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all。〃
〃Then we're agreed？〃 Umrae asked as she lay down on her couch。 Her body servant gently spread her mane of coarse white hair to expose the flesh beneath。
Waerva grinned。 〃You sound so eager。〃
〃I admit I'm not fond of her。〃 Umrae's human opened a white porcelain bottle of unguent； and a sweet scent tinged the air。 〃That's not the point。 The point is to shield us all for as long as we need it。〃
〃I quite agree；〃 said Waerva； 〃and my concern is that an assassination could prove counterproductive。 Might it not call attention to your mistress's suspicions？ Might it not lend weight to them？ Does she not have a deputy of like mind ready to take over in the event of her demise？〃
Urnrae scowled； pondering the questions； plainly not enjoying it much。 Her slave spread a thin coat of amber oil onto her back。
From elsewhere in the building echoed the faint； distorted sounds of shouting； laughter； and splashing。 Waerva guessed it must be males amusing themselves in one of the bathing pools。 The females of the city were scarcely in the mood for boisterous horseplay。
At last Umrae said； 〃All right； what do you want to do？〃
〃Counter the threat in a subtler way。 She can't injure us if she's never afforded the chance to confirm her suspicions。〃
〃How will you ensure that？〃 Umrae's voice quavered as her thrall began to lightly pummel her gleaming back with the bottoms of his fists。
Good luck loosening up those petrified limbs； Waerva thought。 〃I am a priestess of the Baenre； am I not？〃
〃The least of them。〃
〃How insolent of you to say so。〃 Waerva tensed with annoyance until her masseur's hands rebuked her。
〃I only meant—〃
〃I know what you meant； and I don't deny it。 It's why I'm here； after all。 Yet consider this： My aunt Triel has always depended on the advice of two people； Gromph and Quenthel。 She can't really talk to Gromph anymore because she's keeping him in the dark with the rest of the males。 I doubt she'll see much of Quenthel for a while； either。 The tiny shedemon will stay busy contending with her own problems。 She's endured some sort of mishap up on Tier Breche。〃
Umrae twisted her head around to look at her sister conspirator and said； 〃I've heard rumors about that。 What actually happened？〃
〃I don't know—〃 Though I wish to the goddess I did； she thought— 〃but whatever it was； it works to our advantage。 We want Triel to suffer a dearth of counselors。〃
〃What about her magical new son？ They say he acpanies her everywhere。〃
Waerva smiled。 〃Jeggred's not a factor。 He's a magnificent specimen but scarcely a font of sage advice。 I assure you poor； uncertain Triel will be absolutely frantic for plausible insights from other Baenre priestesses； even the lowlier ones like me。 I will buy our friends the time they need to work free of outside interference。〃
〃You will if Triel trusts you。〃
〃In this； she will。 We Baenre are proud。 It will be inconceivable to Triel that one of our females would wish to abandon the First House in favor of a new life elsewhere。 Of course； she wasn't born at the absolute bottom of the internal hierarchy； was she； with dozens of older sisters and cousins taking precedence over her and holding all the important offices。 Even if I started recklessly trying to pick them off whenever one lowers her guard even slightly； it could still take me centuries to ascend to a position of genuine power within the family。〃
〃All right； that makes sense。 What will you tell her？〃
〃The obvious。〃 Waerva sighed shakily as her human went to work on her sacroiliac。 〃For all we know； it may even be the truth。〃
〃I suppose。〃
Umrae lapsed into a sullen silence。 Her body servant's hands made slapping and sucking sounds as they played about her slick； moist； bony back。
〃By the six hundred and sixtysix layers of the Abyss；〃 said Waerva； 〃what ails you？ If you're having seconds thoughts； the time for that is well past。〃
〃I'm not。 I want to be something better than milady's secretary。 I want a surname。 I want to be a high priestess and a noble。〃
〃And you will。 When your cabal crushes the established order； they'll reward me for my help by making me matron mother of a new but exalted House； whereupon I will adopt you as my daughter。 Why； then； do you appear so morose？〃
〃I just wonder。 This silence 。。。 is it really a boon for us； or a calamity？ Are we seizing a great opportunity or madly rushing to our doom？〃 How much better I'd rest if only I knew； thought Waerva。
〃Let me ask a question；〃 the Baenre priestess said。 〃Deep down in your heart of hearts； did you serve out of reverence or fear？〃
〃I served for power。〃
