war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第47部分

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f　snow　shifted　and　fell　as　the　weird　wind　increased　to　a　wild；　shrieking　gale。　Halisstra　raised　a　hand　to　shield　her　eyes　from　flying　dust　and　grit。　Through　it　all；　she　heard　Pharaun's　voice　growing　deeper；　more　powerful；　as　the　spell　took　on　a　life　of　its　own　and　seemed　to　drag　itself　from　his　throat。　She　lost　her　footing　and　slid　awkwardly　to　one　knee；　her　hair　whipping　around　her　head　like　something　alive。
　　　The　magic　of　Pharaun's　divination　bore　him　aloft。　Arms　still　outstretched；　he　revolved　in　the　air　as　the　winds　circled　with　him。　His　eyes　were　blank　and　silver；　cast　upward　to　the　heavens。　A　nimbus　of　green　energy　began　to　coalesce　around　the　wizard's　body；　and　he　gave　out　a　great　howl　of　anguish。　Bolts　of　emerald　fire　exploded　from　his　halo　to　scour　and　blast　at　the　boulders　nearby。　Each　green　ray　sliced　into　rock　like　a　rapier　into　soft　flesh；　causing　the　stones　to　split　and　flake　with　deafening　cracks。　Where　each　green　bolt　played；　a　black　rune　or　pattern　formed　in　the　damaged　stone；　appearing　as　if　etched　by　acid　in　the　exposed　rock。　The　designs　made　Halisstra's　eyes　ache　to　look　at　them；　and　from　the　air　in　the　center　of　the　clearing；　Pharaun　began　to　mutter　in　a　horrible　voice　that　somehow　carried　through　the　wind　and　thunder。
　　　〃Five　days　west　lies　a　small　river；〃　the　wizard　intoned。　〃Turn　south　and　follow　its　dark　swift　waters　upstream　another　day；　to　the　gates　of　Minauthkeep。　The　Masked　Lord's　servant　dwells　there。　He　will　aid　you　and　betray　you；　though　neither　in　the　manner　you　expect。　Each　of　you　save　one　will　mit　betrayal　before　your　quest　is　done。〃
　　　The　spell　concluded。　The　wind　died　away；　the　green　energy　dissipated；　and　Pharaun　came　slumping　down　from　his　lofty　perch　as　if　he'd　been　dropped　from　a　rooftop。　The　wizard　struck　the　hard　earth　awkwardly　and　crumpled；　huddling　with　his　face　in　the　cold　slush　covering　the　ground。　As　the　reverberations　of　the　spell's　violence　fell　away　in　the　snowy　wood；　the　black…etched　runes　carved　into　rocks　and　boulders　faded　as　well；　flaking　away　in　tiny　bits　of　ebon　dust　that　evaporated　within　the　space　of　moments。
　　　The　rest　of　the　pany　straightened　and　exchanged　dark　looks。
　　　〃I　can　see　why　he's　slow　to　cast　that　spell；〃　Ryld　remarked。
　　　He　moved　forward　and　caught　Pharaun　by　one　feebly　waving　arm；　turning　him　over　and　checking　for　any　obvious　signs　of　injury。　Pharaun　looked　up　and　managed　a　weak　grin。
　　　〃Good　news　and　bad；　I　suppose；〃　he　said。　〃Tzirik　seems　to　be　alive　and　well；　at　least。〃
　　　〃The　directions　are　clear；〃　Valas　said　with　care。　〃I　think　I　can　keep　us　heading　west　easily　enough。〃
　　　〃What　did　you　mean　by　that　last　bit？〃　Jeggred　said　to　Pharaun；　ignoring　Valas。　〃About　the　betrayal？〃
　　　The　draegloth　tightened　his　fists。
　　　〃About　each　of　us　betraying　someone？　Why；　I　couldn't　begin　to　guess；〃　the　wizard　said。　He　coughed　and　sat　upright；　waving　away　Ryld's　help。　〃It's　the　nature　of　the　magic　to　offer　cryptic　predictions　like　that；　threatening　little　riddles　that　you　have　little　hope　of　solving　until　it　suddenly　bees　obvious　that　the　event　you　feared　has　e　to　pass。〃　He　offered　a　wry　chuckle。　〃If　only　one　of　us　doesn't　have　some　shocking　act　of　treachery　to　pull　off　in　the　near　future；　I　must　say　I'd　like　to　know　who's　sleeping　on　the　job。　He'll　tarnish　our　reputation　if　he's　not　careful。〃
　　　Halisstra　studied　the　rest　of　the　pany；　noting　the　impassive　faces；　the　thoughtful　eyes。　Danifae　met　her　gaze　with　a　slight　smile　and　the　merest　flicker　of　her　gray　eyes　toward　Quenthel；　a　gesture　so　small　and　secret　that　no　one　save　Halisstra　could　note　it。
　　　Despite　the　wizard's　easy　dismissal　of　the　exact　words　of　the　divination；　she　wasn't　pleased　to　learn　that　every　one　of　her　panions　would　at　some　point　in　the　future　mit　some　kind　of　treacherous　act　or　another。　Or；　more　likely；　all　but　one　of　her　panions。　Just　because　Halisstra　planned　no　immediate　act　of　betrayal　didn't　mean　she　might　not　choose　to　take　advantage　of　an　opportunity　arising　later。　She　had　not　held　her　rank　as　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn　without　developing　a　certain　ruthless　instinct　for　such　things。　If　ruin　had　not　e　to　Ched　Nasad；　Halisstra　didn't　doubt　that　at　some　point　in　the　fullness　of　time　she　would　have　seriously　plotted　against　her　own　mother　to　claim　leadership　of　the　house。　Matron　Melarn　had　unseated　Halisstra's　grandmother　in　the　same　manner　and　for　the　same　reasons　many　hundreds　of　years　past。　It　was　no　more　or　less　than　the　Spider　Queen's　way。
