war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第53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！


　　　She　knelt　beside　the　body　and　studied　it；　shifting　it　slightly　to　observe　the　woman's　back。　As　Baeford　had　said；　there　were　no　obvious　signs　of　injury。　The　priestess's　skin　was　unbroken；　and　her　tunic　and　boots　showed　only　normal　travel　wear。　Just　as　all　of　Eilistraee's　priestesses　did…especially　when　venturing　into　the　Underdark…she　wore　a　chain　mail　shirt。　Its　links　were　undamaged；　and　her　sword　was　still　in　its　scabbard。
　　　On　an　impulse；　Halisstra　grasped　the　hilt　and　tugged。　The　sword　slid　out　of　its　scabbard　easily；　its　blade　keen　and　bright…had　it　been　used；　it　might　have　been　sticky　with　blood。　As　Halisstra　reached　once　again　over　the　dead　woman　to　resheath　the　weapon；　her　face　came　close　to　that　of　the　priestess。　Detecting　a　faint　but　acrid　odor；　she　bent　closer　and　sniffed。　The　smell　was　a　distinctive　blend　of　the　sulfuric　fires　of　the　Abyss　bined　with　rotten　spiderweb。
　　　Halisstra　swore　softly；　〃Eilistraee　protect　us。〃
　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Ryld　asked；　tense。
　　　〃She　was　killed　by　a　yochlol；〃　Halisstra　said。　〃I　can　smell　its　stink　on　her　skin　and　hair。〃
　　　Silver　flashed　as　Ryld　drew　his　greatsword。　He　assumed　a　ready　position；　eyes　darting　around　the　forest。
　　　〃Do　you　think　it　followed　her？〃　he　asked　through　gritted　teeth。
　　　〃I　doubt　it。〃
　　　As　she　spoke；　Halisstra　pried　open　the　dead　woman's　mouth。　The　priestess's　jaw　opened　easily。　She　had　not　been　dead　long。　As　Halisstra　had　suspected；　the　smell　was　stronger　when　the　woman's　mouth　was　open。　The　yochlol　must　have　assumed　gaseous　form　and　flowed　into　the　priestess's　lungs；　choking　her　and　rendering　her　unable　to　retaliate　with　either　sword　or　spell。　Which　meant　that　the　yochlol　had　gotten　close　to　her…close　enough　to　take　her　pletely　by　surprise。　It　had　done　so　either　by　using　a　spell　to　dominate　her；　or　by　the　simple　subterfuge　of　assuming　one　of　its　most　innocent…looking　forms；　that　of　a　female　drow。
　　　A　〃drow〃　who　had；　Halisstra　guessed；　pretended　to　be　a　petitioner　seeking　to　join　in　Eilistraee's　worship。　The　yochlol　must　have　toyed　with　the　priestess；　secretly　gloating　at　what　was　to　e　while　acpanying　her　to　the　cavern　that　led　out　onto　the　World　Above。　Then　it　struck。
　　　〃This　was　no　random　attack；〃　Halisstra　concluded。　〃The　yochlol　chose　its　victim　deliberately。〃
　　　〃Do　you　think　the　demon　was　summoned？〃　Ryld　asked；　his　brow　creased　in　a　worried　frown。　〃If　it　was。　。　。　。〃
　　　The　warrior　didn't　finish　his　question；　but　he　didn't　have　to。　Halisstra　knew　full　well　what　was　on　his　mind。　The　yochlol　were　demonic　creatures　that　served　the　Queen　of　the　Demonweb　Pits。　The　handmaidens　of　Lolth　could　only　appear　on　the　prime　material　plane　if　summoned　by　her　priestesses。　It　was　possible；　however；　that　one　had　already　been　on　the　prime　when　Lolth　fell　silent　and　had　subsequently　broken　free　of　its　mistresses。
　　　It　was　also　possible　that　Lolth　had　returned　from　wherever　she'd　gone　to；　and　that　her　priestesses　were　once　again　able　to　use　their　spells。
　　　〃Uluyara　will　want　to　know　about　this；〃　Halisstra　said。　She　moved　to　one　end　of　the　cloak　on　which　the　priestess　lay；　and　grasped　its　two　corners。　〃Let's　get　the　body　to　the　temple…at　once。〃
　　　
Chapter　Twenty…three
　　　Sculling　to　keep　herself　just　beneath　the　surface　of　the　lake；　Quenthel　waited　until　the　spell　that　allowed　her　to　breathe　water　ended。　When　her　lungs　began　to　feel　tight　and　hot；　she　exhaled　the　last　of　the　lake　water　from　them　and　let　her　head　break　the　surface。　Then；　treading　water　and　coughing　slightly；　she　touched　the　brooch　on　her　chest。　She　rose　smoothly　into　the　spray…filled　air　beside　the　waterfall；　at　last　drawing　level　with　the　tunnel。
