蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第10章

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　the　other；　you　will　fetch　it　for　me。　Turn　out　every　available　priestess；　wizard；　and　warrior—　drow　or　slave。　Jump
Jump　he　did。　It　was　the　last　bit　of　satisfaction　that　was　to　e　her　way。
Her　mortal　agents　flooded　the　streets；　while　she　remained　in　her　personal　sanctum　in　House　Mizzrym；　summoning　spirits　and　casting　divinations　to　aid　the　search。　Astonishingly；　maddeningly；　it　was　all　to　no　avail。　When　light　flowered　in　the　base　of　Narbondel；　signaling　the　advent　of　the　new　day；　she　was　forced　to　admit　that　at　least　for　the　time　being；　Pharaun　had　eluded　her。
A　month　later；　she　learned　that　her　brother　had　somehow　made　his　way　all　the　way　up　to　Tier　Breche　and　begged　the　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan　himself　for　a　place　in　Sorcere；　and；　remembering　the　wizardly　talent　the　younger　male　had　demonstrated　throughout　his　training；　Gromph　had　seen　fit　to　take　him　in。
The　news　came　as　a　considerable　relief。　She'd　feared　her　brother　had　fled　Menzoberranzan　and　placed　himself　permanently　beyond　her　reach。　Instead；　he'd　simply　hopped　up　on　a　shelf　above　the　city。　He　was　bound　to　hop　down　again　eventually；　and　she　would　have　him。
Or　so　she　thought；　until　her　mother　sent　for　her。　Possessed　of　the　same　intelligence　concerning　her　fugitive　son's　whereabouts；　Miz'ri　had　formed　a　very　different　idea　of　what　ought　to　be　done　about　it：　Nothing。
Even　though　they　were　only　males；　the　Masters　of　Sorcere　possessed　both　a　degree　of　practical　autonomy　and　an　abundance　of　mystical　power；　and；　always　weaving　her　labyrinthine　schemes　to　elevate　the　status　of　House　Mizzrym；　Mother　had　decided　not　to　unnecessarily　provoke　the　wizards。　Which　was　to　say；　as　Pharaun　had　obtained　a　place　in　that　cloistered；　manyspired　tower；　he　was　more　significant　in　exile　than　he　had　ever　been　at　home；　and　Greyanna　would　have　to　let　him　live。　She　had　achieved　what　ought　to　have　been　her　primary　goal；　preeminence　among　her　sisters　and　cousins；　but　her　vengeance　would　remain　unfinished。
Through　all　the　decades　that　followed；　it　galled　her。　A　hundred　times　she　planned　to　defy　her　mother's　mand　and　kill　Pharaun　anyway；　only　to　abandon　her　stratagems　just　short　of　implementation。　As　fiercely　as　she　hated　him；　she　feared　Miz'ri's　displeasure　even　more。
Was　it　possible　that　at　long　last　the　matron　mother　had　changed　her　mind？　Or　was　this　some　new　cruelty；　was　Miz'ri　perhaps　going　to　somehow　force　Greyanna　into　an　odious　proximity　with　a　brother　who　was　still　untouchable？
〃It　might　be　nice　to　see　Pharaun　again；〃　the　younger　female　said　in　the　blandest　tone　she　could　muster。
Miz'ri　laughed。　〃Oh；　I　daresay　it　would；　to　see　him　and　kill　him；　isn't　that　the　way　of　it？〃
〃If　you　say　so。　You　know　our　history。　We　played　out　the　whole　sava　game　under　your　nose。〃　I　imagine　you　relished　every　minute　of　it；　she　thought。
〃Yes；　you　did；　and　so　I　know　this　will　interest　you。　Sadly；　a　problem　has　arisen　that　even　supercedes　my　desire　to　get　along　with　the　mages　of　the　Academy。　While　you　were　away；　males　continued　to　desert—〃
〃Pharaun　ran　off　from　Sorcere？〃　Greyanna　interrupted；　her　eyes　narrowed。　〃Were　they　finally　going　to　punish　him　for　getting　those　novices　killed？〃
〃No；　and　no　Shut　your　mouth；　let　me　tell　the　tale；　and　we'll　e　to　your　little　obsession　in　a　moment。〃
〃Yes；　Mother。〃
〃Males　continue　to　elope；　and　despite　our　warning　him　off；　Gromph　still　intends　to　investigate　the　matter。　Hoping　to　escape　our　notice　and　displeasure；　he　decided　to　do　so　by　proxy；　and　summoned　a　suitable　agent　to　his　office　to　discuss　the　matter。　Happily；　we　members　of　the　Council　possess　a　scrying　crystal　with　which　we　recently　managed　to　pierce　the　obscuring　enchantments　shrouding　the　room。　Some　of　them；　anyway。　We　still　can't　see　in；　but　we　can　hear　what　goes　on；　and　that　sufficed　to　reveal　the　arch　mage’s　plan　as　well　as　the　identity　of　his　minion。　Now；　if　you　must；　you　may　excitedly　babble　your　brother's　name。〃
〃I　imagine　Gromph　told　him　this　is　his　one　big　chance　to　redeem　himself。〃
〃Exactly。　The　question　is；　how　shall　we　priestesses　respond？〃
