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"Drizzt!" it said with the sa it

"Relax, dear lady," Jarlaxle cooed, patting his hands in the air above the creature, which seeitated

"Bwahahaha!" the yochlol cried oo?"

"Tiago Baenre," Jarlaxle explained, and hurriedly scooped up the portable hole, which became a piece of black cloth once more, and stuffed it back into place inside his hat "A powerful noble son of the First House of Menzoberranzan He has decided to take it upon himself to hunt down and kill Drizzt Do’Urden"

"With the blessing of the matron mother?"

"Ah, there’s the rub," Jarlaxle replied "Matron Mother Quenthel does not hinder him, but I suspect that she does not even know of his intent He has a h surely Lolth would cackle with glee if she favored Drizzt in this fight Irony, chaos … they are the calling cards of that vicious one, after all"

"Then how is this relevant? Why should I care?"

"This confrontation will bring the questions filtering around the rogue to the forefront, and will deo Baenre kills Drizzt, and Drizzt is favored by Lolth, the fallout will be clear and swift And if Drizzt kills a favored son of House Baenre, the House will react violently--or it will not, and that will prove quite telling, given the matron mother’s relationship with the Spider Queen Sifor a century andyou the answer to that very question you ask"

Lord Draygo stared at him incredulously "You presume much"

"You have him," Jarlaxle stated

"So you have claimed"

"He is dead, then, and our discussion is moot," Jarlaxle replied, and he dramatically spun and waved his ar circular hallway beyond that would lead back to the grand entry hall of the castle "When first I entered, I noted your castle guard holding Taulmaril, Drizzt’s bow, the bow used by Drizzt’s dead wife He would not part with it for all the gold on Toril, nor would he allow any other to wield it If you truly do not know the whereabouts of Drizzt Do’Urden, Lord Draygo, then take care, for I assure you that there is a very dangerous drow ranger lurking about your estate, intent on, and likely capable of, killing anyone standing between hio Quick stared at Jarlaxle for just aopen and a pair of Draygo Quick’s attendants, warlocks both, judging from their robes, hurriedly entered the cha rooo Quick ordered "I will not keep you waiting long," he promised Jarlaxle, "but I have some business to attend to"

Jarlaxle bowed low and followed his escorts out of the roo back over the checkerboard-floored grand hall--where he listened most attentively for any sounds fro room opposite, where he was left alone

So his hosts believed

Draygo Quick will speak with Ulfbinder, Kimmuriel telepathically relayed to Jarlaxle Perhaps even to Quenthel

Not Quenthel, Jarlaxle silently replied He has no et to her as of now You have found them?

Yes

All of thehts on the first word for clear emphasis

Two alive, three as stone, Kihed

If Draygo Quick releases Drizzt, you will not execute the attack, Kimmuriel relayed to him in no uncertain terms Not for the sake of huh, then looked up and painted a disar smile on his face as an attendant entered with a tray of food

Do you understand? Kimmuriel demanded

"Yes," Jarlaxle said enthusiastically "Truly I had not realized the extent of er"

Kimmuriel relayed that he understood the double use of the affirone frohts wander the ways of Castle Draygo some more

Jarlaxle could only hope, as Kimmuriel surely was, that the powerful Netherese warlock was not attuned to, or faainst, such psionic intrusions

So far, at least, all seeiven Kiure out a way to ensure that Lord Draygo would not let go of Drizzt without a fight

"The hando Quick told Parise Ulfbinder through his crystal ball

"Jarlaxle lied to you, then, and apparently for the sake of Drizzt Do’Urden," Parise replied

"But why? Is Drizzt an D’aerthe than we believe?"

Parise shook his head "I would guess that this is more personal than professional with Jarlaxle He is a curious one, full ofin concert to foran D’aerthe is, above all else, pragmatic By all accounts, they are a professional, if brutal, organization I cannot believe that they would risk such a lucrative potential as the deal we signed for the sake of Drizzt Do’Urden"