war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第23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！


es　reigned　supreme；　few　female　dark　elves　ever　found　it　necessary　to　sell　their　bodies。　Only　a　handful　of　the　sick　and　infirm；　dwelling　in　the　most　abject　need；　had　ever　stooped　to　such　a　degradation。　Accordingly；　one　might　assume　that　any　male　wishing　to　purchase　intimate　panionship　would　find　his　choice　limited　to　these　rare　unappealing　specimens　or　the　females　of　one　of　the　inferior　species。
But　that　wasn't　quite　the　case；　at　least　not　if　a　male　had　a　heavy　purse。　The　reason　was　that；　while　they　generally　devoted　their　military　efforts　to　fighting　cloakers；　svirfneblin；　and　other　peting　civilizations　of　the　Underdark；　drow　cities　on　rare　occasions　waged　war　on　one　another。　Once　in　a　while；　such　conflicts　yielded　female　prisoners。
The　prudent；　legitimate　thing　to　do　with　such　potentially　dangerous　captives　was　interrogate；　torture；　and　kill　them。　That　fact　notwithstanding；　Nym　had　on　several　occasions　managed　to　bribe　officers　to　give　him　their　prisoners；　whom　he　then　smuggled　into　Menzoberranzan　and　down　to　the　cellar　of　the　Jewel　Box。
Nym　had　gone　to　all　this　trouble　based　on　the　shrewd　and　well…proven　assumption　that　a　goodly　number　of　Menzoberranyr　males　would　pay　handsomely　for　the　privilege　of　dominating　a　female；　and　in　his　establishnotment；　one　could　do　anything　one　wanted　with　a　captive。　Nym　would　even　provide　a　customer　with　a　bastinado；　a　brazier　of　coals；　thumbscrews　。　。　。　his　only　stipulation　being　that　one　must　pay　a　surcharge　if　one　left　a　pernotmanent　mark。
Since　the　brothel's　existence　was　an　open　secret；　Pharaun　wasn't　sure　why　the　matron　mothers　hadn't　shut　it　down。　On　the　face　of　it；　it　certainly　seemed　to　encourage　disrespect　for　the　ruling　gender。　Perhaps　they　felt　that　if　a　male　had　a　refuge　in　which　to　act　out　his　resentments；　it　would　make　him　all　the　more　deferential　to　the　females　in　his　home。　More　likely；　Nym　was　slipping　them　a　substantial　portion　of　the　take。
At　any　rate；　the　Jewel　Box　seemed　a　reasonable　place　to　seek　informanottion　concerning　rogue　males；　especially　if　one　had　a　spy　in　place。　Pharaun　wasn't　confident　that　he　did　anymore；　but　one　never　knew。
The　stairs　emptied　into　a　hallway　of　numbered　doors。　Moans　of　pasnotsions　and　grunts　of　pain　sounded　faintly　from　behind　several　of　them。　It　was　busier　than　usual。
The　mage　strolled　down　the　passage　until　he　found　number　fourteen。　He　hesitated　for　an　instant；　then　scowled　and　turned　the　largest　of　his　keys　in　the　lock。　The　door　swung　open。
Seated　on　the　bed；　shackles　clutching　her　wrists　and　ankles；　Pellanistra　looked　much　as　he　remembered；　the　same　powerful；　shapely　limbs　and　heart…shaped　face；　with　only　a　few　more　scars　where　one　or　another　of　her　visitors　had　pressed　down　two　hard；　as　well　as　a　split　lip　and　closed；　puffy　eye　where　a　more　recent　caller　had　beaten　her。
She　lifted　her　face；　saw　him；　and　charged　with　her　long…nailed　hands　outstretched。　Then　she　staggered　as　one　of　her　governing　enchantments　riddled　her　body　with　pain；　and　an　instant　later　hit　the　end　of　the　chains　securing　her　to　the　wall。　She　lost　her　balance　and　fell　on　her　rump。
〃Hello；　Pellanistra；〃　Pharaun　said。
She　spat　at　him；　then　screwed　up　her　face　at　another　flare　of　punishnotment。　The　gobbet　of　saliva　fell　well　short　of　the　wizard's　soft；　high　boots。
〃Much　as　I　dislike　descending　to　the　obvious；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃I　feel　pelled　to　observe　that　you're　only　hurting　yourself。〃　He　stepped　fornotward　and　extended　his　hand。　〃e　on；　let's　sit　and　have　a　talk；　just　like　in　the　old　days。　I'll　even　remove　the　shackles　if　you　wish。〃
〃We　had　a　bargain！〃　she　said。
〃I　refuse　to　have　an　extended　conversation　with　someone　sitting　on　the　floor。　It　promises　my　dignity　as　much　as　it　does　yours。　e　on；　be　sensible。　Take　my　hand。〃
She　didn't　do　that；　but；　chains　clinking；　she　did　clamber　to　her　bare　feet　unassisted。　He　caught　a　whiff　of　some　flowery　scent　that　Nym　had　forced　her　to　wear。
〃Now；　isn't　that　better？〃　he　asked。　〃Do　you　want　the　manacles　off？〃
〃We　had　a　pact；　and　I　was　holding　up　my　end。〃
〃I　wish　you'd　invite　me　to　sit　down。〃
〃You　abandoned　me！〃
Pharaun　spread　his　slender；　long…fingered　hands　and　said；　〃All　right；　priestess。　If　you　think　it　necessary；　we'll　belabor　the　self…evident　a　bit　longer。　Yes；　I　recruited　you　into　my　service。　Yes；　you　were　doing　splennotdidly…well　on　your　way　to　earning　your　liberation…but　my　circumnotstances　changed。　Surely　you　heard　something　about　it。〃
〃Yes。　You　backed　the　wrong　sister；　and　Greyanna　made　a　fool　of　you。　She　killed　her　twin；　and　you　were　powerless　to　stop　it。　If　you　hadn't　turned　tail　and　run　away　to　Sorcere；　she　would　have　slain　you；　too。〃
Pharaun　smiled　cro