war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第66章

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e　war　hammer。　She　didn't　withdraw　quickly　enough　to　take　herself　pletely　out　of　harm's　way；　nor　did　she　settle　into　a　strong　stance　and　swing　as　hard　as　she　could　have。　She　wanted　the　ghoul　to　feel　on　the　brink　of　overwhelming　her　opponent　and　keep　ing。　If　Umrae　grew　too　eager；　she　might　open　herself　up　for　an　effective　counterattack。
Umrae's　talons　whizzed　through　the　air；　tearing　scraps　from　the　shelternoting　cloak　until　it　was　the　size　of　a　ragged　hand　towel。　Unexpectedly；　the　spy　beat　her　riddled　wings；　hopped　in　close；　and　struck　at　Faeryl's　face。　The　noble　recoiled；　but　even　so　the　claws　streaked　past　a　fraction　of　an　inch　before　her　eyes；　so　close　she　could　feel　the　malignancy　inside　them　as　a　pulse　of　headache。
Still；　it　was　all　right；　because　she　thought　Umrae　was　finally　open。　She　sidestepped　and　swung　her　stone…headed　hammer　at　the　ghoul's　rib　cage…
…to　no　avail；　even　though　Faeryl　had　been　correct；　Umrae　couldn't　swing　her　hands　around　in　time　to　block　the　blow。　Instead；　she　took　annotother　stride；　slapped　the　ambassador　with　a　flick　of　her　wing；　and　sent　her　reeling。
Faeryl's　head　rang；　and　the　world　blurred。　As　she　struggled　to　throw　off　the　stunning　effects　of　the　blow；　she　thought　fleetingly　how　unfair　it　was　that　Umrae；　who　had　long　ago　forsaken　bat　training　as　a　humiliating　exercise　in　futility；　was　demolishing　a　female　who　still　doggedly　reported　to　her　captain…of…the…guard　for　practice　once　a　tenday。
After　what　seemed　a　long　time；　her　head　cleared。　She　whirled；　certain　that　Umrae　was　about　to　attack　her　from　behind。　She　wasn't。　In　fact；　the　animate　corpse　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
Plainly；　Umrae　had　taken　to　the　air。　Had　she　finally　done　the　sensible　thing　and　fled？　Faeryl　couldn't　believe　it。　Umrae　hated　her。　The　envoy　didn't　know　why；　but　she'd　seen　it　in　the　traitor's　eyes。　Such　being　the　case；　Umrae　wouldn't　break　off　when　she　had　every　reason　to　believe　she　was　winning　and　close　to　making　the　kill。　No　drow　would；　which　meant　she　was　still　hovering　somewhere　overhead；　poised　to　swoop　down　and；　she　undoubtedly　hoped；　catch　her　mistress　by　surprise　and　smash　her　to　the　ground。
Her　heart　pounding；　Faeryl　peered　upward　and　saw　nothing。　She　lisnottened　for　the　beat　of　the　creature's　wings　but　heard　only　the　eternal　muffled　whisper　of　the　city　as　a　whole。　She　wasn't　entirely　surprised。　The　undead　were　famously　stealthy　when　stalking　their　prey。
A　black　sliver　momentarily　cut　the　line　of　violet　luminescence　adorning　a　spire　of　the　castle　of　House　Vandree。　The　obstruction　had　surely　been　the　tip　of　one　of　Umrae's　wings。
Faeryl　stared　for　another　moment；　then　jumped　when　she　finally　spotnotted　Umrae。　Her　tattered　cloak　flapping　between　her　wings；　the　transnotformed　secretary　was　already　hurtling　down　like　a　raptor　from　the　World　Above　diving　to　plunge　its　talons　into　a　rodent。
Hoping　Umrae　hadn't　seen　her　react　to　the　sight　of　her；　Faeryl　kept　turning　and　peering。　When　she　felt　the　disturbance　in　the　air；　or　perhaps　simply　the　urgent　prompting　of　her　instincts；　she　jumped　aside；　pivoted；　and　swung　the　war　hammer　in　an　overhand　blow。
Under　those　circumstances；　she　had　little　chance　of　smashing　the　thing's　heart；　but　she'd　seen　that　Umrae　could　suffer　pain。　Perhaps　the　initial　blow　would　freeze　the　undead　thing　in　place　for　an　instant；　affording　Faeryl　the　opportunity　for　what　she　prayed　would　be　the　finishing　stroke。
The　ambassador　had　timed　the　move　properly；　and　the　weapon's　basalt　head　smashed　into　Umrae's　flank。　Deprived　of　her　victim；　unexpectedly　battered；　the　ghoul　slammed　into　the　smooth　stone　surface　of　the　street　with　a　satisfying　crash。　Scraps　of　flesh　broke　away　from　her　raddled　body；　releasing　a　fresh　puff　of　stench。
Faeryl　marked　her　target；　the　place　on　Umrae's　chest　beneath　which　her　heart　ought　to　lie；　and　swung　Mother's　Kiss　back　for　the　follow…up　attack。　The　traitor　rolled　and　scrambled　to　her　knees。　Faeryl　struck；　and　Umrae　lashed　out　with　a　taloned　hand。　The　ghoul　caught　the　war　hammer　in　mid…flight；　tore　it　out　of　the　ambassador's　grip；　and　sent　it　spinning　to　clack　down　on　the　ground　ten　feet　away。
Faeryl　felt　a　crazy　imp