war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第50部分

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tion　to　go　home　had　been　discerned　and　countered　with　a　word　in　Triel's　ear。
Seething　with　the　need　to　outwit　those　who　had　made　a　fool　of　her；　Faeryl　devised　a　ruse　to　unmask　the　spy。　She　surprised　her　retainers　with　the　order　to　pack。　They　were　slipping　out　of　Menzoberranzan　that　very　night。　She　thought　her　loyal　vassals　would　obey；　but　the　traitor　would　try　to　sneak　away　to　report　the　household's　imminent　flight。　Crouched　on　the　roof；　Faeryl　would　spot　her　when　she　did。
That　was　the　plan；　anyway。　The　ambassador　could　think　of　several　reanotsons　why　it　might　fail。　The　residence　had　means　of　egress　on　all　four　sides；　but　she　couldn't　survey　all　four　at　once；　not　unless　she　floated　well　above　the　roof；　and　that　option　presented　problems　of　its　own。　Most　dark　elf　boots　possessed　a　virtue　of　silence；　and　their　mantles；　one　of　obnotscuration。　The　traitor　might　even　have　some　more　potent　means　of　esnotcaping　notice；　such　as　a　talisman　of　invisibility。　Were　she　any　higher　above　the　ground；　Faeryl　might　have　no　hope　at　all　of　detecting　the　spy's　surreptitious　exit。
Of　course；　the　traitor　might　also　have　a　means　of　municating　with　her　confederates　via　clairaudience；　or　a　charm　of　instantaneous　transit；　in　which　case　the　envoy's　scheme　was　doomed　no　matter　what。　She'd　cling　to　the　roof　until　someone　in　authority；　a　pany　of　Baenre　guards；　perhaps；　showed　up　to　take　her　and　her　entourage　into　custody；　but　she'd　had　to　try　something。
She　crawled　on。　Below　and　behind　her；　one　of　the　duelists　groaned　as　his　foe's　blade　plunged　through　his　torso。　Magic　flickered　and　sizzled；　and　the　victor　dropped　as　well。　The　wizard　who'd　been　watching　from　a　disnottance　strolled　forward　to　inspect　the　steaming　corpses。
Faeryl　wondered　if　the　three　had　been　siblings；　and　the　wizard　was　the　clever　one。　She'd　had　a　brother　like　that　once；　until　an　even　trickier　male　turned　him　to　dust　and　absconded　with　his　wands　and　grimoires。　A　minor　setback　for　her　House；　but　interesting　to　watch。
Overhead；　something　snapped。　She　glanced　up。　Four　or　five　riders　on　wyvern…back　were　winging　their　way　east。　Above　them；　projecting　from　the　cavern　ceiling；　the　stalactite　castles　shone　with　their　own　enchantnotments；　a　far　lovelier　sight；　in　her　opinion；　than　the　miniscule　monochronotmatic　stars　that　speckled　the　night　sky　of　the　so…called　Lands　of　Light。
Then；　so　faintly　that　she　wondered　if　she'd　imagined　it；　something　brushed　against　something　else。　The　sound　had　issued　from　the　southwest。
Faeryl　scurried　over　to　that　part　of　the　roof　and　peered　down。　At　first　glance；　nothing　appeared　changed　since　the　last　time　she'd　checked　that　way。　Perhaps　her　nerves　were　playing　tricks　on　her；　but　she　kept　on　looknoting　anyway。
Octagonal　steel　grilles　protected　the　round　windows　cut　in　the　wall　below　her；　but　if　a　drow　knew　the　trick；　she　could　unlatch　one　and　swing　it　aside　for　an　entrance　or　exit　via　levitation。　Apparently；　someone　had；　for　after　a　few　more　moments；　Faeryl　noticed　that　one　of　the　web…pattern　shields　hung　ever　so　slightly　ajar。　With　that　sign　to　guide　her；　she　spotted　the　shrouded　figure　skulking　toward　the　mouth　of　an　alleyway。
The　noble　of　Ched　Nasad　was　a　fair　hand　with　a　crossbow。　She　might　have　been　able　to　shoot　down　the　traitor　from　behind；　but　that　would　gain　her　few　answers。　She　didn't　happen　to　possess　a　scroll　with　the　spell　for　innotterrogating　the　dead。　She　needed　to　catch　up　with　the　spy　and　take　the　wretch　alive。
She　read　from　a　scroll　she　did　have；　then　she　stepped　away　from　the　top　of　the　tower　into　empty　space。
Except　that　it　wasn't　empty　for　her。　The　air　was　as　firm　as　stone　beneath　her　soles。　For　two　paces；　she　strode　on　a　level　surface；　and；　because　she　willed　it　so；　the　unseen　platform　dipped　into　an　equally　invisible　ramp。　She　sprinted　down　with　no　fear　of　blundering　off　the　edge。　Wherever　she　set　her　foot；　the　incline　would　be　there　to　meet　it。　That　was　how　the　magic　worked。
Her　progress　entirely　silent；　she　dashed　unnoticed　above　the　traitor's　head；　then　with　a　thought　dissolved　the　support　beneath　her　boots。　Her　crossbow　ready；　she　dropped　the　last　few　feet　to　the　ground　and　landed　in　front　of　the　spy。
Started；　the　traitor　jumped。　Faeryl　felt　her　own　pang　of　surprise；　for　though　she　liked　to　think　she　maintained　a　proper　suspicion　of　everyone；　in　truth；　she　never　could　have　guessed　the　pinched；　sour　face　she　saw　half　hidden　inside　the　close…drawn　cowl　could　be　the　spy's。
〃Umrae；〃　the　ambassador　said；　aiming　her　hand　crossbow。
〃My　lady；〃　the　secretary　answered；　bending　with　her　usual　stiffness　into　an　obeisance。
〃I　know　all　about　it；　traitor。　I'm　not　actually　planning　to　leave　tonight。　My　pretending　so　was　a　trick　to　see　who　would　slip　away　to　play　informer。〃
〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。　I　just　wanted　to　buy　some　items　for　the　journey。　I　thought　that　if　I　hurried　over　to　the　Bazaar；　I　could　find　one　of　those　merchants　who　stays　open　late　and　be　back　before　anyone　missed　me。〃
〃Do　you　think　I　haven't　realized　I　have　an　enemy　here　in　Menzoberranzan；　someone　with　access　to　Matron　Baenre？　Two　tendays　ago；　Triel　considered　me　loyal。　She　approved　of　me。　She　granted　a　good　deal　of