war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第17部分

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　　　〃Our　food　supply；〃　Andzrel　added。
　　　Gromph　smiled　when　Triel's　face　turned　almost　gray。
　　　〃Yes；　well；〃　the　archmage　said；　〃all　things　in　their　turn。　Barrison　Del'Armgo　will　answer　for　their　ambitions　only　after　I've　cleaned　up　a　more　open　insurrection。〃
　　　〃Dyrr？〃　Triel　didn't　have　to　ask。
　　　〃It's　time　for　our　old　friend　the　lichdrow　to　die　again；〃　Gromph　replied。　〃This　time；　permanently。〃
　　　
Chapter　Seven
　　　Danifae　counted　the　warriors　in　front　of　her…eight　armed　with　spears；　and　a　row　of　a　dozen　crossbowmen　behind　them…and　waited。
　　　〃Wele　to　the　City　of　Portals；〃　one　of　the　spearmen　said；　his　blood…red　eyes　darting　quickly；　alertly；　between　Danifae　and　Valas。　〃If　you　reach　for　a　weapon　or　begin　to　cast　a　spell；　we'll　kill　you　before　you　get　a　single　breath　out。〃
　　　Danifae　flashed　the　male　a　smile　and　was　gratified　to　see　his　gaze　linger　on　her。　If　Valas　were　going　to　attack；　he　would　have　at　that　moment。　He　didn't；　so　Danifae　found　herself　in　the　position　of　having　to　trust　him　again。
　　　〃Who　are　you；　where　are　you　from；〃　the　guard　asked；　〃and　what　is　your　business　in　Sschindylryn？〃
　　　〃I　am　Valas　Hune；〃　the　scout　answered。　He　paused　and　reached　up　slowly　to　the　neck　of　his　piwafwi。　When　he　drew　his　cloak　aside；　the　guard's　eyes　fixed　on　something。　Danifae　was　sure　it　had　to　be　the　insignia　of　the　mercenary　pany　to　which　Valas　was　attached。　〃My　business　here　is　to　resupply。　Give　us　a　day　or　so　to　gather　what　we　need；　and　we'll　be　on　our　way。〃
　　　The　guard　nodded　and　looked　at　Danifae。
　　　〃And　you？〃　he　asked。　〃You　don't　look　Bregan　D'aerthe。〃
　　　Danifae　chuckled　playfully　and　replied；　〃I　am　Danifae　Yauntyrr。　And　you？〃
　　　The　guard　was　puzzled　by　the　question。
　　　〃She　is　a　battle…captive　in　the　service　of　the　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn；〃　Valas　answered　for　her。
　　　Danifae　felt　her　skin　tingle　with　suppressed　rage。　What　kind　of　scout　volunteered　such　information？　Or　did　he　mean　to　put　her　in　her　place　by　reminding　her　that　while　he　was　free；　she　was　not？
　　　The　guard　smiled…leered　almost…and　looked　Danifae　briefly　up　and　down。
　　　〃Melarn？〃　he　said。　〃Never　heard　of　it。〃
　　　〃A　lesser　House；〃　Valas　answered　again　before　Danifae　could　speak　up。　〃It　was　destroyed　with　the　others　in　the　fall　of　Ched　Nasad。〃
　　　The　guard　looked　at　her　again　and　said；　〃That　means　you're　free；　eh？〃
　　　Danifae　shrugged；　saying　nothing。　She；　unlike　Valas；　wasn't　about　to　give　away　information。　The　last　thing　she　needed　was　for　anyone　to　know　that　she'd　e　to　Sschindylryn　to　address　that　very　question　once　and　for　all。
　　　〃We　want　no　trouble　with　Bregan　D'aerthe；〃　the　guard　said　to　Valas。　〃Get　your　supplies；　then　get　out。　Menzoberranyr　are　less　than　popular　here。〃
　　　〃Why　would　that　be？〃　asked　Valas。
　　　The　guards　visibly　relaxed；　and　half　the　crossbowmen　slipped　the　bolts　off　their　weapons　and　stepped　back　from　the　firing　line。　The　spearmen　put　their　weapons　up　but　still　stood　ready。
　　　〃It's　your　fault；〃　the　guard　replied；　〃or　so　they　say。〃
　　　〃What　is　our　fault？〃　Danifae　asked；　not　certain　why　she　identified　herself　as　Menzoberranyr；　having　never　even　been　there。
　　　〃They　say；〃　the　guard　said；　〃that　it　was　a　Menzoberranyr　who　killed　Lolth。〃
　　　Valas　laughed；　letting　a　generous　portion　of　contempt　coat　the　sound。
　　　〃Yes；　well。　。　。〃　the　guard　finished。　〃That's　what　they　say。〃
　　　〃This　way；〃　Valas　said　over　his　shoulder　to　Danifae。
　　　The　battle…captive　nodded；　took　stock　of　her　belongings；　and　followed　the　scout　past　the　guards　and　toward　the　wide；　open　gate　into　the　city　proper。　As　she　passed　him；　Danifae　gave　the　guard　captain　a　playful　wink。　The　male's　jaw　opened；　but　he　managed　to　catch　it　before　it　dropped。
　　　When　she　was　certain　they　were　out　of　earshot　of　the　guards；　Danifae　drew　closer　to　the　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout。　Valas　flinched　away　from　her　touch　then　seemed　to　force　himself　to　relax。　Danifae；　making　careful　note　of　his　reaction　to　her；　leaned　in　very　close。　With　a　greater　than　necessary　exhalation　of　hot　air　from　her　husky；　hushed　voice；　Danifae　whispered　into　his　ear。
