war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第54部分

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o　yes；　we'll　usher　her　into　her　tomb；　regain　the　godnotdess's　approval；　and　run　the　academy　as　we　please。〃
She　extended　her　hands。　Drisinil　smiled　and　clasped　them　despite　the　twin　shooting　pains　the　pressure　produced；　then　she　turned　to　the　other　females　and　said；　〃What　about　the　rest　of　you？　Are　you　with　us？〃
They　tendered　a　ragged　chorus　of　assent。　She　guessed　that　those　who　doubted　she　had　hit　on　the　way　to　propitiate　Lolth　were　nonetheless　eager　to　move　up　in　the　temple　hierarchy；　or　at　least　disliked　Quenthel。　Maybe　they　were　simply　indulging　the　innate　dark　elf　taste　for　bloodshed　and　benottrayal。
Drisinil　herself　truly　did　believe　she'd　contrived　the　proper　metaphysinotcal　remedy　for　their　woes　but　deep　down；　she　was　even　more　excited　at　the　prospect　of　avenging　herself　on　her　torturer。　How　could　it　be　otherwise？　For　the　rest　of　her　life；　her　self…mutilated　hands　would　announce　to　any　who　looked　that　someone　had　once　defeated　and　humiliated　her。
〃I　thank　you；〃　she　said　to　the　other　clerics。　〃Now；　let's　put　our　heads　tonotgether。　We　have　much　to　plan　and　only　a　little　time　before　others　will　start　to　miss　us。〃
And　plan　they　did；　whispering；　bickering；　occasionally　grinning　at　some　particularly　inventive　and　vicious　suggestion。　Drisinil　knew　that　some　if　not　all　of　the　scheming　would　e　to　nothing…it　was　too　connottingent　on　Quenthel's　doing　precisely　what　the　plotters　wanted　exactly　when　and　where　they　wanted　it　done…but　the　effort　served　to　cement　their　mitment　to　the　conspiracy　and　to　limn　at　least　the　bare　bones　of　a　strategy。
Finally　it　was　done。　The　priestesses　started　to　slip　out　the　way　they'd　e；　one　and　two　at　a　time。　The　more　restless　stood　in　a　clump　around　the　exit；　awaiting　their　turns。　T'risstree　was　among　them。
Drisinil　crossed　the　floor　in　as　relaxed　and　casual　a　manner　as　she　could　affect。　She　didn't　want　someone　to　realize　her　intent；　and；　surprised；　react　in　some　audible　way。
No　one　did。　All　dark　elves　were　actors　in　that　they　were　liars；　and　pernothaps　she　was　a　better　dissembler　than　most。　She　sauntered　within　arm's　reach　of　T'risstree；　took　hold　of　the　dirk　concealed　inside　her　long；　fringed　shawl；　and　drove　the　blade　into　the　high　priestess's　spine。　This　time；　for　whatever　reason；　the　stumps　of　her　severed　pinkies　didn't　hurt　a　bit。　T'risstree's　back　arched　in　a　spasm　of　agony；　and；　to　Drisinil's　surprise；　her　teacher　tried　to　flounder　around　to　face　her。　Her　arm　shaking；　T'ris…stree　lifted　the　falchion。
Drisinil　turned　along　with　the　high　priestess；　keeping　behind　her。　She　grabbed　hold　of　T'risstree's　hair；　jerked　her　head　back；　and　sliced　open　her　throat。　The　instructor　collapsed。　The　sword　slipped　from　her　fingers　and　clanked　on　the　floor。
The　onlookers　gawked。
〃T'risstree　T'orgh　meant　to　betray　us；〃　Drisinil　said。　〃I　saw　it　in　her　eyes　when　I　took　her　hands。　We　can　leave　the　carcass　here　for　the　time　being。　With　luck；　no　one　will　discover　it　until　after　Quenthel's　death。〃
Either　the　other　conspirators　believed　her　explanation；　or；　more　likely；　didn't　care　that　she'd　murdered　the　teacher。　A　few　congratulated　her　on　her　finesse；　and；　utterly　indifferent　to　the　corpse　sprawled　in　their　midst；　renotsumed　their　departures。
Drisinil　picked　up　and　examined　the　fallen　falchion。　Once　Quenthel　was　slain；　it　ought　to　look　nice　on　her　wall。

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Faeryl　prowled　the　rounded；　treacherous　surfaces　at　the　apex　of　the　amnotbassadorial　residence。　She　was　trying　to　monitor　all　four　sides　of　her　home；　which　entailed　clambering　about　with　a　certain　celerity。　Yet　she　was　also　trying　to　hide　from　anyone　who　might　be　peering　from　the　window　of　a　neighboring　mansion　or　up　from　one　of　the　quiet　residential　boulevards　of　prosperous　West　Wall；　and　the　faster　she　moved；　the　more　problematic　stealth　became。　She'd　sneaked　up　there　two　hours　ago；　when　everyone　else　thought　she　was　bundling　or　burning　documents；　and　she　still　wasn't　sure　she'd　struck　the　proper　balance　between　the　two　necessities。
She　wished　she　could　have　ordered　a　retainer　or　two　up　there　to　help　her　keep　her　vigil；　but　it　would　have　been　ill…advised；　considering　that　any　of　her　minions　might　be　the　object　of　her　hunt。
She　also　wished　she　had　more　cover。　Except　for　a　few　token　walkways　and　crenellations　so　small　as　to　be　essentially　ornamental；　the　apex　of　the　stalagmite　keep　was　bare　of　fortifications　or　even　level　places　to　stand。　If　Faeryl　looked　closely；　she　could　see　subtle　signs　that　at　one　time；　when　the　keep　had　served　another　purpose；　such　defenses　had　existed　in　abundance；　but　subsequently；　a　wizard　had　melted　the　ramparts　back　into　the　rest　of　the　calcite。　It　made　sense。　T