Zhara closed the door to the Red Room of the Old Skull Inn and motioned for Dragonbait to have a seat at the table.扎拉关上老骷髅旅店红房间的门，示意龙饵在桌边坐下。1
The paladin had agreed to join Akabar’s wife for lunch in the privacy of her room.圣武士已经答应和阿卡巴的妻子在她房中私下一起吃午饭。2
The priestess of Tymora crossed the room and sat down opposite her guest.泰摩拉的女祭司穿过房间，在客人对面坐下。3
After all that Akabar had told her about Dragonbait, Zhara felt the paladin was like a brother to her.听了阿卡巴告诉她的种种关于龙饵的事后，扎拉觉得这位圣武士就像自己的兄弟一样。4
Showing her face to a brother would not be immodest, she decided, pushing back the hood of her robe.她心想，在兄弟面前露出脸来并不算失礼，便把长袍的兜帽向后推去。5
She removed her veil and laid it on the table.她摘下面纱，放在桌上。6
Dragonbait studied Zhara’s face curiously.龙饵好奇地端详着扎拉的脸。7
“You do not seem shocked or surprised,” the priestess said.“你似乎既不震惊，也不意外。”女祭司说道。8
Dragonbait motioned with his hands.龙饵用双手打起手势。9
“Yes, I can understand your sign language,” Zhara answered.“是的，我看得懂你的手语。”扎拉答道。10
Dragonbait motioned with his hands that he could smell what Zhara was.龙饵用手势表示，他能闻出扎拉究竟是什么。11
“Oh,” Zhara replied, remembering Akabar had also mentioned the paladin’s refined sense of smell.“哦。”扎拉应道，想起阿卡巴也曾提到过这位圣武士敏锐的嗅觉。12
Let’s eat, Dragonbait signed.先吃饭吧，龙饵用手势说道。13
Then we can talk.然后我们再谈。14
Zhara nodded in agreement.扎拉点头表示同意。15
She said a short prayer in Turmish in thanksgiving for the food laid out before them and began serving the meal.她用图米什语作了简短的餐前祷告，感谢摆在他们面前的食物，随后开始分菜。16
They ate in silence, but it was a comfortable silence.他们默默地吃着，但这沉默令人自在。17
After the paladin had eaten his fill of the venison and potatoes and peas, all northern dishes that were strange to Zhara, the saurial leaned back in his chair and signed that he was full.圣武士吃够了鹿肉、土豆和豌豆之后——这些都是扎拉感到陌生的北方菜肴——这名蜥蜴族人向后靠在椅背上，打手势表示自己已经饱了。18
The priestess shook her head at the saurial’s plate “You haven’t eaten very much,” she said.女祭司看着蜥蜴族人盘中的食物，摇了摇头。“你没吃多少啊。”她说道。19
“I thought warriors all had ravenous appetites.”“我还以为战士个个都有填不饱的胃口呢。”20
With his fingers, the paladin explained that saurials preferred many small meals to a few large ones.圣武士用手指比画着解释说，比起少吃几顿大餐，蜥蜴族人更喜欢多吃几顿小餐。21
“Akabar said saurial paladins have something called shen sight—that you can see into a person’s soul.“阿卡巴说，蜥蜴族圣武士有一种叫作‘神视’的能力——你们能够看进一个人的灵魂深处。22
Is that true?”这是真的吗？”23
Zhara asked.扎拉问道。24
Dragonbait nodded.龙饵点了点头。25
“I want you to look into my soul,” Zhara said.“我想让你看看我的灵魂，”扎拉说。26
“Tell me, am I not a virtuous woman?”“告诉我，我难道不是个品德高尚的女人吗？”27
Dragonbait lowered his eyes, and the scent of vanilla wafted from him.龙饵垂下眼睛，身上飘出一缕香草的气味。28
Fortunately, Zhara didn’t realize it was a sign that he was amused by the priestess’s self-righteousness.幸好，扎拉没有意识到，这表示女祭司那副自以为是的模样令他觉得好笑。29
Despite his amusement, the saurial paladin complied with her request and summoned his shen.尽管觉得好笑，这位蜥族圣武士还是答应了她的请求，唤出了自己的神识。30
He saw in Zhara exactly what he had expected to see—a soul of pure blue, which indicated grace, the state of being sanctified and loved by her goddess.他在扎拉身上看到的，正是他预料中的景象——一个纯蓝色的灵魂，象征着恩宠，表明她已被女神圣化并蒙受女神的爱。31
He also sensed that the priestess’s spirit was strong and arrogant.他还察觉到，这位女祭司的心灵既强大又傲慢。32
She was not so very different from Alias.她与阿莉亚丝其实并没有那么不同。33
Do you have reason to doubt your virtue?你有理由怀疑自己的品德吗？34
Dragonbait signed, teasing the priestess.龙饵打着手势，戏谑地问女祭司。35
Zhara shook her head.扎拉摇了摇头。36
“I only want to know if you believe, as Alias does, that I could be so evil as to lie to Akabar about his dreams?“我只是想知道，你是否也像阿莉亚丝一样，认为我会邪恶到对阿卡巴隐瞒他梦境的真相？37
That I don’t love him and I’m only using him?” she asked.认为我并不爱他，只是在利用他？”她问道。38
Dragonbait shook his head and signed to Zhara.龙饵摇摇头，对扎拉打起了手势。39
Do not be offended by the swordswoman.别生那个女剑士的气。40
She is still frightened by the Darkbringer, and her fear always makes her angry.她仍然害怕黑暗使者，而恐惧总会令她愤怒。41
“Your Alias has no respect for the clergy,” Zhara noted coolly.“你的阿莉亚丝对神职人员毫无敬意，”扎拉冷冷地说道。42
She was created that way, Dragonbait signed.她被创造出来时就是这样，龙饵打着手势说道。43
She cannot help herself.她也无能为力。44
“Only a barbarian would belittle the gods as she does,” Zhara said contemptuously.“只有野蛮人才会像她那样贬低诸神，”扎拉轻蔑地说。45
