精灵血脉四部曲-第83部分

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Entreri　came　in　behind　the　mercenary　and　wisely　stayed　behind　at　the　sight　of　volatile　Triel。　The　assassin　eyed　the　intriguing　room；　perpetually　bathed　in　soft…glowing　bluish　light；　as　was　most　of　the　wizards'　tower。　Parchments　lay　everywhere；　on　the　desk；　on　the　three　chairs；　and　on　the　floor。　The　walls　were　lined　with　shelves　that　held　dozens　of　large；　capped　bottles　and　smaller；　hourglass…shaped　contain…

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ers；　their　tops　off　and　with　sealed　packets　lying　next　to　them。　A　hundred　other　curious　items；　too　strange　for　the　surface　dweller　to　even　guess　at　what　they　might　do；　lay　amid　the　jumble。

〃You　bring　colnbluth　to　Sorcere？〃　Triel　remarked；　her　thin　eyebrows　angling　up　in　surprise。

Entreri　took　care　to　keep　his　gaze　to　the　floor；　though　he　managed　a　few　peeks　at　the　Baenre　daughter。　He　hadn't　viewed　Triel　in　so　strong　a　light　before；　and　he　thought　now　that　she　was　not　so　beautiful　by　drow　standards。　She　was　too　short　and　too　stocky　in　the　shoulders　for　her　very　angular　facial　features。　It　struck　the　assassin　as　odd　that　Triel　had　risen　so　high　among　the　ranks　of　drow；　a　race　that　treasured　physical　beauty。　Her　station　was　testament　to　the　Baenre　daughter's　power；　he　decided。

Entreri　couldn't　understand　very　much　of　the　Drow　tongue；　though　he　realized　that　Triel　probably　had　just　insulted　him。　Normally；　the　assassin　responded　to　insults　with　weapons；　but　not　here；　not　so　far　from　his　element　and　not　against　this　one。　Jarlaxle　had　warned　Entreri　about　Triel　a　hundred　times。　She　was　looking　for　a　reason　to　kill　him？the　vicious　Baenre　daughter　was　always　looking　for　a　reason　to　kill　any　colnbluth；　and　quite　a　few　drow　as　well。

〃I　bring　him　many　places；〃　Jarlaxle　answered。　〃I　did　not　think　that　your　brother　would　be　here　to　protest。〃

Triel　looked　about　the　room；　to　the　fabulous　desk　of　polished　dwarf　bones　and　the　cushioned　chair　behind。　There　were　no　connecting　rooms；　no　obvious　hiding　places；　and　no　Gromph。

〃Gromph　must　be　here；〃　Jarlaxle　reasoned。　〃Else；　why　would　the　matron　mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　be　in　this　place？　That　is　a　violation　of　the　rules；　as　I　remember　them；　as　serious　a　breach；　at　least；　as　my　bringing　a　non…drow　to　Sorcere。〃

〃Take　care　how　you　question　the　actions　of　Triel　Baenre；〃　the　short　priestess　replied。

〃Asanque；〃　Jarlaxle　answered　with　a　sweeping　bow。　It　was　a　somewhat　ambiguous　word　that　could　mean　either　〃as　you　wish；〃　or　〃likewise。〃

〃Why　are　you　here？〃　Triel　demanded。

〃You　knew　I　was　ing；〃　Jarlaxle　stated。

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〃Of　course；〃　Triel　said　slyly。　〃I　know　many　things；　but　I　wish　to　hear　your　explanation　for　entering　Sorcere；　through　private　doors　reserved　for　headmasters；　and　into　the　private　quarters　of　the　city's　archmage。〃

Jarlaxle　reached　into　the　folds　of　his　black　cloak　and　produced　the　strange　spider　mask；　the　magical　item　that　had　gotten　him　over　House　Baenre's　enchanted　web　fence。　Triel's　ruby…red　eyes　widened。

〃I　was　instructed　by　your　mother　to　return　this　to　Gromph；〃　the　mercenary　said；　somewhat　sourly。

〃Here？〃　Triel　balked。　〃The　mask　belongs　at　House　Baenre。〃

Jarlaxle　couldn't　hide　a　bit　of　a　smile；　and　he　looked　to　Entreri；　secretly　hoping　that　the　assassin　was　getting　some　of　this　conversation。

