war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第155章

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e　occupants　of　other　manufactories　and　shops。
A　mob　of　hairy　hobgoblins；　all　well…armed　and　many　a　head　taller　than　the　average　dark　elf；　slouched　around　a　corner　onto　the　thoroughfare。　They　spotted　the　drow；　bellowed　their　uncouth　battle　cries；　and　charged。
After　the　disastrous　encounter　with　Ryld　Argith；　one　of　the　twins　was　dead。　The　other；　and　Relonor；　lay　grievously　wounded；　as　they　still　did　in　House　Mizzrym。　There　they　would　live　or　die　without　recourse　to　furnotther　doses　of　healing　magic；　since　Miz'ri　declined　to　squander　the　House's　limited　resources　on　such　inpetents。　Greyanna　had　entirely　agreed。
After　taking　the　wounded　home；　Greyanna；　with　the　questionable　aid　of　Aunrae；　had　selected　five　new　males　to　join　her　in　the　hunt。　This　time；　they'd　stalk　Pharaun　on　foot；　Greyanna　having　belatedly　realized　that　foul…wings　weren't　lucky　for　her。
She　and　her　band　had　been　wandering　the　streets　seeking　word　of　their　quarry　when　the　rebellion　erupted。　Once　she'd　grasped　the　magnitude　of　the　disturbance；　she　wondered　if　it　was　the　raid　on　the　Braeryn　that　she　had　engineered；　that　brutal　attempt　to　flush　her　brother　out　of　hiding；　that　had　inspired　the　thralls　to　revolt。　In　a　mad；　dark　way；　the　possibility　pleased　her；　but　she　decided　not　to　share　her　hypothesis。　Few　would　see　the　humor。
Most　of　her　thinking；　however；　was　given　over　to　practical　consideranottions。　She　thought　her　hunting　party　could　help　put　down　the　under…creatures；　but　only　if　it　could　bine　forces　with　a　bona　fide　army。　Otherwise；　the　larger　mobs　would　overwhelm　it。
In　those　first　minutes　of　slaughter　and　destruction；　she　watched　for　some　noble　clan　to　ride　forth　from　their　castle　and　drive　the　goblins　before　them。　To　her　consternation；　none　did；　at　least　not　in　her　immediate　vicinnotity。　Her　little　troop　was　on　its　own。
Life　then　became　an　infuriating　business　of　running　and　hiding　from　ores　of　all　things；　of　watching　beasts　no　better　than　rothe　destroy　beauty　and　sophistication　they　couldn't　even　perceive。　Occasionally；　she　and　her　panions　slew　a　small　group　of　goblinoids　wandering　on　their　own；　but　it　meant　nothing；　would　do　nothing　to　arrest　the　dissolution　of　all　that　was　finest　in　the　world。
Where　was　the　Spider　Queen？　Perhaps　she　was　bored　with　her　toy　Men…zoberranzan；　magnificent　though　it　was。　Perhaps　she　intended　to　break　it　to　make　space　for　a　new　one。
In　time；　Greyanna's　dodging　and　backtracking　brought　her　to　a　street　she　recognized；　a　double　row　of　prosperous　shops…to　be　precise；　establishments　owned　by　tradesmen　under　the　patronage　of　House　Mizzrym。　She　herself　had　called　hereabouts；　collecting　rents　and　fees；　occasionally　chastising　a　fool　who　was　late　paying　on　a　loan　or　had　othnoterwise　displeased　Matron　Mother　Miz'ri。
It　occurred　to　Greyanna　that　if　the　merchants　perished；　they'd　connottribute　no　more　gold　to　Mizzrym　coffers。　Whereas　if　she　conducted　them　to　safety；　she　might　curry　some　favor　with　her　mother。　Miz'ri　had　grown　impatient　with　her　continuing　failure　to　kill　Pharaun　and　had　even　hinted　that　another　might　carry　the　mantle　of　First　Daughter　with　more　grace。
At　the　very　least；　preserving　Mizzrym　assets　would　feel　more　construcnottive　and　less　frustrating　than　simply　skulking　about；　and　so　Greyanna　innotstructed　her　followers　to　extract　the　frightened　traders　and　artisans　from　their　homes。
She　loosed　a　crossbow　bolt　at　the　hobgoblins；　and　her　soldiers　did　the　same。　Her　wizard　conjured　a　cold；　towering　shadow　like　the　silhouette　of　a　mantis；　which　mangled　several　thralls　in　its　oversized　pincers　before　melting　out　of　existence。　In　all；　at　least　a　dozen　brutes　fell；　but　others　shambled　forth　from　the　smoke　and　fiery　glare　to　take　their　place。
Voices　of　torment；　she　thought；　how　many　undercreatures　were　there　in　Menzoberranzan？
Until　that　day；　Greyanna　had　never　really　noticed。　She　guessed　no　one　else　had；　either。
The　hobgoblins　charged。
The　Mizzrym　princess　shouted；　〃Dark　wall！〃
Three　of　her　retainers；　those　closest　to　the　onrushing　thralls；　stooped　and　touched　the　ground；　conjuring　a　curtain　of　shadow　between　themnotselves　and　the　undercreatures；　then　fell　ba