精灵血脉四部曲-第85部分

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caught　somewhere　between　a　pout　and　anticipation；　as　if　to　say　that　Drizzt　might　have　escaped；　but　only　for　now。

With　the　isle　behind　him；　Drizzt　put　all　thoughts　of　Khareesa　from　his　mind。　His　task；　and　dangers；　lay　ahead；　in　the　city　proper；　and　he　honestly　did　not　know　where　he　would　begin　looking　for　answers。　He　feared　that　it　would　all　e　down　to　his　surrender；　that　he　would　have　to　give　himself　over　to　protect　the　friends　that　he　had　left　behind。

He　thought　of　Zak'nafein；　his　father　and　friend；　who　had　been　sacrificed　to　the　evil　Spider　Queen　in　his　stead。　He　thought　of　Wulfgar；　his　lost　friend；　and　memories　of　the　young　barbarian　strengthened　Drizzf　s　resolve。

He　offered　no　explanation　to　the　surprised　slavers　awaiting　the　craft　on　the　beach。　His　expression　alone　told　them　not　to　question　him　as　he　walked　past　their　encampment；　away　from　Donigarten。

Soon　he　moved　easily；　warily；　along　the　winding　ways　of　Menzoberranzan。　He　passed　close　by　several　dark　elves；　under　the　more…than…curious　eyes　of　dozens　of　house　guards；　standing　watch　from　their　parapets　along　the　sides　of　hollowed　stalactites。　Drizzt　carried　with　him　an　irrational　notion　that　he　might　be　recognized；　and　had　to　tell　himself　many　times　that　he　had　been　out　of　Menzoberranzan　for　more　than　thirty　years；　that　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　even　House　Do'Urden；　was　now　part　of　Menzoberranzan's　history。

But；　if　that　were　true；　why　was　he　here；　in　this　place　where　he　did　not　want　to　be？

Drizzt　wished　that　he　had　a　piwafwi；　the　black　cloak　typical　of　drow　outerwear。　His　forest…green　cloak；　thick　and　warm；　was　more　suited　to　the　environs　of　the　surface　world　and　might　connect　him；　in　the　eyes　of　onlookers；　to　that　rarely　seen　place。　He　kept　the　hood　up；　the　cowl　low；　and　pushed　on。　This　would　be　one　of　many　excursions　into　the　city　proper；　he　believed；　as　he　familiarized　himself　once　more　with　the　winding　avenues　and　the　dark　ways。

The　flicker　of　light　around　a　bend　surprised　him；　stung　his　heat…seeing　eyes；　and　he　moved　tightly　against　the　wall　of　a　stalagmite；　one　hand　under　his　cloak；　grasping　Twinkle's　hilt。

A　group　of　four　drow　males　came　around　the　bend；

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talking　easily；　paying　Drizzt　no　heed。　They　wore　the　symbol　of　House　Baenre；　Drizzt　noted　as　his　vision　shifted　back　to　the　normal　spectrum；　and　one　of　them　carried　a　torch！

Little　that　Drizzt　had　witnessed　in　all　his　life　seemed　so　out　of　place　to　him。　Why？　he　asked　himself　repeatedly；　and　he　felt　that　this　all　was　somehow　related　to　him。　Were　the　drow　preparing　an　offensive　against　some　surface　location？

The　notion　rocked　Drizzt　to　his　core。　House　Baenre　soldiers　carrying　torches；　getting　their　Underdark　eyes　desensitized　to　the　light。　Drizzt　did　not　know　what　to　think。　He　would　have　to　go　back　to　the　Isle　of　Rothe；　he　decided；　and　he　figured　that　that　out…of…the…way　place　was　as　good　a　base　as　any　he　could　secure　in　the　city。　Perhaps　he　could　get　Khareesa　to　tell　him　the　meaning　of　the　lights；　so　that　the　next　excursion　into　the　city　proper　might　prove　fruitful。

He　stalked　back　through　the　city；　cowl　low；　thoughts　inward；　and　did　not　notice　the　movements　shadowing　his　own；　few　in　Menzoberranzan　ever　noticed　the　movements　of　Bregan　D'aerthe。

