war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第112部分

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tion　by　giving　Rilrae　a　stroke　from　her　whip；　but　she　didn't　want　to　appear　rattled　or　upset　in　the　eyes　of　her　followers。
She　led　the　patrol　on　and　eventually　found　a　suicide　sprawled　in　the　cornotridor　with　froth　on　her　lips　and　an　empty　poison　bottle　still　clutched　in　her　hand。
One　of　the　second…year　students　reeled　from　a　doorway　a　few　yards　farnotther　down。　Glaring　and　twitching；　she　unrolled　a　parchment；　possibly　one　Quenthel　herself　had　dispensed　from　the　temple　armory；　and　began　shoutnoting　the　words。　The　Baenre　recognized　the　trigger　phrase　of　a　spell　intended　to　summon　a　certain　type　of　plague　demon。
She　snatched　out　her　hand　crossbow　and　pulled　the　trigger。　Others　did　the　same。　The　flurry　of　poisoned　darts　punctured　the　scroll　and　the　novice　as　well。　She　fell　onto　her　back；　cracking　her　head　against　the　calcite　floor。　The　spell；　still　a　syllable　or　two　from　activation；　dissipated　its　power　in　a　harmless　sizzle　of　red　light。
Quenthel　reflected　that　a　pattern　was　being　clear。　Some　power　struck　a　female　and　more　or　less　drove　her　mad。　She　then　separated　herself　from　her　panions；　either　making　an　excuse　or　just　running　off；　the　better　to　manifest　her　lunacy　in　one　bizarre　behavior　or　another。
It　was　odd　that　the　girls'　panions　never　even　noticed　the　attack　ocnotcurring；　odd；　too；　that　the　demon　assaulted　only　one　member　of　a　group　and　not　all…or　that　it　attacked　any；　given　that　the　previous　intruders　had　only　attacked　those　lesser　priestesses　who　attempted　to　hinder　them。
The　unseen　demon's　search　pattern　was　equally　peculiar。　The　location　and　sequences　of　its　attacks　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　being　was　bouncnoting　erratically　around　from　one　end　of　the　temple　to　the　other。
〃Mistress；〃　said　Yngoth；　〃I　know　what's　happening。〃
〃As　do　I；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃I've　merely　been　confirming　it。〃　She　turned　to　Minolin。　〃Fey…Branche。〃
〃Yes？〃　Minolin　asked。
〃You're　in　mand　of　these　others。　You　will　all　evacuate　the　temple。　Get　the　sane　people　out；　and　the　mad　ones；　too；　but　only　if　you　can　do　it　quickly。〃
The　Fey…Branche　princess　blinked。　〃Mistress；　we　believe　in　your　aunotthority；〃　she　said。　〃We're　not　afraid　to　stand　with　you。〃
〃I'm　touched；〃　Quenthel　sneered；　〃but　this　isn't　a　test。　I　want　you　to
g啊�〃
〃Exalted　Mother；〃　Jyslin　said；　〃what's　happening？　Which　demon　innotvaded　the　temple　tonight？　The　assassin？　Did　it　poison　our　sisters　to　make　them　go　insane？〃
〃No；〃　the　Baenre　said；　〃not　in　the　way　you　mean。〃
〃Then…〃
〃Go！〃　Quenthel　raged。　〃Minolin；　I　told　you　to　take　them　out　of　here。〃
〃Yes；　Mistress！〃
The　Fey…Branche　hastily　formed　them　up　and　led　them　away。　The　cornotridor　seemed　very　quiet　once　they'd　disappeared。
〃Mistress；〃　said　Hsiv；　〃was　it　wise　to　send　them　away？〃
〃You　question　my　judgment？〃　Quenthel　asked。
The　viper　flinched。　〃No！〃
〃You　sought　to　protect　me；　so　I'll　let　it　go。　This　time。　I　dismissed　the　girls　because　they　can't　help　me；　and　I'd　like　to　have　some　underlings　left　when　this　nonsense　is　over。〃
〃They　might　have　guarded　you　from　another　would…be　mortal　killer。〃
〃We　can　hope　that　if　Minolin　gets　everyone　out；　there　won't　be　any　more。　Besides；　why　in　the　name　of　the　Demonweb　did　I　create　you？〃
Greenish　candlelight　rippling　on　black　scales；　Yngoth　reared　and　twisted　around　to　look　Quenthel　in　the　face。
〃Mistress；〃　the　viper　hissed；　〃we　are　rebuked。　We'll　keep　watch。　What　will　you　do？〃
〃Wait；　and　prepare　myself。〃
She　found　a　classroom　possessed　of　a　reasonably　fortable　instrucnottor's　chair；　the　high　limestone　back　carved　into　the　stylized　shape　of　a　stubby…legged　spider。　She　sat　down；　laid　the　whip　at　her　feet；　removed　a　thin　shaft　of　polished　white　bone　from　her　pouch；　and　set　it　in　her　lap；　holding　it　at　either　end。
Closing　her　eyes；　she　menced　a　breathing　exercise。　Within　a　heartnotbeat　or　two；　she　slipped　into　a　meditative　trance。　She　thought　she　would　need　the　utmost　clarity　to　contend　with　the　night's　demon；　because　Jyslin　had　guessed　wrong。　The　intruder　didn't　encapsulate　the　art　of　the　assassin；　nor　the　spirit　of　the　drow　race；　for　that　matter。　It　embodied　the　concept　of　evil。
The　traitor　elves　of　the　World　Above　professe