war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第79章

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to　flog　before　the　rest　cease　their　cringing　and　whining。　e。〃
She　led　them　on　to　a　classroom　where　the　kitchen　staff　had　set　a　table。　She'd　ordered　them　to　prepare　a　cold　supper　and　leave　it　at　various　points　around　the　temple；　so　that　the　weary　sentinels　could　at　least　refresh　themnotselves　with　food；　and　the　cooks　had　done　a　decent　job　of　it。　On　a　silver　salver　lay　pink　and　brown　slices　of　rothe　steak　steeped　in　a　tawny　marinotnade；　their　aroma　peting　with　Arach…Tinilith's　omnipresent　scent　of　incense。　Other　trays　and　bowls　held　raw　mushroom　pieces　with　a　creamy　dipping　sauce　and　a　salad　of　black；　white；　and　red　diced　fungus；　while　the　pitchers　presumably　contained　wine；　watered　as　per　her　mand。　Quennotthel　hoped　the　alcohol　would　hearten　those　residents　whom　Lolth's　abnotsence　and　the　incursions　of　the　past　two　nights　had　terrified；　but　she　didn't　want　any　of　the　temple's　defenders　sloppy　drunk　and　incapacitated。
Some　of　Quenthel's　minions　fell　to　as　if　they　expected　this　to　be　their　last　meal。　Others；　likely　as　certain　of　their　fate；　seemed　too　tense　to　do　more　than　pick　at　the　viands。
The　mistress　of　the　Academy　supposed　that；　though　she　intended　to　survive　the　night；　in　a　sense；　she　belonged　to　the　latter　party。　Her　stomach　was　somewhat　queasy；　and　the　long　hours　of　edgy　anticipation　had　killed　her　appetite。
e　on；　demon；　she　thought；　let's　get　this　over　with。　。　。　。
The　entity　failed　to　respond　to　her　silent　plea。
She　decided　her　throat　was　a　little　parched；　caught　Jyslin's　eye；　and　said；　〃Pour　me　a　cup。〃
〃Yes；　Mistress。〃
The　second…year　novice　performed　the　service　with　mendable　alacrity。　She　filled　the　silver　goblet　too　high　for　gentility's　sake；　but　Quenthel　expected　no　better　from　a　moner。　The　Baenre　accepted　the　cup　with　a　nod　and　raised　it　to　her　lips。
Her　whip　of　fangs　hung　from　her　wrist　by　the　wyvern…hide　loop　that　pierced　its　handle。　She　felt　a　thrill　of　alarm　surge　across　the　psionic　link　she　shared　with　the　vipers。　At　the　same　instant；　the　snakes　reared　and　dashed　the　goblet　from　her　grasp。　She　stared　at　them　in　amazement。
〃Poison；〃　Yngoth　said；　his　slit…pupiled　eyes　glinting　in　their　scaly　socknotets。　〃We　smelled　it。〃
Quenthel　looked　around。　Her　followers　had　heard　the　serpent's　declaranottion　and　were　gawking　at　her　and　the　reptiles　in　consternation。　They　apnotpeared　to　be　in　perfectly　good　health；　but　she　trusted　the　vipers　and　knew　it　wouldn't　last。
〃Purge　yourselves；〃　she　said。　〃Now！〃
They　never　got　the　chance。　Almost　as　one；　they　succumbed　to　the　toxin；　swaying；　staggering；　and　collapsing。　Some　retched　involuntarily　as　the　sickness　hit　them；　but　it　didn't　help。　They　passed　out　like　the　rest。
Quenthel　shifted　the　whip　back　to　her　hand；　peered　in　all　directions；　and　bade　the　vipers　do　the　same。　She'd　realized　her　demonic　assailants　were　supposed　to　suggest　the　several　dominions　of　the　goddess；　and　therefore　an　〃assassin〃　of　some　sort　would　turn　up　sooner　or　later。　Still；　she　foolishly　asnotsumed　that　being　would　attack　in　some　obvious　way　just　as　the　〃spider〃　and　〃darkness〃　had。　She　hadn't　expected　it　to　employ　stealth　and　attempt　to　poison　her；　though　in　retrospect；　that　tactic　made　perfect　sense。
The　question　was；　had　the　demon　done　all　it　planned　to　do；　or；　since　its　first　ploy　had　failed；　would　it　strike　at　her　in　some　other　way？
Off　to　the　west；　someone　screamed；　the　sound　echoing　down　the　stone　halls。　Quenthel　had　her　answer；　and　it　was　the　one　she'd　expected。
Her　heart　beat　faster；　her　mouth　felt　drier　still；　and　she　realized　she　wasn't　eager　to　confront　this　new　intruder；　certainly　not　without　the　supnotport　of　her　personal　guards。　Yet　she　was　mistress　in　these　halls；　and　it　was　unthinkable　to　turn　tail　and　let　an　invader　make　free　with　her　domain。
Besides；　if　she　fled；　the　cursed　thing　would　probably　track　her　anyway。
Leaving　her　fallen　patrol　with　their　useless　magical　treasures　strewn　about　them　on　the　floor；　she　strode　toward　the　noise。　She　shouted　for　other　underlings　to　attend　her；　but　no　one　responded。
In　a　minute　or　so；　she　entered　a　long　gallery；　where　wall　carvings　told　the　history　of　Lolth　as　it　had　occurred　an