精灵血脉四部曲-第115部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


her　head　back　and　up；　trying　to　catch　her　breath。

　　　〃Too　fine　to　leave　Guenhwyvar　out　of　it！〃　Drizzt　clarified　happily。

　　　Catti…brie's　smile　was　wide　when　she　looked　down　to　see　Drizzt　take　the　onyx　panther　figurine　out　of　his　backpack。　It　was　among　the　most　beautiful　of　artworks　Catti…brie　had　ever　seen；　perfectly　detailed　to　show　the　muscled　flanks　and　the　true；　insightful　expression　of　the　great　cat。　As　perfect　as　it　was；　though；　the　figurine　paled　beside　the　magnificent　creature　that　it　allowed　Drizzt　to　summon。

　　　The　drow　reverently　placed　the　item　on　the　ground　before　him。　〃e　to　me；　Guenhwyvar；〃　he　called　softly。　Apparently　the　panther　was　eager　to　return；　for　a　gray　mist　swirled　about　the　item　almost　immediately；　gradually　taking　shape　and　solidifying。

　　　Guenhwyvar　came　to　the　Material　Plane　with　ears　straight　up；　relaxed；　as　though　the　cat　understood　from　the　inflections　of　Drizzt's　call　that　there　was　no　emergency；　that　she　was　being　summoned　merely　for　panionship。

　　　〃We　are　racing　to　Settlestone；〃　Drizzt　explained。　〃Do　you　think　you　can　keep　pace？〃

　　　The　panther　understood。　A　single　spring　from　powerful　hind　legs　sent　Guenhwyvar　soaring　over　Catti…brie's　head；　across　the　twenty…foot　expanse　to　the　top　of　the　rock　slab　she　and　Drizzt　had　just　crossed。　The　cat　hit　the　rock's　flat　top；　backpedaled；　and　spun　to　face　the　duo。　Then　for　no　other　reason　than　to　give　praise　to　the　day；　Guenhwyvar　reared　and　stood　tall　in　the　air；　a　sight　that　sent　her　friends'　hearts　racing。　Guenhwyvar　was　six　hundred　pounds；　twice　the　size　of　an　ordinary　panther；　with　a　head　almost　as　wide　as　Drizzt's　shoulders；　a　paw　that　could　cover　a　man's　face；　and　spectacular；　shining　green　eyes　that　revealed　an　intelligence　far　beyond　what　an　animal　should　possess。　Guenhwyvar　was　the　most　loyal　of　panions；　an　unjudging　friend；　and　every　time　Drizzt　or　Catti…brie；　or　Bruenor　or　Regis；　looked　at　the　cat；　their　lives　were　made　just　a　bit　warmer。

　　　〃Me　thinking's　that　we　should　get　a　head　start；〃　Catti…brie　whispered　mischievously。

　　　Drizzt　gave　a　slight；　inconspicuous　nod；　and　they　broke　together；　running　full…out　down　the　trail。　A　few　seconds　later　they　heard　Guenhwyvar　roar　behind　them；　still　from　atop　the　slab　of　rock。　The　trail　was　relatively　clear　and　Drizzt　sprinted　out　ahead　of　Catti…brie；　though　the　woman；　young　and　strong；　with　a　heart　that　would　have　been　more　appropriate　in　the　chest　of　a　sturdy　dwarf；　could　not　be　shaken。

　　　〃Ye're　not　to　beat　me！〃　she　cried；　to　which　Drizzt　laughed。　His　mirth　disappeared　as　he　rounded　a　bend　to　find　that　stubborn　and　daring　Catti…brie　had　taken　a　somewhat　treacherous　shortcut；　light…skipping　over　a　patch　of　broken　and　uneven　stones；　to　take　an　unexpected　lead。

　　　Suddenly　this　was　more　than　a　friendly　petition。　Drizzt　lowered　his　head　and　ran　full…out；　careening　down　the　uneven　ground　so　recklessly　that　he　was　barely　able　to　avoid　smacking　face　first　into　a　tree。　Catti…brie　paced　him；　step　for　step；　and　kept　her　lead。

　　　Guenhwyvar　roared　again；　still　from　the　slab；　they　knew；　and　they　knew；　too；　that　they　were　being　mocked。

　　　Sure　enough；　barely　a　few　seconds　later；　a　black　streak　rebounded　off　a　wall　of　stone　to　Drizzt's　side；　crossing　level　with　the　drow's　head。　Guenhwyvar　cut　back　across　the　trail　between　the　two　panions；　and　passed　Catti…brie　so　quickly　and　so　silently　that　she　hardly　realized　she　was　no　longer　leading。

