ood sign。
〃I don't like the looks of that；〃 Ryld said。
〃Nor do I；〃 Quenthel agreed。 〃Pharaun； do you have a spell prepared that can bar their passage？〃
The Master of Sorcere shook his head and answered； 〃Not without risk of severing the strand； I fear； and I find myself strangely unwilling to chance that。 I could instead confer a spell of flying on enough of us to perhaps abandon this strand and reach another； or we could simply descend to that strand below us by levitation。〃
He pointed at a slender； almost wispy web a long distance below them and a little to one side。
〃Save your magic；〃 Quenthel decided。 〃That strand will do。 Jeggred； Ryld； carry Valas and Danifae。〃
She slid down the side of the great strand they stood on； and pushed herself off into the darkness。 One by one； the others followed。 Halisstra risked one more glance at the scuttling terrors behind them； and hastened to follow the Baenre priestess。 She scrambled down the curving side of the monstrous cable； and leaped out into the dark。
Three days after his victory at the Pillars of Woe and twenty miles closer to Menzoberranzan； Nimor stood in the shadows at the mouth of the Lustrum； a wondrously rich mithral mine。 Near the entrance； a wedge…shaped vault soared upward for hundreds of feet； widening as it climbed； but down on the cavern floor it was cramped and broken with the shattered remnants of huge boulders。 The miners…slaves and soldiers of House Xorlarrin； or so he believed…had abandoned their tools and their homes in the face of the advancing duergar army； carrying off as much mithral ore as they could manage。 Nimor gazed up at the narrow black rift above him。
The mithral mine was an interesting bit of decoration； but it was only one of the reasons he was there。 The Lustrum stood between the army of Gracklstugh and the army of Kaanyr Vhok。 The duergar stayed to the left and came up on Menzoberranzan's southwest side； while the tanarukks pushed right and approached the city from the southeast。 The drow army retreated ahead of them； in full flight for the dubious safety of their home city。 Menzoberranzan's Mantle…the great halo of twisting caverns and passageways ringing the city…offered the invading armies a thousand paths by which they might approach。
Of course； the matron mothers hadn't left their outer demesnes pletely undefended。 Nimor glanced down at the green shards of one of the city's infamous jade spiders； huge magical automatons of stone that guarded the city's approaches。 The wreckage of the one at his feet still smoked with acrid black fumes from the stonefire bombs that had destroyed it a few hours before。 They were clever and deadly devices； but without cadres of magic…wielding priestesses to hurl all sorts of awful dooms and blights on invaders； the jade spiders were not sufficient to the task of halting the two approaching armies。
How much longer until Menzoberranzan's great castles lie shattered like this device？ Nimor mused。
The Anointed Blade was interrupted in his reflections by the tramp of dwarven boots and the angry scrape of iron on stone。 The armored diligence of Crown Prince Horgar Steelshadow approached； escorted by a double file of the duergar lord's Stone Guards。 Nimor winced at the resounding clangor of the duergar soldiers。
One would think they'd get their fill of hammer blows and noise back in their city； he thought。
He brushed off his tunic and went down to meet his ally。
〃Well met； Crown Prince Horgar。 I am pleased that you honored my request for a parley。〃
The duergar lord threw open the armored door in the side of his iron wagon； and stepped down to the cavern floor。 Marshal Borwald followed a step behind； his scarred face hidden by a great iron helm。
〃I have been looking for you； Nimor Imphraezl；〃 Horgar replied。 〃You vanished after guiding our vanguard to this maze of tunnels。 What business did you have elsewhere that was more pressing than our assault on Menzoberranzan； I wonder？〃
Victory had transformed the crown prince's dour pessimism into a kind of ferocious hunger for more victories； and Horgar's lairds echoed their ruler's attitude。 Where before the sight of the assassin brought black scowls and dark mutterings； the lairds of Gracklstugh had e to acknowledge his presence with gruff nods and open envy of his successes。
〃Why； Crown Prince； my business concerned the uping assault；〃 Nimor said with a laugh。 He kicked aside one of the jade shards from the ruined construct。 〃Once I'd shown your men how to disable these things it seemed to me that your army had matters well in hand； so I took the liberty of reporting to my superiors； and spying out how matters stand in the city。〃
