war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第17部分

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　of　Ched　Nasad。　The　store　offered　fashionable；　decorative　silk　wraps　and　other　clothing；　but　the　fiend　crouching　on　Its　rounded；　co…coonlike　roof　was　not　interested　in　making　a　purchase。　Instead；　she　watched　intently　as　Pharaun　and　the　other　two　drow　males　turned　away　from　the　slaughter　of　one　of　their　own　race　and　strolled　calmly　in　the　other　direction。　She　observed　them　as　they　disappeared　down　one　of　the　calcified　webs　that　served　as　a　street　in　the　unusual　city。　When　they　were　almost　out　of　sight；　she　hopped　down　from　her　van…Sage　point　and　strode　off　after　them。
　　　Aliisza　was　not　terribly　surprised　that　the　three　dark　elves　she　was　shadowing　had　not　aided　the　drunken　priestess。　She　had　seen　far　too　much　nonchalance　in　the　city　since　she　had　arrived　for　it　to　strike　her　as　odd。　Still；　she　got　the　distinct　impression　that　the　entire　group　from　Menzoberranzan　was　making　a　great　effort　to　avoid　drawing　attention　to　itself。　She　intended　to　find　out　why；　but　first　things　first。
　　　The　alu　could　not　help　but　smile　as　she　made　her　way　along　the　streets；　following　the　wizard　and　his　panions　while　pretending　to　shop　for　trinkets　in　the　bazaars　and　markets。　She　studied　the　myriad　lines　of　calcified　webs　that　stretched　across　from　one　side　of　the　massive　cavern　to　the　other；　glowing　faintly　with　magical；　flickering　light　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。　She　half　expected　to　see　some　great；　lumbering　spider　making　its　way　across　the　vast　webbing。
　　　They　sure　do　love　their　spider　motifs；　she　thought　wryly。　Everything　they　do　revolves　around　the　great　Lolth；　Queen　of　the　Spiders。　You'd　think　they　would　learn　to　diversify　a　little　bit；　try　to　bee　a　little　more　well…rounded。
　　　She　grinned　at　her　own　little　joke。　Drow　were　such　odd　creatures；　she　decided。　On　the　one　hand　so　deceitful　and　chaotic；　always　turning　on　one　another；　but　on　the　other　hand　trying　to　live　their　lives　by　some　code　or　structure；　based　on　the　tenets　of　faith　set　down　by　a　demon　who　was　as　unpredictable　as　could　possibly　be。
　　　At　least　they　universally　agree　on　one　thing；　the　alu　concluded；　they　all　think　they're　superior　to　every　other　species　in　the　Underdark；　and　on　the　surface；　too。
　　　Aliisza　watched　as　a　gaggle　of　kobold　slaves；　pushed　along　by　their　hobgoblin　slavemasters；　scurried　from　one　web　street　down　a　sloped　ramp　to　the　next　web　street　below。　All　in　all；　she　had　seen　more　species　of　creature　in　Ched　Nasad　than　she　could　imagine　being　gathered　anywhere　else。　The　〃lesser　races〃　outnumbered　the　drow　by　two　to　one；　she　figured；　and　included　surface　dwarves；　ores；　quaggoths；　bugbears；　and　others；　almost　all　of　them　slaves。　The　one　possible　exception　to　this　was　the　gray　dwarves；　who　traded　honestly　enough　with　the　drow　that　they　were　tolerated　in　the　city　as　merchants。　In　addition；　Aliisza　had　seen　an　aboleth　with　its　host　of　caretakers；　illithids；　grell；　and　what　she　suspected　must　be　a　deep　dragon；　for　though　it　too　was　disguised　as　a　dark　elf；　she　detected　the　unmistakable　scent　as　it　strolled　by。
　　　The　one　notable　exception　to　the　eclectic　collection　of　visitors　were　the　beholders；　for　which　Aliisza　was　not　in　the　least　sorry。
　　　There's　a　race　that's　even　more　fond　of　itself　than　the　dark　elves；　if　that's　even　possible；　the　alu　thought。
