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iz'ri declined to squander the House's limited resources on such inpetents。 Greyanna had entirely agreed。
After taking the wounded home； Greyanna； with the questionable aid of Aunrae； had selected five new males to join her in the hunt。 This time； they'd stalk Pharaun on foot； Greyanna having belatedly realized that foul…wings weren't lucky for her。
She and her band had been wandering the streets seeking word of their quarry when the rebellion erupted。 Once she'd grasped the magnitude of the disturbance； she wondered if it was the raid on the Braeryn that she had engineered； that brutal attempt to flush her brother out of hiding； that had inspired the thralls to revolt。 In a mad； dark way； the possibility pleased her； but she decided not to share her hypothesis。 Few would see the humor。
Most of her thinking； however； was given over to practical consideranottions。 She thought her hunting party could help put down the under…creatures； but only if it could bine forces with a bona fide army。 Otherwise； the larger mobs would overwhelm it。
In those first minutes of slaughter and destruction； she watched for some noble clan to ride forth from their castle and drive the goblins before them。 To her consternation； none did； at least not in her immediate vicinnotity。 Her little troop was on its own。
Life then became an infuriating business of running and hiding from ores of all things； of watching beasts no better than rothe destroy beauty and sophistication they couldn't even perceive。 Occasionally； she and her panions slew a small group of goblinoids wandering on their own； but it meant nothing； would do nothing to arrest the dissolution of all that was finest in the world。
Where was the Spider Queen？ Perhaps she was bored with her toy Men…zoberranzan； magnificent though it was。 Perhaps she intended to break it to make space for a new one。
In time； Greyanna's dodging and backtracking brought her to a street she recognized； a double row of prosperous shops…to be precise； establishments owned by tradesmen under the patronage of House Mizzrym。 She herself had called hereabouts； collecting rents and fees； occasionally chastising a fool who was late paying on a loan or had othnoterwise displeased Matron Mother Miz'ri。
It occurred to Greyanna that if the merchants perished； they'd connottribute no more gold to Mizzrym coffers。 Whereas if she conducted them to safety； she might curry some favor with her mother。 Miz'ri had grown impatient with her continuing failure to kill Pharaun and had even hinted that another might carry the mantle of First Daughter with more grace。
At the very least； preserving Mizzrym assets would feel more construcnottive and less frustrating than simply skulking about； and so Greyanna innotstructed her followers to extract the frightened traders and artisans from their homes。
She loosed a crossbow bolt at the hobgoblins； and her soldiers did the same。 Her wizard conjured a cold； towering shadow like the silhouette of a mantis； which mangled several thralls in its oversized pincers before melting out of existence。 In all； at least a dozen brutes fell； but others shambled forth from the smoke and fiery glare to take their place。
Voices of torment； she thought； how many undercreatures were there in Menzoberranzan？
Until that day； Greyanna had never really noticed。 She guessed no one else had； either。
The hobgoblins charged。
The Mizzrym princess shouted； 〃Dark wall！〃
Three of her retainers； those closest to the onrushing thralls； stooped and touched the ground； conjuring a curtain of shadow between themnotselves and the undercreatures； then fell back。
One of the Mizzrym warriors herded the shopkeepers farther from the threat。 The rest； Greyanna included； scrambled to form a line at a narrow place three yards behind the intangible barrier。 The princess pulled a little silver vial from her belt pouch and guzzled the bitter； lukewarm contents down。 She shuddered and doubled over as her muscles cramped； and the disfort gave way to a tingling warmth。
Hobgoblins strode from the darkness。 They'd dwelled among dark elves too long for the trick to deter them more than a few seconds。
At least the blinding veil precluded their advancing in anything resemnotbling a coherent formation。 They screamed and charged in a gapped and formless wave； which looked murderous even so。
The first hobgoblin to lunge at Greyanna was particularly large and； in marked contrast to his fellows； hairless from the shoulders up。 A mistress or master had depilated the slave to prepare the canvas for a work of art； hundreds of tiny round burn scars arranged in a plex swirling pattern。