蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第9章

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　he'd　spotted　the　anomaly　too　late。　He'd　already　advanced　to　the　very　center　of　the　trap。
Greyanna　whispered　a　spell　of　paralysis。　Pharaun　staggered　as　his　muscles　all　clenched　at　once。　The　fighters　swarmed　out　of　their　hiding　places；　surrounded　him；　clubbed　him　repeatedly；　and　threw　him　down　beneath　them。
She　laughed　with　delight。　Then　her　henchmen；　more　or　less　clumped　in　a　pile　on　the　floor；　cried　out　in　surprise　and　consternation。　They　started　to　stand　up；　and　she　saw　that　Pharaun　did　not　lie　crushed；　bloody；　and　helpless　on　the　floor　beneath　them。　Impossible　as　it　seemed；　somehow　he'd　resisted　the　paralysis；　then　used　his　wizardry　to　extricate　himself　from　the　midst　of　his　attackers。
Knowing　that　Sabal　was　dead；　Pharaun　must　likewise　assume　that　without　the　aegis　of　a　high　priestess　he　could　no　longer　survive　in　House　Mizzrym。　Certainly　he　couldn't　count　on　his　vicious　mother；　who　hadn't　bestirred　herself　to　save　one　daughter　from　another；　to　do　more　for　a　paltry　son。　He　was　surely　running　back　toward　the　exit。
〃That　way〃　Greyanna　shouted；　pointing；　goading　her　agents　into　motion。　When　they　rounded　a　corner；　they　saw　Pharaun　sprinting　along　ahead　of　them；　his　piwafwi　billowing　out　behind　him。　He　wasn't　weaving　or　stumbling—evidently　desperation　had　cured　his　intoxication—but　he　was　clutching　his　head；　and　leaving　a　trail　of　bloody　drops　on　the　polished　floor。　Evidently　all　the　bludgeoning　had　done　at　least　a　little　good。
Greyanna's　minions　shot　their　hand　crossbows；　but　the　darts　bounced　off　the　wizard's　cloak；　which　had　obviously　been　enchanted　to　serve　as　armor。　She　stopped　running　long　enough　to　conjure　a　blaze　of　fire　under　Pharaun's　feet。　Her　assassins　cried　out　and　shielded　their　eyes　against　the　glare。　Though　surely　burned；　her　brother　stayed　on　his　feet　and　kept　going。　The　flames　winked　out　behind　him　as　suddenly　as　they'd　appeared。
The　chase　rounded　another　corner。　Ahead　of　Pharaun　was　an　adamantine　double　door；　which　swung　open　seemingly　of　its　own　accord。　In　reality；　Greyanna　knew；　the　wizard　had　used　his　silverandjet　Mizzrym　House　token　to　open　it。　She　tried　to　use　her　own　insignia　to　slam　it　shut　again；　but　she　was　just　out　of　range。
Pharaun　plunged　through　the　exit。　He　was　on　the　landing；　a　sort　of　balcony　from　which　the　occupants　of　the　stalactite　castle　that　was　House　Mizzrym　could　look　down　on　the　city。　As　was　the　custom；　a　pany　of　guards　stood　watch　there；　and　Greyanna　screamed　for　them　to　stop　the　mage。
They　no　doubt　intended　to　be　obey。　She　was　a　high　priestess　and　he；　a　mere　male；　and　manifestly　trying　to　run　away　to　boot。　But　alas；　since　their　primary　function　was　to　look　for　miscreants　trying　to　enter　the　castle；　Pharaun　had　taken　them　by　surprise。　He　had　time　to　conjure　some　sort　of　hindering　spell　and　dash　on。
When　Greyanna　made　it　to　the　door；　she　saw　what　manner　of　hindrance　the　fugitive　had　chosen。　The　guards　were　all　bewildered；　some　standing　stupefied　or　milling　aimlessly；　a　couple　fighting　with　each　other。
A　clattering；　followed　a　split　second　later　by　grunts　and　cries　of　pain；　snapped　her　head　around　to　the　right。　At　the　far　end　of　the　landing；　a　second　contingent　of　sentries　also　looked　at　least　temporarily　incapacitated；　these　because　Pharaun　had　pelted　them　with　a　conjured　barrage　of　ice。　He　disappeared　down　the　exit　they'd　been　guarding；　the　winding　crystal　staircase；　geous　with　magical　luminescence；　which　connected　House　Mizzrym　with　the　cave　floor　below。　Greyanna　felt　a　twinge　of　annoyance；　but　only　that。　Apparently　she　wasn't　going　to　get　a　chance　to　torture　Pharaun；　but　he　was　unquestionably　going　to　die。　He　really　had　nowhere　to　run；　and　if　the　wretch　weren't　mired　in　a　blind　panic；　he'd　know　it。
At　least　she　could　deliver　the　stroke　that　would　seal　his　doom。　She　hurried　to　the　edge　of　the　landing；　saw　that　the　blistered；　bloodyheaded　fool　was　better　than　halfway　down　the　radiant　diamond　steps；　and　pronounced；　as　quickly　as　possible；　the　long；　awkward　arcane　word　that　would　make　the　staircase　vanish。　That　alone　wouldn't　kill　him　unless　he　lost　his　head。　The　ability　to　levitate　granted　by　the　same　brooch　that　allowed　him　to　pass　through　the　Houses　doors　would　keep　him　from　falling。　Limited　to　strictly　vertical　movement；　however；　he　ought　to　make　an　easy　mark　for　spells　and　arrows。
