精灵血脉四部曲-第128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！



　　　Anger　overweighed　the　perceived；　and　likely　temporary；　vulnerability；　Bladen'Kerst　wisely　decided；　and　sat　down　in　her　appointed　chair。　Her　hard　boot；　unusual　for　drow；　but　effective　for　kicking　males；　tapped　hard　and　urgently　on　the　floor。

　　　No　one　paid　her　any　attention；　though。　All　of　them　followed　Matron　Baenre's　predictable；　dangerous　gaze　to　Quenthel。

　　　〃Now　is　not　the　time　for　personal　ambitions；〃　Matron　Baenre　said　calmly；　seriously。

　　　Quenthel's　eyes　widened　as　though　she　had　been　caught　pletely　off　guard。

　　　〃I　warn　you；〃　Matron　Baenre　pressed；　not　the　least　deterred　by　the　innocent　expression。

　　　〃As　do　I！〃　Triel　quickly　and　determinedly　interjected。　She　wouldn't　usually　interrupt　her　mother；　knew　better　than　that；　but　she　figured　that　this　matter　had　to　be　put　down　once　and　for　all；　and　that　Baenre　would　appreciate　the　assistance。　〃You　have　relied　on　Lloth's　favor　to　protect　you　these　years。　But　Lloth　is　away　from　us　now；　for　some　reason　that　we　do　not　understand。　You　are　vulnerable；　my　sister；　more　vulnerable　than　any　of　us。〃

　　　Quenthel　came　forward　in　her　seat；　even　managed　a　smile。　〃Would　you　chance　that　Lloth　will　return　to　us；　as　we　both　know　she　shall？〃　the　younger　Baenre　hissed。　〃And　what　might　it　be　that　drove　the　Spider　Queen　from　us？〃　As　she　asked　the　last　question　her　gaze　fell　over　her　mother；　as　daring　as　anyone　had　ever　been　in　the　face　of　Matron　Baenre。

　　　〃Not　what　you　assume！〃　Triel　snapped。　She　had　expected　Quenthel　to　try　to　lay　blame　on　Matron　Baenre's　lap。　The　removal　of　the　matron　mother　could　only　benefit　ambitious　Quenthel　and　might　indeed　restore　some　prestige　to　the　fast…falling　house。　In　truth；　even　Triel　had　considered　that　course；　but　she　had　subsequently　dismissed　it；　no　longer　believing　that　Matron　Baenre's　recent　failures　had　anything　to　do　with　the　strangeness　going　on　about　them。　〃Lloth　has　fled　every　house。〃

　　　〃This　goes　beyond　Lloth；〃　Gromph；　the　wizard　whose　magic　came　from　no　god　or　goddess；　added　pointedly。

　　　〃Enough；〃　said　Baenre；　looking　about　alternately；　her　stare　calming　her　children。　〃We　cannot　know　what　has　brought　about　the　events。　What　we　must　consider　is　how　those　events　will　affect　our　position。〃

　　　〃The　city　desires　a　pera'dene；〃　Quenthel　reasoned；　the　drow　word　for　scapegoat。　Her　unblinking　stare　at　Baenre　told　the　matron　mother　who　she　had　in　mind。

　　　〃Fool！〃　Baenre　snapped　into　the　face　of　that　glare。　〃Do　you　think　they　would　stop　with　my　heart？〃

　　　That　blunt　statement　caught　Quenthel　off　guard。

　　　〃For　some　of　the　lesser　houses；　there　never　has　been　and　never　will　be　a　better　opportunity　to　unseat　this　house；〃　Matron　Baenre　went　on；　speaking　to　all　of　them。　〃If　you　think　to　unseat　me；　then　do　so；　but　know　that　it　will　do　little　to　change　the　rebellion　that　is　rising　against　us。〃　She　huffed　and　threw　her　arms　up　helplessly。　〃Indeed；　you　would　only　be　aiding　our　enemies。　I　am　your　tie　to　Bregan　D'aerthe；　and　know　that　our　enemies　have　also　courted　Jarlaxle。　And　I　am　Baenre！　Not　Triel；　and　not　Quenthel。　Without　me；　you　all　would　fall　to　chaos；　fighting　for　control；　each　with　your　own　factions　within　the　house　guard。　Where　will　you　be　when　K'yorl　Oblodra　enters　the　pound？〃

　　　It　was　a　sobering　thought。　Matron　Baenre　had　passed　word　to　each　of　them　that　the　Oblodrans　had　not　lost　their　powers；　and　all　the　Baenres　knew　the　hatred　the　third　house　held　for　them。

