war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第57部分

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　Halisstra；　and　the　priestess　felt　her　attendant　press　something　against　her　hand。　Looking　down；　Halisstra　saw　that　the　battle　captive　had　procured　a　pair　of　daggers　and　was　handing　one　to　her；　on　the　sly。
　　　Oh；　you　clever　girl；　Halisstra　thought。　She　quickly　palmed　the　weapon　and　tucked　it　into　the　folds　of　her　piwafwi；　out　of　sight。　Then　she　returned　her　attention　to　what　the　wizard　was　doing。
　　　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　Pharaun　said；　as　though　he　had　recognized　something　that　should　have　been　obvious　to　him。　〃All　right　everyone；　step　back。　I　can　disarm　the　protective　wards　and　sigils　that　are　here；　but　I　cannot　deal　with　the　more　mechanical　trap　that　I　suspect　is　also　present。〃
　　　〃That's　all　right；〃　Valas　said。　〃If　you　can　remove　all　of　the　magical　protections；　I　might　be　able　to　manage　the　rest。〃
　　　Pharaun　nodded　and　began　to　gesture　and　mutter；　finally　pointing　toward　the　space　between　the　two　tall　armoires　with　a　flourish。　Halisstra　supposed　the　wizard　must　have　some　ability　to　sense　the　presence　of　various　spells；　wards；　and　charms；　for　she　could　not　see　what　he　was　working　on　and　had　never　known　of　a　secret　portal　anywhere　in　her　mothers　rooms。　Pharaun　gazed　at　the　wall　a　moment　longer　after　he　was　finished　with　his　casting　then　nodded　for　the　scout　to　give　it　a　try。
　　　Valas　moved　up　closely　to　the　wall　and　began　to　inspect　it　little　by　little；　inch　by　inch。　Halisstra　wanted　to　get　in　close　beside　him；　to　see　what　he　was　looking　at；　but　she　dared　not　disturb　his　concentration。　At　that　moment；　yet　another　in　the　series　of　rumbles　shook　the　room；　and　Halisstra　nearly　lost　her　footing。
　　　〃By　the　Abyss！〃　Valas　yelled；　waving　his　arms　in　an　effort　to　avoid　falling　against　the　wall。　〃This　is　no　good。　I　can't　do　this　with　all　of　the…〃
　　　The　scout's　words　were　cut　off　as　the　whole　room　suddenly　lurched　and　began　to　tilt。　Halisstra　fell　to　the　floor　as　the　chamber　was　no　longer　level　but　instead　tipped　to　one　side；　away　from　the　wall　they　had　been　inspecting。　She　realized　she　was　screaming　as　she　rolled　along　the　floor。　The　movement　stopped；　but　all　through　the　House　she　could　hear　the　horrendous　sound　of　fracturing　rock；　loud　popping　noises　that　sounded　as　if　the　whole　world　was　snapping　apart。
　　　〃We've　no　time！　We've　got　to　get　out　now！〃　Halisstra　heard　one　of　the　males　yell。
　　　〃Not　without　my　possessions；〃　Quenthel　insisted；　sitting　up　and　trying　to　stand　on　the　yawing　floor。　〃Get　that　door　open…now？*
　　　Pharaun；　who　had　actually　begun　to　levitate　to　avoid　falling　down；　nodded　as　the　others　left　their　feet…all　except　Valas；　who　seemed　perfectly　capable　of　maintaining　his　balance　despite　the　tilt　of　the　floor。
　　　The　wizard　removed　a　soft　glove　from　inside　his　piwafwi。　He　donned　it　and　began　casting　again　as　the　floor　made　several　popping　sounds　and　began　to　tilt　even　more。　A　massive；　glowing　fist　appeared；　twice　as　tall　as　Pharaun；　floating　in　the　air　in　front　of　the　mage。　Pharaun　guided　the　magical　conjuration　with　his　own　gloved　hand；　turning　it　so　that　the　knuckles　were　aimed　at　the　point　on　the　wall。
　　　〃Get　back！〃　Pharaun　yelled。　〃I　don't　know　what　kind　of　backlash　this　will　create。〃
　　　There　was　more　popping　from　the　structure　of　the　House…　closer；　the　sounds　deafening…and　Halisstra　found　she　had　her　hands　over　her　ears。　Her　heart　was　pounding　in　her　chest。
　　　We're　going　to　die　in　here；　she　thought。　The　whole　house　is　falling　apart；　and　we're　going　to　be　crushed。
　　　The　magical　fist　lurched　forward　and　slammed　into　the　wall　between　the　armoires；　smacking　against　the　stone　with　a　powerful　crunch。　The　wall　cracked　in　several　places。　Pharaun　directed　the　fist　to　back　up　and　go　again。
　　　Quenthel　was　beside　Halisstra；　grabbing　her　by　the　arm。
　　　〃When　he　gets　that　wall　down；〃　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　said；　〃we　will　need　to　hurry。　What's　the　fastest　way　out　of　here？〃
　　　Halisstra　looked　at　the　other　drow　helplessly。
　　　〃We're　in　the　very　heart　of　the　House；〃　she　answered。　〃The　most　protected　point。　It'll　take　us　forever　to　get　out；　no　matter　which　way　we　go。〃
