war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第20章

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s　to　investigate　the　matter。　Hoping　to　escape　our　notice　and　disnotpleasure；　he　decided　to　do　so　by　proxy；　and　summoned　a　suitable　agent　to　his　office　to　discuss　the　matter。　Happily；　we　members　of　the　Council　posnotsess　a　scrying　crystal　with　which　we　recently　managed　to　pierce　the　obnotscuring　enchantments　shrouding　the　room。　Some　of　them；　anyway。　We　still　can't　see　in；　but　we　can　hear　what　goes　on；　and　that　sufficed　to　reveal　the　arch　mage　s　plan　as　well　as　the　identity　of　his　minion。　Now；　if　you　must；　you　may　excitedly　babble　your　brother's　name。〃
〃I　imagine　Gromph　told　him　this　is　his　one　big　chance　to　redeem　himself。〃
〃Exactly。　The　question　is；　how　shall　we　priestesses　respond？〃
〃I　gather　there's　a　reason　you　don't　just　tell　Gromph　you're　on　to　his　plan。〃　Of　course；　several。　For　one；　our　first　confrontation　with　him　was　cournotteous　and　mild；　but　who　knows；　a　second　might　be　less　so。　As　things　stand；　we　hesitate　to　push　him　very　hard。　For　another；　we　don't　want　him　to　know　we　can　eavesdrop　on　him。　He'd　either　block　us　out　or　hatch　his　plots　elsewhere。　It's　better　all　around　simply　to　take　his　pawn　out　of　play。　Given　that　Pharaun　is　a　secret　operative；　whatever　may　befall　him；　the　Archmage　can　hardly　take　exception　to　it。　The　catch　being　that　dealing　with　your　brother　is　a　formidable　undertaking；　arguably　on　any　occasion　but　cernottainly　at　the　moment。〃
Greyanna　nodded。　〃Because　he's　a　wizard；　and　we　are　。　。　。　what　we　are。〃
〃So　where；　the　Council　wondered；　can　we　find　a　priestess　so　bold；　so　motivated；　that　even　now　she'll　be　eager　to　hunt　the　male　when　he　denotscends　to　the　city。　I　told　the　others　I　thought　I　knew　of　a　candidate。〃
〃You　were　right。〃
〃The　beauty　of　it　is　that　you　do　have　a　personal　score　to　settle。　If　people　see　you　do　something　unpleasant　to　Pharaun；　they　won't　have　to　wonder　what　the　reason　is。〃
〃Yes；　I　see　that。　May　I　draw　on　all　the　resources　of　our　House　to　aid　me　in　my　efforts？〃
〃I　can　only　give　you　a　few　helpers。　If　people　saw　you　descend　on　the　city　with　House　Mizzrym's　entire　army　at　your　back；　they　wouldn't　assume　it's　a　personal　matter。　You　can　have　your　pick　of　magic　weapons　from　the　armory。　Don't　waste　them；　though。　Expend　only　what　you　need。〃
Greyanna　inclined　her　head。　〃I'll　start　preparing　right　away。〃
Miz'ri　finally　smiled；　and　somehow；　in　defiance　of　any　reasonable　exnotpectation；　it　made　her　face　more　threatening；　not　less。














C　h　a　p　t　e　r　

F　O　U　R
The　Silken　Rack　was　not；　as　visitors　to　Menzoberranzan　sometimes　asnotsumed；　a　fine　cloth　emporium。　It　was；　technically；　a　massage　parlor；　but　only　a　vulgarian　would　call　it　that。　Rather；　it　was　a　palace　of　delight；　where　the　most　skilled　body　servants　in　the　Underdark　provided　what　many　dark　elves　considered　to　be　most　exquisite　of　all　pleasures。
Waerva　Baenre　was　herself　of　that　opinion。　She　had　already　soaked　her　pampered；　voluptuous　form　in　warm；　scented　oil；　and　she　would　have　liked　nothing　better　to　lose　herself　utterly　in　the　touch　of　her　masseur。
But　that；　alas；　was　not　possible。　She'd　e　to　this　shrine　of　the　senses　on　business；　business　that　could　be　conducted　far　more　safely　and　discreetly　there　than　in　the　Baenre　citadel　or　the　ambassador's　residence　in　West　Wall。　That　was　why　she；　by　nature　gregarious；　had　hired　a　cozy　private　room　connottaining　only　two　contoured　couches　and　a　pair　of　hulking　deaf…mute　human　masseurs　in　preference　to　her　supremely　gifted　Tluth。
Happily；　the　tongueless　slave　she'd　chosen　for　herself　was　also　highly　notpetent。　He　kneaded　her　neck　muscles　in　a　way　that　was　pain　and　bliss　at　the　same　time；　wringing　a　groan　of　sweet　release　out　of　her。　Naturally；　it　was　at　this　somewhat　undignified　moment　that　Umrae　came　though　the　door。
Not　that　Waerva's　momentary　disposure　made　Umrae　smile。　The　Baenre　couldn't　imagine　what　it　would　take　to　acplish　that。　A　rather　gaunt；　homely　female；　her　skin　the　unhealthy　dull　gray…black　color　of　charcoal；　the　cut　of　her　nondescript　garments　subtly　divergent　from　the　styles　of　Menzoberranzan；　Umrae　always　arrived　at　these　clandestine　meetnotings　stiff　and　awkward　with　nervous　tensi