war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第33部分

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l。　She　gave　a　slight　shake　of　her　head；　and　Jeggred　flattened　against　the　wall　to　let　Danifae　pass。
　　　〃What　about　the　mage？〃　the　draegloth　growled。
　　　Quenthel　saw　that　the　hair　on　the　back　of　his　neck　had　risen。　He'd　listened　carefully　to　everything　Danifae　said　and　was　balanced　on　the　knife　edge　of　one　of　his　rages。　The　slightest　word　from　Quenthel　would　send　him　into　violent　motion　back　down　the　tunnel　to　where　Pharaun　sat　by　the　waterfall；　studying　his　spellbooks。
　　　〃I　will　deal　with　him　myself；〃　Quenthel　told　him。　〃Later。〃
　　　Still　growling　softly；　Jeggred　settled　back　into　a　crouch；　wrapping　his　smaller　arms　around　his　knees。　Red　eyes　stared　out　into　the　tunnel；　and　slowly　his　hackles　smoothed。
　　　Quenthel　sat　for　a　moment　in　silence；　brooding。　The　cavern　she'd　chosen　for　her　Reverie　was　no　larger　than　a　servant's　room；　but　it　had　a　high　ceiling　that　ended　in　a　narrow　fissure。　Water　seeped　down　one　wall　to　puddle　near　her　feet。　It　trickled　out　through　the　opening　where　Jeggred　squatted；　eventually　joining　the　river　she　could　hear　flowing　through　the　tunnel　outside。　A　cluster　of　faintly　luminescent；　round　fungi　grew　on　the　wet　wall　beside　her；　casting　a　dim　greenish　light。　Quenthel　reached　out　and　popped　one　with　a　fingernail；　releasing　a　sparkle　of　spores；　then　she　contemplated　her　glowing　fingertip。
　　　Useful　as　Pharaun's　spells　were；　his　latest　treachery　had　tipped　the　scales；　turning　him　into　a　liability…one　that　needed　to　be　eliminated。　Yet　killing　him　was　not　the　simple　solution　it　seemed。
　　　Pharaun　was　a　powerful　wizard　and　a　key　player　in　the　politics　of　the　Academy。　If　it　was　learned　that　Quenthel　had　killed　him；　she　would　surely　face　the　wrath　of　Pharaun's　patron；　her　brother　Gromph。　Quenthel's　sister　Triel；　Matron　Mother　of　House　Baenre；　would　not　be　pleased　at　having　to　choose　sides　between　her　siblings；　especially　as　long　as　they　were　all　weakened　by　Lolth's　inattention。　By　all　accounts；　Pharaun's　own　matron　mother；　Miz'ri　Mizzrym；　was　hardly　fond　of　the　mage；　but　he　was　a　Master　of　Sorcere　after　all　and　still　an　important　part　of　House　Mizzrym's　modest　assets…and　House　Mizzrym　was　a　close　ally　of　the　First　House。　The　other　masters　and　wizards　of　Sorcere　would　likewise　be　displeased　to　lose　one　of　their　own…especially　one　important　enough　to　have　been　chosen　for　the　expedition　in　the　first　place。　Killing　Pharaun　would　indeed　be　difficult；　yet　there　had　to　be　a　way。　。　。　。
　　　Quenthel　thought　over　what　Danifae　had　told　her。　According　to　the　battle…captive；　the　aboleth　would　only　reveal　where　the　ship　of　chaos　was　in　exchange　for　an　opportunity　to　consume　a　powerful　spellcaster。　Pharaun　was　obviously　gambling　that　Oothoon　would　fail　to　realize　that　Quenthel's　spells　were　no　longer　useful…that　the　aboleth　would　provide　him　with　the　location　of　the　ship　before　his　trickery　was　discovered。　And　the　aboleth　matriarch　had　obviously　believed　him。　If　not；　she　would　have　simply　consumed　Pharaun　on　the　spot　to　acquire　the　spells　the　wizard　carried　inside　his　own　mind。
　　　You　should　turn　the　sava　board　on　him；　Yngoth　suggested。　Offer　Pharaun　to　Oothoon；　in　exchange　for　the　ship。
　　　Easily　said；　Quenthel　answered。　But　not　so　easily　done。　I　would　have　to　meet　Oothoon　in　person　and　first　persuade　the　aboleth　matriarch　that　I　was　not　worth　eating。
