war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第46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！


　the　swamp。　He　watched　tiny　yellow　lights　flicker　in　the　air…some　kind　of　bioluminescent　insects　moving　slowly；　sluggish　in　the　cold　night　air。　Pinpoints　of　light　spattered　across　the　black　dome　of　the　sky；　not　painful　to　look　at　and　actually　helping　Ryld's　natural　darkvision。　There　was　no　other　light　except…
　　　Except　for　a　faint　purple　glow　shimmering　in　chaotic　waves　over　Ryld　himself。
　　　Faerie　fire。
　　　Ryld　drew　Splitter　and　stepped　back；　opening　his　stance；　then　he　turned　around　once　three　hundred　and　sixty　degrees　looking　for　anything　moving　toward　him…looking　for　Danifae。　It　was　a　dark　elf　who　had　picked　him　out　from　the　dark　background　using　the　magical　ability　she；　like　all　drow；　was　born　with。　Who　else　could　it　be？
　　　She　must　have　already　killed　Halisstra；　Ryld　thought。
　　　The　world　exploded　in　agonizing　light；　and　he　could　hear　something　big　running　at　him。
　　　Ryld　had　been　trained　to　fight　when　unable　to　see；　and　as　the　foe　that　blinded　him　charged；　he　fell　back　on　that　training。　The　weapons　master　surprised　himself　with　how　well　he'd　adapted　to　the　way　sound　traveled　on　the　surface　world。　He　timed　Danifae's　charge…and　it　had　to　be　Danifae…so　that　when　she　was　no　more　than　three　strides　from　him；　he　stepped　to　the　side。　The　echoes　were　oddly　spaced。　It　almost　sounded　as　if　Danifae　had　four　legs。
　　　That　aside；　Ryld　had　estimated　correctly；　and　he　stepped　out　of　the　way　of　the　former　battle…captive　in　time　to　feel　her　brush　past　him　in　a　rush　of　cold　air　and　an　unpleasant；　uncharacteristic　strong　musky　smell。
　　　Still　blind；　Ryld　heard　her　scuffle　to　a　stop　in　the　ankle…deep；　wet　moss。　She　turned　quickly　and　Ryld　could　feel　her　ready　to　e　at　him　again。
　　　Ryld　heaved　Splitter　in　front　of　him；　again　as　he　was　trained　to　do。　The　blade　never　bit　into　flesh　and　bone；　but　the　purpose　of　that　attack　wasn't　so　much　to　kill　as　it　was　to　fend　off。　He　had　been　blinded　by　some　sort　of　conjured　light；　which　meant　that　his　eyesight　would　return　in　time。　The　first　rule　of　fighting　blind　was　keeping　yourself　alive　until　you　weren't　blind　anymore。
　　　It　was　exactly　what　he　was　supposed　to　do；　but　it　didn't　work。　The　moment　Splitter　passed　to　his　left　side；　opening　up　his　chest　and　face；　she…it。　。　。　something　。　。　。　dived　on　him。　It　was　definitely　not　Danifae。　It　was　no　drow　at　all。
　　　The　thing　that　smashed　Ryld　to　the　ground　was　enormous　and　covered　in　thick；　coarse　fur。　It　had　four　strong　legs　each　with　a　set　of　long；　sharp　claws　that　tugged　at　his　armor　but　were　unable　to　cut　him　through　his　dwarven　mithral　breastplate。
　　　Ryld　smelled　hot；　rank　breath；　and　a　name　came　to　his　mind：　Jeggred。
　　　Why　would　the　draegloth　be　there　with　Danifae？　Unless　the　former　battle…captive　had　brought　Quenthel　with　her；　but　would　they　all　really　waste　their　time　running　after　him　and　Halisstra　when　there　was　still　a　goddess　to　awaken？
　　　Ryld　blinked；　his　sight　returning　in　aching；　cramping　vibrations　in　his　tired　eyes。　The　claws　worried　at　his　armor　and　came　dangerously　close　to　his　face　as　the　creature…could　it　be　the　draegloth？…shifted　in　an　effort　to　find　some　gap　in　his　armor　to　exploit　for　the　kill。　Ryld　pushed　up　with　the　flat　of　his　blade　and　both　his　feet　and　rolled　the　heavy　creature　off　him。
　　　When　it　hit　the　cold；　spongy　ground；　it　wriggled　on　its　side　in　an　effort　to　get　to　its　feet。　The　thing　growled；　and　the　sound　was　both　higher　in　pitch　and　less　intelligent　than　Jeggred's。　Ryld　blinked　blotches　of　purple　from　his　eyes　and　whirled　around　and　up　to　his　feet；　Splitter　in　front　of　him　to　guard　against　the　inevitable　next　pounce。
