蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第83章

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〃Ched　Nasad　。。。〃　Triel　whispered。
〃The　three　of　them　ought　to　be　more　than　capable　of　surviving　a　trek　as　far　as　Ched　Nasad；〃　continued　Gromph；　〃and　they　can't　very　well　try　to　overthrow　us　while　they're　leagues　away　from　the　city；　can　they？　Who　knows；　perhaps　Lolth　will　return　before　they　do；　and　in　any　case；　with　time；　their　notoriety　will　fade。〃
His　suggestion　left　Triel　feeling　a　little　sheepish。　She　hid　it　as　best　she　could　by　pretending　to　consider　his　plan。
〃Faeryl　Zauvirr　proposed　an　expedition　to　Ched　Nasad。　She　claimed　to　be　concerned　because　the　caravans　have　stopped。〃
Gromph　cocked　his　head。　〃Really？　Well；　our　representatives　can　sort　that　out　as　well。　You　know；　it's　good　that　the　ambassador　is　already　keen　to　go。　She'll　make　a　valuable　addition　and　a　more　than　adequate　cover　for　the　whole　enterprise。〃
〃Waerva　told　me　Faeryl　was　a　spy；〃　said　Triel；　〃and　sought　to　depart　the　city　in　order　to　report　our　weakness　to　her　confederates。　So　I　forbade　her　to　leave。〃
〃What　proof　did　Waerva　offer？〃
〃She　told　me　she　learned　of　Faeryl's　treachery　from　one　of　her　informants。〃
Gromph　waited　a　moment　as　if　expecting　something　more。
〃And　that's　it？〃　he　asked　at　length。　〃With　respect；　Matron；　may　I　point　out　that　if　you　haven't　spoken　with　the　informer　yourself；　if　you　haven't　probed　the　matter　any　further；　then　you　really　only　have　Waerva's　word　for　it　that　the　envoy　is　a　traitor。〃
〃I　can't　handle　everything　personally；〃　Triel　scowled。　〃That's　why　we　have　retainers　in　the　first　place。　I　have　not　entirely　lost　touch　with　my—　our　interests　in　Ched　Nasad；　though　their　explanations　and　excuses　do　wear　thin。〃
〃Of　course；　Matron；〃　Gromph　said　quickly。　〃I　quite　understand。　I　have　the　same　problem　with　my　own　retainers；　and　I　only　have　Menzoberranzan's　wizards　to　oversee；　not　an　entire　city。〃
〃Why　would　Waerva　lie？〃
〃I　don't　know；　but　I've　had　some　dealings　with　Faeryl　Zauvirr。　She　never　struck　me　as　stupid　enough　to　cross　the　Baenre。　Waerva；　on　the　other　hand；　is　reckless　and　discontented　enough　for　any　game。　Accordingly；　I　think　it　might　be　worthwhile　to　inquire　into　this　matter　ourselves。〃
Triel　hesitated　before　saying；　〃That　could　prove　difficult。　Despite　my　orders；　the　Zauvirr　tried　to　flee　Menzoberranzan。　I　hired　some　agents　of　Bregan　D'aerthe；　led　by　Valas　Hune—do　you　know　him？〃
〃I've　heard　the　name　mentioned；〃　Gromph　replied。
〃He　would　make　a　fair　addition　to　your　little　band　of　explorers；〃　Triel　said。　〃He's　known　to　be　more　than　passingly　familiar　with　the　wilds　of　the　Underdark—a　guide　of　some　acplishment；　in　fact。〃
Gromph　bowed　his　agreement。
〃Be　that　as　it　may；　it　was　Valas　Hune　I　hired　to　fetch　Faeryl　back。　He　pleted　his　task　well；　and　I　gave　the　ambassador　to　Jeggred。〃
The　wizard　rounded　on　the　draegloth。
〃What's　the　prisoner's　condition？〃　he　asked　the　creature。　〃Is　she　alive？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Jeggred　through　a　mouthful　of　bloody　meat。　〃I　was　taking　my　time；　to　prove　I　can。　But　you　can't　have　her。　Mother　gave　her　to　me。　She　just　told　you。〃
Gromph　stared　up　into　the　halfdemon's　eyes。
〃Nephew；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　sore；　frustrated；　and　in　a　foul　mood　generally。　Right　now　I　don't　give　a　leaky　sack　of　rat　droppings　whether　you're　a　sacred　being　or　not。　Show　some　respect；　lead　me　to　this　prisoner　forthwith；　or　I'll　blight　you　where　you　sit。〃
Clutching　the　rothe　bone　like　a　club；　Jeggred　sprang　upward　from　his　seat。
Triel　said；　〃Do　as　the　archmage　bade　you。　I　wish　it　as　well。〃
The　draegloth　lowered　his　makeshift　weapon。
〃Yes；　Mother；〃　he　sighed。
　
C　h　a　p　t　e　r
T　　W　　E　　N　　T　　Y
F　　I　　V　　E
Her　pack　weighting　her　shoulders；　her　heart　pounding；　Waerva　turned　and　peered　about。　The　cave　stretched　out　before　her　and　behind；　with　stalactites　stabbing　down　from　the　ceiling　and　stalagmites　jutting　up　from　the　uneven　floor。　Nothing　moved。
What；　then；　had　she　heard？　As　if　in　response　to　her　unspoken　question；　a　drop　of　falling　water　plopped　somewhere　in　the　passages　ahead。　It　was　one　of　the　most　mon　sounds　of　the　Underdark；　and　scarcely　a　harbinger　of　peril。
