war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第17部分

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e　meetnotings　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　apnotpearance。　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　home。　Besides；　these　fellows　are　worth　the　rent。〃
Still　frowning　as　if　she　suspected　Waerva　was　perpetrating　some　sort　of　joke　at　her　expense；　Umrae　gestured　brusquely　to　the　human；　slightly　smaller　and　less　muscular　than　his　patriot；　whom　the　Baenre　had　left　for　her　use。　Careful　not　to　make　eye　contact；　the　slave　began　to　undress　her　and　hang　her　garments　on　the　hooks　set　in　the　wall。
〃So　what　are　we　going　to　do？〃　the　moner　asked。　〃She's　guarded。　Even　with　the　resource　you　gave　me；　I'm　not　sure　I　could　kill　her　and　escape；　but　surely　you　have　skilled　assassins　at　your　disposal。〃
〃Of　course。〃　Waerva　had　to　close　her　slanted　ruby　eyes　as　her　body　sernotvant　squeezed　and　rubbed　another　clenched　muscle　into　warm；　limp　subnotmission。　It　was　remarkable　how　she　didn't　even　realize　they　were　tight　until　the　masseur　got　his　hands　on　them。　〃Murder　would　have　its　advantages。　It　would　take　her　off　the　sava　board　for　good　and　all。〃
〃Then　we're　agreed？〃　Umrae　asked　as　she　lay　down　on　her　couch。　Her　body　servant　gently　spread　her　mane　of　coarse　white　hair　to　expose　the　flesh　beneath。
Waerva　grinned。　〃You　sound　so　eager。〃
〃I　admit　I'm　not　fond　of　her。〃　Umrae's　human　opened　a　white　porcenotlain　bottle　of　unguent；　and　a　sweet　scent　tinged　the　air。　〃That's　not　the　point。　The　point　is　to　shield　us　all　for　as　long　as　we　need　it。〃
〃I　quite　agree；〃　said　Waerva；　〃and　my　concern　is　that　an　assassination　could　prove　counterproductive。　Might　it　not　call　attention　to　your　misnottress's　suspicions？　Might　it　not　lend　weight　to　them？　Does　she　not　have　a　deputy　of　like　mind　ready　to　take　over　in　the　event　of　her　demise？〃
Urnrae　scowled；　pondering　the　questions；　plainly　not　enjoying　it　much。　Her　slave　spread　a　thin　coat　of　amber　oil　onto　her　back。
From　elsewhere　in　the　building　echoed　the　faint；　distorted　sounds　of　shouting；　laughter；　and　splashing。　Waerva　guessed　it　must　be　males　amusnoting　themselves　in　one　of　the　bathing　pools。　The　females　of　the　city　were　scarcely　in　the　mood　for　boisterous　horseplay。
At　last　Umrae　said；　〃All　right；　what　do　you　want　to　do？〃
〃Counter　the　threat　in　a　subtler　way。　She　can't　injure　us　if　she's　never　afnotforded　the　chance　to　confirm　her　suspicions。〃
〃How　will　you　ensure　that？〃　Umrae's　voice　quavered　as　her　thrall　began　to　lightly　pummel　her　gleaming　back　with　the　bottoms　of　his　fists。
Good　luck　loosening　up　those　petrified　limbs；　Waerva　thought。　〃I　am　a　priestess　of　the　Baenre；　am　I　not？〃
〃The　least　of　them。〃
〃How　insolent　of　you　to　say　so。〃　Waerva　tensed　with　annoyance　until　her　masseur's　hands　rebuked　her。
〃I　only　meant…〃
〃I　know　what　you　meant；　and　I　don't　deny　it。　It's　why　I'm　here；　after　all。　Yet　consider　this：　My　aunt　Triel　has　always　depended　on　the　advice　of　two　people；　Gromph　and　Quenthel。　She　can't　really　talk　to　Gromph　anymore　because　she's　keeping　him　in　the　dark　with　the　rest　of　the　males。　I　doubt　she'll　see　much　of　Quenthel　for　a　while；　either。　The　tiny　she…demon　will　stay　busy　contending　with　her　own　problems。　She's　endured　some　sort　of　mishap　up　on　Tier　Breche。〃
Umrae　twisted　her　head　around　to　look　at　her　sister　conspirator　and　said；　〃I've　heard　rumors　about　that。　What　actually　happened？〃
〃I　don't　know…〃　Though　I　wish　to　the　goddess　I　did；　she　thought…　〃but　whatever　it　was；　it　works　to　our　advantage。　We　want　Triel　to　suffer　a　dearth　of　counselors。〃
〃What　about　her　magical　new　son？　They　say　he　acpanies　her　everynotwhere。〃
Waerva　smiled。　〃Jeggred's　not　a　factor。　He's　a　magnificent　specimen　but　scarcely　a　font　of　sage　advice。　I　assure　you　poor；　uncertain　Triel　will　be　abnotsolutely　frantic　for　plausible　insights　from　other　Baenre　priestesses；　even　the　lowlier　ones　like　me。　I　will　buy　our　friends　the　time　they　need　to　work　free　of　outside　interference。〃
〃You　will　if　Triel　trusts　you。〃
〃In　this；　she　will。　We　Baenre　are　proud。　It　will　be　inconceivable　to　Triel　that　one　of　our　females　would　wish　to　abandon　the　First　House　in　favor　of　a　new　life　elsewhere。　Of　course；　she　wasn't　born　at　the　absolute　bottom　of　the　internal　hierarchy；　was　she；　with　dozens　of　older　sisters　and　cousins　taking　precedence　over　her　and　holding　all　the　important　offices。　Even　if　I　started　recklessly　trying　to　pick　them　off　whenever　one　lowers　her　guard　even　slightly；　it　could　still　take　me　centuries　to　ascen