war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第44章

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〃We　apologize　for　the　intrusion；〃　Pharaun　said。
The　weapons　master　glowered　at　him。　〃Why　are　we　running？〃
〃That　pillar　of　fire　was　divine　magic；　not　arcane。〃　Pharaun　lifted　his　hand；　displaying　the　silver　Sorcere　ring　and　reminding　his　friend　of　its　power　to　identify；　not　just　protect　him　from；　magic。　〃It's　priestesses　atnottacking　us。　Killing　them　would　call　attention　to　us；　make　the　Council　even　more　eager　to　put　a　stop　to　our　inquiry。　It　might　even　make　them　want　to　kill　us　irrespective　of　how　our　mission　turns　out　or　of　what　Gromph　decides。〃
Pharaun　grinned　and　added；　〃I　know　I　promised　you　glorious　mayhem；　but　that　will　have　to　wait。〃
Ryld　replied；　〃It's　a　difficult　thing　to　sneak　away　from　foes　who　hold　the　high　ground。〃
〃I'm　an　inexhaustible　font　of　tricks；　haven't　you　noticed？〃　Pharaun　beamed　at　the　assembled　paupers　and　said；　〃How　would　you　all　like　to　assist　two　masters　of　the　Academy　engaged　in　a　mission　of　vital　impornottance？　I　assure　you；　Archmage　Baenre　himself　will　wax　giddy　with　gratinottude　when　I　inform　him　of　your　aid。〃
His　audience　stared　back　at　him；　fear　in　their　eyes。　One　of　the　female　moners　produced　a　bone…handled；　granite…headed　mallet　and　threw　it。　Ryld　caught　it　and　hurled　it　back。　The　makeshift　weapon　thudded　into　the　center　of　the　laborer's　forehead；　and　she　collapsed。
〃Would　anyone　else　care　to　express　a　reservation　of　any　sort？〃　Pharaun　asked。　He　waited　a　beat。　〃Splendid；　then　just　stand　still。　I　assure　you；　this　won't　hurt。〃
The　Master　of　Sorcere　pulled　a　wisp　of　fleece　from　a　pocket　and　recited　an　incantation。　With　a　soft　hissing；　a　wave　of　magical　force　shimmered　through　the　room。　When　it　touched　the　paupers；　they　changed；　each　into　a　facsimile　of　Ryld　or　Pharaun　himself。　Only　a　single　child　remained　unnotaffected。
〃Excellent；〃　said　Pharaun。　〃Now　all　you　have　to　do　is　go　outside；　at　which　point；　I　remend　you　scatter。　With　luck；　many；　if　not　all　of　you；　will　survive。〃
〃No！〃　cried　one　of　Ryld's　doubles　in　a　high；　agitated　voice。　〃You　can't　make　us…〃
〃But　we　can；〃　said　Pharaun。　〃I　can　fill　the　house　with　a　poisonous　vapor；　my　friend　can　start　chopping　you　to　pieces。　。。。　So　please；　be　sennotsible；　go　now。　If　the　enemy　breaks　in　here；　your　chances　will　be　signifinotcantly　worse。〃
They　looked　sullenly　back　at　him。　He　smiled　and　shrugged；　and　Ryld　hefted　Splitter。　The　moners　began　to　scurry　toward　the　door。
The　two　masters　fell　in　at　the　back　of　the　crowd；　prepared　to　chivvy　folk　along　as　necessary。
〃Shadows　of　the　Pit；〃　murmured　Pharaun；　〃I　wasn't　at　all　sure　they　would　actually　do　it。　I　am　a　persuasive　devil；　aren't　I？　It　must　be　my　honest　face。〃
〃Decoys　aren't　a　bad　idea；〃　said　Ryld；　〃but　now　that　I　think　of　it；　why　not　just　turn　us　invisible？〃
Pharaun　snorted。　〃Do　I　tell　you　which　end　of　the　sword　to　grip？　Invisnotibility's　too　mon　a　trick。　I'm　sure　our　foes　are　prepared　to　counter　it。　Whereas　the　illusion　may　work。　It's　one　of　my　personal；　private　spells；　and　we　Mizzrym　are　famously　deft　with　phantasm。　Now；　when　we　get　outnotside；　don't　lose　track　of　me。　You　don't　want　to　go　skipping　off　with　the　wrong　Pharaun。〃
Most　of　the　moners　had　vacated　the　house。　Pharaun　drew　a　deep　breath；　steadying　himself；　and　he　and　Ryld　plunged　out　into　the　open。
The　moners　were　scattering　as　directed。　As　far　as　Pharaun　could　tell；　no　one　had　attacked　any　of　them。　Perhaps；　as　he'd　hoped；　the　enemy　was　entirely　flummoxed。
The　masters；　fleeing　like　the　rest；　turned　one　corner　and　another。　Phanotraun　was　beginning　to　feel　the　smugness　that　es　from　outwitting　an　adversary　when　something　rattled　and　rustled　above　his　head。　He　looked　up　in　time　for　it　to　slam　him　in　the　face　and　knock　him　down。　Dropped　from　a　fair　height；　the　thick；　coarse　strands　of　rope　prising　the　net　struck　with　the　force　of　a　club。
Also　trapped；　Ryld　cursed；　the　language　vulgar　enough　to　make　the　Braeryn　proud。
Pharaun　needed　a　second　to　shake　off　the　shock　of　the　impact；　and　he　realized　his　current　situation　was　even　more　unfortunate　than　he'd　initially　thought。　The　net；　woven　in　a　spider　web　pattern；　was　animate。　Scraping　his　skin；　striving　to　render　him　pletely　immobil