war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第26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！


　　　Danifae　read　her　intent　perfectly。　The　girl　picked　up　the　morningstar　and　hefted　it　in　her　hand；　feeling　out　its　balance。　As　Halisstra　had　hoped；　the　second　dwarf　became　nervous；　watching　a　dark　elf　handle　merchandise　so　valuable。　He　set　down　his　work　and　moved　over　to　keep　a　closer　eye　on　her；　making　sure　he　stood　between　Danifae　and　the　door。　Danifae　immediately　began　to　offer　a　variety　of　ments　about　the　arms；　admiring　the　mail；　questioning　the　strength　of　the　enchantments；　and　generally　engaging　the　fellow　in　conversation。
　　　〃It'll　take　five　times　that　weight　of　gemstones；〃　the　duergar　at　the　counter　told　Halisstra。　〃And　they'll　have　to　be　good　stones；　too。〃
　　　〃Very　well；　then；〃　Halisstra　said。
　　　She　shrugged　a　leather　case　from　her　back　and　set　it　on　the　countertop。　Unwrapping　it　carefully；　she　withdrew　her　lyre；　a　small；　curved　instrument　of　dragonbone；　strung　with　mithral　wire　and　chased　with　mithral　filigree。
　　　〃As　you　can　see；　it's　an　exquisite　piece　of　work；〃　she　said。
　　　She　picked　it　up　and　strummed　it　as　if　to　show　off　its　qualities…and　quietly　sang　a　bae'qeshel　song。　The　dwarf　gaped　at　her；　then　recoiled　in　horror　when　he　realized　she　was　casting　a　spell。　Before　he　could　call　out　a　warning；　the　magic　of　the　song　ensnared　him。
　　　〃What's　going　on　there？〃　the　duergar　watching　Danifae　demanded。
　　　〃Tell　your　friend　it's　all　right；〃　Halisstra　whispered　across　the　counter。　〃You　don't　want　the　lyre。〃
　　　〃It's　fine；〃　the　first　dwarf　said。　〃She's　offering　the　lyre；　but　we　don't　want　it。〃
　　　〃Of　course　not；〃　the　second　muttered。　〃Do　you　see　any　instruments　in　here？〃
　　　He　returned　his　attention　to　Danifae；　who　asked　him　about　the　best　way　to　care　for　mail　in　damp　places。
　　　〃Now；〃　said　Halisstra　to　the　dwarf　she'd　beguiled；　〃we're　a　little　far　apart　at　the　moment；　but　I'm　certain　we　can　strike　a　good　bargain。　You're　going　to　sell　us　the　arms　my　handmaid　is　looking　over。　Will　you　take　the　emeralds　as　a　down　payment？　I　will　e　back　in　a　couple　of　days　with　a　very　handsome　sum　to　square　my　account。〃
　　　〃The　stones'll　do　as　a　down　payment；〃　the　merchant　allowed；　〃but　my　partner　won't　be　happy　with　that。　He'll　think　you　don't　mean　to　e　back。〃
　　　〃Let　him　think　I've　paid　in　full；　then；　and　he　won't　trouble　you。〃　Halisstra　said。
　　　She　thought　for　a　moment　more；　then　leaned　forward　and　held　the　fellow　with　her　eye。
　　　〃You　know；〃　she　said　softly；　〃if　something　were　to　happen　to　your　partner；　the　entire　business　would　be　yours　to　run　as　you　see　fit；　wouldn't　it？　You　could　keep　all　of　the　profits；　couldn't　you？〃
　　　An　avaricious　gleam　came　to　the　merchant's　eye。
　　　〃I　think　you're　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　why　it　didn't　occur　to　me　before！〃
　　　〃Patience；〃　Halisstra　advised。　〃Anytime　today　would　be　fine。　Oh；　and　I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　didn't　mention　to　anyone　else　that　my　friend　and　I　had　done　business　with　you。　Let's　just　keep　this　between　the　two　of　us。〃
　　　
　　　Nimor　departed　Menzoberranzan；　carrying　various　payments　and　tokens　to　indicate　that　Reethk　Vaszune　had　entered　into　an　arrangement　to　provide　the　wizards　of　Agrach　Dyrr　with　certain　spell　reagents　and　ponents　on　the　small　chance　that　he　might　be　required　to　talk　his　way　out　of　the　city。　The　details　of　the　true　arrangement　he　had　forged　he　carried　in　no　place　except　his　own　mind。　The　Anointed　Blade　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　was　well　satisfied　with　his　work　of　the　past　few　days。　While　he　did　not　strictly　need　Agrach　Dyrr　for　what　he　had　in　mind；　the　acmodation　he'd　reached　with　the　ancient　master　of　the　House　would　make　the　task　ahead　of　him　much　easier。
　　　Nimor　slipped　from　the　Qu'ellarz'orl　into　a　small　side　cavern　leading　out　into　the　Dark　Dominion。　He　had　e　to　know　the　maze　of　dangerous　passages　surrounding　the　great　city　quite　well　in　the　past　few　months；　and　he　quickly　found　a　dark；　quiet　spot　unobserved　by　any　of　the　city's　defenders。　The　Anointed　Blade　stretched　out　his　hand　toward　the　blank　stone　of　the　passage　wall。　The　Ring　of　Shadows　gleamed　on　his　left　hand；　a　small　circle　of　inky　darkness　that　seemed　more　like　a　tiny　hole　in　the　world　than　a　piece　of　ornamentation。　Among　its　other　powers；　the　ring　made　available　to　him　the　ability　to　walk　paths　in　the　Plane　of　Shadow　and　so　freed　him　from　many　of　the　constraints　that　travel　on　foot　would　otherwise　place　on　him。
