F O U R (11 page)

ngs stiff and

awkward with nervous tension. Waerva supposed that was the  difference

between commoners and nobles. No matter how perilous the situation, anaristocrat always managed a certain grace.

"She's

pearance. There was no music in it. looking at maps!" declared Umrae. Her voice matched her ap-"I'

m              "Your mistress is reasonably clever. I

never thought she would remain complacent forever not surprised," Waerva replied.        . " The body servant dug

Richard Lee Byers

27

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

his  fingertips  into Waerva's  upper back,  and she shivered. "We'll talk about

but first, please, set my mind at ease. T               it, ell me that no one who matters sawyou enter this particular room."

Umrae scowled, apparently irked by the very suggestion. "No, of course not.""Then for pity'

s  sake, take off your clothes. Y

deepstroke, and you want to look as  if you've had one when you get bou supposedly came here for a ackhome. Besides, these fellows are worth the rent."

Still frowning as if she suspected Waerva was perpetrating some sort of jokeat her expense, Umrae gestured brusquely to the human, slightly s

maller and

less muscular than his compatriot, whom  the Baenre had left for her use.

garments on the hooks set in the wall.Careful not to make eye contact, the  slave began to undress her and hang her mmoner asked. "She'

s  guarded. Even

with the resource you gave me, I'"So what are we going to do?" the com not sure I could kill her and escape, butsurely you have skilled assassins at your disposal."

"Of course." Waerva had to close her slanted ruby eyes as her body servant

squeezed and rubbed another clenched muscle into warm, limp submission. Itwas remarkable how she didn't even realize they were tight until the masseur

got his hands on them. "Murder would have its advantages. It would  take  heroff the sava board for good and all."

"Then we'r

servant gently spread her me agreed?" Umrae asked as she lay down on her couch. Her body ane of coarse white hair to expose the fleshbeneath.

Waerva grinned. "You sound so eager."

"I admit I'm  not fond of her. " Umrae's hum

of unguent, and a sweet scent tinged the ai an opened a white porcelain bottle r.  "That's not the point.to shield us all for as long as we need it."              The point is

"I quite agree," said Wa       concern is that an assassination could prove counterproductive. Might it not call attention to your merva, "and my              i

stress's

suspicions? Might it not lend weight to themlike mind ready to take over in the event of her dem? Does she not have a deputy of ise?"

Urnrae scowled, pondering the questions, plainly not enjoying it much. Her slave spread a thin coat of amber oil onto her back.

From

laughter, and splashing. W elsewhere in the building echoed the faint, distorted sounds of saerva guessed it m             houting, ust be males amusing themselves inone of the bathing pools. The fem

ales of the city were scarcely in the mood for

boisterous horseplay.At last Um

"Counter the threat in a subtler wayrae said, "All right, what do you want to do?".  She  can't  injure us if she's never affordedthe chance to confirm  her suspicions."

rae's voice quavered as her thrall began to

lightly pum"How will you ensure that?" Ummel her gleaming back with the bottoms  of his fists.Good luck loosening up those petrified limbs, Waerva thought. "I am

a

priestess of the Baenre, am  I not?""The least of them."

"How insolent of you to say so." Waerva tensed with annoyance until her

masseur's  hands rebuked her.

"I only meant—""I know what you meant, and I don't deny it.  It'

s  why I'm  here, after all. Yet

consider this: My aunt Triel has always  depended on the advice of two people,

Richard Lee Byers

28

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

Gromph and Quenthel. She can't  really talk to Gromph anymore because she's keeping him  in the dark with the rest  of the males. I doubt she'll see much of Quenthel for a while, eitherher own problems. She's endured som. The tiny she-demon will stay busy contending with e  sort of mishap up on Tier Breche ".Umrae twisted her head around to look at  her sister conspirator and said,  "I've heard rumors about that. What actually happened?"

"I don't know—" Though I wish to thwhatever it was, it works to our advantage. e goddess I did, she thought— "but We  want Triel to suffer a dearth of counselors."

"What about her magical new son? They  say he accompanies her everywhere ".Waerva smiled. "Jeggred's  not a factor. He'sscarcely a font of sage advice. I assure        a magnificent specimen but you poor, uncertain Triel will be absolutelylike me. I will buy our friends the time frantic for plausible insights from other Baenre priestesses, even the lowlier ones they need to work free  of  outsideinterference."

"You will if Triel trusts you."

"In this, she will. We  Baenre are proud. It  will be inconceivable to Triel that oneof our females would wish  to abandon the First House in favor of a new life elsewhere. Of course, she wasn't  born at  the absolute bottom of the internal hierarchy,  was she,  with  dozens of  older sisters and  cousinover her and holding all the im              s taking precedence portant  offices.  Even  if  I  started recklessly trying to pick  them  off  whenever  one  lowers  her  guard  even  slightly,  it  could  still  take  me centuries to ascend to a position of genuine power within the family."

"All right, that makes sense. What will you tell her?""The obvious." Waerva sighed shakily  as her human went to work on her sacroiliac. "For all we know, it may even be the truth."

Umrae lapsed into a sullen silence. He"I suppose."            r body servant's hands  made slapping and sucking sounds as they played about her slick, moist, bony back.you? If you'"By the six hundred and sixty-re having seconds thoughts, the time for that is wesix layers of the Abyss," said Wll aerva, "what ails past "."I'm  not. I want to be  something better than milady's secretary.  I want a surname. I want to be a high priestess and a noble.""And you will. When your cabal crushes the established order

,  they'll rewardme  for  my help  by making me  matron mother  of  a  new but  exalted House, whereupon I will adopt you as my daughter. Why,  then, do you appear somorose?"

"I just wonder.  This silence  ... is  it  really  a boon for us, or a calamity? Are we seizing a great opportunity or  madly rushing to our doom?"
 
How much better I'd rest if only I knew,  thought Waerva."Let me  ask a question," the Baenre priehearts, did you serve out of reverence or fear?"stess said. "Deep down in your heart of "I served for power."

"Comstill sparkles within our reach."e to think of it," said Waerva, "I did, too. So let us seize the power that "I—" Umrae moaned and curled her toes  as her human finally maa thrill of pleasure singing along her nerves. Waerva thought it was a good sign.naged to send

Richard Lee Byers

29

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

he had of course visited this bustliPharaun drank in the spectacle of the

Bazaar

ng place countless times be. Born and raised a Menzoberranyrfore, but  af    , ter

rather wonderful to him.several tendays of house arrest spent wondering if his life was at  an end, it seemed

flatter the vendor'Many of the stalls shone  with light, be it phosphorescent fungus positioned to s

merely the incidental fallout of some wares, magical illumination cast for the same purpose, or other  enchantment.  The  gleaming  was  never so fierce as to offend a dark elf'

s eyes, tway through the aisles in the nurturing darknhough. The citizens of the city wended their

ess  that  was  their natural habitat,  and

what an interesting lot those citizens were.

retainers, emerA high priestess, from House Fey Branche judging from the livery of her as knowledgeable and a hand as steaged from her curtained litter dy as any groom'to inspect riding lizards with an eye