蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第22章

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d　him　from　fatal　burns。
Ryld　had　drawn　Splitter。　An　arrow　whizzed　down　from　a　rooftop　across　the　street；　and　the　burly　swordsman　batted　it　out　of　the　air。　A　huge　flying　mount　wheeled　overhead；　vanishing　from　view　before　Pharaun　could　get　a　good　look　at　it。
〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Ryld　asked。
〃Just　singed　a　little；〃　Pharaun　replied。
〃Here　are　your　rogues；　not　so　canny　after　all。　We'll　either　have　to　rise　into　the　air　after　them　or　pull　them　down　to　the　street。〃
〃We'll　do　neither。　Follow　me。〃
〃Run？〃　the　weapons　master　asked；　swatting　away　another　arrow。　〃I　thought　we　wanted　to　catch　one　of　them。〃
〃Just　follow。〃
Pharaun　began　moving　down　the　street；　meanwhile　peering　upward；　looking　for　his　attackers。　Ryld　scowled　but　trailed　along　behind　him。
The　Master　of　Sorcere　glimpsed　a　swirling　motion　from　the　corner　of　his　eye。　He　pivoted。　Crouched　on　the　edge　of　a　roof；　a　spell　caster　spun　his　hands　in　fluid　mystic　passes。
Gesturing；　speaking　rapidly；　Pharaun　rattled　off　his　own　incantation。　He　was　racing　the　other　mage；　and　he　finished　his　magic　first。　Five　darts　of　azure　light　leaped　from　his　fingertips；　shot　at　the　spell　caster；　and　plunged　into　his　chest。　From　that　distance；　he　couldn't　tell　how　badly　he'd　hurt　his　colleague；　but　at　the　least　his　foe　flailed　his　arms　in　pain。　The　Academician's　attack　had　disrupted　his　spell。
Ryld　knocked　another　arrow　away；　and　only　then　did　Pharaun　realize　that　this　time；　the　shaft　had　been　hurtling　at　him。　An　instant　later；　a　studded　mace　seemingly　made　of　shadow　flew　out　of　nowhere　and　swung　itself　at　his　head。　Splitter　flicked　over　and　tapped　that　manifestation。　As　conjured　objects　often　did；　the　war　club　vanished　at　the　great　sword's　touch。
〃In　here；〃　Pharaun　said。
The　two　masters　ran　to　the　arched　sandstone　door　of　one　of　the　modest　houses　on　the　street。　Pharaun　suspected　that　the　tenants　had　locked　it　at　the　first　sign　of　trouble；　and　evidently　Ryld　agreed；　because　he　didn't　bother　trying　the　handle。　He　simply　booted　the　door　and　broke　the　latch。　The　weapons　master　scrambled　inside。
The　front　room　of　the　home　was　crowded。　Pharaun　might　have　expected　that。　The　population　of　the　city　had　grown　considerably　since　its　founding　but　the　number　of　stalagmite　buildings　was　of　necessity　fixed。　The　poor　had　to　squeeze　in　wherever　they　could。
Thus；　an　abundance　of　paupers　lived　in　the　hovel；　and　a　goodly　number　of　them　had　gathered　in　this　mon　space；　either　to　relax　or　to　dip　rothe　stew　from　the　iron　caldron　on　the　trestle　table。　Surprisingly；　the　simple　meal　actually　smelled　appetizing。　The　aroma　made　Pharaun's　mouth　water　and　reminded　him　that　he　hadn't　dined　in　several　hours。
Ryld　brandished　Splitter　at　the　occupants　of　the　house　with　a　flashy　facility　calculated　to　quell　aggressive　impulses。
〃We　apologize　for　the　intrusion；〃　Pharaun　said。
The　weapons　master　glowered　at　him。　〃Why　are　we　running？〃
〃That　pillar　of　fire　was　divine　magic；　not　arcane。〃　Pharaun　lifted　his　hand；　displaying　the　silver　Sorcere　ring　and　reminding　his　friend　of　its　power　to　identify；　not　just　protect　him　from；　magic。　〃It's　priestesses　attacking　us。　Killing　them　would　call　attention　to　us；　make　the　Council　even　more　eager　to　put　a　stop　to　our　inquiry。　It　might　even　make　them　want　to　kill　us　irrespective　of　how　our　mission　turns　out　or　of　what　Gromph　decides。〃
Pharaun　grinned　and　added；　〃I　know　I　promised　you　glorious　mayhem；　but　that　will　have　to　wait。〃
Ryld　replied；　〃It's　a　difficult　thing　to　sneak　away　from　foes　who　hold　the　high　ground。〃
〃I'm　an　inexhaustible　font　of　tricks；　haven't　you　noticed？〃　Pharaun　beamed　at　the　assembled　paupers　and　said；　〃How　would　you　all　like　to　assist　two　masters　of　the　Academy　engaged　in　a　mission　of　vital　importance？　I　assure　you；　Archmage　Baenre　himself　will　wax　giddy　with　gratitude　when　I　inform　him　of　your　aid。〃
His　audience　stared　back　at　him；　fear　in　their　eyes。　One　of　the　female　moners　produced　a　bonehandled；　graniteheaded　mallet　and　threw　it。　Ryld　caught　it　and　hurled　it　back。　The　makeshift　weapon　thudded　into　the　center　of　the　laborer's　forehead；　and　she　collapsed。