　　　Jeggred　was　sitting　just　inside　it　brooding；　staring　out　across　the　lake。　When　he　saw　her　his　eyes　widened。　Letting　out　a　howl　of　delight；　he　leaped　to　his　feet；　cracking　his　head　against　the　low　ceiling　and　splitting　his　scalp。　Oblivious　to　the　blood　that　flowed　freely　through　his　thick　white　hair；　he　broke　into　gulping　laughter。
　　　〃Mistress！〃　he　barked。
　　　Quenthel　landed　lightly　on　the　ledge　beside　him。　Crouching　low；　she　scrambled　into　the　tunnel。　Jeggred　leaped　forward；　his　massive　fighting　arms　wide　as　if　he　were　actually　about　to　embrace　her；　of　all　things。　Quenthel's　stern　look…and　the　twitching　of　her　vipers…warned　him　off；　and　instead　he　groveled　at　her　feet。　Not　daring　to　couch　her；　he　kissed　the　cold　stone　in　front　of　her　feet；　whimpering　softly。
　　　Quenthel　half…hoped　Jeggred　would　ask　how　she'd　managed　to　escape　the　aboleth。　She　would　have　relished　relating　how　clever　she'd　been。　But；　being　a　draegloth；　he　was　far　too　literal…minded　for　that。　His　mistress　had　been　eaten；　but　now　she　was　alive　again。　That　much　was　enough。　That…and　the　fort　of　having　someone　to　give　him　mands　again。
　　　Curling　her　fingers　like　a　spider's　legs；　she　touched　them　momentarily　to　his　shoulder　and　watched　his　mane　ripple　as　he　writhed　with　pleasure。　Then　she　turned　to　more　pressing　matters。
　　　〃Where　are　the　others？〃　she　asked。
　　　Jeggred　pointed　behind　him；　back　down　the　tunnel；　and　said；　〃In　another　cavern。　That　way。〃
　　　Stooping　to　avoid　the　low　ceiling；　Quenthel　set　off　in　the　direction　indicated。　Jeggred　trailed　behind　her；　ducking　his　head　subserviently　and　silently　pointing　each　time　she　glanced　at　him　for　directions。　After　a　while；　the　ceiling　became　higher；　and　they　were　able　to　walk　upright。　They　were　going　back　the　way　they　had　e；　still　following　the　river。　Up　ahead　Quenthel　could　hear　voices；　one　male；　the　other　recognizable　as　Danifae's　by　the　audible　pout　of　the　words。　Quenthel　remembered　a　larger　cavern；　just　ahead。　By　the　echo　of　their　voices　she　guessed　they　were　probably　standing　inside　it；　talking。
　　　〃Why　were　you　alone？〃　Quenthel　asked　Jeggred。　〃Did　the　others　leave　you　behind　after　Pharaun　failed　to　return？〃
　　　When　Jeggred　didn't　answer　immediately；　she　glanced　back　at　him。　The　draegloth　had　a　confused　frown　on　his　face。
　　　〃The　wizard　did　return；〃　he　answered。
　　　Quenthel　ground　her　teeth；　irritated；　and　felt　her　whip…vipers　writhing　against　her　hip。　Sometimes　her　nephew　could　be　so　thickheaded。
　　　〃I　know　he　came　back　the　first　time　he　went　to　speak　to　Oothoon；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　talking　about　the　second　time　he…〃
　　　Hearing　a　third　voice…one　she　recognized…Quenthel　stopped　so　abruptly　that　Jeggred　bumped　into　her　from　behind。　So　surprised　was　she　by　the　sound　of　the　voice；　she　didn't　even　think　to　draw　her　whip　and　lash　the　draegloth　for　this　transgression。　Instead　she　swore　softly　under　her　breath…a　curse　that　would　have　invoked　the　wrath　of　Lolth；　had　the　goddess　been　able　to　hear　it…then　she　rushed　forward；　scrambling　up　the　incline　that　led　away　from　the　river　tunnel；　toward　the　cavern　from　which　the　voices　came。
　　　The　entrance　to　the　cavern　was　a　narrow　one；　and　Quenthel　had　to　squeeze　past　a　mushroom…shaped　stalagmite　to　get　inside。　Through　the　opening　she　saw　Valas　and　Danifae　sitting　on　a　natural　shelf　of　rock；　sharing　a　bricklike　loaf　of　pressed　fungus。　A　moment　later　she　saw　the　third　speaker；　standing　a　little　apart　from　them　and　holding　a　small　spherical　object　in　front　of　one　eye　as　he　chanted　the　words　to　a