war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第68章

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ay　for　some　time　in　the　ghoul's　fetid　embrace。　Evennottually；　however；　she　mustered　the　trembling　strength　to　pull　free　of　the　claws　embedded　in　her　bleeding　limbs；　after　which　she　crawled　a　few　feet　away　from　the　winged　corpse。
Gradually；　despite　the　sting　of　her　punctures　and　bruises；　she　started　to　feel　a　little　better。　Physically；　anyway。　Inside　her　mind；　she　was　berating　herself　for　an　oute　that　wasn't　really　a　victory　at　all。
Given　that　she　needed　to　learn　what　Umrae　knew；　not　kill　her；　she'd　bungled　their　encounter　from　the　beginning。　She　supposed　she　should　have　agreed　to　the　traitor's　terms；　but　she'd　been　too　angry　and　too　proud。　She　should　also　have　spotted　the　vial　and　fought　more　skillfully。　If　not　for　luck；　it　would　be　she　and　not　her　erstwhile　scribe　lying　dead　on　the　stone。
She　wondered　if　her　sojourn　in　Menzoberranzan　had　diminished　her。　Back　in　Ched　Nasad；　she　had　enemies　in…　and　outside　House　Zauvirr　to　keep　her　strong　and　sharp；　but　in　the　City　of　Spiders　none　had　wished　her　ill。　Had　she　forgotten　the　habits　that　protected　her　for　her　first　two　hundred　years　of　life？　If　so；　she　knew　she'd　better　remember　them　quickly。
The　enemy　hadn't　finished　with　her。　She　wasn't　so　dull　and　rusty　that　she　didn't　recall　how　these　covert　wars　unfolded。　It　was　like　a　sava　game；　progressing　a　step　at　a　time；　gradually　escalating　in　ferocity。　Her　unknown　adversary's　first　move；　though　she　hadn't　known　it　at　the　time；　had　been　to　turn　Umrae　and　lie　to　Triel。　Faeryl's　countermove　was　to　capture　the　spy　and　remove　her　from　the　board。　As　soon　as　Umrae　missed　some　prenotarranged　rendezvous；　the　foe　would　know　her　pawn　had　been　taken　and　advance　another　piece。　Perhaps　it　would　be　the　mother。　Perhaps　the　foe　would　suggest　to　Matron　Baenre　that　the　time　had　e　to　throw　Faeryl　in　a　dungeon。
But　life　wasn't　really　a　sava　game。　Faeryl　could　cheat　and　make　two　moves　in　a　row；　which　in　this　instance　meant　truly　fleeing　Menzoberranzan　as　soon　as　possible；　before　the　enemy　learned　of　her　agent's　demise。
Light…headed　and　sour…mouthed　from　her　exertions；　Faeryl　dragged　herself　to　her　feet；　trudged　in　search　of　Mother's　Kiss；　and　wondered　just　how　she　would　acplish　that　little　miracle。
















C　h　a　p　t　e　r


T　E　N
Cloaked　in　the　semblance　of　a　squat；　leathery…skinned　ore；　whose　twisted　leg　manifestly　made　him　unfit　for　service　in　a　noble　or　even　merchant　House；　Pharaun　took　an　experimental　bite　of　his　sausage　and　roll。　The　unidentifiable　ground　meat　inside　the　casing　tasted　rank　and　was　gristly；　as　well　as　cold　at　the　core。
〃By　the　Demonweb！〃　he　exclaimed。
〃What？〃　Ryld　replied。
The　weapons　master　too　appeared　to　be　a　scurvy；　broken…down　ore　in　grubby　rags。　Unbelievably；　he　was　devouring　his　vile　repast　without　any　overt　show　of　repugnance。
〃What？〃　The　Master　of　Sorcere　brandished　his　sausage。　〃This　travesty。　This　abomination。〃
He　headed　for　the　culprit's　kiosk；　a　sad　little　construction　of　bone　poles　and　sheets　of　hide；　taking　care　not　to　walk　too　quickly。　His　veil　of　illusion　would　make　it　look　as　if　he　were　limping；　but　it　wouldn't　conceal　the　anomnotaly　of　a　lame　ore　covering　ground　as　quickly　as　one　with　two　good　legs。　
The　long…armed；　flat…faced　goblin　proprietor　produced　a　cudgel　from　beneath　the　counter。　Perhaps　he　was　used　to　plaints。
Pharaun　raised　a　hand　and　said；　〃I　mean　no　harm。　In　fact；　I　want　to　help。〃
The　goblin's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Help？〃
〃Yes。　I'll　even　pay　another　penny　for　the　privilege。〃　he　said　as　he　exnottracted　a　copper　coin　from　his　purse。　〃I　just　want　to　show　you　something。〃
The　cook　hesitated；　then　held　out　a　dirty…nailed　hand　and　said；　〃Give。　No　tricks。〃
〃No　tricks。〃
Pharaun　surrendered　the　coins　and　to　the　goblin's　surprise；　squirmed　around　the　end　of　the　counter　and　crowded　into　the　miniature　kitchen。　He　wrapped　his　hand　in　a　fold　of　his　cloak；　slid　the　hot　iron　grill　with　its　load　of　meat　from　its　brackets；　and　set　it　aside。
〃First；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃you　spread　the　coals　evenly　at　the　bottom　of　the　brazier。〃　He　picked　up　a　poker　and　demonstrated。　〃Next；　though　we　don't　have　time　to　start　from　scratch　right　now；　you