war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第56部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　〃My　loyalty　is　with　Lolth；〃　Danifae　said；　〃and　to　the　House　of　your　birth。〃
　　　〃House　Baenre；〃　Quenthel　said；　her　voice　icy；　〃has　no　room　for　upstarts；　traitors；　or　battle…captives。〃
　　　〃I　think　you'll　find；　Mistress；〃　the　former　servant　pressed　on；　〃that　I　am　neither　an　upstart；　a　traitor　。。。　or　a　battle…captive。　It　is　not　I　who　dances　under　the　gaze　of　Eilistraee；　I　am　here；　and　I　am　ready　to　serve　you；　to　serve　Lolth；　to　serve　Arach…Tinilith；　Menzoberranzan；　and　the　entire　dark　elf…〃
　　　〃All　right；〃　Quenthel　snarled；　〃leave　it　out。　I　don't　need　my　arse　li…〃
　　　〃Never；　Mist…〃
　　　〃Silence；　child；〃　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　said。　〃Interrupt　me　again　and　taste　venom。〃
　　　Danifae　got　the　distinct　impression　that　it　was　a　hollow　threat；　but　she　silenced　herself　just　the　same。　It　wasn't　easy　for　her　to　do。　There　was　much　she　burned　to　say　to　Quenthel　Baenre；　but　she　decided　that　she　would　say　it　to　her　corpse　instead。　Besides；　the　vipers　at　Quenthel's　mand　were　still　dangerous；　and　all　five　of　them　stared　at　her；　their　cruel　poison　glistening　on　darting　tongues。
　　　〃Everyone；〃　Pharaun　called　from　where　he　sat；　his　eyes　closed。　〃Now　that　we're　all　here　。　。　。　what's　left　of　us　anyway　。　。　。　we'll　be　on　our　way。
　　　〃As　the　Mistress　ordered；〃　the　mage　added。
　　　Danifae　took　a　deep　breath　and　a　last　look　at　the　dreary　Lake　of　Shadows　and　said；　〃We're　ready；　Master　Pharaun。〃
　　　Quenthel　turned　to　look　at　her；　but　only　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye。　A　thrill　raced　through　Danifae　at　the　emotions　plain　in　that　look。　The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　was　terrified。
　　　
　　　The　ship　began　to　move　in　response　to　Pharaun's　will；　and　the　wizard　shuddered。　Through　his　connection　with　the　ship　he　could　feel　the　cold　of　the　water；　the　heat　of　his　own　body　and　the　bodies　of　his　rades　on　the　deck；　and　he　could　feel　the　lesser　demons　still　being　digested　in　the　hellish　transdimensional　space　that　was　the　vessel's　cargo　hold。　He　found　it　an　unusually　pleasant　mixture　of　sensations。
　　　Still　water　rippled　and　tapped　against　the　bone　hull　as　the　ship　glided　slowly　across　the　surface　of　the　lake。　Other　than　that；　nothing　changed　at　first。
　　　The　walls　are　thin　here；　Aliisza　whispered　into　his　consciousness。
　　　They　are；　he　agreed。
　　　The　walls　she　referred　to　were　the　barriers　between　planes。　In　certain　places　and　at　certain　times　those　barriers　drew　thinner　and　thinner　and　often　broke　all　together。　The　Lake　of　Shadows　was　very　close　to　the　Plane　of　Shadows。　The　barriers　between　the　two　planes　were　especially　thin　there。
　　　It's　good　that　you're　starting　slowly；　Aliisza　sent。　It　won't　take　much　before　we　slip　into　the　Sha…
　　　They　were　there。
　　　It　took　even　Pharaun；　who'd　had　quite　a　bit　of　experience　in　planar　travel；　by　surprise。　As　they　passed　from　the　Lake　of　Shadows　onto　the　Shadow　Fringe　Pharaun　saw　what　little　color　there　was　drain　from　the　dimly　lit　cavern。
　　　The　movement　of　the　ship　was　smooth　but　disturbingly　random。　The　deck　rose　gently；　then　fell　gently；　then　rose　a　little　farther；　then　fell　not　as　far；　then　rose　the　same　amount；　then　fell　less　far。　Pharaun　couldn't　tell　if；　on　aggregate；　they　were　going　up；　down；　or　staying　the　same。　Sometimes　they　slipped　straight　to　one　side　or　rolled　gently　to　the　other。　His　stomach　rolled　with　the　ship；　and　he　felt　increasingly　nauseous。
　　　Don't　ride　it；　Aliisza　advised。　Be　it。
　　　Pharaun　concentrated　on　the　deck；　on　the　palms　of　his　hands　pressing　against　the　warm；　living　bone。　He　watched　random　memories　from　the　devoured　souls　pass　across　his　consciousness　then　looked　deeper　into　the　ship　itself。
　　　Though　the　vessel　lived；　it　didn't　think。　He　felt　it　react　to　stimulus；　riding　the　cool　water　of　the　lake　into　the　freezing　water　of　the　Fringe。　It　knew　it　had　crossed　into　the　Plane　of　Shadow　by　feel　but　had　no　way　to　form　the　word　〃shadow。〃　The　ship　didn't　like　the　Shadow　Fringe；　it　didn't　fear　the　Shadow　Fringe；　and　it　didn't　hate　the　Shadow　Fringe。　All　it　did　was　ride　the　water　from　one　universe　to　the　next　at　the　mand　of　the　Master　of　Sorcere。
