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me great pale fish； and black mithral mail of drow…make。 Two well…armed duergar busied themselves with assembling a suit of half…plate armor at a workbench to one side of the door。 They fixed suspicious stares on Halisstra and Danifae when the dark elves walked in； and kept a wary eye on them as the priestess and her handmaid examined the merchandise。
〃Mistress Melarn；〃 Danifae called。
Halisstra turned to find the girl gazing up at a well…made suit of drow chain mail； worked with the emblem of a minor House she did not know。 A matching buckler hung near the mail； with a morningstar of black steel alongside it。 The head of the weapon was fashioned in the shape of a demonic face with twisting； spikelike horns。 Halisstra carefully muttered the words of a spell of detection； and smiled at the result。 The arms were magical…not overwhelmingly so； but certainly as good as or better than anything she'd hoped to find in the city。
〃What can you tell us of these drow arms？〃 she asked of the shopkeepers。
The duergar halted their work。 The two might have been twins； Halisstra could hardly tell them apart。
〃Trophy；〃 one of them rasped。 〃A captain in the service of Laird Thrazgad sold 'em a couple of months ago。 Don't know where he got 'em。〃
〃They're enchanted；〃 said the other dwarf。 〃Won't be cheap。 Not at all cheap。〃
Halisstra moved over to the counter； and fished a small pouch from inside her hauberk。 She pored through its contents； and picked out several fine emeralds to set on the counter。
〃Do we have a deal？〃
The gray dwarf stood and approached to study the emeralds。
He scowled and said； 〃More than that。 A lot more。〃
Halisstra met his gaze evenly。 She hadn't managed to carry away much from her House before it fell； and she simply couldn't waste it on a gray dwarf's greed； not if she had other options open to her。
〃Danifae； have another look at the mail；〃 she said over her shoulder。 〃Make sure it's what you want。〃
Danifae read her intent perfectly。 The girl picked up the morningstar and hefted it in her hand； feeling out its balance。 As Halisstra had hoped； the second dwarf became nervous； watching a dark elf handle merchandise so valuable。 He set down his work and moved over to keep a closer eye on her； making sure he stood between Danifae and the door。 Danifae immediately began to offer a variety of ments about the arms； admiring the mail； questioning the strength of the enchantments； and generally engaging the fellow in conversation。
〃It'll take five times that weight of gemstones；〃 the duergar at the counter told Halisstra。 〃And they'll have to be good stones； too。〃
〃Very well； then；〃 Halisstra said。
She shrugged a leather case from her back and set it on the countertop。 Unwrapping it carefully； she withdrew her lyre； a small； curved instrument of dragonbone； strung with mithral wire and chased with mithral filigree。
〃As you can see； it's an exquisite piece of work；〃 she said。
She picked it up and strummed it as if to show off its qualities…and quietly sang a bae'qeshel song。 The dwarf gaped at her； then recoiled in horror when he realized she was casting a spell。 Before he could call out a warning； the magic of the song ensnared him。
〃What's going on there？〃 the duergar watching Danifae demanded。
〃Tell your friend it's all right；〃 Halisstra whispered across the counter。 〃You don't want the lyre。〃
〃It's fine；〃 the first dwarf said。 〃She's offering the lyre； but we don't want it。〃
〃Of course not；〃 the second muttered。 〃Do you see any instruments in here？〃
He returned his attention to Danifae； who asked him about the best way to care for mail in damp places。
〃Now；〃 said Halisstra to the dwarf she'd beguiled； 〃we're a little far apart at the moment； but I'm certain we can strike a good bargain。 You're going to sell us the arms my handmaid is looking over。 Will you take the emeralds as a down payment？ I will e back in a couple of days with a very handsome sum to square my account。〃
〃The stones'll do as a down payment；〃 the merchant allowed； 〃but my partner won't be happy with that。 He'll think you don't mean to e back。〃
〃Let him think I've paid in full； then； and he won't trouble you。〃 Halisstra said。
She thought for a moment more； then leaned forward and held the fellow with her eye。
〃You know；〃 she said softly； 〃if something were to happen to your partner； the entire business would be yours to run as you see fit； wouldn't it？ You could keep all of the profits； couldn't you？〃
An avaricious gleam came to the merchant's eye。
〃I think you're right；〃 he said。 〃I don't know why it didn't occur to me before！〃
〃Patience；〃 Halisstra advised。 〃Anytime today would be fine。 Oh； and I would appreciate it if you didn't mention to anyone else that my friend and I had done business with you。 Let's just keep this between the two of us。〃
Nimor departed Menzoberranzan； carrying various payments and tokens to indicate that Reethk Vaszune had entered into an arrangement to provide the wizards of Agrach Dyrr with certain spell reagents and ponents on the small chance that he might be required to talk his way out of the city。 The details of the true arrangement he had forged he carried in no place except his own mind。 The Anointed Blade of the Jaezred Chaulssin was well satisfied with his work of the past few days。 While he did not strictly need Agrach Dyrr for what he had in mind； the acmodation he'd reached with the ancient master of the House would make the task ahead of him much easier。
Nimor slipped from the Qu'ellarz'orl into a small side cavern leading out into the Dark Dominion。 He had e to know the maze of dangerous passages surrounding the great city quite well in the past few months； and he quickly found a dark； quiet spot unobserved by any of the city's defenders。 The Anointed Blade stretched out his hand toward the blank stone of the passage wall。 The Ring of Shadows gleamed on his left hand； a small circle of inky darkness that seemed more like a tiny hole in the world than a piece of ornamentation。 Among its