〃e to think of it；〃 said Waerva； 〃I did； too。 So let us seize the power that still sparkles within our reach。〃
〃I—〃 Umrae moaned and curled her toes as her human finally managed to send a thrill of pleasure singing along her nerves。 Waerva thought it was a good sign。
Pharaun drank in the spectacle of the Bazaar。 Born and raised a Menzoberranyr； he had of course visited this bustling place countless times before； but after several tendays of house arrest spent wondering if his life was at an end； it seemed rather wonderful to him。
Many of the stalls shone with light； be it phosphorescent fungus positioned to flatter the vendor's wares； magical illumination cast for the same purpose； or merely the incidental fallout of some other enchantment。 The gleaming was never so fierce as to offend a dark elf's eyes； though。 The citizens of the city wended their way through the aisles in the nurturing darkness that was their natural habitat； and what an interesting lot those citizens were。
A high priestess； from House Fey Branche judging from the livery of her retainers； emerged from her curtained litter to inspect riding lizards with an eye as knowledgeable and a hand as steady as any groom's。 A somewhat seedy looking boy； perhaps a disfavored son from one of the lesser Houses； engaged a cobbler in conversation while a confederate opened his voluminous mantle to slip an expensive pair of snakeskin boots inside。 Male moners； obliged to lower their eyes to every female and step aside for every noble of either gender； pensated by sneering and swaggering their way among the creatures less exalted than any drow。 These latter were a motley assortment of beings—gray dwarves； the goggleeyed fishmen called kuotoas； and even a huge； horned ogre mage from the World Above—bold enough to trade or even dwell in a dark elf city。 Lowliest of all； at least as numerous as the free but in their utter insignificance far easier to overlook； were the slaves。 Orc； gnoll； and bugbear warriors guarded their masters and mistresses； harried； starveling goblins fetched and carried for the merchants； and little reptilian kobolds collected litter and hauled it away。
Pharaun knew from occasional errands there that if this hub of merce had existed in one of the lands that saw the sky； it would have been exceptionally noisy。 But the Menzoberranyr； to keep their cavern from roaring with a constant echoing clamor； had laid subtle enchantments about the smooth stone floor。 Sounds close at hand were as audible as was natural； but those farther away faded and blended to the faint drone he and Ryld had heard while sitting on the brink of Tier Breche。
In the Bazaar； several of the magical buffers operated in close proximity to one another。 To newers； the effect could be a little disconcerting as a single step sufficed to carry them from whispering quiet to raucous noise； the full volume of an auctioneer's shout or a piper's skirling。
Happily； no such enchantments existed to suppress the smells of the marketplace； a glorious olfactory tapestry redolent of spice； exotic produce imported from the surface world and； alas； a little past its prime； mulled wine； leather； burned frying oil； rothe dung； freshly spilled blood； and a thousand other things。 Pharaun closed his eyes and breathed in the scent。
〃This is always grand； isn't it？〃
〃I suppose；〃 answered Ryld。
For his excursion away from Tier Breche； Ryld had tossed a piwafwi around his burly shoulders。 The cloak covered his dwarfmade armor and short sword； and its cowl obscured his features； but no garment could have hidden the enormous weapon sheathed across his back。 Ryld called the great sword Splitter； and while Pharaun deplored the name as ugly and prosaic； he had to admit that it was apt。 In his friend's capable hands； the enchanted weapon could with a single swing cleave almost anything in two。
Ryld looked entirely relaxed； but the wizard knew the appearance was in one sense deceptive。 The Master of MeleeMagthere was reflexively scrutinizing their surroundings for signs of danger with a facility that even Pharaun； who regarded himself as considerably more observant than most； could never match。
〃You suppose；〃 Pharaun repeated。 〃Is that just your usual glumness speaking； or do you find something lacking？〃
〃I do；〃 said Ryld。 He waved his hand in a gesture that took in the diverse throng； the stalls； and the maze of paths snaking among them。 〃I think the Bazaar could use some order。〃
Pharaun grinned and said； 〃Careful； or I'll have to report you for blasphemy。 It's chaos that made us； and made us what we are。〃
〃Right。 Chaos is life。 Chaos is creativity。 Chaos makes us strong。 I remember the creed； but a