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！
deck of the ship was a flat expanse of bone…white board； devoid of a cabin or any raised structure。 There were rails at the edges of its deck to prevent crew from falling overboard； but the only other thing rising above the desolate flatness of the deck； besides the three masts with their tattered； patchwork sails； was a tiller at the stern of the ship。 Seeing no hatches； he wondered if the ship had a hold…or if its hull was solid bone。 He'd heard a faint noise； a moment before； that might have been cargo shifting； but it was probably just the sound of the storm。
〃We'll have to ask the uridezu where the mouth is；〃 he said。 〃Let's just hope I can dispel the stasis。〃
That said； he set to work。 Dispellings were among the first spells wizards learned at Sorcere； and a quick incantation and a brief gesture were enough to dispel simple spells。 But a temporal stasis was tricky。 Only the most powerful mages could cast it。 That the demon was indeed held by such a spell was readily apparent。 Peering into its open； snarling mouth； Pharaun could see red； blue； and green glitters on its tongue…a dusting of the powdered gems that had triggered the spell。
A greater dispelling was certainly needed…one that was tightly focused； so it wouldn't negate the binding spell。 Taking a deep breath； Pharaun began his incantation。
Quenthel must have seen the unease in his eyes； for she drew her whip。 Beside her； Jeggred absently picked at the deck's caulking with a claw； scratching out chunks of black； congealed blood。
Extending the finger on which he wore his magical signet ring； Pharaun touched the demon between the eyes。 The ring flashed a bright silver as the symbol of Sorcere activated； lending its power to the spell。
As the dispelling took effect； a shudder ran through the demon's body。 Pharaun jerked his hand back。 Quenthel and Jeggred also tensed； but for several long moments； nothing happened。 The only sounds were the muted splash of water against the dome that still held the elements at bay and the faint； curious hissing of the whip vipers。
Sighing； Pharaun shook his head。 The dispelling had failed。
〃Try again；〃 Quenthel ordered。
〃Repeating the spell won't help；〃 Pharaun told her as he stepped forward to inspect the demon more closely。 〃The mage who froze the demon in time must have been an extremely powerful…〃
He'd half turned as he answered Quenthel； but out of the corner of his eye he saw the demon blink…and that was what saved him。 With a shriek of centuries of pent…up rage； the demon leaped forward； claws lashing at Pharaun's throat。 Pharaun threw himself backward； but his boots were still stuck to the deck。 He crashed onto his back； banging his head。 Blinking away stars； he managed to focus his eyes just in time to see the demon at the apex of a full…out leap。 Still confused from the blow to his head； Pharaun wondered why he was moving away from the demon； then realized that his fall had jerked his feet our of his boots； he was sliding rapidly down the sloping deck。 In that same instant； the demon jerked to a stop in mid…air； then crashed facefirst into the deck on the spot where Pharaun had just been lying。
Groggily； Pharaun realized that the chain around its ankle had tripped it。
He also realized that he was still sliding down the tilting deck。 He slapped sticky hands down onto the boards； jerking himself to a halt just before he hit the edge of his dome of force。 Meanwhile the demon leaped to its feet and fell upon the slender chain that held its ankle； gnashing at it with yellowed teeth。
Quenthel backed up a pace； her whip held at the ready and an undecided look on her face。 Then she gave a grim chuckle。
The demon gave up gnawing on the chain to glare at her。
〃You dare laugh？〃 it said in a voice that squeaked like twisting chains； its tiny red eyes bulging。 〃I will feed you to the maw。〃
Pharaun sat up； rubbing a tender spot on the back of his head。
〃That's just what we'd like to talk to you about；〃 he told the demon。 〃The ship's mouth。 Tell us where…〃
He never got the chance to finish。 Jeggred； hackles raised by the insult to his mistress； chose that moment to leap forward。 Howling with rage； he raked the demon with his fighting hands； tearing deep slashes in its chest and thighs。
Pharaun sprang to his bare feet…which； thankfully； were still sticky from his earlier spell。
〃Jeggred； stop！〃 he shouted。 〃That's what it wants！〃
Already he could see what the demon was doing…it fell back under Jeggred's attack in a move that left its bound leg exposed。 The demon could neither harm nor remove the chain that bound its ankle itself； but if a careless swipe of Jeggred's claws did the job。 。 。 。
Quenthel； for once； thought quickly。 She lashed out with her whip…not at the demon； which was probably immune to her serpents' poison…but at Jeggred； instead。 Her vipers snapped a hand's breath over his bare back； splattering his mane with their venom。
〃Jeggred！〃 she shouted。 〃Leave him。〃
The draegloth glanced back over his shoulder； suddenly aware that his mistress was angry。 Instantly he cowered on the deck； ignoring the raking kick the demon gave him。
Foiled in its escape bid； the demon hunkered down； whiskers twitching。
Pharaun clambered up the steeply sloping deck。
〃Now then； demon；〃 the Master of Sorcere said； 〃to get back to my question about the ship's mouth。 I want to know where it is and what we need to feed it to get this ship going。 You're going to sail us out of this whirlpool and into the Plane of Shadow。〃
〃And you will free me？〃 the demon asked； its watery eyes blinking。
〃Yes；〃 Pharaun lied。 〃As soon as we reach the Abyss。〃
The demon's whiskers twitched。
〃The mouth is in the belly of the ship；〃 it said。
〃In the hold？〃 Pharaun asked。
The demon nodded。
〃How do we reach it？〃
〃Use her wand；〃 the demon said； flicking a finger at the forked wand in Quenthel's belt。 〃The hatch is hidden by magic； but the wand will show you its location。〃
