war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第42部分

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　stirges　swooping　and　wheeling　above。　A　moment　before；　Pharaun　and　his　hulking　acplice　had　been　standing　there；　but　they　were　gone。　If　her　eyes　had　not　deceived　her；　her　brother　had　flashed　her　that　old　familiar　mocking　grin　as　he　vanished。　How　dare　he　smirk　at　her　like　that　when　it　was　she　who　had　driven　him　from　House　Mizzrym！
She　regarded　her　iron　staff；　taller　than　she　was；　square　in　cross…section；　graven　with　hundreds　of　tiny　runes；　and　warm　as　blood　to　the　touch。　The　weapon　had　failed　her。　She　trembled　with　the　impulse　to　swing　it　over　her　head　and　smash　it　against　the　stone　beneath　her　feet　until　it　was　defaced；　deformed；　and　useless。
She　didn't；　because　she　knew　Pharaun's　escape　was　really　her　fault；　not　the　staff's。　She　should　have　summoned　the　weapon　sooner。　She　should　have　been　more　aggressive　with　the　sack。　Damn　this　degrading　and　inexnotplicable　season！　Because　of　its　vicissitudes；　her　mother　had　instructed　her　to　play　the　miser　with　every　personal　resource；　even　though　she　was　fightnoting　for　the　welfare　of　House　Mizzrym　and　all　Menzoberranzan。
Well；　she　wouldn't　make　the　same　mistake　next　time。　It　was　her　renotsponsibility　to　look　after　her　troops　and　return　them　to　the　castle。　She　dismounted；　squared　her　shoulders；　put　on　a　calm；　manding　expresnotsion；　and　proceeded　with　the　business　at　hand。
Neither　of　the　twins　were　hurt；　and　her　cousin　Aunrae　merely　needed　the　ball　of　darkness　around　her　head　dispelled。　It　was　Relonor　who　connotcerned　Greyanna；　but　fortunately　the　mage　was　still　alive。　A　healing　potion　mended　him　sufficiently　to　stand；　clutching　his　sash　so　it　wouldn't　slip　off　and　shrugging　out　of　his　ice…encrusted　cloak。
While　the　twins　helped　Relonor　hobble　about　and　so　restore　his　circunotlation；　Aunrae　came　sidling　up　to　Greyanna。　To　her　cousin's　admittedly　jaundiced　eye；　in　Aunrae　the　usual　Mizzrym　tendency　to　leanness　had　run　to　a　grotesque　extreme。　The　younger　female　resembled　a　stick　insect。
〃My　miseration　on　your　failure；〃　Aunrae　said。
Her　expression　was　grave；　but　she　wasn't　really　trying　to　hide　the　smile　lurking　underneath。
〃I　didn't　realize　just　how　powerful　Pharaun　has　bee；〃　Greyanna　adnotmitted。　〃Before　his　exile；　he　was　quite　petent　but　nothing　extraordinotnary。　It　was　his　cunning　that　made　him　so　dangerous。　I　see　that　all　the　decades　in　Tier　Breche　have　turned　him　into　one　of　the　most　formidable　wizards　in　the　city。　That　plicates　things；　but　I'll　manage。〃
〃I　hope　the　matron　will　forgive　you　your　ignorance；〃　Aunrae　said。　〃You've　wasted　so　much　magic　to　no　effect。〃
The　conjured　skeletons　and　stirges　began　to　wink　out　of　existence；　leavnoting　a　residue　of　magic　energy。　The　air　seemed　to　tingle　and　buzz；　though　if　a　person　stopped　and　listened；　it　really　wasn't。
〃Is　that　how　you　see　it？〃　Greyanna　asked。
Aunrae　shrugged。　〃I'm　just　worried　she'll　feel　you　bungled　things；　that　your　hatred　of　Pharaun　made　you　blind　and　clumsy。　She　might　even　decide　someone　else　is　more　deserving　of　the　preeminence　you　currently　possess。　Of　course；　I　hope　not！　You　know　I　wish　you　well。　My　plan　for　my　future　has　always　been　to　support　you　and　prosper　as　your　aide。〃
〃Cousin；　your　words　move　me；〃　Greyanna　said　as　she　lifted　the　staff。
No　one　could　heave　such　a　long；　heavy　implement　into　a　fighting　posinottion　without　giving　the　opponent　an　instant's　warning；　so　Aunrae　was　able　to　e　on　guard。　It　didn't　matter。　Not　bothering　to　unleash　any　of　the　magic　within　her　weapon；　wielding　it　like　an　ordinary　quarterstaff；　Greynotanna　bashed　the　mace　from　the　younger　priestess's　fingers；　knocked　her　flat　with　a　ringing　blow　to　her　armored　shoulder；　and　dug　the　tip　of　the　iron　rod　into　her　throat。
〃I'd　like　to　confer　on　one　or　two　matters；〃　said　Greyanna。　〃Do　you　have　a　moment？〃
Aunrae　made　a　liquid；　strangling　sound。
〃Excellent。　Listen　and　grow　wise。　Today's　little　fracas　was　not　in　vain。　It　proved　that　Relonor　can　locate　Pharaun　with　his　divinations。　Even　more　importantly；　the　battle　enabled　me　to　take　our　brother's　measure。　When　we　track　him　down　again；　we'll　crush　him。　Now；　do　you　see　that　I　have　this　venture　well　in　hand？〃
Deprived　of　her　voice；　Aunrae　nodded　enthusiastically。　Her　chin　bumped　against　the　butt　of　the　staff。
〃What　a　sensible　girl　you　are。　You　must　also　bear　in　mind　that　we　aren't　hunting　Pharaun　simply　for　my　own　personal　gratification。　It's　for　the　benefit　of　all；　including　yourself。　Therefore；　this　isn't　an　ideal　time　to　seek　to　discredit　and　supplant　one　of　your　betters。　It's　a　time　for　us　to　swallow　our　mutual　distaste　and　work　together　until　the　threat　is　gone。　Do　you　think　you　can　remember　that？〃
Aunrae　kept　nodding。　She　was　shaking；　too；　and　her　eyes　were　wide　with　terror。　Small　wonder；　she　must　have　been　running　short　of　breath。　Still；　she　had　the　sense　not　to　try　to　grab　the　staff　and　jerk　it　away　from　her　neck。　She　knew　what　would　happen　if　she　tried。
Greyanna　was　tempted　to　make　it　happen　anyway。　Aunrae's　submission　was　a　small　pleasure　beside　the　fierce　satisfaction　that　would　e　from　ramming　the　staff　into　the　helpless　female's　windpipe。　The　urge　was　a　hot　tightness　in　her　hands　and　a　throbbing　in　the　scar　across　her　face。
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