　　　〃Well；〃　Pharaun　said　as　he　pushed　himself　to　his　feet；　still　shivering。　The　wizard　accepted　his　pack　from　Ryld；　moving　gingerly。　〃It　seems　I　have　provided　a　destination。　So　which　way　is　west；　Master　Hune？〃
　　　Valas　nodded　toward　the　near　side　of　the　clearing　and　said；　〃There　are　a　couple　of　game　trails　leading　more　or　less　toward　the　setting　sun。〃
　　　〃e；〃　said　Quenthel。　〃The　sooner　we　set　out；　the　sooner　we　arrive。　I　have　no　wish　to　spend　one　hour　more　than　we　must　in　this　light…seared　land。　Master　Hune；　you　will　take　your　customary　place　as　our　guide。　Master　Argith；　you　will　acpany　him。　Halisstra；　you　will　bring　up　the　rear　and　keep　an　eye　behind　us。〃
　　　Halisstra　frowned　and　shifted　unfortably。　That　struck　her　as　a　job　suitable　for　a　male。　In　their　travels　over　the　past　few　days　Jeggred　had　customarily　brought　up　the　rear。　It　didn't　escape　Halisstra　that　changing　the　order　of　the　march　kept　Jeggred　close　by　Quenthel；　where　the　draegloth　could　protect　the　Baenre　priestess　from　any　attack。　She　likewise　noted　that　Quenthel　had　referred　to　both　Valas　and　Ryld　as　〃master；〃　while　calling　her　only　Halisstra。
　　　There　was　no　point　in　protesting；　of　course；　so　she　only　waited　as　the　rest　of　the　pany　filed　off　into　the　woods；　following　Valas's　path。　She　unslung　her　crossbow　and　made　sure　the　weapon　was　ready　for　quick　use。　After　allowing　the　rest　of　the　pany　a　lead　of　about　fifty　yards；　Halisstra　set　off　after　them。
　　　
　　　The　surface　woodland　proved　to　be　a　strange　and　disquieting　place。　As　the　party　moved　away　from　the　clearing's　edge；　the　tangled　underbrush　vanished；　leaving　only　an　endless　green　hall　of　round　trunks　rising　to　the　forest　roof　above；　like　the　pillars　of　some　dark　elven　hall　somewhere　in　the　Lands　Below。　Old；　fallen　logs　lay　scattered　here　and　there；　covered　in　bright　green　moss。　Some　were　so　large　that　the　pany　had　to　detour　hundreds　of　feet　around　them；　or　scramble　awkwardly　over　or　under。　A　dusting　of　snow　had　filtered　to　the　ground；　and　cold　water　dripped　steadily　from　the　branches　above。　Unlike　the　lifeless　desolation　of　Anauroch；　the　forest　was　filled　not　only　with　mighty　trees　and　twining　brambles；　but　all　manner　of　small　birds　and　animals。　After　a　dozen　heart…stopping　starts；　Halisstra　soon　learned　to　identify　a　number　of　discrete　birdcalls　and　animal　sounds　and　relegate　them　to　the　realm　of　the　insignificant。
　　　She　had　at　first　feared　that　she　would　easily　lose　sight　of　the　pany　ahead；　but　away　from　the　crowded　foliage　by　the　infrequent　clearings；　the　underbrush　consisted　of　ferns　and　other　green　plants　rarely　more　than　waist　high。　As　darkness　fell　over　the　forest　floor；　her　vision　improved；　and　Halisstra　felt　more　and　more　fortable。
　　　The　drow　marched　on　through　the　night；　halting　a　little　before　daybreak　to　set　up　camp　in　an　old　ruined　tower　whose　broken　white　stones　were　covered　by　moss。　Smooth　and　delicately　veined；　the　place　showed　remarkable　elegance　of　form；　and　the　lintel　of　its　long…vanished　door　was　carved　in　a　flowering　vine　design…clearly　the　work　of　surface　elves。　After　Pharaun　checked　the　place　for　lingering　spells　that　could　be　dangerous　to　drow；　the　pany　made　camp　to　pass　the　painful　bright　hours　of　the　day。　Quenthel　ordered　Jeggred　and　Pharaun　to　keep　watch；　and　the　others　enjoyed　the　shade　and　safety　provided　by　the　partial　floors　and　graceful　walls　of　the　ruined　tower。
　　　At　sundown　they　ate；　broke　camp；　and　set　off　again；　in　the　same　order　as　before；　marching　again　through　the　night。　They　passed　the　next　two　days　and　nights　in　much　the　same　way；　resting　while　the　sun　was　out　and　traveling　by　night。　Valas　even　managed　to　shoot　a　small；　hoofed　animal　a　little　before　dawn　at　the　end　of　their　third　night　of　travel；　a