war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第9部分

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as　savagely　as　she　did　her　sister。
Perhaps　she　owed　him　a　debt　for　his　cutting　mockery。　Conceivably；　it　goaded　her　to　new　heights　of　ingenuity；　for　it　was　shortly　afterward　that　she　hit　on　the　stratagem　that　would　destroy　Sabal。
A　band　of　gray　dwarves　had　been　raiding　in　the　tunnels　southeast　of　the　city；　and　Sabal　was　leading　the　force　endeavoring　to　hunt　the　bandits　down。　Taking　extraordinary　measures；　driving　her　agents；　whether　mortal；　elemental；　or　demonic；　relentlessly；　Greyanna　located　the　duergar　in　adnotvance　of　her　twin。　Then　came　the　hard　part。　She　and　her　helpers　had　to　abduct　one　of　the　slate…colored　little　males　without　the　knowledge　of　his　fellows；　equip　him　with　a　platinum　amulet　that　her　subordinate　clerics；　mages；　and　her　personal　jeweler　had　created　in　an　amazingly　brief　time；　bind　the　marauder　with　spells　of　forgetfulness　and　persuasion；　and　slip　him　back　among　his　friends。
Sabal　found　the　duergar　two　days　later。　After　her　troops　exterminated　the　brigands；　they　looted　the　bodies　and　found　the　brooch；　which　was　valuable；　beautiful；　and；　as　those　wizards　who　were　present　soon　discovnotered；　conferred　several　useful　magical　abilities。　It　never　occurred　to　Sabal　that　a　treasure　plundered　from　a　dead　dwarf　might　constitute　a　trap　laid　by　a　sister　dark　elf；　and　she　happily　laid　claim　to　that　portion　of　the　spoils。
From　that　day　forward；　Sabal　slowly；　subtly　sickened　in　body；　mind；　and　spirit；　meanwhile　struggling　pathetically　to　hide　any　appearance　of　weaknotness　from　all　who　might　discern　it　and　decide　to　exploit　it　to　kill　her；　tornotment　her；　or　strip　her　of　her　rank。　Which；　of　course；　was　pretty　much　everyone　in　Menzoberranzan。
Pharaun　probably　recognized　her　deterioration；　but　he　was　unable　to　arrest　it。　Perhaps　he　didn't　even　know　she　was　constantly　carrying　an　unnotusual　new　magical　device　about　her　person。　The　curse　that　was　poisoning　her；　that　lay　insidiously　threaded　among　all　the　benign　enchantments；　made　her　cling　to　the　amulet　with　an　obsessive　fascination　and　fear　that　others　would　steal　it　if　she　didn't　keep　it　hidden。
During　the　several　months　of　Sabal's　malaise；　Greyanna　sometimes　wondered　if　Pharaun　would　ally　himself　with　her　if　asked　again。　She　didn't。　She　just　watched　and　waited　for　her　chance　to　finish　Sabal　off。　She'd　learned　her　lesson。　No　matter　how　unlikely　the　possibility　seemed；　she　would　not　leave　her　twin　alive　to　recoup　her　fortunes　yet　again。
One　night；　Pharaun　left　the　castle；　either　on　some　errand　or　simply　benotcause　he　was　finding　the　situation　inside　oppressive。　Later　on；　the　suspinotcious；　insomniac　Sabal　somehow　slipped　away　from　her　guards　and　servants　and　began　aimlessly　wandering　the　citadel　on　her　own。
Greyanna　and　half　a　dozen　of　her　minions　confronted　Sabal　in　the　fungus　garden；　where　the　topiarist　had　trimmed　the　phosphorescent　growths　into　fanciful　shapes；　fertilized　in　some　cases　with　the　ripe；　diced　remains　of　expired　slaves。　Sabal's　final　moments　might　have　seemed　pitinotful；　had　Greyanna　been　susceptible　to　that　crippling　emotion。　Her　addled；　desperate　twin　tried　to　use　the　platinum　amulet　against　its　maker；　but　Greyanna　dispelled　its　powers　with　a　thought。　Then　Sabal　endeavored　to　cast　a　spell；　but　she　couldn't　recite　the　lines　with　the　proper　cadence　or　exnotecute　the　gestures　with　the　necessary　precision。
Laughing；　Greyanna　and　the　other　waylayers　closed　in　on　their　victim；　and　they　didn't　even　have　to　strike　a　blow。　Their　mere　proximity　made　Sabal　wail；　clutch　at　her　heart；　and　fall　over　dead　as　a　stone。　Weak　to　the　last。
For　a　second；　Greyanna　felt　a　bit　cheated；　but　she　shook　the　feeling　off。　Sabal　was　dead；　that　was　the　main　thing；　and　with　a　bit　of　luck；　she　would　still　have　Pharaun　to　torture。
