war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第78部分

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btful　frown。　〃Even　in　the　Abyss？〃　she　whispered。
　　　When　she　looked　up；　she　saw　Ryld　staring　at　her。
　　　〃So　that's　why　you　wanted　the　Crescent　Blade；〃　he　said　softly。　〃To　try　to　kill　Lolth？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃That's　something　even　Vhaeraun　failed　to　do。　How　can　you　hope　to　succeed　where　a　god　has　failed？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Halisstra　answered　honestly。
　　　Part　of　her　felt　manipulated…despite　nearly　being　devoured　by　the　worm；　it　felt　as　though　the　Crescent　Blade　had　just　fallen　into　her　hands。　That　made　her　wary；　uneasy。　But　at　the　same　time；　another　part　of　her　felt　elation。　She　might　be　no　more　than　a　piece　on　a　sava　board；　being　moved　this　way　and　that　by　an　unseen　hand；　but　that　hand　belonged　to　a　goddess。　Eilistraee；　for　good　or　ill；　had　taken　a　personal　interest　in　her…something　Lolth　had　never　done。　The　thought　filled　Halisstra　with　a　heady　pride。
　　　〃Eilistraee　is　watching　over　me；〃　she　told　Ryld。　〃It　feels　as　if　all　of　this　has　been　preordained…and　I　have　a　sense　that　it's　my　destiny　to　at　least　try　to　follow　the　path　the　goddess　has　set　me　on。　If　I　do　succeed　in　killing　Lolth；　we'll　at　last　be　free　of　her　clinging　webs。　All　of　us。　The　drow　can　e　up　into　the　light；　without　fear　of　her　retaliation。〃
　　　〃And　if　you　fail。　。　。〃　Ryld　began；　then　weakly　coughed。
　　　Halisstra　took　his　arm　and　helped　to　steady　him。　They　didn't　have　time　to　stand　there　contemplating　her　chances　of　success。　Not　with　the　poison　only　temporarily　held　at　bay。
　　　〃Do　you　have　any　spare　clothing？〃　she　asked。
　　　He　nodded　at　the　backpack　on　the　floor　and　said；　〃In　there。　A　tunic　and　some　boots。〃
　　　〃Good；〃　she　said。
　　　A　tunic　and　boots　alone　would　be　little　protection　against　the　bitter　winds　of　the　World　Above；　but　Halisstra　knew　she　could　use　her　spells…if　sparingly…to　gain　temporary　respite　from　the　cold。　She　dug　out　the　clothes　and　put　them　on；　helped　Ryld　slide　Splitter　back　into　its　sheath；　and　strapped　the　Crescent　Blade　and　songsword　across　the　top　of　her　backpack　and　slipped　it　onto　her　back。
　　　〃e　on；〃　she　said；　slipping　one　of　Ryld's　arms　over　her　shoulder。　〃The　sooner　we　get　you　back　to　the　temple；　the　better　your　chances　of　living　long　enough　to　watch　me　die　trying　to　kill　a　goddess。〃
　　　
Chapter　Thirty…three
　　　〃Ready？〃　Pharaun　asked；　looking　up　from　the　circle　he'd　been　drawing　on　the　floor　of　the　tunnel。
　　　Only　a　pinch　of　powdered　amber　remained　in　the　pouch　he　was　holding…just　enough　to　plete　the　circle　in　which　Quenthel　and　Jeggred　stood。　The　two　were　crowded　close　together；　Quenthel　stroking　Jeggred's　tangled　mane　in　a　calming　gesture。
　　　Valas　and　Danifae　stood　outside　the　circle；　back　where　the　water　dripping　from　their　soaked　piwafwis　wouldn't　mar　the　pattern。　Without　levitation　magic；　they　had　no　way　to　land　safely　on　the　storm…tossed　ship；　so　they　would　remain　in　the　tunnel。
　　　〃Get　on　with　it；〃　Quenthel　said；　forcing　his　mind　back　to　the　task　at　hand。　〃Cast　the　spell。〃
　　　Pharaun　stepped　into　the　circle　beside　her；　taking　care　the　hem　of　his　piwafwi　didn't　disturb　the　powder；　then　he　crouched　to　sprinkle　the　last　pinch　of　amber　that　would　plete　the　pattern　on　the　floor。
　　　Standing　again；　he　stared　our　through　the　ice　wall　at　the　ship　of　chaos；　locking　the　position　of　its　upper　deck　in　his　mind。
　　　〃Faer　z'hind！〃　he　cried。
