war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第39部分

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o　sawing。　Tensing　his　muscles　against　the　remorseless　pressure　of　the　tightening　web；　he　turned　the　floating　sword　around　to　threaten　his　fellow　representatives　of　House　Mizzrym。
Greyanna　laughed。　〃Is　that　one　little　bodkin　supposed　to　hold　us　all　at　bay？〃
〃Possibly　not；〃　said　Pharaun；　straining　to　work　his　fingers　closer　to　one　of　his　pockets。　〃That's　why　I　instructed　it　to　kill　you　first。〃
〃Did　you；　now？〃
His　sister　motioned　her　warriors　forward。　Twin　brothers　possessed　of　the　same　slightly　yellowish　hair　and　deeply　cleft　chin；　they　carried　pale　bone　longbows　slung　over　their　backs　in　preference　to　the　more　mon　crossbows。
Greyanna　herself　remained　on　her　mount　and　produced　a　scroll　from　within　her　piwafwi。　Thanks　to　his　remaining　ring；　Pharaun　could　see　from　the　plex　corona　of　magical　force　shining　around　the　rolled　parchment　that　it　contained；　among　others；　a　spell　to　disrupt　the　other　fellow's　magic。　Perhaps　she　intended　to　use　it　to　render　the　dancing　rapier　inert　long　enough　for　her　minions　to　break　or　immobilize　it。
The　wretched　ropes　were　digging　into　the　wizard's　flesh　like　knives。　He　would　hardly　have　been　surprised　if　they　drew　blood。　They　were　certainly　cutting　off　his　circulation　and　numbing　his　extremities。　Trembling　with　effort；　he　shifted　his　fingers　another　inch。
〃My　panion　is　Ryld　Argith；〃　he　said；　〃a　Master　of　Melee…Magthere。　He's　never　done　anything　to　you；　and　you　will　place　yourself　in　debt　to　the　warriors　of　the　pyramid　by　killing　him。〃
Entangled　as　he　was；　Pharaun　couldn't　even　turn　his　head　to　look　at　his　friend　anymore；　but　he　could　hear　Ryld　grunting　and　swearing　and　feel　him　shaking　the　net。　The　swordsman　was　plainly　trying　to　free　himself；　but　it　seemed　unlikely　that　even　his　extraordinary　strength　would　be　enough　if　he　was　unable　to　bring　one　of　his　blades　to　bear；　and　apparently　such　was　the　case。
〃I've　kept　tabs　on　you　through　the　years。〃　Greyanna　said。　〃I　know　Master　Argith　is　your　most　valued　rade。　I　don't　need　him　trying　to　libnoterate　or　avenge　you。　Our　mother　will　handle　Melee…Magthere。〃
On　further　inspection；　Pharaun　observed　that　the　subordinate　priestess　had　readied　a　scroll　as　well。　That　struck　him　as　vaguely　odd；　but　he　supnotposed　this　was　hardly　the　time　to　ponder　the　possible　significance。
The　warriors　were　approaching　steadily　but　warily；　and　not　merely；　he　suspected；　because　of　the　hovering　rapier。　Greyanna　could　neutralize　the　weapon；　but　they　feared　that　Pharaun　would　work　some　terrible　magic　that　only　required　speech；　not　gestures　or　a　focal　object。　He　was　sorry　to　disappoint　them。　He　did　have　one　or　two　such　spells　in　his　memory　but　none　that　could　annihilate　all　five　of　these　unpleasant　folk　at　a　single　stroke；　and　he　knew　that　once　he　conjured　some　devastating　attack；　they　would　abandon　any　intention　of　taking　him　alive　for　a　demise　by　torture。　They　would　strike　back　as　fast　and　murderously　as　possible；　and　immonotbilized　in　the　mesh；　he　would　have　little　hope　of　defending　against　their　efforts。
〃Actually；　you　ought　to　think　twice　about　harming　either　of　us；〃　he　said；　hoping　that　further　conversation　would　slow　the　fighters'　advance；　even　if　only　for　a　second。
Greyanna　chuckled。　〃Be　assured；　I've　thought　of　it　a　thousand　thousand　times。〃
〃The　archmage　won't　like　it。〃
〃I'm　acting　on　behalf　of　the　Council。　I　doubt　he'll　deem　it　politic　to　retaliate　。　。　。　any　more　than　Melee…Magthere　will。〃
〃Well；　Gromph　won't　sign　his　name　to　your　cadaver；　but　someday　。。。〃
Pharaun's　fingers　finally　jerked　into　the　pocket　and　closed　around　a　small　but　sturdy　leather　glove。　With　the　net　still　tightening　every　second；　it　was　just　as　hard　to　withdraw　the　article　as　it　had　been　to　reach　it。　He　exnotperimented　to　see　if　he　could　possibly　fumble　it　through　the　proper　mysnottical　pass。
Such　a　cramped；　tiny　motion　was　neither　easy　nor　natural　for　him。　He　was　accustomed　to　conjure　with　a　certain　flair；　making　sweeping；　dramatic　gestures。　Yet　he　had　on　occasion　practiced　making　the　signs　as　small　as　posnotsible。　It　was　good　for　his　control　and　had　a　few　times　allowed　him　to　cast　a　spell　without　an　adversary　realizing　what　he　was　about。　So　he　had　some　hope　of　properly　manipulating　the　glove。　If　only　the　web　wasn't　so　con…strictive　or　his　hand　so　dead　and　awkward。
〃Excuse　me；〃　Greyanna　said；　then　suspended　the　conversation　to　read　from　her　scroll。
It　was　of　course　divine　magic；　not　arcane；　and　Pharaun　didn't　recognize　all　the　words。　The　effect；　however；　was　unmistakable。　The　rapier　jerked　and　fell　to　the　ground　with　a　clank。　The　masked　wizard　stepped　forward　and　scooped　it　up。　Pharaun　was　content　at　least　with　the　fact　that　the　rapier's　peculiar　enchantment　would　make　it　impossible　for　Greyanna's　henchman　to　turn　the　weapon　on　him…at　least　not　for　an　hour　or　so。
Pharaun　recognized　the　mage；　whose　high；　wide　forehead　and　small；　pointed　chin　were　unmistakable。　Pharaun　had　always　thought　they　made　the　other　mage's　head　look　like　an　egg。　He　was　Relonor　Vrinn；　an　able　wizard　and　longtime　Mizzrym　retainer。　He　was　still　wearing　his　silk　sash　with　the　spell　foci　tucked　inside　and　an　eight…pointed　gold　brooch　securnoting　it。
Scimitars　in　ha