war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第169章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


h；　she　would　have　to　endorse　the　fiction　that　Triel　was　in　no　way　responsible　for　any　of　her　misfortunes。　For　after　all；　the　sovereign　of　Menzoberranzan　was　a　pernotfect　being；　whom　the　Spider　Queen　herself　had　exalted　above　all　others。　How；　then；　could　she　possibly　make　a　mistake？　It　rankled　a　little；　but　Faeryl　was　more　than　willing　to　embrace　the　lie　to　avoid　a　return　to　the　dungeon。
〃Thank　you；　Matron；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　you　with　all　my　heart。〃　Triel　waved　her　hand；　and　a　servant　brought　wine。　〃Do　you　still　want　to　go　home？〃　the　Baenre　asked。
Pharaun　had　been　summoned　to　a　good　many　audiences　in　the　course　of　his　checkered　career；　and　it　had　been　his　experience　that　no　matter　how　urgent　the　occasion；　one　generally　wound　up　parked　in　an　antechamber　for　a　while。　Matron　Baenre's　waiting　area　was　considerably　more　lavish　than　most；　and　in　ordinary　circumstances；　he　would　have　amused　himself　by　passing　esthetic　judgment　on　the　decor。　Instead　he　had　to　address　annotother　matter；　for　when　he　arrived；　Ryld　was　sitting　on　a　chair　in　the　corner；　half　hidden　behind　a　marble　statue。
The　carving　depicted　a　beautiful　female　doing　something　unpleasant　to　a　deep　gnome；　for　the　greater　glory　of　the　Dread　Queen　of　Spiders；　one　assumed。
The　Mizzrym　hadn't　spoken　to　his　friend　since　the　slaughter　of　the　renenotgades。　He　supposed　the　time　had　e。　But　first　he　paid　his　respects　to　Quenthel；　who；　much　to　her　annoyance；　was　being　kept　waiting　as　well。　The　mage　then　bowed　to　a　stern…faced　drow　male；　looking　ill　at　ease　and　out　of　place　in　rough　outdoorsman's　clothes　and　ugly　trinkets。　Pharaun　didn't　know　him。
〃Valas　Hune；〃　the　warrior　said；　〃of　Bregan　D'aerthe。〃
Pharaun　introduced　himself；　then　strolled　toward　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere。
〃Ryld！〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Good　afternoon！　Have　you　any　idea　why　the　Council　summoned　us？〃
The　burly　swordsman　rose　and　said；　〃No。〃
〃To　shower　us　with　honors；　one　assumes。　How　are　you？〃
〃Alive。〃
〃I　rejoice　to　hear　it。　I　was　concerned　because　I　could　tell　that　warrior's　trance　strained　even　your　constitution。〃
For　a　moment；　the　two　masters　regarded　one　another　in　silence。
〃My　friend；〃　Pharaun　said；　having　lowered　his　voice。　〃I　truly　regret　what　happened。〃
〃What　you　did　was　tactically　sound；〃　said　Ryld。　〃It　was　what　any　sennotsible　drow　would　have　done。　1　hold　no　grudge。〃
The　wizard　looked　into　weapons　master's　eyes　and　realized　that　for　the　first　time；　he　couldn't　read　him。
Perhaps　Ryld　meant　what　he　was　saying；　but　it　was　just　as　likely　he　was　lying；　lulling　his　betrayer's　suspicions　to　facilitate　some　eventual　revenge。　Thus；　while　Pharaun　might　continue　to　observe　the　forms　of　their　long　friendship；　he　could　never　trust　his　fellow　master　again。
For　a　moment　he　felt　a　pang　of　loss；　but　he　quashed　the　sensation。　Friendship　and　trust　were　for　lesser　races。　They　weakened　a　dark　elf；　and　he　was　better　off　without　them。
Pharaun　gave　Ryld　an　affectionate　clap　on　the　shoulder；　just　as　he　had　a　thousand　times　before。
When　the　tall　doors　opened；　all　eight　Matrons　of　the　Council　sat　ennotthroned　and　illuminated　on　an　eight…tiered　pyramid　of　a　dais；　with　Triel　of　course　set　higher　than　the　others；　and　a　span　of　radiant　marble　webbing　arching　overhead。　Quenthel　stalked　in　proudly；　ahead　of　Pharaun　and　the　other　males；　and　why　not？　She　was　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　and　a　Baenre。
Truth　to　tell；　a　miniscule　part　of　her；　a　part　she　loathed　and　repudiated；　hadn't　wanted　to　e　in；　because　her　unknown　enemy　was　very　likely　in　the　room
The　matriarchs　weren't　the　only　folk　in　the　vicinity　of　the　platform。　A　symbol　of　the　goddess's　favor　and　a　source　of　practical　protection；　Jeggred　loomed　behind　Triel's　chair。　Servants　scurried　about　the　steps　to　do　the　great　ladies'　bidding。　Gromph　stood　on　the　highest　riser；　a　place　of　ultinotmate　honor　for　a　male。
When　she；　the　mage；　the　weapons　master；　and　the　mercenary　reached　the　foot　of　the　dais；　Triel　began　to　praise　them　for　their　efforts　against　the　illithilich　and　its　pawns。　At　first　the　oration　was　pretty　much　what　Quenthel　had　expected；　but　soon　it　took　an　unexpected　turn。
She　herself　would　lead　an　expedition