd　suffered；　Faeryl　kicked　the　blade　out　of　her　reach。
〃You　can't　do　this；〃　Talindra　croaked；　〃not　to　House　Ousstyl。　We　are　mighty　and　never　fet　at　affront。〃
Tense　as　she　was；　Faeryl　smiled。　The　matron's　arrogance　was　woefully　misplaced。　The　Ousstyls　were　so　insignificant　they　hadn't　even　known　the　ambassador　had　lost　the　good　will　of　Triel　Baenre。　Otherwise；　they　would　never　have　accepted　an　invitation　to　feast　with　such　a　pariah。
Faeryl　bashed　Talindra　again；　this　time　rendering　her　entirely　insensible；　then　she　roamed　through　the　castle；　exhorting　her　minions　to　make　haste。　Soon　all　were　wearing　the　clothing　of　the　Ousstyls。　For　the　first　time；　Faeryl　was　grateful　that　her　household　was　relatively　small。　Otherwis