war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第26部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


es　incised　on　the　faces　were　the　one　aspect　of　suva　he　didn't　like。　They　interjected　blind　luck　into　what　should　be　a　contest　of　pure　cunning。
Ryld's　adversary；　a　scrawny　young　merchant　clansman　with　an　uncouth　habit　of　letting　drops　of　liquor　slide　from　the　corners　of　his　mouth　as　he　guzzled；　had　thrown　the　dice　early　on　and　gloated　when　chance　allowed　him　to　eliminate　one　of　the　older　male's　priestesses。
Shoulders　hunched；　brow　sweaty；　he　stared　at　the　board　as　if　the　fate　of　his　soul　were　being　decided　thereupon。　A　truly　petent　player　would　have　recognized　almost　instantly　that　there　was　only　one　move　he　could　make。　Indeed；　he　would　have　foreseen　the　inevitable　mate　just　three　moves　hence　and　resigned。
Mindful　of　his　true　purpose　for　visiting　the　Jewel　Box；　Ryld；　doing　his　best　to　sound　only　casually　interested；　took　up　the　thread　of　the　conversanottion　that　he　and　the　slightly　tipsy　trader　had　been　carrying　on　in　fits　and　starts。
〃Did　your　cousin　give　you　any　warning　that　he　was　going　to　run　away？〃
〃No；〃　the　clansman　answered　curtly。　〃Why　would　he？　We　despised　each　other。　Now　shut　up！　You're　trying　to　break　my　concentration。〃
Ryld　sighed　and　settled　back　in　his　spindly；　flimsy…looking　limestone　chair。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　glimpsed　something　that　made　him　sit　up　straighter；　double…check　the　precise　position　of　Splitter　leaning　against　the　wall；　and　stealthily　loosen　his　short　sword　in　its　oiled　sheath　on　his　belt。
He　himself　didn't　quite　know　what　had　alerted　him。　These　weren't　the　first　circle　of　revelers　he'd　watched　rise　from　their　seats　and　draw　their　weapons；　either　to　play　at　fencing　or　to　settle　a　quarrel　that　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　the　hooded　male　defeating　all　ers　at　sava。　Indeed；　within　the　confines　of　the　Jewel　Box；　blades　rasped　from　their　scabbards　with　a　certain　regularity。　Superficially；　this　new　quartet　was　no　different；　but　somehow　Ryld　knew　that　they　were。　Sure　enough；　they　stalked　straight　toward　him　and　his　oblivious　opponent　through　the　fragrant　haze　of　innotcense。　Other　patrons；　likewise　sensing　the　swordsmen's　intent；　made　haste　to　clear　the　way。
A　blade　with　a　glowing　redness…an　imprisoned　spirit　perhaps…oozing　inside　the　adamantine；　flicked　in　a　horizontal　sweep　at　the　tabletop。　Ryld　caught　the　weapon　and　pushed　it　away　before　it　could　upset　the　sava　pieces　or　his　neatly　stacked　winnings。　The　long　sword　was　as　sharp　as　only　an　ennotchanted　weapon　could　be；　but　he　managed　the　grab　without　cutting　his　hand。　Finally　startled　from　his　reverie；　the　scrawny　boy　looked　wildly　about。
〃May　we　help　you？〃　asked　Ryld。
〃We've　been　listening　to　you；〃　said　the　owner　of　the　long　sword。
Though　not　so　big　as　Ryld；　he　was　nonetheless　husky　and　tall　for　a　drow　male；　and　the　points　of　his　prominent　ears　seemed　to　reach　above　the　top　of　his　head　like　a　bat's。　He　was　the　best　dressed　and　plainly　the　leader　of　the　foursome；　even　though　his　broad；　sullen　face　bore　the　mottled　bruises　of　a　beating。　The　weapons　master　assumed　that　some　noble　female　must　have　seen　fit　to　give　the　male　a　pummeling。　His　panions　would　think　none　the　less　of　him　for　that。
Especially　since；　Ryld　noted；　two　of　them　were　hurt　as　well；　moving　a　trifle　stiffly　or　slightly　favoring　one　leg。　Perhaps　they　were　all　kinsmen；　and　one　of　the　priestesses　in　their　House　had　gone　on　a　regular　tear。
〃You've　been　asking　a　lot　of　questions　about　runaways；〃　the　swordsman　continued　in　a　threatening　drawl。
〃Have　I？〃　Ryld　replied。
He　reflected　that　it　was　too　bad　the　three　musicians　had　left　the　stage　a　few　minutes　back。　He　doubted　that　anyone　had　managed　to　eavesdrop　on　his　conversations　while　the　longhorn　was　shrilling　away。
The　other　male　scowled　and　asked；　〃Why？〃
〃Just　making　conversation。　Do　you　know　something　about　the　rogues？〃
〃No；　but　I　know　that　in　the　Jewel　Box　we　don't　like　it　when　people　are　too　curious。　We　don't　like　them　hunting　runaways。　We　don't　like　them　lisnottening　to　every　private　thing　we　say　and　reporting　back　to　the　Mothers。〃
〃I'm　not　a　spy。〃
Maybe　he　was；　but　he　had　no　intention　of　confessing　it　to　this　fool。
〃Ha！〃　the　swordsman　scoffed。　〃If　you　were；　you　wouldn't　admit　it。〃
〃Be　that　as　it　may；　I　suggest　you　and　your　friends　return　to　your　table　and　let　this　boy　and　I　finish　our　game。〃
The　male　with　the　red　sword　swelled　like　an　inflated　bladder　on　the　verge　of　bursting。　〃You're　trying　to　dismiss　me　like　a　servant？　Do　you　have　any　idea　who　I　am？〃
〃Of　course；　Tathlyn　Godeep。　I　trained　you。　Do　you　remember　me？〃
Ryld　pushed　back　his　cowl；　exposing　his　hitherto　shadowed　features。
Tathlyn　and　his　friends　goggled　at　their　former　teacher　as　if　he　had　just