war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　　　〃You'd　travel　to　Menzoberranzan　on　the　surface？〃　she　asked；　spitting　out　the　word。　〃Alone？　Through　woods　crawling　with　House　Jaelre？　You'd　be　captured　again　before　night　fell。〃
　　　Danifae　was　pleased　to　see　Quenthel　nodding…she　was　obviously　about　to　reject　Halisstra's　foolish　notion　and　send　Danifae；　instead。　Then　Halisstra's　lips　quirked　into　a　smile…and　Danifae　realized　that；　somehow；　unwittingly；　she'd　just　played　right　into　Halisstra's　hands。
　　　〃This　will　see　me　through；〃　said　Halisstra；　patting　the　leather　case　that　held　her　lyre。　〃I　know　a　bae'qeshel　song　that　will　allow　me　to　walk　on　wind。　Using　it；　I　could　reach　Menzoberranzan　in　a　tenday；　at　most。〃
　　　Danifae's　eyes　narrowed　and　she　said；　〃I've　never　seen　you　use　a　spell　like　that。〃
　　　〃What　use　would　it　have　been　in　the　Underdark？〃　Halisstra　said　with　a　shrug。　〃There's　no　wind…and　if　there　were；　I'd　only　walk　straight　into　a　cavern　wall。　Regardless；　I　have　not　been；　nor　am　I　now；　in　the　habit　of　justifying　myself　to　a　battle…captive。　Our　situation　has　changed　some；　Danifae；　but　not　entirely。〃
　　　Not　yet；　Danifae　thought；　then　she　grasped　Quenthel's　knee　and　pleaded；　〃Don't　send　her。　Send　me。　If　Halisstra　dies；　I…〃
　　　〃You'd　be　very；　very　sorry；　wouldn't　you？〃　Quenthel　said　with　a　smirk。　She　was　well　aware　of　the　particulars　of　the　Binding。　〃Halisstra　will　go。　With　you　here；　we　will　be　able　to　trace　her；　and　at　least　know　that　she　still　lives。　And　the　two　of　you　Houseless　wretches　are　the　most　expendable。〃
　　　Danifae　lowered　her　eyes　in　acquiescence；　even　though　inwardly　she　burned　with　impotent　anger。　Halisstra；　on　her　own　in　the　World　Above；　would　almost　certainly　be　killed。　It　would　only　be　a　matter　of　time。
　　　And　when　she　died；　the　magic　of　the　Binding　would　see　to　it　that　Danifae　died；　too。
　　　
Chapter　Three
　　　Valas　felt　the　knot　of　tension　between　his　shoulders　relax…just　a　little…as　familiar　darkness　enveloped　him。　The　harsh　sunlight　had　been　left　behind　after　the　third　bend　in　the　tunnel。　He　could　still　smell　the　earthy　tang　of　wet　leaves　that　told　him　the　Surface　Realms　were　just　above　their　heads；　but　the　air　around　him　already　felt　cleaner。　As　they　descended　the　twisting　fissure　that　led　ever　downward　through　the　stone；　he　felt　his　eyes　adjusting　to　the　darkness。　Gone　was　the　itching　glare　of　sunlight；　allowing　him　to　fully　open　his　eyes　and　use　his　darkvision　for　the　first　time　in　too　many　days。
　　　Behind　Valas；　Quenthel　and　the　others　followed　in　a　line。　They'd　fallen　quiet　instinctively　as　soon　as　they'd　left　the　sunlight　behind。　Even　the　upper　Underdark　could　be　a　dangerous　place　for　the　unwary；　and　that　particular　tunnel　was　unknown　territory。　Yet　pared　to　Valas；　they　hardly　moved　in　silence。　He　could　hear　the　scrape　of　armor　against　stone　as　someone　behind　him　squeezed　through　a　spot　where　the　tunnel　had　narrowed；　forcing　them　to　turn　sideways　to　slip　through。　A　moment　later　he　heard　the　scuff　of　a　boot　and　a　faint　intake　of　breath　as　one　of　the　females　missed　her　footing。　He　turned　and　angrily　started　to　sign　Move　more　quietly　to　her；　but　dropped　his　hands　when　he　realized　it　was　Quenthel　and　not　Danifae　who　had　slipped。　Danifae　had　once　again　positioned　herself　near　the　back　of　the　group；　just　ahead　of　Ryld…not　because　of　the　potential　dangers　ahead；　Valas　was　sure；　but；　with　Halisstra　gone；　to　keep　a　wary　eye　on　her　panions。
　　　What　have　you　stopped　for？　Quenthel　signed　from　behind　Pharaun。　Keep　moving。
　　　One　of　the　vipers　in　the　whip　tucked　into　her　belt　gave　a　slight　hiss。
