war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Breche；　she　remains　here；　sequestered　from　the　city　below；　for　ten　years。　On　the　day　you　entered　the　Academy；　I　told　you　the　same　thing。〃
She　stalked　up　to　one　of　the　students　trapped　at　the　front　of　the　group；　Gaussra　Kenafm；　slightly　plump　and　round…faced；　with　teeth　as　black　as　her　skin。　Responding　to　Quenthel's　unspoken　will；　the　whip　snakes　exnotplored　the　novice's　body；　gliding　over　its　contours；　tongues　flickering。　The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　could　see　Gaussra　straining　mightily　not　to　recoil　for　fear　that　it　would　provoke　the　reptiles　into　striking。
〃So　you　did　know；〃　Quenthel　purred；　〃didn't　you？〃
〃Yes；〃　Gaussra　gasped。　〃I'm　sorry。　Please；　take　the　snakes　away！〃
〃How　impertinent　of　you。　You　and　these　others　have　forfeited　the　right　to　ask　me　for　anything。　You　may　kiss　her。〃
The　last　statement　was　addressed　to　the　serpents；　and　they　responded　instantly；　driving　their　long　fangs　into　cheek；　throat；　shoulder；　and　breast。　Gaussra　collapsed…fully　expecting　to　fall　into　a　seizure；　mouth　foaming；　her　own　blackened　incisors　chewing　her　purple　tongue。
Shaking　from　the　sting　of　the　bites；　Gaussra　sat　on　the　floor；　very　much　alive；　her　terror　was　apparent；　her　humiliation　plete。
〃You　will　return　to　your　House；〃　Quenthel　said；　relishing　the　look　on　Gaussra's　face　as　the　true　meaning　of　that　statement　sank　in。　〃If　you　e　that　close　to　my　scourge　again；　the　vipers　will　allow　their　venom　to　flow。〃
Quenthel　stepped　away　from　Gaussra；　who　scrambled　to　her　feet　and　ran　from　the　chamber。
〃You　all　knew　what　was　expected　of　you；'　she　said　to　the　rest　of　the　novices；　〃but　you　tried　to　sneak　home　anyway。　In　so　doing；　you　have　ofnotfered　an　affront　to　the　Academy；　to　your　own　families；　to　Menzoberranzan；　and　to　Lolth　herself！〃
〃We　just　wanted　to　go　for　a　little　while；〃　said　Halavin　Symrywin；　who　seemed　to　carry　half　of　her　insignificant　House's　paltry　wealth　in　the　form　of　the　gaudy；　gold　ornaments　hanging　about　her　person。　〃We　would　have　e　back。〃
〃Liar！〃　shouted　Quenthel；　eliciting　a　flinch。
Rearing；　the　whip　vipers　echoed　the　cry。
〃Liar！〃
〃Liar！〃
〃Liar！〃
In　other　circumstances；　Quenthel　might　have　smiled；　for　she　was　proud　of　her　weapon。　Many　priestesses　possessed　a　whip　of　fangs；　but　hers　was　something　special。　The　snakes　were　venomous　and　likewise　possessed　a　denotmonic　intelligence　and　the　power　of　speech。　It　was　the　last　magical　tool　she'd　crafted　before　everything　turned　to　dung。
〃Oh；　you　would　have　returned；〃　she　continued；　〃but　only　because　your　mothers　would　have　sent　you　back　or　else　killed　you　for　shaming　them。　They　have　sense　enough　to　cleave　to　the　sacred　traditions　of　Menzoberranzan　even　if　their　degenerate　offspring　do　not。
〃Your　mothers　wouldn't　mind　if　I　slaughtered　you；　either。　They'd　thank　me　for　wiping　clean　the　honor　of　their　Houses。　But　Lolth　desires　new　priestesses；　and；　despite　all　appearances　to　the　contrary；　it　is　remotely　posnotsible　that　one　or　two　of　you　are　worthy　to　serve。　Therefore　I　will　give　you　one　more　chance。　You　won't　die　today。　Instead　you　will　sever　a　finger　from　each　of　your　hands　and　burn　them　before　the　altar　of　the　goddess　to　beg　her　forgiveness。　I'll　ring　for　a　cleaver　and　a　chopping　block。〃
Quenthel　surveyed　their　stricken　faces；　enjoying　the　sickly；　shrinking　fear。　She　would　enjoy　watching　the　actual　mutilations　as　well。　The　most　amusing　part　might　be　when　a　novice　had　already　cut　one　hand；　and　had　to　employ　it；　throbbing　and　streaming　blood；　to　maim　the　other　。　。　。。
〃No！〃
Surprised　by　the　outburst；　Quenthel　peered　to　see　who　had　spoken。　The　mass　of　would…be　truants　obliged　her　by　dividing　in　the　center；　opening　a　lane　to　the　willowy　female　standing　in　the　back。　It　was　Drisinil　Barrison　Del'Armgo；　she　of　the　sharp　nose　and　green　eyes；　whom　Quenthel　had　from　the　first　suspected　of　instigating　the　mass　elopement。　Somehow　the　long…legged　novice　had　smuggled　a　sizable　dagger；　more　of　a　short　sword　really；　into　the　disciplinary　session。　She　held　it　ready　in　a　low　guard。
Quenthel　reacted　as　would　any　dark　elf　in　the　same　situation。　She　yearned　to　accept　the　challenge　and　kill　the　other　female；　felt　the　need　like　a　sensual　tension　pressing　for　an　explosive　release。　Either　responding　to　her　surge　of　emotion　or　else　themselves　vexed　by　Drisinil's　temerity；　the　whip　vipers　reared　and　hissed。
The　problem　was　that；　despite　Quenthel's　assertions　to　the　contrary；　the　students　were　not　altogether　devoid　of　importance。　They　were　the　raw　but　valuable　ore　sent　to　the　Academy　to　be　refined　and　hammered　into　useful　implements。　No　one　would　fret　over　a　few　amputated　pinkies；　but　the　matron　mothers　did　expect　that；　for　the　most　part；　their　children　would　survive　their　education；　an　assumption　the　idiot　Mizzrym　renegade　had　alnotready　called　into　question。　True；　Pharaun　had　only　lost　males；　but　still；　by　any　sensible　reckoning；　he　had　used　up　the　school's　quota　of　allowable　deaths　for　several　years　to　e。
At　this　juncture　it　would　be　a　poor　idea　for　Quenthel　to　kill　any　stunotdent；　certainly　a　scion　of　the　powerful　Barrison　Del'Armgo。　Quenthel　didn't　want　to　stir　up　discord　between　the　Academy　and　the　noble　Houses　when　Menzoberranzan　alre