Pharaun's eyes narrowed。 He didn't like the sly smirk in the demon's eye。 A wand of location was easy to recognize by its distinctive forked shape； but it was almost as if the demon wanted Quenthel to use it。 Was there some additional property of the wand that Pharaun had missed…something the demon hoped to turn to its advantage？
〃Just a moment； Quenthel；〃 Pharaun told her。 〃We'll use my wand； instead。〃
Reaching into the slender case that hung from his belt； he drew one of his four wands and waved it in a slow pass in front of him； level with the deck of the ship。 A hatch that had been previously hidden by magic suddenly became visible； its edges limned with a faint purple glow。 The ring…latch that would open it was recessed into the hatch itself； flush with the deck。 Nodding； Pharaun tucked the wand back inside his case。
Quenthel chuckled and reached for the latch； then paused as her whip vipers hissed a warning。 She glanced at Pharaun； parted her lips as if to speak； then decided against whatever order she'd been about to give。
Instead she turned to Jeggred and manded； 〃Open it。〃
Obediently； the draegloth bent forward。
〃Jeggred； wait；〃 Pharaun barked。
He had no love for the draegloth； but Pharaun was still suspicious of the demon's motives。 Waving Jeggred back； the wizard motioned for the demon to open the hatch； instead。 It was just within the demon's reach。 By straining； the uridezu was able to hook its fingers into the latch。
Be ready； Pharaun signed to the others behind the demon's back； reaching for a different wand。 Somethings going to e out。
He was right。 As soon as the demon yanked open the hatch； a wave of rats scurried out； tittering and squeaking。 And no ordinary rats but gaunt； half…rotted caricatures of life…a swarm of tiny undead。
With a speed born of long practice； Pharaun fired his wand。 A lightning bolt exploded from it and careered along the deck； turning nearly a dozen of the creatures instantly to charred flesh and blackened bone。
Quenthel and Jeggred were equally quick to react。 Quenthel lashed at the rats with quick flicks of her whip； and Jeggred batted whole handfuls of them away with powerful sweeps of his fighting arms。
Pharaun chuckled as he blasted the last of the swarm with his wand。 Was that the best the demon could do…summon up a few undead rats？
The laughter died in his throat。 He'd been expecting a plicated trick worthy of a sava master and had felt somewhat disappointed when the demon had done nothing more than send a swarm or undead rats against them。 Then Pharaun realized the demons real plan…one so simple it had slipped under Pharaun's guard。 The undead rats' attack on Pharaun； Quenthel； and Jeggred was just a diversion。 All the demon needed was for a single rat to survive。 That animal's true target； as directed by the imperative telepathic mands of its demonic master； was the chain。
The soft lead chain。
An instant later the rat's sharp teeth parted the chain； and the demon was free。 Whirling in place； it lashed out with its tail once…knocking Jeggred headlong down the slanting deck； through the dome of force and out into the whirling sea…then again； sending Quenthel tumbling after him。
It turned to face Pharaun； whiskers quivering。
〃Wizard；〃 it squeaked。 〃You are mine。〃
Pharaun made no answer as his free hand plunged into his pocket； whipping out a glove。 As the demon bared its fangs； then leaped for his throat； Pharaun was silently thankful it had chosen a simple frontal attack； rather than to use its magic…it would give him the instant he needed to cast his spell。
Demons really were predictable。
Sometimes。
Chapter Thirty…four
As the mouth of the tunnel came into view； Ryld's heart sank。 Fresh snow lay ankle…deep on the slope that led up to the surface； and enormous flakes of white were falling into the tunnel so thickly it was impossible to see more than a few paces beyond the opening。 How were he and Halisstra ever going to find their way across the Cold Field in that curtain of white？ Without landmarks to guide them； they were likely to wander in circles until the cold finally claimed them。
Over and above that small problem； Ryld was already tiring。 His House insignia allowed him to levitate； so that Halisstra could tow him through the air like a child's floater； but the concentration required to sustain the brooch's magic was wearying him。 Allowing it to lapse； he sank gently to the ground and contemplated the snow falling into the tunnel。
Halisstra shivered； making him aware of just how woefully inadequate her clothes were to ward off winter's bitter chill。
〃Do you have any magic that will keep you warm？〃 Ryld asked。
She nodded and answered； 〃Eilistraee will grant me a spell that will help me resist the cold； but。 。 。〃
〃But what？〃 Ryld prompted。
Halisstra sighed and said； 〃It only lasts a short time。 I'd have to recast it…several times…to keep warm all the way to the edge of the Cold Field。 And that would mean not being able to recast the spell that's keeping you alive。〃
〃Then leave me。〃
The look Halisstra gave him needed no words。
〃How long do I have？〃 he asked instead of arguing。
〃The spell I cast on you should last the rest of the night； at least…until just after the sun rises；〃 she told him。 〃I'll use my magic sparingly until then and count on the sun to keep me warm afterward。 That should leave enough magic to slow the poison a second time。 Let me know…immediately…if your pain worsens。 The spell's duration isn't that precise。 It could wear off suddenly； without warning。 If the poison returns full force to your body； the shock could kill you。 The fewer times I have to recast the spell； the better。〃
Ryld nodded。
Halisstra shivered； then added； 〃Let's get moving。 I'll be warmer if I'm walking。〃
Once again Ryld levitated。 Halisstra trudged up the slope and onto the open plain； boots squeaking in the fresh snow； towing him behind her； then she broke into a jog。 After no more than a dozen steps Ryld was