Barbarians also belittle beautiful music, as you did, Dragonbait pointed out.野蛮人也会贬低美妙的音乐，就像你之前那样，龙饵指出。46
Zhara looked momentarily flustered.扎拉一时显得有些慌乱。47
She hadn’t expected the paladin to chide her about her behavior.她没料到这位圣武士会责备她的举止。48
She replied defensively, “Akabar has told me much of Alias.她辩解道：“阿卡巴跟我说过许多阿莉亚丝的事。49
For instance, I know she practically worships Nameless and his music.比如，我知道她简直把无名者和他的音乐奉若神明。50
That is wrong,” Zhara insisted.那是不对的。”扎拉坚持道。51
“Nameless is only a man, and his music is but the creation of a man.“无名者不过是个凡人，他的音乐也不过是凡人的造物。52
Neither the man nor his creation can compare to the gods or their works.”无论是他本人还是他的创作，都无法与诸神或诸神的造物相提并论。”53
Dragonbait sighed.龙饵叹了口气。54
I’ll tell you a little story, he signed.我给你讲个小故事吧，他用手语说道。55
It’s a story I’ve never told anyone else.这个故事，我从没对别人讲过。56
A story with a lesson.一个能给人教训的故事。57
Zhara leaned forward and watched curiously as the paladin’s hands motioned over the table.扎拉探身向前，好奇地看着圣武士的双手在桌面上方比划。58
Once there was a paladin who served the god of justice, the saurial explained.从前，有一位侍奉正义之神的圣武士，蜥蜴人解释道。59
The paladin loved a priestess who served Lady Luck.这位圣武士爱上了一名侍奉幸运女神的女祭司。60
The paladin was proud of himself and his service to his god.圣武士为自己以及自己对神明的侍奉深感自豪。61
He felt there was no cause more noble than justice.他认为，没有什么事业比正义更崇高。62
He felt everyone should feel as he felt.他认为，人人都该和他有同样的感受。63
Lady Luck was not always just however; sometimes she was fickle.然而，幸运女神并不总是公正；有时她也反复无常。64
Occasionally she bestowed her favor on those who did not deserve it, and withheld her favor from those who did.她偶尔会眷顾不配得到眷顾的人，却不肯眷顾那些理应得到眷顾的人。65
The paladin demanded that his priestess lover serve his god instead of Lady Luck.圣武士要求他那位身为女祭司的爱人改而侍奉他的神，不再侍奉幸运女神。66
The two argued about it, and the paladin insulted Lady Luck and the priestess, but the priestess would not leave her goddess.两人为此争执起来，圣武士出言侮辱了幸运女神和女祭司，但女祭司不肯离弃自己的女神。67
Because the paladin loved the priestess very much, he knew that if he remained near her, he would soon grow to accept her decision and remain her lover despite her refusal to do as he wished.由于圣武士深爱着女祭司，他知道，如果自己继续留在她身边，很快就会接受她的决定；即便她拒绝照他的意愿行事，他也仍会做她的爱人。68
He thought that if this happened, he would be tainted by the priestess’s love for her goddess.他认为，若是这样，自己就会因女祭司对其女神的爱而受到玷污。69
In his anger and pride, the paladin was determined that these things should not happen, so he left his tribe to serve his god’s cause in the dark and evil region of Tarterus.出于愤怒与骄傲，圣武士决心不让这些事发生，于是离开自己的部族，前往塔尔塔罗斯那片黑暗邪恶的地域，为他的神所追求的事业效力。70
There the paladin was captured by a fiend who intended to sacrifice the paladin for a very evil purpose.圣武士在那里被一个恶魔俘虏了；那恶魔打算为了某个极其邪恶的目的，将他献作祭品。71
As the paladin hung from chains in a dank dungeon, very close to death, he had a vision, or perhaps it was just a dream, in which Lady Luck appeared before him.圣武士被铁链吊在一座阴湿的地牢里，命悬一线之际，看见了一个异象——也或许那只是一场梦——幸运女神在其中出现在他面前。72
The goddess said that she did not care if she ever saw him again, but the god of justice had asked for her help in sparing the paladin’s life.女神说，她才不在乎今后还能不能见到他，但正义之神请求她出手相助，救圣武士一命。73
If the paladin would agree to perform a service for Lady Luck, she would free him from the evil creatures who intended to kill him.只要圣武士答应替幸运女神办一件事，她就会把他从那些企图杀死他的邪恶生物手中解救出来。74
The paladin wished to live, of course, and since his god had intervened on his behalf, it would be arrogant to turn down the goddess’s offer.圣武士当然想活下去，况且他的神已经替他出面干预，若是拒绝女神的提议，未免太过傲慢。75
The paladin had learned that even the cause of justice cannot always win against evil without Lady Luck’s blessing.圣武士明白了，即使是正义的事业，若没有幸运女神的眷顾，也未必总能战胜邪恶。76
He agreed to perform the service, and Lady Luck sent a human to free the paladin and tell him what service he must perform.他答应替她办事，于是幸运女神派了一个人类去解救圣武士，并告诉他必须完成什么任务。77
So the paladin lives yet to serve the god of justice, but he pays homage, too, to Lady Luck or to any other god or goddess who can further the cause of justice.因此，圣武士至今仍活着，为正义之神效力；但他也会向幸运女神致敬，也会向任何能够推动正义事业的神祇致敬。78
Dragonbait leaned forward in his chair.龙饵坐在椅子上，身子向前倾去。79