The duergar prince frowned； his brows knitting in thought。
〃You felt free to gamble with the tanarukk army；〃 said Horgar。 〃They might have turned on us as easily as upon the Menzoberranyr； you know。〃
〃Under normal circumstances； perhaps； but there is opportunity in the air。 I can smell it； Kaanyr Vhok can smell it； and I think you can； too。 We stand at a fulcrum on which many great events might be made to turn。〃
〃Empty platitudes； Nimor；〃 the gray dwarf growled。
He folded his thick arms and stared into the darkness； waiting。 After a short time； a scuffling and snorting drifted through the darkness； followed by quick and heavy steps。
Bearing an iron palanquin the size of a small coach on their hairy shoulders； a score of tanarukks loped into the cavern； bestial eyes aglow with red hate； axes and maces gripped in their powerful fists。 The gray dwarves and the orc…demons glared at each other； nervously muttering and fingering their weapons。
The door to the palanquin creaked open； and Kaanyr Vhok slowly straightened out of the chair。 The half…demon warlord was resplendent in his armor of crimson and gold； and his fine…scaled skin and strong features bespoke presence and charisma in a way that Horgar's duergar churlishness and suspicious manner could never match。 The alu…fiend Aliisza followed sinuously； stretching her wings as she emerged。 Finally； Zammzt climbed out of the warlord's coach。
〃Well； I have e；〃 Kaanyr said in his powerful voice。 He studied the assembled gray dwarves； and regarded Nimor as well。 〃We have driven the dark elves back to their city in disarray。 Now how do we finish the job？ And； more importantly； how shall we divide the spoils？〃
〃Divide the spoils？〃 Horgar rasped。 〃I think not。 You will not help yourself to part of my prize after my army shouldered the brunt of the hard work in defeating the drow at the Pillars of Woe。 You will be paid fairly for your assistance； but do not presume to claim a share of my victory。〃
Kaanyr's handsome brow creased in an angry frown。
〃I am not a beggar crying out for your largesse； dwarf；〃 the cambion said。 〃Without my army's approach； you would still be fighting your way toward Menzoberranzan； one step at a time。〃
Horgar started to pose an angry retort； but Nimor quickly stepped between the gray dwarf and the half…demon and raised his arms。
〃My lords！〃 he cried。 〃The only way the Menzoberranyr can defeat you is if the two of you turn on each other。 If you cooperate； if you bine your efforts intelligently； the city will fall。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Zammzt。 The plain…faced assassin stood by Vhok's palanquin； shrouded in his dark cloak。 〃There is little point in dividing the spoils of a city that you have yet to capture。 There is even less point in allowing the effort of dividing the spoils to prevent the city's fall in the first place。〃
〃That may be true；〃 Kaanyr said； folding his powerful arms across his broad chest； 〃but I will not be forgotten when the city is plundered。 You brought me here； assassins。〃
〃You brought me here； as well；〃 Horgar rumbled； 〃and you brought the Agrach Dyrr。 I suspect that your secret House will be hard…pressed to honor your promises to all three of your allies。 Which of us do you mean to betray； I wonder？〃
For the first time； Nimor found himself wondering if perhaps he had arrayed too many enemies against Menzoberranzan all at once。 That was the nature of diplomacy in the Underdark； after all。 No alliance outlived its usefulness； not even by a heartbeat。
To his surprise； he was rescued by Aliisza。
The alu…fiend draped herself at Kaanyr's side and said； 〃He will not honor his promises to either of you； as long as the city stands。 How can he？ We will all go home empty…handed if you cannot e to an agreement。〃
Nimor inclined his head in gratitude； making a very conscious effort not to allow his eyes to linger on Aliisza for too long when she stood next to Kaanyr Vhok。 Somehow he doubted that she'd shared with her master the exact details of her visit to Gracklstugh； and he didn't want to give the half…demon any reason to bee curious。
〃Lady Aliisza's wisdom is as great as her beauty；〃 he said。 〃For the sake of avoiding argument； I propose this： To Horgar； five…tenths of Menzoberranzan's wealth； populace； and territory； to Kaanyr Vhok； three…tenths； and for my own House； two…tenths； out of which I will e to terms w