　　　〃Now　is　not　the　time　for　personal　ambitions；〃　Matron　Baenre　reiterated。　〃Now　is　the　time　for　us　to　hold　together　and　hold　our　position。〃

　　　The　nods　about　her　were　sincere；　Baenre　knew；　though　Quenthel　was　not　nodding。　〃You　should　hope　that　Lloth　does　not　e　back　to　me　before　she　returns　to　you；〃　the　ambitious　sister　said　boldly；　aiming　the　remark　squarely　at　Triel。

　　　Triel　seemed　unimpressed。　〃You　should　hope　that　Lloth　es　back　at　all；〃　she　replied　casually；　〃else　I　will　tear　off　your　head　and　have　Gromph　place　it　atop　Narbondel；　that　your　eyes　may　glow　when　the　day　is　full。〃

　　　Quenthel　went　to　reply；　but　Gromph　beat　her　to　it。

　　　〃A　pleasure；　my　dear　sister；〃　he　said　to　Triel。　There　was　no　love　lost　between　the　two；　but　while　Gromph　was　ambivalent　toward　Triel；　he　perfectly　hated　Quenthel　and　her　dangerous　ambitions。　If　House　Baenre　fell；　so；　too；　would　Gromph。

　　　The　implied　alliance　between　the　two　elder　Baenre　children　worked　wonders　in　calming　the　upstart　younger　sister；　and　Quenthel　said　not　another　word　the　rest　of　the　meeting。

　　　〃May　we　speak　now　of　K'yorl；　and　the　danger　to　us　all？〃　Matron　Baenre　asked。　When　no　dissenting　voices　came　forth　（and　if　there　had　been；　Baenre　likely　would　have　run　out　of　patience　and　had　the　speaker　put　to　a　slow　death）；　the　matron　mother　took　up　the　issue　of　house　defense。　She　explained　that　Jarlaxle　and　his　band　could　still　be　trusted；　but　warned　that　the　mercenary　would　be　one　to　change　sides　if　the　battle　was　going　badly　for　House　Baenre。　Triel　assured　them　all　that　the　Academy　remained　loyal；　and　Berg'inyon's　report　of　the　readiness　of　the　house　guard　was　beaming。

　　　Despite　the　promising　news　and　the　well…earned　reputation　of　the　Baenre　garrison；　the　conversation　ultimately　came　down　to　the　only　apparent　way　to　fully　fend　off　K'yorl　and　her　psionic　family。　Berg'inyon；　who　had　taken　part　in　the　fight　with　the　dwarf　Gandalug；　voiced　it　first。

　　　〃What　of　Methil？〃　he　asked。　〃And　the　hundred　illithids　he　represents？　If　they　stand　with　us；　the　threat　from　House　Oblodra　seems　minor。〃

　　　The　others　nodded　their　agreement　with　the　assessment；　but　Matron　Baenre　knew　that　such　friends　as　mind　flayers　could　not　be　counted　on。　〃Methil　remains　at　our　side　because　he　and　his　people　know　we　are　the　keystone　of　security　for　his　people。　The　illithids　do　not　number　one…hundredth　the　drow　in　Menzoberranzan。　That　is　the　extent　of　their　loyalty。　If　Methil　es　to　believe　that　House　Oblodra　is　the　stronger；　he　will　not　stand　beside　us。〃　Baenre　gave　an　ironic；　seemingly　helpless　chuckle。

　　　〃The　other　illithids　might　even　side　with　K'yorl；〃　she　reasoned。　〃The　wretch　is　akin　to　them　with　her　powers　of　the　mind。　Perhaps　they　understand　one　another。〃

　　　〃Should　we　speak　so　bluntly？〃　Sos'Umptu　asked。　She　looked　about　the　dais；　concerned；　and　the　others　understood　that　she　feared　Methil　might　even　be　among　them；　invisibly；　hearing　every　word；　reading　their　every　thought。

　　　〃It　does　not　matter；〃　Matron　Baenre　replied　casually。　〃Methil　already　knows　my　fears。　One　cannot　hide　from　an　illithid。〃

　　　〃Then　what　are　we　to　do？〃　Triel　asked。

　　　〃We　are　to　muster　our　strength；〃　Baenre　replied　determinedly。　〃We　are　to　show　no　fear　and　no　weakness。　And　we　are　not　to　do　anything　that　might　push　Lloth　further　from　us。〃　She　aimed　that　last　remark　at　the　rivals；　Quenthel　and　Triel；　particularly　at　Triel；　who　seemed　more　than　ready　to　use　this　Lloth…absent　time　to　be　rid　of　her　troublesome　sister。

