to shiver the very air of the quay； and a moment later a ripple of light washed over the opposite side of the street； revealing the armored duergar where they stood。 The wizard followed instantly with another spell； being visible himself as he pointed a black ray at the wizard among the gray dwarf soldiers。 The purple lance struck the duergar mage in the center of his chest； and the enemy wizard collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut。
〃Next time； strike first and issue challenges later；〃 Pharaun remarked。 He started to work another spell as the draegloth and the weapons master crashed into the ranks of the patrol； hewing and slashing with abandon。
Halisstra followed Quenthel as she ran down the pier and leaped onto Coalhewer's boat。 The massive undead skeletons stood motionless in their well in the center of the hull； nothing more than inert machinery awaiting mand。 Beneath the bridge； the duergar smuggler stirred and sat up from a thin bedroll； snatching up a hand axe close by his sleeping place。
〃Who goes there？〃 he roared； scrambling to his feet。 〃Why； ye…〃
He was cut off by the impact of Quenthel's boot in the center of his chest； slamming him back down to the deck。
The Baenre raised her whip to finish the smuggler； but Halisstra called； 〃Wait！ We may need him to run this thing。〃
〃You believed that story of his？〃 Quenthel said； not taking her eyes from the dwarf。 〃Of course he wanted us to think we needed him to run the boat。〃
〃True or not； now is not the time to gamble on our escape；〃 Halisstra said。 〃We'd look damned foolish if we fought our way through a patrol of the prince's soldiers and couldn't leave the pier。〃
〃Fell out of the crown prince's favor； did ye？〃 Coalhewer said。 He stood slowly and offered a fierce grin。 From the end of the pier a sudden bright glare of lightning and a booming thunderclap announced the arrival of duergar reinforcements。 〃If ye kill me； ye'll never escape。 Now； what's a fair price fer taking you off this pier； I wonder？〃
Quenthel bristled and doubtless would have struck him down then； but Halisstra stepped between them。
〃If we get caught here；〃 the Melarn priestess said； 〃we'll implicate you in whatever charges are brought against us； dwarf。 Now get us underway。〃
Coalhewer stared up at the three dark elves； his face contorted with fury。
〃I dealt fairly with ye； and this be my thanks？〃 he snarled。 〃I should've known better than to traffic with yer kind！〃
He whirled to cast off the lines securing the macabre vessel to the quay； barking orders at the hulking skeletons in the center of the boat。
Quenthel looked at Halisstra with narrowed eyes and asked； 〃Why spare the dwarf？ You know he's lying about manding the boat。〃
Halisstra shrugged and said； 〃You can always kill him later； if you're so inclined。〃
As the wheels at the side of the vessel began to churn in the water； Ryld and Jeggred sprinted up； clambering aboard。 Blood dripped from both the half…demon's talons and Splitter。 Pharaun bounded up a moment later； after sealing the end of the pier with a wall of roaring flame to keep the soldiers at bay。
〃That won't hold them for long； I'm sure；〃 the wizard said。 〃There must be three or four mages back there； and they'll extinguish that wall quickly enough。 Best we get well away from here before they can fling their spells against our humble conveyance。〃
Ryld studied the wall of fire at the pier's end and scowled。
〃You realize you've also blocked Valas's escape with that spell；〃 he grated。 〃We need him； Pharaun。 We can't leave him here。〃
〃I'm flattered； Master Argith。〃
From the shadows of the vessel's stern； Valas stood up and adjusted his piwafwi。
〃Where in Lolth's dark hells did you e from？〃 the weapons master said； blinking and rubbing his eyes。
〃I boarded just a few steps behind the three ladies；〃 the scout said。 He glanced around； savoring the open surprise on the faces of his panions； then made a small bow and a gesture of self…deprecation。 〃As I said； I am not easily followed or marked when I do not wish to be。 Besides； it seemed that the three of you had the crown prince's soldiers in hand。〃
The Master of Melee…Magthere snorted； and returned Splitter to its sheath across his back。 He turned to the city's waterfront； which was receding quickly into the darkness。 Fire still glowed along the piers； illuminating the bizarre profiles of more duergar vessels whose crews swarmed the decks； shouting orders at each other and scurrying to obey the crown prince's soldiers。
〃I hope our vessel is faster than theirs；〃 Ryld said。
〃Not to worry；〃 Coalhewer called from his perch。 〃This be the fastest vessel on the Darklake。 None of those scows can catch us。〃
He snapped out another order to the hulking skeletons driving the boat； and the undead monstrosities redoubled their efforts； driving their crankshafts faster and faster； until a froth of white foam boiled at the paddle…wheels。 The duergar city faded into the darkness behind them； marked by nothing more than a red glare on the cavern ceiling。
〃A dire development all this；〃 Quenthel mused。 〃Menzoberranzan hardly needs a war with the duergar now。〃
〃Do we alter our course？〃 Ryld asked。 〃Menzoberranzan must be warned of the duergar army。〃
The Mistress of Arach…Tinilith stood in thought for a moment； then said； 〃No。 What we're doing is more important； and if I am not mistaken Pharaun possesses the means to pass a warning to the archmage。 Is that not so； wizard？〃