Chanting　words　that　sent　a　cold；　charnel　breeze　moaning　through　the　garden；　she　reanimated　Sabal's　corpse。　She　had　use　for　it；　first　as　a　lure　then　as　an　instrument　of　humiliation。　She　hoped　that　before　his　extermination；　her　brother　might　be　induced　to　spend　one　more　tender　interlude　with　it。
When　Pharaun　returned　to　House　Mizzrym　an　hour　later；　his　hair　and　garments　were　as　immaculate　as　ever；　but　he　reeked　of　wine　and　walked　with　a　slightly　weaving　and　excessively　careful　tread。　Evidently　he'd　been　drinking　his　troubles　away。　Perfect。
As　it　had　been　instructed；　the　zombie　stepped　out　of　a　doorway　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall。　Its　arms　were　extended　in　a　beseeching　gesture。
Pharaun　took　a　few　steps　toward　it　and　faltered。　Drunk　or　not；　he　had　finally　noticed　that；　despite　Greyanna's　efforts　to　keep　it　warm；　it　was　moving　stiffly；　awkwardly；　as　Sabal；　even　in　the　throes　of　her　illness；　never　had。　But　he'd　spotted　the　anomaly　too　late。　He'd　already　advanced　to　the　very　center　of　the　trap。
Greyanna　whispered　a　spell　of　paralysis。　Pharaun　staggered　as　his　muscles　all　clenched　at　once。　The　fighters　swarmed　out　of　their　hiding　places；　surrounded　him；　clubbed　him　repeatedly；　and　threw　him　down　benotneath　them。
She　laughed　with　delight。　Then　her　henchmen；　more　or　less　clumped　in　a　pile　on　the　floor；　cried　out　in　surprise　and　consternation。　They　started　to　stand　up；　and　she　saw　that　Pharaun　did　not　lie　crushed；　bloody；　and　helpnotless　on　the　floor　beneath　them。　Impossible　as　it　seemed；　somehow　he'd　renotsisted　the　paralysis；　then　used　his　wizardry　to　extricate　himself　from　the　midst　of　his　attackers。
Knowing　that　Sabal　was　dead；　Pharaun　must　likewise　assume　that　withnotout　the　aegis　of　a　high　priestess　he　could　no　longer　survive　in　House　Miznotzrym。　Certainly　he　couldn't　count　on　his　vicious　mother；　who　hadn't　bestirred　herself　to　save　one　daughter　from　another；　to　do　more　for　a　paltry　son。　He　was　surely　running　back　toward　the　exit。
〃That　way！　Fast！〃　Greyanna　shouted；　pointing；　goading　her　agents　into　motion。　When　they　rounded　a　corner；　they　saw　Pharaun　sprinting　along　ahead　of　them；　his　piwafwi　billowing　out　behind　him。　He　wasn't　weaving　or　stumbling…evidently　desperation　had　cured　his　intoxication…but　he　was　clutching　his　head；　and　leaving　a　trail　of　bloody　drops　on　the　polished　floor。　Evidently　all　the　bludgeoning　had　done　at　least　a　little　good。
Greyanna's　minions　shot　their　hand　crossbows；　but　the　darts　bounced　off　the　wizard's　cloak；　which　had　obviously　been　enchanted　to　serve　as　armor。　She　stopped　running　long　enough　to　conjure　a　blaze　of　fire　under　Pharaun's　feet。　Her　assassins　cried　out　and　shielded　their　eyes　against　the　glare。　Though　surely　burned；　her　brother　stayed　on　his　feet　and　kept　going。　The　flames　winked　out　behind　him　as　suddenly　as　they'd　appeared。
The　chase　rounded　another　corner。　Ahead　of　Pharaun　was　an　adamannottine　double　door；　which　swung　open　seemingly　of　its　own　accord。　In　realnotity；　Greyanna　knew；　the　wizard　had　used　his　silver…and…jet　Mizzrym　House　token　to　open　it。　She　tried　to　use　her　own　insignia　to　slam　it　shut　again；　but　she　was　just　out　of　range。
Pharaun　plunged　through　the　exit。　He　was　on　the　landing；　a　sort　of　balnotcony　from　which　the　occupants　of　the　stalactite　castle　that　was　House　Miznotzrym　could　look　down　on　the　city。　As　was　the　custom；　a　pany　of　guards　stood　watch　there；　and　Greyanna　screamed　for　them　to　stop　the　mage。
They　no　doubt　intended　to　be　obey。　She　was　a　high　priestess　and　he；　a　mere　male；　and　manifestly　trying　to　run　away　to　boot。　But　alas；　since　their　primary　function　was　to　look　for　miscreants　trying　to　enter　the　castle；　Phanotraun　had　taken　them　by　surprise。　He　had　time　to　conjure　some　sort　of　hindering　spell　and　dash　on。
When　Greyanna　made　it　to　the　door；　she　saw　what　manner　of　hindrance　the　fugitive　had　chosen。　The　guards　were　all　bewildered；　some　standing　stupefied　or　milling　aimlessly；　a　couple　fighting　with　each　other。
A　clattering；　followed