war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第3章

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steel　table。　He　could　see　Prath's　hands　shaking　as　he　gently；　almost　reluctantly；　folded　the　leather　straps　around　Gromph's　right　wrist。　He　fastened　the　strap；　but　not　nearly　tight　enough。
　　　〃Tighter；　boy；〃　the　archmage　growled。　〃Don't　be　squeamish；　and　don't　be　afraid　you're　going　to　hurt　me。〃
　　　Gromph　allowed　himself　a　laugh　as　his　nephew　tightened　the　strap　then　moved　on　to　his　right　ankle。　Jaemas　continued　to　chant　the　words　of　the　spell　as　Prath　finished　strapping　his　uncle　to　the　table　at　both　wrists　and　both　ankles。　When　Gromph　was　satisfied　that　he　was　properly　secured；　he　nodded　to　the　Xorlarrin　mage。
　　　Odd；　the　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan　thought　as　Jaemas　set　Kyorli　down　on　his　bare　chest。　If　Lolth　wished　it；　none　of　this　would　have　been　necessary；　but　whether　she　answers　her　priestesses'　prayers　or　not；　all　of　it　would　still　be　possible。
　　　That　thought　brought　a　tentative　peace　to　Gromph。　The　knowledge…no；　the　certainty…of　his　power　had　always　reassured　him；　and　it　did　still。　It　was　that　certainty　that　helped　him　breathe　normally　and　remain　still　as　he　watched；　from　the　rat's　own　eyes；　Kyorli's　meandering；　reluctant　march　up　his　chest　and　onto　his　chin。　The　rat　paused　and　Gromph　saw　black　fingertips…Jaemas's…descend　over　his　left　eye　with　a　twisted　bit　of　wire。　The　Xorlarrin's　touch　was　cool　and　dry　on　Gromph's　eyelids。　The　archmage　held　still　while　the　Xorlarrin　mage　set　the　wires　gently；　carefully；　to　hold　his　eyelid　open。　That　was　repeated　on　his　right　eye　while　Jaemas　continued　to　chant；　and　Kyorli　looked　on　with　uncharacteristic　patience。　The　rat　was　slowly　ing　under　the　influence　of　the　spell；　and　it　was　that　magic　that　was　focusing　the　rodent's　attention　on　Gromph's　eyes。
　　　Though　he　could　feel　the　wires　holding　his　eyes　open；　Gromph；　when　he　let　his　concentration　fall　away　from　his　familiar；　could　see　nothing。　There　was　not　a　hint　of　light　or　shadow；　not　a　sliver　of　reflection。
　　　Gromph　took　a　deep；　steadying　breath　and　said；　〃Proceed。〃
　　　His　concentration　off　the　rat　and　onto　himself；　Gromph　couldn't　see　Kyorli　crawl　over　his　face；　but　he　could　feel　every　needle　prick　of　her　claws；　could　smell　her　musk；　and　could　hear　her　sniffing。　A　whisker　slipped　across　one　of　Gromph's　open　eyes；　and　he　flinched。　It　stung。　His　eyes　might　have　been　useless；　but　they　could　still　register　pain。
　　　Well；　thought　Gromph；　too　bad　for　me。
　　　The　first　bite　sent　a　wave　of　burning　agony　blasting　through　the　archmage's　head。　Gromph's　entire　body　tensed；　and　his　teeth　ground　together。　He　could　feel　the　rat　back　off　and　could　feel　the　blood　slowly　drip　down　the　side　of　his　face。　Jaemas　continued　to　chant。　The　pain　didn't　stop　either。
　　　〃Kyorli；〃　the　archmage　grunted。
　　　The　rat　was　hesitating。　Even　under　the　influence　of　the　spell；　even　offered　the　tasty　morsel　of　a　living…if　sightless…eye；　the　rat　knew　that　she　was　mutilating　her　own　master；　a　master　who　had　proven　in　the　past　to　be　anything　but　forgiving。
