angrily across the map at the scarred duer-gar. "Why, even our orcs would be a match for - "
A tug on his arm from Aliisza stopped him in mid bluster. He glared at her but listened as she whispered in his ear, then slowly lowered his sword.
"Gentlemen, please," Nimor said. "Hear me out." He turned to Vhok. "The Scoured Legion will indeed be involvedin the fight. You will rake Donigarten, the city's food and water supply, then fall upon Qu'ellarz'orl from the east. That will cause the matron mothers to withdraw their defenders south, allowing the duergar to take up posi-tions in the north. But notall of the duergar. One company, at least, must march together with the tanarukks, spread amongst their ranks to give the impression that our force as a whole is committed to an attack on Menzoberranzan's First House."
Vhok narrowed his eyes and asked, "We are to be a meredistraction ?"
"Not at all," Nimor assured him, a twinkle in his eye. "You also have a chance at victory - an excellent chance. I've taken steps to take House Baenre out of the fight with a little surprise that I've got planned for its matron mother. Once Triel is eliminated, the other females of House Baenre will begin vying for her throne. The com-panies each commands will begin fighting each other - which will keep them too busy to bother about something so insignificant as defending their city.
"When the other noble Houses see Baenre in disarray, they'll sense its weakness and strike. One or more of them will try to usurp Baenre's position as First House. While they're busy fighting each other, Lord Vhok's troops can swoop in and seize Qu'ellarz'orl."
Vhok scowled and said, "An interesting theory."
"It's not just theory," Nimor countered. He paused to brushed rock dust off the sleeve of his immaculately tailored gray shirt. "It's drow nature. We're like spiders reacting to the twitching of a web. When we think we have our prey at our mercy, we strike.
"Only this time," Nimor said, "the prey will be the drow them-selves. Menzoberranzan will fall. I guarantee it."
Triel coldly regarded the prisoner who had been brought before her: a young male drow. He lay on his back on the floor of her audi-ence chamber, wrists bound tightly behind him and ankles likewise tied above his bare feet. His black pants and shirt hung in tatters, the slashes revealing a myriad of lacerations that dribbled blood onto the floor. The hair on one side of his head had been burned down to stubble, and his face was covered in blisters. One eye was fused shut, its eyelid blistered and weeping, but the other glared up at Triel with undiminished defiance.
Triel crinkled her nose at the stench of burned hair and flesh and toyed with a perfectly balanced throwing dagger - the only one still in the fellow's bandoleer when he was captured. She could tell by the tingle it sent through her fingers that it was magic - as had been the blades that had killed four of her elite guard.
"This is an assassin's weapon," she observed, handing it to one of the females who stood on either side of her: twoof the House guard who attended her at all times, magical shields and maces at the ready.
A third member of the guard - an officer - stepped forward to conclude her report.
"The intruder was captured on the fifth level, Matron Baenre," she said. "We believe he was trying to reach your private quarters."
Triel stared at the officer, who, despite all that was happening, looked as if she was freshly turned out for inspection. Her adaman-tine chain mail was a glossy black, her long white hair neatly braided. She stood at rigid attention, a polished mace hanging from her belt and a hand crossbow strapped to the back of each wrist. Five black spiders, embroidered into the shoulder of her silver tunic, proclaimed her rank.
"How did he get inside, Captain . . . ?" Triel let the sentence trail off, an obvious invitation for a name.
"Captain Maignith," the woman answered, meeting Triel's eyes for precisely the amount of time that was appropriate. "He didn't get in through any of the lower doors. I questioned the guards - thoroughly. All were at their posts, and the wards are still in place. He didn't slip past us. He must have gottenin from above."
That said, Captain Maignith glanced at a second officer - a lieu-tenant of the lizardriders - who stood