war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第22部分

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　　　She　could　see　by　Halisstra's　reaction　that　things　between　she　and　the　weapons　master　had　gone　a　considerable　distance　toward　the　bizarre。　The　light　and　air　of　the　World　Above　must　have　affected　Halisstra　in　unpredictable　ways。　Danifae　marveled　at　how　such　a　thing　might　be　possible。
　　　You　sit　in　Reverie　against　his　back？　Danifae　asked。
　　　Halisstra　drew　herself　to　her　full　height　and　tried　to　recapture　the　manner　of　a　slaveholder。　Danifae　was　unwilling　to　play　the　part　of　the　battle…captive。
　　　Instead　of　flying　into　a　rage；　Halisstra　simply　relaxed。
　　　Do　you　sit　the　same　way　with　Quenthel？　Halisstra　signed。
　　　Danifae　made　a　convincing　show　of　being　unfortable　with　that　question。　She　was　intimate　with　Quenthel　not　out　of　some　alien　emotion　like　love　or　passion　but　because　Quenthel　could　help　her。　Quenthel；　in　turn；　used　Danifae　for　physical　pleasure　and　to　gain　a　toady。　It　was　all　perfectly　natural。　Halisstra；　however；　seemed　to　have　turned　a　corner　with　Ryld　Argith；　and　that　was　something　Danifae　knew　she　could　exploit。
　　　You　said　that　Quenthel　is　taking　the　expedition　back　to　the　Abyss；　Halisstra　signed；　changing　the　subject。　Why？　Why　that　way？　Why　all　that？
　　　Danifae　could　have　given　her　some　of　the　reasons；　but　some　were　still　not　clear　to　her。
　　　I　can　explain　all；　Danifae　lied；　but　I　must　return　to　Sschindylryn。　Valas　will　grow　suspicious；　then　he'll　leave　without　me。　I　have　to　go　back　to　the　Underdark　then　back　to　the　Lake　of　Shadows。　I　will　contact　you　again。
　　　Halisstra　looked　her　up　and　down；　appraising　her。
　　　〃I'll　be　waiting；〃　Halisstra　whispered　in　Danifae's　ear。
　　　Danifae　nodded；　gave　Halisstra　a　slight　bow；　and　did　her　best　to　look　at　the　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn　with　a　face　full　of　sisterhood　and　friendliness。
　　　When　Halisstra　disappeared　into　the　dark　forest；　Danifae　signed　after　her；　We'll　meet　again　very　soon；　Halisstra　Melarn。　Sooner　than　you　think。
　　　Danifae　touched　the　ring　she'd　taken　from　the　dying　Zinnirit；　and　a　second　or　two　of　bizarre　sensation　later　and　she　was　back　at　the　gatehouse。
　　　Perfect；　thought　Danifae。　It　worked　perfectly。
　　　
Chapter　Eleven
　　　Valas　purchased　more　supplies　than　he　probably　should　have…three　large　bags　that　carried　more　than　would　seem　possible　from　their　size　or　weight…but　he　couldn't　help　thinking　they'd　be　gone　longer　than　Pharaun　had　estimated。　Already　their　journey　had　lasted　longer　than　any　of　them　had　assumed　when　they'd　left　Menzoberranzan。
　　　He　sat　at　a　small　table　in　an　open　cafe　high　up　and　in　the　center　of　the　ziggurat…city；　waiting　for　Danifae。　The　battle…captive　hadn't　been　joking；　obviously；　when　she'd　told　him　that　she　would　ignore　his　summons。　Valas　wasn't　necessarily　anxious　to　return　to　the　Lake　of　Shadows；　but　he　did　want　to　leave　the　city。　Dark　elves　throughout　Sschindylryn　were　looking　over　their　shoulders。　Tempers　were　short；　and　the　lesser　races　had　a　dangerous　gleam　in　their　eyes。　The　city　wasn't　quite　as　bad　off　as　Ched　Nasad；　but　the　scout　could　see　it　was　headed　in　that　direction　and　sooner　rather　than　later。
　　　〃Waiting　for　me？〃　Danifae　asked。
　　　Valas　turned；　surprised；　to　see　her　standing　behind　him。　He　hadn't　noticed　her。
　　　〃Cities。　。　。　。〃　the　scout　sighed。
　　　He　stood；　quickly　gathering　up　his　bags。
　　　〃Are　we　really　in　such　a　hurry？〃　Danifae　asked　as　she　slid　into　the　chair　across　the　table　from　him。