Catti…brie　had　never　viewed　anything　so　mysterious　and　wonderful　and；　in　the　starlight　of　her　vision；　the　glow　of　the　stalagmite　towers　and　hanging　stalactites　seemed　more　wonderful　still。　The　faerie　fires　of　Menzoberranzan　highlighted　ten　thousand　wondrous　carvings；　some　of　definite　shape　（mostly　spiders）；　and　others　free…flowing　forms；　surrealistic　and　beautiful。　She　would　like　to　e　here　under　different　circumstances；　Catti…brie　decided。　She　would　like　to　be　an　explorer　that　discovered　an　empty　Menzoberranzan；　that　she　might　study　and　absorb　the　incredible　drow　workmanship　and　relics　in　safety。

For；　as　overwhelmed　as　Catti…brie　was　by　the　magnificence　of　the　drow　city；　she　was　truly　terrified。　Twenty　thousand　draw；　twenty　thousand　deadly　enemies；　were　all　about　her。

As　proof　against　the　fear；　the　young　woman　tightly　clasped　Alustriel's　magic　locket　and　thought　of　the　picture　therein；　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　He　was　here；　somewhere　close；

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she　believed；　and　her　suspicions　were　confirmed　when　the　locket　flared　suddenly　with　warmth。

Then　it　cooled。　Catti…brie　moved　methodically；　turning　back　to　the　north；　to　the　secret　runnels　Firble　had　taken　her　through　to　get　to　this　place。　The　locket　remained　cool。　She　shifted　to　her　right　and　faced　west；　across　the　chasm　near　her梩he　Clawrift；　it　was　called梐nd　past　the　great；　sweeping　steppes　that　led　to　a　higher　level。　Then　she　faced　south；　toward　the　highest　and　grandest　section　of　all；　judging　from　the　elaborate；　glowing　designs。　Still　the　locket　remained　cool；　then　began　to　warm　as　the　young　woman　continued　to　turn；　looking　past　the　nearest　stalagmite　mounds　to　the　relatively　clear　section　in　the　east。

Drizzt　was　there；　in　the　east。　Catti…brie　took　a　deep　breath　then　another；　to　steady　her　nerves　and　muster　the　courage　to　e　fully　out　of　the　protected　tunnel。　She　looked　to　her　hands　again；　and　her　flowing　robes；　and　took　fort　in　the　apparently　perfect　drow　disguise。　She　wished　that　she　had　Guenhwyvar　beside　her梤emembered　the　moment　in　Silverymoon　when　the　panther　had　loped　down　the　streets　beside　her梑ut　wasn't　sure　how　the　cat　would　be　received　in　Menzoberranzan。　The　last　thing　she　wanted　to　do　was　call　attention　to　herself。

She　moved　quickly　and　quietly；　throwing　the　hood　of　her　robes　low　over　her　head。　She　hunched　as　she　walked；　and　kept　her　grasp　on　the　locket　to　guide　her　way　and　bolster　her　strength。　She　worked　hard　to　avoid　the　stares　of　the　many　house　sentries；　and　pointedly　looked　away　whenever　she　saw　a　drow　ing　down　the　avenue　toward　her　from　the　other　direction。

She　was　almost　past　the　area　of　stalagmites；　could　see　the　moss　bed；　the　mushroom　grove；　even　the　lake　beyond；　when　two　drow　came　out　of　the　shadows　suddenly；　blocking　the　way；　though　their　weapons　remained　sheathed。

One　of　them　asked　her　a　question；　which　she；　of　course；　did　not　understand。　She　subconsciously　winced　and　noticed　that　they　were　looking　at　her　eyes。　Her　eyes！　Of　course；　they　were　not　glowing　with　irtfravision；　as　the　deep　gnomes　had　informed　her。　The　male　asked　his　question　again；　somewhat　more　forcefully；　then　looked　over　his　shoulder；　toward　the

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moss　bed　and　the　lake。

Catti…brie　suspected　that　these　two　were　part　of　a　patrol；　and　that　they　wanted　to　know　what　business　she　might　have　on　this　side　of　the　city。　She　noted　the　courteous　way　they　addressed　her；　and　remembered　those　things　that　Drizzt　had　taught　her　about　drow　culture。

