精灵血脉四部曲-第190部分

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　　　The　obvious　reference　sent　Drizzt's　shoulders　slumping。　He　came　out　of　the　shadows　a　moment　later；　and　looked　to　Catti…brie；　who　seemed　as　crestfallen　as　he　in　the　sudden　realization　that　this　was；　after　all；　about　Drizzt　once　more。　Deudermont　had　almost　been　killed　in　Waterdeep；　and　that　the　Sea　Sprite　and　her　crew　were　in　peril；　a　thousand　miles　from　their　usual　waters；　because　of　his　legacy。

　　　Drizzt　sheathed　his　blades　and　walked　over　to　Catti…brie；　and　together　they　moved　past　the　startled　captain；　and　out　in　front　to　face　the　blind　witch。

　　　〃My　greetings；　renegade　of　Daermon　N'a'shezbaernon；〃　the　blind　witch　said；　referring　to　Drizzt's　ancient　family　name；　a　name　that　few　outside　of　Menzoberranzan　would　know。　〃And　to　you；　daughter　of　a　dwarf；　who　hurled　the　mightiest　of　spears！〃

　　　That　last　sentence　caught　the　pair　off　guard；　and　confused　them　for　just　a　moment；　until　they　realized　the　reference。　The　witch　must　be　speaking　of　the　stalactite　that　Catti…brie　had　dropped；　the　great　〃spear〃　that　drove　through　the　dome　of　House　Baenre's　chapel！　This　was　about　them；　about　Drizzt's　past；　and　the　enemies　they　thought　they　had　left　behind。

　　　The　blind　hag　motioned　for　them　to　e　closer；　and　so　they　did；　walking　with　as　much　heart　as　they　could　muster。　They　were　barely　ten　feet　from　the　ugly　woman　when　they　stopped。　They　were　several　feet　below　her　as　well；　a　fact　that　made　her梥omeone　who　knew　what　she　should　not　have　known梥eem　all　the　more　imposing。　The　crone　pulled　herself　up　as　high　as　she　could；　showing　great　effort　in　trying　to　straighten　her　bowed　shoulders；　and　aligned　her　sightless　orbs　straight　with　those　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden。

　　　Then　she　recited；　quietly　and　quickly；　the　verse　Errtu　had　given　her：



　　　No　path　by　chance　but　by　plot；

　　　Further　steps　along　the　road　of　his　father's　ghost。

　　　The　traitor　to　Lloth　is　sought

　　　By　he　who　hates　him　most。



　　　The　fall　of　a　house；　the　fall　of　a　spear；

　　　Puncture　the　Spider　Queen's　pride　as　a　dart。

　　　And　now　a　needle　for　Drizzt　Do'Urden　to　wear

　　　'Neath　the　folds　of　his　cloak；　so　deep　in　his　heart。



　　　A　challenge；　renegade　of　renegade's　seed；

　　　A　golden　ring　thee　cannot　resist！

　　　Reach；　but　only　when　the　beast　is　freed

　　　From　festering　in　the　swirl　of　Abyss。



　　　Given　to　Lloth　and　by　Lloth　given

　　　That　thee　might　seek　the　darkest　of　trails。

　　　Presented　to　one　who　is　most　unshriven

　　　And　held　out　to　thee；　for　thee　shall　fail！

　　　So　seek；　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　the　one　who　hates　thee　most。

　　　A　friend；　and　too；　a　foe；　made　in　thine　home　that　was　first。

　　　There　thee　will　find　one　feared　a　ghost

　　　Bonded　by　love　and　by　battle's　thirst。



　　　The　blind　hag　stopped　abruptly；　her　sightless　eyes　lingering；　her　entire　body　perfectly　still；　as　though　the　recital　had　taken　a　great　deal　of　her　strength。　Then　she　drifted　back　between　the　stones；　moving　out　of　sight。

　　　Drizzt　hardly　noticed　her；　just　stood；　shoulders　suddenly　slumped；　strength　sapped　by　the　impossible　possibility。　〃Given　to　Lloth；〃　he　muttered　helplessly；　and　only　one　more　word　could　he　speak；　〃Zaknafein。〃



Chapter　10

KIERSTAAD'S　HEART



　　　They　came　out　of　the　cave　to　find　Guenhwyvar　sitting　calmly　atop　a　pinned　Dunkin。　Drizzt　waved　the　cat　off　the　man　and　they　departed。

