war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第25章

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lish　standoff。〃
　　　Quenthel　blinked；　weighing　the　ambassador's　words。　Finally；　reluctantly；　she　realized　that　she　was　overmatched　and　nodded。
　　　〃Excellent；　Mistress；〃　Faeryl　said。　〃Now；　I　think　it　would　be　a　wise　idea　for　you　to　lay　down　your　arms　and　all　of　those　wonderful　trinkets　I　know　you　carry　about　yourself。〃
　　　Quenthel's　glare　deepened；　but　she　carefully　set　the　whip　down　at　her　feet。
　　　〃e　on；　Quenthel；〃　Faeryl　admonished。　〃I've　been　traveling　with　you　for　several　tendays　now。　I　know　about　the　ring　and　the　rod　and　all　the　other　things。　Don't　make　this　more　difficult。〃
　　　Sighing；　Quenthel　began　to　remove　the　various　items；　and　when　Faeryl　seemed　satisfied　that　the　high　priestess　could　no　longer　be　a　significant　threat；　she　ordered　her　to　step　away　from　the　pile　of　goods。
　　　As　others　swooped　in　and　gathered　up　Quenthel's　possessions；　Faeryl　stepped　closer　to　Quenthel；　smiling　again。
　　　〃I　am　sorry　it　had　to　be　this　way；　Quenthel；〃　she　said；　〃but　I'm　sure　you　understand。〃
　　　Quenthel；　who　had　regained　some　of　her　posure；　smiled　right　back。
　　　〃Oh；　I　quite　understand；　Ambassador。　My　sister　will　be　highly　disappointed　when　she　learns　what　you　have　done；　but　I　wouldn't　worry　too　much　about　that。　It's　a　shame　though　。。。　if　there's　one　thing　Triel　will　miss　more　than　her　sister；　it　would　have　to　be　her　beloved　son。〃
　　　Faeryl　didn't　let　her　smile　falter；　but　Quenthel　thought　the　ambassador　might　have　swallowed　just　a　little　nervously　at　the　thought　of　the　Matron　Mother　of　House　Baenre　hearing　the　news　that　her　draegloth　had　been　destroyed。
　　　Faeryl　shrugged　and　said；　〃That's　a　worry　for　another　time；　Mistress。　Now；　if　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　walk　with　me；　I'll　introduce　Matron　Mother　Drisinil　Melarn　and　my　own　mother；　Mistress　Ssipriina　Zauvirr。　They　are　most　interested　in　hearing　more　about　how　you　planned　to　steal　our　provisions　and　take　them　back　to　Men…zoberranzan　with　you。〃
　　　〃Those　goods　belong　in　Menzoberranzan。　They　are　ours　by　right；〃　Quenthel　said；　angry　all　over　again。
　　　In　the　back　of　her　mind；　a　part　of　her　told　herself　that　she　really　did　need　to　learn　to　control　her　anger　better；　but　she　didn't　want　to　listen。
　　　Faeryl　laughed　cynically。　〃You　didn't　actually　think　I　was　going　to　let　you　steal　from　my　House；　did　you？〃　she　said。　〃From　my　city？　You　are　mad！〃　Taking　a　calming　breath；　the　ambassador　continued；　ice　dripping　from　her　voice；　〃Look　around　you；　Mistress　Baenre。　This　is　what's　left　of　your　precious　stores　of　goods。〃
　　　For　the　first　time；　Quenthel　realized　that　the　rows　and　rows　of　shelves　and　bins　were　mostly　empty。　There　was　nothing　in　there　to　take。　She　had　been　thoroughly　tricked；　from　the　beginning　of　the　journey；　perhaps；　played　for　the　fool　that　she　was。　The　betrayal　was　not　unexpected；　and　Quenthel　knew　that　had　the　roles　been　reversed；　House　Baenre　would　have　carried　the　situation　to　the　same　conclusion。　What　galled　her　was　that　whatever　foolish　Baenre　whelp　had　been　responsible　for　the　logistics　of　the　deal　had　never　bothered　to　put　enough　troops　loyal　to　the　House　in　place　to　ensure　that　nothing　like　this　ever　happened。　Quenthel　suspected　that　whatever　loyal　forces　had　been　here　had　been　summarily　rounded　up　and　executed　when　the　crisis　grew。　The　fact　that　no　one　was　there　now　was　a　testament　to　that。
　　　〃What　have　you　done　with　it？〃　Quenthel　demanded；　half　interested　in　the　answer　and　half　stalling　for　time　so　she　could　assess　the　situation　better。
　　　Though　there　were　a　number　of　drow　troops　there；　there　was　still　a　chance　she　could　escape…though　it　would　require　leaving　Jeggred　behind。
　　　Faeryl　laughed；　〃Oh；　don't　worry。　Black　Claw　made　a　tidy　profit　recently。　The　stock　has　been　put　to　a　far　better　use　than　what　you　intended；　Mistress。〃
　　　The　mockery　in　the　girl's　tone　was　unmistakable。
　　　〃That's　enough；　Faeryl；〃　Ssipriina　Zauvirr　said；　taking　a　couple　of　steps　forward。　〃There's　no　need　to　ruin　the　surprise　we　have　in　store　for　our　guests。〃