〃Gromph　will　retrieve　it；〃　Jarlaxle　answered。　He　walked　over　to　the　dwarf　bone　desk；　uttered　a　word　under　his　breath；　and　quickly　slipped　the　mask　into　a　drawer；　though　Triel　had　begun　to　protest。　She　stalked　over　to　the　desk　and　eyed　the　closed　drawer　suspiciously。　Obviously　Gromph　would　have　trapped　and　warded　it　with　a　secret　password。

〃Open　it；〃　she　instructed　Jarlaxle。　〃I　will　hold　the　mask　for　Gromph。〃

〃1　cannot；〃　Jarlaxle　lied。　〃The　password　changes　with　each　use。　I　was　given　only　one。〃　Jarlaxle　knew　that　he　was　playing　a　dangerous　game　here；　but　Triel　and　Gromph　rarely　spoke　to　each　other；　and　Gromph；　especially　in　these　days；　with　all　the　preparations　going　on　in　House　Baenre；　rarely　visited　his　office　at　Sorcere。　What　Jarlaxle　needed　now　was　to　be　rid　of　the　mask梠penly；　so　that　it　could　not　be　tied　to　him　in　any　way。　That　spider　mask　was　the　only　item；　spells　included；　in　all　of　Menzoberranzan　that　could　get　someone　past　House　Baenre's　magical　fence；　and　if　events　took　the　turns　that　Jarlaxle　suspected；　that　mask　might　soon　be　an　important　piece　of　property梐nd　evidence。

Triel　chanted　softly　and　continued　to　stare　at　the　closed　drawer。　She　recognized　the　intricate　patterns　of　magical　energy；　glyphs　and　wards；　on　the　drawer；　but　they　were　woven　too　tightly　for　her　to　easily　unravel。　Her　magic　was　among　the　strongest　in　Menzoberranzan；　but　Triel　feared　to

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try　her　hand　against　her　brother's　wizardly　prowess。　Dropping　a　threatening　gaze　at　the　cunning　mercenary；　she　walked　back　across　the　room　and　stood　near　Entreri。

〃Look　at　me；〃　she　said　in　the　mon　tongue　of　the　surface；　which　surprised　the　assassin；　for　very　few　drow　in　Menzoberranzan　spoke　the　language。

Entreri　lifted　his　gaze　to　peer　into　Triel's　intense　eyes。　He　tried　to　keep　his　demeanor　calm；　tried　to　appear　subjugated；　broken　in　spirit；　but　Triel　was　too　perceptive　for　such　facades。　She　saw　the　strength　in　the　assassin；　smiled　as　though　she　approved　of　it。

〃What　do　you　know　of　all　this？〃　she　asked。

〃I　know　only　what　Jarlaxle　tells　me；〃　Entreri　replied；　and　he　dropped　the　facade　and　stared　hard　at　Triel。　If　she　wished　a　contest　of　wills；　then　the　assassin；　who　had　survived　and　thrived　on　the　most　dangerous　streets　of　Faerun's　surface；　would　not　back　down。

Triel　matched　the　unblinking　stare　for　a　long　while　and　became　convinced　that　she　would　garner　little　of　use　from　this　skilled　adversary。　〃Be　gone　from　here；〃　she　said　to　Jarlaxle；　still　using　the　surface　tongue。

Jarlaxle　rushed　past　the　Baenre　daughter　and　scooped　up　Entreri　in　his　wake。　〃Quickly；〃　the　mercenary　remarked。　〃We　should　be　long　out　of　Sorcere　before　Triel　tries　that　drawer！〃　With　that；　they　were　through　the　spidery　door；　which　fast　reverted　to　a　plain　wall　behind　them；　blocking　Triel's　inevitable　curses。

But　the　Baenre　daughter　was　not　as　mad　as　she　was　intrigued。　She　recognized　three　courses　ing　together　here；　her　own　and　her　mother's；　and　now；　apparently；　Jar…laxle's。　The　mercenary　was　up　to　something；　she　knew；　something　that　obviously　included　Artemis　Entreri。

When　they　were　safely　away　from　Tier　Breche　and　the　Academy；　Jarlaxle　translated　all　that　had　transpired　to　Entreri。

〃You　did　not　tell　her　of　Drizzfs　impending　arrival；〃　the　assassin　remarked。　He　had　thought　that　important　bit　of

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information　to　be　the　gist　of　Jarlaxle's　brief　conversation　with　Triel；　but　the　mercenary　said　nothing　about　it　now。