　　　Eye　tyrants　were　nothing　but　trouble　as　far　as　Aliisza　was　concerned；　but　fortunately　they　were　in　a　perpetual　state　of　war　with　the　drow；　so　none　were　ever　seen　in　the　vicinity。　If　she　had　caught　even　a　glimpse　of　one　inside　the　great　V…shaped　cavern；　she　would　have　turned　and　headed　the　opposite　direction　as　quickly　as　was　fiendishly　possible。
　　　The　alu　blinked；　realizing　that　with　all　her　daydreaming；　she　was　letting　her　quarry　slip　away。　Glancing　around；　she　spotted　the　trio　of　drow　heading　along　a　segment　of　web　street　toward　a　wall；　into　an　out…of…the…way　part　of　the　city。　She　realized　that　they　were　in　the　mercantile　district；　and　she　recognized　quickly　enough　that　Pharaun　and　the　others　were　headed　for　an　inn　set　along　the　end　of　the　dead…end　thoroughfare。
　　　Good；　she　thought。　Now　I　can　keep　an　eye　on　them　and　still　enjoy　the　sights　and　sounds　for　a　few　days。　Maybe　I　can　even　get　the　wizard　alone　for　a　little　while。　。　。　。
　　　
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　　　Faeryl　Zauvirr　brooded　on　the　plush　bed　while　Quenthel　stalked　back　and　forth　in　the　room　they　shared　at　the　Flame　and　Serpent。　The　high　priestess　didn't　like　to　be　kept　waiting　during　the　best　of　times；　and　she　certainly　didn't　like　being　kept　waiting　in　the　middle　of　a　strange　city；　tendays　away　from　her　homeland；　and　by　three　males；　no　less。
　　　That　damnable　Mizzrym　and　his　infuriating　smile；　Quenthel　thought。　I　should　have　Jeggred　rend　him　the　moment　he　returns。
　　　But　she　knew　she　couldn't　eliminate　the　wizard　or　even　allow　him　to　be　injured。　As　much　as　she　loathed　the　situation；　Quenthel　knew　she　was　dependent　on　Pharaun　as　a　resource。
　　　But　when　we　return　to　Menzoberranzan　。　。　。
　　　The　unfinished　thought　hovered　in　her　mind；　not　so　much　because　she　didn't　know　what　was　to　be　done　with　the　irritating　mage　but　because　she　didn't　know　when；　or　if；　she　would　see　her　home　again。
　　　It　had　been　so　long　since　she'd　last　felt　the　presence　of　Lolth；　had　last　bathed　in　the　goddess's　glory　and　favor；　that　she　wondered　if　she　even　properly　remembered　what　it　felt　like。
　　　Will　it　ever　return？　Is　she　gone？
　　　Stop　it！　Quenthel　silently　scolded　herself。　If　you　are　being　rested；　fool；　then　right　now；　your　score　is　not　high。　Not　high　at　all。　Even　if　she　did　send　you　back　for　a　purpose。
　　　Jeggred　opened　the　door　and　entered；　stooping　as　he　did　so　to　avoid　the　low　jamb　overhead。
　　　〃They　are　back；〃　he　growled；　sliding　the　door　shut　behind　him。
　　　〃Where　in　the　Hells　were　they？〃　Quenthel　asked；　still　pacing。
　　　〃They　went　for　a　walk；〃　the　draegloth　answered；　shrugging。
　　　Quenthel　looked　over　at　the　creature；　who　was　leering　at　Faeryl。　The　ambassador　looked　miserable　under　the　fiend's　scrutiny；　and　Quenthel　wanted　to　laugh；　remembering　some　of　the　things　Triel　had　told　her　about　the　Zauvirr's　torture　at　the　hands　of　Jeggred。　Even　so；　this　was　not　the　time。
　　　Quenthel　snapped；　〃Are　those　worthless　males　ing；　or　must　I　send　you　to　fetch　them？〃
　　　〃They　will　be　here　shortly；〃　Jeggred　replied；　turning　away　from　Faeryl　to　crouch　in　a　corner。　〃The　mage　told　me　he　had　something　he　needed　to　look　over　before　they　joined　us。〃　Even　down　on　his　haunches；　the　draegloth　was　as　tall　as　the　high　priestess。　His　white　mane　of　hair　cascaded　out　behind　him　as　he　examined　the　claw　of　one　hand；　picking　some　fleck　of　something　from　its　surface　with　the　hand　of　one　of　his　smaller　arms。　〃They　have　been　drinking；〃　he　finished；　not　looking　up。
　　　Quenthel　swore；　drawing　a　look　from　Faeryl；　but　the　high　priestess　didn't　care。