〃I　gather　there's　a　reason　you　don't　just　tell　Gromph　you're　on　to　his　plan。〃　Of　course；　several。　For　one；　our　first　confrontation　with　him　was　courteous　and　mild；　but　who　knows；　a　second　might　be　less　so。　As　things　stand；　we　hesitate　to　push　him　very　hard。　For　another；　we　don't　want　him　to　know　we　can　eavesdrop　on　him。　He'd　either　block　us　out　or　hatch　his　plots　elsewhere。　It's　better　all　around　simply　to　take　his　pawn　out　of　play。　Given　that　Pharaun　is　a　secret　operative；　whatever　may　befall　him；　the　Archmage　can　hardly　take　exception　to　it。　The　catch　being　that　dealing　with　your　brother　is　a　formidable　undertaking；　arguably　on　any　occasion　but　certainly　at　the　moment。〃
Greyanna　nodded。　〃Because　he's　a　wizard；　and　we　are　。　。　。　what　we　are。〃
〃So　where；　the　Council　wondered；　can　we　find　a　priestess　so　bold；　so　motivated；　that　even　now　she'll　be　eager　to　hunt　the　male　when　he　descends　to　the　city。　I　told　the　others　I　thought　I　knew　of　a　candidate。〃
〃You　were　right。〃
〃The　beauty　of　it　is　that　you　do　have　a　personal　score　to　settle。　If　people　see　you　do　something　unpleasant　to　Pharaun；　they　won't　have　to　wonder　what　the　reason　is。〃
〃Yes；　I　see　that。　May　I　draw　on　all　the　resources　of　our　House　to　aid　me　in　my　efforts？〃
〃I　can　only　give　you　a　few　helpers。　If　people　saw　you　descend　on　the　city　with　House　Mizzrym's　entire　army　at　your　back；　they　wouldn't　assume　it's　a　personal　matter。　You　can　have　your　pick　of　magic　weapons　from　the　armory。　Don't　waste　them；　though。　Expend　only　what　you　need。〃
Greyanna　inclined　her　head。　〃I'll　start　preparing　right　away。〃
Miz'ri　finally　smiled；　and　somehow；　in　defiance　of　any　reasonable　expectation；　it　made　her　face　more　threatening；　not　less。
　
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F　　O　　U　　R
The　Silken　Rack　was　not；　as　visitors　to　Menzoberranzan　sometimes　assumed；　a　fine　cloth　emporium。　It　was；　technically；　a　massage　parlor；　but　only　a　vulgarian　would　call　it　that。　Rather；　it　was　a　palace　of　delight；　where　the　most　skilled　body　servants　in　the　Underdark　provided　what　many　dark　elves　considered　to　be　most　exquisite　of　all　pleasures。
Waerva　Baenre　was　herself　of　that　opinion。　She　had　already　soaked　her　pampered；　voluptuous　form　in　warm；　scented　oil；　and　she　would　have　liked　nothing　better　to　lose　herself　utterly　in　the　touch　of　her　masseur。
But　that；　alas；　was　not　possible。　She'd　e　to　this　shrine　of　the　senses　on　business；　business　that　could　be　conducted　far　more　safely　and　discreetly　there　than　in　the　Baenre　citadel　or　the　ambassador's　residence　in　West　Wall。　That　was　why　she；　by　nature　gregarious；　had　hired　a　cozy　private　room　containing　only　two　contoured　couches　and　a　pair　of　hulking　deafmute　human　masseurs　in　preference　to　her　supremely　gifted　Tluth。
Happily；　the　tongueless　slave　she'd　chosen　for　herself　was　also　highly　petent。　He　kneaded　her　neck　muscles　in　a　way　that　was　pain　and　bliss　at　the　same　time；　wringing　a　groan　of　sweet　release　out　of　her。　Naturally；　it　was　at　this　somewhat　undignified　moment　that　Umrae　came　though　the　door。
Not　that　Waerva's　momentary　disposure　made　Umrae　smile。　The　Baenre　couldn't　imagine　what　it　would　take　to　acplish　that。　A　rather　gaunt；　homely　female；　her　skin　the　unhealthy　dull　grayblack　color　of　charcoal；　the　cut　of　her　nondescript　garments　subtly　divergent　from　the　styles　of　Menzoberranzan；　Umrae　always　arrived　at　these　clandestine　meetings　stiff　and　awkward　with　nervous　tension。　Waerva　supposed　that　was　the　difference　between　moners　and　nobles。　No　matter　how　perilous　the　situation；　an　aristocrat　always　managed　a　certain　grace。
〃She's　looking　at　maps〃　declared　Umrae。　Her　voice　matched　her　appearance。　There　was　no　music　in　it。
〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　Waerva　replied。　〃Your　mistress　is　reasonably　clever。　I　never　thought　she　would　remain　placent　forever。〃　The　body　servant　dug　his　fingertips　into　Waerva's　upper　back；　and　she　shivered。　〃We'll　talk　about　it；　but　first；　please；　set　my　mind　at　ease。　Tell　me　that　no　one　who　matters　saw　you　enter　this　particular　room。〃
Umrae　scowled；　apparently　irked　by　the　very　suggestion。　〃No；　of　course　not。〃
〃Then　for　pity's　sake；　take　off　your　clothes。　You　supposedly　came　here　for　a　deepstroke；　and　you　want　to　look　as　if　you've　had　one　when　you　get　back　h