war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第74章

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〃Until　I　fell　ill；〃　said　the　sorceress。
〃Quite。　Was　it　a　natural　disease；　bred；　perhaps；　by　the　lack　of　the　searnoting　sunlight　that　is　a　natural　condition　for　your　kind？　Or　did　an　enemy　infect　you　with　poison　or　magic？　If　so；　was　the　culprit　someone　inside　House　Faen　Tlabbar；　who　saw　you　as　a　rival　for　Ghenni's　favor；　or　the　agent　of　an　enemy　family；　depriving　their　foes　of　a　resource？〃
〃I　was　never　able　to　find　out。　That's　funny　ing　from　me；　isn't　it？〃
〃Ironic；　perhaps。　At　any　rate；　several　priestesses　tried　to　cure　you；　but　for　some　reason；　the　magic　failed；　whereupon　Ghenni　summarily　expelled　you　from　her　citadel。〃
〃Actually；〃　Smylla　said；　〃she　sent　a　couple　trolls；　slave　soldiers；　to　murder　me。　I　escaped　them　and　the　castle；　too。　Afterward；　I　tried　to　offer　my　services　to　other　Houses；　noble　and　merchant　alike；　but　no　door　would　open　to　a　human　who'd　lost　the　favor　of　Faen　Tlabbar。〃
〃My　lady；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃if　it's　any　consolation；　you　were　still　receivnoting　precisely　the　same　treatment　we　would　have　given　a　member　of　our　own　race。　No　dark　elf　would　abide　the　presence　of　anyone　afflicted　with　an　incurable　malady。　The　Spider　Queen　taught　us　the　weak　must　die；　and　in　any　case；　what　if　the　sickness　was　contagious？〃
〃It's　not　a　consolation。〃
〃Fair　enough。　To　continue　the　tale：　Unwele　anywhere　else；　you　made　your　way　to　the　Braeryn。　Despite　your　infirmity；　some　magic　renotmained　within　your　grasp；　and　you　employed　it　to　cow　the　residents　of　this　particular　warren　into　providing　you　with　a　private　space　in　which　to　live。　I　daresay　that　wasn't　easy。　Then；　using　divinatory　rituals；　your　natural　psionic　gifts；　and　whatever　secrets　you'd　discovered　during　your　time　with　House　Faen　Tlabbar；　you　set　up　shop　as　a　broker　of　knowlnotedge。　At　first；　only　the　lower　orders　availed　themselves　of　your　services；　then　gradually；　as　your　reputation　grew；　even　a　few　of　my　people　started　consulting　you。　We　wouldn't　let　you　dwell　among　us；　but　some　were　willing　to　risk　a　brief　contact　if　they　anticipated　sufficient　advantage　from　it。〃
〃I　never　heard　of　you；〃　said　Ryld；　〃but　within　the　district；　your　reputanottion　seems　to　be　considerable。　We've　been　asking　questions　all　day；　and　more　than　one　suggested　we　seek　you　out。〃
The　door　banged　particularly　loudly；　and　he　glanced　back　to　make　sure　the　bugbears　weren't　breaching　it。
〃That's　all　I　know　of　your　saga；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃but　I　infer　from　the　hosnottility　of　your　cohabitants　that　a　new　stanza　has　begun。〃
〃I　suppose　I　couldn't　bluff　them　forever；〃　Smylla　said。　〃My　powers；　sorcerous　and　psionic　alike；　are　all　but　gone；　devoured　by　my　malady。　Once　I　acquired　my　stock　in　trade　primarily　through　scrying；　divinations；　and　such。　In　recent　years；　I've　cajoled　my　secrets　from　a　web　of　informers；　whom　I　betray　one　to　the　other。〃
The　withered　creature　smirked。
〃Well；〃　said　Ryld；　〃I　hope　you　teased　out　the　one　we　need。〃
She　coughed。　No；　it　was　a　laugh。　〃Even　if　I　did；　why　would　I　share　it　with　you；　dark　elf？〃
〃I　told　you；〃　the　warrior　said；　〃we　can　protect　you　from　the　bugbears　and　goblins。〃
〃So　can　my　little　iron　trinket。〃
〃But　eventually；　if　you　simply　remain　in　here；　you'll　die　of　hunger　and　thirst。〃
〃I'm　dying　anyway。　Can't　you　tell？　I'm　not　an　old　woman…I'm　a　baby　as　you　drow　measure　time！…but　I　look　like　an　ancient　hag。　I　just　don't　want　to　perish　at　the　hands　of　those　miserable　Undercreatures。　I've　ruled　here　for　fifteen　years；　and　if　I　die　beyond　their　reach；　I　win。　Do　you　see？〃
〃Well；　then；　my　lady；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃your　wish　suggests　the　terms　of　a　bargain。　Oblige　us；　and　we'll　refrain　from　admitting　the　bugbears。〃
She　made　a　spitting　sound　and　said；　〃Admit　them　if　you　must。　I　loathe　the　brutes；　but　I　hate　you　dark　elves　more。　It　was　you　who　made　me　as　I　am。　I　bartered　information　with　you　for　as　long　as　I　had　something　to　gain；　but　now　that　the　disease　is　finally　killing　me；　you　can　all　go　to　the　Abyss　where　your　goddess　lives；　and　burn。〃
Pharaun　might　have　replied　that　as　far　as　he　could　tell；　Smylla　had　sealed　her　own　fate　on　the　day　she　decided　to　descend　into　the　Underdark；　but　he　doubted　it　would　soften　her　resolve。