war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第18部分

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　drow　had　a　taste　for　blood　sport。
Ryld　tossed　him　a　gold　coin　with　the　Baenre　emblem　stamped　on　it。　〃Here　are　your　winnings。〃
The　young　merchant　looked　puzzled。　Perhaps　the　drink　was　to　blame。
〃If　a　player　disturbs　the　arrangement　of　the　board；　he　loses；〃　Ryld　exnotplained。　〃It's　in　the　rules。〃

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〃It　was　gratifying　to　e　upstairs　and　observe　you　handling　our　confinotdential　inquiries　with　your　usual　light　touch；〃　Pharaun　said。
He　paused　to　let　a　float　chest；　attended　by　a　dark　elf　merchant　and　six　hulking　bugbear　slaves；　drift　across　the　lane。　The　stone　box　looked　like　a　sarcophagus。　Maybe　it　was。　In　the　Bazaar；　a　shopper　could　purchase　nearly　anything；　including　cadavers　and　mummies　once　embalmed　with　strange　spices　and　laid　to　rest　with　mystic　rites。　Indeed；　such　wares　were　available　either　whole　or　by　the　desiccated　piece。
〃It　wasn't　my　fault；〃　Ryld　replied。　〃I　did　nothing　to　provoke　that　fight。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Well；　perhaps　I　was　a　bit　brusque　when　the　Godeeps　first　stalked　up　to　the　table。〃
〃You？　Never！〃
〃Spare　me　your　japes。　Why　do　we　have　to　question　people　anyway？〃　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　ducked　beneath　the　corner　of　a　low…hangnoting　rothe…hide　awning　and　added；　〃You　ought　to　be　able　to　look　in　a　scrynoting　pool　and　find　the　runaways。〃
Pharaun　smiled。　〃Where　would　be　the　fun　in　that？　Now　seriously；　why　did　the　Godeeps　take　exception　to　your　no　doubt　impeccably　subtle　quesnottions　in　the　first　place？　Were　they　in　league　with　the　rogues？〃
〃I　don't　think　they　knew　anything。　I　think　they　were　merely　sympanotthetic　to　the　idea　of　eloping　and　generally　in　a　foul　mood。　It　looked　as　if　one　of　the　females　in　House　Godeep　had　disciplined　them　with　her　fists　or　a　cudgel；　and　they　only　needed　an　excuse　to　try　and　take　their　resentnotment　out　on　someone。〃
〃This　hypothetical　priestess　beat　the　House　weapons　master　as　if　he　were　a　thrall；　or　at　best；　the　least　useful　of　her　male　kin？　Doesn't　that　strike　you　as　odd？〃
〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　somewhat。〃
〃The　Jewel　Box　was　unusually　crowded　today　as　well。〃
Pharaun　noticed　a　blindfolded　orc　juggling　daggers　for　the　amusement　of　the　crowd　and　paused　for　a　moment　to　watch　the　show。　Ryld　heaved　a　sigh；　signaling　his　impatience　at　the　interruption　in　their　deliberations。
The　wizard　counted　five　sharp　knives；　which　the　slave's　scarred　hands　caught　and　tossed　with　flawless　accuracy。　A　laudable　performance；　even　if　it　lacked　a　certain　elan。　Pharaun　tossed　a　coin　to　the　orc's　owner；　then　strolled　on。　Ryld　tramped　along　beside　him。
〃So；〃　said　the　weapons　master；　〃Tathlyn　gets　a　thrashing；　the　brothel　enjoys　a　glut　of　patrons；　and　you　see　a　connection。　What？〃
〃What　if　all　those　boys　endured　a　beating；　or　at　least　some　sort　of　unnotpleasantness；　at　the　hands　of　their　female　relations？　What　if　that's　the　reason　they　flocked　to　their　sad　little　sanctuary；　to　lie　low；　lick　their　wounds；　and　kick　around　one　of　Nym's　captives　in　their　turn？〃
Ryld　frowned；　pondering　the　notion。　〃You're　guessing　that　priestesses　in　a　diversity　of　Houses　have　grown　more　harsh　and　unreasonable。　Obvinotously；　that　could　provoke　a　spate　of　runaway　males；　but　what　could　make　the　dispositions　of　all　those　priestesses　curdle　in　unison？〃
〃I　have　a　hunch　that　when　we　figure　that　out；　we'll　be　getting　somenotwhere。〃
The　two　masters　circled　around　a　colossal　snail　pulling　a　dozen…wheeled　cart。　The　creature's　mouth　opened　into　an　O　and　Pharaun…who　had　once　only　narrowly　survived　an　encounter　with　such　a　giant　mollusk　in　the　wild…nearly　sacrificed　his　dignity　by　flinching；　even　though　he　knew　this　particular　specimen　had　undoubtedly　been　divested　of　its　ability　to　spew　a　caustic　sludge。　Sure　enough；　nothing　flew　from　the　draft　creature's　maw　except　a　few　clear；　harmless　droplets。　The　Wagoner　lashed　the　hostile　snail　with　his　long…handled　whip。
〃What　did　you　learn　downstairs？〃　asked　Ryld。
〃Nothing；　really；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃nothing　we　hadn't　already　inferred。　Still；　I　was　able　to　oblige　an　old　rade。　That　was　pleasant　in　its　own　way。〃
〃If　neither　of　us　discovered　anything　substantial；　our　visit　to　the　Jewel　Box　was　a　waste　of　time。〃
〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　The　bloodshed　perked　you　up；　didn't　it？　You've　pretty　much　been　smiling　ever　since。〃
〃Don't　be　ridiculous。　I　admit　it　was　an　interesting　little　scuffle　。　。　。〃
Ryld　began　to　recount　the　battle　one　action　at　a　time；　with　prehennotsive　analysis　of　the　alternative　options　and　underlying　strategy。　Pharaun　nodded　and　did　his　best　to　look　interested。




