war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第17部分

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　　　Then　Triel　realized　she　was　being　goaded。　The　assassin　was　trying　to　draw　her　closer　to　him。　She　couldn't　see　what　attack　he　could　possibly　mount；　wounded　and　bound　with　magical　rope　as　he　was；　but　she　hadn't　survived　so　many　centuries　by　underestimating　her　foes。　She　stroked　each　or　the　vipers　in　turn　to　soothe　them…and　herself…then　she　tucked　the　whip　away。
　　　Lolth's　grace　might　be　out　of　Triel's　reach…for　the　moment…but　Triel　had　other　magical　abilities　at　her　disposal。　She　used　one　of　them；　the　power　of　her　voice。　Dropping　into　a　husky；　seductive　tone　that　vibrated　with　magical　energy；　she　began　planting　a　suggestion　in　the　captives　mind。
　　　〃You　might　as　well　tell　me　who　sent　you；〃　she　told　him。　〃If　it　was　a　matron　mother　of　another　House；　she's　safe　enough。　I'm　not　about　to　waste　my　troops　in　striking　back　at　her　with　this　siege　on。　If　it　was　one　of　my　sisters；　you　have　as　much　to　gain　by　serving　me　as　you　do　by　serving　her。　So　tell　me　。。。　who　hired　you？〃
　　　〃I　am　no　mere　hireling；〃　the　man　gritted。
　　　Ah；　pride。　Triel　could　work　with　that。
　　　〃Of　course　not。　You're　proud　of　who…and　what…you　are。　Why　don't　you　share　this　information　with　me？　Surely　telling　me　about　yourself　won't　betray　anything　about　the　matron　who　sent　you。〃
　　　〃I　serve　no　female。〃　the　assassin　spat。　〃Nor　will　any　male；　soon　enough。　The　Masked　Lord　will　see　to　that。〃
　　　A　ripple　of　tension　passed　through　the　room　as　the　officers　and　guards　reacted　to　the　name。　With　an　effort；　Triel　kept　her　temper。　Instead　she　focused　on　the　information　he'd　just　let　slip。
　　　Vhaeraun's　worship　was　strictly　forbidden　in　Menzoberranzan。　Admitting　to　it　was　tantamount　to　suicide…slow　suicide；　since　its　worshipers　were　typically　tortured　to　death　in　an　effort　to　root　out　the　names　of　other　blasphemers。　The　assassin　had　just　signed　his　own　death　warrant；　which　meant　that　any　promises　Triel　made　to　spare　his　life　would　be　ineffective。
　　　No；　he　wanted　to　die。　And　slowly。
　　　Triel　stared　down　at　him。
　　　〃If　you　hope　to　be　rewarded　by　Vhaeraun；　think　again；〃　she　told　him。　〃You　failed　in　your　mission。　You'll　be　lucky　if　your　god　lifts　his　mask　to　spit　upon　you。　And　your　fellow　conspirators　are　feeble　and　weak；　just　look　what　they　sent　to　do　the　job；　a　mere　boy？　They're　not　even　worth　my　contempt。〃
　　　The　assassin's　good　eye　blazed。
　　　〃Laugh　while　you　can；〃　he　spat　back　at　her。　〃You'll　be　weeping　soon　enough；　when　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　e　to　call。〃
　　　Triel　smiled　to　herself　as　she　pondered　the　name。　It　was　obviously　an　organization　of　some　sort…perhaps　one　that　had　arisen　during　the　slave　rebellion　that　had　been　so　recently　put　down。　Could　they　be　some　ragged　refugees　from　the　ruins　of　the　city　called　Chaulssin？
　　　〃I've　never　heard　of　this　Jaezred　Chaulssin；〃　she　said　disdainfully。　〃They're　obviously　as　inconsequential　as　they　are　ineffective。〃
　　　The　captive　gave　a　croaking　laugh　and　said；　〃Hardly　ineffective。　My　master　brought　an　army　to　your　doorstep。〃
　　　Triel　seized　upon　the　information。
　　　〃Your　master　is　a　duergar　then　。。。　or　a　tanarukk？　Kaanyr　Vhok？〃
　　　〃Much　more　than　that。　Much　more　than　that　mercenary　Vhok。　My　master　has　powers　that　you　could　only　dream　of。　It　was　he　who　engineered　your　army's　defeat　at　the　battle　of　the　Pillars　of　Woe。〃
　　　Triel　raised　an　eyebrow　and　asked；　〃Oh；　did　he？〃　She　could　guess　who　the　assassin　was　referring　to　but　needed　confirmation。　〃Then　no　doubt　he'd　like　me　to　know　his　name…to　know　which　male　dared　attack　Matron　Mother　Baenre　in　her　own　home。　Or　is　he　afraid　of　me；　as　all　good　little　drow　males　should　be？〃
