War of the Spider - Dissolution by Salvatore R.A

Author:Salvatore, R.A. [Salvatore, R.A.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-09-05T16:46:39+00:00

War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

good sense to remove all that gaudy, clinking jewelry before attempting to attack by surprise. The novice had managed the arbalest rather deftly, considering her

sore, mutilated hands.

Quenthel stooped to pick up the weapon and the quiver containing the rest of

the enchanted quarrels. She moved warily, but the feasting arachnid paid her no

mind.

She turned, laid a dart in the channel, and shot. When the shaft hit it, the

demon shuddered in its nearly immobile form, but didn't die.

It occurred to her that she could get away from it while it was trapped, muster

any loyal minions who hadn't partaken of the poisoned supper, and fight the thing at the head of a company, just as she'd originally intended. After the harrowing

events of the past minutes, the idea had a certain appeal.

But after what she'd endured, she wanted to be the one to teach this vermin a

lesson about molesting the clergy of Lolth. Besides, the appearance of strength

was vital. So she kept shooting as fast as the cocking action of the weapon

would allow. The demon inched its way toward her as if it was made of half-

cooled magma.

Four bolts left, then three. She pulled the trigger, the dart struck the demon in the middle of its horned, triangular head, and it winked out of existence.

She could still hear its voice, but knew that was just because it had shrieked

so long and loudly. She gave her head a shake, trying to quell the phantom

sound, then glimpsed yet another shadow watching her from some distance

away.

"You!" she shouted, cocking the arbalest to receive the penultimate quarrel.

"Come here!"

The other dark elf bolted. Quenthel gave chase, but she was still a little

winded from the struggle with the demon, and her quarry outdistanced her and

disappeared.

The Baenre stalked on through the labyrinthine chambers and corridors until

she rounded a bend and came face to face with three of her minions. The

goddess only knew what their true sentiments were, but confronted with her

leveled arbalest and the obvious fact that, while her gear was much the worse

for wear, she herself was unscathed, they hastily saluted.

"I killed tonight's intruder," she said, "and a homegrown enemy as well. What do you know of our situation? Is anyone else dead?"

"No, Mistress," said a priestess. The lowered visor of her spider-crested helmet completely concealed her features, but from her voice, Quenthel recognized

Quave, one of the senior instructors. "Most of those who ate and drank the

tainted meal are waking. I think the poisoner only wanted to render us

unconscious, not kill us."

"Apparently," said Quenthel, "she was willing to let the demon administer the coup de grace to me. What of those who encountered the entity before I did?"

Quave hesitated, then said, "When they tried to hinder it, it hurt them, but not to the point of death. They should recover as well."

"Good," Quenthel said, though she took no joy in knowing she was the

unknown enemy's sole target.

"What are your orders, Mistress?" asked Quave.

"We'll have to sort out the living from the dead, and deal with each accordingly.

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