war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第102部分

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r　mind　against　me；〃　Faeryl　retorted。　Jeggred　caught　hold　of　a　lock　of　her　hair　and　gave　it　a　vicious　tug。　〃My　aversion　to　being　condemned　unjustly。〃
〃Did　you　think　to　escape　by　running　back　to　Ched　Nasad？〃　Triel　asked。　〃My　word　is　law　there；　too。〃
〃How　do　you　know？〃　Faeryl　asked。
Jeggred　slapped　her　with　one　of　his　enormous　fighting　hands；　bashing　her　head　sideways。　For　a　moment；　the　shock　froze　her　mind。　When　her　senses　returned；　she　tasted　blood　in　her　mouth。
The　draegloth　crouched；　placing　his　bestial　face　directly　in　front　of　her　own；　and　growled；　〃Respect　the　chosen　of　Lolth。〃
〃I　mean　no　disrespect；〃　Faeryl　said。　〃I'm　just　saying　that　for　all　we　know；　anything　could　be　happening　in　Ched　Nasad。　Cloakers　could　have　overnotrun　the　city；　or　it　may　have　drowned　in　tides　of　lava。　I　doubt　it；　I　pray　not；　but　we　don't　know。　We　need　to　find　out；　and　that's　why　I　was　sneaking　away。　Not　to　betray　the　weakness　of　Menzoberranzan's　clergy　to　some　enemy　or　other。　Mother　of　Lusts；　it's　my　weakness　too！　To　gather　intellinotgence；　to　reestablish　munication…〃
〃I　told　you　I　have　been　in　munication　with　Ched　Nasad；〃　Triel　said。
〃To　reestablish　trustworthy　munication　。。。〃　Faeryl　persisted；　〃to　make　myself　useful　and　so　demonstrate　I'm　your　loyal　vassal；　never　a　traitor。〃
Triel　made　a　spitting　sound；　then　said；　〃My　loyal　servants　obey　me。〃
Faeryl　wanted　to　weep；　not　from　fear；　though　she　was　experiencing　plenty　of　that；　but　from　sheer　frustration。　Jeggred　ran　his　claw　along　her　carotid　artery。
〃Matron；〃　the　Zauvirr　said；　〃I　beg　you。　Let　me　confront　the　person　who　traduced　me。　Give　me　that　one　chance　to　prove　my　fidelity。　Is　it　so　hard　to　imagine　someone　telling　you　a　lie？　Don't　your　courtiers　slander　one　annotother　all　the　time　as　a　means　of　vying　for　your　favor？　Is　it　impossible　that　someone　or　something　in　Ched　Nasad　is　lying　to　you　even　now…telling　you　all　is　well　while　days；　then　tendays；　then　months　go　by　without　a　single　caravan？〃
Triel　hesitated；　and　Faeryl　felt　a　thrill　of　hope。　Then　the　ruler　of　Men…zoberranzan　said；　〃You're　the　liar；　and　it　will　do　you　no　good。　If　you　want　me　to　show　any　mercy　at　all；　tell　me　whose　creature　you　are。　The　svirfneblin？　The　aboleths？　Another　drow　city？〃
〃I　serve　only　you；　Sacred　Mother。〃
Faeryl　said　the　words　without　hope；　for　she　saw　that　she　would　never　convince　the　Baenre　of　her　innocence。　It　was　too　hard　for　Triel　to　measure　up　to　her　predecessor；　too　hard　to　rule　in　these　desperate　times；　too　hard　to　make　decisions。　She　wasn't　about　to　rethink　one　of　the　few　she'd　mannotaged　to　squeeze　out；　no　matter　how　foolish　it　was。
Jeggred　slapped　Faeryl　and　kept　on　slapping　until　she　lost　count　of　the　blows。　Finally　time　seemed　to　skip　somehow；　and　he　wasn't　hitting　her　anymore。　Why　should　he　bother？　He'd　already　battered　all　the　strength　out　of　her。　She　would　have　fallen　if　not　for　the　ropes　holding　her　up。　A　broken　tooth　had　lodged　under　her　tongue；　and　it　was　all　she　could　do　just　to　spit　it　out。
〃I　told　you；〃　the　draegloth　snarled；　〃respect　
〃I　am　respectful；〃　Faeryl　wheezed。　〃That's　why　I　give　the　truth　even　when　it　might　be　easier　to　lie。〃
Triel　peered　up　at　her　son　and　said；　〃Princess　Zauvirr　will　not　distract　you　from　your　duties。〃
Jeggred　inclined　his　head。　〃No；　Mother。〃
〃But　at　such　times　as　I　do　not　require　you；〃　the　matron　continued；　〃you　may　use　the　spy　as　you　see　fit。　If　she　tells　you　anything　of　interest；　pass　it　along；　but　the　point　of　your　efforts　is　chastisement；　not　interrogation。　I　doubt　she　has　anything　all　that　important　to　confide。　We　already　know　who　our　enemies　are。〃
〃Yes；　Mother。〃　The　half…demon　crouched；　leered　into　Faeryl's　face；　and　said；　〃I　can　make　the　fun　last。　You'll　see。〃
He　stuck　out　his　long；　pointed　tongue　and　licked　blood　from　her　face。　The　member　was　as　rough　as　a　beast's。
The　figure　in　the　chapel　doorway　had　a　bulbous　head　with　huge；　pronottruding　eyes；　dry；　wrinkled　hide；　and　four　wriggling　tentacles　surnotrounding　and　obscuring　the　mouth。　It　had　gnarled　three…fingered　hands；　a　body　with　contours　and　proportions　different　than　those　of　a　drow；　and　an　assortment　of　talismans　and　amulets　burning　with　strange　enchantments。　Syrzan；　Pharaun　had　no　doubt；　was　a　member　of　the　psionically　gifted　species　called　illithids。　Specifically；　it　was　one　of　the　few　such　creatures　to　follow　the　path　of　wizardry　and　ultimately　transform　itself　into　an　undead　entity　known　as　an　alhoon。　The　thing　was　surely　prodigiously　powerful；　immune　to　the　ravages　of　time；　and　still　entirely　capable　of　reading　the　masters'　minds　and　discerning　the　treachery　therein。
Like　Pharaun；　Ryld　had　sprung　up　from　his　bench。　The　hulking　warrior　flung　himself　at　Houndaer；　no　doubt　in　an　attempt　to　get　his　weapons　back。　Pharaun；　who　thought　he　needed　his　spell　ponents　just　as　badly；　scrambled　after　his　friend。
The　weapons　master　threw　a　punch；　knocked　Houndaer　backward　off　his　bench；　and　snatched　up　Splitter。　He　whirled；　looking　for　the　next　threat；　and　almost　whacked　his　fellow　teacher　with　the　blade。
Pharaun　reached　for　his　cloak；　then　realized　Houndaer's　unassuming　panion　was　singing　a　wordless　arpeggio。
Had　Pharaun　already　been　wearin