She　spoke　the　final　syllable。　Just　as　the　steps　seemed　to　pop　like　a　bubble；　Pharaun　leaped；　his　long　legs　making　him　look　like　a　pair　of　scissors　spread　to　the　maximum　possible　width。　He　barely　made　it　onto　the　flattened　apex　of　the　gigantic　stalagmite　that　served　as　the　stair's　lower　terminus。
Greyanna　was　impressed。　That　jump　was　an　impressive　display　of　athleticism　for　a　battered　scholar　of　hedonistic　habits。　Not　that　it　would　do　him　any　good。　He　really　had　run　to　the　end　of　his　race。　She　leaned　out　and　shouted　for　the　foulwings　to　kill　him。　Winded；　still　stumbling　offbalance　from　hurdling　across　the　empty　space；　Pharaun　surely　couldn't　fend　off　both　of　them　at　once。
Grotesque　winged　predators　that　monly　reeked　of　their　caustic　ammonia　breath；　the　foulwings　bespoke　the　Mizzrym's　power　and　magical　prowess　and　lent　the　first　step　on　the　path　to　their　citadel　a　certain　style　that　mere　soldiers　could　not　match　They　also　made　terrifying　watch　beasts。　With　a　snap　of　their　clawed；　bat　like　wings；　in　no　wise　hindered　by　their　lack　of　legs；　they　spun　their　longnecked　bodies　around　to　loom　over　Pharaun。　Forked　snouts　with　fanged　jaws　at　the　end　of　either　branch　came　questing　hungrily　down。　From　her　perch；　Greyanna　looked　on　with　a　rapacity　no　less　keen　than　theirs；　albeit　a　rapacity　of　the　soul。
Pharaun　shouted　something。　Greyanna　couldn't　quite　make　it　out；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　be　a　magical　word；　just　a　cry　of　fear　or　a　desperate　plea　for　mercy—a　plea　the　giant　beasts　would　not　heed。
Except　that　they　did。　They　hesitated；　and　he　lifted　his　hands。　Their　deadly　jaws　played　delicately　about　his　fingers；　taking　in　his　scent。
She　cried　again　for　the　brutes　to　kill　him。　They　twisted　their　heads　around　to　look　at　her；　but　he　spoke　to　them　once　more；　and　they　ignored　her　mand。
Greyanna　stared　in　amazement。　Pharaun　had　no　doubt　had　some　limited　contact　with　the　foulwings；　for　after　all；　he　lived　in　the　same　castle　with　them；　but　she　knew　he'd　never　ridden　one。　Only　the　females　of　House　Mizzrym　enjoyed　that　privilege；　and　it　was　only　by　riding　that　you　established　genuine　mastery　over　the　creatures。　How；　then；　could　he　possibly　enjoy　a　rapport　with　them　deeper　than　her　own？
Pharaun　scrambled　onto　a　foulwing's　back；　and　both　it　and　its　fellow　sprang　into　the　air。　Obviously　her　brother　had　managed　to　dissolve　the　enchantment　that　made　the　beasts　want　to　sit　contentedly　at　their　post。
The　wizard　managed　his　mount　more　deftly　than　Greyanna　herself　could　have　done　without　benefit　of　saddle；　bridle；　and　goad。　He　shot　her　a　mocking　grin　as　he　turned　to　flee。　The　other；　rider　less　foulwing　soared　and　swooped　aimlessly；　enjoying　its　liberty。
Greyanna　shook　off　her　stunned　disbelief。　She　still　desperately　wanted　to　know　how　Pharaun　had　learned　to　ride　the　creatures—probably　Sabal　had　taught　him；　but　how　had　they　managed　it　without　anyone　else　finding　out？—but　she　wasn't　going　to　stand　there　pondering　the　question。　The　answer　was　less　important　than　the　kill。
She　turned　and　looked　around。　Those　guards　whom　Pharaun　had　addled　were　disoriented　still；　but　some　of　the　soldiers　he'd　battered　with　hailstones　appeared　to　have　regained　their　posure。
〃Shoot　him〃
With　mendable　haste；　they　obeyed。　They　took　up　their　crossbows；　aimed；　and　the　bolts　leaped　forth　in　a　ragged　clatter。
Pharaun's　foulwing　lurched；　then　plummeted　down　and　down　and　down；　crashing　to　earth　somewhere　amid　the　hollowed　stalagmite　edifices　of　the　city。
〃Got　him；〃　said　the　captain　of　the　guard。
Bigger　and　stronger　than　he；　Greyanna　had　no　difficulty　knocking　the　male　to　the　floor。
〃You　got　the　foulwing；〃　she　said。　〃We　don't　know　that　you　hit　Pharaun　at　all。　We　don't　know　that　he　didn't　use　his　wizardry　or　his　levitation　to　cushion　his　fall。　We　don't　know　that　he　isn't　down　there　alive　and　well　laughing　at　us。　I　need　to　see　his　corpse；　and　one　way　or　the　other；　you　will　fetch　it　for　me。　Turn　out　every　available　priestess；　wizard；　and　warrior—　drow