war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第13章

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　　　Of　course。　That　was　Aliisza；　a　charming　and　somewhat　gregarious　representative　of　Master　Vhok's。　She　was　lurking　in　the　shadows　back　when　we　ran　into　them…〃　he　gestured　into　the　distance　at　the　tanarukks…〃in　the　previous　tunnel。　They　answer　to　her；　and　she　answers　to　Vhok。〃
　　　〃Well；　how　interesting；〃　Quenthel　said；　folding　her　arms。　〃And　just　what　did　you　two　have　to　talk　about　for　so　long？　You　weren't；　pet…haps；　ing　to　some　sort　of　an　agreement　with　her；　were　you？〃
　　　Pharaun　looked　genuinely　pained　and　said；　〃High　Priestess；　I　only　listened　politely　while　she　extended　her　offer。　I　could　not；　of　course；　give　her　any　sort　of　proper　answer　without　first　conversing　with　you。　I　suspected　what　your　answer　would　be　before　I　even　mentioned　the　invitation；　but　I　would　be　remiss　in　my　duties　if　I　didn't　at　least　deliver　the　message。〃
　　　〃Indeed。；〃　Quenthel　said。　She　knew　good　and　well　that　the　flamboyant　wizard　before　her　wouldn't　have　given　a　second　thought　to　betraying　her　and　the　rest　of　them　if　it　presented　him　with　some　worthwhile　benefit。　〃Interesting　that　she　chose　you　to　be　her　messenger　boy。〃
　　　Pharaun　grimaced；　but　only　slightly。
　　　〃We　share　a　mon；　uh　。。。　appreciation　for　the　arcane　arts；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃We　spent　a　few　moments　in　idle　conversation　about　the　difficulties　of　traveling　with　those　who　don't　share　that　appreciation。〃
　　　Quenthel　snorted。　〃I'm　sure　you　were　interested　in　more　than　her　wizardly　skills。〃
　　　The　mage's　grin　didn't　change；　but　his　eyes　hardened　the　slightest　bit。　Good；　she　thought。　Remind　him　that　you　see　right　through　him。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　she　said。　〃We're　certainly　not　going　to　go　back　with　the　brutes　to　see　Vhok；　so　the　question　is；　how　do　we　get　through　them　and　on　our　way？〃
　　　〃There's　no　way　to　get　around　them；〃　Valas　said；　〃unless　the　ambassador　knows　this　area　and　has　a　notion　of　another　route　we　can　take；〃　he　finished；　looking　at　Faeryl。
　　　The　Zauvirr　priestess　shook　her　head。
　　　〃We're　still　too　far　away　from　the　proper　outskirts　of　Ched　Nasad　for　me　to　recognize　any　features　with　certainty；〃　she　said。
　　　〃Then　we　must　slay　them；〃　Jeggred　announced。　〃Let　me　engage　them　and　cut　a　path　for　you；　Mistress。〃
　　　〃No；　Jeggred；　there's　no　need；　however　much　fun　you　might　think　it　would　be。　Pharaun；　here；　is　going　to　get　us　through　this。　Aren't　you？〃
　　　The　mage　grinned　bemusedly　and　said；　〃I　might　have　an　incantation　or　two　that　will　allow　us　to　make　our　way　through　to　the　tunnel。　Aliisza　has　assured　me　that；　in　good　sporting　fashion；　she　will　stay　out　of　it。　Slaying　these　creatures　should　be　minimal　trouble。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　concerned　with　that。　Just　clear　a　path　for　us；〃　Quenthel　manded。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said　as　he　began　to　move　forward；　weaving　the　beginnings　of　a　spell　as　he　did　so。
　　　FOUR
　　　Aliisza　wasn't　sure　how　Kaanyr　would　receive　her　latest　news；　but　it　didn't　slow　her　steps。　Tarrying　to　deliver　it　served　no　purpose。　He　would　find　out　eventually；　and　she　might　as　well　pass　it　to　him　and　get　on　to　other；　more　interesting　things。　Besides；　she　wasn't　really　troubled　by　the　prospect　of　the　cambion's　anger。　He　might　fly　off　the　handle　from　time　to　time；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　direct　it　at　her。　Whether　or　not　he　flew　into　a　rage　this　time；　she　had　an　idea　that　might　just　soothe　his　ruffled　feathers　and　give　her　a　bit　of　fun；　besides。
　　　Passing　through　the　great　doorway　and　into　the　throne　room；　Aliisza　expected　to　find　Vhok　sitting　on　his　throne；　but　he　was　not。　He　paced　in　front　of　it；　which　meant　that　he　had　serious　things　on　his　mind；　serious　in　a　bad　way。　The　alu…fiend　had　a　pretty　good　idea　what　those　things　were。
　　　Any　more　information　on　what　that　duergar　horde　is　doing？〃　she　asked　as　she　approached　him。
　　　Vhok　looked　up　from　his　contemplation；　seemed　to　stare　right　through　her　for　a　moment；　and　at　last　said；　〃All　I've　been　able　to　determine　at　the　moment　is　that　they　don't　seem　to　be　headed　in　this　direction；　which　is　good。〃
