entirely of males； but somehow he emerged from his schooling polished； clever； and bold； possessed of a sharp wit and glib tongue that frequently danced him up to the brink of chastisement and safely back again。
Amazingly； he threw in with Sabal； who had all but abandoned hope of ever climbing higher than her current degraded estate。 To this day； Greyanna could only explain his decision by positing a perverse and unnatural bond between them； but whatever his reasons； with the help of Pharaun's ideas； advocacy； and magic； Sabal essayed new ventures； succeeded brilnotliantly； and began to scale the ladder of status once more。 She did so more quickly than Greyanna could have imagined； and the family came once more to regard the twins as peers； equal in merit and promise。 Accordingly； their private war resumed； even more vicious and murderous than before； but this time Sabal…say Pharaun； rather…proved a match for her。
Greyanna tried to break the stalemate by convincing Pharaun to change sides。 She expected it to work； for after all； she and Sabal looked exactly alike and shared precisely the same prospects。 Why； then； should the wizard not throw in with the stronger； shrewder sister who had risen to the top of House Mizzrym without his help？ Think of the triumphs they could acplish together！ Though inwardly sickened by the prospect； she even smiled lasciviously and offered him the inducement she believed Sabal had given him。
Her brother laughed at her。 It was at that instant that Greyanna came to hate him just as savagely as she did her sister。
Perhaps she owed him a debt for his cutting mockery。 Conceivably； it goaded her to new heights of ingenuity； for it was shortly afterward that she hit on the stratagem that would destroy Sabal。
A band of gray dwarves had been raiding in the tunnels southeast of the city； and Sabal was leading the force endeavoring to hunt the bandits down。 Taking extraordinary measures； driving her agents； whether mortal； elemental； or demonic； relentlessly； Greyanna located the duergar in adnotvance of her twin。 Then came the hard part。 She and her helpers had to abduct one of the slate…colored little males without the knowledge of his fellows； equip him with a platinum amulet that her subordinate clerics； mages； and her personal jeweler had created in an amazingly brief time； bind the marauder with spells of forgetfulness and persuasion； and slip him back among his friends。
Sabal found the duergar two days later。 After her troops exterminated the brigands； they looted the bodies and found the brooch； which was valuable； beautiful； and； as those wizards who were present soon discovnotered； conferred several useful magical abilities。 It never occurred to Sabal that a treasure plundered from a dead dwarf might constitute a trap laid by a sister dark elf； and she happily laid claim to that portion of the spoils。
From that day forward； Sabal slowly； subtly sickened in body； mind； and spirit； meanwhile struggling pathetically to hide any appearance of weaknotness from all who might discern it and decide to exploit it to kill her； tornotment her； or strip her of her rank。 Which； of course； was pretty much everyone in Menzoberranzan。
Pharaun probably recognized her deterioration； but he was unable to arrest it。 Perhaps he didn't even know she was constantly carrying an unnotusual new magical device about her person。 The curse that was poisoning her； that lay insidiously threaded among all the benign enchantments； made her cling to the amulet with an obsessive fascination and fear that others would steal it if she didn't keep it hidden。
During the several months of Sabal's malaise； Greyanna sometimes wondered if Pharaun would ally himself with her if asked again。 She didn't。 She just watched and waited for her chance to finish Sabal off。 She'd learned her lesson。 No matter how unlikely the possibility seemed； she would not leave her twin alive to recoup her fortunes yet again。
One night； Pharaun left the castle； either on some errand or simply benotcause he was finding the situation inside oppressive。 Later on； the suspinotcious； insomniac Sabal somehow slipped away from her guards and servants and began aimlessly wandering the citadel on her own。
Greyanna and half a dozen of her minions confronted Sabal in the fungus garden； where the topiarist had trimmed the phosphorescent growths into fanciful shapes； fertilized in some cases with the ripe； diced remains of expired slaves。 Sabal's final moments might have seemed pitinotful； had Greyanna been susceptible to that crippling emotion。 Her addled； desperate twin tried to use the platinum amulet agai