Neri ducked behind the tapestry and sood stone still. It was some time before the guards moved far enough past for him to slip around the corner unnoticed. It took all his training to move quietly through the castle. He kept to the walls to avoid treading on the rushes, and made special care when closing doors. Castles were tall and airy, and even slight noises echoed in their high vaulted ceilings.

Fortunately, the wall Prince Halfur instructed him to inspect was mostly hidden from view, so once he made the approach his task became much easier. The wall opened into a small channel in the corner, and then a narrow passage that wrapped around the outside of a turret. The passage seemed to end underneath a stairway, bu Neri was able to locate the loose stone in the wall that activated the hidden door. It was level with the crown of his head, about the height a tall human would raise their hand to. He hesitated a moment before pressing the button. The mechanism was clever, but crude, and he anticipated a great deal of noise from activating it. He waited until he was positive no one was nearby, then pressed the button. Only a soft growl came from the door as it slid inward and to the side. He squeezed through the slit and descended a small, spiraling stair to a chamber inside the walls of the castle's undercroft.

He fumbled through the thick gloom under the Great Hall. Somehow the air prevented him from seeing even though there was torch light flickering through a slit in the wall a ways down. He heard quiet voices coming from the direction of the light, mingled with quiet whispers that seemed to echo all about him. He moved with great care, pausing between each step and listening to hear if anyone was coming his way. When he approached the flickering opening he looked upward to see if he could find some sort of foothold to climb in case anyone came into the hidden hall. There were some vines, far to feeble to hoist himself up with. Other than that there was only the smooth stone wall, without any cleft or gab for him to fit his hands. He looked down and found what he sought; a small, hollowed out nook just big enough for him to crouch within.

He strained his ears to hear through the whispers. He recognized Salimod's voice, but none of the others. As far as he could tell there were two men and a woman with him. The woman sounded young, but spoke with harsh authority. He guessed her to be a drow, and one of the other men as well. He spoke mostly to agree with the woman. She was scolding Salimod for something. Neri pressed his hands against the walls to help hear. It was difficult, and took continuous effort, but he could just make out their words.

"I'll keep what company I like in my own castle," Salimod was saying. "I've entered into an alliance with Thrond and if nothing else should welcome Grar's children as a pretense. I don't see any reason this should interfere with out business."

"It's not your place to see," the woman said. "I'm telling you their presence here is intolerable, and your place is to respond."

"And I'm telling you that as King of High Alden, I refuse to be ordered about by a servant, regardless who your master is. My business is with Matron Odessi. I've done everything she's asked. The spy made it in, located their mannarim stores, finished his other tasks and escaped undetected. Our business is concluded and my wedbrother's children are welcome here as long as they care to stay."

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The drow man made some muffled threats, which Salimod balked at. The other man spoke in a quiet voice. Neri could only make out an occasional word, but could tell the man's tone was clever and mocking.

"You are in my employ," Sailmod said with obvious fear.

"Sally, Sally, Sally," the man said, "you've got to start learning one of these days."

"How dare you betray me? I've given you a fortune."

"And does it look like I've spent it on anything? I'm wearing the same coat I had when first we met. You want it back? I'll sprinkle it over your corpse when Empress Alydia buries you."

"And what have they given you, if you have no need for gold."

"Given him?" said the woman, "Primus of Drow gives nothing."

"Our stars have aligned, Sally, and that's how the bread bakes. But you've got it all wrong. I'm not only threatening you, I'm also helping you."

The women spoke next. "Did you really think we'd be content with a few spies in their mass forges?"

"No," Salimod's reply was pained.

"Lock up the dwarves," the woman said.

"To what end?"

"Theirs."

Neri's heart quickened. He thought he could hear a voice on the edge of weeping, but it turned out to be a mole fumbling in the dark.

"How?" Sailmod asked. "They have Stone Guard with them? None of my men are a match for them."

"The dwarves' apartments are underground, correct? Bury them."

"I'll kill the guards," the human voice said.

Neri heard enough. He moved as quickly as he dared, back to the stair, up its steps, through the hidden door, into the Great Hall, and into a cluster of guards. Dennel stood in front of them. He was clad in his jack chains and kettle helm, and held a halberd in his hands. He gave Neri a long and knowing look, then let out a resentful sigh.