　　　Sometime　later；　Guenhwyvar　let　her　get　ahead　again；　then　Drizzt　took　a　treacherous　shortcut　and　slipped　into　the　front梠nly　to　be　passed　again　by　the　panther。　So　it　went；　with　petitive　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　working　hard；　and　Guenhwyvar　merely　hard　at　play。

　　　The　three　were　exhausted梐t　least　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　were；　Guenhwyvar　wasn't　even　breathing　hard梬hen　they　broke　for　lunch　on　a　small　clearing；　protected　from　the　wind　by　a　high　wall　on　the　north　and　east；　and　dropping　off　fast　in　a　sheer　cliff　to　the　south。　Several　rocks　dotted　the　clearing；　perfect　stools　for　the　tired　panions。　A　grouping　of　stones　was　set　in　the　middle　as　a　fire　pit；　for　this　was　a　usual　campsite　of　the　oft…wandering　drow。

　　　Catti…brie　relaxed　while　Drizzt　brought　up　a　small　fire。　Far　below　she　could　see　the　gray　plumes　of　smoke　rising　lazily　into　the　clear　air　from　the　houses　of　Settlestone。　It　was　a　sobering　sight；　for　it　reminded　the　young　woman；　who　had　spent　the　morning　at　such　a　pace；　of　the　gravity　of　her　mission　and　of　the　situation。　How　many　runs　might　she　and　Drizzt　and　Guenhwyvar　share　if　the　dark　elves　came　calling？

　　　Those　plumes　of　smoke　also　reminded　Catti…brie　of　the　man　who　had　brought　the　tough　barbarians　to　this　place　from　Icewind　Dale；　the　man　who　was　to　have　been　her　husband。　Wulfgar　had　died　trying　to　save　her；　had　died　in　the　grasp　of　a　yochlol；　a　handmaiden　of　evil　Lloth。　Both　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　had　to　bear　some　responsibility　for　that　loss；　yet　it　wasn't　guilt　that　pained　the　young　woman　now；　or　that　pained　Drizzt。　He；　too；　had　noticed　the　smoke　and　had　taken　a　break　from　his　fire…tending　to　watch　and　contemplate。

　　　The　panions　did　not　smile　now；　for　simple　loss；　because　they　had　taken　so　many　runs　just　like　this　one；　except　that　Wulfgar　had　raced　beside　them；　his　long　strides　making　up　for　the　fact　that　he　could　not　squeeze　through　breaks　that　his　two　smaller　panions　could　pass　at　full　speed。

　　　〃I　wish。。。〃　Catti…brie　said；　and　the　words　resonated　in　the　ears　of　the　similarly　wishing　dark　elf。

　　　〃Our　war；　if　it　es；　would　be　better　fought　with　Wulfgar；　son　of　Beornegar；　leading　the　men　of　Settlestone；〃　Drizzt　agreed；　and　what　both　he　and　Catti…brie　silently　thought　was　that　all　their　lives　would　be　better　if　Wulfgar　were　alive。

　　　There。　Drizzt　had　said　it　openly；　and　there　was　no　more　to　say。　They　ate　their　lunch　silently。　Even　Guenhwyvar　lay　very　still　and　made　not　a　sound。

　　　Catti…brie's　mind　drifted　from　her　friends；　back　to　Icewind　Dale；　to　the　rocky　mountain；　Kelvin's　Cairn；　dotting　the　otherwise　flat　tundra。　It　was　so　similar　to　this　very　place。　Colder；　perhaps；　but　the　air　held　the　same　crispness；　the　same　clear；　vital　texture。　How　far　she　and　her　friends；　Drizzt　and　Guenhwyvar；　Bruenor　and　Regis；　and；　of　course；　Wulfgar；　had　e　from　that　place！　And　in　so　short　a　time！　A　frenzy　of　adventures；　a　lifetime　of　excitement　and　thrills　and　good　deeds。　Together　they　were　an　unbeatable　force。

　　　So　they　had　thought。

　　　Catti…brie　had　seen　the　emotions　of　a　lifetime；　indeed；　and　she　was　barely　into　her　twenties。　She　had　run　fast　through　life；　like　her　run　down　the　mountain　trails；　free　and　high…spirited；　skipping　without　care；　feeling　immortal。