　　　She　looked　up　at　him　with　one　arm　raised　and　a　wide；　bright　grin　on　her　face。　She　looked　different。　Valas　couldn't　help　but　stare。
　　　〃In　the　Surface　Realms；〃　Danifae　said；　〃it's　customary　for　a　gentleman　to　buy　a　lady　a　drink。　Well；　so　I　hear。〃
　　　Valas　shook　his　head　but　found　it　difficult　to　take　his　eyes　off　the　female。
　　　The　chair　he　had　been　sitting　in　slowly　slid　toward　him。　She　pushed　it　with　her　foot　from　under　the　table。
　　　〃Order　us　a　bottle　of　algae　wine；〃　she　purred。
　　　Valas　turned　to　order　the　wine　but　stopped　himself。
　　　〃We　should　get　back；〃　he　said。　〃The　others　will　be　waiting　for　us。〃
　　　〃Let　them　wait。〃
　　　Valas　took　a　deep　breath　and　shifted　the　bags　onto　his　shoulders。
　　　〃Mistress　Quenthel　will　be　displeased；〃　he　said；　not　caring　but　wanting　to　be　on　his　way。
　　　〃Let　her　be　displeased；〃　Danifae　shot　back；　still　smiling；　but　her　eyes　grew　colder。　〃I　feel　a　bit　like　taking　a　holiday。〃
　　　〃Her　House　is　paying；〃　the　mercenary　said；　still　not　sitting　down。
　　　Danifae　looked　at　him；　and　Valas　felt　his　skin　crawl。　It　was　as　if　she　was　peeling　off　his　flesh　with　her　eyes　and　looking　inside　him。
　　　She　stood　slowly；　unfolding　herself　from　the　chair　piece　by　piece；　and　Valas　watched　every　subtle　movement　that　made　up　the　whole。　She　held　out　a　hand。
　　　〃I'll　carry　one；〃　she　said。
　　　Valas　didn't　move　to　hand　her　a　bag。
　　　Whatever　it　was　about　Danifae　that　had　changed；　Valas　was　trying　desperately　not　to　like　it。
　　　
　　　For　the　drow；　as　with　other　sentient　races　above　and　below　the　surface　of　Faerun；　each　individual　had　his　own　set　of　skills　and　talents；　his　own　individual　use　that　served　the　whole　in　some　way；　even　if　only　as　an　irritant。　In　Menzoberranzan　talent　was　something　that　was　identified　early；　and　skills　were　a　modity　traded　on　the　open　market　and　imparted　on　the　young　only　with　great　care　and　economy。　Individuality　was　accepted　only　within　certain　limits　and　rarely　if　at　all　for　males　of　the　species。
　　　〃He　is　a　lich；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said；　〃so　his　touch　will　paralyze。〃
　　　There　were　a　few　places　where　male　drow　had　some　advantage；　and　one　of　those　places　was　the　halls　of　Sorcere。　It　was　the　females　who　held　the　power；　and　when　things　were　as　they　should　be；　the　ear　of　Lolth；　but　it　was　the　males　who　were　attuned　to　the　Weave。　Of　course；　not　all　wizards　were　male　。　。　。　only　the　best　were；　and　Gromph　Baenre；　the　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan；　had　more　than　a　little　to　do　with　that。　It　was　his　responsibility；　after　all；　to　identify　talent　for　the　Art　in　young　drow　from　every　House　in　the　city；　and　it　was　his　right　to　choose　those　who　would　go　to　Sorcere　to　study。　It　was　his　whim　that　decided　whether　or　not　they　would　ever　finish　their　course　of　study。　The　fact　that　the　majority　of　wizards　in　Menzoberranzan　were　male　was　no　coincidence；　no　accident　of　birth　or　statistics；　but　a　carefully　and　often　less　than　subtly　played　turn　in　the　great　sava　game　of　the　City　of　Spiders。　That　most　females　preferred　serving　Lolth　anyway　only　made　that　bit　of　manipulation　easier。
　　　〃He　will　radiate　an　aura　of　fear；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　continued；　〃but　you　probably　won't　be　affected　by　that。〃
