war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第152章

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！


〃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　not　crucial　at　this　moment。〃
〃I　will　decide　what　is　crucial；　mage；〃　she　said。　〃Speak。〃
Before　Pharaun　could　begin　she　saw　the　First　Sword　approaching；　prenotsumably　to　inform　her　that　the　pany　was　ready　to　set　forth。
As　they　started　to　march；　she　listened　to　the　mage's　tale　of　the　undead　mind　flayer　and　its　designs　for　Menzoberranzan。　There　was　more；　she　was　sure；　that　he　was　holding　back；　but　she　could　always　torture　it　out　of　him　later。
Along　the　way；　the　teachers　and　students　found　their　way　littered