〃Triel　has　her　own　ways　of　discerning　information；〃　Jar…laxle　replied。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　make　her　work　easier梟ot　without　a　clear　and　agreed　upon　profit！〃

Entreri　smiled；　then　bit　his　lower　lip；　digesting　the　mercenary's　words。　There　was　always　so　much　going　on　in　this　infernal　city；　the　assassin　mused。　It　was　no　wonder　that　Jar…laxle　enjoyed　the　place　so！　Entreri　almost　wished　that　he　was　a　drow；　that　he　could　carve　out　a　place　such　as　Jarlaxle　had　done；　playing　on　the　edge　of　disaster。　Almost。

〃When　did　Matron　Baenre　instruct　you　to　return　the　mask？〃　the　assassin　asked。　He　and　Jarlaxle　had　been　out　of　Mertzoberranzan　for　some　time；　had　gone　into　the　outer　caverns　to　meet　with　a　svirfneblin　informant。　They　had　returned　only　a　short　time　before　their　trip　to　Sorcere；　and　Jarlaxle；　as　far　as　Entreri　knew；　hadn't　gone　anywhere　near　House　Baenre。

〃Some　time　ago；〃　Jarlaxle　replied。

〃To　bring　it　to　the　Academy？〃　Entreri　pressed。　It　seemed　out　of　place　to　him。　And　why　had　Jarlaxle　taken　him　along？　He　had　never　been　invited　to　that　high　place　before；　had　even　been　refused　on　one　occasion；　when　he　had　asked　to　acpany　Jarlaxle　to　Melee…Magthere；　the　school　of　fighters。　The　mercenary　had　explained　that　taking　a　colnbluth；　a　non…drow；　there　would　be　risky；　but　now；　for　some　reason；　Jarlaxle　had　thought　it　appropriate　to　take　Entreri　to　Sorcere；　by　far　the　more　dangerous　school。

〃She　did　not　specify　where　the　mask　was　to　be　returned；〃　Jarlaxle　admitted。

Entreri　did　not　respond；　though　he　realized　the　truth　of　that　answer。　The　spider　mask　was　a　prized　possession　of　the　Baenre　clan；　a　potential　weak　spot　in　its　hardened　defenses。　It　belonged　in　the　secured　quarters　of　House　Baenre　and　nowhere　else。

〃Foolish　Triel；〃　Jarlaxle　remarked　offhandedly。　〃The　same　word；　asanque；　would　get　her　into　that　drawer。　She　should　know　that　her　brother　was　arrogant　enough　to　believe　that　none　would　ever　try　to　steal　from　him；　and　so　he　would　not　spend　too　much　time　with　password　tricks。〃

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The　mercenary　laughed；　and　Entreri　followed　suit；　though　he　was　more　intrigued　than　amused。　Jarlaxle　rarely　did　or　said　anything　without　purpose；　and　the　mercenary　had　told　him　all　of　this　for　a　reason。

But　why？

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MENZOBERRANZAN

he　raft　slid　slowly　across　Donigarten；　the　small；　dark　lake　on　the　eastern　end　of　the　great　cavern　that　housed　Menzoberranzan。　Drizzt　sat　on　the　prow　of　the　craft；　looking　west　as　the　cavern　opened　wide　before　him；　though；　with　his　infravision；　the　image　seemed　strangely　blurred。　Drizzt　initially　attributed　it　to　the　lake's　warm　currents　and　gave　it　little　thought。　He　was　preoccupied；　his　mind　looking　as　much　in　the　past　as　in　the　present；　reeling　with　stirring　memories。

The　rhythmic　moaning　of　the　orcan　paddlers　behind　him　allowed　him　to　find　a　calmness；　to　flow　his　memories　one　at　a　time。

The　drow　ranger　closed　his　eyes　and　willed　the　shift　from　heat…sensing　infravision　into　the　normal　spectrum　of　light。　He　remembered　the　splendor　of　Menzoberranzan's　stalagmite　and　stalactite　structures；　their　intricate　and　crafted　designs　highlighted　by　glowing　faerie　fire　of　purple；　blue；　and　red。

He　wasn't　prepared　for　what　he　found　when　he　opened　his　eyes。　The　city　was　filled　with　light！　Not　just　with　faerie

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Starless　Night

fires；　but　with　sparkling　dots　of　yellow　and　white；　the　light　of　torches　and　bright　magical　enchantments。　For　a　very　brief　moment；　Drizzt　allowed　himself　to　believe　that　the　presence　of　light　might　be　some　remote　in