war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第42部分

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　blood　onto　the　spongy　moss。　Jeggred　held　the　animal　close　to　him　and　squeezed　until　more　came　out　and　kept　squeezing　until　the　cat　was　dead。
　　　Ryld　stood　a　few　paces　away；　watching；　ready。　He　thought　back　on　his　training　and　the　single　overriding　principal　of　defending　against　claws。　Things　with　claws…any　number　of　demons；　trolls；　and　the　like…stabbed　then　pulled　down。　Claw　attacks　always　came　high　and　ripped　down。　All　he　had　to　do　was　be　ready　for　that。　There　was　the　fact　that　anything　that　attacked　with　claws　would　never　parry。　If　Ryld　set　his　blade　against　Jeggred's　attack；　the　draegloth　would　avoid　contact　with　the　keen　edge　or　risk　dismemberment。　Ryld　could　use　that　to　his　advantage　simply　by　defending　against　the　draegloth's　arms　as　if　they　were　swords。　Jeggred　would　be　put　on　the　defensive　by　being　unable　to　defend；　and　he　wouldn't　parry　Ryld's　attacks；　but　he　would　dodge。
　　　The　draegloth　looked　up　from　his　still…quivering　kill　and　bared　his　knifelike　fangs　at　Ryld。　The　weapons　master　stood　his　ground。　He　wasn't　as　strong　as　Jeggred；　and　he　might　not　be　as　fast；　but　he　was　smarter　and　better　trained。
　　　That　might　be　enough。
　　　〃Why　are　you　here？〃　Ryld　asked　the　draegloth。　〃Surely　you　didn't　e　all　this　way　just　to　save　me　from　that　cat。〃
　　　The　half…demon；　covered　in　the　animal's　still…hot　blood；　was　steaming。
　　　〃I　was　told　things　about　you；　weapons　master；〃　Jeggred　growled。　〃Disturbing　things。〃
　　　Ryld　held　Splitter　in　both　hands　in　front　of　him　and　said；　〃I　can　only　imagine。〃
　　　〃The　priestess　I　can　understand；〃　said　the　draegloth。　He　took　a　wide；　slow　step　sideways；　moving　away　from　the　dead　animal。　〃They're　feeling　particularly　betrayed　by　Lolth。　They　seek　power　and　munion；　so　it　seems　only　fitting　that　if　one　goddess　turns　her　back　on　them；　they　might　seek　the　embrace　of　another；　but　you？〃
　　　〃I　can't　seek　the　embrace　of　a　goddess？〃　asked　Ryld；　stalling　as　he　examined　the　half…demon　for　wounds　and　weaknesses。
　　　〃Why　would　you；〃　asked　the　draegloth；　〃when　you　can　have　the　embrace　of　a　flesh　and　blood　female？〃
　　　〃You　have　me　all　figured　out；〃　the　weapons　master　said；　surprised　that　the　draegloth　seemed　to　have　done　just　that。
　　　〃My　mistress　has；〃　Jeggred　said　with　a　shrug。　He　stepped　to　the　side　again；　beginning　to　circle　Ryld。　〃She　even　now　stands　over　the　corpse　of　your　traitor　priestess。　I　get　the　pleasure　of　ending　your　life。〃
　　　〃It'll　be　a　particularly　painful　and　violent　death；　no　doubt；〃　Ryld　said；　irony　absent　from　his　voice。
　　　The　draegloth　smiled；　coughed　out　a　laugh；　and　charged。
　　　The　big　claws　came　in　first；　high；　aimed　for　his　chest。　Ryld　whirled　Splitter　in　front　of　him　then　abruptly　stopped　the　blade's　spin　and　sliced　up　to　parry　the　draegloth's　right　arm。　As　he　expected；　Jeggred　drew　his　arm　back　sharply　in　an　effort　to　avoid　the　enchanted　greatsword。　Ryld　quickly　changed　direction；　tucking　the　blade　in；　stepping　back；　and　stabbing　at　the　dodging　half…demon。　The　tip　of　Ryld's　sword　penetrated　the　draegloth's　furred　hide　under　his　shoulder　blade　to　a　depth　of　an　inch　or　two。　The　half…demon；　bleeding；　hopped　back；　sliding　off　the　blade。
　　　Ryld　stepped　back　too；　rolling　the　greatsword　in　both　hands　in　a　slow　figure　eight　in　front　of　him。
　　　Soon；　one　of　them　would　be　dead。
　　　
Chapter　Seventeen
　　　〃Where　is　he？〃　Quenthel　asked；　her　red　eyes　wild　with　barely　contained　fury。
　　　〃He's　gone　to　kill　them；〃　Danifae　answered。
　　　Pharaun　watched　the　exchange　from　a　distance。　He　had　sat　cross…legged　in　the　exact　center　of　the　deck；　right　in　front　of　the　mainmast；　precisely　where　Aliisza　had　told　him　to　sit。　He　could　feel　the　ship　of　chaos　vibrating　beneath　him；　reacting　to　the　power　he　was　exerting　over　it。
　　　〃On　whose　mand？〃　the　high　priestess　asked。
　　　〃On　yours；　Mistress；〃　Danifae　answered；　〃through　me。〃
　　　〃Through　you？〃　Quenthel　repeated。　〃Through　you？〃
　　　Pharaun　pressed　one　of　his　hands　against　the　deck　and　felt　the　pulse　in　a　cluster　of　veins　that　was　growing　there。
