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"My greetings, Faceless One" the high priestess said, pushing past Alton into his private chambers in Sorcere

"Andto keep the fear out of his voice Vierna Do’Urden co to see him at this tiht me the honor of a visit froer a mistress" said Vierna "I have returned to my home"

Alton paused to consider the news He knew that Dinin Do’Urden had also resigned his position at the Acadeether" Vierna continued "There are stirrings of war You have heard the to under-stand why Vierna had come to call on him House Do’Urden had used the Faceless One before in its plotting-in its at-tempt to assassinate Alton! Noith ruhout Menzoberranzan, Matron Malice was re-establishing her network of spies and assassins

"You know of them?" Vierna asked sharply

"I have heard little" Alton breathed, careful now not to anger the powerful feh to report to your house I did not even suspect that House Do’Urden was in-volved until nohen you informed me" Alton could only hope that Vierna had no detection spell aimed at his words Vierna relaxed, apparently appeased by the explanation

"Listen more carefully to the rumors, Faceless One" she said "My brother and I have left the Academy; you are to be the eyes and ears of House Do’Urden in this place"

"But" Alton stuttered

Vierna held up a hand to stop him "We know of our failure in our last transaction" she said She bowed low, soh priestess rarely did to a uent you received for the assassination of Alton DeVirdid not restore the features to your face"

Alton nearly choked on the words, now understanding why an unknownsalve soent of House Do’Urden, come to repay the Faceless One for his assassination of Alton! Of course, Alton had never even tried the unguent With his luck, it would have worked, and would have restored the features of Alton DeVir

"This tih Alton, too caught up in the irony of it all, hardly listened "House Do’Urden possesses a wizard’s staff but no wizard worthy to wield it It belonged to Nalfein, my brother, who died in the victory over DeVir"

Alton wanted to strike out at her Even he wasn’t that stu-pid, though

"If you can discern which house plots against House Do’Urden" Vierna promised, "the staff will be yours! A treasure indeed for such a s no other re-sponse to the incredible offer

"That is all Matron Malice asks of you" said Vierna, and she left the wizard, quite certain that House Do’Urden had secured a capable agent within the Acadened their posi-tions" said Alton excitedly as the di

"This is already known to me" replied SiNafay Hun’ett

She looked around disdainfully at the littered and scorched room, then took a seat at the s SiNafay to get upset about being disturbed over old news "} have had a visitor this day, Mistress Vierna Do’Urden’"

"She suspects?" Matron SiNafay growled

"No, no!" Alton replied "Quite the opposite House Do’Urden wishes to employ me as a spy, as it once employed the Faceless One to assassinate me’"

SiNafay paused for a ht from her belly "Ah, the ironies of our lives!" she roared

"had heard that Dinin and Vierna were sent to the Acad-eer brother" remarked Alton

"An excellent cover" SiNafay replied "Vierna and Dinin were sent as spies for the ambitious Matron Malice My compliments to her"

"Now they suspect trouble" Alton stated, sitting opposite his reed SiNafay "Masoj patrols with Drizzt, but House Do’Urden has also er" reasoned Alton

"No" said SiNafay "House Do’Urden does not know that House Hun’ell perpetrates the threat against it, else it would not have come to you for information Matron Malice knows your identity"

A look of terror crossed Alton’s face

"Not your true identity" SiNafay laughed at him "She knows the Faceless One as Gelroos Hun’ell, and she would not have come to a Hun’ell if she suspected our house"

"Then we have an excellent opportunity to throw House Do’Urden into chaos!" Alton cried "If I implicate another house, even Baenre, perhaps, our position will be strength-ened" He chuckled at the possibilities "Malice will reward ainst her at the proper moment!"

"Matron Malice!" SiNafay corrected sternly Even though she and Malice were soon to be open enemies, SiNafay would not permit a male to show such disrespect to a ma-tron mother "Do you really believe that you could carry out such a deception?"

"When Mistress Vierna returns"

"You will not deal with a lesser priestess with such valued information, foolish DeVir You will face Matron Malice her-self, a forh your lies, do you knohat she will do to your body?"

Alton gulped audibly "I a his arms resolutely on the table

"What of House Hun’ett when the biggest lie is revealed?" SiNafay asked "What advantage e enjoy when Ma-tron Malice knows the Faceless One’s true identity?"

"I understand" Alton answered, crestfallen but unable to refute SiNafay’s logic "Then what are we to do? What a their next th "Return to House Hun’ett, within ht also implicate House Hun’ett to Matron Malice" Alton reasoned

"It o to Matron Malice in feigned anger, telling her to leave House Hun’ett out of her troubles If she wishes to make an inform-ant of a member of h I’ll not grant it this time!"

SiNafay ser, ainst House Do’Urden, even a conspiracy betweenthe added ben-efits "Matron Malice will certainly have much to think about, and much to worry about!"

Alton hadn’t even heard SiNafay’s last co her per notion into his h his words were barely audible

"What do you hts

"Did Matron Malice co an answer "Thirty years ago Did Matron SiNafay grant her perent, an assassin to complete House DeVir’s elimination?"

A wide smile spread across SiNafay’s face, but it vanished in the blink of an eye as she threw the table across the roorabbed Alton by the front of his robes, and pulled hie

"Never confuse personal feelings with politics!" the tiny but obviously strong ht of an open threat t, And never ask ain!"

She threw Alton to the floor but didn’t release hi that he was ue between House Hun’ett and House Do’Urden, a necessary link for Matron SiNafay to carry out her treach-erous plans Every now and then, though, Alton’s personal grudge against House Do’Urden caused hi up now at SiNafay’s bared power, he realized that he had overstepped the bounds of his position