Zhara thought he was finished and was about to speak when the saurial began motioning once again with his hands.扎拉以为他已经讲完，正要开口，那个蜥蜴人却又一次用双手比划起来。80
The paladin, Dragonbait signed, learned that the god of justice is also served by other worldly beings—merchant-mages, halfling thieves, arrogant bards—and even by the creations of worldly beings—commerce and government, history and tales, music and song.圣武士明白了，龙饵比划道，正义之神也会借助其他尘世生灵为自己效力——商人法师、半身人盗贼、傲慢的吟游诗人——甚至还会借助尘世生灵创造出来的事物——商业与政府、历史与故事、音乐与歌谣。81
Thus the paladin learned to respect worldly things.就这样，圣武士学会了尊重尘世之物。82
Is it not possible that the goddess you serve is served by such things as well?难道你侍奉的女神就不可能也借助这些事物为自己效力吗？83
Zhara huffed.扎拉哼了一声。84
“Even if Alias’s music serves the gods, it does not make it right for her to belittle them,” the priestess insisted.“就算阿莉亚丝的音乐是在为诸神效力，她也不该贬低诸神。”女祭司坚持道。85
Dragonbait nodded in agreement.龙饵赞同地点了点头。86
She has reason, though, he signed.不过，她这么做也是有缘由的，他比划道。87
“What reason?”“什么缘由？”88
Zhara snapped.扎拉厉声问道。89
Her taunts help her fight her fear of the gods, the paladin explained.圣武士解释道，她用嘲讽来帮助自己对抗对诸神的恐惧。90
“If she were virtuous, she would have no reason to fear the gods,” Zhara declared.“如果她品行高尚，就没有理由惧怕诸神。”扎拉断言道。91
If you had ever lain helpless in the Darkbringer’s power, as she has, you would know better, the paladin replied.圣武士回答道，如果你也曾像她一样，无助地落入黑暗使者的掌控之中，就不会这么说了。92
Zhara lowered her eyes, chastened.扎拉受到责备，垂下了眼睛。93
After pausing several moments, Dragonbait chucked her gently under her chin.停顿片刻后，龙饵轻轻托了托她的下巴。94
You’ve had a long journey, he signed.你一路长途跋涉，辛苦了，他用手语说道。95
You should rest now.现在该休息了。96
“Before I rest, I want you to tell me one thing” Zhara said.“休息之前，我想让你告诉我一件事。”扎拉说道。97
“Will the paladin in your tale ever return to the priestess he loved?”“你故事里的那位圣武士，最终会回到他所爱的女祭司身边吗？”98
When he has finished his service to Lady Luck, Dragonbait signed.等他完成了对幸运女神的侍奉，龙饵用手语说道。99
“When will that be?”“那要到什么时候？”100
Zhara asked.扎拉问道。101
When the Darkbringer is destroyed for all time, Dragonbait signed, and the paladin’s sister need never fear becoming helpless again.等到黑暗使者被永远消灭，龙饵用手语说道，那位圣武士的姐妹再也不必害怕自己会变得无助。102
Rest now.现在休息吧。103
We will talk again.我们还会再谈的。104
The saurial rose to his feet.蜥蜴人站起身来。105
Zhara smiled up at the lizard.扎拉仰头望着这个蜥蜴人，微微一笑。106
“Do you promise?” she asked.“你保证吗？”她问道。107
The paladin laid his hand on his chest, bowed, and slipped out of the Red Room as quietly as a cat.圣武士把手按在胸前，鞠了一躬，随后像猫一样悄无声息地溜出了红房间。108
The priestess sighed.女祭司叹了口气。109
Although she vowed to think more kindly of Alias, she doubted she’d ever really like her.尽管她发誓要对阿莉亚丝多抱些善意，却怀疑自己是否真的会喜欢上她。110
The swordswoman was still a northerner and an adventuress, synonymous, in the priestess’s mind, with a barbarian.那位女剑士毕竟是个北方人，又是个女冒险家；在女祭司心目中，这两者都与野蛮人无异。111
Zhara felt honored, though, that the paladin had divulged his story to her.不过，圣武士肯向她吐露自己的故事，还是让扎拉深感荣幸。112
She yawned.她打了个哈欠。113
Dragonbait was right.龙饵说得对。114
She should rest.她该休息了。115
The priestess reached over to the window, unfastened the shutter latch, and pushed the shutter open.女祭司伸手探向窗户，拨开窗板的插销，将窗板推开。116
Cool, moist air wafted into the room, carrying a number of tiny tufted seeds.清凉湿润的空气飘进房间，还带来了许多长着细小绒毛的种子。117
As Zhara stared sleepily out across the gray landscape, the rain started falling once again.扎拉睡眼惺忪地望着外面灰蒙蒙的景色，雨又一次落了下来。118
She pulled off her sandals and threw them at her clothing trunk, listening with satisfaction to the thumping noises they made.她脱下凉鞋，朝衣箱扔去，听着鞋子撞上箱子时发出的砰砰声，心里颇为满意。119
Then she picked up her veil from the table and, for good measure, threw it in the direction of the trunk.接着，她从桌上拿起面纱，又顺手把它也朝衣箱的方向扔去。120
It landed several inches short, but she was too tired to bend over to pick it up.面纱落在离衣箱还差几英寸的地方，但她累得连弯腰捡起来都不愿意。121
Stupid veil, she thought.蠢面纱，她心想。122
Let it lie there.就让它躺在那儿吧。123
Pushing herself out of her chair, Zhara shuffled exhaustedly across the room and flopped onto the bed.扎拉撑着身子从椅子上站起来，精疲力竭地拖着脚步穿过房间，一头倒在床上。124
Before they’d arrived in Shadowdale, she and Akabar had spent several days on the road with the caravan, camping in the open on the hard ground.抵达阴影谷之前，她和阿卡巴曾随商队在路上走了好几天，露宿在坚硬的地面上。125
