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sickness； shook and cuffed their shrieking infants； threw dice； fornicated； relieved themselves； and； amazingly； slept； all in plain view of anyone with the ill luck to look in their direction。
As Ryld had expected； within moments of their entrance； a pair of toughs—in this instance bugbears—slouched forward to accost them。 With their coarse； shaggy manes and square； prominent jaws； bugbears were the largest and strongest of the goblin peoples； towering over the rest—and dark elves； too； for that matter。 This pair was； by the standards of their destitute household； relatively wellfed and adequately dressed。 They likely bullied tribute out of the rest。
〃You don't live here；〃 rumbled the taller of the two。
He wore what appeared to be a severed goblin hand strung around his burly neck。 Drow occasionally affected similar ornaments； usually mementos of hated enemies； but they sent them to a taxidermist first。 It was too bad the bugbear hadn't done the same。 It would have prevented the rot and the carrion smell。
〃No；〃 Ryld said； tossing the bugbear a shaved coin； paying the toll to pass in and out of the house。 〃We came to see Smylla Nathos。〃
The hulking goblinoids just looked at him； as did several others creatures。 A scaly； naked little kobold tittered crazily。
Something was wrong； and the Master of MeleeMagthere didn't know what。 He felt a sudden tension and exhaled it away。 Looking nervous was a bad idea。
〃Isn't this Smylla's house？〃 he asked。
The shorter bugbear； who still loomed nearly as huge as an ogre； laughed and said； 〃No； not no more； but she still live here 。 。 。 kind of。〃
〃Can we see her？〃 said Ryld。
〃What for？〃 asked the bugbear with the severed goblin hand。
The weapons master hesitated。 He'd intended to say that he and Pharaun wished to consult Smylla in her professional capacity as a trader in information。 It was essentially the truth； though that didn't matter。 What did was that he hadn't expected it to provoke a hostile response。
Pharaun stepped up beside him。
〃Smylla sold our sister Iggra the secret of how to break into a merchant's strong room；〃 the wizard said in a creditably surly Orcish rasp。 〃How to get around all the traps。 。 。 。 Only she left one out； see？ It squirted acid on Sis and burned her to death。 Slow。 Almost got us too。 It's Smylla's fault； and we e to 'talk' to her about it。〃
The smaller bugbear nodded。 〃You ain't the only ones wantin' that kind of talk。 Us； too； but we can't get at the bitch。〃
Pharaun cocked his head。 〃How e？〃
〃A couple tendays ago；〃 said the bugbear with the severed hand necklace； 〃we decided we was tired of her bossing us and her lamps hurting our eyes。 We jumped her； hit her； but she chucked one of those stones that makes a flash of light。 It blinded us； and she run up to her room。〃 He nodded toward the head of a twisting staircase。 〃We can't get through the door。 She locked it with magic or somethin'。〃
Pharaun snorted。 〃Ain't no door my brother and me can't bust through。〃
The bugbears exchanged glances。 The smaller one； who； Ryld noticed； was missing several of his lower teeth； shrugged。
〃You can try；〃 the larger one said。 〃Only； Smylla belongs to us； too。 Hit her； bleed her； slice off a piece of her and eat it； but you can't keep her all to yourself。〃
〃It's a deal；〃 Pharaun said。
〃e on； then。〃
The bugbears led them through the crowded room and onto the stairs； where they still had to pick their way through lounging paupers。 Partway up； the brute wearing the decaying hand put it in his mouth and began slurping and sucking on it。
At the top of the steps were a small landing and a limestone door with a rounded top。 Two sentries； an ore and a caninefaced gnoll with sores on his muzzle； sat on the floor looking bored。
The disguised teachers made a show of examining the door。
〃Can you knock it down？〃 Pharaun whispered。
〃When the bugbears couldn't？ Don't count on it。 Can you open it with magic？〃
〃Probably。 It's magically sealed； so a counter spell should suffice； but I don't want our friends to observe me casting it。 That really would promise my disguise。 Stand where you obstruct their view and do something distracting。〃
〃Right。〃 Ryld positioned himself in the appropriate spot and glowered up at the two bugbears。 〃We can open it。 What loot is inside？〃
The larger bugbear scowled and； the odious object in his mouth garbling his speech a little； said； 〃We made a deal。 It didn't say nothing about no loot。〃
〃Smylla took Sis's treasure；〃 Ryld replied。 〃We want it back； and extra too； for wergild。〃
〃Hell with that。〃
