war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第40部分

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ere　would　you　like　to　go？　Llacerellyn？　Sschindylryn？
　　　Despite　herself；　Danifae　gasped。　Sschindylryn　was　a　city　known　for　its　many　portals　and　known　to　Danifae　as　the　adopted　home　of　perhaps　the　only　drow　in　all　the　Underdark　who　might　be　able　to　help　her；　who　might　be　able　to　undo　the　spell　that　bound　her　to　Halisstra。　If　indeed　he　could　。　。　。
　　　Seeing　that　Pharaun　was　studying　her　face…and　irritated　at　herself　for　betraying　her　thoughts…Danifae　posed　herself。
　　　For　a　moment；　she'd　almost　believed　him；　but　she　knew　better　than　to　allow　herself　to　hope。　In　her　experience；　promises…especially　those　made　by　a　fellow　drow…were　seldom　kept。
　　　Still；　there　was　a　chance。　During　the　fall　of　Ched　Nasad；　Pharaun　had　risked　his　life　to　rescue　her。　Danifae　was　still　trying　to　puzzle　out　why。　What　advantage　had　that　gained　him？　Maybe　the　rescue　had　simply　been　an　impulse；　a　product　of　lust。　That　emotion　might　have　been　driving　him　still。
　　　Had　the　moment　e　to　switch　her　allegiance　from　Quenthel　to　Pharaun？　Danifae　turned　the　thought　over　in　her　mind。　She'd　cultivated　an　alliance　with　Quenthel　because　finding　out　what　had　happened　to　Lolth　offered　a　chance　to　regain　her　magic；　perhaps　even　to　gain　special　favor　from　the　dark　goddess　herself。　Quenthel　was　the　highest　ranking　drow　among　the　Menzoberranyr；　and　if　Danifae　was　doomed　to　serve；　she　preferred　serving　at　the　highest　level　possible。　To　be　a　battle…captive　was　one　thing；　to　be　the　servant　of　a　Houseless　refugee　from　a　crumbled　city　was　another。　Danifae's　serving　Quenthel　had　stymied　Halisstra。　The　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn　could　have　killed　Danifae　on　a　whim；　but　once　her　battle…captive　became　Quenthel's　plaything；　Halisstra　would　be　answerable　to　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith。
　　　After　so　many　years　of　demurely　bowing　and　murmuring　acquiescence　to　others；　Danifae　was　finally　able　to　choose　her　own　path；　finally　able　to　act…but　she　was　far　from　free。　There　was　still　the　Binding。　She　could　still　feel　that　unbreakable　connection　to　Halisstra　Melarn。
　　　Quenthel　was　a　powerful　ally；　and　if　Danifae　played　her　sava　pieces　correctly；　she　might　even　wind　up　at　Quenthel's　right　hand　。　。　。　if　the　quest　to　find　Lolth　succeeded。　Of　which；　given　their　lack　of　success　so　far；　Danifae　was　less　than　certain。
　　　But　in　Sschindylryn；　if　the　old　mage　was　still　alive；　she　could　be　free　at　last。　Free　to…what？　Where　would　she　go？　Even　assuming　Eryndlyn　hadn't　suffered　the　same　fate　as　Ched　Nasad；　there　was　nothing　left　for　her　there。　She　could　go　to　Menzoberranzan　or　some　other　city；　but　as　what？　A　free　drow；　but　one　without　alliances；　without　a　House　to　protect　her。　But　if　she　had　a　sponsor；　a　matron　。　。　。　someone　like　Quenthel　Baenre；　for　instance　。　。　。　she　might　find　a　home　at　Arach…Tinilith。　。　。　。
　　　Danifae　decided　to　play　her　pieces　carefully；　starting　with　a　lie。
　　　I'll　do　it；　she　signed。　Quenthel　will　hear　nothing　of　this　from　me。　But　make　certain；　first；　that　they　really　do　know　where　the　ship　is…and　that　it's　still　seaworthy。
　　　Pharaun　smiled　and　inclined　his　chin　slightly　in　a　token　bow。　Then　he　dispelled　the　globe　of　darkness；　dropped　Danifae's　hand；　and　turned　back　to　Oothoon。
　　　Well？　he　asked。　Have　you　decided　to　accept　my　offer？
　　　The　aboleth　matriarch　flicked　a　tentacle　and　said；　〃Give　me　Quenthel；　and　I　will　tell　you　where　the　ship　of　chaos　is。〃
