war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第61部分

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〃I　do　find　that　interesting。　As　you　confessed；　your　magical　talents　withered　away　some　time　ago。　Since　then；　you've　dominated　the　gobnotlins　through　bluff　and　force　of　personality；　and　it　worked　until　a　few　days　ago。　What　changed？　Where　did　the　Undercreatures　find　the　courage　to　turn　against　you？　Have　you　noticed　anything　that　might　acnotcount　for　it？〃
〃Well；〃　said　Smylla；　〃it　could　just　be　they　saw　me　failing　physically；　but…〃　Her　cracked　lips　stretched　into　a　grin。　〃You're　good；　Master　Mizzrym。　You　give　me　a　smile；　friendly　conversation；　a　soft　touch　on　the　arm；　and　my　tongue　starts　to　flap。　That's　loneliness　for　you。　But　I　will　have　my　cure　before　I　give　up　anything　of　importance。〃
〃Very　sensible。〃　Pharaun　extracted　an　empty　cocoon　from　one　of　his　pockets。　〃What　do　you　wish　to　bee？〃
〃One　of　you；〃　she　said；　leering。　〃I　once　heard　a　philosopher　say　that　everyone　bees　the　thing　he　hates。〃
〃He　must　have　been　a　cheery　fellow　to　have　about。　Now；　brace　yourself。　This　will　only　take　a　moment；　but　it　may　hurt　a　little。〃
Employing　greater　care　than　usual；　he　recited　the　incantation　and　used　the　ridged　silken　case　to　write　a　symbol　on　the　air。
Magic　shrilled　through　the　air；　and　the　temperature　plummeted。　For　a　moment；　the　whole　room　rippled　and　shimmered；　then　the　distortion　concentrated　itself　on　Smylla's　shriveled　body。　Tendons　standing　out　in　her　neck；　she　screamed。
Beyond　the　door；　one　of　the　bugbears　shouted；　〃We　want　to　get　even；　too！　We　had　a　bargain！〃
Smylla's　sores　faded　away；　and　her　emaciated　form　filled　out　into　a　healthy　slimness。　Her　ashen　skin　darkened　to　a　gleaming　black；　her　blue　eyes　turned　red；　and　her　ears　grew　points。　Her　features　became　more　delnoticate。　Her　snowy　hair　thickened；　changing　from　brittle　and　lusterless　to　wavy　and　glossy。
〃The　pain　went　away；〃　she　breathed。　〃I　feel　stronger。〃
〃Of　course；〃　Pharaun　said。
She　stared　at　her　hands；　then　sat　up；　rose　from　the　cot；　and　tried　to　walk。　At　first　she　moved　with　an　invalid's　caution；　but　gradually；　as　she　proved　to　herself　that　she　wouldn't　fall；　that　hesitancy　passed。　After　a　few　seconds；　she　was　striding；　jumping；　and　spinning　like　an　exuberant　little　girl　testing　her　strength；　her　grimy　nightshirt　flapping　about　her。　
〃You　did　it！〃　she　said；　and　the　pure；　uncalculated　gratitude　in　her　crimnotson　eyes　showed　that　even　wearing　the　flesh　of　a　dark　elf　maiden；　she　was　still　human　at　the　core。
Though　it　was　foreign　to　his　own　nature；　Pharaun　found　her　apprecianottion　rather　gratifying。　Still；　he　hadn't　transformed　her　to　bask　in　her　naive　sentimentality　but　to　elicit　some　answers。　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃please；　tell　us。〃
〃Right。〃　She　took　a　deep　breath　to　pose　herself　and　said；　〃I　do　benotlieve　something　emboldened　the　Undercreatures　in　this　house。　What's　more；　I　think　it's　affected　goblinoids　throughout　the　Braeryn。〃
〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Ryld。
〃I　don't　know。〃
The　warrior　grimaced。
〃What　led　you　to　infer　this　agency？〃　Pharaun　asked。　〃I　assume　you　were　housebound　even　before　you　barricaded　yourself　in　your　room。〃
〃I　saw　a　change　in　the　brutes　who　live　here。　They　were　surly；　insolent；　and　foul…tempered；　ready　to　maim　and　kill　one　another　at　the　slightest　provocation。〃
Ryld　hitched　his　shoulders；　working　stiffness　out　or　shifting　Splitter　to　lie　more　fortably　across　his　back。
〃How　is　that　different　than　normal？〃　asked　the　weapons　master。
Smylla　scowled　at　him　and　said；　〃All　things　are　relative。　The　creatures　exhibited　those　qualities　to　a　greater　extent　than　before；　and　whenever　I　heard　tidings　from　beyond　these　walls；　they　suggested　the　entire　precinct　shared　the　same　truculent　humor。〃
Pharaun　nodded。　〃Did　you　hear　about　tribal　emblems　appearing　in　the　streets？〃
〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃That　bespeaks　a　kind　of　madness；　don't　you　think？〃
〃Maybe　in　one　or　two　thralls；〃　said　Ryld。　〃What　of　it？　You　promised　my　friend　information。　Tell　us　something　we　don't　already　know；　and　I　mean　facts；　not　your　impressions。〃
The　clairvoyant　smiled。　〃All　right。　I　was　building　up　to　it。　Every　few　nights　a　drum　beats　somewhere　in　the　Braeryn；　calling　the　lower　orders　to　some　sort　of　gathering。　Many　of　the　occupants　of　this　house　clear　out。　With　what　little　remains　of　my　clairvoyance；　I've　sensed　many　others　skulking　through　the　streets；　all　converging　on　a　mon　destination。〃　
〃Nonsense；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Why　has　no　drow　patrol　heard　the　signal　and　e　to　investigate？〃
〃Because；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃the　city　possesses　enchantments　to　mute　sound。〃
〃Well；　maybe。〃　Ryld　turned　back　to　Smylla。　〃Where　do　the　creatures　go；　and　why？〃
〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　〃but　perhaps；　with　my　health　and　occult　talnotents　restored；　I　could　find　out。〃　She　beamed　at　Pharaun。　〃I'd　be　happy　to　try。　I　fulfilled　the　letter　of　our　bargain；　but　I　do　realize　I　haven't　provided　you　with　all　that　much　in　exchange　for　the　priceless　gift　you　gave　me。〃
〃That　remark　touches　on　the　question　of　your　future；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃You'd　have　no　difficulty　reestablishing　your　dominion　here　in　the　Stench…streets；　but　why　live　so　meanly？　I　could　use　an　aide　of　your　caliber。　Or；　if　you　prefer；　I　can　arrange　your　safe　repatriation　to　the　World　Above。〃
As　he　spoke；　he　surrepti