〃Would　anyone　else　care　to　express　a　reservation　of　any　sort？〃　Pharaun　asked。　He　waited　a　beat。　〃Splendid；　then　just　stand　still。　I　assure　you；　this　won't　hurt。〃
The　Master　of　Sorcere　pulled　a　wisp　of　fleece　from　a　pocket　and　recited　an　incantation。　With　a　soft　hissing；　a　wave　of　magical　force　shimmered　through　the　room。　When　it　touched　the　paupers；　they　changed；　each　into　a　facsimile　of　Ryld　or　Pharaun　himself。　Only　a　single　child　remained　unaffected。
〃Excellent；〃　said　Pharaun。　〃Now　all　you　have　to　do　is　go　outside；　at　which　point；　I　remend　you　scatter。　With　luck；　many；　if　not　all　of　you；　will　survive。〃
〃No〃　cried　one　of　Ryld's　doubles　in　a　high；　agitated　voice。　〃You　can't　make　us—〃
〃But　we　can；〃　said　Pharaun。　〃I　can　fill　the　house　with　a　poisonous　vapor；　my　friend　can　start　chopping　you　to　pieces。　。。。　So　please；　be　sensible；　go　now。　If　the　enemy　breaks　in　here；　your　chances　will　be　significantly　worse。〃
They　looked　sullenly　back　at　him。　He　smiled　and　shrugged；　and　Ryld　hefted　Splitter。　The　moners　began　to　scurry　toward　the　door。
The　two　masters　fell　in　at　the　back　of　the　crowd；　prepared　to　chivvy　folk　along　as　necessary。
〃Shadows　of　the　Pit；〃　murmured　Pharaun；　〃I　wasn't　at　all　sure　they　would　actually　do　it。　I　am　a　persuasive　devil；　aren't　I？　It　must　be　my　honest　face。〃
〃Decoys　aren't　a　bad　idea；〃　said　Ryld；　〃but　now　that　I　think　of　it；　why　not　just　turn　us　invisible？〃
Pharaun　snorted。　〃Do　I　tell　you　which　end　of　the　sword　to　grip？　Invisibility's　too　mon　a　trick。　I'm　sure　our　foes　are　prepared　to　counter　it。　Whereas　the　illusion　may　work。　It's　one　of　my　personal；　private　spells；　and　we　Mizzrym　are　famously　deft　with　phantasm。　Now；　when　we　get　outside；　don't　lose　track　of　me。　You　don't　want　to　go　skipping　off　with　the　wrong　Pharaun。〃
Most　of　the　moners　had　vacated　the　house。　Pharaun　drew　a　deep　breath；　steadying　himself；　and　he　and　Ryld　plunged　out　into　the　open。
The　moners　were　scattering　as　directed。　As　far　as　Pharaun　could　tell；　no　one　had　attacked　any　of　them。　Perhaps；　as　he'd　hoped；　the　enemy　was　entirely　flummoxed。
The　masters；　fleeing　like　the　rest；　turned　one　corner　and　another。　Pharaun　was　beginning　to　feel　the　smugness　that　es　from　outwitting　an　adversary　when　something　rattled　and　rustled　above　his　head。　He　looked　up　in　time　for　it　to　slam　him　in　the　face　and　knock　him　down。　Dropped　from　a　fair　height；　the　thick；　coarse　strands　of　rope　prising　the　net　struck　with　the　force　of　a　club。
Also　trapped；　Ryld　cursed；　the　language　vulgar　enough　to　make　the　Braeryn　proud。
Pharaun　needed　a　second　to　shake　off　the　shock　of　the　impact；　and　he　realized　his　current　situation　was　even　more　unfortunate　than　he'd　initially　thought。　The　net；　woven　in　a　spider　web　pattern；　was　animate。　Scraping　his　skin；　striving　to　render　him　pletely　immobile；　the　heavy　mesh　shifted　and　tightened　around　him。
A　foulwing　landed　on　the　street。　In　the　saddle　sat　an　otherwise　handsome　priestess　with　a　scarred　face—a　Mizzrym　face；　lean；　intelligent；　and　sardonic。　Strangely；　she　wore　a　domino　mask；　and　Pharaun　suspected　he　knew　why。
Grinning；　the　female　said；　〃I　knew　you'd　try　to　trick　me　with　illusions；　Pharaun。　That's　why　I　brought　a　talisman　of　true　seeing。〃
Though　he　wasn't　sure　she　could　see　it　from　outside　the　net；　Pharaun　made　it　a　point　to　smile　back　when　he　said；　〃And　you　were　correct。　Hello；　Greyanna。〃
Quenthel　was　immune　to　fear。　She　did　not；　could　not；　panic。　Or　so　she　had　always　believed；　and　in　fact；　she　wasn't　panicking；　but　she　was　as　desperate　and　bewildered　as　any　illwisher　could　desire。
She　wasn't　certain；　but　she　believed　the　vipers'　hissing　and　a　bump　and　clatter　had　roused　her　from　her　trancelike　state　of　repose。　She'd　opened　her　eyes　and　seen　nothing。　Evidently　someone　had　conjured　a　patch　of　darkness　around　her；　or　worse；　cursed　her　with　a　blindness　spell。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　speak　to　the　whip　snakes；　and　something　cold　and　thick　jammed　itself　inside。
Her　throat　clogged；　she　was　suffocating。　Meanwhile；　something　else；　something　that　felt　like　the　cool；　dexterous　tip　of　a　demon's　tentacle；　slid　around　her　wrist。
She　yanked　her　hand　away　just　before　the　unseen　member　could　lock　around　it　and　thras