She　was　a　female；　they；　only　males。

The　undecipherable　question　came　again；　and　Catti…brie　responded　with　an　open　snarl。　One　of　the　males　dropped　his　hands　to　the　hilts　of　his　twin　swords；　but　Catti…brie　pointed　at　them　and　snarled　again；　viciously。

The　two　males　looked　to　each　other　in　obvious　confusion。　By　their　estimation；　this　female　was　blind；　or　at　least　was　not　using　irtfravision；　and　the　lights　in　the　city　were　not　that　bright。　She　should　not　have　been　able　to　see　the　movement　clearly；　and　yet；　by　her　pointing　finger；　she　obviously　had。

Catti…brie　growled　at　them　and　waved　them　away；　and　to　her　surprise　（and　profound　relief）；　the　males　backed　off；　eyeing　her　suspiciously　but　making　no　moves　against　her。

She　started　to　hunch　over；　thinking　to　hide　again　under　her　cowl；　but　changed　her　mind　instead。　This　was　Menzoberranzan；　full　of　brash　dark　elves；　full　of　intrigue；　a　place　where　knowing梕ven　pretending　to　know梥omething　your　rival　did　not　know　could　keep　you　alive。

Catti…brie　threw　off　the　hood　and　stood　straight；　shaking　her　head　as　her　thick　hair　freed　itself　of　the　folds。　She　stared　at　the　two　males　wickedly　and　began　to　laugh。

They　ran　off。

The　young　woman　nearly　toppled　with　relief。　She　took　another　deep　breath；　clasped　the　locket　in　a　clenched　fist；　and　headed　toward　the　lake。

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EPITOME　OF　ENEMIES

o　you　know　who　he　is？　the　drow　soldier's　fingers　asked　imperatively　in　the　intricate　hand　code。

Khareesa　rocked　back　on　her　heels；　not　quite　understanding　any　of　this。　A　contingent　of　well…armed　drow　had　e　to　the　Isle　of　Rothe；　demanding　answers；　interrogating　both　the　ore　and　goblin　slaves　and　the　few　drow　slavers　on　the　island。　They　wore　no　house　emblems　and；　as　far　as　Khareesa　could　tell；　were　exclusively　males。

That　did　not　stop　them　from　treating　her　roughly；　though；　without　the　proper　protocol　typically　afforded　her　gender。

〃Do　you？〃　the　drow　asked　aloud。　The　unexpected　noise　brought　two　of　the　male's　rades　rushing　to　his　sides。

〃He　is　gone；〃　the　male　explained　to　calm　his　panions；　〃into　the　city。〃

But　he　is　on　his　way　back；　a　fourth　drow　replied　in　the　silent　hand　code　as　he　rushed　to　join　the　others。　We　just　received　the　code　flashes　from　the　shore。

The　heightening　intrigue　was　more　than　curious　Kha…

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reesa　could　take。　〃I　am　Khareesa　H'kar；〃　she　proclaimed；　naming　herself　a　noble　of　one　of　the　city's　lesser　houses；　but　a　noble　noheless。　〃Who　is　this　male　you　speak　of？　And　why　is　he　so　important？〃

The　four　males　looked　to　each　other　slyly；　and　the　newer　turned　an　evil　glare　on　Khareesa。

〃You　have　heard　of　Daermon　N'a'shezbaernon？〃　he　asked　softly。

Khareesa　nodded。　Of　course　she　had　heard　of　the　powerful　house；　House　Do'Urden　by　its　more　mon　name。　It　had　once　been　the　eighth…ranked　house　in　all　the　city；　but　had　met　a　disastrous　end。

〃Of　their　secondboy？〃　the　male　went　on。

Khareesa　pursed　her　lips；　unsure。　She　tried　to　remember　the　tragic　story　of　House　Do'Urden；　something　about　a　renegade；　when　another　of　the　males　jogged　her　memory。

〃Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　he　said。

Khareesa　started　to　nod梥he　had　heard　the　name　before；　in　passing梩hen　her　eyes　went　wide　as　she　realized　the　significance　of　the　handsome；　purple…eyed　drow　that　had　left　the　Isle　of　Rothe。

She　is　a　witness；　one　of　the　males　reasoned。

She　was　not；　argued　another；　until　we　told　her　the　renegade's　name。

〃But　now　she　is；〃　said　the　first；　and　they　looked　in　unison　at　the　female。

Khareesa　had