war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第49部分

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　　　〃No。　According　to　the　rogue；　it　would　admit　only　living　creatures。〃
　　　Quenthel　thought　a　moment　then　asked；　〃Did　he　see　anything　that　might　have　been　the　ship　of　chaos？〃
　　　Valas　shook　his　head　and　replied；　〃Nothing　that　he　mentioned　to　me。　But　the　Lake　of　Shadows　is　wide…as　large　across　as　Lake　Thoroot…and　deep。　If　the　ship　sank；　there'd　be　nothing　to　see。〃
　　　〃This　rogue　told　you　there　were　'dozens'　of　wraiths？〃　she　asked。
　　　Valas　nodded　and　said；　〃Those　were　his　very　words。〃
　　　〃An　exaggeration；　no　doubt。　What　race　was　he？〃
　　　Valas　frowned。
　　　〃The　rogue？〃　he　asked。　〃He　claimed　to　be　human；　even　though　he　was　no　taller　than　a　duergar。〃
　　　〃Humans；〃　Quenthel　snorted。　〃A　cowardly　race。　There　were　probably　less　than　half　a　dozen　wraiths；　all　told。　With　Pharaun's　spells…and　our　magical　weapons…we'll　easily　be　able　to　fight　our　way　through。〃
　　　Valas　opened　his　mouth…perhaps　to　protest　that　even　half　a　dozen　wraiths　were　too　many…but　he　closed　it　a　moment　later。
　　　Quenthel；　meanwhile；　took　mental　stock　of　the　resources　she　had　at　hand。　Valas；　whose　speed　and　stealth　would　allow　him　to　get　behind　the　wraiths　and　dispatch　them　with　his　magical　daggers。　Pharaun；　with　his　arsenal　of　powerful　protective　spells。　Jeggred；　who　would　protect　Quenthel　at　any　cost；　hurling　himself　headlong　at　the　wraiths；　if　the　need　arose。　And　Danifae　。　。　。
　　　Quenthel　paused；　considering。　What　good　was　the　battle…captive；　really？　Oh；　she　groveled　sweetly　when　threatened　and　gave　pleasure　readily　enough；　but　Quenthel　sometimes　noticed　a　look　in　Danifae's　eyes　that　she　didn't　like。　Not　at　all。
　　　Still；　Danifae　was　a　petent　enough　fighter；　when　she　had　to　be。　The　morningstar　she　carried　was　no　mere　boy's　weapon。　If　it　came　to　it；　Danifae　could　be　abandoned　to　the　wraiths；　if　the　need　arose　to　sacrifice　someone。　Truth　be　told；　Quenthel　would　rather　be　rid　of　Pharaun…though　she　had　to　admit　that　his　expertise　with　demons　was　going　to　e　in　handy；　once　the　ship　of　chaos　was　finally　located。
　　　No；　she'd　have　to　make　sure　that　Pharaun　survived　the　encounter　with　the　wraiths。　Which　meant　making　sure　that　if　Danifae's　life　was　threatened；　the　mage　didn't　try　to　defend　her。
　　　〃We'll　get　by　the　wraiths；〃　Quenthel　told　the　others。　〃We'll　reach　the　portal。〃　Then；　silently；　so　only　the　serpents　could　hear；　she　added；　Or　at　the　very　least；　some　of　us　will。
　　　
Chapter　Twenty…four
　　　Gromph　strode　through　one　of　the　main　corridors　of　Sorcere；　followed　closely　by　Kyorli；　who　scurried　along　behind　him；　and　Prath；　staggering　under　a　load　of　spellbooks　that　Gromph　had　hastily　assembled。　Since　the　duergar　had　been　driven　back　from　Tier　Breche；　and　the　tunnel　sealed；　most　of　the　students　were　heeding　the　call　of　their　respective　Houses。　Apprentice　mages　ran　this　way　and　that　down　the　corridor；　arms　laden　with　spellbooks　and　magical　devices；　bleating　like　a　milling　herd　of　rothe　as　walking　chests　scuttled　along　on　spider　legs　behind　them。
　　　As　he　hurried　along；　Gromph　held　a　circle　of　copper　wire　close　to　his　lips。
　　　〃Wizards　of　House　Baenre；〃　he　called；　speaking　through　the　enchanted　wire。　〃Attend　me　at　once　in　the　scrying　chamber。〃
　　　The　wire　hummed；　sending　a　tingle　through　Gromph's　fingertips。　Then　it　glowed　a　dull　red　and　crumbled。　Flicking　flakes　of　copper　from　his　fingers；　Gromph　pushed　open　the　heavy　double　doors　of　the　scrying　chamber　and　stepped　inside。
　　　Like　the　rest　of　Sorcere；　the　walls　of　the　large；　circular　chamber　were　lined　with　lead　sheeting　and　plastered　with　a　stucco　made　from　gorgon's　blood　and　spellstone　dust。　Runes　had　been　embossed　upon　the　surface　and　limned　in　gold　to　further　prevent　against　unwanted　intrusion　or　observation。　No　spellcaster；　no　matter　how　powerful；　could　teleport　past　them　or　probe　the　minds　of　the　students　and　masters　inside。