　　　The　high　priestess　slapped　Danifae　across　the　face；　but　the　battle…captive　stood　her　ground。
　　　〃Halisstra　Melarn　and　Ryld　Argith　are　traitors；〃　Danifae　said。　〃They　are　traitors　to　this　expedition；　traitors　to　Lolth；　and　traitors　to　drow　civilization。　You　know　that；　I　know　that；　and　Jeggred　knows　that。　That's　why　he's　there。〃
　　　〃On　your　mand；〃　the　Mistress　of　the　Academy　pressed；　〃not　mine。〃
　　　〃He's　doing　what　has　to　be　done；〃　Danifae　replied；　her　voice　finally　showing　some　emotion：　anger　and　impatience。　〃You　weren't　able　to　give　him　the　order；　so　I　did　it　for　you。〃
　　　Pharaun　laughed　at　the　exchange　and　at　the　thrill　of　the　ship　reacting　to　his　thoughts　and　touch。　He　found　Danifae's　hijacking　of　the　draegloth　fascinating。
　　　〃We　have　the　time；　Mistress；〃　Pharaun　offered　in　Danifae's　defense…if　only　for　the　sport　of　it。　〃Why　not　let　the　draegloth　clean　up　some　messes？　If　Mistress　Melarn　is　indeed　a　traitor；　and　after　watching　her　in　the　face　of　Lolth's　temple　that's　hardly　a　surprise；　consider　it　a　favor　from　a　loyal　young　priestess　in　your　service。　Master　Argith；　on　the　other　hand；　is　likely　not　a　traitor　to　the　City　of　Spiders。　He　lacks　the　necessary　spark　for　rebellion；　I'm　afraid。　If　you　wish　to　be　concerned　with　anything　it　should　be　that　the　weapons　master　might　actually　kill　your　nephew。〃
　　　Quenthel　looked　over　at　Pharaun；　who　met　her　gaze　for　a　moment　then　returned　his　attention　to　the　ship。　The　high　priestess　glanced　at　Danifae；　who　stood　tall　and　resolute；　giving　no　ground。　The　Mistress　of　the　Academy　held　her　scourge　in　one　hand；　and　the　vipers　curled　around　the　fingers　of　her　other。　She　looked　down　at　the　vipers　then　back　at　Danifae。　Pharaun　watched　the　whole　thing　while　feeling　the　ship's　pulse　momentarily　quicken。
　　　Quenthel　took　a　step　away　and　turned　her　back　on　Danifae；　who　sighed。　Pharaun　thought　the　battle…captive　might　have　been　disappointed。
　　　〃That；〃　Danifae　said　to　Quenthel's　back；　〃is　why　Jeggred　serves　me　now。〃
　　　
　　　They　began　to　circle　each　other；　testing　their　steps　on　the　spongy；　uneven　moss。　Jeggred　looked　down　and　considered　the　puncture　wound。　He　lifted　one　eyebrow　in　a　sort　of　grudging　salute　then　let　his　tongue　unroll　from　his　mouth。　The　black；　rough　tongue　slowly　licked　the　wound。　When　he　smiled　next；　Jeggred's　own　blood　stained　his　razor…sharp　fangs。
　　　Just　keep　your　distance；　Ryld　told　himself。　Keep　your　distance　and　go　for　the　hands。
　　　The　draegloth　charged　again；　and　again　his　claws　came　in　high　at　first。　Ryld　had　the　wide；　heavy　blade　of　Splitter　parallel　to　the　ground。　All　he　had　to　do　was　bend　his　knees；　step　in；　then　stand；　and　he　met　the　draegloth's　descending　rake。
　　　The　weapons　master　stepped　into　the　attack　and　parried　precisely　as　if　the　huge　claw　was　a　sword　blade。　Jeggred　brought　his　smaller　claws　down　fast　and　hard　so　that　Ryld　barely　had　to　press　the　parry。　The　draegloth　drove　his　own　arm　down　onto　the　blade。　Ryld　felt　a　tug；　then　release。　Blood　sprayed。　Jeggred's　right；　smaller　hand　tumbled　through　the　air　and　bounced　once　when　it　hit　the　moss。
　　　Ryld　didn't　allow　himself　the　time　to　celebrate　having　cut　off　one　of　the　draegloth's　hands。　He　stepped　back　away　from　the　blood　that　was　spraying　from　the　half…demon's　stump。　Jeggred　screamed…an　unsettling；　ear…rattling　sound…and　he　started　backing　quickly　away。
　　　Well　aware　that　the　half…demon　could　change　direction　very　quickly；　Ryld　stepped　back　too；　though　not　quite　as　far。
　　　〃You　will　pay　for　that　with　your　hands　and　feet；　whelp；〃　Jeggred　hissed　around　clenched　teeth。　〃I　was　following　orders　when　I　came　here　to　kill　you；　but　now…〃　he　held　up　the　stump　from　which　blood　was　still　pumping…〃it's　personal。〃
　　　
　　　A　refreshing　cycle　of　darkness　had　passed　during　which　Gromph　alternated　between　brief　periods　of　Reverie；　infuriating　sessions　with　the　same　handful　of　winged　halflings；　and　the　casting　of　powerful　divinations。
　　　The　darkness　was　a　wele　fort　to　the　archmage's　light…ravaged　eyes。　He　had　spent　nights　under　the　open　sky　before…though　not　many…and　he　had　seen　stars。　The　stars　in　the　Green　Fields　seemed　a　little　brighter　than　those　visible　from