　　　If　it　was　Jeggred；　the　draegloth　was　down　on　all　fours　and　attacking　him　only　with　fangs　and　one　set　of　claws。　Ryld　batted　away　a　rake　from　the　thing　with　the　flat　of　his　blade　but　failed　to　slice　off　the　paw。　It　bit　at　him；　but　he　stepped　back；　leaning　away　from　the　attack　so　that　the　creature's　fangs　snapped　down　on　thin　air。
　　　Ryld　blinked　again；　and　his　eyesight　returned　to　nearly　normal。　He　wasn't　fighting　Danifae　or　Jeggred　but　some　kind　of　furred　surface　animal。　Ryld　had　seen　similar　animals：　cats。　The　one　that　was　trying　to　kill　him　was　huge；　ten　feet　from　nose　to　tail。　Mottled　gray　fur　rippled　over　rolling　muscles。　Its　tall；　pointed　ears　twitched　and　moved　independently　of　each　other　to　track　Ryld　as　it　circled　him；　and　the　weapons　master　turned　to　keep　the　animal　in　sight　at　all　times。　Steam　puffed　from　its　nostrils　into　the　cold　air。
　　　Ryld　felt　a　chill　run　through　the　undersides　of　his　arms。　He　had　a　strange　feeling　of　relief　that　he　was　only　being　hunted…again…by　a　native　surface　animal。　Danifae　hadn't　taken　her　revenge　after　all；　certainly　not　with　Jeggred　as　her　second。　The　weapons　master　briefly　entertained　the　idea　that　Halisstra　was　right　about　her　former　servant；　but　the　reality　of　his　situation　intruded　once　again。
　　　The　animal　leaped　at　him；　and　Ryld　was　ready　for　it。　He　had　Splitter　up　and　to　the　side　and　had　just　tensed　his　arms　in　preparation　for　a　downward　slice　across　his　chest　to　dig　at　the　animal's　head　when　the　thing　stopped。　The　animal　halted　in　midair　for　a　heartbeat　then　fell。　It　made　a　sound　that　was　halfway　between　a　growl　and　a　whimper　when　it　hit　the　ground；　already　scrambling　to　regain　its　feet。
　　　The　weapons　master　hopped　back；　bringing　Splitter　quickly　in　front　of　him　to　guard　against…
　　　〃Jeggred；〃　Ryld　said。
　　　The　draegloth　held　the　huge　cat　by　its　tail；　his　eyes　glowing　red　in　the　darkness。　Even　as　the　animal　turned　on　him；　Jeggred's　lips　pulled　back　over　his　teeth　in　a　feral；　hate…filled　smile。
　　　
　　　Halisstra　stepped　off　the　stairs　onto　what　she　assumed　was　the　highest　floor　of　the　slowly　crumbling　structure　and　there　she　saw　Danifae。　A　gasp　passed　across　her　parted　lips　at　the　sight　of　her　former　servant。　Danifae　had　always　been　beautiful…that　was　part　of　what　made　her　such　a　desirable　possession…but　though　it　hardly　seemed　possible；　the　girl　had　grown　even　more　attractive。　The　ample　curves　of　her　strong　body　made　an　alluring　silhouette　in　the　dark　space；　and　her　bright　white　hair　framed　her　round；　beautiful　face　in　a　way　Halisstra　had　never　seen　on　her　normally　pragmatic　and　simple　battle…captive。
　　　〃What's　wrong？〃　Danifae　asked；　her　voice　quiet。　〃Do　I　look　different？〃
　　　Halisstra　nodded　and　stepped　away　from　the　top　of　the　stairs；　careful　to　keep　her　back　to　the　wall。
　　　〃Yes；　you　do。　Freedom　agrees　with　you；　Danifae。〃
　　　〃Yes；　Halisstra；〃　Danifae　replied。　Halisstra　did　not　fail　to　miss　the　fact　that　Danifae　had　called　her　by　name。　〃Freedom　does　agree　with　me；〃　she　continued；　〃but　there　is　much　to　discuss　and　precious　little　time。〃
　　　Halisstra　arced　an　eyebrow　and　let　a　hand　slip　to　the　hilt　of　the　Crescent　Blade。
　　　〃You　are　in　danger　here；〃　Danifae　warned；　her　eyes　darting　to　Halisstra's　weapon。　〃I　was　careless　and　was　found　out。〃
　　　Halisstra's　blood　went　cold；　and　she　said；　〃Found　out？〃
　　　〃I　was　gone　too　long；〃　said　Danifae。　〃I　was　questioned　by　the　high　priestess　and　the　mage；　and　they　。　。　。　did　things　to　me　to　make　me　tell　them　about　you；　about　Ryld；　and　all　of　it。　All　of　it　that　I　know。〃
　　　Halisstra　tried　to　take　a