　　　Danifae　raised　an　eyebrow。　Seeing　it；　Pharaun　gave　a　slight　nod。　He'd　obviously　realized　the　same　thing　she　had；　they'd　e　looking　for　a　ship；　but　neither　one　of　them　had　mentioned　precisely　what　sort　of　ship。　Still；　there　was　a　chance　that　Valas　might　have　done　so。
　　　Describe　it；　Pharaun　signed。　Convince　us　that　you　know　about　it。
　　　The　aboleth　closed　its　eyes；　as　if　calling　up　a　distant　memory。
　　　〃It　was　made　of　bone　and　moved　upon　the　surface　of　the　lake。　The　creatures　that　inhabited　it　were　shaped　as　you　are　and　seemed　alive　but　were　pale　and　bloated；　and　tasted　of　death…and　of　insects。　The　one　that　she…who…spawned…my…mothers　consumed　was　infested　with　white；　wriggling　things。〃
　　　Maggots；　Pharaun　signed；　his　face　showing　none　of　the　revulsion　that　Danifae　was　certain　was　written　plain　across　her　own　face。
　　　〃Yes。　An　unfortable　experience…especially　when　the　creature　disincorporated　into　acidic　vapor　within　her　stomach。　She…who…spawned…my…mothers　nearly　died　and　would　not　willingly　eat　one　of　those　creatures　again；　had　its　mind　held　the　secrets　of　the　gods　themselves。〃
　　　Danifae　seized　upon　that　important　point。
　　　When　did　your　ancestor　consume　the　mane？　she　asked。　When　the　ship　first　visited　your　city…or　after　it　was　lost？
　　　〃After；〃　Oothoon　answered。　〃The　foolish　creature　came　swimming　back　here　when　its　captain　was　overe。〃
　　　Describe　the　captain；　Pharaun　signed。
　　　〃It　was　a　land　creature；　with　two　walking　legs　and　two　holding　legs；〃　Oothoon　answered；　〃and　a　long　tail　that　constantly　moved；　like　a　strand　of　kelp　in　a　shifting　current。　Its　body　was　without　hair；　except　for　its　snout。　The　demon's　face　resembled　that　of　the　tiny　land　creatures　that　scurry　through　the　caverns；　with　a　snout　that　was　always　tasting　the　air。〃
　　　An　uridezu；　Pharaun　signed；　with　a　knowing　look　at　Danifae。　Just　as　Belshazu　told　us。
　　　Valas　could　have　mentioned　that　detail　to　the　aboleth；　Danifae　signed　quickly。
　　　Pharaun　shook　his　head　and　replied；　Valas　doesn't　know　one　demon　from　another。　He　wouldn't　recognize　an　uridezu　if　one　was　staring　him　in　the　face；　nor　would　he　remember　a　demonic　species　Belshazu　mentioned　only　in　passing。　Oothoon　is　telling　the　truth。　Her　ancestor　did　indeed　consume　the　mane…and　with　it；　knowledge　of　where　the　ship　foundered。
　　　To　Oothoon；　he　signed；　We　know　that　the　ship　was　lost　in　a　storm。　Was　it　destroyed？
　　　〃When　the　mane　swam　away　from　the　ship；　it　was　still　whole；〃　Oothoon　answered。　〃The　storm　immobilized　it　and　killed　the　crew　but　did　not　damage　the　ship　itself。〃
　　　Danifae　snorted。　As　if　the　aboleth　matriarch　would　give　them　any　other　answer；　after　Pharaun　had　revealed　their　plans　to　raise　the　ship　and　sail　it　again。
　　　And　what　of　the　demon？　Pharaun　asked。
　　　〃It；　too；　was　immobilized　by　the　storm。〃
　　　The　mage　thought　for　a　moment；　then　nodded；　seemingly　satisfied　with　Oothoon's　replies。
　　　Very　well；　he　signed。　Tell　me　where　the　ship　lies；　and　I　will　arrange　for　Quenthel　to　e　to　you。
　　　〃No；〃　Oothoon　answered；　glowering…and　for　a　frightening　moment；　Danifae　thought　that　the　bargain　was　off；　that　the　aboleth　had　decided　to　eat　them；　instead。　〃You　will　give　me　the　priestess…and　after　I　have　consumed　her；　I　will　tell　you　the　location　of　the　ship。〃
　　　Danifae　snorted。　Impasse。　But　to　her　astonishment；　Pharaun　nodded。
　　　I　accept；　he　told　the　aboleth。
　　　As　Oothoon　gurgled　in　delight；　the　two　guards　nudged　Pharaun　and　Danifae　from　the　room。　The　audience　was　at　an　end。
　　　
Chapter　Eighteen
　　　Gromph　was　surprised　by　the　contents　of　the　thought　bottle。　He　could　hear　the　gurgle　of　fluid；　but　what　slid　over　his　tongue　felt　like　fine　sand。　As　he　swallowed　it；　a　curious　taste　filled　his　mouth…a　strange　blend　of　ancient；　desiccated　insect　and　the　sharp　t