war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第14部分

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to　stand　up；　and　she　saw　that　Pharaun　did　not　lie　crushed；　bloody；　and　helpnotless　on　the　floor　beneath　them。　Impossible　as　it　seemed；　somehow　he'd　renotsisted　the　paralysis；　then　used　his　wizardry　to　extricate　himself　from　the　midst　of　his　attackers。
Knowing　that　Sabal　was　dead；　Pharaun　must　likewise　assume　that　withnotout　the　aegis　of　a　high　priestess　he　could　no　longer　survive　in　House　Miznotzrym。　Certainly　he　couldn't　count　on　his　vicious　mother；　who　hadn't　bestirred　herself　to　save　one　daughter　from　another；　to　do　more　for　a　paltry　son。　He　was　surely　running　back　toward　the　exit。
〃That　way！　Fast！〃　Greyanna　shouted；　pointing；　goading　her　agents　into　motion。　When　they　rounded　a　corner；　they　saw　Pharaun　sprinting　along　ahead　of　them；　his　piwafwi　billowing　out　behind　him。　He　wasn't　weaving　or　stumbling…evidently　desperation　had　cured　his　intoxication…but　he　was　clutching　his　head；　and　leaving　a　trail　of　bloody　drops　on　the　polished　floor。　Evidently　all　the　bludgeoning　had　done　at　least　a　little　good。
Greyanna's　minions　shot　their　hand　crossbows；　but　the　darts　bounced　off　the　wizard's　cloak；　which　had　obviously　been　enchanted　to　serve　as　armor。　She　stopped　running　long　enough　to　conjure　a　blaze　of　fire　under　Pharaun's　feet。　Her　assassins　cried　out　and　shielded　their　eyes　against　the　glare。　Though　surely　burned；　her　brother　stayed　on　his　feet　and　kept　going。　The　flames　winked　out　behind　him　as　suddenly　as　they'd　appeared。
The　chase　rounded　another　corner。　Ahead　of　Pharaun　was　an　adamannottine　double　door；　which　swung　open　seemingly　of　its　own　accord。　In　realnotity；　Greyanna　knew；　the　wizard　had　used　his　silver…and…jet　Mizzrym　House　token　to　open　it。　She　tried　to　use　her　own　insignia　to　slam　it　shut　again；　but　she　was　just　out　of　range。
Pharaun　plunged　through　the　exit。　He　was　on　the　landing；　a　sort　of　balnotcony　from　which　the　occupants　of　the　stalactite　castle　that　was　House　Miznotzrym　could　look　down　on　the　city。　As　was　the　custom；　a　pany　of　guards　stood　watch　there；　and　Greyanna　screamed　for　them　to　stop　the　mage。
They　no　doubt　intended　to　be　obey。　She　was　a　high　priestess　and　he；　a　mere　male；　and　manifestly　trying　to　run　away　to　boot。　But　alas；　since　their　primary　function　was　to　look　for　miscreants　trying　to　enter　the　castle；　Phanotraun　had　taken　them　by　surprise。　He　had　time　to　conjure　some　sort　of　hindering　spell　and　dash　on。
When　Greyanna　made　it　to　the　door；　she　saw　what　manner　of　hindrance　the　fugitive　had　chosen。　The　guards　were　all　bewildered；　some　standing　stupefied　or　milling　aimlessly；　a　couple　fighting　with　each　other。
A　clattering；　followed　a　split　second　later　by　grunts　and　cries　of　pain；　snapped　her　head　around　to　the　right。　At　the　far　end　of　the　landing；　a　second　contingent　of　sentries　also　looked　at　least　temporarily　incapacinottated；　these　because　Pharaun　had　pelted　them　with　a　conjured　barrage　of　ice。　He　disappeared　down　the　exit　they'd　been　guarding；　the　winding　crysnottal　staircase；　gorgeous　with　magical　luminescence；　which　connected　House　Mizzrym　with　the　cave　floor　below。　Greyanna　felt　a　twinge　of　annoyance；　but　only　that。　Apparently　she　wasn't　going　to　get　a　chance　to　torture　Pharaun；　but　he　was　unquestionnotably　going　to　die。　He　really　had　nowhere　to　run；　and　if　the　wretch　weren't　mired　in　a　blind　panic；　he'd　know　it。
At　least　she　could　deliver　the　stroke　that　would　seal　his　doom。　She　hurnotried　to　the　edge　of　the　landing；　saw　that　the　blistered；　bloody…headed　fool　was　better　than　halfway　down　the　radiant　diamond　steps；　and　pronotnounced；　as　quickly　as　possible；　the　long；　awkward　arcane　word　that　would　make　the　staircase　vanish。　That　alone　wouldn't　kill　him　unless　he　lost　his　head。　The　ability　to　levitate　granted　by　the　same　brooch　that　alnotlowed　him　to　pass　through　the　Houses　doors　would　keep　him　from　falling。　Limited　to　strictly　vertical　movement；　however；　he　ought　to　make　an　easy　mark　for　spells　and　arrows。
She　spoke　the　final　syllable。　Just　as　the　steps　seemed　to　pop　like　a　bubble；　Pharaun　leaped；　his　long　legs　making　him　look　like　a　pair　of　scisnotsors　spread　to　the　maximum　possible　width。　He　barely　made　it　onto　the　flattened　apex　of　the　gigantic　stalagmite　that　served　as　the　stair's　lower　ternotminus。
Greyanna　was　impressed。　That　jump　was　an　impressive　display　of　athleticism　for　a　battered　scholar　of　hedonistic　habits。　Not　that　it　would　do　him　any　good。　He　really　had　run　to　the　end　of　his　race。　She　leaned　out　and　shouted　for　the　foulwings　to　kill　him。　Winded；　still　stumbling　off…balance　from　hurdling　across　the　empty　space；　Pharaun　surely　couldn't　fend　off　both　of　them　at　once。
Grotesque　winged　predators　that　monly　reeked　of　their　caustic　amnotmonia　breath；　the　foulwings　bespoke　the　Mizzrym's　power　and　magical　prowess　and　lent　the　first　step　on　the　path　to　their　citadel　a　certain　style　that　mere　soldiers　could　not　match　They　also　made　terrifying　watch　beasts。　With　a　snap　of　their　clawed；　bat　like　wings；　in　no　wise　hindered　by　their　lack　of　legs；　they　spun　their　long…necked　bodies　around　to　loom　over　Phanotraun。　Forked　snouts　with　fanged　jaws　at　the　end　of　either　branch　came　questing　hungrily　down。　From　her　perch；　Greyanna　looke