　　　It　was　possible；　however；　to　see　out　from　there；　thanks　to　an　enormous　crystal　ball　that　floated　at　the　center　of　the　room。　Into　the　sphere　had　been　magically　bound　one　eye　of　the　eagle　that　resided　in　a　gilded　cage　just　below　the　crystal　sphere。　As　Gromph　and　Prath　entered　the　room；　the　eagle　flapped　its　wings　and　gave　a　screee　of　excitement；　blinking　its　one　remaining　eye。　The　sphere　above　it　turned；　rotating　to　face　the　two　drow。　The　eagle's　second　eye；　which　filled　the　crystal　ball　from　side　to　side；　fixed　them　with　a　hungry　stare。
　　　Or　rather；　it　fixed　upon　Kyorli。　Snapping　its　beak；　the　eagle　screeed　a　second　time　and　hurled　itself　against　the　bars　of　its　cage。　The　rat；　taunting　it；　sat　back　on　her　haunches　no　more　than　a　pace　from　the　cage　and　groomed　her　whiskers；　ignoring　the　frenzied　wing　flapping　of　the　eagle。
　　　Kyorli；　stop　it；　Gromph　ordered。　e　here。
　　　Obeying　the　telepathic　mand；　Kyorli　dropped　to　all　fours　and　scurried　back　to　her　master。　Climbing　swiftly　up　Gromph's　piwafwi；　she　settled　herself　on　his　shoulder；　tickling　his　ear　with　her　whiskers。　Prath；　meanwhile；　stooped　to　place　the　spellbooks　he'd　been　carrying　on　the　floor。
　　　〃The　eagle　is　hungry；〃　Gromph　told　Prath。　〃Find　it　some　raw　meat…but　don't　go　slicing　off　any　more　fingertips。　You're　going　to　need　them。〃
　　　Prath　grinned。
　　　〃I　thought　you　might　need　more；　Archmage〃　he　said；　reaching　into　one　of　the　bags　that　was　slung　over　his　shoulder。　〃So　I　stopped　by　the　kitchen　on　the　way　back　from　the　ponents　storeroom。　The　cook　gave　me　this。〃
　　　Pulling　out　a　waxed　rag；　he　unwrapped　a　fist…sized　chunk　of　meat。　At　Gromph's　approving　nod　he　held　it　up　against　the　bars　of　the　cage。　The　eagle　tore　into　it　greedily；　ripping　off　bloody　chunks　with　its　hooked　beak　and　eventually　wrenching　a　large　piece　inside。　It　settled　upon　that　portion；　content；　and　soon　reduced　it　to　no　more　than　a　smear　of　blood　on　the　bottom　of　the　cage。
　　　Gromph；　meanwhile；　greeted　the　House　Baenre　wizards　who　straggled　into　the　room；　directing　them　to　the　circle　of　chairs　that　surrounded　the　cage　and　the　crystal　ball。　He　was　pleased　to　see　Julani；　a　Master　of　Evocation。　His　fellow　instructor　bowed；　touching　long；　supple　fingers　against　his　chest。　The　next　two　to　arrive　were　a　pair　of　tenth…year　students。　Grendan　was　a　handsome　male　with　a　natural　flair　for　illusion。　Gromph　wondered　how　much　of　his　good　looks　were　natural　and　how　much　had　been　augmented　by　magic…especially　since　the　smell　of　singed　hair　still　clung　to　him。　Judging　by　the　burns　in　the　hood　of　his　piwafwi；　the　student　must　have　been　splattered　by　one　of　the　duergar's　incendiary　missiles。
　　　His　panion；　Noori；　was　equally　beautiful…naturally　so…with　arched　eyebrows　and　white　hair　that　cascaded　past　her　shoulders　in　soft　waves。　She　was　high…born；　a　cousin　to　Gromph　and　Triel；　but　she　had　eschewed　the　worship　of　Lolth　to　enter　Sorcere　and　study　divination　magic　instead。　Remembering　that；　Gromph　wondered　whether　or　not　Noori　might　have　had　a　premonition；　so　many　years　before；　of　Lolth's　demise。　She　certainly　seemed　to　have　been　able　to　keep　out　of　the　way　of　any　harm　during　the　recent　fighting。　There　wasn't　a　mark　on　her…not　even　a　soot　smudge。
　　　The　final　mage　to　enter　the　room　was　Zoran；　an　irritating；　second…year　student　who　was　continually　making　poor　choices　in　class；　using　magic　in　frivolous；　inappropriate　ways。　Gromph　winced；　seeing　him…especially　when　he　noted　the　wand　of　wonder　in　the　boy's　belt。　Zoran　was　tiny；　even　for　a　male；　and　had　a　receding　chin；　made　more　pronounced　by　the　fact　that　his　hair　was　pulled　into　a　topknot　at　the　crown　of　his　head。　He　must　have　been　injured　in　the　recent　battle。　Gromph　didn't　remember　him　walking　with　a　limp　before。
　　　As　the　four　mages　settled　themselves　into　chairs；　waiting　quietly　for　his　instruction；　Gromph　opened　one　of　the　scrying　chamber　doors　and　peered　each　way　down　the　corridor。　Seeing　no　one　else；　he　slowly　closed　them。
　　　〃Is　this　all？〃　he　asked　Julani。　〃Is　there　no　one　else　from　our　House？〃
　　　The　Master　of　Evocation　shook　his　head。
　　　〃Only　Nauzhror；〃　he　said；　〃who　sends　his　regrets。　He　was　。。。　too　busy　to　attend。　The　rest　are　dead…or　badly　injured　and　removed　to　Arach…Tinilith　for　healing。〃
　　　A　slight　tightening　of　Julani's　eyes　told　Gromph　that　he　too　knew　how　little　〃healing〃　there　was　left　to　go