war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第6章

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　　　The　drow　wizard　knew　his　scolding　tone　was　unmistakable；　but　he　didn't　care。　Quenthel　let　out　an　exasperated　sigh　as　she　leaned　against　the　wall　of　the　passage。　A　massive　fungus；　the　Araumycos　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　the　exterior　of　a　brain。　It　pletely　filled　the　passage。
　　　〃At　least　we　can　stop　running　for　a　while；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃I'm　sick　of　carrying　this　damned　thing。〃
　　　She　growled；　kicking　at　the　knapsack　at　her　feet。　She　began　rubbing　her　shoulders。
　　　Pharaun　shook　his　head；　amazed　at　the　high　priestess's　stubbornness。　The　mage　had　tried　to　be　as　deferential　as　possible；　to　let　her　see　the　folly　of　heading　in　this　direction；　but　despite　his　warnings…and　Valas's…the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　had；　with　her　usual　haughty　demeanor；　browbeat　them　into　obeying　her　wishes　anyway。　Now　they　were　pinned　against　the　bloated　growth；　just　as　he　had　predicted；　and　she　was　simply　going　to　ignore　that　fact。
　　　Pharaun　pursed　his　lips　in　vexation　as　he　watched　her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　She　labored　to　work　the　stiffness　out　of　her　shoulders。　He　could　only　imagine　the　disfort　she　must　be　feeling；　but　he　had　no　pity　for　her　plight。　Despite　the　fact　that　his　own　haversack　was　magically　lightened；　Pharaun's　shoulders　ached；　too。　They　had　gone　far　beyond　sore　and　were；　he　was　certain；　chaffed　raw。
　　　〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　said；　continuing　to　examine　the　spongy　growth；　〃you've　made　it　quite　clear　how　far　beneath　a　Baenre…the　Mistress　of　the　Academy　no　less…it　is　to　。。。　how　did　you　say　it？　。。。　'demean　herself　like　a　mon　slave　lugging　rothé　dung　through　the　moss　beds’。　But；　I　would　respectfully　point　out…again…that　it　was　your　masterful　tactical　decision　to　leave　our　thralls　and　pack　lizards　behind；　tethered　and　bleeding；　in　order　to　facilitate　our　escape　from　those　cloakers。〃
　　　The　wizard　knew　full　well　that　his　cutting　remarks　would　further　sour　her　already　unpleasant　mood；　but　he　truly　didn't　care。　Getting　under　Quenthel's　skin　gave　him　no　end　of　delight；　even　during　trying　circumstances　such　as　these。
　　　〃You　presume　much；　boy〃　the　high　priestess　snapped　as　she　stood　straight　again；　glaring　balefully　at　him。　〃Perhaps　too　much。　。　。　。〃
　　　Still　not　looking　at　her；　Pharaun　rolled　his　eyes　where　she　could　not　see。
　　　〃A　thousand　times　a　thousand　pardons；　Mistress；〃　he　said；　sensing　the　time　was　ripe　to　change　the　subject。　〃So　I　suppose　you　no　longer　intend　to　bother　with　the　goods　you　think　are　stored　in　the　Black　Claw　Mercantile　storehouses　in　Ched　Nasad。　Even　if　they　do　rightfully　belong　to　House　Baenre；　how　are　we　going　to　get　them　back　to　Menzoberranzan？　You　certainly　won't　carry　them；　and　once　word　gets　around　that　you　like　to　use　your　pack　animals　and　drovers　as　bait；　no　one　else　will；　either。〃
　　　Pharaun　stole　a　sidelong　glance　at　the　high　priestess；　mostly　for　the　simple　pleasure　of　observing　her　disgrunded　state。　Quenthel's　scowl　was　particularly　severe；　drawing　out　fully　the　vertical　line　that　ran　between　her　brows　and　giving　her　that　pinched　look　that　the　mage　was　beginning　to　find　unduly　ical。　The　wizard　stifled　a　chuckle。
　　　That　managed　to　get　under　her　skin；　he　thought；　grinning；　but　then　he　noticed　Jeggred　moving　to　stand　between　the　two　of　them。
　　　The　beast　loomed　over　the　wizard；　and　Pharaun's　grin　vanished。　He　held　his　breath　as　the　draegloth　smiled　balefully。　The　fiend's　fetid　panting　cascaded　over　him；　making　his　stomach　turn。
　　　　　　　The　demon　served　Quenthel　unswervingly；　and　at　a　word　from　her；　he　would　gladly　attempt　to　rip　the　wizard…or　anyone　else　in　the　group；　for　that　matter…limb　from　limb　with　malice…laden　glee。　Thus　far；　that　word　had　not　e；　but　Pharaun　did　not　relish　the　possibility　of　having　to　defend　himself　from　the　fiend's　assault；　especially　in　such　close　quarters　where　he　would　have　a　hard　time　getting　clear　to　exercise　his　own　allotment　of　spells。　He　would　prefer　a　large　cavern　to　make　his　stand　against　Jeggred；　but　unfortunately；　there　was　only　this　cramped　passage；　with　no　room　to　stay　clear　of　the　brute's　claws。
