tered piwafwi slip or droop out of line； offering an innotvitation； but Umrae proved too canny to attack when and how her opponent wished her to。
Faeryl realized she was panting and did the best to control her breathnoting。 She wasn't afraid…she wasn't…but she was impressed with her sernotvant's potion…induced prowess。 Formidable from the moment she imbibed it； Umrae was truly getting the hang of her borrowed capabilities as the battle progressed。
While still maneuvering and keeping an eye on Umrae； Faeryl nevernottheless entered a light trance。 With a sense that was neither sight； hearnoting； nor any faculty prehensible to those who'd never pledged her service to a deity； she reached into that formless yet somehow jagged place where she had once been accustomed to touch the shadow of the goddess。
The presence of Lolth had absented itself from the meeting ground； leaving a vacancy that somehow throbbed like a diseased tooth。 Still； it seemed an appropriate domain in which to pray。
Dread Queen of Spiders； Faeryl silently began； I beg you； reveal yournotself to me。 Restore my powers； even if only for a moment。 Has Menzoberranzan offended you？ So be it； but I'm not one of her daughters。 I'm from Ched Nasad。 Make me as I was； and I'll give you many lives…a slave every day for a year。
Nothing happened。
Umrae sprang in； clawing。 Faeryl jerked the part of her spirit that had groped in the void back into her body。 Retreating； she blocked the undead creature's claws with her cloak and struck a couple blows with the war hammer。 She didn't withdraw quickly enough to take herself pletely out of harm's way； nor did she settle into a strong stance and swing as hard as she could have。 She wanted the ghoul to feel on the brink of overwhelming her opponent and keep ing。 If Umrae grew too eager； she might open herself up for an effective counterattack。
Umrae's talons whizzed through the air； tearing scraps from the shelternoting cloak until it was the size of a ragged hand towel。 Unexpectedly； the spy beat her riddled wings； hopped in close； and struck at Faeryl's face。 The noble recoiled； but even so the claws streaked past a fraction of an inch before her eyes； so close she could feel the malignancy inside them as a pulse of headache。
Still； it was all right； because she thought Umrae was finally open。 She sidestepped and swung her stone…headed hammer at the ghoul's rib cage…
…to no avail； even though Faeryl had been correct； Umrae couldn't swing her hands around in time to block the blow。 Instead； she took annotother stride； 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