war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第3部分

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's　shield　and　weapons…including　a　slender　long　sword　with　a　hollow　hilt　that　had　holes　running　the　length　of　it…a　hilt　that　could　be　raised　to　the　lips　and　played　like　a　flute。　A　beautiful　weapon；　but　it　hadn't　helped　Seyll　any…she'd　died　before　getting　a　chance　to　draw　it。　Lulled　by　Halisstra's　feigned　interest　in　her　goddess；　Seyll　had　been　utterly　surprised　by　Halisstra's　sudden　attack。　And　despite　Halisstra's　treachery；　Seyll　had　told　her；　〃I　have　hope　for　you　still。〃　She'd　said　it　with　such　certainty；　as　if；　even　in　her　final；　dying　moments；　she　expected　Halisstra　to　save　her。
　　　She'd　been　a　fool。　Yet　Halisstra　could　no　more　get　the　priestess's　dying　words　out　of　her　mind　than　she　could　get　the　smell　of　blood　out　or　the　armor　she'd　claimed。
　　　Was　this　what　guilt　felt　like：　a　lingering　stench　that　wouldn't　go　away？
　　　Angered　by　her　own　weakness；　Halisstra　shook　the　thought　out　of　her　head。　Seyll　had　deserved　to　die。　The　priestess　was　stupid　to　have　trusted　a　person　who　was　not　of　her　faith…even　more　foolish　to　trust　a　fellow　drow。
　　　Still；　Halisstra　thought；　as　she　paused　to　let　Ryld　descend　the　stairs　first；　Seyll　had　been　right　about　one　thing。　It　would　be　nice　not　to　always　have　to　watch　your　back。
　　　
　　　Ryld　descended　the　stairs　in　silence；　listening　to　the　faint　clink　of　Halisstra's　chain　mail　and　trying　in　vain　to　pull　his　mind　away　from　the　shapely　legs　he　would　see　if　he　would　just　turn　around。　Where　was　his　concentration？　As　a　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　he　ought　to　have　more　control；　but　Halisstra　had　ensnared　him　in　a　web　of　desire　stronger　than　any　Lolth's　magic　could　spin。
　　　At　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　away　from　the　chilling　wind　of　the　open　bluff；　Halisstra　paused　to　finger　a　crescent　shape　that　had　been　carved　into　the　rock。
　　　〃This　was　a　holy　place；　once；〃　she　said；　looking　over　the　scatter　of　broken　columns　that　lay　among　the　snow…shrouded　trees。
　　　Ryld　scowled。　In　the　World　Above；　vegetation　covered　everything　like　an　enormous　mold。　He　missed　the　clean　rock　walls　of　the　caverns；　empty　of　the　smells　of　wet　loam　and　leaf　that　choked　his　nose。　He　scuffed　at　the　snow　with　his　boot；　uncovering　a　cracked　marble　floor。
　　　〃How　can　you　tell？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃The　crescent　moon…it's　the　symbol　of　Corellon　Larethian。　The　elves　who　once　lived　in　these　woods　must　have　worshiped　here。　Their　priests　probably　climbed　these　stairs　to　work　their　magic　under　the　moon。〃
　　　Ryld　squinted　up　at　the　ball　of　fire　that　hung　in　the　sky。
　　　〃The　moon's　not　as　bright　as　the　sun；〃　he　said；　〃at　least。〃
　　　〃It　casts　a　softer　light；〃　Halisstra　replied。　〃I've　heard　that　this　is　because　the　gods　who　claim　it　as　their　symbol　are　kinder　to　those　who　worship　them…but　I　don't　know　if　that's　true。〃
　　　Ryld　stared　for　a　while　at　the　ruined　masonry　then　said；　〃The　gods　of　the　surface　elves　can't　be　very　strong。　Corellon　let　this　temple　fall　into　disrepair；　and　Seyll's　goddess　was　powerless　to　save　her　from　you。〃
　　　Halisstra　nodded　and　replied；　〃That's　true。　Yet　when　Lolth　tried　to　overthrow　Corellon　and　establish　a　new　coronal　in　his　place　all　those　millennia　ago；　she　was　defeated　and　forced　to　flee　to　the　Abyss。〃
　　　〃The　Academy　teaches　that　the　goddess　left　Arvandor　willingly；〃　Ryld　said。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃More　of　a　strategic　retreat。〃
　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Halisstra　mused。　〃Still；　I　can't　help　but　think　that　what　we　saw　in　the　Demonweb　Pits…that　black　stone　in　the　frozen　image　of　Lolth's　face…was　a　lock；　a　seal　that　made　Lolth's　own　temple　a　prison。　A　prison　fashioned　by　some　other　god's　hand。　Will　Lolth　eventually　emerge　from　behind　it…or　will　she　remain　trapped　for　eternity；　her　magic　forever　stilled？〃
　　　〃That's　what　Quenthel　means　to　discover；〃　Ryld　said。
　　　〃As　do　I；〃　Halisstra　answered。　〃But　for　different　reasons。　If　Lolth　is　dead；　or　trapped　in　eternal　Reverie；　what　point　is　there　in　following　Quenthel's　orders？〃