　　　Gromph　slipped　his　consciousness　into　his　familiar's；　and　despite　the　one　already　ruined　eye　sending　blood　dripping　down　the　side　of　his　head；　Gromph　could　see。　It　was　the　same　colorless；　dull　rat's　vision；　though。　He　could　see　the　bite　the　rat　had　already　taken　out　of　his　right　eye；　could　see　the　blood；　could　see　himself　shaking；　could　see　the　grim　set　of　his　jaw；　and　the　open；　helpless　orb　of　his　other　blind　eye　awaiting　the　rodent's　reluctant　ministrations。
　　　Gromph　pelled　the　rat　to　finish　her　work。
　　　Kyorli　might　have　hesitated　at　the　orders　of　Jaemas；　but　she　responded　to　her　master's　invitation　to　feed　without　a　second's　pause。　For　at　least　three　bites；　Gromph　watched　his　own　eye　being　chewed　out　of　his　head；　then　Kyorli's　vision　blurred　as　she　plunged　her　head　into　the　ruined　orb　to　tear　at　the　tender；　blood…soaked　bits　inside。
　　　The　pain　was　unlike　anything　Gromph　had　ever　imagined；　and　in　his　long；　uneasy　life；　the　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan　had　imagined　a　lot。
　　　〃Scream　if　you　have　to；　Archmage；〃　his　nephew　whispered　into　his　ear；　barely　audible　over　the　sound　of　the　feeding　rat。　〃There　is　no　shame　in　it。〃
　　　Gromph　grunted；　trying　to　speak；　but　kept　his　jaw　clamped　shut。　The　young　apprentice　had　no　idea　what　shame　was；　but　even　in　his　maddening　agony；　Gromph　promised　himself　that　his　nephew　would　learn　and　that　would　be　the　last　time　Prath　Baenre　offered　his　uncle　advice。
　　　Gromph　didn't　scream；　even　when　the　rat　moved　on　to　the　other　eye。
　　　
Chapter　Two
　　　The　demon　steered　them　to　the　darkest　part　of　the　lake；　and　not　one　of　the　drow　thought　anything　of　it。　Bobbing　at　anchor　in　the　deep　gloom　of　the　Lake　of　Shadows；　the　ship　of　chaos…Raashub's　ship　of　chaos…stood　out　stark　white　against　the　inky　darkness。　The　water　itself　was　a　black　matched　only　by　the　deep　ebony　of　his　drow　master's　skin。　The　wizard；　the　one　they　called　Pharaun；　had　found　him；　bound　him；　chained　him　to　his　own　deck；　and　had　done　so　with　no　humility；　no　respect；　and　no　fear。　The　thought　of　it　made　the　wiry　black　hairs　that　dotted　the　demon's　wrinkled　gray　flesh　stand　on　end。　For　a　few　moments；　the　demon　stood　reveling　in　the　hatred　he　felt　for　that　drow　and　his　haughty　kin。
　　　The　drow　had　been　gating　in　one　servile；　simpering；　weak…willed　mane　after　another。　The　damned　souls　of　petty　sinners　were　food　in　the　Abyss；　and　they　were　food　for　the　ship　of　chaos。　The　uridezu　took　note　of　the　number　of　manes　the　drow　wizard　brought　in　at　any　given　time　in　hopes　of　gauging　the　dark　elf's　power。　If　it　was　an　exact　science；　the　gating　in　of　lesser　demons；　Raashub　didn't　know　its　finer　points；　but　so　many　of　them　were　ing　through　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　the　drow　was　skilled。　Raashub　wasn't　helping　the　drow　and　was　happy　to　let　them　not　only　feed　his　ship　but　exhaust　their　spells；　efforts；　and　attention　in　the　process。　The　presence　of　all　those　wailing；　miserable　demons　must　have　clouded　the　drow　priestess's　senses　enough　that　at　times　Raashub　could　push　the　boundaries　of　his　captivity。
