war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第4章

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ball　bumps　lining　the　intenotrior。　〃I'll　kill　you；　wizard！〃
〃No；　slave；　you　will　not；〃　Gromph　said。　He　realized　the　chanting　and　incense　had　parched　his　throat；　and　he　swallowed　the　dryness　away。　〃You'll　serve　me。　You'll　calm　yourself　and　submit；　unless　you　want　another　taste　of　the　blade。〃
〃Kill　you！〃
Beradax　sprang　at　him　again　and　kept　springing　while　he　pulled　the　athame　back　and　forth　through　his　abdomen。　Finally　she　collapsed　to　her　knees。
〃I　submit；〃　she　growled
〃Good。〃　Gromph　extracted　the　athame。　It　didn't　leave　a　tear　in　his　robes　or　in　his　flesh；　which　was　to　say；　the　knife's　enchantments　had　worked　prenotcisely　as　expected；　hurting　the　demon　rather　than　him。
Beradax's　belly　stopped　heaving　and　shaking。
〃What　do　you　want；　drow？〃　the　creature　asked。　〃Information？　Tell　me；　so　I　can　discharge　my　errand　and　depart。〃
〃Not　information；〃　the　dark　elf　said。　He'd　summoned　scores　of　nether…spirits　over　the　past　month；　and　none　had　been　able　to　tell　him　what　he　wished　to　know。　He　was　certain　Beradax　was　no　wiser　than　the　rest。　〃I　want　you　to　kill　my　sister　Quenthel。〃
Gromph　had　hated　Quenthel　for　a　long　time。　She　always　treated　him　like　some　retainer；　even　though　he　too　was　a　Baenre；　a　noble　of　the　First　House　of　Menzoberranzan；　and　the　city's　greatest　wizard　besides。　In　her　eyes；　he　thought；　only　high　priestesses　deserved　respect。
His　antipathy　only　intensified　as　the　two　of　them　attempted　to　advise　their　mother；　Matron　Mother　Baenre；　the　uncrowned　queen　of　Mennotzoberranzan。　Predictably；　they'd　disagreed　on　every　matter　of　policy　from　trade　to　war　to　mining　and　had　vexed　one　another　no　end。
Gromph's　animus　intensified　still　further　when　Quenthel　became　Misnottress　of　Arach…Tinilith；　the　school　for　priestesses。　The　mistress　governed　the　entire　Academy；　Sorcere　included；　and　thus　Gromph　had　found　himnotself　obliged　to　contend　with　her…indeed；　to　suffer　her　oversight…in　this　one…time　haven　as　well。
Still；　he　might　have　endured　Quenthel's　arrogance　and　meddling　indefnotinitely；　if　not　for　their　mother's　sudden　and　unexpected　death。
Counseling　the　former　matron　mother　had　been　more　an　honor　than　a　treat。　She　generally　ignored　advice；　and　her　deputies　were　lucky　if　she　let　it　go　at　that。　Often　enough；　she　responded　to　their　suggestions　with　a　tornotrent　of　abuse。
But　Triel；　Gromph's　other　sister　and　the　new　head　of　House　Baenre；　had；　over　time；　proved　to　be　a　different　sort　of　sovereign。　Indecisive；　overnotwhelmed　by　the　responsibilities　of　her　new　office；　she　relied　heavily　on　the　opinions　of　her　siblings。
That　meant　the　Archmage；　though　a　〃mere　male；〃　could　theoretically　rule　Menzoberranzan　from　behind　the　throne；　and　at　long　last　order　all　things　to　please　himself。　But　only　if　he　disposed　of　the　matron's　other　counselor；　the　damnably　persuasive　Quenthel；　who　continued　to　oppose　him　on　virtually　every　matter。　He'd　been　contemplating　her　assassination　for　a　long　time；　until　the　present　situation　afforded　him　an　irresistible　opnotportunity。
〃You　send　me　to　my　death！〃　Beradax　protested。
〃Your　life　or　death　are　of　no　importance；〃　Gromph　replied；　〃only　my　will　matters。　Still；　you　may　survive。　Arach…Tinilith　has　changed；　as　you　know　very　well。〃
〃Even　now；　the　Academy　is　warded　by　all　the　old　enchantments。〃
〃I'll　dissolve　the　barriers　for　you。
1　won　t　go！
〃Nonsense。　You've　submitted　and　must　obey。　Stop　blathering　before　I　lose　my　patience。〃
He　hefted　the　athame；　and　Beradax　seemed　to　slump。
〃Very　well；　wizard；　send　me　and　be　damned。　I'll　kill　her　as　I　will　one　day　butcher　you。〃
〃You　can't　go　quite　yet。　For　all　your　bluster；　you're　the　lowliest　kind　of　nether　spirit；　a　grub　crawling　on　the　floor　of　Hell；　but　tonight　you'll　wear　the　form　of　a　genuine　demon；　to　make　the　proper　impression　on　the　resinotdents　of　the　temple。〃
〃No？　
Gromph　lifted　his　staff　in　both　hands　and　shouted　words　of　power。　Benotradax　howled　in　agony　as　her　mass　of　eyeballs　flowed　and　humped　into　something　quite　different。
Afterward；　Gromph　descended　to　his　office。　He　had　an　appointment　with　a　different　kind　of　agent。　





As　Pharaun　Mizzrym　and　Ryld　Argith　strolled　through　the