parent cause…for Nimor was still invisible。
〃Zilzmaer？〃 he said sharply。 〃What is it？〃
Nimor bounded forward and rammed his bloody knife up under the wizard's chin； nailing his jaws closed and transfixing the Tlabbar's brain。 The mage jerked two or three times； violently； then shuddered and died。
〃Shh；〃 the assassin hissed。 〃It's nothing。 Go to sleep。〃
He laid the wizard alongside his panion； and turned to the dark archway leading into the castle proper。
Knife in hand； he stalked through…only to be halted by an invisible； intangible barrier that blocked the archway as surely as a wall of masonry。 Nimor frowned； summoned up his willpower； and tried the archway again； only to find his passage barred in mid…step。
〃Damnation；〃 he muttered。 〃A forbidding。〃
The Tlabbar castle； or its interior anyway； was warded by a great fixed spell that utterly prevented an enemy from setting foot within。 Nimor could elude or undo some magical traps； but the forbidding was simply beyond his ability to penetrate。
That explains the open door； he thought。 The Tlabbars are confident in their magical defenses。 Now what？
Nimor sheathed his knife and studied the archway。 A spell of forbidding could be crafted to defend a building or area in one of several ways； but if the Tlabbars wanted to move about their own castle； they would have had to make a forbidding through which one could pass without too much difficulty…perhaps with a token of some kind； or maybe with a password。 Nimor quickly searched the bodies of the two Tlabbar guards he'd slain； but found nothing that seemed like it might serve as a token to pass the forbidding。
It might be anything； he thought。 A cloak clasp； an enchanted coin in a purse； an earring or a necklace 。 。 。
He decided he didn't have time to experiment。 With one hand he picked up the dead wizard and tucked the fellow under his arm； then he strode back to the archway and steeled himself to step through。 This time； he passed through without resistance； as if the ward was simply gone。
Something the Tlabbar guards wear； then； Nimor decided。
He briefly considered shouldering the dead wizard and carrying the fellow along in case he needed to pass another warding inside the castle； but decided against it。 Stealth and speed were his best defenses； and lugging a corpse through the castle was not particularly subtle。 Besides； the Tlabbars were not likely to have two forbiddings in their palace； or to use the same key for both if they did。 He unceremoniously dumped the wizard on the other side of the doorway； and headed inside。
The archway opened into a long； high…ceilinged corridor that ran above one of the Tlabbar halls。 Doors made of pale zurkhwood lined the hall； opening into studies； parlors； trophy rooms； and other such chambers if Nimor's old maps were correct。 He ignored them all and darted swiftly down the hall； reaching a small staircase at the end that descended to the level below。 Here he encountered a magical glyph barring passage on the stair； but he sensed the trap before stepping close enough to trigger it。 He simply vaulted over the rail instead； dropping lightly to the stairs below。 The stairs swept around in a grand curve and led him to another gleaming black corridor near the center of the Tlabbar castle； leading to the House shrine。 The floor was polished black marble that would have gleamed like a mirror had there been any light to see by。 Not far ahead； a pair of House guards stood watch over a great double door leading into Lolth's sanctuary。
Nimor smiled invisibly and congratulated himself on his timing。 The matron mother； and perhaps a daughter or two； would be within； performing some empty ritual to their mute goddess。
Carefully staying out of sight； Nimor took one more look around to make sure no one else was approaching。 He studied the two guards outside the door。 They seemed no more than young officers； proudly attired for their exalted duty as guards to the matron mother； but Nimor did not trust his eyes。 The two were more than they seemed； he was certain of it。 He decided to bypass them if he could。
Gathering himself； Nimor raised his left hand； on which gleamed a ring as black as jet。 The ring of shadows was perhaps his most useful weapon； a device that conferred a number of useful magical powers。 He called upon one of those powers； and melted into the shadows of the black corridor only to step out on the far side of the shrine's door； into House Tlabbar's most sacred sanctum。
