war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第26部分

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　　　〃Even　demons　have　nightmares；　Mistress；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　explained。　〃My　spell　is　letting　a　few　of　those　play　out　for　him。　I　assure　you　both；　it　is　an　experience　our　dear　friend　Raashub　will　not　soon　forget；　and　he　knows　I　can　do　it　again。〃
　　　Jeggred　sighed　so　heavily　Pharaun　could　smell　his　rancid　breath。　The　draegloth　moved　toward　Raashub。
　　　〃Hold；　Jeggred；〃　Quenthel　ordered。
　　　The　draegloth　hesitated　before　doing　so；　but　he　did　stop。
　　　〃Raashub　still　serves　a　purpose；〃　the　high　priestess　said　as　she　began　to　assess　her　injuries。
　　　Jeggred　turned　to　look　at　her；　but　she　ignored　him。
　　　〃Who　told　you　that？〃　the　draegloth　asked　in　a　low　growl。　〃The　dandy？〃…he　nodded　at　Pharaun…〃or　the　snakes？〃
　　　Quenthel　ignored　the　question；　but　Pharaun　thought　long　and　hard　about　it。
　　　
　　　It　took　Danifae　somewhat　longer　than　she'd　intended　to　remember　Zinnirit's　favorite　mand　words　and　determine　which　of　them　powered　which　of　the　rings。　Then　she　turned　her　attention　to　studying　the　finer　points　of　the　portals　she　had　〃inherited〃　from　the　late　Yauntyrr　House　mage。　Not　only　had　she　lost　all　track　of　time　as　she　studied　Zinnirit's　collection　of　scrolls　and　tomes　on　the　subject；　made　a　few　exploratory　scans　through　open　portals；　and　ignored　a　summons　from　Valas；　but　she　had　exhausted　the　limits　of　her　own　familiarity　with　the　arcane　Art。　Danifae　was　no　wizard；　but　fortunately　she　didn't　have　to　be　to　use　many　of　the　features　of　Zinnirit's　gatehouse。
　　　The　gates　were　used　primarily　for　transportation…whisking　someone　or　something　hundreds；　even　thousands　of　miles　in　the　blink　of　an　eye…but　they　could　also　be　used　to　find　someone。　Though　the　strong　psychic　link　that　the　Binding　had　provided　was　gone；　Danifae　still　had　some　connection　to　her　former　mistress。　She　knew　Halisstra　better　than　anyone　ever　had；　even　ranking　members　of　House　Melarn。　Halisstra's　sister　had　tried　to　kill　her；　and　her　mother　had　always　been　the　model　of　the　aloof；　controlling　matron　mother。　Danifae；　though　always　seething　with　hate；　had　served　Halisstra　loyally　and　well　every　minute　of　every　day。
　　　Ultimately　all　Danifae　really　had　to　do　was　remember　her。　All　she　had　to　do　was　imagine　what　Halisstra　looked　like；　visualize　her；　and　activate　one　of　the　portals　in　precisely　the　right　way。　At　least；　she　thought　that　was　all　she　needed　to　do。
　　　After　several　false　starts　and　failed　attempts；　Danifae　stepped　away　from　the　gate　and　began　pacing。　As　she　did　she　fiddled　with　a　ring　on　her　finger；　then　another　ring　on　her　other　hand；　and…
　　　She　stopped　and　looked　at　her　hands。　Danifae　had　taken　three　rings　from　the　dead　wizard。　Two　of　them　were　tucked　safely　in　a　pocket。　She　wore　the　ring　that　Zinnirit　had　created　for　her　mother；　the　one　that　would　bring　her　back　to　the　gatehouse　from　anywhere；　but　she　wore　another　ring　as　well…one　she'd　almost　forgotten　about。　It　belonged　to　Ryld　Argith；　the　Menzoberranyr　weapons　master　who；　like　Danifae's　former　mistress；　had　abandoned　the　expedition。
　　　They　had　been　spending　some　time　with　each　other；　Ryld　and　Halisstra。　Even　in　the　cave　where　Pharaun　had　summoned　the　demon　Belshazu；　Danifae　had　suspected　that　Ryld　was　sneaking　off　to　join　Halisstra。　If　he　had；　she　could　use　his　ring　as　a　focus。
　　　It　was　only　after　several　more　false　starts　that　Danifae　finally　found　her　mistress。　The　former　battle…captive　had　been；　like　the　Menzoberranyr；　under　the　impression　that　Halisstra　had　gone　to　the　City　of　Spiders　to　report　on　their　progress　（or　lack　thereof）；　and　much　of　Danifae's　time　had　been　spent　searching　for　her　there。　Hours　later；　Danifae　realized　that　Halisstra　wasn't　even　in　the　Underdark　but　in　the　bizarre　landscape　of　the　World　Above。
　　　Danifae　had　suspected　that　Halisstra　was　in　the　process　of　turning　entirely　from　the　worship　of　Lolth。　They　had　all　seen　her　reaction　to　the　chaotic；　empty　Demonweb　Pits。