　　　He　stepped　forward　toward　the　wall；　and　vanished　into　the　Shadow　Fringe。　His　destination　lay　not　much　more　than　a　hundred　miles　from　Menzoberranzan。　He'd　made　the　trip　several　times　before；　and　it　rarely　took　more　than　an　hour。　No　son　of　Chaulssin　had　much　to　fear　walking　among　the　shadows；　so　Nimor　occupied　himself　during　his　journey　by　weighing　the　value　of　his　alliance　with　Agrach　Dyrr；　and　wondering　whether　the　ancient　sorcerer　who　secretly　ruled　the　House　could　be　trusted　to　do　as　he　said　he　would。
　　　Nimor　followed　the　dark　path　the　ring　forged　through　the　Shadow　Fringe　for　a　measureless　span　of　time；　and　the　road　began　to　twist　back　toward　the　mundane　world。　It　was　nearly　impossible　to　judge　the　passage　of　hours　in　the　Fringe；　but　the　magic　of　the　spell　was　such　that　the　path　it　created　would；　in　its　own　time；　emerge　at　the　desired　destination。　The　assassin　set　his　hand　to　the　hilt　of　his　rapier　and　took　the　last　step　of　his　journey；　stepping　through　a　veil　of　gloom　into　a　large；　vaultlike　chamber　of　carefully　fitted　stone　blocks。　Only　one　door　led　from　the　room；　a　great　portal　of　iron　reinforced　by　strengthening　spells。　Nimor　drew　from　beneath　his　mail　vest　a　large　bronze　key　and　fitted　it　to　the　looming　portal。　The　door　swung　open　with　a　squeal　of　rust。
　　　Beyond　the　door　stood　a　great；　dark　hall　lit　by　red…glowing　coals　in　iron　braziers。　Like　the　vault　it　was　made　of　dressed　stone；　its　ceiling　supported　by　massive　columns；　but　unlike　similar　chambers　in　drow　palaces；　the　space　was　devoid　of　decoration　or　adornment。　Nimor　felt　the　presence　of　some　number　of　guardians；　though　they　chose　not　to　reveal　themselves。
　　　〃It　is　I；　Nimor　Imphraezl；〃　he　said。　〃Inform　the　crown　prince　that　I　am　here。〃
　　　From　the　air　beside　him　several　duergar　guards　appeared；　shedding　their　invisibility。　The　gray　dwarves　stood　a　head　shorter　than　the　drow；　but　they　were　broad　of　shoulder　and　long　of　torso；　their　legs　thick　and　short；　their　arms　powerfully　muscled。　They　wore　black　plate　armor　and　carried　battle…axes　and　shields　emblazoned　with　the　symbol　of　Gracklstugh。　One　duergar　woman；　her　rank　indicated　only　by　a　single　strip　of　gold　filigree　on　the　brow　of　her　helm；　studied　him　carefully。
　　　〃The　crown　prince　has　left　instructions　to　show　you　to　a　guest　apartment　in　the　palace。　He　will　call　on　you　shortly。〃
　　　She　made　the　courtesy　sound　like　an　order。
　　　The　assassin　folded　his　arms　and　suffered　himself　to　be　marched　off　by　a　pair　of　the　prince's　own　Stone　Guards。　The　gray　dwarves　eyed　him　uneasily；　as　if　they　expected　mischief　from　Nimor。　In　truth；　there　was　little　love　lost　between　duergar　and　drow；　despite　the　fact　that　Menzoberranzan　and　Gracklstugh　had　stood　as　neighbors　for　millennia。　Gray　dwarf　and　dark　elf　had　fought　more　than　one　vicious　war　for　control　of　the　hundred…odd　miles　of　cavern　and　chasm　that　lay　between　the　two　cities。　The　fact　that　no　such　war　had　been　fought　in　a　century　or　more　simply　indicated　that　both　races　had　e　to　hold　a　grudging　respect　for　their　enemy's　strength；　and　not　any　real　lessening　of　the　ill　will　between　them。
　　　The　guards　led　him　through　the　labyrinthine　corridors　of　Gracklstugh's　palace　and　showed　him　to　a　large　suite　in　a　disused　portion　of　the　fortress。　The　furnishings　were　simple　and　functional；　as　fitted　duergar　taste。　Nimor　settled　down　to　wait；　moving　over　to　gaze　out　of　a　slitlike　window　at　the　gray　dwarf　city　beyond　the　palace。　The　city　was　as　unlovely　as　ever；　a　reeking　cauldron　of　smoke　and　noise。
　　　After　a　time；　Nimor　noted　the　approach　of　footsteps　outside　and　turned　as　Horgar　Steelshadow　entered　the　suite；　flanked　by　a　pair　of　Stone　Guards。
　　　〃Ah；〃　the　dark　elf　said；　inclining　his　head。　〃A　good　day　to　you；　my　lord。　How　fares　the　City　of　Blades？〃
　　　〃I　doubt　that　you　care；〃　Horgar　replied。　For　the　ruler　of　such　a　po