The Master of Sorcere simply smiled and spread his hands。
Nimor's soft footfalls echoed in corridor after empty corridor as he made his way through the crown prince's fortress。 At odd intervals he passed pairs of scowling guards in heavy armor； halberds held upright； and he wondered if they ever tired of looking at the blank stone walls in the course of their duties。
Most likely not； he decided。 Duergar were simply insensitive to that sort of thing。
In his hand； Nimor idly flipped a small envelope from finger to finger。 The Lady Aliisza of the Sceptered One's Court （an inventive title if Nimor had ever heard one） had invited him to join her for dinner in her chambers； observing that the gray dwarves had so far failed to invite her to any kind of banquet or dinner。 Nimor didn't expect that panionship for dinner was the only thing on her agenda。
Arriving at the rooms assigned to the Sceptered One's envoy； he tucked his invitation back into his breast pocket； and rapped twice at the door。
〃Enter；〃 called a soft voice。
Nimor let himself in。 Aliisza waited by a table spread with quite an impressive meal； plete with a bottle of wine from the World Above and a pair of glasses already poured。 She wore a flowing skirt of red silk with a tight…fitting corselet trimmed with black lace。 The colors suited her； he noted； and even went well with her soft black wings。
〃Lady Aliisza；〃 he said； offering a bow。 〃I am flattered。 I am certain the repast before me did not e from the crown prince's kitchens。〃
〃There is a limit to how much smoked rothe cheese and black spore…flour bread one can stand；〃 she said。 She took the wine glasses in hand and moved close to extend him one。 〃I admit； I had my entourage scour the city to find inns and taverns willing to provide meals suited to an elf's palate。〃
Nimor took the glass and swirled it； bringing it to his nose to inhale the aroma。 Not only did it allow him to appreciate the wine's bouquet； but he could sniff the vintage for any signs of the various subtle poisons with which he was familiar。 He would have proved difficult to poison in any case； but he did not detect any strange scents。
〃You have my thanks； dear lady。 I have been traveling of late； and have been forced to live on very plain fare indeed。〃
Aliisza sipped at her own wine； and nodded at the table。
〃In that case； why don't we eat while we talk？〃
Nimor took the seat opposite the half…demon； and fell to his meal。 One of the consequences of his true nature was a surprising ability to eat far more than one might expect for a dark elf of his slight build； and to go for quite a long time between meals。 The rothe roast with mushroom gravy was cool and rare in the middle and quite excellent； the small blind fish were somewhat saltier than he would have cared for； and the wine was dry and strong； a good match for the roast。
〃So； to what do I owe the pleasure of this occasion？〃 he asked between mouthfuls。
〃You intrigue me； Nimor Imphraezl。 I want to know more about who you are； and what interests you represent。〃
〃Who I am？ I have given you my true name；〃 Nimor replied。
〃That is not exactly the sort of answer I had in mind。〃 Aliisza leaned forward； her eyes fixed on him。 〃What I meant was； whom do you serve？ What are you doing here？〃
Nimor felt a subtle flutter at the edges of his thoughts； as if he was trying to remember something he'd momentarily misplaced。 He leaned back in his chair and grinned at the alu…fiend。
〃I hope you'll forgive me； dear lady； but I recently found myself in an interview in which the other party could read my thoughts； and so I have taken steps to defend myself against such things this evening。 You won't pick your answers from my mind。〃
Aliisza frowned and said； 〃Now I wonder what thoughts you have to guard so well； Nimor。 Are you afraid that I wouldn't like what I found there？〃
〃We all have our secrets。〃 Nimor teased his wine and admired the bouquet again。 He would not give her the plete truth； of course； but what he would offer was truthful enough under the circumstances。 〃I belong to a minor House of Menzoberranzan with some unusual practices of which the matron mothers would not approve；〃 he began。 〃Among other things； we do not subject ourselves to the tyranny of our Lolth…worshiping female relations； and we possess old and strong ties to minor Houses with similar practices in several other cities。 We masquerade as low…ranking merchants； but we keep our true nature and capabilities quite secret。〃
〃Capabilities？〃
〃We are assassins； dear lady； and we are very good at what we do。〃
Aliisza leaned forward； resting her delicate chin on her fingertips as she studied Nimor with her dark； mischievous gaze。
〃So what is an assassin of Menzoberranzan doing in Gracklstugh； advising Horgar Steelshadow as he musters his army for war？〃 she asked。 〃Wouldn't that constitute the worst sort of treason？〃
Nimor shrugged and replied； 〃We wish to see the order of things upset。 We cannot defeat the great Houses of our city without an army； and Gracklstugh's is the strongest in this corner of the Underdark。 As soon as it became evident that Lolth had abandoned her priestesses； we realized that we had a golden opportunity to strike a mortal blow against the great Houses。 We have been doing all that we can to help Horgar see that our opportunity is his opportunity； too。〃
〃Aren't you concerned that the duergar might prove unwilling to relinquish the drow city to your care once they've conquered it？〃
〃Of course；〃 Nimor