　　　Tell　the　truth；　Zinda　said。　Your　spells　are　useless。　Lolth　is　silent；　perhaps　forever。　Perhaps　she　is　dead。
　　　〃No！〃　Quenthel　cried　aloud。　〃Lolth　lives！〃
　　　Seeing　Jeggred's　sharp　glance　in　her　direction；　she　shut　her　mouth。
　　　She　must　live；　she　continued　silently。　If　I　didn't　believe　she　was　still　alive；　I　would…
　　　What？　Yngoth　spat；　his　thoughts　cracking　Quenthel　out　of　her　despair。　Give　up？　Embrace　death　yourself？　What　god；　then；　would　claim　your　soul？
　　　Anger　making　her　steadier…she　hated　it　when　the　vipers　peered　into　her　innermost　fears…Quenthel　spat　her　thoughts　back　at　them。
　　　No。　Never　that。　It's　just　that　revealing　what　has　happened　to　Lolth　would　mean　bargaining　from　a　position　of　weakness。　The　aboleth　would　realize　I　was　powerless。　She　might　even　decide　to　mount　an　attack　on　the　drow；　as　other　races　have　done。
　　　Hsiv　joined　the　debate　with　a　chuckle　in　his　voice。　The　first　of　the　imps　to　be　bound　into　her　whip；　he　was　often　the　one　who　helped　guide　Quenthel's　thoughts　back　to　a　truer　course。
　　　The　aboleths　are　an　aquatic　race；　he　reminded　her。　They　can't　leave　their　lake。
　　　I　know　that；　Quenthel　retorted；　not　caring　that　the　vipers　would　see　through　her　lie。　But　the　aboleths　might　tell　other　races　about　Lolth's　silence。　If　word　of　our　weakness　spreads；　we're　doomed。　Ched　Nasad　has　fallen；　and　now　Pharaun　is　no　longer　able　to　contact　Gromph。　For　all　we　know；　Menzoberranzan…
　　　Menzoberranzan　is　far　from　Lake　Thoroot；　Hsiv　gently　reminded　her。　And　this　is　a　little…visited　region。　Anyone　the　aboleth　might　tell　would　attack　a　drow　city　that　is　closer　to　hand。
　　　Quenthel　barely　heard　him。　All　of　the　fears　and　doubts　she'd　kept　bound　tightly　inside　her　ever　since　the　group　had　fled　from　Ched　Nasad　erupted　like　spiders　from　a　cocoon。
　　　But　that's　just　it！　she　wailed。　Who　knows　how　many　of　our　cities　have　been　destroyed…or　how　many　will　yet　be　destroyed　before　this　crisis　is　done？　I've　got　to　find　Lolth…to　tell　her　what's　going　on。　Triel　and　the　other　matron　mothers　are　all　depending　on　me；　and　I'm　not　sure　。　。　。　I　don't　know　how。　。　。
　　　Leave　that　to　us；　Yngoth　hissed。
　　　Quenthel　wasn't　listening。
　　　The　fate　of　every　drow　city　in　the　Underdark　is　on　my　head；　she　moaned。　Things　are　hard　enough　without　Pharaun　and　his　stupid；　petty　power　games。　Doesn't　he　realize　what's　at　stake？　This　could　result　in　the　extinction　of　our　race！
　　　It　could；　Zinda　agreed。
　　　Yngoth　quickly　hissed　the　larger　viper　to　silence。
　　　You　must　focus　on　the　matter　at　hand；　he　reminded　Quenthel。　You　must　find　out　from　Oothoon　where　the　ship　is…a　task　that　will　be　easier　than　you　think。　The　sava　board　has　already　been　set　up　for　you。　All　of　the　pieces　are　already　in　place。
　　　That　brought　Quenthel　up　short；　and　she　asked；　They　are？
　　　Yngoth's　tongue　flickered　in　and　out　in　the　serpents　equivalent　of　a　smile。
　　　To　learn　where　the　ship　of　chaos　is；　Pharaun　must　meet　with　Oothoon　a　second　time。　If　he　thinks　you　have　been　consumed；　he　may　lower　his　guard　slightly。　And　that　may　be　his　downfall。
　　　Quenthel　frowned　and　sent；　I　don't　understand。
　　　Listen；　and　you　will；　Yngoth　continued。　You　will　tell　Oothoon　that　Lolth　is　dead…
　　　Oothoon　won't　believe　me；　Quenthel　interrupted。　I　don't　believe　it　myself。