The bugbear with the missing teeth reached for the knife tucked through his belt。 Ryld could see it was a butcher's tool； not a proper fighting blade； but no doubt it served in the latter capacity well enough。
Ryld rested his hand on the hilt of his short sword； the weapon of choice for these tight quarters； and said； 〃You want to fight； we'll fight。 I'll slice your face off your skull and wear it like a breechcloth； but my brother and I came to kill Smylla； not you。 Let's talk。 If you never get the door—〃
〃Open；〃 Pharaun said。
White light shone at Ryld's back； making the bugbears wince。 Squinting； the warrior whirled and scrambled for the opening。
〃Hey〃 yelped the smaller bugbear。
Ryld felt a big hand fumble at his shoulder； trying to grab him； but it was an instant too slow。 He followed Pharaun over the threshold and slammed the door。
〃You need to hold it shut；〃 the wizard said。
〃I can't do it for long。〃
Leaning forward； Ryld planted his hands on the limestone slab and braced himself。
The door bucked inward。 For a split second； the dark elf's feet slid on the calcite floor； then they caught； and he held the barrier in place。 Barely。
Meanwhile； Pharaun was peering about。 He gave a little cry of satisfaction； picked up a small iron bar； and set it so it overlapped the edge of the door and the jamb about halfway up。 When he took his hand away； the charm remained in place。
〃This is quite a clever little device；〃 the wizard said。 〃Oh； and you can let go now。〃 Pharaun turned the mechanical locks his spell of opening had disengaged； snapping each shut in its turn。 It was actually the enchanted length of iron that had up to then kept the goblinoids out； but he thought he and Ryld might as well be as secure as possible。 It also seemed the courteous thing to do。
His hostess； however； didn't seem to appreciate the gesture。
〃Get out〃
The masters turned。 Smylla Nathos had lit her sparsely furnished room with a pair of slender brass rods； the tips of which emitted a steady magical glow。 They protruded from the necks of waxencrusted wine bottles like tapers sitting in candelabra； which they perhaps were meant to resemble。 Maybe Smylla missed the spell caster's traditional mode of illumination but couldn't obtain it anymore。
She herself lay at the limit of the light； on a cot in the shadows at the far end of the room。 Pharaun could just barely make her out。
〃Good afternoon； my lady；〃 the wizard said； bowing。 〃It shames me beyond measure to ignore your request。 Yet should this gentleman and I pass through your door a second time； the bugbears and their ilk will rush in； and that； I think； is the very eventuality you sought to forestall。〃
〃Who are you？ You don't talk like an ore。〃
〃My lady is a marvel of perspicacity。 We are in fact drow lords e to consult you on a matter of some importance。〃
〃Why are you disguised？〃
〃The usual reason： To confound our enemies。 May we approach？ It's tedious trying to converse across the length of the room。〃
Smylla hesitated； then said； 〃e。〃
Pharaun and Ryld started forward。 Behind them； the bugbears were cursing； shouting threats and questions； and pounding on the far side of the door。
After four paces； the wizard's stomach turned at yet another stench； this one humid and gangrenous。 He'd half expected something of the sort； but that didn't make it any easier to bear。 Even the phlegmatic Ryld looked disfited for an instant。
〃Close enough；〃 Smylla said； and Pharaun supposed it was。
He had no desire to e any nearer to that wasted form with its boils and pustules； even though the enchantments bound into his mantle and Ryld's cloak and dwarven armor would probably protect them from infection。
〃Can you help us？〃 asked Ryld。
The sick woman leered。 〃Will you pay me with the magnificent greatsword you wear across your back？〃
Pharaun was somewhat impressed。 The illusion of pigfaced orcishness shrouding his friend made Splitter look like a battleaxe； but Smylla's rheumy； sunken eyes had pierced that aspect of the deception。
When he recovered from his surprise； Ryld shook his head。 〃No； I won't give you the sword。 I worked too hard to get it； and I need it to stay alive； but if you want I can use it to clear away the goblinoids outside。 My rade and I are also carrying a fair amount of gold。〃
Her dry white hair spread about her head； Smylla lay propped against a mound of stained； musty pillows。 She struggled to hitch herself up straighter； then abandoned the effort。 Apparently it was beyond her strength。
〃Gold？〃 she said。 〃Do you know who I am； swordsman？ Do you know my history？〃
〃I do；〃 Pharaun said。 〃The gist of it； anyway。 It happened after I more or less withdrew from participation in the affairs of the great H