　　　〃I'm　not　going　with　you；〃　she　told　Valas。
　　　〃Why　not？〃　he　answered；　matching　her　discreet　volume　but　not　her　flirtatiousness。
　　　〃I　never　enjoyed　shopping；〃　Danifae　replied；　〃and　I　have　errands　of　my　own。〃
　　　For　a　moment　it　looked　to　Danifae　as　if　Valas　were　actually　going　to　argue　or　at　least　press　her　for　more　information。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said　after　a　few　seconds。　〃I　have　a　way　of　calling　you　when　it's　time　to　go。〃
　　　〃I　have　a　way　of　ignoring　you　if　I'm　not　ready；〃　she　replied。
　　　Valas　didn't　respond；　though　that　time　Danifae　was　sure　she'd　broken　through　his　impenetrable　armor。　She　turned　away　and　stepped　into　the　crowd　that　was　flowing　past　the　columned；　temple…like　structure　that　surrounded　the　gate。　Within　seconds　she　had　effectively　lost　herself　in　the　strange　city；　leaving　the　scout　behind。
　　　The　city　of　Sschindylryn　was　contained　in　a　single　pyramid…shaped　void　in　the　solid　rock　some　unfathomable　distance　below　the　surface　of　Faerun。　The　pyramid　had　three　sides；　each　more　than　two　miles　long；　and　the　apex　was　two　miles　above。　Bioluminescent　fungus　grew　in　patches　all　around　the　smooth　outer　walls；　giving　the　whole　city　an　eerie；　dim　yellow　ambient　light。　The　drow　who　called　the　city　home　lived　in　houses　constructed　of　stone　and　brick…unusual　in　a　dark　elf　city…that　were　built　on　stepped　tiers。　The　outer　edges　of　the　city　were　actually　trenches　carved　into　the　stone　floor　of　the　pyramid。　In　the　center；　a　sort　of　huge　ziggurat　rose　up　into　the　cool；　still　air。　There　was　no　physical　way　in　or　out　of　the　city。　No　tunnel　connected　the　cavern　to　the　rest　of　the　Underdark。　Sschindylryn　was　sealed。　Locked　away。
　　　Except　for　the　gates；　and　there　were　thousands　of　those。
　　　They　were　everywhere。　In　only　the　first　few　blocks　Danifae　saw　a　dozen　of　them。　They　led　to　every　corner　of　the　Underdark；　onto　the　World　Above；　perhaps　beyond　to　the　planes　and　elsewhere。　Some　were　open　to　the　public；　left　there　by　no　one　remembered　whom。　Others　were　mercial　ventures；　offering　transport　to　some　other　drow　city　or　trade　site　of　the　lesser　races　for　a　fee。　Still　others　were　kept　secret；　used　only　by　a　chosen　few。　Gangs　controlled　some；　merchant　costers　controlled　more；　while　the　clergy　maintained　hundreds。
　　　On　the　narrow　streets　Danifae　passed　mostly　other　dark　elves；　and　all　of　them　seemed；　like　her；　concerned　entirely　with　their　own　business。　They　ignored　her；　and　she　did　likewise。　As　she　walked；　she　became　increasingly　aware　that　she　was　in　a　strange　city；　alone；　looking　for　a　single　drow　who　was　very　likely　still　making　every　effort　to　hide。
　　　
　　　House　Agrach　Dyrr　had　been　part　of　the　political　landscape　of　Menzoberranzan　for　more　than　five　thousand　years。　Only　House　Baenre　was　older。
　　　For　most　of　that　time；　Houses　Baenre　and　Agrach　Dyrr　had　maintained　a　close　relationship。　Of　course　there　was　never　trust；　that　wasn't　something　that　existed　in　any　but　the　must　tenuous　and　rudimentary　form　in　the　City　of　Spiders；　but　they　had　had　certain　arrangements。　They　shared　mon　interests　and　mon　goals。　Agrach　Dyrr　had　fulfilled　its　role　in　the　city's　hierarchy。　It　went　to　war　with　the　city；　defended　itself　against　rival　Houses；　destroyed　a　few　from　time　to　time　as　necessity　dictated；　and　in　all　things　followed　the　teachings　and　the　whims　of　the　Queen　of　the　Demonweb　Pits。
　　　Matron　Mother　Yasraena　Dyrr　enjoyed　pain。　She　enjoyed　chaos；　and　she　enjoyed　the　blessings　of　Lolth。　When　that　last　bit　went　away；　things　changed。
　　　From　their　palace　on　the　wide　shelf　of　Qu'ellarz'orl；　the　Lichdrow　Dyrr　had　stood　with　his　much　younger　granddaughter　and　watched　the　city　turn　against　them。　Well；　that　wasn't　entirely　accurate；　the　lichdrow　knew。　He　had　turned　against　the　city；　and　he　had　done　it　with　precise　and　careful　timing。　He　had　made　the　final　decision；　as　he　always　had　in　times　of　greatest　peril　and　greatest　opportunity。　Yasraena　did　what　she　was　told；　occasionally　being　made　to　feel　as　if　it　was　her　idea　in　the　first　place；　sometimes　merely　given　an　order。
　　　Most　days；　the　youthful　matr