　　　As　his　spell　took　effect；　the　stone　floor　vanished　from　under　his　feet。　An　instant　later　he；　Quenthel；　and　Jeggred　were　falling　through　the　air　toward　the　deck　of　the　rapidly　moving　ship。　The　wizard　checked　his　descent　by　levitating；　but　the　water　stinging　his　eyes　made　it　difficult　to　see。　He'd　aimed　for　a　pace　or　two　above　the　deck…the　only　sane　option；　with　the　ship　rising　and　falling　so　violently　and　listing　at　such　a　sharp　angle…but　without　anything　solid　under　his　feet　he　was　in　danger　of　being　hurled　into　the　eye　of　the　storm。　He　floundered　about；　trying　to　find　the　deck　with　his　feet　as　sprays　of　water　lashed　him　and　the　wind　tore　at　the　hood　of　his　piwafwi；　nearly　strangling　him。　A　gust　of　wind　caught　him；　slamming　him　into　the　main　mast　and　knocking　the　air　from　his　lungs；　Desperately；　Pharaun　grabbed　at　the　closest　thing　to　hand：　one　of　the　lines　that　formed　the　ship's　rigging。
　　　The　line　pressed　as　his　hands　tightened　around　it。　Inside　the　line　was　something　soft　and　wet…and　warm。　An　instant　later；　as　something　pulsed　through　it；　Pharaun　realized　that　the　line　was　made　not　of　rope　but　of　a　strand　of　intestine。　He　curled　his　lip；　hoping　the　line　wouldn't　rupture。　Pharaun　didn't　relish　the　thought　of　being　spattered　by　its　contents。
　　　He　wedged　one　foot　against　the　base　of　the　mast；　the　other　against　the　tilted　deck；　and　he　glanced　up。　Jeggred　and　Quenthel　had　halted　their　fall　a　pace　or　two　above　him。　The　draegloth　had　grabbed　the　mast　and　was　hugging　it　with　his　fighting　arms。　Rigid　as　a　statue；　muscles　bulging；　he　easily　held　himself　in　place　against　the　wind　that　tore　at　his　mane。　Quenthel　clung　to　his　back；　supported　by　the　draegloth's　smaller　arms。
　　　Quenthel　stared　down　at　Pharaun；　her　hair　writhing　in　the　wind　like　the　vipers　that　thrashed　furiously　in　her　whip。　She　shouted　something；　jerking　her　head　up　at　the　demon　that　floated　at　the　eye　of　the　storm；　far　above　the　mast　to　which　they　clung。
　　　Pharaun　had　no　idea　what　Quenthel　was　saying；　but　the　need　for　urgency　was　certainly　clear。
　　　With　his　feet　securely　braced；　he　released　the　line　with　his　left　hand　and　reached　into　his　pocket　for　the　twig　he'd　used　to　collect　a　spiderweb；　so　many　days　before。　Pointing　it　at　the　deck　of　the　ship；　he　chanted　a　spell。
　　　A　spray　of　web　filaments　erupted　from　the　twig　and　struck　the　deck。　Several　twisted　away　in　the　howling　wind；　but　the　majority　of　them　stuck。　They　formed　a　sticky　smear　across　the　bone…white　deck…a　smear　that　gradually　built　in　thickness　as　yet　more　web　pulsed　out　of　the　twig。　By　the　time　the　spell　was　spent；　the　mass　of　spiderweb　was　nearly　half　a　pace　deep；　mounded　in　an　oval　that　resembled　a　cocoon。
　　　Letting　the　twig　go…it　was　instantly　snatched　away　by　the　wind…Pharaun　fished　a　wad　of　bitumen　out　of　a　pocket　and　popped　it　into　his　mouth。　He　swallowed　the　gummy　mass　down；　gagging　slightly　as　the　spider　hairs　embedded　in　the　bitumen　scratched　the　back　of　his　throat；　then　he　curled　his　fingers　into　the　shape　of　a　spider　and　tapped　fingertips　lightly　against　his　chest。　Immediately　his　hand　grew　sticky…gummy　enough　to　pluck　at　his　sodden　piwafwi　when　he　pulled　it　away。
　　　Tentatively；　still　holding　the　line　of　intestine；　Pharaun　moved　one　foot　away　from　the　mast　and　felt　his　boot　stick　to　the　deck。　Then；　walking　slowly　and　with　one　hand　touching　the　tilting　deck；　he　worked　his　way　over　to　the　patch　of　web。
　　　Standing　erect　was　impossible…the　ship　was　canted　at　an　acute　angle；　sailing　in　crazy　circles　around　the　inside　of　the　whirlpool　with　its　hull　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　water　and　its　masts　pointing　at　the　eye　of　the　storm。　The　deck　shuddered　under　Pharaun's　feet　like　a　live　thing　as　the　ship　twisted　around　and　around　in　the　whirlpool；　its　planks　groaning　like　a　chorus　of　undead。　The　wizard　heard　what　sounded　like　a　weight　shifting　in　a　space　under　h