　　　〃Good？　Why？〃　Aliisza　asked。　She　moved　to　sit　on　the　top　step　of　the　dais。　〃I　thought　you　liked　the　idea　of　a　little　sport　for　the　Legions。　You　told　me　the　other　night　that　things　were　getting　a　bit　staid　around…〃
　　　〃Because　something　big　is　definitely　going　on；〃　Kaanyr　interrupted；　〃and　because　they　were　responsible　for　wiping　out　the　patrol　to　the　northeast。〃
　　　Aliisza　had　been　about　to　stretch　out；　hoping　to　distract　Kaanyr　from　all　of　this　serious　discussion　for　a　few　moments　of　romance；　but　she　sat　straight。
　　　〃That　wasn't　just　a　roving　band　of　duergar；〃　Vhok　continued；　〃they　were　professional　mercenaries。　The　Xornbane　clan；　if　the　evidence　is　correct。　They　don't　go　anywhere　without　major　coin　changing　hands　and　big　battles　in　the　works。〃
　　　Aliisza　pursed　her　lips　in　thought。
　　　〃So　if　they　aren't　moving　against　us；〃　she　said；　〃then　where？〃
　　　〃Though　I　already　have　an　idea；　I　was　hoping　you　could　tell　me；〃　Kaanyr　said；　looking　down　at　the　alu…fiend；　〃Where　are　my　guests？〃
　　　Aliisza　avoided　meeting　Vhok's　gaze。
　　　〃I　wasn't　able　to　convince　them　to　join　us；〃　she　said　carefully；　〃and　after　they　defeated　my　little　patrol　as　easily　as　they　did；　I　thought　it　wise　not　to　pursue　the　matter　so　directly。〃
　　　〃Defeated？　Wiped　out　is　more　like　it。〃
　　　Kaanyr's　tone　was　measured；　and　Aliisza　could　tell　he　was　displeased。
　　　So　he　already　knew；　did　he？　Is　he　spying　on　me；　now？
　　　She　was　glad　she'd　been　up　front　with　him　on　the　subject。　It　had　been　tempting　to　fudge　the　truth　a　bit；　to　tell　him　that　the　tanarukks　had　not　followed　her　instructions；　but　in　the　end；　something　had　convinced　her　that　she　was　going　to　have　to　start　being　a　little　more　careful　with　Vhok。
　　　〃They　are　formidable；〃　she　answered　at　last。　〃The　wizard　with　them　is　。。。　interesting。　He's　the　one　I　spoke　with；　and　it　was　definitely　he　who　plowed　through　the　Legions。　Drow　are　formidable　to　begin　with；　and　it　was　a　tactical　error　on　my　part　to　engage　them　in　such　a　large　chamber。　They　were　able　to　easily　evade　the　Scourged　simply　by　getting　up　off　the　floor　and　out　of　range。　Pharaun　laid　waste　to　the　troops　without　much　of　a　thought。〃
　　　〃I'm　sure　you　did　the　best　you　could；〃　Kaanyr　said；　waving　her　explanation　away。　Aliisza　scowled　at　the　insult　but　said　nothing。　〃It's　probably　just　as　well。　It　seems　that　the　gray　dwarves　are　bound　and　determined　to　reach　Ched　Nasad；　which　is　where　our　little　visitors　are　headed；　as　well；　I　think。　We　weren't　going　to　dissuade　them　from　that　without　bringing　the　entire　might　of　the　Scourged　Legions；　as　well　as　some　of　your　sisters；　to　bear。〃
　　　〃I　did　find　out　a　couple　more　things；〃　Aliisza　said；　ready　to　spring　her　idea　on　Vhok。　〃They　are　all　high…ranking　nobles　from　Menzo…berranzan；　not　just　the　priestess。　The　wizard　is　powerful　enough　to　be　a　member；　if　not　a　master；　of　Sorcere；　and　some　of　the　things　he　admitted　to　convinced　me　that　most　of　the　others　are　of　similar　rank。〃
　　　〃Well；　that's　all　very　interesting；　but　I　probably　would　have　inferred　that　from　the　fact　that　the　Mistress　of　the　Academy　was　out　with　such　a　small　group　to　begin　with。　It　still　doesn't　tell　me　what　they're　doing。　It　may　help　to　answer　the　questions　of　why　the　grays　are　on　the　move。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　have　an　idea　about　that；〃　Aliisza　said；　reaching　the　moment　of　truth。　She　wondered　if　Kaanyr　would　agree　with　her　plan　or　choose　to　use　someone　else。　〃Whatever　it　is　they're　planning　to　do　when　they　reach　Ched　Nasad；　they　all　seem　very　concerned；　very　grim。　Whatever　it　is；　it's　serious；　and　I　bet　they　aren't　the　only　drow　in　the　city　who　are　in　the　know　about　it。　So　why　don't　I　sneak　into　Ched　Nasad　and　snoop　around　a　little？〃
　　　Kaanyr　looked　at　Aliisza；　pursing　his　lips。　She　wasn't　sure　if　he　was　thinking　about　her　idea　or　just　studying　her　to　see　if　she　was　up　to　something。　Of　course　she　intended　to　do　just　what　she　said；　so　he　had　no　reason　not　to　trust　her　on　it；　but　if　she　had　a　little　fun　on　the　side；　well　then；　what　would　be　the　harm　in　that？　She　needed　a　vacation　from　Ammarindar；　from　Vhok。　Maybe　a　little　time　apart　would　do　him　some　good；　too；　she　thought。
　　　〃All　right；〃　he　said　at　last；　and　the　alu…fiend　grinned　bro