war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第17章

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mach　as　blood　sprayed。　Several　screams　erupted　from　the　crowd　as　some　struggled　to　get　out　of　the　way　and　others　pushed　and　shoved　to　get　a　better　view…or　a　chance　to　scavenge　the　bodies。　The　first　ogre　opened　its　mouth　to　scream；　sinking　down　to　one　knee　and　holding　its　hands　across　its　midsection；　as　Jeggred　slashed　again；　ripping　the　humanoid's　throat　out。　The　ogre　gurgled　and　flailed；　wide…eyed　with　fear。
　　　The　second　ogre　snarled　and　swung　its　club　at　Jeggred；　slamming　the　spiked　weapon　into　the　draegloth's　shoulder。　The　fiend　spun　with　the　blow；　his　mane　of　white　hair　flowing　behind　him。　The　twist　avoided　the　worst　of　the　damage　and　brought　Jeggred　back　to　face　his　enemy　from　a　crouched　position。
　　　　　　　At　that　moment；　Valas　was　knocked　sideways　by　a　lunging　goblin；　teeth　bared　and　daggers　drawn。　Before　the　scout　could　kick　the　wretch　away　from　him；　Quenthel　lashed　out　with　her　whip。　Several　pairs　of　fangs　sank　into　the　goblins　flesh；　and　it　fell　to　the　ground；　writhing　and　frothing　at　the　mouth。　Valas　lurched　back　to　his　feet　before　more　of　the　throng　could　surge　over　him。　He　put　his　back　to　Quenthel　and　openly　brandished　his　kukris；　holding　back　several　shouting；　cursing　gray　dwarves。
　　　The　entourage　had　formed　a　defensive　circle；　Valas　realized。　Ryld　had　Splitter　out；　and　the　wizard's　magical　rapier　danced　in　the　air　before　him；　while　Pharaun　himself　held　a　small　wand　of　some　sort；　eyeing　the　increasingly　angry　crowd。　Even　Faeryl　held　her　hammer　in　her　hands；　swinging　it　back　and　forth　experimentally。　Only　Jeggred　wasn't　a　part　of　the　defensive　formation；　having　moved　a　few　feet　off；　finishing　his　bloody　work　with　the　two　ogres。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Valas　could　see　the　fiend　biting　his　foe；　ripping　chunks　of　the　ogre's　face　off。
　　　〃We've　got　to　get　higher！〃　Valas　yelled　at　Quenthel　over　his　shoulder。　When　the　high　priestess　didn't　seem　to　hear　him；　he　repeated　himself。　〃Mistress　Quenthel；　we　need　to　get　to　a　higher　section　of　the　city。　This　is　not　working！〃
　　　Next　to　him；　Pharaun　jerked　as　a　crossbow　bolt　snapped　against　his　piwafwi；　Someone　was　taking　potshots　from　the　crowd。
　　　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃　Quenthel　called　back；　extending　her　whip　and　flailing　at　an　unfortunate　kobold　that　had　squeezed　to　the　front　of　the　gathering　and　was　shoved　forward　from　behind。
　　　〃Follow　me！〃　Faeryl　cried；　and　she　began　to　lift　from　the　ground；　rising　up　into　the　air。　〃We　must　get　to　the　mercantile　district；　and　this　is　the　fastest　way。〃
　　　No；〃　Valas　groaned；　eyes　widening。　〃I　can't…！　I　have　no　way　to　stay　with　you！〃
　　　But　it　was　too　late。　The　other　drow　had　began　to　follow　the　ambassador's　example　and　were　lifting　from　the　ground。　Valas　backed　into　the　center　of　what　had　once　been　their　circle；　warily　eyeing　the　crowd　around　him。
　　　〃Ryld！〃　he　shouted。　〃Wait！〃
　　　Valas　saw　the　warrior　look　down　at　him；　but　before　the　other　〃row　could　take　action；　Valas　was　grabbed　from　behind。　He　tried　to　spin　around　and　slash　out　with　his　kukri；　but　the　grip　on　him　was　powerful；　and　he　couldn't　get　a　clean　swing　in。　A　split…second　later；　he　was　glad；　for　Jeggred　was　the　one　who　had　a　hold　of　him。　Coated　in　blood　that　matted　the　fiend's　fur；　the　draegloth　held　tightly　to　the　scout　as　he　left　the　ground。　A　couple　of　bold　gray　dwarves　stormed　forward；　intent　on　getting　in　a　parting　swipe　with　their　war　axes　at　Valas's　feet；　but　Jeggred　still　had　a　large；　clawed　hand　free　and　slashed　out　at　them；　forcing　the　pair　of　duergar　to　leap　back　to　safety。
　　　Several　more　crossbow　bolts　whizzed　by；　and　one　sank　into　the　draegloth's　flank　next　to　Valas；　but　Jeggred　only　grunted　and　spun　away；　levitating　upward　to　where　the　other　drow　had　gone。　Valas　looked　back　down　where　they　had　been　standing　only　moments　before。　Even　as　the　webbed　street　receded；　the　scout　saw　the　mob　swarm　over　the　dead　ogres；　ripping　items　of　value　from　the　bodies。
　　　Savages；　he　thought。