As she lay back on the plump pillows, she anticipated the pleasures of sharing so large and private a room with her husband again.她仰躺在松软饱满的枕头上，满心期待着再次同丈夫共享这样一间宽敞而私密的房间会有多么惬意。126
While she missed Akash and Kasim, her co-wives, there was no denying that she enjoyed having Akabar’s company all to herself.尽管她很想念自己的两位共妻阿卡什和卡西姆，但不可否认，她很享受独占阿卡巴陪伴的感觉。127
Thinking of Akash and Kasim, Zhara uttered a quick prayer for their safety and health.想到阿卡什和卡西姆，扎拉迅速祈祷了一番，愿她们平安健康。128
Then she drifted off to sleep to the sound of the pattering rain and a vision of her handsome husband leaning over her, whispering her name.随后，她听着淅淅沥沥的雨声沉入梦乡，眼前浮现出英俊的丈夫俯身看着她、轻声呼唤她名字的情景。129
A bad dream troubled her sleep.一个噩梦搅扰了她的睡眠。130
In the dream, Alias was closing her inside a coffin lined with daggers.梦里，阿莉亚丝正把她关进一口内壁布满匕首的棺材。131
The darkness of the coffin frightened Zhara as much as the idea of the daggers, and she was struggling with all her might to resist, when suddenly she awoke with a start.棺材里的黑暗和那些匕首一样令扎拉恐惧，她正拼尽全力挣扎反抗，忽然猛地惊醒了。132
The priestess wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep, but the room about her was much darker than it had been; twisting shadows played on the walls all about her.女祭司不知道自己睡了多久，但四周的房间已经比先前昏暗得多；扭曲的阴影在她周围的墙壁上跃动。133
She reached into a pocket of her robe for one of the stones she had enchanted with a continual light.她把手伸进长袍的口袋，去掏一块被她施过恒光魔法的石头。134
Something pricked at her elbow when she moved her arm.她一动胳膊，便有什么东西刺了一下她的手肘。135
She reacted automatically, rolling on her side, away from whatever she’d brushed against.她下意识地侧身滚开，躲避刚才碰到的东西。136
Instead of rolling to safety, she rolled into worse stabs—painful and itchy.可她非但没有滚到安全处，反而撞上了更多尖刺，又疼又痒。137
She rolled onto her back once more and yanked out her light stone.她再次翻身仰躺，一把拽出那块发光石。138
She gasped in horror.她惊恐地倒吸了一口凉气。139
The room was choked with a thicket of greenery, sprouting needle-sharp daggers from every stem and leaf.房间里挤满了一片浓密的绿植，每一根茎、每一片叶上都长着针尖般锋利的匕首。140
She was buried in the center of the thicket, unable to move without lancing herself on the needles.她被埋在这片荆丛中央，稍一动弹，身体就会被那些尖刺刺穿。141
As if she were still dreaming, a scream caught in her throat and would not escape.仿佛仍在梦中一般，一声尖叫卡在她喉咙里，怎么也发不出来。142
Attracted by her light stone, the plants closed in toward her, stabbing at her flesh.被她的光明石吸引，植物纷纷朝她围拢，用尖刺扎进她的皮肉。143
Zhara cringed from the pain and threw her arms up to protect her bare face.扎拉痛得缩起身子，连忙举起双臂护住裸露的脸。144
She could feel a dagger-plant coiling under the hem of her robes, stabbing at her bare calves.她能感觉到一株匕首草正从长袍下摆钻进去，缠上她裸露的小腿，不住地扎刺。145
Zhara felt panic wrapping about her as tightly as the plants.扎拉感到恐慌如同那些植物一般，紧紧缠住了她。146
This had been one of Akabar’s dreams.这是阿卡巴梦中的情景之一。147
The Darkbringer had gained the advantage of first attack.黑暗使者已经抢占了先机。148
Once it finished with her, it would take Akabar.等它解决了她，就会去对付阿卡巴。149
It would devour his soul before his spirit was strong enough to resist.在他的灵魂强大到足以抵抗之前，它就会将其吞噬。150
“No!”“不！”151
Zhara growled through clenched teeth at the purple flowering pods pricking at her lips, trying to thrust their way into her mouth.几只开着紫花的荚苞刺着扎拉的嘴唇，试图硬钻进她嘴里；她咬紧牙关，低吼起来。152
“You’ll never get my husband!”“你永远也别想抓走我的丈夫！”153
A burst of anger forced the panic away from her.一股怒火骤然迸发，将她心中的恐慌一扫而空。154
She thrust her left hand into another pocket of her robe and grasped at a handful of bark there, meanwhile clutching at her throat with her other hand for the silver disk that was the holy symbol of her goddess.她把左手伸进长袍的另一个口袋，抓住里面的一把树皮，同时用另一只手摸向喉间，握住那枚象征她所信奉女神的银圆牌。155
Ignore the pain! she ordered herself as the needles pricked into the back of her knee.别管疼痛！针刺扎进她的膝弯时，她命令自己。156
Concentrate!集中精神！157
Zhara began a prayer to Tymora asking for the goddess’s aid.扎拉开始向泰摩拉祈祷，请求女神施以援手。158
The oft-repeated lines helped calm her nerves until she was able to summon the power for her spell.那些反复诵念过无数次的祷词帮助她镇定下来，直到她终于能够召唤出施展法术所需的力量。159
Crumbling the bark in her fist, she whispered, “Oak sister.”她在拳中捏碎树皮，低声念道：“橡树姐妹。”160