The temple almost filled the central floor of the great palace； its graceful dome rising overhead； chased in silver and jet with Lolth's spider insignia。 The shrine was lit with a sinister silvery radiance； the better to display the lavish wealth House Faen Tlabbar had expended in decorating the Spider Queen's chapel。 Nimor spared no admiration on the gold baubles and gem…encrusted images； though。
Matron Mother Ghenni and two of her daughters abased themselves before the towering black idol of the silent goddess； groveling before Lolth； no doubt beseeching the Spider Queen to restore her favor to the House。 No one else waited within。 Apparently the matron mother felt that her guards and servants did not need to see her and her daughters prostrate themselves in their private adorations。 Nimor's information on Faen Tlabbar had once again been proven accurate。
The assassin silently drew his rapier and advanced； eyeing his prey。 Ghenni was a striking dark elf； a female with a voluptuous body and a sinuous grace that allowed her to carry her years better than many females a hundred years younger。 He noted the dark glint of mail beneath her emerald robes； and smiled。 Apparently even the matron mother of a strong House didn't feel entirely safe in her own home without the Spider Queen's protection。
The matron mother paused in her observances； warned by something…a small sound； the flicker of a shadow； possibly just intuition。 She raised herself up to her knees and looked around； wariness plain on her face。
〃Sil'zet； Vadalma；〃 she hissed。 〃We are not alone。〃
The two girls halted at once； still stretched out on the cold stone floor。 They glanced about warily。 Ghenni stood carefully； reaching for a wand at her belt。
〃Who are you？〃 she demanded。 〃Who dares intrude on our devotions？〃
Nimor made no answer but glided closer。 The matron mother didn't see him； he was certain of that； but just as he drew within sword reach； he felt a presence coalesce in the room。 An unseen demonic force took shape in the air near the top of the dome。
〃Beware； Matron；〃 a cold voice hissed。 〃An assassin approaches you unseen。〃
To her credit； the Matron Mother of House Faen Tlabbar did not quail。 As her daughters scrambled to their feet； Ghenni took two steps back and quickly gestured with her wand； snapping out a word of mand。 A sphere of roiling blackness hurled forth from the wand and burst behind Nimor in an inky blot of frigid shadows that lashed out like living things hungry for prey。 The assassin ignored the spell； as he was already leaping forward。 With a precise thrust； he ran the Faen Tlabbar through with his rapier。 The blade was as black as night； a long stiletto of intangible shadowstuff that simply glided through the matron mother's mail shirt as if the armor wasn't even there。 Its effect on the priestess was as lethal as one might expect。 He twisted the blade in her heart and grinned； though she still could not see him。
〃Greetings； Matron Mother；〃 he hissed aloud。 〃Perhaps you will find the answers you were seeking when you reach Lolth's black hells。〃
Ghenni gasped once and coughed blood。 She staggered back； clutching at the blade in her heart； and her eyes rolled up in her head and she toppled to the floor。 Nimor withdrew his rapier and whirled on the daughter on the left； Sil'zet； while the demon took shape over Ghenni's body。 It was a skeletal creature wrapped in green flames； armed with a black…glowing scimitar of pale bone。
The demon evidently could see him perfectly； for it set on Nimor at once。 It aimed a ferocious cut at his head； which he simply ducked； but the creature reversed its blade with surprising speed and backhanded a second cut waist high。 Nimor scowled and skipped back； momentarily thwarted。 Behind the demon； he saw Sil'zet unrolling a scroll to read； while Vadalma held her ground； stooping to retrieve her mother's wand while guarding herself with a dagger。
〃You will not escape this room with your life； assassin；〃 Vadalma cried。 〃Guards！ To me！〃
Nimor heard the guards outside fumbling at the chapel door。 He ducked and darted； keeping away from the bone demon； but unwilling to engage it。 Slaying a guardian demon was pointless； after all。 He had only a few moments more； and he wanted to make the most of them。 The assassin took one quick step and rolled beneath the demon's guard； ing up beside Sil'zet as she declaimed the words of her scroll。 He rammed his dagger into the small of her back while parrying the bone demon's scimitar with his own black rapier。 Sil'zet shrieked in agony and wrenched away； but Nimor tripped her exper