　　　Above；　Faeryl　had　stopped　on　a　smaller　side　street　several　levels　higher　than　where　the　drow　had　been　previously；　in　a　quiet　space　between　rows　of　vendors。　In　the　main　thoroughfare；　the　crowds　were　less　dense　than　below；　but　only　slightly。　Valas　knew　they　were　still　relatively　low　in　the　city；　for　the　glimmering　glow　of　spectral　light　that　emanated　from　the　mesh　of　stone　webs　still　dazzled　his　sight　when　he　looked　up；　twinkling　far　into　the　distance　overhead。　He　knew　that　the　higher　they　got；　the　better　the　neighborhoods　would　be。　Near　the　top　of　the　cavern；　where　the　trench…shaped　chamber　was　at　its　widest；　the　nobles　had　constructed　their　sprawling　Houses　sufficiently　beyond　the　stench　and　noise　of　the　mon　folk　far　below。　The　Menzoberranyr　had　quite　a　ways　to　go　before　they　would　be　in　that　vicinity。
　　　〃Is　it　always　that　。　。　。　revolting　down　there？〃　Quenthel　asked　as　the　group　settled　to　the　stone　avenue；　huddling　together　and　keeping　their　voices　low。　〃Why　do　the　matron　mothers　tolerate　that　rabble？〃
　　　Jeggred　released　Valas；　who　straightened　and　turned　to　look　at　the　draegloth；　wondering　how　much　of　the　blood　on　the　fiend　was　his　enemies'　and　how　much　was　his　own。　Much　of　Jeggred's　fur　was　matted　with　the　hot；　sticky　fluid；　but　other　than　the　crossbow　bolt　in　his　hip；　the　beast　didn't　seem　to　bear　any　wounds。　The　scout　examined　his　own　clothing　and　noted　sullenly　that　he　was　sticky　with　ogre　blood；　too。
　　　〃The　lesser　races　are　not　permitted　to　wander　so　freely　in　the　higher　sections　of　the　city　without　special　permission；〃　Faeryl　explained。　〃It'll　get　better　once　we　get　a　little　higher。〃
　　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　the　high　priestess　said；　sniffing。　〃I　doubt　the　matron　mothers　would　suffer　such　an　embarrassment　lightly。　Likely　they're　dealing　with　more　urgent　problems；　and　I　think　we　all　know　what　those　urgent　problems　are。〃
　　　Over　Quenthel's　shoulder；　Valas　could　see　a　trio　of　female　drow　who　had　stopped　and　were　staring　at　Jeggred　as　the　fiend　yanked　the　crossbow　bolt　free　with　a　grunt　of　pain。　One　of　the　dark　elves　whispered　something　to　her　panions；　and　the　three　of　them　scurried　away。
　　　Pharaun　was　making　a　point　of　dusting　his　piwafwi　clean　and　straightening　the　garment　so　that　he　was　looking　stylish　and　well　groomed　again。
　　　〃You　are　most　likely　correct；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said；　nodding　in　acquiescence。　〃Still；　it　would　not　hurt　for　us　to　find　a　place　to　stay　for　the　night；　gathering　our　wits　and　perhaps　some　more　information；　too。　I'm　sure　that　between　the　six　of　us；　we　can　find　out　a　little　more　about　why　the　city　is　in　this　condition。〃
　　　〃Finding　a　place　to　stay　may　prove　difficult；〃　Ryld　mented。　〃I　wonder　if　there's　a　vacant　room　to　be　had　in　all　of　Ched　Nasad。〃
　　　Valas　frowned；　imagining　the　looks　they　would　receive　as　they　inquired　after　acmodations。
　　　If　we　can；〃　the　scout　said；　〃your　bodyguard　will　attract　substantial　attention。　Even　now；　we　are　drawing　looks。　We　should　not　stay　out　in　the　open　for　much　longer。〃
　　　Quenthel　dug　in　her　pack　of　supplies　and　produced　a　wand。　Moving　closer　to　Jeggred；　she　aimed　the　magical　device　at　the　drae…gloths　bleeding　puncture　wound　and　uttered　a　few　words。　The　bleed…ing　stopped；　and　the　hole　began　to　close。
　　　Be　more　careful；〃　the　high　priestess　admonished　her　nephew　as　she　stored　the　wand　once　more。　〃Healing　magic　is　limited。〃
　　　Even　as　overcrowded　as　the　city　is；〃　Faeryl　said；　〃the　higher　levels　will　not　be　that　bad。　I　know　of　a　place　where　we　may　be　able　to　get　rooms。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　we　need　to　rethink　this；〃　Quenthel　countered。　〃It　seems　obvious　to　me　that　there　are　troubles　here。　I　think　it　would　be　wiser　to　pay　House　Zauvirr　and　House　Melarn　a　visit。　We　would　be　assured　of　acmodations　there。〃
　　　〃No；〃　Pharaun　said；　and　Quenthel's　eyes　widened　in　surprise。　The　mage　continued　quickly；　before　the　high　priestess　could　lash　out　at　him。　〃You　may　be　right；　but　even　so；　you　don't　want　to　lose　the　opportunity　to　move　about　freely；　do　you？　If　we　have　any　hope　of　staking　a　claim　to　the　stock　of　goods　and　coin　for　your　House；　we　must　be　able　to　avoid　the　matron　mothers'　notice。〃
　　　〃Well；〃　Quenthel　said；　seeming　to　waver；　〃I'm　unfortable　with　the　idea　of　living　like　moners　in　an　inn；　but　your　argument　still　makes　sense。〃
　　　Va