war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第135节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　profess　devotion　to　Arach…Tinilith。　Surely　it　would　be　more　reverent　to　engage　the　undercreatures　in　the　vault　below　and　thus　deny　them　the　slightest　opportunity　to　profane　your　shrines　and　altars。　Siminotlarly；　it　would　be　better　strategy　to　fight　alongside　allies　than　to　wait　till　they　perish　and　you're　left　to　struggle　alone。〃
〃You're　glib；　wizard；〃　the　Agrach　Dyrr　priestess　sneered；　〃but　you　don't　know　our　efforts　are　needed。　Flame　and　glare；　they're　only　goblins！　I　think　you're　just　a　scareling。〃
〃Perhaps　he　is；〃　Quenthel　said；　〃but　how　dare　we　seek　the　Dark　Mother's　favor　if　we　decline　to　defend　her　chosen　city　in　its　hour　of　need？　Surely；　then；　we　never　would　hear　her　voice　again。〃
〃Mistress；〃　said　Viconia；　spreading　her　hands；　〃I　know　we　can　find　a　better　way　to　please　her　than　brawling　with　vermin　in　the　street。〃
Quenthel　lifted　her　hand　crossbow　and　shot　her　lieutenant　in　the　face。　Viconia　made　a　choking　sound　and　stumbled　backward。　The　poison　was　already　blackening　her　face　as　she　collapsed。
〃I　thought　I'd　already　demonstrated　that　/　rule　here；〃　the　Baenre　said。　〃Does　anyone　else　wish　to　contest　my　orders？〃
〃If　so；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃she　should　be　aware　that　I　stand　with　the　misnottress；　and　I　have　the　power　to　scour　the　lot　of　you　from　the　face　of　the　plateau。〃
Ignoring　the　boastful　wizard；　Quenthel　surveyed　her　minions。　It　apnotpeared　that　no　one　else　had　anything　much　to　say。
〃Good；〃　the　Baenre　said。　〃Let　us　rouse　the　tower　and　the　pyramid。〃









C　h　a　p　t　e　r

T　W　E　N　T　Y
T　H　｜R　E　E
With　Quenthel　in　the　lead；　the　Academy　descended　from　Tier　Breche　like　a　great　waterfall。　Some　scholars　tramped　after　her　on　the　staircase；　while　others　floated　down　the　cliff　face。　A　few；　possessed　of　magic　that　enabled　them　to　fly；　flitted　about　like　bats。
〃Perhaps　Mistress　would　care　to　bide　a　moment；〃　said　Pharaun。　At　some　point　he　had　slipped　off　to　his　personal　quarters　long　enough　to　wash　his　face；　b　his　hair；　and　throw　on　a　new　set　of　handsome　clothes。　He　returned　alone；　still　claiming　ignorance　of　Gromph's　whereabouts。　〃This　is　as　good　a　spot　as　any　to　spy　out　the　lay　of　the　land。　We're　below　some　of　the　smoke　but　still　high　enough　for　an　aerial　inspection。〃
Since　Gromph　was　still　either　unavailable　or　uninterested；　the　Mizzrym　was…with　obvious　relish…acting　in　the　Archmage　s　stead。　It　was　arguably　an　affront　to　House　Baenre　as　much　as　the　archmage；　but　Quenthel　had　given　the　order　anyway。　Until　her　brother　returned　or　the　crisis　abated；　she　needed　someone　to　speak　for　Sorcere；　and　she　was　sure　it　would　upset　Gromph　in　an　amusing　way　to　have　this　dandy　taking　his　place　for　so　important　a　task。　
She　halted；　and　her　minions　came　to　a　ragged；　jostling　stop　behind　her。　The　whip　vipers　reared　to　survey　the　cityscape　along　with　her。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Pharaun　smile　briefly　as　if　he　found　the　serpents'　behavior　ical。
〃There；〃　said　Quenthel；　pointing；　〃in　Manyfolk。　It　looks　as　if　House　Auvryndar　may　have　finished　exterminating　their　own　slaves；　but　a　mob　keeps　them　penned　within　their　walls。〃
〃I　see　it；　Blessed　Mother；〃　said　Malaggar　Faen　Tlabbar　from　the　step　behind　her。　The　First　Sword　of　Melee…Magthere　was　a　merry…looking；　round…faced　boy　with　a　fondness　for　green　attire　and　emeralds。　〃With　your　permission；　that　might　be　a　good　place　to　start。　We'll　lift　the　siege　and　add　the　Auvryndar　to　our　own　army。〃
〃So　be　it；〃　Quenthel　said
The　residents　of　the　Academy　reached　the　floor　of　the　lower　cavern；　whereupon　the　instructors；　particularly　the　warriors　of　the　pyramid；　set　about　the　business　of　forming　the　scholars　into　squads；　with　swordsmen　and　spearman　protecting　the　spellcasters。　Then　they　had　to　arrange　the　units　into　some　semblance　of　a　marching　order。
Like　every　princess　of　a　great　House；　Quenthel　had　a　working　knowlnotedge　of　military　matters；　and　she　watched　the　attempt　to　create　order　with　a　jaundiced　eye。
〃I　could　wish　for　a　proper　army；〃　she　muttered。
She　hadn't　meant　for　anyone　to　hear；　but　Pharaun　nodded。
〃I　understand　your　sentiments；　Mistress；　but　they're　all　we　have；　and　I'm　sure　that　if　we've　trained　them　properly；　we　have　a　chance。〃　He　coughed。　〃Against　the　thralls；　anyway。〃
〃Your　meaning？〃
〃The　greatest　danger　of　all　is　this　pall　of　smoke。　I　think　Syrzan；　for　all　its　cunning；　miscalculated。　If　the　mages　we　left　upstairs　don't　extinguish　the　flames；　we'll　all　suffocate；　female　and　male；　elf　and　ore　alike；　leaving　the　alhoon　a　necropolis　to　rule。　Still；　I　suppose　we　must　concentrate　on　our　task　and　not　fret　about　the　rest。〃
〃What　alhoon？〃　she　demanded。
He　hesitated。　〃It　really　is　a　long　story；　Mistress；　and