蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第26章

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　casting　new　spells；　but　when　he　looked　at　the　lesser　of　the　two　she　wasn't　creating　any　magic。　She'd　dropped　her　suddenly　blank　scroll　on　the　ground　and　was　rooting　in　her　leather　pouch；　presumably　for　another　means　of　magical　attack。
Clasping　a　bit　of　coal　and　a　tiny　dried　eyeball　held　in　a　little　vial；　Pharaun　created　an　effect。　Power　sighed　and　rippled　through　the　air；　and　a　mass　of　darkness　appeared　around　the　female's　head；　blinding　her。
The　wizard's　thoughts　flew　apart　once　more；　then　reassembled　themselves。　He　rounded　on　Greyanna。　She　was　still　clutching　her　scroll；　evidently　still　casting　from　it。　He　began　to　conjure；　and　she；　evidently　uncertain　of　the　parchment's　power　to　protect　her；　tore　open　the　bag。
It　had　occurred　to　Pharaun　that　the　sack　might　have　more　spores　in　it；　but　he'd　assumed　they　would　produce　more　skeletons。　This　time；　though；　the　glittering　motes　burst　in　midair；　swelling　into　ugly　little　beasts　resembling　a　cross　between　a　bat　and　a　mosquito。
The　stirges　swirled　around　him；　jabbing　at　him　with　their　proboscises；　striving　to　drink　his　blood。　They　interfered　with　the　motion　of　his　hands　and　so　spoiled　his　conjuration。　He　restored　his　weight　and　fell　back　to　the　ground；　where　Ryld；　beset　by　clinking　skeletons　on　all　sides；　beheaded　one　with　a　sudden　cut。　One　of　the　twins　edged　toward　him　but　balked　when　the　big　male　pivoted　in　his　direction。
Pharaun　slammed　down　on　the　street。　Trailing　chattering　stirges；　he　sprinted　toward　the　fallen　Relonor。　A　couple　skeletons　turned　to　hack　at　him；　but　most　of　them　were　too　intent　on　killing　Ryld　to　notice　him。　Up　close；　the　things　stank。　Pharaun　thought　they　must　still　have　some　scraps　of　rotting　flesh　about　them　somewhere。
Just　as　he　reached　the　unconscious　wizard；　Greyanna's　foulwing　landed　on　the　other　side　of　the　body　with　a　groundshaking　thump。　Pharaun　roared　out　a　painfully　loud　magical　shout；　and　the　beast　recoiled；　carrying　its　rider　with　it。
Pharaun　stooped；　ripped　the　brooch　off　Relonor's　sash；　turned；　and　ran。　Greyanna　screamed　in　rage。　The　foulwing　roared　its　strange　double　roar；　and　two　sets　of　jaws　clashed　shut　behind　the　fleeing　male。
A　stirge's　proboscis　jabbed　him　in　the　back；　staggering　him；　but　was　unable　to　penetrate　his　piwafwi。　Another　spell　rattled　his　mind　but　with　no　permanent　ill　effects。　A　skeleton　appeared　on　his　flank；　swinging　a　notched；　rusty　axe　at　his　head。　Splitter　flashed　in　an　arc　and　smashed　the　undead　thing　into　tiny　pieces。
Pharaun　caught　hold　of　the　hem　of　Ryld's　piwafwi　and　glanced　around　at　Greyanna。　Her　face　a　mask　of　fury；　she　tossed　away　her　scroll；　which　was　likely　blank；　and　held　her　hands　high　to　receive　the　long　staff　materializing　from　some　extra　dimensional　storage。　He　could　see　why　she　wanted　the　instrument。　It　blazed　with　mystic　power；　but　it　was　also　slow　in　attaining　tangibility。　Some　chance　interaction　of　the　magical　energies　playing　about　the　battleground　was　retarding　its　transition　to　the　physical　plane。
Why；　then；　didn't　she　leave　off　summoning　it　and　attack　in　some　other　manner？　Why—
In　a　flash　of　inspiration；　the　answer　came　to　him；　and　it　was　astonishing。
But　he　was　scarcely　in　a　place　conducive　to　contemplation　of　his　discovery；　and　it　was　time　to　remedy　that。　He　peered　at　the　brooch　he'd　taken　from　Relonor；　found　the　trigger　word　implicit　in　the　kaleidoscopic　pattern　shining　around　it；　and　spoke。
Greyanna　regarded　the　open　space　in　the　middle　of　the　ring　of　aimlessly　milling　skeletons；　and　the　stirges　swooping　and　wheeling　above。　A　moment　before；　Pharaun　and　his　hulking　acplice　had　been　standing　there；　but　they　were　gone。　If　her　eyes　had　not　deceived　her；　her　brother　had　flashed　her　that　old　familiar　mocking　grin　as　he　vanished。　How　dare　he　smirk　at　her　like　that　when　it　was　she　who　had　driven　him　from　House　Mizzrym
She　regarded　her　iron　staff；　taller　than　she　was；　square　in　crosssection；　graven　with　hundreds　of　tiny　runes；　and　warm　as　blood　to　the　touch。　The　weapon　had　failed　her。　She　trembled　with　the　impulse　to　swing　it　over　her　head　and　smash　it　against　the　stone　beneath　her　feet　until　it　was　defaced；　deformed；　and　useless。