　　　Drizzt　was　hardly　conscious　of　the　journey　back　across　the　island　to　the　rowboat。　He　said　nothing　all　the　way；　except　to　dismiss　Guenhwyvar　back　to　her　astral　home　as　soon　as　they　realized　that　they　would　face　no　resistance　on　the　beach　this　time。　The　ice　was　gone　and　so　were　the　zombies。　The　others；　respecting　the　drow's　mood；　understanding　the　unnerving　information　the　hag　had　given　him；　remained　quiet　as　well。

　　　Drizzt　repeated　the　blind　seer's　words　over　and　over　in　his　mind；　vainly　trying　to　mit　them　to　memory。　Every　syllable　could　be　a　clue；　Drizzt　realized；　every　inflection　might　offer　him　some　hint　as　to　who　might　be　holding　his　father　prisoner。　But　the　words　had　e　too　suddenly；　too　unexpectedly。

　　　His　father！　Zaknafein！　Drizzt　could　hardly　breathe　as　he　thought　of　the　sudden　possibility。　He　remembered　their　many　sparring　matches；　the　years　they　had　spent　in　joyful　and　determined　practice。　He　remembered　the　time　when　Zaknafein　had　tried　to　kill　him；　and　he　loved　his　father　even　more　for　that；　because　Zaknafein　had　e　after　him　only　in　the　belief　that　his　beloved　Drizzt　had　gone　over　to　the　dark　ways　of　the　drow。

　　　Drizzt　shook　the　memories　from　his　mind。　He　had　no　time　for　nostalgia　now；　he　had　to　focus　on　the　task　so　suddenly　at　hand。　As　great　as　was　his　elation　at　the　thought　that　Zaknafein　might　be　returned　to　him；　so　was　his　trepidation。　Some　powerful　being；　either　a　matron　mother；　or　perhaps　even　Lloth　herself；　held　the　secret；　and　the　hag's　words　implicated　Catti…brie　as　well　as　Drizzt。　The　ranger　cast　a　sidelong　glance　at　Catti…brie；　who　was　lost　in　apparently　similar　contemplations。　The　hag　had　intimated　that　all　of　this；　the　attack　in　Waterdeep　and　the　journey　to　this　remote　island；　had　been　arranged　by　a　powerful　enemy　who　sought　revenge　not　only　upon　Drizzt；　but　upon　Catti…brie。

　　　Drizzt　slowed　and　let　the　others　get　a　few　steps　ahead　as　they　dragged　the　rowboat　to　the　surf。　He　released　Catti…brie　from　his　gaze；　and；　momentarily　at　least；　from　his　thoughts；　going　back　to　privately　reciting　the　hag's　verse。　The　best　thing　he　could　do　for　Catti…brie；　and　for　Zaknafein；　was　to　memorize　it；　all　of　it；　as　exactly　as　possible。　Drizzt　understood　that　consciously；　but　still；　the　possibility　that　Zaknafein　might　be　alive；　overwhelmed　him；　and　all　the　verses　seemed　fuzzy；　a　distant　dream　that　the　ranger　fought　hard　to　recollect。　Drizzt　was　not　alert　as　they　splashed　back　off　the　beach　of　Caerwich。　His　eyes　focused　only　on　the　swish　of　the　oars　under　the　dark　water；　and　so　intent　was　he　that　if　a　horde　of　zombies　had　risen　up　against　them　from　the　water；　Drizzt　would　have　been　the　last　to　draw　a　weapon。

　　　As　it　turned　out；　they　got　back　to　the　Sea　Sprite　without　incident　and　Deudermont；　after　a　quick　check　with　Drizzt　to　assure　that　they　were　done　with　their　business　on　the　island；　wasted　no　time　in　putting　the　ship　back　out　to　sea。　Deudermont　called　for　full　sails　the　moment　they　got　out　of　the　enveloping　fog　of　Caerwich；　and　the　swift　schooner　soon　put　the　misty　island　far；　far　behind。　Only　after　Caerwich　was　out　of　sight　did　Deudermont　call　Drizzt；　Catti…brie；　and　the　two　wizards　into　his　private　quarters　for　a　discussion　of　what　had　just　transpired。

　　　〃You　knew　what　the　old　witch　was　speaking　about？〃　the　captain　asked　Drizzt。

　　　〃Zaknafein；〃　the　drow　replied　without　hesitation。　He　noticed　that　Catti…brie's　expression　seemed　to　cloud　over。　The　woman　had　been　tense　all　the　way　back　from　the　cave；　almost　giddy；　but　it　seemed　to　Drizzt　that　she　was　now　merely　crestfallen。