　　　Out　carousing；　like　foolish　boys！　she　seethed。　When　we　return；　they　shall　be　put　to　work　in　the　rothé　fields。
　　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　Quenthel　stopped　pacing　at　last；　planting　her　hands　on　her　hips　as　Jeggred　rose　to　answer　it。　When　he　swung　the　portal　open；　Pharaun；　Valas；　and　Ryld　filed　in。　Quenthel　was　surprised　to　see　the　grim　looks　on　the　faces　of　the　three　males。
　　　Before　anyone　had　a　chance　to　speak；　Pharaun　flashed；　Someone　was　watching　us　today；　with　magic。　No　one　say　a　word　until　I　ward　the　room。
　　　With　that；　he　produced　a　small　mirror　and　a　tiny　brass　horn　and　used　them　to　cast　a　spell　of　some　sort；　though　Quenthel　could　not　see　any　visible　difference。　Nor　that　she　expected　to；　but　the　idea　of　the　wizard　performing　spells　of　his　own　accord；　like　everything　he　did；　made　her　uneasy。
　　　〃The　city　is　about　to　boil　over；〃　Pharaun　said　when　he　was　finished　casting。　He　took　a　seat　on　the　couch　and　avoided　looking　directly　at　Quenthel。
　　　He　knows　he's　about　to　catch　it；　the　high　priestess　thought。
　　　〃What　do　you　mean？　Who's　been　watching　you？　And　what　were　you　doing　out　there；　anyway？　Didn't　I　instruct　you　to　get　some　rest　and　meet　back　here　before　the　evening　meal？〃
　　　〃Actually；　you　did　not；　Mistress；〃　Pharaun　answered　as　the　other　two　found　places　to　lean　against　the　far　wall。　〃You　said　that　you　were　going　to　rest；　and　you　specifically　told　us　to　leave　you　alone。　Under　such　circumstances；　I　didn't　see　the　wisdom　in　disturbing　you　with　trivialities　like　a　refreshing　walk。〃
　　　Quenthel　sighed。　Once　again　the　wizard　was　twisting　her　words　around；　using　them　to　his　advantage。
　　　〃As　for　who　was　watching　us；　I　can't　say。　It　might　have　been　nothing；　just　a　curious　mage　checking　out　some　unusual…looking　characters　as　a　matter　of　course　and　moving　on。　Then　again；　it　could　have　been　someone　specifically　worried　about　us。　I　didn't　see　who　was　scrying。　When　I　returned；　I　pulled　out　my　grimoires　and　studied　a　spell　that　would　detect　scrying；　though　not　stop　it　from　happening。　If　I　give　a　signal；　everyone　must　be　silent。〃
　　　Quenthel　nodded　once；　curtly；　knowing　that　the　wizard　was　taking　wise　precautions。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　she　said。　〃What　did　you　discover　while　you　were　strolling　through　the　city　that　makes　you　believe　it　is　about　to　'boil　over'？I'
　　　〃It's　true；〃　Valas　said　quietly　from　his　corner。　〃The　lesser　races　are　growing　restless。　We　witnessed　an　attack　today。〃
　　　〃So　what？〃　the　high　priestess　responded。　〃They　squabble　among　themselves　all　the　time　back　home。〃
　　　〃Yes；　but　this　was　a　gang　of　them；　assaulting　a　priestess；〃　Ryld　said。　He　was　glowering；　though　at　whom；　Quenthel　was　not　sure。　〃They　were　bold　enough　to　kill　her　in　front　of　everyone　in　an　open　plaza。〃
　　　〃They　would　dare？〃　It　was　Faeryl；　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　her　red　eyes　glittering　with　anger；　〃And　you　did　nothing？〃
　　　〃Truth　be　told；　she　was　quite　inebriated；〃　Pharaun　said；　reclining　on　the　couch。　〃Still；　she　provided　us　with　the　proof　we　needed。　Ched　Nasad's　clergy　suffers　the　same；　ah　。。。　challenges　that　you　do；　Mistress。〃
　　　Quenthel　had　folded　her　arms　beneath　her　breasts　and　moved　to　stand　in　front　of　the　wizard。
　　　〃You　did　nothing　to　aid　her？〃　she　asked；　turning　her　gaze　toward　the　other　two　males；　watching　as　they　looked　away；　some　notion　of　guilt　on　their　faces。
　　　Pharaun　shrugged　and　said；　〃To　have　int