　　　Quenthel　scowled；　but　then　she　nodded　and　moved　away。　
　　　The　giant　fist　had　slammed　into　the　wall　two　or　three　more　times；　and　the　wall　was　about　to　collapse。
　　　One　more　blow　should　do　it；　Halisstra　thought　as　she　felt　the　concussions　of　more　cracking　and　breaking　beyond　the　room。　If　it's　not　too　late　already；　she　added　to　herself。
　　　Around　Halisstra；　the　others　were　wide…eyed；　trying　to　maintain　their　balance　and　eyeing　the　walls；　ceiling；　and　floor　warily。
　　　The　next　slam　of　the　fist　finally　did　the　section　of　wall　in；　and　it　collapsed　in　a　pile　of　rubble。　Behind　it；　a　small　chamber　sat　dark　and　dusty；　filled　with　shelves　containing　a　number　of　items　Halisstra　had　never　seen　before。　Quenthel　pushed　ahead　of　everyone　else　and　strode…or　rather　hiked；　for　it　was　like　walking　up　a　hillside…into　the　chamber；　snatching　up　a　five…headed　snake　whip　with　a　gleam　in　her　eye。
　　　〃Yes！〃　was　all　she　said　as　she　held　the　weapon　aloft；　the　five　vipers　hissing　and　writhing　joyously。
　　　Quickly；　Quenthel　gathered　up　several　other　items　that　obviously　belonged　to　her　then　eyed　the　other　things　displayed　on　the　shelves。
　　　〃No　time；〃　Pharaun　insisted。　〃We　leave　now！〃　Turning　to　Halisstra；　the　wizard　demanded；　〃Which　way　is　out？　Get　us　there；　before　the　whole　place　falls！〃
　　　Halisstra　shook　her　head　miserably。
　　　〃We're　as　far　away　from　the　exits　as　we　can　be！〃　she　shouted　over　the　cacophony　of　popping；　shattering　stone。　The　room　lurched　again。　〃There's　no　close　way　out！〃
　　　〃Then　I'll　make　one；〃　Pharaun　shouted。　〃Which　direction　is　closest　to　the　outside？〃
　　　Part　of　the　ceiling　on　the　far　side　of　the　room　collapsed；　sending　a　shower　of　stone　fragments　and　dust　into　Halisstra's　face。　She　covered　her　nose　and　mouth　with　one　hand　as　she　flung　her　arm　up　to　shield　her　eyes　from　the　stinging　shards　of　rock　that　pelted　her。　She　couldn't　think。　She　was　going　to　die。　There　was　no　way　out；　no　escape…and　no　Lolth。
　　　Halisstra　felt　the　wizard's　hands　grasp　her　arms。
　　　〃Tell　me；〃　he　shouted；　〃which　way　is　the　closest　way　to　the　outside；　regardless　of　walls？〃
　　　Halisstra　shook　her　head；　trying　to　focus　despite　the　panic　rising　in　her　chest。　She　spied　Danifae　clinging　to　Quenthel　as　both　of　them　held　on　to　the　edge　of　the　broken　wall　leading　into　the　secret　room。　Jeggred　had　his　claws　embedded　in　the　rock　of　the　floor　and　was　clambering　along　it　toward　his　mistress。
　　　The　closest　outside　wall　。　。　。　which　way？
　　　An　image　appeared　in　her　head；　a　mental　map；　and　she　knew　that　her　mother's　chambers　backed　up　nearly　to　an　outside　wall；　which　meant　that　the　secret　room　Pharaun　and　Quenthel　had　discovered　was　very　close　to　the　outside。
　　　Frantically；　Halisstra　pointed　to　the　hidden　room。
　　　〃That　way！〃　she　yelled。
　　　Pharaun　nodded。　Scrambling　on　his　hands　and　knees；　the　wizard　headed　in　that　direction；　almost　slipping　and　sliding　back　the　other　way　as　the　room　tilted　again。　Halisstra　began　to　slide　along　the　floor；　herself　and　decided　against　trying　to　stop；　instead　bracing　her　feet　against　the　far；　lowest　wall。　She　craned　her　neck　around　to　watch　the　mage　as　he　began　yet　another　spell。　He　seemed　to　have　an　endless　supply　of　them。　He　dug　in　his　piwafwi　and　pulled　out　something　too　small　for　Halisstra　to　see；　then　he　began　to　gesticulate　wildly　in　the　direction　of　the　wall　at　the　back　of　the　secret　closet。　Before　her　eyes；　a　tunnel　formed　right　into　the　rock　itself；　and　after　about　fifteen　feet；　it　broke　through　into　space　beyond。
　　　〃e　on！〃　Pharaun　shouted　to　everyone　as　the　whole　House　seemed　to　be　one　solid　rumble。
　　　The　noise　of　the　cracking　stone　was　deafening；　and　Halisstra　had　barely　been　able　to　hear　the　wizard。　The　room　tilted　over　even　more　sharply；　and　Halisstra　realized　that　it　was　nearly　sideways；　with　the　new　opening　to　the　outside　almost　over　her　head。　She　began　to　float；　lifting　herself　magically　toward　the　impromptu　exit；　as　the　other　members　of　the　group　did　the　same。　As　she　reached　the　top　and　was　about　to　pass　through　into　the　open　air　of　the　city　beyond；　she　saw　that　Jeggred　had　a　hold　of　Valas。　The　draegloth