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iend Aliisza followed sinuously； stretching her wings as she emerged。 Finally； Zammzt climbed out of the warlord's coach。
〃Well； I have e；〃 Kaanyr said in his powerful voice。 He studied the assembled gray dwarves； and regarded Nimor as well。 〃We have driven the dark elves back to their city in disarray。 Now how do we finish the job？ And； more importantly； how shall we divide the spoils？〃
〃Divide the spoils？〃 Horgar rasped。 〃I think not。 You will not help yourself to part of my prize after my army shouldered the brunt of the hard work in defeating the drow at the Pillars of Woe。 You will be paid fairly for your assistance； but do not presume to claim a share of my victory。〃
Kaanyr's handsome brow creased in an angry frown。
〃I am not a beggar crying out for your largesse； dwarf；〃 the cambion said。 〃Without my army's approach； you would still be fighting your way toward Menzoberranzan； one step at a time。〃
Horgar started to pose an angry retort； but Nimor quickly stepped between the gray dwarf and the half…demon and raised his arms。
〃My lords！〃 he cried。 〃The only way the Menzoberranyr can defeat you is if the two of you turn on each other。 If you cooperate； if you bine your efforts intelligently； the city will fall。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Zammzt。 The plain…faced assassin stood by Vhok's palanquin； shrouded in his dark cloak。 〃There is little point in dividing the spoils of a city that you have yet to capture。 There is even less point in allowing the effort of dividing the spoils to prevent the city's fall in the first place。〃
〃That may be true；〃 Kaanyr said； folding his powerful arms across his broad chest； 〃but I will not be forgotten when the city is plundered。 You brought me here； assassins。〃
〃You brought me here； as well；〃 Horgar rumbled； 〃and you brought the Agrach Dyrr。 I suspect that your secret House will be hard…pressed to honor your promises to all three of your allies。 Which of us do you mean to betray； I wonder？〃
For the first time； Nimor found himself wondering if perhaps he had arrayed too many enemies against Menzoberranzan all at once。 That was the nature of diplomacy in the Underdark； after all。 No alliance outlived its usefulness； not even by a heartbeat。
To his surprise； he was rescued by Aliisza。
The alu…fiend draped herself at Kaanyr's side and said； 〃He will not honor his promises to either of you； as long as the city stands。 How can he？ We will all go home empty…handed if you cannot e to an agreement。〃
Nimor inclined his head in gratitude； making a very conscious effort not to allow his eyes to linger on Aliisza for too long when she stood next to Kaanyr Vhok。 Somehow he doubted that she'd shared with her master the exact details of her visit to Gracklstugh； and he didn't want to give the half…demon any reason to bee curious。
〃Lady Aliisza's wisdom is as great as her beauty；〃 he said。 〃For the sake of avoiding argument； I propose this： To Horgar； five…tenths of Menzoberranzan's wealth； populace； and territory； to Kaanyr Vhok； three…tenths； and for my own House； two…tenths； out of which I will e to terms with the Agrach Dyrr。 All subject to final negotiation and adjustment when Menzoberranzan is ours； of course。〃
〃My army outnumbers the cambion's by better than two to one； so why does he gain a share better than half of my own？〃 Horgar said。
〃Because he is here；〃 Nimor said。 〃Take your army and go home if you like； Horgar； but look around you before you depart。 We stand at the Lustrum； the mithral mines of House Xorlarrin。 Menzoberranzan controls dozens of treasures such as this； and its castles and vaults are filled with the wealth of five thousand years。 If you do not fight； your share will be nothing。〃
That was the other reason Nimor had chosen the Lustrum as the place to hold his parley。 It served as a tantalizing reminder of the true prize that waited。
Horgar's eyes darkened； but the duergar prince turned aside to study the chasm and the gaping adits nearby。 Marshal Borwald leaned close and whispered something to the crown prince； and the other lairds muttered among themselves。 After a moment； Horgar shifted his thick hands to his belt and cleared his throat。
〃All right； then。 Subject to final negotiation； we agree。 So how do you intend to reduce the city？〃
〃You will crush Menzoberranzan between your two armies；〃 Nimor said。 〃Given your victory at the Pillars of Woe； the Lolthites are mitted to awaiting your assault in the city proper； but thanks to this maze of passages surrounding the city； they can't know where you'll make your attack。 That means the Menzoberranyr will have to maintain a strong force in waiting somewhere near the city's center to respond to whatever point is threatened。 The Scoured Legion will provide that threat； and when we force the Lolthites to mit to battle； the army of Gracklstugh will mence its attack and break into the city。〃
〃It's not a bad plan；〃 Kaanyr Vhok observed。 〃However； it is exactly what the Menzoberranyr must expect us to try； given the situation。 They'll be very careful in mitting their strength to any one threat。〃
〃Aye；〃 Horgar said。 〃How will you draw them out； now that you've taught them caution at the Pillars of Woe？〃
Nimor smiled。 It didn't escape him that Horgar and Kaanyr were examining the tactical problem of defeating Menzoberranzan； instead of quarreling over what they expected to gain from their efforts。
〃My brothers and I expect to help in that regard；〃 he said。 〃We're not numerous but we're well…placed； and； my lords； you have forgotten House Agrach Dyrr。〃
Horgar and Kaanyr exchanged a nod； even a smile。
Prepare well； Menzoberranzan； Nimor thought。 I'm ing。
〃I never imagined so many demons in my life；〃 Ryld grunted。 He leaned on Splitter； watching as a huge； bat…winged； bloated form spiraled feebly down into the darkness； vainly trying to fly with its wings savaged by blows of the weapons master's greatsword。 He straightened and wiped the back of one hand across his brow。 〃It's getting hotter； too。 I hope we're close to whatever we're looking for。〃
Halisstra and the rest of the pany stood nearby； swaying with nausea or trembling with fatigue as the environment and their exertions warranted。 For what seemed like hours； they'd continued to fight their way down strand after strand。 Sometimes they descended for miles past strands that were empty or held nothing but corpses； but more and more frequently they encountered demons that were alive and hungry。 Most of the infernal creatures threw themselves headlong into battle as if all reason had deserted them； but a few retained enough of their intelligence to employ their formidable magical abilities against the interlopers。
With fang； claw； sting； and unholy sorcery the denizens of the Demonweb Pits scoured and scored the drow pany。 It didn't help that Quenthel had manded Pharaun to hoard his spells carefully so that the pany met each new demonic threat with steel； not the wizard's magic。
〃Save your breath； Master Argith；〃 Quenthel said。 She slowly straightened from her own fighting crouch； her whip sp