Zhara squeezed her eyes tightly shut, concentrating on the numbness creeping up her left hand into her arm, across her torso, up her throat, down her other arm and into her legs.扎拉紧紧闭上双眼，全神贯注地感受那股麻木从左手蔓延至手臂，横过躯干，爬上喉咙，又沿另一条手臂向下，直至双腿。161
She took a deep breath and sat straight up in the bed.她深吸一口气，从床上挺身坐起。162
The dagger plants resisted her movements with their woody stems, but she could no longer sense their sharp prickers.匕首草用木质茎秆阻碍她的动作，但她已经感觉不到那些锐利的尖刺了。163
Her spell had transformed her skin into bark that was hard enough to protect her but also smooth and supple enough so she could still move.她的法术把皮肤变成了树皮，既坚硬得足以保护她，又光滑柔韧，让她依然能够自如活动。164
She fought back the attacking greenery with her arms as if it were nothing deadlier than hay.她挥动双臂，奋力拨开那些袭来的植物，仿佛它们只不过是毫无杀伤力的干草。165
Her eyes were still vulnerable, so she was forced to keep them closed.她的眼睛依然毫无防护，所以只能紧闭双眼。166
The spell wouldn’t last long.这道法术维持不了多久。167
It wasn’t panic that caused her to seek help, she assured herself, and she did so, shouting, “Dragonbait!” at the top of her lungs.她告诉自己，求救并不是因为惊慌；随后便扯开嗓子大喊：“龙饵！”168
She pushed herself off the bed and stomped on the plant stems, crushing them under her bark-covered heels until the floor was smeared with sticky pulp.她从床上挣扎下来，猛踩那些植物的茎，用包裹着树皮的脚后跟将它们碾碎，直到地板上涂满黏稠的浆液。169
All around her, the plants kept growing faster than she could crush them.她周围的植物仍在不断生长，速度快得让她根本踩不过来。170
They began winding around her ankles and wrists, restricting her movements until finally they held her fast.它们开始缠上她的脚踝和手腕，束缚住她的动作，最终将她牢牢困住。171
Another plant twisted tight around her throat, and she knew that when the bark skin faded, she’d either be strangled or have her jugular vein pierced by the thorns.另一株植物紧紧缠住她的喉咙，她知道，等树皮般的皮肤消退后，自己不是被勒死，就是被尖刺刺穿颈静脉。172
She screamed for Dragonbait again and again, until a flowering pod thrust itself into her mouth.她一遍又一遍地呼喊龙饵，直到一个开花的荚苞猛地塞进她嘴里。173
The prickles stung like a hundred bees, and the plant forced itself deeper, choking her.尖刺蜇得像上百只蜜蜂同时袭来，那株植物还在使劲往深处钻，令她无法呼吸。174
Unable to get her hands to her mouth, Zhara bit down on the plant and ripped the flower from the stem with her teeth.扎拉无法把手伸到嘴边，只得狠狠咬住那株植物，用牙齿将花从茎上扯了下来。175
She chewed, despite the agonizing pain, until she’d worked the flower into a wad small enough to spit out.尽管痛苦难当，她仍拼命咀嚼，直到把花嚼成小小一团，终于能够吐出去。176
Something thumped on the door.有什么东西砰地撞在门上。177
“Help!”“救命！”178
Zhara screamed.扎拉尖叫道。179
“Hurry!”“快！”180
The door opened just wide enough for Dragonbait’s arm to slip through.门打开了一条缝，刚好够龙饵把手臂伸进来。181
He held out his sword and growled.他伸出长剑，低吼一声。182
The sword glowed, then burst into flame, illuminating the room in a brilliant light.长剑亮了起来，随即迸发出火焰，以耀眼的光芒照亮了整个房间。183
Dagger plants swayed instinctively toward the light, only to be scorched by the fire.匕首草本能地朝光亮摇曳过去，却被火焰烧焦。184
The saurial slashed blindly at the greenery until he’d cleared the way enough to thrust the door open all the way.蜥蜴人对着草木胡乱劈砍，直到清出足够的空间，将门彻底推开。185
He hacked at the stems, setting them alight and filling the room with an acrid, black smoke.他挥剑砍向那些茎秆，将它们点燃，房间里顿时弥漫起刺鼻的黑烟。186
Then he slashed at the base of the plants that held Zhara until he could pull her from the room.接着，他砍向缠住扎拉的植物根部，直到终于能把她从房间里拉出来。187
The saurial stood in the doorway, brandishing his flaming weapon.蜥蜴人站在门口，挥舞着燃烧的武器。188
The plants hesitated to approach now, as if warned that the glowing weapon was deadly.植物不敢再靠近，仿佛已经明白那件发光的武器足以致命。189
Dragonbait hissed once and pulled the door shut.龙饵嘶鸣一声，拉上了门。190
Very gently the saurial pulled away the prickly shoots and flowers still wrapped around Zhara.蜥蜴人极其轻柔地将仍缠绕在扎拉身上的带刺嫩枝和花朵扯开。191
Now that they’d been separated from their roots, the plants were no longer able to move, but they still clung ferociously to the priestess.这些植物被从根上扯断后，便再也无法动弹，但仍凶狠地紧缠着女祭司。192
Zhara’s skin was reverting to normal, and it was an effort to keep from wincing as the paladin freed her from the plants.扎拉的皮肤正逐渐恢复正常；圣武士替她除去那些植物时，她得竭力忍住，才没有因疼痛而畏缩。193
Her mouth and tongue were numb and so swollen she could hardly talk.她的嘴和舌头都已麻木，肿得让她几乎说不出话来。194
“Akabar—” she gasped, and began to weep hysterically.“阿卡巴——”她喘息着喊道，随即歇斯底里地哭了起来。195
Dragonbait pulled her into his own room across the hall and forced her to sit on his bed, holding her firmly by her shoulders.龙饵把她拉进走廊对面自己的房间，强迫她坐到床上，双手紧紧按住她的肩膀。196