　　　Almost。



Chapter　4

AT　THE　SEAMS



　　　〃A　conspiracy？〃　the　drow's　fingers　flashed；　using　the　silent　hand　code　of　the　dark　elves；　its　movements　so　intricate　and　varied　that　nearly　every　connotation　of　every　word　in　the　drow　language　could　be　represented。　Jarlaxle　replied　with　a　slight　shake　of　his　head。　He　sighed　and　seemed　sincerely　perplexed梐　sight　not　often　seen梐nd　motioned　for　his　cohort　to　follow　him　to　a　more　secure　area。

　　　They　crossed　the　wide；　winding　avenues　of　Menzoberranzan；　flat；　clear　areas　between　the　towering　stalagmite　mounds　that　served　as　homes　to　the　various　drow　families。　Those　mounds；　and　a　fair　number　of　long　stalactites　leering　down　from　the　huge　cavern's　ceiling；　were　hollowed　out　and　sculpted　with　sweeping　balconies　and　walkways。　The　clusters　within　each　family　pound　were　often　joined　by　high　bridges；　most　shaped　to　resemble　spiderwebs。　And　on　all　the　houses；　especially　those　of　the　older　and　more　established　families；　the　most　wondrous　designs　were　highlighted　by　glowing　faerie　fire；　purple　and　blue；　sometimes　outlined　in　red　and；　not　so　often；　in　green。　Menzoberranzan　was　the　most　spectacular　of　cities；　breathtaking；　surreal；　and　an　ignorant　visitor　（who　would　not　be　ignorant；　or　likely　even　alive；　for　long！）　would　never　guess　that　the　artisans　of　such　beauty　were　among　the　most　malicious　of　Toril's　races。

　　　Jarlaxle　moved　without　a　whisper　down　the　darker；　tighter　avenues　surrounding　the　lesser　houses。　His　focus　was　ahead　and　to　the　sides；　his　keen　eye　（and　his　eye　patch　was　over　his　right　eye　at　the　time）　discerning　the　slightest　of　movements　in　the　most　distant　shadows。

　　　The　mercenary　leader's　surprise　was　plete　when　he　glanced　back　at　his　panion　and　found；　not　M'tarl；　the　lieutenant　of　Bregan　D'aerthe　he　had　set　out　with；　but　another；　very　powerful；　drow。

　　　Jarlaxle　was　rarely　without　a　quick　response；　but　the　specter　of　Gromph　Baenre；　Matron　Baenre's　elderboy；　the　archmage　of　Menzoberranzan；　standing　so　unexpectedly　beside　him；　surely　stole　his　wit。

　　　〃I　trust　that　M'tarl　will　be　returned　to　me　when　you　are　finished；〃　Jarlaxle　said；　quickly　regaining　his　seldom…lost　posure。

　　　Without　a　word；　the　archmage　waved　his　arm；　and　a　shimmering　green　globe　appeared　in　the　air；　several　feet　from　the　floor。　A　thin　silver　cord　hung　down　from　it；　its　visible　end　barely　brushing　the　stone　floor。

　　　Jarlaxle　shrugged　and　took　up　the　cord；　and　as　soon　as　he　touched　it；　he　was　drawn　upward　into　the　globe；　into　the　extradimensional　space　beyond　the　shimmering　portal。

　　　The　casting　was　impressive；　Jarlaxle　decided；　for　he　found　within　not　the　usual　empty　space　created　by　such　an　evocation；　but　a　lushly　furnished　sitting　room；　plete　with　a　zombielike　servant　that　offered　him　a　drink　of　fine　wine　before　he　ever　sat　down。　Jarlaxle　took　a　moment　to　allow　his　vision　to　shift　into　the　normal　spectrum　of　light；　for　the　place　was　bathed　in　a　soft　blue　glow。　This　was　not　unusual　for　wizards；　even　drow　wizards　accustomed　to　the　lightless　ways　of　the　Underdark；　for　one　could　not　read　scrolls　or　spellbooks　without　light！

　　　〃He　will　be　returned　if　he　can　survive　where　I　put　him　long　enough　for　us　to　plete　our　conversation；〃　Gromph　replied。　The　wizard　seemed　not　too　concerned；　as　he；　too；　came　into　the　extradimensional　pocket。　The　mighty　Baenre　closed　his　eyes　and　whispered　a　word；　and　his　piwafwi　cloak　and　other　unremarkable　attire　transformed。　Now　he　looked　the　part　of　his　prestigious　station。　His　flowing　robe　showed　many　pockets　and　was　emblazoned　with　sigils　and　runes　of　power。　As　with　the　house　structures；　faerie　fire