war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第38部分

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mes　her　nephew　could　be　so　thickheaded。
　　　〃I　know　he　came　back　the　first　time　he　went　to　speak　to　Oothoon；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　talking　about　the　second　time　he…〃
　　　Hearing　a　third　voice…one　she　recognized…Quenthel　stopped　so　abruptly　that　Jeggred　bumped　into　her　from　behind。　So　surprised　was　she　by　the　sound　of　the　voice；　she　didn't　even　think　to　draw　her　whip　and　lash　the　draegloth　for　this　transgression。　Instead　she　swore　softly　under　her　breath…a　curse　that　would　have　invoked　the　wrath　of　Lolth；　had　the　goddess　been　able　to　hear　it…then　she　rushed　forward；　scrambling　up　the　incline　that　led　away　from　the　river　tunnel；　toward　the　cavern　from　which　the　voices　came。
　　　The　entrance　to　the　cavern　was　a　narrow　one；　and　Quenthel　had　to　squeeze　past　a　mushroom…shaped　stalagmite　to　get　inside。　Through　the　opening　she　saw　Valas　and　Danifae　sitting　on　a　natural　shelf　of　rock；　sharing　a　bricklike　loaf　of　pressed　fungus。　A　moment　later　she　saw　the　third　speaker；　standing　a　little　apart　from　them　and　holding　a　small　spherical　object　in　front　of　one　eye　as　he　chanted　the　words　to　a　spell。
　　　Quenthel's　ears　hadn't　lied。　It　was　Pharaun；　alive；　whole；　and　without　a　single　aboleth　tooth　mark　anywhere　on　him。
　　　〃Ah；　Mistress；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said；　stopping　in　mid…incantation　and　lowering　the　glass　sphere。　〃I　was　just　casting　a　spell　to　help　me　look　for　you。〃
　　　Quenthel　stood　frozen　in　the　cavern　entrance；　mouth　hanging　open。　Even　her　serpents　had　stopped　their　usual　writhing　and　were　rigid　with　surprise；　eyes　staring；　unblinking。　Then；　as　Valas　and　Danifae　looked　up…and　gaped　back　at　her…Quenthel　realized　how　foolish　she　must　have　looked。
　　　Pharaun　tucked　the　sphere　inside　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi。
　　　〃You're　wondering　why　I'm　still　alive；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　question　she　hadn't　dared　to　ask。　〃The　answer　is　simple：　a　contingency　spell　that　I　prepared　before　visiting　Zanhoriloch。　I　was　expecting　something　like　that　little　surprise　you　gave　the　aboleth　matriarch；　though　I'm　surprised　you　were　willing　to　part　with　one　of　your　beads　of　force。　Still；　it　served　its　purpose；　I　suppose。〃
　　　〃What　contingency　spell？〃　Quenthel　asked；　still　not　understanding。
　　　Valas；　having　quickly　recovered　from　the　shock　of　seeing　Quenthel　alive；　bit　off　a　chunk　of　fungus　loaf　and　chewed。　Danifae　sprang　to　her　feet　and　clambered　down　the　shelf　of　rock　toward　Quenthel；　exclaiming　her　relief　and　joy　at　the　fact　that　her　mistress　was　alive。　Quenthel　stared　at　Pharaun；　ignoring　both　the　lesser　priestess…who　was　kneeling　before　her　in　a　bow…and　Jeggred；　who　was　crowding　close　behind　her　to　stare　over　her　shoulder。
　　　〃You　see？〃　Jeggred　grunted；　his　foul　breath　hot　in　her　ear。　〃He　came　back。〃
　　　〃Before　teleporting　to　Zanhoriloch　I　cast　a　number　of　spells；〃　Pharaun　explained　at　last。　〃One　of　them　was　a　contingency　that　would　teleport　me　back　to　these　tunnels　if　certain　events　occurred。　I　made　the　condition　simple；　and　specific。　The　spell　was　triggered　the　moment　an　aboleth…Oothoon；　as　it　turned　out…tried　to　eat　me。〃
　　　Oothoon　ate　him？　K'Sothra　asked。
　　　Be　silent！　Yngoth　shot　back。　Then；　to　Quenthel；　the　viper　said；　Tell　him　you　knew　this　would　happen…that　you　were　counting　on　his　resourcefulness。