　　　〃We　must　show　the　illithids　we　remain　the　power　in　Menzoberranzan；〃　Baenre　went　on。　〃If　they　know　this；　then　they　will　side　with　us；　not　wanting　House　Baenre　to　be　weakened　by　K'yorl's　advances。〃

　　　〃I　go　to　Sorcere；〃　said　Gromph；　the　archmage。

　　　〃And　I　to　Arach…Tinilith；〃　added　a　determined　Triel。

　　　〃I　make　no　illusions　about　friendship　among　my　rivals；〃　Gromph　added。　〃But　a　few　promises　of　repayment　when　issues　sort　themselves　out　will　go　far　in　finding　allies。〃

　　　〃The　students　have　been　allowed　no　contact　outside　the　school；〃　Triel　put　in。　〃They　know　of　the　problems　in　general；　of　course；　but　they　know　nothing　of　the　threat　to　House　Baenre。　In　their　ignorance；　they　remain　loyal。〃

　　　Matron　Baenre　nodded　to　both　of　them。　〃And　you　will　meet　with　the　lower　houses　that　we　have　established；〃　she　said　to　Quenthel；　a　most　important　assignment。　A　large　portion　of　House　Baenre's　power　lay　in　the　dozen　minor　houses　that　former　Baenre　nobles　had　e　to　head。　So　obviously　a　favorite　of　Lloth's；　Quenthel　was　the　perfect　choice　for　such　an　assignment。

　　　Her　expression　revealed　that　she　had　been　won　over梞ore　by　Triel　and　Gromph's　threats；　no　doubt；　than　by　the　tidbit　that　had　just　been　thrown　her　way。

　　　The　most　important　ingredient　in　squashing　the　rivalries；　Baenre　knew；　was　to　allow　both　Triel　and　Quenthel　to　save　face　and　feel　important。　Thus；　this　meeting　had　been　a　success　and　all　the　power　of　House　Baenre　would　be　coordinated　into　a　single　defensive　force。

　　　Baenre's　smile　remained　a　meager　one；　though。　She　knew　what　Methil　could　do；　and　suspected　that　K'yorl　was　not　so　much　weaker。　All　of　House　Baenre　would　be　ready；　but　without　the　Lloth…given　clerical　magic　and　Gromph's　wizardly　prowess；　would　that　be　enough？



　　　*****



　　　Just　off　Bruenor's　audience　hall　on　the　top　level　of　Mithril　Hall　was　a　small　room　that　the　dwarf　king　had　set　aside　for　the　artisans　working　on　repairing　the　panther　figurine。　Inside　was　a　small　forge　and　delicate　tools；　along　with　dozens　of　beakers　and　flasks　containing　various　ingredients　and　salves。

　　　Drizzt　was　eager　indeed　when　he　was　summoned　to　that　room。　He'd　gone　there　a　dozen　times　a　day；　of　course；　but　without　invitation；　and　every　time　to　find　dwarves　huddled　over　the　still…broken　artifact　and　shaking　their　bearded　heads。　A　week　had　passed　since　the　incident；　and　Guenhwyvar　was　so　exhausted　that　she　could　no　longer　stand；　could　barely　lift　her　head　from　her　paws　as　she　lay　in　front　of　the　hearth　in　Drizzt's　room。

　　　The　waiting　was　the　worst　part。

　　　Now；　though；　Drizzt　had　been　called　into　the　room。　He　knew　that　an　emissary　had　arrived　that　morning　from　Silverymoon；　he　could　only　hope　that　Alustriel　had　some　positive　solutions　to　offer。

　　　Bruenor　was　watching　his　approach　through　the　open　door　of　the　audience　chamber。　The　red…bearded　dwarf　nodded　and　poked　his　head　to　the　side；　and　Drizzt　cut　the　sharp　corner；　pushing　open　the　door　without　bothering　to　knock。

　　　It　was　among　the　most　curious　of　sights　that　Drizzt　Do'Urden　had　ever　witnessed。　The　broken梥till　broken！梖igurine　was　on　a　small；　round　table。　Regis　stood　beside　it；　working　furiously　with　a　mortar　and　pestle；　mushing　some　blackish　substance。

　　　Across　the　table　from　Drizzt　stood　a　short；　stout　dwarf；　Buster　Bracer；　the　noted　armorer；　the　one；　in　fact；　who　had　forged　Drizzt's　ow