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ide； slapped the ambassador with a flick of her wing； and sent her reeling。
Faeryl's head rang； and the world blurred。 As she struggled to throw off the stunning effects of the blow； she thought fleetingly how unfair it was that Umrae； who had long ago forsaken bat training as a humiliating exercise in futility； was demolishing a female who still doggedly reported to her captain…of…the…guard for practice once a tenday。
After what seemed a long time； her head cleared。 She whirled； certain that Umrae was about to attack her from behind。 She wasn't。 In fact； the animate corpse was nowhere to be seen。
Plainly； Umrae had taken to the air。 Had she finally done the sensible thing and fled？ Faeryl couldn't believe it。 Umrae hated her。 The envoy didn't know why； but she'd seen it in the traitor's eyes。 Such being the case； Umrae wouldn't break off when she had every reason to believe she was winning and close to making the kill。 No drow would； which meant she was still hovering somewhere overhead； poised to swoop down and； she undoubtedly hoped； catch her mistress by surprise and smash her to the ground。
Her heart pounding； Faeryl peered upward and saw nothing。 She lisnottened for the beat of the creature's wings but heard only the eternal muffled whisper of the city as a whole。 She wasn't entirely surprised。 The undead were famously stealthy when stalking their prey。
A black sliver momentarily cut the line of violet luminescence adorning a spire of the castle of House Vandree。 The obstruction had surely been the tip of one of Umrae's wings。
Faeryl stared for another moment； then jumped when she finally spotnotted Umrae。 Her tattered cloak flapping between her wings； the transnotformed secretary was already hurtling down like a raptor from the World Above diving to plunge its talons into a rodent。
Hoping Umrae hadn't seen her react to the sight of her； Faeryl kept turning and peering。 When she felt the disturbance in the air； or perhaps simply the urgent prompting of her instincts； she jumped aside； pivoted； and swung the war hammer in an overhand blow。
Under those circumstances； she had little chance of smashing the thing's heart； but she'd seen that Umrae could suffer pain。 Perhaps the initial blow would freeze the undead thing in place for an instant； affording Faeryl the opportunity for what she prayed would be the finishing stroke。
The ambassador had timed the move properly； and the weapon's basalt head smashed into Umrae's flank。 Deprived of her victim； unexpectedly battered； the ghoul slammed into the smooth stone surface of the street with a satisfying crash。 Scraps of flesh broke away from her raddled body； releasing a fresh puff of stench。
Faeryl marked her target； the place on Umrae's chest beneath which her heart ought to lie； and swung Mother's Kiss back for the follow…up attack。 The traitor rolled and scrambled to her knees。 Faeryl struck； and Umrae lashed out with a taloned hand。 The ghoul caught the war hammer in mid…flight； tore it out of the ambassador's grip； and sent it spinning to clack down on the ground ten feet away。
Faeryl felt a crazy imp