　　　Nodding　his　head；　Valas　led　the　way　through　the　tunnel　once　more。　As　before；　Pharaun　was　close　behind　him；　continually　peering　over　Valas's　shoulder　as　if　he　was　searching　for　something。　Ryld；　on　the　other　hand；　was　constantly　looking　back　the　way　they　had　e。　Whenever　Valas　caught　his　eye；　the　weapons　master　would　signal　that　he　thought　someone　was　following　them。　Valas　had　never　seen　him　so　jumpy　before。
　　　The　first　two　times　Ryld　had　done　that；　Valas　had　doubled　back　to　check　for　himself；　but　there　had　been　nothing：　no　sounds；　no　signs　of　pursuit。　Thereafter　he　ignored　Ryld's　anxious　glances　behind　them。
　　　Since　Halisstra　had　been　sent　back　to　Menzoberranzan　there　were　only　six　of　them　left。　Personally；　Valas　thought　that　was　a　foolish　decision　on　Quenthel's　part。　He　doubted　that　Halisstra　would　make　it　without　Lolth's　magic　to　protect　her。　But　no　doubt　Quenthel　thought　the　same。　She　probably　hoped　to　eliminate　a　rival　priestess　who　might　claim　credit　for　discovering　what　had　happened　to　Lolth…assuming　that　a　return　to　the　Demonweb　Pits　was　even　possible。
　　　For　the　hundredth　time　since　Quenthel　had　announced　her　plan　to　have　Pharaun　summon　a　demon；　Valas　wondered　how　that　was　going　to　help。　In　all　likelihood；　the　demon　would　turn　on　them　and　swallow　them　whole　without　guiding　them　a　single　step　of　the　way。
　　　He　reminded　himself　that　the　lot　of　a　mercenary　was　not　to　question　how；　but　to　do…and　bow。　And　so　he　led　them　on。　As　he　moved　cautiously　ahead　into　the　unknown　darkness。　Pharaun　still　crowding　close　behind　him；　Valas　fingered　one　of　the　magical　amulets　pinned　to　his　shirt…his　lucky；　double…headed　coin…and　hoped　it　would　give　him　the　edge　he'd　need　when　the　demon　eventually　turned　on　them；　as　he　was　certain　it　would。
　　　
　　　Halisstra　stood　on　the　bluff　that　overlooked　the　ruined　temple；　staring　out　at　the　horizon。　The　others　had　descended　into　the　Underdark　some　time　before；　and　the　sun　was　slowly　sinking　below　the　horizon；　painting　the　clouds　shades　of　pink　and　gold。　Though　it　made　her　eyes　water　to　look　at　the　sunset；　Halisstra　stared　in　fascination；　watching　the　colors　shift　into　ever　darker　shades　of　orange；　then　red；　then　purple；　gazing　as　new　patterns　formed　each　time　the　sun's　slanting　rays　struck　the　clouds　at　a　different　angle。　She　was　beginning　to　understand　why　the　surface　dwellers　spoke　in　such　rapturous　tones　about　sunsets。
　　　As　the　forest　below　darkened；　her　sight　began　to　shift　toward　darkvision。　She　could　see　birds　flitting　through　the　branches　below　and　could　hear　the　thrumming　of　numerous　wings　as　a　flock　of　birds　moved　through　the　trees　toward　the　bluff。　She'd　heard　that　surface…dwelling　creatures　followed　the　cycles　of　day　and　night；　and　it　struck　her　that　Ched　Nasad's　magic…controlled　lighting　and　Menzoberranzan's　famous　pillar　Narbondel…used　for　marking　the　passage　of　〃day〃　and　〃night〃…must　have　been　holdovers　from　a　distant　time　when　drow　still　dwelt　upon　the　surface。　Had　House　Jaelre　simply　been　following　a　call　that　other　drow　had　not　yet　heard　when　they　returned　to　the　surface；　forsaking　the　worship　of　Lolth？
　　　The　flock　of　birds　had　e　closer；　filling　the　treetops　just　below　the　bluff　with　strange　whistling　cries。　One　of　them　rose　above　the　treetops；　its　wings　beating　so　quickly　they　were　a　blur。　Only　when　it　was　within　a　few　paces　of　her　did　Halisstra　recognize　the　〃bird〃　for　what　it　truly　was。　The　furry　body；　the　eight　legs；　the　long；　needle…shaped　proboscis…all　added　up　to　a　creature　she　hadn't　realized　was　also　a　danger　on　the　surface。　Especially　when　there　was　not　just　one　of　the　creatures　flying　toward　her　at　the　speed　of　an　arrow；　but　d