　　　Quenthel　smiled　and　said；　〃I　expected　no　less　of　you；　Master　Pharaun。　You　are　truly　resourceful。〃
　　　Pharaun　returned　the　smile　with　eyes　just　as　cold　as　Quenthel's。　The　looks　they　exchanged　made　it　clear　that　knives　had　been　drawn…and　would　be　plunged　home　when　the　time　was　right。
　　　〃Thank　you；〃　Pharaun　said；　acknowledging　her　false　pliment。　〃You　are　wiser　。　。　。　Mistress　。　。　。　than　I　thought。　How　clever　of　you　to　escape　the　aboleth。　Your　'death'　was　in　fact　a　ruse　of　the　highest　order。　You　have　the　very　mind　of　a　demon；　when　it　es　to　trickery；　and　I　mend　you　for　it。　No　doubt　you　managed　to　get　the　location　of　the　ship　out　of　Oothoon；　in　return　for　my　life？〃
　　　Quenthel　frowned。　Had　the　mage　deliberately　hissed　when　using　her　title？　It　was　almost　as　if　he　suspected　the　idea　had　e　from　her　serpents　all　along。　Which　it　only　partially　had。　The　vipers　had　made　a　few　suggestions；　it　was　true；　but　it　had　been　Quenthel　who　had　pulled　everything　together；　who　had　seen　the　pattern　those　suggestions　wove。
　　　Of　course　it　was　your　idea；　Hsiv　soothed。
　　　We　are　but　your　servants；　added　Yngoth。
　　　You　are　a　priestess　of　the　great　Spider　Queen；　and　we　bow　to　your　wisdom　in　all　things；　Zinda　said。
　　　Quenthel　nodded　and　absently　stroked　the　largest　viper's　head。
　　　K'Sothra　twisted　around　to　look　at　Hsiv　and　said；　But　she…
　　　Silence；　the　elder　viper　interrupted。
　　　Yes；　silence；　Quenthel　snapped；　her　irritation　rising　to　the　surface　once　more。　I　can　barely　hear　myself　think；　with　all　of　you　talking　at　once。
　　　She　squeezed　the　rest　of　the　way　into　the　cavern；　Jeggred　following　close　behind。
　　　〃I　did　discover　the　location　of　the　ship　of　chaos；〃　she　told　Pharaun　and　the　others。　〃It　went　down　in　the　Lake　of　Shadows。〃　She　turned　to　Valas　and　asked；　〃I　assume　you've　heard　of　this　lake？〃
　　　The　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout　chewed　a　moment…annoying　Quenthel；　who　was　used　to　more　prompt　answers。　Her　hand　fell　to　the　handle　of　her　whip；　and　she　was　just　about　to　draw　it　and　threaten　to　flog　an　answer　out　of　him　when　he　stood；　wiping　the　last　crumbs　of　fungus　loaf　from　his　mouth。　Why　couldn't　he　be　like　Danifae　who；　she　was　pleased　to　see；　had　scurried　back　a　pace　or　two？　The　lesser　priestess　was　suitably　cowed　by　the　vipers；　which　were　nearly　spitting　in　anticipation　of　tasting　flesh　once　more。
　　　〃It's　a　large　lake；〃　the　scout　continued；　obviously　sensing　the　high　priestess's　impatience；　〃about　the　same　size　as　Lake　Thoroot。　The　two　are　connected　by　an　underground　river。〃
　　　〃Flowing　in　which　direction？〃　Quenthel　asked。
　　　〃Toward　Lake　Thoroot；　from　the　northwest。〃
　　　〃How　far？〃　asked　Pharaun。
　　　〃About　the　same　distance　away　as　the　Fireflow；〃　Valas　said；　and　Pharauns　eyes　lit　with　recognition。　〃By　surface　and　tunnel；　that's　about　a　tenday's　march　from　here。　The　river　might　be　longer；　especially　moving　upstream。〃
　　　Quenthel　nodded；　pleased　to　see　they　were　getting　somewhere　at　last。
　　　Turning　to　Pharaun；　she　said；　〃We'll　set　out　for　the　Lake　of　Shadows　at　once。　Prepare　your　water…breathing　spells。〃
　　　Pharaun's　eyebrows　rose　and　he　asked；　〃You　intend　that　we　swim　there？〃
　　　〃Of　course；〃　Quenthel　said。
　　　〃That　won't　work。〃
　　　Quenthel　squeezed　her　whip　handle　so　tightly　the　serpents　spat　venom。
　　　〃Why　not？〃　she　asked　through　gritted　teeth。