She　didn't；　because　she　knew　Pharaun's　escape　was　really　her　fault；　not　the　staff's。　She　should　have　summoned　the　weapon　sooner。　She　should　have　been　more　aggressive　with　the　sack。　Damn　this　degrading　and　inexplicable　season　Because　of　its　vicissitudes；　her　mother　had　instructed　her　to　play　the　miser　with　every　personal　resource；　even　though　she　was　fighting　for　the　welfare　of　House　Mizzrym　and　all　Menzoberranzan。
Well；　she　wouldn't　make　the　same　mistake　next　time。　It　was　her　responsibility　to　look　after　her　troops　and　return　them　to　the　castle。　She　dismounted；　squared　her　shoulders；　put　on　a　calm；　manding　expression；　and　proceeded　with　the　business　at　hand。
Neither　of　the　twins　were　hurt；　and　her　cousin　Aunrae　merely　needed　the　ball　of　darkness　around　her　head　dispelled。　It　was　Relonor　who　concerned　Greyanna；　but　fortunately　the　mage　was　still　alive。　A　healing　potion　mended　him　sufficiently　to　stand；　clutching　his　sash　so　it　wouldn't　slip　off　and　shrugging　out　of　his　iceencrusted　cloak。
While　the　twins　helped　Relonor　hobble　about　and　so　restore　his　circulation；　Aunrae　came　sidling　up　to　Greyanna。　To　her　cousin's　admittedly　jaundiced　eye；　in　Aunrae　the　usual　Mizzrym　tendency　to　leanness　had　run　to　a　grotesque　extreme。　The　younger　female　resembled　a　stick　insect。
〃My　miseration　on　your　failure；〃　Aunrae　said。
Her　expression　was　grave；　but　she　wasn't　really　trying　to　hide　the　smile　lurking　underneath。
〃I　didn't　realize　just　how　powerful　Pharaun　has　bee；〃　Greyanna　admitted。　〃Before　his　exile；　he　was　quite　petent　but　nothing　extraordinary。　It　was　his　cunning　that　made　him　so　dangerous。　I　see　that　all　the　decades　in　Tier　Breche　have　turned　him　into　one　of　the　most　formidable　wizards　in　the　city。　That　plicates　things；　but　I'll　manage。〃
〃I　hope　the　matron　will　five　you　your　ignorance；〃　Aunrae　said。　〃You've　wasted　so　much　magic　to　no　effect。〃
The　conjured　skeletons　and　stirges　began　to　wink　out　of　existence；　leaving　a　residue　of　magic　energy。　The　air　seemed　to　tingle　and　buzz；　though　if　a　person　stopped　and　listened；　it　really　wasn't。
〃Is　that　how　you　see　it？〃　Greyanna　asked。
Aunrae　shrugged。　〃I'm　just　worried　she'll　feel　you　bungled　things；　that　your　hatred　of　Pharaun　made　you　blind　and　clumsy。　She　might　even　decide　someone　else　is　more　deserving　of　the　preeminence　you　currently　possess。　Of　course；　I　hope　not　You　know　I　wish　you　well。　My　plan　for　my　future　has　always　been　to　support　you　and　prosper　as　your　aide。〃
〃Cousin；　your　words　move　me；〃　Greyanna　said　as　she　lifted　the　staff。
No　one　could　heave　such　a　long；　heavy　implement　into　a　fighting　position　without　giving　the　opponent　an　instant's　warning；　so　Aunrae　was　able　to　e　on　guard。　It　didn't　matter。　Not　bothering　to　unleash　any　of　the　magic　within　her　weapon；　wielding　it　like　an　ordinary　quarterstaff；　Greyanna　bashed　the　mace　from　the　younger　priestess's　fingers；　knocked　her　flat　with　a　ringing　blow　to　her　armored　shoulder；　and　dug　the　tip　of　the　iron　rod　into　her　throat。
〃I'd　like　to　confer　on　one　or　two　matters；〃　said　Greyanna。　〃Do　you　have　a　moment？〃
Aunrae　made　a　liquid；　strangling　sound。
〃Excellent。　Listen　and　grow　wise。　Today's　little　fracas　was　not　in　vain。　It　proved　that　Relonor　can　locate　Pharaun　with　his　divinations。　Even　more　importantly；　the　battle　enabled　me　to　take　our　brother's　measure。　When　we　track　him　down　again；　we'll　crush　him。　Now；　do　you　see　that　I　have　this　venture　well　in　hand？〃
Deprived　of　her　voice；　Aunrae　nodded　enthusiastically。　Her　chin　bumped　against　the　butt　of　the　staff。
〃What　a　sensible　girl　you　are。　You　must　also　bear　in　mind　that　we　aren't　hunting　Pharaun　simply　for　my　own　personal　gratification。　It's　for　the　benefit　of　all；　including　yourself。　Therefore；　this　isn't　an　ideal　time　to　seek　to　discredit　and　supplant　one　of　your　betters。　It's　a　time　for　us　to　swallow　our　mutual　distaste　and　work　together　until　the　threat　is　gone。　Do　you　think　you　can　remember　that？〃
Aunrae　kept　nodding。　She　was　shaking；　too；　and　her　eyes　were　wide　with　terror。　Small　wonder；　she　must　have　been　running　short　of　breath。　Still；　she　had　the　sense　not　to　try　to　grab　the　staff　and　jerk　it　away　from