Zhara smelled woodsmoke all around her, and then she felt calmer.扎拉闻到四周弥漫着柴烟的气味，随后便觉得平静了些。197
Her mouth tingled, but at least it no longer ached.她的嘴里一阵刺麻，但至少已经不再疼痛。198
She took a deep breath.她深吸了一口气。199
“You healed me, didn’t you?” she asked.“是你治好了我，对不对？”她问道。200
The lizard nodded, brushing her reddish-brown hair out of her eyes and stroking her cheek gently with one of his scaly fingers.蜥蜴人点了点头，将她红棕色的头发从眼前拨开，又用一根覆着鳞片的手指轻柔地抚摸她的脸颊。201
“Alias was the one who sent those things after me,” Zhara said.“是阿莉亚丝派那些东西来袭击我的，”扎拉说。202
Dragonbait looked down at the priestess with widened eyes, as if she’d lost her mind.龙饵睁大眼睛低头看着女祭司，仿佛她已经疯了。203
“She did.“真的是她。204
I dreamed it.”我梦见了。”205
The saurial paladin shook his head vehemently.蜥蜴人圣武士猛烈地摇头。206
“I have to find Akabar!“我必须找到阿卡巴！207
He’s in terrible danger!他正身处极大的危险之中！208
You must take me to him!你必须带我去找他！209
You must!”你必须带我去！”210
Zhara cried.扎拉哭喊道。211
Dragonbait nodded.龙饵点了点头。212
He pulled a scarf from his pack and handed it to her, signing that she could use it as a veil.他从背包里取出一条头巾递给她，打手势说她可以拿它当面纱。213
While the paladin couldn’t believe that Alias had anything to do with the attack on Zhara, he never doubted for an instant that Zhara was right about her husband’s being in danger.尽管这位圣武士不相信阿莉亚丝与袭击扎拉一事有任何关系，但他从未有一瞬怀疑过扎拉所说的丈夫正身处险境。214
The deadly enchanted thistles smelled of the Darkbringer’s magic, and Dragonbait shuddered to think what other sorts of plants and creatures the god would send after the merchant-mage.那些致命的魔法蓟草散发着黑暗使者的魔法气息，一想到这位神还会派出什么别的植物和生物去对付那名商人法师，龙饵便不寒而栗。215
Satisfied that she had broken Akabar’s spirit, Kyre slid her dagger back up her sleeve and set the crystal nut down on the table.凯尔确信自己已经摧垮了阿卡巴的意志，便将匕首滑回袖中，把那枚水晶坚果放到桌上。216
She kissed the mage on the lips, more passionately than she had the first time, tugging on his lips with her own.她吻上法师的双唇，比第一次更加热烈，用自己的嘴唇吮扯着他的唇。217
Akabar shuddered, too terrified of the tendrils in the half-elf’s mouth to risk unclenching his jaw, but he made no verbal complaint.阿卡巴浑身发抖；他太害怕半精灵口中的触须，不敢冒险松开紧咬的牙关，但也没有出声抗议。218
He could feel the tendrils about his arms loosening and then falling away.他能感觉到缠绕双臂的触须渐渐松开，随后脱落下去。219
“Now, prove to me your sincerity,” Kyre demanded as she slid the tendrils out from his sleeves.“现在，向我证明你的诚意。”凯尔一边将触须从他的袖子里抽出来，一边命令道。220
“Embrace me,” she ordered.“抱住我。”她命令道。221
Akabar slid his arms around the woman’s shoulders and pulled her close to him.阿卡巴伸出双臂搂住女人的肩膀，将她拉近自己。222
She wrapped her arms around his waist and ran her fingers up and down his spine.她双臂环住他的腰，手指沿着他的脊背上下游走。223
The tendrils from her arms slithered about his ankles and lay bunched on the floor like pythons.她手臂上伸出的触须蜿蜒缠住他的脚踝，随后像一群蟒蛇般盘在地板上。224
The merchant-mage’s feelings warred between revulsion and desire.厌恶与欲望在商人法师心中交战。225
“That potion you had me drink was a philter of love, wasn’t it?”“你让我喝下的那瓶药，是迷情药，对不对？”226
Akabar asked.阿卡巴问道。227
Kyre looked up at the Turmishman with surprise.凯尔惊讶地抬头望着这个图米什人。228
“Yes,” she admitted, laying her head against his chest.“是的。”她承认道，把头贴在他的胸膛上。229
“The master made a perfect choice.“主人真是选得再完美不过了。230
You are very clever.”你非常聪明。”231
Akabar’s eyes fell on the crystal soul trap lying on the table.阿卡巴的目光落在桌上的水晶灵魂陷阱上。232
If an enemy of Moander’s was trapped within, Kyre must have used it on Elminster, he thought.他心想，如果里面困着的是莫安德的敌人，那么凯尔一定是用它对付了伊尔明斯特。233
Then she had Grypht appear in his place to distract the other two Harpers before it occurred to either of them that she might be responsible.然后，她让格里夫特现身顶替伊尔明斯特，以此分散另外两名竖琴手同盟成员的注意力，免得他们之中任何一人想到她可能是罪魁祸首。234
Grypht fled from the Harpers’ court and Kyre followed, making herself appear the monster’s foe.格里夫特从竖琴手同盟的庭院逃走，凯尔则紧随其后，装作是那怪物的敌人。235
No doubt she assisted it in the capture of Nameless and then gave it the opportunity to escape.毫无疑问，她协助它擒获了无名者，随后又给了它逃脱的机会。236
“I shall be your first reward,” Kyre whispered, pressing her slender body against his own.“我会成为你的第一份奖赏。”凯尔低声说道，将纤细的身体紧贴在他身上。237
“The potion still courses in your blood.“药力依然在你的血液中奔流。238
You know you desire me.”你知道自己渴望我。”239