　　　〃What　point？〃　Ryld　exclaimed。　He　was　beginning　to　see　the　dangerous　fork　in　the　road　down　which　Halisstra's　musings　had　taken　her。　〃Only　this：　spells　or　no　spells；　Quenthel　Baenre　is　both　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　and　First　Sister　to　the　Matron　Mother　of　House　Baenre。　Were　I　to　defy　Quenthel；　I'd　lose　my　position　as　Master　of　Melee…Magthere。　The　moment　Menzoberranzan　learned　of　my　treachery；　everyone　in　the　Academy　would　have　their　daggers　out　and　be　thirsting　for　my　blood。〃
　　　Halisstra　sighed　and　said；　〃That's　true。　But　perhaps　in　another　city…〃
　　　〃I　have　no　desire　to　beg　for　scraps　at　someone　else's　table；〃　Ryld　said　bluntly。　〃And　the　only　city　in　which　I　might　have　made　a　home　for　myself…with　the　sponsorship　of　your　House…has　been　destroyed。　With　Ched　Nasad　gone；　you　have　no　home　to　return　to。　All　the　more　reason　to　get　in　Quenthel's　good　favor；　so　that　when　we　return　to　the　Underdark　you　can　find　a　new　home　in　Menzoberranzan。〃
　　　After　a　long　moment　of　silence；　Halisstra　said；　〃What　if　I　don't？〃
　　　〃What？〃　Ryld　said。
　　　〃What　if　I　don't　return　to　the　Underdark？〃
　　　Ryld　glanced　at　the　forest　that　hemmed　them　in　on　every　side。　Unlike　the　solid；　silent　tunnels　he　was　used　to；　the　wall　of　trees　and　underbrush　was　porous；　filled　with　rustling　and　creaking；　and　the　quick；　tiny　movements　of　animals　flitting　from　branch　to　branch。　Ryld　couldn't　decide　which　was　worse：　the　shrinking　feeling　he'd　experienced　under　the　empty　expanse　of　the　sky；　or　the　feeling　he　had　then…as　though　the　woods　were　watching　them。
　　　〃You're　mad；〃　he　told　Halisstra。　〃You'd　never　survive　out　here　alone。　Especially　without　spells　to…〃
　　　As　anger　blazed　in　Halisstra's　eyes；　Ryld　suddenly　regretted　his　rash　words。　With　all　Halisstra's　talk　of　surface　gods；　he'd　forgotten；　for　a　moment；　that　she　was　also　a　priestess　of　Lolth　and　a　female　of　a　noble　House；　He　started　to　bow　deeply　and　beg　her　pardon；　but　she　surprised　him　by　laying　a　hand　on　his　arm。
　　　Then　she　said　something；　in　a　low　murmur　he　had　to　strain　to　hear：　〃Together　we'd　survive。〃
　　　He　stared　at　her；　wondering　if　his　ears　were　playing　tricks　on　him。　All　the　while；　he　was　overwhelmingly　aware　of　her　hand　upon　his　arm。　The　touch　of　her　fingers　was　light；　but　it　seemed　to　burn　his　skin；　flushing　him　with　warmth。
　　　〃We　might　survive　up　here；〃　he　admitted；　then　wished　he　hadn't　spoken　when　he　saw　the　gleam　in　Halisstra's　eyes。
　　　The　alliance　he'd　just　unintentionally　mitted　to　would　probably　be　no　more　solid　than　his　friendship　with　Pharaun。　Halisstra　would　maintain　it　as　long　as　it　furthered　her　goals；　then　would　drop　it　the　instant　it　became　inconvenient。　Just　as　Pharaun　had　abandoned　Ryld；　leaving　him　to　face　impossible　odds；　when　the　pair　of　them　were　trying　to　escape　from　Syrzan's　stalactite　fortress。
　　　Ryld's　meditative　skills　had　saved　his　life　then　and　allowed　him　to　fight　his　way　free。　Later；　when　he'd　met　up　with　Pharaun　again；　the　mage　had　clapped　him　on　the　back　and　pretended　that　he'd　fully　anticipated；　all　along；　that　Ryld　would　survive。　Why　else　would　he　have　abandoned　his　〃dearest　friend？〃
　　　Halisstra　gave　Ryld　a　smile　that　made　her　look　both　cunning　and　beautiful　in　one。　〃Here's　what　we'll　do　。　。　。〃　she　began。
　　　Inwardly；　Ryld　winced　at　the　word　〃we；〃　but　he　kept　his　face　neutral　as　he　listened。
　　　
　　　Danifae　watched　from　behind　a　tree　as　Halisstra　and　Ryld　stood　in　the　ruined　temple；　talking。　It　was　clear　they　were　plotting　something。　Their　voices　were　pitched　too　low　for　Danifae　to　hear；　and　they　leaned　in　toward　one　another　like　conspirators。　It　was　also　clear；　from　the　quick　kiss　Ryld　gave　Halisstra　as　the　conversation　ended；　that　they　had　bee；　or　would　soon　bee；　lovers。
　　　Watching　them；　Danifae　felt　a　cold；　still　anger。　Not　jealousy…she　cared　nothing　for　either　Ryld　or　Halisstra…but　frustration　born　of　the　fact　that　she　had　not　seduced　Ryld　first。
　　　Danifae　was　more　beautiful　than　her　former　mistress　by　far。　Where　Halisstra　was　lean；　with　small　breasts　and　slim　hips；　Danifae　was　sensuously　curvaceous。　Halisstra's　hair　was　merely　white；　whereas　Danifae's　had　lustrous　silver　tones。
　　　As　for　Halisstra's　face；　well；　it　was　pretty　enough；　with　its　slightly　snubbed　nose　and　mon；　coal…red　eyes；　but　Danifae　had　the　adv