　　　〃And　our　course　now？〃　Deudermont　asked。

　　　〃Home；　and　only　home；〃　Robillard　put　in。　〃We　have　no　provisions；　and　we　still　have　some　damage　to　repair　from　the　storm　that　battered　us　before　we　made　the　Gull　Rocks。〃

　　　〃After　that？〃　the　captain　wanted　to　know；　looking　directly　at　Drizzt　as　he　asked　the　question。

　　　Drizzt　was　warmed　by　the　sentiment；　by　the　fact　that　Deudermont　was　deferring　to　his　judgment。　When　the　drow　gave　no　immediate　response；　the　captain　went　on。

　　　〃　'Seek　the　one　who　hates　you　most；'　the　witch　said；〃　Deudermont　reasoned。　〃Who　might　that　be？〃

　　　〃Entreri；〃　Catti…brie　answered。　She　turned　to　a　surprised　Deudermont。　〃Artemis　Entreri；　a　killer　from　the　southlands。〃

　　　〃The　same　assassin　we　once　chased　all　the　way　to　Calimshan？〃　Deudermont　asked。

　　　〃Our　business　with　that　one　never　seems　to　be　finished；〃　Catti…brie　explained。　〃He's　hating　Drizzt　more　than　any？

　　　〃No；〃　Drizzt　interrupted；　shaking　his　head；　running　a　hand　through　his　thick　white　hair。　〃Not　Entreri。〃　The　drow　understood　Artemis　Entreri　quite　well；　too　well。　Indeed　Entreri　hated　him；　or　had　once　hated　him；　but　their　feud　had　been　more　propelled　by　blind　pride；　the　assassin's　need　to　prove　himself　the　better；　than　by　any　tangible　reason　for　enmity。　After　his　stay　in　Menzoberranzan；　Entreri　had　been　cured　of　that　need；　at　least　somewhat。　No；　this　challenge　went　deeper　than　the　assassin。　This　had　to　do　with　Lloth　herself；　and　involved　not　only　Drizzt；　but　Catti…brie；　and　the　dropping　of　the　stalactite　mount　into　the　Baenre　chapel。　This　pursuit；　this　proverbial　golden　ring；　was　based　in　pure　and　utter　hatred。

　　　〃Who　then？〃　Deudermont　asked　after　a　lengthy　silence。

　　　Drizzt　could　not　give　a　definite　answer。　〃A　Baenre；　most　likely；〃　he　replied。　〃I　have　made　many　enemies。　There　are　dozens　in　Menzoberranzan　who　would　go　to　great　lengths　to　kill　me。〃

　　　〃But　how　do　you　know　it　is　someone　from　Menzoberranzan？〃　Harkle　interjected。　〃Do　not　take　this　the　wrong　way；　but　you　have　made　many　enemies　on　the　surface　as　well！〃

　　　〃Entreri；〃　Catti…brie　said　again。

　　　Drizzt　shook　his　head。　〃The　hag　said；　'A　foe　made　in　the　home　that　was　first；'〃　Drizzt　explained。　〃An　enemy　from　Menzoberranzan。〃

　　　Catti…brie　wasn't　sure　that　Drizzt　had　correctly　repeated　the　witch's　exact　words；　but　the　evidence　seemed　irrefutable。

　　　〃So　where　to　start？〃　Deudermont；　playing　the　role　of　moderator　and　nothing　more；　asked　them　all。

　　　〃The　witch　spoke　of　otherworldly　influence；〃　Robillard　reasoned。　〃She　mentioned　the　Abyss。〃

　　　〃Lloth's　home；〃　Drizzt　added。

　　　Robillard　nodded。　〃So　we　must　get　some　answers　from　the　Abyss；〃　the　wizard　reasoned。

　　　〃Are　we　to　sail　there？〃　Deudermont　scoffed。

　　　The　wizard；　more　knowledgeable　in　such　matters；　merely　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　〃We　must　bring　a　fiend　to　our　world；〃　he　explained；　〃and　extract　information　from　it。　Not　so　difficult　or　unusual　a　task　for　those　practiced　in　the　art　of　sorcery。〃

　　　〃As　you　are？〃　Deudermont　asked　him。

　　　Robillard　shook　his　head　and　looked　to　Harkle。

　　　〃What？〃　the　distracted　Harpell　said　dumbly　as　soon　as　he　noticed　every　gaze　upon　him。　The　wizard　was　deep　in　thought；　also　trying　to　reconstruct　the　blind　witch's　verse；　though　from　his　vantage　point　in　the　cave；　he　hadn't　heard　every　word。

　　　〃As　you　are；〃　Robillard　explained；　〃practiced　in　matters　of　sorc