　　　Even　having　seen　that　ruined　plane　herself；　though；　Danifae　had　been　a　priestess　of　Lolth　when　she　was　free　and　living　in　Eryndlyn；　and　she　had　served　the　goddess　more　faithfully　and　more　sincerely　than　she　served　House　Melarn　ever　since；　so　her　faith　remained　strong。　Guarded；　perhaps；　more　curious；　but　strong。　Danifae　wouldn't　presume　to　question　the　goddess's　will；　and　Halisstra's　mitment　to　the　Spider　Queen　was　none　of　Danifae's　concern。　Danifae　could　easily　enough　set　aside　her　religion　if　necessary；　but　she　would　never　set　aside　her　vengeance。　Halisstra　Melarn　had　to　die；　and　not　on　Lolth's　behalf。　For　Danifae　it　was　a　simple　imperative。
　　　As　certain　as　she　could　be　that　the　portal　was　properly　tuned　to　the　place　on　the　World　Above　where　Halisstra　and　Ryld　were；　Danifae　stepped　through。　She　felt　as　if　she　were　being　turned　upside　down　and　inside　out　at　the　same　time；　though　there　was　no　pain…only　a　dull；　throbbing　vertigo…then　she　was　there。
　　　It　was　night；　and　Danifae　thanked　Lolth　for　that。　Her　eyes　still　had　to　adjust　to　the　bright　glare　of　the　starlight　against　the　white　snow；　but　she　wasn't　totally　blinded。　She　had　appeared；　apparently　silently　and　without　the　sort　of　fanfare…flashing　lights　and　thunderclaps…that　often　acpanied　arcane　magic；　in　front　of　a　ruined　building。　The　structure　was　overgrown　with　vegetation。　No　light　or　fire　glowed　from　inside。
　　　Danifae　drew　her　piwafwi　close　around　her　shoulders　against　the　biting　cold　in　the　air。　She　stepped　as　quietly　as　she　could　to　the　entrance。　Her　eyes　adjusted　little　by　little；　and　by　the　time　Danifae　reached　the　ruin；　she　could　see　fairly　well。　Inside；　Halisstra　sat　back　to　back　with　Ryld。　The　two　of　them　were　deep　in　Reverie　and　in　a　position　that　told　Danifae　everything　she　needed　to　know　about　their　relationship。
　　　The　former　battle…captive　felt　a　growing　respect　for　Halisstra；　as　well　as　a　growing　contempt。　Halisstra　had　managed　to　outwit　Quenthel　and　the　others；　seduce　the　steadfast　weapons　master…admirable；　even　for　someone　schooled　her　entire　life　in　manipulation　and　deceit…and　had　set　up　a　sweet　little　household　for　them　in　the　freezing；　animal…infested　forest…a　bizarre　and　unseemly　act　of　betrayal　against　her　essential　nature　as　a　dark　elf。
　　　Danifae　took　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out　in　a　thin；　reedy　whistle。　Halisstra　came　out　of　Reverie　without　a　blink　and　looked　at　her。　The　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn　had　established　that　sound　as　their　signal　years　before；　and　they　had　both　had　occasion　to　use　it　more　than　once。
　　　Halisstra　let　one　side　of　her　mouth　draw　up　into　half　a　smile。　She　indicated　Ryld　with　a　slow　movement　of　her　eyes；　and　Danifae　shook　her　head。
　　　Halisstra　stood　slowly　and　carefully；　making　sure　not　to　disturb　Ryld。
　　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　the　weapons　master　whispered；　his　eyes　still　closed。
　　　Halisstra　replied；　also　in　a　whisper；　〃I'm　fine。　I'll　be　right　back。〃
　　　Ryld　nodded　and　returned　to　his　meditation　as　Halisstra　slipped　out　of　the　ruined　structure。　Certain　that　Ryld　hadn't　seen　her；　Danifae　led　her　former　mistress　a　good　distance　from　the　ruin；　waiting　for　Halisstra　to　indicate　they'd　gone　far　enough。　They　stopped　and　faced　each　other　for　the　first　time　as　two　free　drow。
　　　The　Binding？　Halisstra　signed。
　　　Danifae　replied；　Removed　by　Quenthel。　。　。　Pharaun；　really；　but　on　Quenthel's　orders。　We　have　found　a　ship　of　chaos　to　take　us　back　to　the　Abyss。
　　　Halisstra　visibly　withdrew　and　signed；　I　can　see　why　you　escaped。
　　　I　didn't；　really；　replied　Danifae。　I　was　sent　with　Master　Hune　to　gather　supplies　for　our　doomed　little　voyage。
　　　How　long　before　they　leave？　Halisstra　asked。
　　　Days　still；　answered　Danifae。
　　　Why　are　you　telling　me　this？　Halisstra　asked。　You're　free　now。　Go　back　to　Eryndlyn　if　you　dare；　or　go　on　with　the　Menzoberranyr　until　you　all　inevitably　die。　Do　as　you　wish；　but　you　no　longer　need　seek　my　permission。
　　　I　served　you；　Danifae　replied；　and　now　I　serve　Quenthel。　I'm　not　as　free　as　you　might　think；　Binding　or　no　Binding。
　　　There　was　a　short　silence　as　the　two　of　them　studied　each　other　in　the　darkness。　Danifae　could　somehow　feel　how　far　Halisstra　had　strayed　from　the　path　of　Lolth；　but　it　was　confirmed　seconds　later　by　Halisstra　herself。
　　　I　serve　Eilis