Homeland (The Legend of Drizzt #1)(66)

“I have appropriate cause,” SiNafay insisted.

“The others seem to doubt you,” replied Matron Baenre. “You should explain your accusation-quickly, if you value your reputation.”

SiNafay knew that more than her reputation was at stake; in Menzoberranzan, a false accusation was a crime on par with murder.

“We all remember the fall of House DeVir.” SiNafay began. “Seven of us now gathered sat upon the ruling council beside Matron Ginafae DeVir.”

“House DeVir is no more,” Matron Baenre reminded her.

“Because of House Do’Urden,” SiNafay said bluntly.

This time the gasps came out as open anger. “How dare you speak such words?” came one reply.

“Thirty years!” came another. “The issue has been forgotten!”

Matron Baenre quieted them all before the clamor rose into violent action-a not uncommon occurrence in the council chamber. “SiNafay,” she said through the dry sneer on her lips. “One cannot make such an accusation; one cannot discuss such beliefs openly so long after the event! You know our ways. If House Do’Urden did indeed commit this act, as you insist, it deserves our compliments, not our punishment, for it carried it through to perfection. House DeVir is no more, I say. It does not exist.”

Alton shifted uneasily, caught somewhere between rage and despair. SiNafay was far from dismayed, though; this was going exactly as she had envisioned and hoped.

“Oh, but it does!” she responded, rising to her feet. She pulled the hood from Alton’s head. “In this person!”

“Gelroos?” asked Matron Baenre, not understanding.

“Not Gelroos,” SiNafay replied. “Gelroos Hun’ett died the night House DeVir died. This male, Alton DeVir, assumed Gelroos’s identity and position, hiding from further attacks by House Do’Urden!”

Baenre whispered some instructions to the matron at her right side, then waited as she went through the semantics of a spell. Baenre motioned for SiNafay to return to her seat, then faced Alton.

“Speak your name,” Baenre commanded.

“I am Alton DeVir,” Alton said, gaining strength from the identity he had waited so very long to proclaim, “son of Matron Ginafae and a student of Sorcere on the night House Do’Urden attacked.”

Baenre looked to the matron at her side. “He speaks the truth,” the matron assured her. Whispers sprang up all around the spider table, of amusement more than anything else.

“That is why I summoned the ruling council,” SiNafay quickly explained.

“Very well, SiNafay,” said Matron Baenre. “My compliments to you, Alton DeVir, on your resourcefulness and ability to survive. For a male, you have shown great courage and wisdom. Surely you both know that the council cannot exact punishment upon a house for a deed committed so long ago. Why would we so desire? Matron Malice Do’Urden sits in the favor of the Spider Queen; her house shows great promise. You must reveal to us greater need if you wish any punishment against House Do’Urden.”

“I do not wish such a thing,” SiNafay quickly replied. “This matter, thirty years removed, is no longer in the realm of the ruling council. House Do’Urden does indeed show promise, my peers, with four high riestesses and a host of other weapons, not the least of which being their second boy, Drizzt, first graduate of his class,” She had purposely mentioned Drizzt, knowing that the name would strike wound in Matron Baenre. Baenre’s own prized son, Berg’inyon, had spent the last nine years ranked behind the wonderful young Do’Urden.

“Then why have you bothered us?” Matron Baenre demanded, an unmistakable edge in her voice.

“To ask you to close your eyes,” SiNafay purred. “Alton is Hun’ett now, under my protection. He demands vengeance for the act committed against his family, and, as a surviving member of the attacked family, he has the right of accusation.”

“House Hun’ett will stand beside him?” Matron Baenre asked, turning curious and amused.

“Indeed,” replied SiNafay. “Thus is House Hun’ett bound!”

“Vengeance?” another matron quipped, also now more amused than angered. “Or fear? It would seem to my ears that the matron of House Hun’ett uses this pitiful DeVir creature for her own gain. House Do’Urden aspires to higher ranking, and Matron Malice desires to sit upon the ruling council, a threat to House Hun’ett, perhaps?”

“Be it vengeance or prudence, my claim-Alton DeVir’s claim must be deemed as legitimate,” replied SiNafay, “to our mutual gain,” She smiled wickedly and looked straight to the First Matron. “To the gain of our sons, perhaps, in their quest for recognition.”

“Indeed,” replied Matron Baenre in a chuckle that sounded more like a cough. A war between Hun’ett and Do’Urden might be to everyone’s gain, but not, Baenre suspected, as SiNafay believed. Malice was a powerful matron, and her family truly deserved a ranking higher than ninth. If the fight did come, Malice probably would get her seat on the council, replacing SiNafay.

Matron Baenre looked around at the other matrons, and guessed from their hopeful expressions that they shared her thoughts. Let Hun’ett and Do’Urden fight it out; whatever the outcome, the threat of Matron Malice would be ended. Perhaps, Baenre hoped, a certain young Do’Urden male would fall in battle, propelling her own son into the p0sition he deserved.