“I know,” Akabar replied flatly.“我知道。”阿卡巴冷淡地答道。240
He had never loved anything so hateful in his life.他这一生从未爱过如此可憎的东西。241
Only another mage could dispel the love charm to which he’d fallen prey.只有另一名法师才能解除他所中的爱情魔咒。242
Elminster could do so without batting an eye, but Elminster was as trapped as Akabar was.伊尔明斯特不费吹灰之力便能做到，但他也和阿卡巴一样受困于此。243
Suddenly a glimmer of hope flickered in the Turmishman’s heart.图米什人心中忽然闪过一线希望。244
If Elminster were to be freed, the old sage could do more than dispel Kyre’s evil magic: Elminster could destroy Kyre as well.要是伊尔明斯特能重获自由，这位老贤者所能做的就不只是解除凯尔的邪恶魔法：他还能把凯尔一并消灭。245
On the table, beside the crystal soul trap and the bowl of rotting fruit, lay a chordal horn, a northern woodwind instrument, which must have belonged to Nameless.桌上，在水晶灵魂陷阱和那碗腐烂的水果旁边，放着一支和弦角笛——一种北方的木管乐器，想必曾属于无名者。246
It was beautifully crafted of black wood and decorated with gold, but Akabar was only interested in its length and weight.它以黑木精工制成，并饰以黄金，十分精美，但阿卡巴只在意它的长度和分量。247
It would make a reasonable club if he could just get hold of it.只要能把它拿到手，它就是一根还算趁手的棍棒。248
Steeling himself to the task of distracting Kyre from his efforts to reach the horn, the merchant-mage bent over the woman and began kissing her all about her throat.商人法师硬起心肠，准备引开凯尔的注意，好设法够到那支角笛；他俯身凑向她，在她颈间四处亲吻起来。249
The half-elf moaned softly.半精灵轻声呻吟。250
Akabar squeezed her tighter, forcing her back against the table, and ran his right hand down her back until he felt the tabletop.阿卡巴把她搂得更紧，迫使她向后靠在桌边，同时右手顺着她的后背向下摸去，直到触及桌面。251
He closed his fingers around the instrument, but as he began lifting it from the table, he accidentally struck it against the rim of the silver fruit bowl.他的手指握住了那件乐器，可刚开始把它从桌上拿起，便不小心撞到了银水果碗的边沿。252
Kyre started at the clanging sound and twisted around in Akabar’s arms.铿的一声响，凯尔猛然一惊，在阿卡巴怀中扭过身来。253
Akabar grabbed the half-elf’s right hand in his left and aimed the chordal horn over the soul trap gem on the table.阿卡巴用左手抓住半精灵的右手，将和弦角笛对准了桌上的灵魂陷阱宝石。254
Realizing the mage’s intent, Kyre looked alarmed.凯尔看出法师的意图，顿时面露惊恐。255
She screamed, “No!” and snatched for the crystal nut with her left hand.她尖叫一声：“不！”随即用左手抓向那枚水晶坚果。256
Akabar slammed the chordal horn down hard on the table.阿卡巴抡起和弦角笛，狠狠砸向桌面。257
The top of the instrument smashed into the crystal nut, shattering it into pieces, but the middle of the instrument smashed into Kyre’s wrist with a sickening sound.角笛顶端砸中水晶坚果，将它击得粉碎，但角笛中段也砸中了凯尔的手腕，发出一声令人作呕的闷响。258
Blackness oozed and billowed over the table where the soul trap had lain, but Akabar could not tear his eyes from the half-elf’s injured wrist.灵魂陷阱原先所在的桌面上，黑暗渗涌而出，翻腾扩散，但阿卡巴无法将目光从半精灵受伤的手腕上移开。259
Beneath Kyre’s skin, which had burst open like the rind of an overripe melon, there were no sinews or muscles or bones; instead, her arm was packed with rotting, mold-encrusted tendrils.凯尔的皮肤像熟透的瓜皮一样爆裂开来，下面没有肌腱、肌肉或骨头；她的手臂里塞满了腐烂发霉的蔓须。260
Akabar gagged on the stench of decay that rose from her wrist.从她手腕中升起的腐臭令阿卡巴一阵干呕。261
Most of the tendrils had been smashed by the chordal horn, and Kyre’s hand hung from the end of her wrist like a piece of dead meat.大部分蔓须都被和弦角笛砸烂了，凯尔的手像一块死肉般悬在手腕末端。262
The tendrils lying about Akabar’s ankles whipped upward and lashed about Akabar’s wrists, cutting off his circulation.散落在阿卡巴脚踝周围的卷须猛地向上弹起，紧紧缠住他的手腕，截断了血液循环。263
Kyre yanked her uninjured right wrist out of the mage’s grasp.凯尔猛地将完好无损的右手腕从法师手中挣脱出来。264
Akabar tried to club Kyre with the chordal horn, but Kyre pulled the instrument out of his hand and threw it to the floor.阿卡巴试图用和弦号角击打凯尔，但凯尔一把夺过号角，将它扔到了地板上。265
Akabar turned his attention to his last hope of escape—the blackness over the table, which was now coalescing into the shape of the being that had been trapped within the crystal.阿卡巴把注意力转向了自己逃生的最后希望——桌子上方的那团黑暗；此刻，它正逐渐凝聚成被困在水晶中那个生灵的形体。266
Akabar gasped.阿卡巴倒吸了一口气。267
He’d been expecting Elminster to appear, but although the being standing on the table wore the robes of a spell-caster, it looked nothing like the sage.他原以为出现的会是伊尔明斯特，可站在桌上的生灵虽然身穿施法者的长袍，模样却与那位贤者毫无相似之处。268
It was huge, with horns and green scales and claws and a tail.它身形庞大，长着角、绿色的鳞片、利爪和一条尾巴。269
