war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第12章

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　　　The　she…fiend's　smile　faded；　and　she　pursed　her　lips　in　irritation。
　　　〃They　are　surrounded；　you　know；〃　she　said；　pausing　in　her　advance。　〃This　is；　at　least　for　the　moment；　still　an　amicable　offer。　Go　to　them；　convince　them　to　return　with　me　to　Kaanyr's　palace；　and　I　promise　you　that　the　meeting　will　be　cordial。　My　forces　below　have　been　instructed　merely　to　hold　their　positions　and　prevent　you　and　your　friends　from　departing　until　I　have　a　chance　to　make　the　offer　to　you。　Will　you　do　that？〃
　　　Pharaun　smiled。　〃How　well　do　you　know　Kaanyr　Vhok？〃　he　asked；　his　tone　suggestive。
　　　Her　smile　deepened；　and　her　eyes　glittered　with　what　was　definitely　lust。
　　　〃Quite　well；〃　she　answered；　〃but　then　again；　he's　terribly　busy；　so　not　as　well　as　I　would　like。　e　back　to　his　palace　with　me。〃
　　　Pharaun's　own　smile　widened；　and　he　asked。　〃What's　your　name？〃
　　　The　she…fiend　giggled　once　in　amusement　and　said；　〃I　almost　forgot　to　tell　you！　I'm　Aliisza。　Now；　will　you　e　with　me？〃
　　　〃It's　a　delight　to　meet　you；　Aliisza；　I'm　Pharaun；　and　I'd　love　to　acpany　you；　but　for　the　moment；　duty　calls。　Am　I　to　assume　that　we　will　meet　with　resistance　down　there？　Or　has　our　discussion　set　your　mind　at　ease　to　such　an　extent　that　we　might　pass　out　of　Ammarindar　unhindered　today？〃
　　　Aliisza　grinned　and　said；　〃I　had　my　orders；　dear。　You　were　not　to　pass　beyond　the　borders　without　a　fight；　but　I　tell　you　what　。　。　。　I'll　give　you　a　sporting　chance；　just　because　I　like　you。〃　Her　voice　had　turned　husky　again。　〃Just　this　once；　I'll　stay　out　of　it。　A　few　hundred　tanarukks　shouldn't　cause　you　undue　trouble；　should　they？〃
　　　Pharaun　cocked　his　head　to　one　side；　as　if　considering　that；　then　said；　〃Well；　they　will　be　a　substantially　greater　difficulty　than　if　we　could　move　on　unmolested；　but　as　you　say；　it's　a　sporting　chance。　Until　the　next　time　we　meet；　then。〃
　　　In　answer；　Aliisza　nodded　and　smiled。
　　　The　mage　leaned　backward　and　dropped　over　the　side　of　the　precipice。
　　　At　Valas's　distant　shout；　Quenthel　looked　up　from　where　she　had　been　staring　absently　at　Jeggred's　back；　following　the　draegloth　through　the　massive　chamber。　She　spied　the　scout　hurrying　back　from　where　he'd　ventured　ahead；　and　the　high　priestess　spotted　the　hordes　of　tanarukks　behind　him；　emerging　from　the　sculpted　tunnel　wall。　She　swore　under　her　breath；　and　the　five　snakes　on　her　whip　writhed　in　mimicry　of　her　displeasure。
　　　〃We　are　cut　off　again；　Mistress！〃　K'Sothra　hissed。　〃Perhaps　there　is　another　way？〃
　　　〃No；　let　us　destroy　them；　taste　their　flesh　and　be　done　with　them；〃　Zinda　argued；　her　own　long　black　body　straining　forward　eagerly。
　　　〃That's　enough；〃　Quenthel　snapped；　starting　forward　again　to　join　with　Valas。
　　　The　vipers　quieted　somewhat；　but　they　still　strained　to　pay　attention　to　their　mistress's　surroundings；　trying　to　sense　any　other　possible　dangers。
　　　The　tanarukks　did　not　follow　the　scout　but　instead　fanned　out　into　a　defensive　formation。　It　seemed　they　were　content　to　wait　until　the　drow　came　to　them。
　　　So　much　the　better；　Quenthel　thought　grimly。　They　can　line　themselves　up　so　that　the　wizard　can　decimate　them　most　efficiently。
　　　〃What　are　they　about？〃　Faeryl　asked；　trotting　beside　Quenthel。　〃Why　aren't　they　chasing　the　male？〃
　　　She　gestured　toward　Valas；　who　was　only　perhaps　fifty　paces　from　them。
　　　〃Why　should　they？〃　Quenthel　countered；　letting　her　long　strides　quickly　close　the　gap　between　herself　and　Valas。　〃They　somehow　know　we　must　go　that　way。　It　seems　they're　content　to　wait　until　we　e　to　them。〃
　　　Faeryl　sniffed　at　this　but　said　nothing　more。　We　should　wade　through　them　and　slice　them；　let　their　blood　stain　our　feet　as　we　tread　upon　their　corpses；〃　Jeggred　suggested；　his　own　long　strides　easily　matching　Quenthel's　quicker　ones。
　　　The　Mistress　of　Tier　Breche　looked　over　at　the　draegloth　and　saw　him　lick　his　feral　lips　in　anticipation。
　　　〃Nonsense；〃　she　said　crisply。　〃There's　no　need　to　get　messy　when　they　seem　willing　to　oblige　us　by　standing　over　there　and　letting　Pha…raun　dispatch　them　with　a　well…placed　spell　or　two。　Right；　wizard？〃
