war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第23章
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〃Liar；〃 Ryld spat。 He stepped forward； menacing the boy with his sword。 〃Is the larger one your parent？ Is that why you're trying to protect it？〃
〃I have no parents。 They were killed in a hunt the year I was born；〃 the boy explained。 He not only stood his ground but glared back at Ryld； showing an amazing amount of mettle for a mere boy。 〃They were killed by your people。〃
Ryld considered that and said； 〃Is that how you learned to speak Drowic？ Were you a slave？〃
〃My grandfather was； but he fought back。〃
〃The gray wolf？〃 Ryld guessed。 〃That's your grandfather？ Where is he？〃
〃He's not here；〃 the boy replied； glancing into the forest in the opposite direction of the little building； though too casually。
The look told Ryld what he needed to know。 The lie was as transparent as glass。
The weapons master reached down and grabbed the boy by the hair。
〃I see；〃 said Ryld。 〃Let's go talk to him。〃
He half…dragged； half…marched the boy to the shelter。
Pausing just outside the door； he held his sword to the chest of the squirming boy and called； 〃If you want the boy to live； show yourself。 Give me some information and I'll spare his life； and yours。〃
There was no answer from inside the shelter； save for a low groan。 As it sounded； the boy twisted in Ryld's grasp； trying desperately to squirm free。 Ryld hurled him to the ground and slammed a boot into his chest。 He raised his sword； too furious to care about getting information any longer。
〃Stop！〃 a male voice gasped。 〃I'll tell you 。 。 。 whatever you want 。。。 to know。〃
Ryld looked up and saw a human with gray hair and a beard that hung to his chest； leaning in the doorway of the shelter with a dirty blanket wrapped around his shoulders。 His face had a haggard expression； and his right calf was bruised and swollen to twice its normal size。 The foot below it was a shredded； bloody mess； as if it had been impaled on spikes； then torn free。
The boy screamed something at his grandfather in a language Ryld didn't understand； but his gestures made it obvious he was urging the old man to flee。
The gray…haired man…he looked several centuries old； but was probably less than fifty…glanced down at his ruined foot。
〃Run？〃 he asked the boy…speaking in Drowic； obviously for Ryld's benefit。 〃How can I？〃 Then he met Ryld's eye and asked； 〃What do you want 。。。 to know？〃
〃The priestesses of Eilistraee；〃 Ryld said。 〃Do they have a temple in this wood？〃
The boy suddenly stopped squirming and looked up at Ryld。
〃You're not part of the hunt？〃 he asked。
A grim smile appeared on the older man's face。
〃He's not。 Or he wouldn't be asking。〃 Then； to Ryld； he said； 〃Let my grandson go 。。。 and I'll tell you where the temple is。〃
Ryld removed his foot from the boy's chest。 Instantly； the boy sprang to his feet。 He stood warily； hunched over slightly with arms bent as if contemplating a shift into wolf form。
The gray…haired man chuckled； then waved at the boy。
〃Yarno； leave him be。 You can see by the look in his eyes。 He's an enemy of the temple。 And the enemy of our enemy 。 。 。〃
〃Is your friend；〃 Ryld pleted。
The old man nodded and asked； 〃Have you any healing magic 。 。 。 friend？〃
〃Answer my questions； first；〃 Ryld said。 〃And I'll see about healing you。〃
The old man surprised him by chuckling。
〃Not for me；〃 he said。 〃For you。 Your wrist。〃
Ryld glanced down at the spot where the boy had bitten him。 The boy's incisors had broken the skin； and a trickle of blood ran down the back of Ryld's hand。
〃It's only a scratch；〃 he said。
The old man shook his head。
〃Tell him； Yarno。 He 。 。 。 he doesn't know。〃
〃Tell me what？〃 Ryld asked； suspicious。
〃We're werewolves；〃 the boy said。 〃Most of the time we shift forms because we want to； but whenever there's a full moon we bee wolves whether we want to or not。 We can't control ourselves when that happens。 We attack everyone。 Even our friends。 When we wake up in the morning； we don't know what we've done。〃
〃Your family is cursed？〃 Ryld asked； not bothering to inquire as to what a 〃full moon〃 might be。
〃Not cursed；〃 the old man said。 〃Diseased。 And it's a disease that can be spread 。 。 。 through bites。〃
〃They call us 'monsters；' 〃 Yarno added in a pained whisper。 〃They hunt us。〃
Ryld nodded； understanding the boy's pain。 Life as a werewolf in that forest would be much like living in the slums of Menzoberranzan。
He recalled his own childhood； always dreading the next group of drunken nobles who round sport in raging through the narrow streets； blasting the screaming wretches of the Braeryn with bolts of magic； slashing as they rode past on their lizards； leaving their victims to bleed to death on the dirty stone of an alley。
The boy； Yarno； was staring intensely up at Ryld； his eyes filled with a lingering； unsalved hurt。 Human the boy might be； but looking into his eyes was like staring into a mirror。 Ryld's lips parted； and he nearly spoke the words aloud： I was hunted； too。 I understand…
Then the boy's grandfather interrupted。
〃I have belladonna；〃 he said。 〃Yarno's parents planted it in the woods； hoping it would 。。 。 spare their son。 This was once their home。〃 He paused to catch his breath； then went on。 〃The herb will make you sick； but if you eat it。。。 you might avoid the disease。〃
Ryld nodded and sheathed his sword。
〃Tell me where the temple is； and I'll see what I can do to clean your wound； and set those bones。 Then I'll think about trying that belladonna。〃
Chapter Twelve
Valas awoke to the feel of something soft and slimy stroking the left side of his face。 Jerking his head back； he saw it was a tentacle…one of four that grew from the body of an enormous； fishlike creature with three slitted eyes。
Thrashing away from it through the water； Valas found his back up against the bars of a cage。 He stared out through the front of the enclosure at the aboleth that was lazily withdrawing its tentacle。 The creature had a body half a dozen paces long； with a wide fluked tail。 Its rubbery looking skin was blue…green with gray splotches and covered in a thick coating of slime。 Its belly was greenish…pink； with an enormous mouth that opened and closed like that of a fish。 Three eyes…red and slitted…were lined up in a vertical row on its forehead。 The tentacles； each half as long as the body； sprouted from a point just behind the head。 They drifted lazily； leaving a smudge of slime in the water。
Valas could feel the slime on his face where the tentacle had touched him； and he could smell the clot of it that clogged his left nostril。 He exhaled through his nose； blowing it violently away。
He checked his weapons and saw that his kukris were still in their sheaths。 A quick glance told him his talismans were still pinned to his shirt。 Reassured and ready； he looked around at his prison。
The cage was made from stout iron and had no door that he could see。 Its floor rested on the bottom of the lake； on top of waist…high kelp that had been mashed flat by its weight。 Beyond the cage； tiny glowing fish darted in and out of the gently waving strands。 In the distance； stalagmites rose to meet the surface of the water； high overhead。 The sides of those rock formations were punctuated by round openings through which aboleth swam。 Valas realized the stalagmites must be the buildings of Zanhoriloch。
The aboleth was making no move to attack； it simply stared； like a visitor at a zoo。 Valas spoke to it in sign； hoping it would understand。
Why am I a prisoner？
The answer came in a voice that sounded like bubbles erupting into water： 〃You trespass。〃
The words were spoken in Undermon； a language prised of a blend of simple words and phrases from several different Underdark tongues。
For good reason； Valas signed back。 With his lungs filled with water； the scout couldn't speak。 I am searching for something； A ship of bone and flesh； made by demons。
〃You hunger for this knowledge。〃
Yes。 Have you seen such a ship？