　　　While　there　was　no　question　that　the　priestesses　had　and　would　always　have　dominion　over　the　city；　his　dominion　over　the　Art　was　simply　a　small　consolation…something　that　would　warm　Gromph's　heart　in　his　private　moments。　With　Lolth　silent；　withdrawn；　and　the　priestesses　scrambling　for　answers；　thrown　into　the　sort　of　chaos　only　a　demon　goddess　could　conjure　。　。　。　well；　things　had　changed。
　　　〃Once　in　each　twenty…four　hour　cycle；〃　said　the　Master　of　Sorcere；　〃he　can　kill　with　a　touch。〃
　　　The　strangest　thing；　for　Gromph；　about　the　shift　in　power　was　how　little　he　liked　it。　He　had；　after　all；　spent　a　lifetime　manipulating　the　system　to　best　serve　his　House　and　himself。　When　the　system　faltered；　he　might　have　been　in　a　position　to　unseat　his　sister　and　the　rest　of　the　matron　mothers　and　take　control　of　Menzoberranzan　himself…but　why？　What　would　he　hope　to　gain？　How　could　his　position　be　any　better？　He　enjoyed　all　the　benefits　of　House　Baenre's　position　and　Sorcere's；　but　there　was　always　someone　else　onto　whom　he　could　deflect　responsibility；　always　someone　who　could　be　manipulated。
　　　〃There　are　a　number　of　spell　effects　that　will　be　of　no　concern　to　the　lich；〃　said　the　master。　〃These　include　cold；　lightning；　poison；　paralysis；　disease；　necromancy；　polymorph；　and　spells　that　affect　or　influence　the　mind。　Best　not　even　to　bother　preparing　such　enchantments。〃
　　　Gromph　was　the　third　most　powerful　dark　elf　in　Menzoberranzan；　and　Lolth　be　damned；　he　liked　it　that　way。
　　　〃He　will　likely　be　wearing　a　robe　of　black　silk；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　continued；　〃that　will　allow　him　to　conjure　a　barrier　of　whirling　blades。〃
　　　Well；　he　might　like　to　be　second；　but　still　。　。　。
　　　〃The　crown；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　finished；　〃is　more　than　simply　a　crass　affectation。　It　can　store　and　reflect　back　offensive　spells。〃
　　　So　it　was　that　Gromph　Baenre　sat　on　the　floor　of　a　very　small；　very　dark；　and　very　secret　room　in　the　deepest　heart　of　Sorcere；　surrounded　by　a　circle　of　mages　who　were　the　most　powerful　in　the　city…among　the　most　powerful　spellcasters　in　all　the　Underdark。　The　other　mages；　Masters　of　Sorcere　all；　whispered　or　chanted　and　waved　or　gesticulated；　and　tossed　into　the　air　or　pinched　between　fingers　all　manner　of　tokens；　totems；　focuses；　and　ponents。　They　showered　the　archmage　with　protective　magic；　doing　it　at　so　fast　a　pace　they'd　stopped　even　bothering　to　tell　him　what　they　were　casting　on　him。　Gromph　had　few　doubts　that　by　the　time　they　were　done；　he'd　be　immune　to　everything。　Surely　no　one　would　be　able　to　harm　him…no　one　but　a　spellcaster　of　greater　power　than　the　Masters。
　　　And　it　was　precisely　such　an　opponent　that　Gromph　meant　to　face。
　　　〃I　should　go　with　you；　Archmage；〃　Nauzhror　Baenre　said；　his　voice　conveying　a　lack　of　real　desire　in　that　regard。
　　　〃If　any　of　you　say　anything　like　that；〃　Gromph　replied；　〃even　once　more；　I　will。　。　。〃
　　　He　let　the　threat　go　unfinished。　He　wouldn't　do　anything；　and　they　all　knew　it；　but　out　of　respect　for　the　archmage；　none　of　them　suggested　going　with　him　again。　They　were　all　smart　enough　to　know　that　Gromph　meant　to　face　an　enemy　who；　all　things　being　equal；　was　the　most　dangerous　being　in　Menzoberranzan。　The　lichdrow　was　a　spellcaster　of　extraordinary；　sometimes　almost　godlike；　power。　Of　course　they　didn't　really　want　to　face　him　in　the　way　that　Gromph　meant　to：　toe　to　toe　in　a　spell　duel　that　would　surely　find　its　place　in　drow　history。
　　　That　duel　was　something　only　the　archmage　could　fight。　In　Menzoberranzan；　it　had　e　down　to　that：　male　against　male；　wizard　aga