　　　Pharaun's　stomach　felt　fine。
　　　
　　　Valas　had　traveled　the　Shadow　Fringe　before　and　was　not　impressed。　It　was　a　world　devoid　of　color　and　warmth…two　things　the　scout　had　little　appreciation　for　anyway。　Every　turn　in　the　caverns　of　the　real　Underdark　had　a　requisite　turn　in　the　Shadow；　but　distance　and　time　was　distorted　there；　less　predictable；　less　tangible。
　　　The　scout　had　been　hired　to　guide　the　expedition　through　the　Underdark；　but　they　had　left　the　Underdark。　They　were　in　a　realm　more　suited　to　the　wizard；　on　their　way　to　a　world　only　a　priestess　could　appreciate。　The　time　for　Valas　Hune　to　step　aside　was　at　hand。
　　　Among　the　trinkets　and　talismans　that　adorned　his　vest　was　a　cameo　made　of　deep　green　jade　that　he　wore　upside　down。　He　looked　around；　making　sure　that　none　of　the　others　were　looking　at　him。　They　were　all　too　busy　standing　in　awe　of　the　difference　in　the　air　and　water；　obsessed　with　the　feel　of　the　ship　moving　across　the　shadow…water；　to　notice　him。　Touching　the　cameo　with　one　finger；　the　scout　whispered　a　single　word　and　closed　his　eyes　while　a　wave　of　dizziness　passed　through　him。
　　　Having　sent　his　message　back　to　his　superiors　at　Bregan　D'aerthe…　a　simple　message　they　would　easily　interpret　along　the　lines　of　〃I'm　no　longer　needed　here〃…Valas　let　go　of　the　cameo　and　joined　the　others　in　marveling　at　the　sometimes　subtle；　sometimes　extreme　differences　in　the　world　around　them。
　　　Bregan　D'aerthe　would　answer　in　their　own　time。
　　　
　　　Danifae　could　barely　contain　herself。　The　feel　of　the　deck　rocking　beneath　her　was　thrilling。　The　draining　of　color　from　the　world　around　her　was　exhilarating。　The　thought　that　they　were　on　their　way；　and　that　thus　far　everything　she'd　planned　had　e　to　fruition　excited　her。　The　presence　of　the　draegloth　next　to　her　reassured　her。
　　　Danifae　had　never　felt　better　in　her　life。
　　　〃The　wizard　will　avenge　him；〃　Jeggred　grumbled　in　what　sufficed　for　a　whisper　from　the　hulking　half…demon。
　　　〃The　wizard　will　do　what　is　best　for　the　wizard；〃　Danifae　replied。
　　　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　the　draegloth。
　　　Danifae　could　hear　the　frustration　in　his　voice。
　　　〃You　don't　fear　him；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　that。　Forget　the　wizard。　He　won't　put　his　own　life　at　risk　to　defend　Ryld　Argith；　who's　dead　anyway　and　no　longer　of　use　to　anyone。　Even　now；　if　he　isn't　too　busy　piloting　the　ship；　he's　ing　to　the　realization　that　the　weapons　master　had　abandoned　us　all…including　him…anyway；　so　to　the　Hells　with　him。〃
　　　〃And　to　the　Abyss　with　us；〃　the　draegloth　said；　〃at　Pharaun's　mercy。〃
　　　〃Pharaun　has　no　more　mercy　than　you　and　I；　Jeggred；〃　said　Danifae；　〃but　he　has　his　orders　from　his　archmage　and　his　own　reasons　for　remaining　with　the　expedition。　If　he　puts　anything　at　risk　at　any　time　in　the　Shadow　Plane；　the　Astral；　or　the　Abyss；　he　dies。　Until　then；　I　want　you　to　leave　him　alone。〃
　　　〃But…〃
　　　〃No；　Jeggred；〃　Danifae　said；　turning　to　face　the　draegloth　and　look　him　directly　in　the　eyes。　In　the　dull　gloom　of　the　Shadow　Fringe；　his　eyes　glowed　an　even　more　brilliant　shade　of　crimson。　〃You　will　not　touch　him　unless　I　tell　you　to；　and　even　then　only　in　the　way　I　tell　you　to。〃
　　　〃But　Mistress。。　。〃
　　　〃Enough；〃　she　said；　her　voice　flat　with　finality。
　　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence　intruded　upon　only　by　the　creak　of　the　rigging　and　the　strangely　echoing　water　splashing　against　the　living　bone　of　the　ship　of　chaos。
　　　〃As　you　wish；　Mistress；〃　the　draegloth　said　finally。
　　　Danifae　forced　herself　not　to　smile。
　　　
　　　You　will　grow　accustomed　to　the　motion　after　a　time；　Mistress；　Yngoth　reassured　her。　Eventually；　you　won't　notice　it　at　all。
　　　The　vipers　could　speak　to　her；　directly　into　her　mind；　but　Quenthel　didn't　know　they　could　sense　what　she　was　feeling。　She　hadn't　articulated；　aloud　or　telepathically；　how　unfortable　she　was　with　the　motion　of　the　undulating　deck。
　　　It's　the　water　that's　pushing　us　up　and　down；　K'Sothra　offered。
　　　Quenthel　ignored　her；　choosing　instead　to　look　out　into　the　cold　gloom　of　the　Shadow　Fri