　　　As　Faeryl　lowered　her　head　slightly　in　deference　to　her　mother；　she　made　her　face　stony　smooth；　but　Quenthel　knew　that　behind　that　facade；　the　Zauvirr　daughter　was　delighted　to　have　thwarted　her。
　　　Matron　Mother　Melarn　also　stepped　forward…or　rather；　two　heavily　armed　drow　stepped　forward；　escorting　her　between　them。　She　still　frowned　deeply；　but　she　said　nothing。
　　　Ssipriina　Zauvirr　strolled　halfway　toward　Quenthel　and　stopped。
　　　〃When　my　son　managed　to　get　into　private　contact　with　Faeryl　and　she　was　able　to　tell　us　what　you　were　planning；　we　of　course　wasted　no　time　in　preparing　for　your　arrival。　I　have　to　say；　I　am　more　than　a　little　surprised　that　you　actually　expected　to　slip　a　storehouse　full　of　goods　out　of　the　city；　out　from　under　our　noses；　without　us　noticing；　but　that's　really　of　no　consequence。　As　my　daughter　indicated；　House　Zauvirr　has　put　the　profits　to　a　far　better　use。〃
　　　Quenthel　blinked　in　confusion。
　　　〃House　Zauvirr？〃　she　asked。　〃You　are　merely　the　caretakers。　This　pany　belongs　to　Houses　Melarn　and　Baenre。〃　The　high　priestess　turned　to　the　other　matron　mother　and　said；　〃Are　you　permitting　this？　Are　you　content　to　let　these　deceitful；　low…class　merchants　make　the　decisions　for　your　investments？　You　are　far　more　trusting　than　I。〃
　　　Drisinil　Melarn　didn't　say　a　word；　though　she　grimaced　slightly　when　Quenthel　spoke　to　her；　Ssipriina　Zauvirr　laughed；　a　quick；　bitter　sound。
　　　〃Oh；　she　is　far　from　content；　Quenthel　Baenre；　but　she　has　little　choice　in　the　matter。〃
　　　Quenthel　realized　just　why　Matron　Mother　Melarn　seemed　so　unhappy。　The　two　drow　flanking　her　were　not　escorts　but　guards。
　　　〃You　would　dare？〃　Quenthel　asked。　〃You　have　laid　hands　on　the　matron　mother　of　a　high　House　of　your　own　city　and　hope　to　get　away　with　it？　How　can　you　expect　to　survive；　when　。　。　。　when…〃
　　　The　high　priestess　clamped　her　mouth　shut；　unwilling　to　finish　the　thought。
　　　When　Lolth　will　not　grant　you　spells。
　　　〃Oh；　not　to　worry；〃　Ssipriina　said；　smiling　even　more　deeply　than　before。　〃With　the　funds　I've　made　selling　off　your　valuables；　I　have　ensured　that　House　Zauvirr　will　never　again　kneel　before　the　likes　of　you　two。〃
　　　Her　eyes　glittered　red　as　she　finished；　and　Quenthel　saw　pure　hatred　burning　in　them。
　　　〃Captain　Xornbane；　if　you　please？〃　Ssipriina　called。　All　around　the　drow　gathering；　appearing　from　nowhere；　a　horde　of　gray　dwarves　stood　in　a　large　circle；　brandishing　wicked…looking　axes　and　heavy　crossbows。　Clearly；　they　had　been　standing　there　for　a　few　moments　but　had　simply　been　invisible。　The　duergar　looked　confident；　ready　for　anything。
　　　Quenthel　felt　the　pit　of　her　stomach　leap　into　her　throat；　but　before　she　could　take　any　action　she　felt　an　invisible　force　seize　her　and　hold　her　motionless。　She　couldn't　move　a　muscle　and　saw　that　Drisinil　Melarn　was　in　a　similar　condition。
　　　〃Shall　we　kill　them　now？〃　one　of　the　duergar　asked；　stepping　forward。
　　　SEVEN
　　　Its　fortunate　that　Valas　has　been　here　before　and　knows　the　lay　of　the　land；　Ryld　thought　as　he　pushed　his　way　through　the　throngs　behind　his　panion。
　　　The　streets　were　more　crowded　than　the　previous　day；　if　that　was　possible；　and　the　warrior　was　sure　that　they　would　have　made　even　slower　progress　if　they'd　been　negotiating　the　web　streets　without　a　clue　as　to　where　to　go　for　the　right　kind　of　information　or　the　right　kind　of　folk。
　　　Ryld　and　Valas　had　set　off　shortly　after　the　morning　meal；　the　scout　leading　the　larger　drow　into　the　lower　quarters　of　the　City　of　Shimmering　Webs。　At　Quenthel's　instructions；　they　were　trying　to　find　someone；　anyone；　who　had　supplies；　equipment；　and　bodies　available　to　serve　them　on　the　return　trip　to　Menzoberranzan。　Ryld　still　doubted　the　likelihood　of　the　priestess　acquiring　anything　worthwhile　in　the　Black　Claw　storehouses；　but　he　wasn't　one　to　quibble　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith。　He　had　seen　the　folly　of　that　with　Pharaun。　Or　rather；　he　had　seen　the　difficulties。　Pharaun　seemed　to　be　getting　away　with　his　insidious　little　remarks　more　and　more　frequently；　and　the　warrior　realized；　too；　that　the　mage　had　begun　following　his　own　agenda　more　consistently。
　　　Ryld　push