　　　That　goad；　bined　with　Triel's　magical　suggestion；　tipped　the　balance。
　　　〃My　master　is　no　mere　drow；　　he　said。　　　〃Nimor　is…〃
　　　He　bit　off　the　rest；　aware　that　he　had　already　revealed　too　much。
　　　Nimor？　Triel　growled。　The　name　was　unfamiliar。　Then　she　realized　who　it　must　be。　〃You　mean　Captain　Zhayemd　of　Agrach　Dyrr；　don't　you？　The　traitor　who　led　the　army　of　duergar　to　our　very　doorstep？〃
　　　The　prisoner　nodded　defiantly　and　said；　〃Your　master；　soon　enough。〃
　　　Triel　thought　about　that　for　a　moment。　Zhayemd　was　clearly　an　assumed　name…had　the　assassin's　leader　also　assumed　the　name　of　the　Sixth　House？　She　wondered　how　deeply　Agrach　Dyrr's　treachery　truly　lay。　Had　Nimor　persuaded　the　soldiers　to　attack　their　allies　on　his　own；　or　had　he　the　backing　of　the　House　itself？　An　important　question；　since　Agrach　Dyrr's　household　was　under　siege　by　forces　of　Menzoberranzan　that　could　better　be　used　to　battle　the　duergar　and　tanarukks。
　　　Triel　decided　to　bluff。
　　　〃I　knew　your　master　was　not　an　Agrach　Dyrr；〃　she　told　the　assassin。　〃I　had　never　seen　him　before…and　I　know　all　of　the　senior　officers　of　that　House。　Matron　Mother　Yasraena　and　I　are　。。。　allies。　As　much　as　any　two　matron　mothers　can　be。〃
　　　〃Yasraena　Dyrr　is　of　no　consequence。〃
　　　Triel　stiffened　and　asked；　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　〃A　male　rules　House　Agrach　Dyrr…the　lichdrow。　Vhaeraun　has　re…established　the　natural　order　of　things；　just　as　he　will　in　all　of　Menzoberranzan；　once　this　war　is　won。〃
　　　Triel　heard　a　slight　intake　of　breath　beside　her；　and　remembered　her　lieutenant。　Quick　as　a　striking　snake；　she　cracked　her　whip　in　his　direction。　Gleefully　hissing；　the　five　vipers　sank　their　fangs　into　his　dark　flesh。　The　male　officer　stiffened；　then　gurgled　faintly　as　his　eyes　rolled　back。　He　crashed　to　the　floor　like　a　broken　stalactite。
　　　His　lizard　sniffed　him　once；　then　immediately　began　to　feed；　chewing　on　the　head　with　loud　crunching　noises。
　　　Triel　glanced　at　Maignith。
　　　〃Not　a　word　of　this　to　anyone；〃　she　hissed。
　　　Maignith　bowed；　then　stared　meaningfully　at　each　of　the　guards　on　either　side　of　Triel　and　said；　〃You　can　count　on　our　silence；　Matron　Mother。〃
　　　Triel　returned　her　attention　to　the　captive。　She　was　delighted　that　he　had　at　last　succumbed　to　her　magical　suggestion…he　was　giving　her　even　more　information　than　she'd　dared　hope　for。　Wetting　her　lips　like　a　lizard　scenting　blood；　she　probed　further。
　　　〃Was　it　the　lichdrow　who　sent　you　here？　Was　it　his　magic　that　got　you　inside？〃
　　　〃No　。　。　。　and　no。〃
　　　〃Who　got　you　inside；　then？〃
　　　〃Nimor　himself。　And　though　I　have　failed；　he　will　not。　Your　defenses　are　as　weak　as　cobwebs　against　him。　He　escorted　me　through　the　shadows　and　into　your　'stronghold'　with　ease。〃
　　　〃Nimor　is　within　these　walls？〃　Maignith　gasped。
　　　The　assassin　smirked　and　answered；　〃He　was。〃
　　　Triel's　eyes　narrowed。　Not　at　the　fact　that　Nimor　had　been　able　to　creep　into　the　heart　of　House　Baenre…the　massive　stalagmite　that　had　been　hollowed　out　to　form　the　Great　Mound…but　that；　having　acplished　such　a　feat；　he　would　have　left　it　again。　Why　hadn't　he　stayed　to　attack　her　himself？　Why　leave　a　weaker　vassal　behind　to　do　his　bidding？　Certainly　he　would　have　known　that　this　man　would　be　caught。
　　　The　assassin　interrupted　her　musings　with　a　pained　laugh。
　　　〃You　will　see　Nimor's　power　and　majesty　yourself　soon　enough；　when　he　leads　the　final　assault　against　this　House。　That　is；　if　you　live　to…〃
　　　Triel　realized　that　the　glare　of　defiance…and　self…will…had　neve