　　　〃For　one　thing；　if　we　use　an　underwater　route；　the　aboleth　will　follow　us；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃We're　too　tasty　a　treat　to　let　go；　and　we'd　end　up　fighting　them　all　the　way。　For　another；　as　our　able　scout　mentioned；　if　the　connecting　river　flows　from　the　Lake　of　Shadows　to　Lake　Thoroot；　we'll　be　swimming　against　the　current。　That　could　make　the　journey　much　longer　than　a　tenday；　and　there　will　be　no　place　for　me　to　stop　and　re…study　my　spell　along　the　way。　When　its　magic　runs　out；　we'll　all　drown。〃
　　　Quenthel　was　furious…but　even　through　her　rage；　she　could　see　that　the　mage　was　right。
　　　Why　didn't　you　think　of　this？　she　thought　furiously　at　her　whip　vipers。
　　　A　hissing　match　ensued；　in　which　each　of　the　vipers　berated　the　other　four　for　not　realizing　something　so　obvious。
　　　At　last；　Hsiv　answered。　Our　apologies；　Mistress。　It　will　not　happen　again。
　　　Valas　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃There　is　more　than　one　approach　to　the　Lake　of　Shadows。　Chosing　the　wrong　one；　farther　from　the　ship；　could　cost　us　days　。　。　。　even　tendays。　Did　Oothoon　mention　anything　else　about　the　ship　of　chaos；　Mistress？　Anything　that　might　help　me　to　find　it　in　such　a　large　body　of　water？〃
　　　Quenthel；　still　glaring　at　Pharaun；　started　to　shake　her　head。　Then　she　remembered　a　passing　ment　the　aboleth　matriarch　had　made。
　　　〃Only　one　thing；〃　she　said；　〃that　the　air　above　the　lake　was　thick　with　bats。　That's　what　gave　the　lake　its　name　。　。　。　the　shadows　they　make　against　the　cavern　ceiling。〃
　　　〃That's　not　the　only　reason；　Mistress。　There　are　。。。　oddities　there；〃　Valas　said。　〃It's　said　to　be　a　gateway　of　sorts　to　the　Plane　of　Shadow。　Anyway；　I　know　where　the　Lake　of　Shadows　is；　and　I　know　of　two　different　ways　to　reach　it　that　are　reasonably　safe。〃
　　　Finally；　Quenthel　thought　then　asked；　〃What　are　they？〃
　　　〃The　lake　is　connected　to　the　surface　by　natural　chimneys　in　the　rock…that　part　of　the　Surface　Realms　that　lies　just　above　it　is　known　for　the　bats　that　fly　out　of　the　holes　in　a　cloud　every　night。　We　could　descend　through　one　of　the　chimneys…but　that　would　mean　climbing　up　to　the　World　Above　again　and　traveling　through　the　forest。〃
　　　Quenthel　considered　that…briefly。　She　wasn't　about　to　subject　herself　to　a　cold；　snowy　trudge　through　bright　sunlight　again。
　　　〃We're　not　going　back　to　the　surface；〃　she　decided。
　　　That's　wise；　Hsiv's　voice　breathed　in　her　ear。　House　Jaelre's　warriors　will　still　be　looking　for　us。
　　　〃We　want　to　avoid　House　Jaelre's　warriors；〃　Quenthel　explained　to　Valas。　〃They　either　killed　or　captured　Ryld　Argith；　the　best　warrior　we　had。　We　don't　want　to　lose　anyone　else。〃
　　　Valas's　eyes　narrowed　slightly；　and　Quenthel　wondered　if　he　was　silently　questioning　her　order。　To　remind　him　or　his　place；　she　drew　her　whip…but　held　it　by　her　side。
　　　Ha！　K'Sothra　chortled。　That　pricked　his　pride。
　　　Valas　glanced　at　the　vipers。
　　　〃As　you　mand；　Mistress；〃　he　acquiesced。　〃We'll　keep　to　the　Underdark。　But　that　leaves　only　one　other　means　of　reaching　the　Lake　of　Shadows…and　it's　a　dangerous　one。〃
　　　〃Go　on；〃　Quenthel　prompted。
　　　〃There　is　an　ancient　portal　that　gives　access　to　a　lake。　It's　a　march　of　about　four　cycles　from　here；　northward　through　a　series　of　connecting　tunnels　and　caverns。　The　portal　was　constructed　centuries　ago；　but　I　have　heard　from　a　reliable　source　that　its　magic　is　still　active。　Reaching　it；　however；　might　prove　difficult。〃
　　　Quenthel　nodded；　unperturbed　by　Valas's　grim　tone。　Everything　in　life　was　difficult…only　those　who　rose　above　difficulties　were　worthy　of　Lolth's　favors。
　　　〃We'll　make　for　the　portal；