　　　When　there　was　no　answer；　Quenthel　spun　to　face　him…only　to　discover　that　he　was　not　behind　her。　Only　Ryld　kept　pace　with　the　two　females　and　the　draegloth。
　　　〃Where　in　the　Abyss　is　that　damnable　mage？〃　Quenthel　growled　at　Ryld；　who　raised　an　eyebrow　in　surprise　and　turned　to　look　back。
　　　〃He　was　right　behind　me；〃　the　warrior　replied；　letting　his　gaze　sweep　back　and　upward；　toward　the　tunnel　through　which　they　had　originally　entered。　〃I　don't　know…there！〃
　　　The　weapons　master　pointed　high　up　the　wall；　and　Quenthel　had　to　stop　in　order　to　turn　around　sufficiently　to　see　where　Ryld　was　pointing。　When　she　spotted　Pharaun；　she　muttered　an　invective　under　her　breath。　He　wasn't　alone。　There　was　someone；　a　woman；　in　conversation　with　him。
　　　〃Who　is　that　with　him？　What　is　he　doing？〃　the　high　priestess　asked　no　one　in　particular。
　　　Ryld　shrugged　and　said；　〃I　have　no　idea；　Mistress。　I　never　heard　him　stop。〃
　　　〃Well；　get　him　down　here；　now！　I　need　him；〃　Quenthel　ordered。
　　　Ryld　made　as　if　to　protest；　then　shrugged；　turned　back；　and　broke　into　a　rapid　jog　back　along　the　thoroughfare。　When　she　turned　back；　Valas　had　reached　their　position。
　　　〃So？〃　she　asked　the　scout。
　　　Valas　took　one　deep；　calming　breath　and　explained；　〃They've　cut　off　our　route　again；　and　they've　made　sure　this　time　that　we　won't　go　around　their　flank。〃
　　　The　scout　pointed　to　several　other　exits　from　the　large　chamber。
　　　Quenthel　could　see　already　that　more　of　the　tanarukks　were　there；　each　group　similar　in　size　to　the　one　directly　in　front　of　them。　They　were　gathering　on　the　ledges　and　ramps；　just　on　their　side　of　the　tunnel　openings。　It　wasn't　hard　to　see　that　they　were　intentionally　halting　the　drow's　progress；　trying　to　force　them　to　turn　back。
　　　〃Obviously；　they　aren't　here　merely　to　attack　us；〃　she　said；　thinking　aloud；　〃so　they　must　want　something　else。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　I　can　explain；〃　Pharaun　said；　materializing　out　of　a　shimmering　blue　doorway　that　hung　in　the　open　air　only　a　few　feet　away。　The　portal　snapped　out　of　existence　as　the　wizard　primped　himself　a　bit；　straightening　his　piwafwi　and　adjusting　his　pack。　〃We've　been　invited　to　join　Kaanyr　Vhok；　the　master　of　those　fellows；　for　a　discussion。〃
　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　Who　was　that　woman　you　were　speaking　with　back　there？〃　Quenthel　demanded；　seething　at　how　Pharaun　seemed　so　full　of　himself　all　the　time。
　　　The　fact　that　he　could　still　freely　use　his　magic；　while　she　could　not；　continually　galled　her。　Though　he　might　never　say　anything；　she　knew　he　loved　flaunting　the　fact　of　it　in　front　of　her　every　chance　he　could。　To　add　insult　to　injury；　he　seemed　taken　with　showing　unbridled　politeness　toward　her。　She　narrowed　her　eyes　suspiciously。　He　wanted　something；　she　was　sure。
　　　〃We　thought　you　were　in　trouble。　I　sent　Ryld　back　to　look　into　it；〃　Quenthel　said。　She　jabbed　a　single　finger　outward；　pointing　at　the　distant　figure　of　the　weapons　master。　〃Now　I'll　have　to　send　Jeggred　to　catch　up　with　him　while　you　stay　here　and　explain　to　me　what　this　is　all　about。〃
　　　Before　the　high　priestess　could　direct　the　draegloth　to　do　her　bidding；　though；　Pharaun　cut　in。　〃Oh；　that's　not　necessary。　Allow　me　but　a　moment。〃　The　wizard　turned　and　faced　Ryld；　pointed　his　finger；　and　began　to　whisper。　〃Ryld；　my　dear　friend；　I　appreciate　your　concern　for　me；　but　I　am　quite　fine　and　standing　here　among　our　esteemed　panions。　You　can　return　from　your　quest　to　rescue　me。〃
　　　In　the　distance；　Quenthel　saw　the　warrior　start　and　straighten。　He　turned　around　as　Pharaun　spoke。　Ryld　seemed　to　shake　his　head　in　consternation；　and　Quenthel　thought　she　heard　him　sigh；　though　of　course　it　was　only　a　whisper。　By　the　time　the　mage　was　finished；　Ryld　was　already　trudging　back　in　their　direction。
　　　Very　clever；　mage；〃　Quenthel　said；　clenching　her　teeth。　〃Now　why　don't　you　be　as　useful　in　other　ways　and　tell　me　what　you　were　doing　up　there。〃
　　　Of　course。　That　was　Aliisza；　a　charming　and　somewhat　gregarious　representative　of　Master　Vhok's。　She　was　lurkin