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〃We were fortunate to save that much； Matron Mother；〃 Zal'therra added。 〃Some of the minor Houses were slaughtered to a male in…〃
〃I did not address you；〃 Triel said。
She folded her arms and tried not to let the sick horror in her stomach show。
It will be a miracle if the Council doesn't rise in open revolt against me； the matron mother thought。 Thank the goddess that Mez'Barris is lost somewhere； and Fey…Branche so badly weakened。 Byrtyn Fey must guard her response with half her House army destroyed； and I will have some time to consider what must be done before I have to confront Mez'Barris； Lolth willing。
Then again； she thought； what was left of the Council； anyway？ Faen Tlabbar； the Third House； was in the hands of an untried girl； and Yasraena Dyrr was not likely to present herself at the next meeting； was she？ She and all her filthy House were barricaded in their castle； awaiting the arrival of their duergar allies； and apparently quite prepared to stand a siege。
That left Zeerith Q'Xorlarrin； Miz'ri Mizzrym； and Prid'eesoth Tuin as the only matron mothers she need concern herself with。
To distract herself from the unpleasant prospect ahead； Triel turned to face Andzrel and Zal'therra。 More than anything； she longed to punish the weapons master and her cousin Zal'therra for leading her army into a disastrous ambush； but as far as she could tell； Andzrel's skill and Zal'therra's decisiveness had most likely extricated the Army of the Black Spider from a dreadful mauling。 Menzoberranzan's army was battered； but intact。
〃Where are the duergar now？〃 she asked。
〃About three miles south of us；〃 replied Andzrel。 〃House Mizzrym currently serves as rear guard； though I've sent almost a hundred of our own soldiers to stiffen the defense。〃 Triel understood what Andzrel really meant…he'd put Baenre soldiers beside the Mizzrym to make sure that another betrayal of the sort Agrach Dyrr had engineered didn't take place。 〃The Scoured Legion advances through another passage to our east； circling around us。 We don't dare try to make a stand in this tunnel； or the tanarukks will get by us。〃
〃It would only take a hundred soldiers to hold this tunnel against almost any force； wouldn't it？〃 Triel asked。
〃Yes； but the duergar have enough war wizards in their ranks； and siege engines in their train； that they wouldn't be halted for long by a rearguard action。〃
〃Try it anyway；〃 Triel grated。 〃Use slave troops； and leave enough officers behind to make sure they don't break and run。 We need time； Weapons Master； and that's what rear guards are for。〃
Andzrel didn't argue the point； and Triel paced away to gather her thoughts。 Drow rebels； slave revolts； duergar armies； dark treachery； a missing archmage； and tanarukk hordes…it was hard to see how matters could get much worse。 Where could she even start to address any of these problems？ Assault Agrach Dyrr； without the magical might of the city's assembled priestesses？ Pick another spot to meet the duergar； and allow the tanarukks to sweep past？
〃How did this happen？〃 she muttered aloud。
〃Agrach Dyrr was in league with our city's enemies；〃 Zal'therra replied。 〃They contrived to make up the vanguard of our army； and instead of holding the Pillars of Woe against the gray dwarves； they led us into a trap。 They must be obliterated for their treachery。〃
〃I was not speaking to you；〃 Triel growled； and this time she could not restrain herself。
Though she knew Zal'therra was not to blame for the disastrous battle； she had to strike out at something。 She slapped the girl； hard； rocking her to her heels despite the fact that Zal'therra towered almost a foot taller than her； and outweighed her by thirty pounds。
〃You must e to expect treachery； you simpleminded fool！〃 Triel snarled。 〃Why were there no Baenre officers among our scouts？ Why did you take no steps to verify the reports the Agrach Dyrr fed to you？ If you had exercised even the most minimal amount of caution； our army would not be in tatters。〃
Zal'therra shrank back； saying； 〃Matron Mother； we all approved of Andzrel's plans…〃
〃Andzrel is a weapon； Zal'therra。 Our House army is a weapon。 Yours is the hand that must wield those weapons against our enemies。 I sent you out to exercise your judgment and make decisions； to use your head and think！〃
Triel whirled away to keep herself from striking Zal'therra again。 If she did； she didn't think she'd be able to stop； and like it or not Zal'therra was probably the most promising of her cousins。 Triel wouldn't be around forever； and she needed to give thought to leaving House Baenre with at least a few petent priestesses in the event that the day came when she would have to have her sisters murdered。
〃Matron Mother；〃 the girl managed； her eyes wide with fear； 〃I apologize for my failure。〃
〃I never asked for an apology； girl； and a Baenre should never offer one；〃 the matron mother rumbled； 〃but I will give you the opportunity to demonstrate that you have some redeeming portion of merit and resourcefulness。 You will take mand of the rearguard。〃
Triel gestured toward the south。 There was an excellent chance that she was sending her cousin to her death； but she needed to know if Zal'therra had the wits and the resolve to bee a leader of House Baenre； and if she found a way to survive the assignment and obtain any degree of success at all； Triel might consider permitting her to live。
〃Make the duergar fight for every step they take toward Menzoberranzan；〃 Triel added。 〃Your survival depends on your success。 If you abandon this tunnel before three days pass； I will have you crucified。〃
Zal'therra bowed； and hurried off。 Triel turned back to the weapons master。
〃Understand that I do not hold you blameless； either；〃 she said in a low voice。 〃You were the author of our grand strategy； and I mitted the full weight of House Baenre's power and prestige to your battle plan； which has led us to a disaster the likes of which we have not seen since Mithral Hall。 In any other circumstances； I would have you dumped into a pit of hungry centi