Triel；　Matron　Mother　of　House　Baenre　and　a　diminutive　ebony　doll　of　a　dark　elf；　marched　briskly　down　the　corridor；　covering　ground　rapidly　denotspite　her　short　stride。　Eight　feet　tall；　his　two　goat　like　legs　more　nimble　even　than　most　drow's；　Jeggred　had　no　difficulty　keeping　up　with　his　mother。　The　scurrying；　frazzled　drow　secretary；　though；　looked　as　if　she　was　in　imminent　danger　of　dropping　her　armload　of　parchment。　When　Triel　heard　voices　conversing　a　few　yards　ahead；　she　wanted　to　move　faster　still。　Only　a　sense　that　a　female　in　her　august　position　ought　not　to　promise　her　dignity　by　running　held　the　impulse　in　check。
〃I　think　it's　a　test；〃　said　one　soft　female　voice。
〃I　worry　it's　a　sign　of　disfavor；〃　answered　the　other；　a　hair　deeper　and　a　bit　nasal。　〃Perhaps　we've　done　something　to　offend…〃
Triel　and　her　panions　rounded　a　corner。　There　before　them　loitered　a　pair　of　her　cousins。　Their　mouths　fell　open　when　they　saw　her。
Triel　looked　up　at　her　son's　face；　which；　with　its　slightly　elongated　muzzle；　mouthful　of　long；　pointed　fangs；　slanted　eyes；　and　pointed　ears；　seemed　a　blend　of　drow　and　wolf。　That　wordless　glance　sufficed　to　convey　her　will。
Jeggred　pounced；　his　long；　coarse　mane　streaming　out　behind　him。　With　each　of　his　huge；　clawed　fighting　hands；　he　grabbed　a　cousin　by　the　throat　and　hoisted　her　up　against　the　calcite　wall。　His　two　smaller；　drow…like　hands　flexed　as　if　they　too　wished　to　get　in　on　the　violence。
Perhaps　they　did。
Triel　had　conceived　a　child　in　a　ritual　coupling　with　the　glabrezu　demon　Belshazu。　The　result　was　Jeggred；　a　half…fiend　known　as　a　draegloth；　a　prenotcious　gift　of　the　Spider　Queen。　His　mother　was　quite　prepared　to　believe　that　cruelty　and　bloodlust　burned　in　every　mote　and　particle　of　his　being。　Only　his　reflexive　subservience；　tendered　not　because　Triel　had　borne　him　but　because　she　was　first　among　the　priestesses　of　Lolth；　kept　him　from　immediately　slaughtering　his　prisoners；　or；　indeed；　pretty　much　anyone　else　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。
Occasionally　Triel's　lack　of　height　was　an　advantage。　It　didn't　feel　awknotward　or　claustrophobic　to　step　inside　the　circle　of　Jeggred's　two　longer　arms　and　stand　before　the　cousins。　Up　close；　she　could　smell　the　sweat　of　their　fear　just　as　easily　as　she　could　hear　the　little　choking　sounds　they　were　making　or　the　thuds　as　their　heels　bumped　against　the　carved　surface　behind　them。
〃I　forbade　you　to　speak　of　the　situation　in　public；〃　she　snarled。
The　cousin　on　the　left　started　making　more　noise；　a　tortured　gargling。　Perhaps　she　was　trying　to　say　that　she　and　the　other　one　had　been　alone。
〃This　is　a　public　part　of　the　castle；〃　Triel　said。　〃Anyone；　any　male　might　have　e　along　and　overheard　you。〃　She　swung　her　whip　of　fangs；　aiming　low　to　ensure　she　didn't　accidennottally　lash　Jeggred's　hands　or　arms。　The　five　writhing　adders　gashed　their　targets　but　not　enough　to　satisfy　their　mistress。　She　struck　again　and　again。　Her　anger　rose　and　rose　until　it　became　a　kind　of　rapture；　a　sweet　simnotplicity　in　which　nothing　existed　but　the　cousins'　thrashing；　the　smell　and　feel　of　their　blood　spattering　her　face；　and　the　pleasant　exertion　of　her　snapping　arm。
She　never　knew　what　brought　he