Waerva　wiped　sweat　from　her　brow　and　scowled　at　her　own　jumpiness。　She　had　good　reason　to　be　edgy；　though。　Everyone　said　it　was　suicide　to　travel　the　subterranean　wilderness　alone。
Sadly；　thanks　to　the　cursed　goblin　rebellion；　she　had　little　choice。　Because　of　the　desperate　fighting　all　across　the　city；　the　clergy's　incapacity　was　no　great　secret　anymore。　Certainly　Gromph　had　discerned　it；　which　meant　Triel　no　longer　had　anything　to　hide　from　him。　Surely；　then；　she　would　seek　his　counsel　once　more。
Waerva　had　been　confident　she　could　manipulate　the　frazzled　matron　mother；　but　she　very　much　doubted　she　could　fool　the　canny　archmage。　Accordingly；　she'd　cleared　out　of　the　Great　Mound　and　Menzoberranzan　itself　before　her　kinsman　could　start　asking　questions；　and　there　she　was；　a　solitary　wayfarer　hiking　through　a　perilous　wilderness。
But　she　was　strong　and　cunning；　and　she'd　survive。　She'd　make　her　way　to　her　secret　allies；　and　everything　would　be　all　right。
She　took　four　more　strides；　then　heard　another　little　sound；　and　this　one　wasn't　falling　water。　It　sounded　more　like　a　stealthy　footstep　brushing　stone；　and　it　came　from　behind　her。
She　whirled　and　saw　no　one；　then　something　stung　her　arm。　She　pivoted。　At　her　feet　lay　the　pebble　someone　had　thrown。　Soft；　sibilant　laughter　rippled　through　the　air。　From　the　sound　of　it；　the　merrymakers　were　all　around　her。
Why；　then；　couldn't　she　see　them？
Adamantine　mace　at　the　ready；　one　wing　of　her　piwafwi　tossed　back　to　facilitate　the　action　of　her　weapon　arm；　Waerva　advanced　in　the　direction　from　which　the　rock　had　e。　Weaving　her　way　through　the　stalagmites；　she　reached　the　cavern　wall　without　so　much　as　glimpsing　her　attacker。　She　caught　a　whiff　of　a　familiar　reptilian　musk；　though；　and　she　knew。
Kobolds。　The　horned；　scaly　undercreatures　were　small　enough　that　it　was　relatively　easy　for　them　to　hide　amid　the　calcite　bumps　and　spikes。
She　turned　once　more；　and　despite　herself；　gave　a　start。　Evidently　the　kobolds　lacked　the　patience　to　play　their　skulking　game　for　very　long；　because　they　were　done　hiding。　While　her　back　was　turned；　they'd　crept　out　into　the　open　and　there　formed　a　ragged　Cshaped　line　to　pen　her　against　the　wall。
The　brutes　were　Menzoberranyr　thralls。　House　brands　and　whip　scars　gave　that　fact　away。　Indeed；　a　couple　still　wore　broken　shackles。　Waerva　plainly　wasn't　the　only　one　who'd　fled　the　city。
She　glared　at　the　kobolds　and　said；　〃I'm　a　Baenre。　You　know　what　that　means。　Make　way；　or　I'll　strike　you　dead。〃
The　undercreatures　stared　back　at　her　for　a　moment；　then　lowered　their　eyes。　The　line　broke　in　the　middle；　making　an　exit。
Sneering；　head　held　high；　Waerva　started　for　the　opening。　For　a　moment；　all　was　silent；　then　the　reptiles　laughed；　screeched；　and　rushed　her。
Bellowing　a　battle　cry；　she　swung　her　mace；　and　every　stroke　smashed　the　life　from　a　thrall。　But　for　every　one　she　killed；　there　were　dozens　more　hacking　and　beating　at　her　legs。
Her　knee　screamed　with　pain；　and　she　fell。　The　kobolds　swarmed　over　her　and　pounded　her　until　she　just　couldn't　struggle　any　more。
With　some　difficulty；　they　divested　her　of　her　armor　and　clothing；　and　went　to　work　on　her。　Amazingly　for　such　a　bestial　race；　they　seemed　to　understand　anatomy　as　thoroughly　as　her　dear　Tluth；　but　their　ministrations　were　nothing　like　massage。
Faeryl　had　learned　to　court　unconsciousness。　It　brought　surcease　from　the　lingering　pains　of　past　tortures。　Unfortunately；　it　couldn't　avert　new　ones。　When　Jeggred　found　her　so；　he　simply　waved　a　bottle　of　pungent　smelling　salts　beneath　her　nose　until　it　jolted　her　awake。
She　could　hear　him　ing。　So　could　the　jailers；　who　scurried　to　the　back　of　the　dungeon　to　give　him　privacy。　Shivering；　she　struggled　to　pose　herself。　Perhaps　she　could　deny　him　the　satisfaction　of　a　scream—at　least　for　a　while—or　even　provoke　him　into　killing　her。　That　would　be　wonderful。
The　draegloth　appeared　in　the　doorway；　stooping　to　pass　through。　Despite　herself；　Faeryl　flinched；　then　saw　he　was　not　alone。　Dainty　little　Triel　acpanied　him。　So　did　her　harshfeatured　brother；　clad　as　usual　in　the　Robes　of　the　Archmage。
〃My　。　。　。　salutations；　Matron；〃　the　Zauvirr　croaked。
〃Hush；〃　said　Gromph；　〃and　all　will　be　well。〃　H