　　　Your　ring　will　prevent　the　aboleth　from　hearing　your　thoughts　or　from　detecting　your　lies；　Hsiv　reminded　her。　Then；　once　Oothoon　has　deemed　you　unworthy　of　eating；　you　will　offer　her　Pharaun；　instead。　You　will　tell　her　that　in　return　for　her　telling　you　where　the　ship　of　chaos　lies；　you　will　convince　Pharaun　that　you　have　been　eaten。　Thus　tricked；　he　will　swim　willingly　into　the　jaws　of　death。
　　　The　aboleth　will　eat　him！　K'Sothra　cried。
　　　And　you'll　be　rid　of　Pharaun　at　last；　Zinda　added。　In　a　way　that　even　Triel　won't　find　fault　with。
　　　How　will　I　convince　Pharaun　I'm　dead？　Quenthel　asked。
　　　You　won't；　Yngoth　answered。　Twisting　to　stare　at　the　entrance　to　the　cave；　the　viper　fixed　its　eyes　on　Jeggred。　He　will。　Take　Jeggred　with　you…and　tell　him　nothing　of　your　plans。　That　way；　his　grief　will　be　all　the　more　convincing。　Give　him　an　order；　and　make　sure　he　fixes　it　in　his　mind；　that　if　you　should　be　killed；　he　is　not　to　take　his　revenge　upon　the　aboleth。　He　instead　must　fight　his　way　back　to　Pharaun　and　tell　him　what　happened；　so　the　others　may　carry　word　of　your　death　back　to　Menzoberranzan。　Tell　Jeggred　that　he　must　succeed　in　doing　this…at　all　costs…or　the　life　of　his　mistress　will　have　been　forfeited　for　nothing。
　　　As　if　he'd　somehow　sensed　that　they　were　talking　about　him；　Jeggred　stirred　and　glanced　back　over　his　shoulder。　His　eyes　narrowed；　but　he　obeyed　Quenthel's　sharp　gesture　instantly；　returning　his　attention　to　the　tunnel。
　　　Quenthel；　meanwhile；　was　relieved　to　learn　that　there　was　a　way　out　of　her　dilemma…one　that　would　finally　pay　Pharaun　back　for　his　intolerable　insubordination。
　　　She　stared　at　Yngoth　expectantly　and　asked；　How　am　I　to　avoid　being　eaten　by　the　aboleth？
　　　The　viper　bared　its　fangs　in　a　menacing　smile。
　　　You　still　have　your　rod；　Yngoth　replied。
　　　Quenthel　nodded。
　　　And　that　bottle　of　lace　fungus　wine　you've　been　saving。
　　　Yes；　Quenthel　answered。　But　how　in　the　Abyss　are　those　going　to…
　　　Listen；　Yngoth　said　again。　And　I　will　explain。　。　。　。
　　　Quenthel　listened　avidly。　By　the　time　Yngoth　was　finished　speaking；　her　lips　were　parted　in　a　feral　grin。
　　　It　might　just　work；　she　thought　to　the　snake；　sending　a　wave　of　excitement　along　with　the　thought。　Then；　on　a　grimmer　note；　she　added；　It　must。
　　　The　other　vipers；　who　had　maintained　a　respectful　silence　as　Yngoth　outlined　the　plan；　writhed　in　anticipation　of　seeing　it　carried　out。　Even　Qorra；　the　serpent　who　almost　never　spoke；　could　hardly　contain　herself。
　　　Oh！　she　said。　This　will　be　such　fun！
　　　
　　　Jeggred　waited　just　outside　the　audience　room　in　which　Quenthel　was　speaking　with　the　aboleth　matriarch；　every　muscle　in　his　body　tense。　Quenthel　was　in　there；　atone；　with　two　of　them。　She'd　let　one　of　the　creatures…the　one　that　wasn't　Oothoon…move　into　a　position　behind　her。　Why　had　she　allowed　it　to　do　that？
　　　Jeggred　didn't　like　the　bloated　fish…folk。　They　could　not　be　trusted。　Even　with　water　filling　his　nostrils；　he　could　smell　the　stink　of　deceit。　He　glanced；　eyes　narrowed；　at　a　third　aboleth；　which　had　been　ordered　out　into　the　corridor　by　its　matriarch　when　Quenthel　had　told　Jeggred　to　wait　outside。　Jeggred　itched　to　rend　its　rubbery　looking　flesh；　to　see　if　its　blood　ran　red。　He　could　picture　it　。。。　the　blood　would　fill　the　water　in　a　cloud。　What　a　heady　feast　that　would　be…to　inhale　blood　with　each　breath！
　　　One　of　the　trailing　tentacles　of　the　aboleth　guarding　him　drifted　close　to　his　shoulder。　Jeggred　lashed　out；　clawing　a　furrow　in　its　flesh。
　　　Its　three　eyes　blinking；　the　abol