　　　A　rat's　primitive　consciousness　intruded　on　his　own；　and　Raashub　sent　only　the　tiniest　hint　of　a　glance　its　way。　He'd　been　calling　them；　subtly；　for　two　days…ever　since　the　drow　had　first　e　aboard。　The　rodents　swam　the　surface　of　the　Lake　of　Shadows；　and　they　inhabited　the　spaces　between　decks　and　under　steps　on　the　ship　of　chaos　the　same　way　rats　everywhere　swam；　hid；　and　survived。　Raashub；　an　uridezu；　was　as　much　rat　as　anything　else　a　mundane　prime　could　understand；　and　he　knew　the　rats　of　the　Underdark　as　he　knew　rats　in　every　corner　of　the　endless　planes。
　　　The　rodent　responded　to　Raashub's　glance　with　a　silent　twitch　of　its　whiskers；　a　gesture　the　uridezu　felt　more　than　saw。　It　scurried　behind　the　thick　base　of　the　main　mast　and　crept　cautiously　toward　the　draegloth。
　　　They　called　the　half…breed　Jeggred。　As　draegloths　went　he　was　an　average　specimen。　If　Raashub　were　stupid　enough　to　engage　him；　the　draegloth　would　win　a　one…on…one　fight；　but　the　uridezu　would　never　be　that　stupid。　He　would　never　be　as　stupid　as　the　draegloth。
　　　The　rat　didn't　want　to　bite　the　half…demon；　and　Raashub　had　to　silently　insist。　It　was　a　gamble；　but　the　uridezu　didn't　mind　the　odd　risk　for　the　odder　reward。　His　psychic　urging　drew　the　attention　of　one　of　the　female　drow　again；　though；　and　the　uridezu　backed　off；　looking　away　before　they　made　eye　contact。　All　of　the　drow　deferred；　if　grudgingly；　to　the　female　named　Quenthel；　who　was　apparently　some　high　priestess　of　the　drow　spider…bitch　Lolth。　That　one　was　as　conceited　and　as　unworthy　of　that　conceit　as　the　rest　of　them；　but　she　was　sensitive。　Raashub　worried　that　she　could　actually　hear　him　when　he　didn't　want　her　to。
　　　Darting　in　fast；　the　rat　nipped　at　the　draegloth's　ankle。　The　half…demon　swatted　it　away　with　a　grunt；　and　the　tiny　rodent　flew　through　the　air；　out　into　the　darkness。　The　splash　was　almost　too　far　away　to　hear。　The　draegloth；　whose　skin　was　unmarred　by　the　puny　creature's　teeth；　locked　his　eyes　on　Raashub's　and　glared　at　him。
　　　The　draegloth　had　been　doing　little　the　past　two　days　but　glare　at　him。
　　　Annoying　little　vermin；　Raashub　sent　into　the　draegloth's　mind；　aren't　they；　Jeggred？
　　　The　draegloth　blew　a　short；　vile…smelling　breath　out　of　his　nostrils　and　his　lips　peeled　slowly　back　to　reveal　fangs…rows　of　dagger　blades　as　sharp　as　razors　and　as　piercing　as　needles。　The　half…demon　hissed　his　anger；　and　boiling　spittle　sizzled　on　his　lips。
　　　Pretty；　Raashub　taunted。
　　　The　draegloth's　eyes　narrowed　in　confusion。　Raashub　allowed　himself　to　laugh。
　　　The　high　priestess　turned　and　looked　at　them　both。　Again；　Raashub　avoided　eye　contact。　He　moved　his　foot　enough　to　let　the　chain　that　bound　him　rattle　against　the　single　dragon　bone　that　prised　most　of　the　deck　of　his　ship。　Above　him；　the　tattered　sails　of　human　skin　hung　limp　in　the　still　air。　The　demon　heard　Jeggred　turn。　Raashub　liked　the　game…they　were　both　caught　by　a　sternly　disapproving　mother　in　their　boyish　mischief。
　　　Quenthel　looked　away；　and　Jeggred　locked　his　eyes　on　Raashub　again。　The　uridezu　didn't　bother　taunting　him　anymore　that　day。　It　was　being　boring。　Instead；　the　demon　contented　himself　with　standing　quietly