　　　　　　　Despite　her　current　foul　humor　and　the　very　ungainly　way　she　had　recently　been　bearing　the　load　on　her　back；　Quenthel　somehow　managed　to　look　regal　as　she　pushed　herself　away　from　the　wall　and　stalked　across　the　corridor　toward　Pharaun；　her　piwafwi　swishing　about　her。　He　understood　that　she　wasn't　merely　ignoring　his　jibes。　She　had　waited　until　her　faithful　servant　had　moved　into　position　to　back　her　up　before　confronting　the　mage。
　　　〃I　know　very　well　what　I　said　and　did；　and　I　do　not　need　you　mimicking　my　words　back　to　me　like　some　idiot　savant；　displayed　in　a　gilded　cage　for　all　to　look　upon　and　laugh　at。〃　She　focused　her　stare　on　him　and　held　it　there。　〃We　are　on　a　diplomatic　mission；　wizard；　but　those　goods　do　belong　to　my　House；　and　they　will　be　returned　there。　I'll　see　to　that。　If　I　can't　hire　a　caravan　to　carry　them　back；　then　you'll　do　it　for　me。　Jeggred　will　make　certain　of　it。〃
　　　She　held　his　gaze　imperiously　for　a　moment　as　Jeggred　smiled　carnally　beside　her。　Finally；　she　straightened；　made　a　subtle　motion　to　the　draegloth；　and　the　fiend　moved　off　to　lick　the　gore　from　his　claws。
　　　〃Find　us　a　way　around　this　。　。　。　thing；〃　Quenthel　said；　jabbing　her　finger　toward　the　massive　growth　before　she　turned　and　strode　back　to　her　own　pack　and　sank　down　to　the　floor。
　　　Pharaun　sighed　and　rolled　his　eyes；　knowing　he　had　pushed　the　high　priestess　too　far。　He　would　suffer　more　later　for　his　little　jibes。　He　looked　over　at　Faeryl　to　gauge　her　reaction　to　the　confrontation。　The　ambassador　from　Ched　Nasad　merely　shook　her　head　at　him；　scorn　plain　on　her　mien。
　　　〃I　would　think　you；　of　all　people；　would　be　more　than　a　little　disgruntled　that　she's　planning　to　strip　your　mother's　mercantile　pany　bare；〃　he　said　quietly　to　her。
　　　Faeryl　shrugged　and　said；　〃It's　no　concern　of　mine。　My　House　merely　works　for　her…for　House　Baenre　and　for　House　Melarn。　They　own　Black　Claw　together；　so　if　she　wants　to　steal　from　her　partners；　who　am　I　to　stop　her？　As　long　as　I　get　home　。　。　。〃
　　　Pharaun　was　surprised　to　actually　see　a　wistful　look　on　the　ambassador's　face。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　grunted　at　Faeryl's　response　and　turned　once　more　to　inspect　the　material　that　blocked　their　way。　He　was　both　fascinated　at　seeing　it　in　person　for　the　first　time　and　desperate　to　seek　a　possible　way　around　it。　He　knew　that　the　Araumycos　filled　countless　miles　of　caverns　in　this　part　of　the　Underdark；　but　travelers　had　sometimes　been　able　to　find　ways　around　or　through　it。
　　　Valas　was　already　climbing　up　the　surface　of　the　growth；　pressed　tightly　against　it；　working　his　way　toward　the　upper　reaches。　Pharaun　could　see　that　the　passage　they　had　followed　opened　into　what　must　be　a　larger　cavern；　for　the　ceiling；　like　the　passage　itself；　rose　abruptly。　He　could　see　that　the　scout　was　making　his　way　toward　a　narrow　gap　between　the　growth　and　the　side　of　the　cavern；　perhaps　hoping　that　there　was　a　way　to　squeeze　through；　though　to　where；　Pharaun　had　no　idea。
　　　Pharaun　considered　the　diminutive　mercenary　from　Bregan　D'aerthe　to　be　a　bit　uncouth；　but　nonetheless；　he　was　glad　the　wiry　guide　was　along　for　the　trip。
　　　〃How　long　do　we　have　before　that　gives　out？〃　Faeryl　asked；　staring　back　the　way　they　all　had　e；　back　toward　the　inky　blackness。
　　　Pharaun　was　surprised　that　she　spoke　to　him。　She　was　emboldened；　the　wizard　supposed；　from　their　earlier　conversation。　Not　bothering　to　look　at　the　ambassador；　Pharaun　continued　his　inspection；　producing　a　tiny　flame　at　the　tip　of　his　finger　with　which　he　began　scorching　the　fungus。　Where　the　fire　touched　the　growth；　it　blackened　and　withered；　but　it　did　not　burn　a　hole　through　to　anywhere。
　　　〃Not　long；〃　he　said。
　　　He　sensed　rather　than　saw　her　disfort　at　his　offhand　ment。　The　wizard　smiled　despite　himself　as　he　worked；　bemused　at　the　irony　of　Faeryl's　situation。　It　had　not　been　that　long　ago　that　she　had　been　desperate　to　make　this　journey；　to　return　to　her　home　city。
　　　Desperate　enough　to　try　sneaking　out　of　Menzoberranzan　and　crossing　Triel　Baenre；　the　most　powerful　matron　mother　in　the　city；　in　the　process。　Faeryl　had　failed；　of　course。　She　had　been　captured　at　t