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in her eyes。〃
〃We can also move along a little quicker； and stop gawking；〃 Valas Hune called。 He was at the rear of the band； an arrow laid across the string of his double…curved bow。 The scout stood peering up the strand behind them； his face pinched in a worried frown。 〃Excuse the interruption； but we have pany。 Something is following us down the strand。〃
Halisstra followed the scouts gaze upward； swaying awkwardly as she lost her balance。 She hadn't realized just how far they'd descended until she looked back up the massive strand； sloping upward steeper and steeper into the darkness overhead。 Something was following them； a crawling horde of tiny； spiderlike figures that swarmed over the strand's entire circumference； heedless of whether they clung to the web's top； sides； or bottoms。 They were still many hundreds of yards behind the pany； but even at that distance Halisstra could tell that they were ogre…sized monstrosities； and the alacrity of their pursuit certainly didn't seem to be a good 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