war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第59章

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Deceptively　slender；　a　fully　trained　warrior　as　well　as　a　priestess；　she　was　notorious　for　carrying　a　naked　falchion　about　in　preference　to　the　usual　mace　or　whip　of　fangs；　and　gashing　the　exposed　flesh　of　any　student　who　displeased　her　with　a　fast　but　precisely　controlled　cut　to　the　face。　The　short；　curved　blade　lay　across　her　knees。
Drisinil　waited　a　beat　to　make　sure　Molvayas　intended　her　to　answer　the　question。　Apparently　she　did；　and　rightly　so；　since　it　was　the　younger　female　who　had　actually　conceived　the　argument。
〃When　Triel　was　mistress　here；〃　said　the　novice；　〃all　was　well。　Shortly　after　Quenthel　assumed　the　office；　Lolth　rejected　us。〃
〃　'Shortly'　being　a　relative　term；〃　said　a　sardonic　voice　from　somewhere　in　the　back　of　the　room。
〃Shortly　enough；〃　Drisinil　retorted。　〃Perhaps　the　goddess　gave　us　time　to　rectify　the　error。　We　failed　to　do　so；　so　now　she's　punishing　us。〃
〃She's　afflicting　all　Menzoberranzan；〃　T'risstree　said；　〃not　just　Tier　Breche。〃
〃Surely；〃　said　Drisinil；　〃you　didn't　expect　her　to　be　fair。　I　hope　a　priestnotess　knows　Lolth's　ways　better　than　that。　Her　wrath　is　as　boundless　as　her　might。　Besides　which；　Arach…Tinilith　is　the　repository　of　the　deepest　mysnotteries　and　thus　the　mystic　heart　of　Menzoberranzan。　It　makes　perfect　sense　that　whatever　befalls　us　here　should　touch　the　city　as　a　whole。
〃In　any　case；〃　the　novice　continued；　〃Lolth　has　shown　us　her　intent。　Despite　our　safeguards；　two　spirits　invaded　the　temple；　the　first　in　the　guise　of　a　spider；　the　second　a　living　darkness。　Spider　and　darkness；　reflecnottions　of　the　essence　of　the　goddess。　The　demons　injured　those　who　got　in　their　way。　They　bruised　them　and　broke　their　bones；　but　they　didn't　try　to　kill　any　of　us；　did　they？　They　were　plainly　seeking　Quenthel；　and　they　sought　to　kill　her　and　her　alone。〃
Some　of　the　other　priestesses　frowned　or　nodded　thoughtfully。
〃It　did　seem　that　way；〃　said　Vlondril；　〃but　what　do　you　think　is　unacnotceptable　about　Quenthel？　Isn't　she　doing　all　the　same　things　Triel　did？〃
〃We　don't　know　everything　she　does；〃　said　Drisinil；　〃and　we　don't　know　what　she　thinks。　Lolth　does。〃
〃But　you　don't　know　she　sent　the　demons；〃　T'risstree　said。　Born　a　notmoner　but　risen　to　a　level　of　power　and　prestige；　she　had　evidently　shed　the　habit　of　deference　to　the　aristocracy。　〃Perhaps　one　of　Quenthel's　mortal　enemies　sent　them。〃
〃What　mortal　possesses　a　magic　potent　and　cunning　enough　to　penenottrate　the　temple　wards？〃　Drisinil　replied。
〃The　archmage？〃　Vlondril　offered；　picking　at　the　skin　on　the　back　of　her　hand。　Her　tone　was　light；　as　if　she　spoke　in　jest。
〃Even　if　he　does；〃　Drisinil　said；　〃Gromph　is　a　Baenre；　too；　and　Quenthel　serving　as　mistress　strengthens　his　House。　He　has　no　reason　to　kill　her；　and　if　it　isn't　he；　then　who？　Who　but　the　goddess？〃
〃Quenthel　is　still　alive；〃　said　a　priestess　from　House　Xorlarrin。　She'd　worn　a　long　veil　to　the　conclave；　apparently　so　anyone　who　noticed　her　walking　the　halls　would　assume　she　was　engaged　in　a　certain　necromantic　meditation。　〃Do　we　think　Lolth　tried　to　kill　her　and　failed？〃
〃Perhaps；〃　Drisinil　said。　Some　of　her　audience　scowled　or　stiffened　at　what　could　be　construed　as　blasphemy。　〃She　is　all…powerful；　but　her　agents　are　not。　However；　I　think　she　intended　the　first　two　assassins　to　fail。　She's　giving　her　priestesses　a　chance　to　ponder　what's　happening。　To　prenothend　her　will；　perform　our　appointed　task；　and　earn　her　favor　once　more。〃
Vlondril　smiled。　〃And　we　do　that　by　murdering　Quenthel　ourselves？　Oh；　good；　child；　very　good。〃
〃We　kill　her　ourselves；〃　Drisinil　agreed；　〃or；　if　that　isn't　feasible；　we　at　least　assist　the　next　demonic　assassin　in　whatever　way　we　can。〃
T'risstree　shook　her　head。　〃This　is　sheer　speculation。　You　don't　know　the　mistress's　death　will　bring　Lolth　back。〃
〃It's　worth　a　chance；〃　Drisinil　said。　〃At　the　very　least；　if　we　give　the　demons　what　they　want；　they'll　stop　invading　Arach…Tinilith。　They　haven't　slain　any　of　us　yet；　but　if　we　don't　help　them；　and　Quenthel　lives　on；　they　may　decide　to　eliminate　us；　too；　for　after　all；　it's　a　demon's　nature　to　kill。〃
〃The　demons　may　be　less　dangerou