Akabar suddenly made a wild guess.阿卡巴脑中突然冒出了一个大胆的猜测。270
“You transformed Elminster into that beast!” he accused Kyre.“你把伊尔明斯特变成了那头野兽！”他指控凯尔。271
Kyre didn’t answer the merchant-mage’s charge.凯尔没有回应商人法师的指控。272
With her uninjured hand, she had already pulled an empty soul trap out from her pocket.她已经用那只未受伤的手从口袋里掏出了一枚空的灵魂陷阱。273
She held it out in the beast’s direction and triggered it by shouting, “Darkbringer!”她把它对准那头野兽，高喊“黑暗使者！”将其启动。274
Akabar threw himself into Kyre, knocking them both to the floor.阿卡巴猛扑向凯尔，将两人一同撞倒在地。275
Kyre lost her grip on the walnut-shaped crystal, and the magical device rolled across the carpeting.凯尔没能握住那枚核桃形的水晶，魔法装置滚过了地毯。276
The beast pulled out a crystal cone from his sleeve and pointed it at the bard pinned beneath the merchant-mage.那头野兽从袖中取出一个水晶锥，将它对准了被商人法师压在身下的吟游诗人。277
A freezing blast of cold hit the tangled bodies on the floor, covering them with rime.一股刺骨的寒气轰在地板上纠缠在一起的两人身上，用一层白霜将他们覆盖。278
Akabar’s skin felt as if it were on fire, and his heart and lungs ached as though they’d been stabbed.阿卡巴觉得皮肤仿佛燃烧起来，心脏和肺部也像被利刃刺穿般剧痛。279
Unable to cope with such terrible pain, he lapsed into unconsciousness.他承受不住这般可怕的痛苦，昏死了过去。280
The beast Grypht watched with satisfaction as Kyre’s tendrils and the orchid in her hair withered from the frost that covered them.野兽格里夫特满意地看着凯尔的卷须和她发间的兰花在覆盖其上的寒霜中枯萎。281
Kyre lay as still as Akabar, but Grypht was taking no chances.凯尔和阿卡巴一样一动不动，但格里夫特不打算冒任何风险。282
With his staff, he pried the merchant-mage off Kyre.他用法杖将商人法师从凯尔身上撬开。283
Then he set the half-elven bard’s body alight with bursts of magical flames shot from his fingertips.随后，他指尖接连射出一团团魔法火焰，点燃了这名半精灵吟游诗人的身体。284
As the corpse crackled and sizzled, a horrible stench filled the room.尸体噼啪作响，滋滋冒油，一股可怕的恶臭弥漫了整个房间。285
Grypht made a face, but decided the smell could be borne.格里夫特皱起脸来，但觉得这气味还忍受得了。286
He climbed down from the tabletop and bent over his rescuer.他从桌面上爬下来，俯身查看救了自己的人。287
He realized with a start that he recognized Akabar.他猛然意识到，自己认得阿卡巴。288
Like the thief Olive Ruskettle, this creature was a friend to Champion—or Dragonbait, as people called the paladin in this strange world.和盗贼奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔一样，这个生物也是勇士的朋友——在这个陌生的世界里，人们把那位圣武士叫作龙饵。289
Unfortunately the Turmishman didn’t appear to have weathered the cold spell very well.不幸的是，那个图米什人似乎没能很好地熬过寒冷法术。290
He wasn’t breathing.他没有呼吸。291
Grypht’s people could breathe even when they fell into a torpid state, but the saurial had no idea what was normal for these chirping apes.格里夫特的族人即使陷入蛰伏状态也能呼吸，但这个蜥蜴人根本不知道，对这些吱吱叫的猿猴来说什么才算正常。292
He sighed to himself.他暗自叹了口气。293
Killing Kyre had been far more important than worrying about who got in the way—even if that person had been responsible for freeing him and was a friend of Champion’s. Champion, however, would probably not see it that way.杀死凯尔远比担心谁会挡在路上重要——哪怕那个人救了他，还是勇士的朋友。 然而，勇士大概不会这么看。294
The paladin is always so damned idealistic, Grypht thought.那个圣武士总是理想主义得要命，格里夫特心想。295
Grypht pulled a small bottle out of the sleeve of his robe.格里夫特从长袍袖子里掏出一个小瓶子。296
There was a chance it would prove unsafe for the creature on the floor, but he had to risk it.这东西用在躺在地上的生物身上或许并不安全，但他只能冒险一试。297
He unstoppered the bottle and poured its contents between Akabar’s lips.他拔掉瓶塞，把里面的东西倒进阿卡巴的双唇之间。298
Akabar coughed back some of the thick liquid, but he must have swallowed some, for a moment later, he breathed a shuddery breath, then another and another.阿卡巴咳出了一些黏稠的液体，但他肯定也咽下去了一些，因为片刻之后，他颤抖着吸了一口气，接着又吸了一口，再一口。299
He did not regain consciousness, but his complexion turned from gray to his normal brown, a change that seemed like a good sign to Grypht.他没有恢复意识，但脸色从灰白变回了平常的棕色，在格里夫特看来，这似乎是个好兆头。300
The saurial turned his attention back to the remains of Moander’s servant.这个蜥蜴人重新把注意力转向莫安德仆从的残骸。301
There was nothing left of Kyre but ashes.凯尔已经只剩下一堆灰烬。302
Grypht used his staff to stir through them and knock aside the unburnt items Kyre had carried and worn—a dagger, a sword, a belt, a scabbard, three more walnut-shaped soul traps, two gold rings, a silver pin of a crescent moon and harp, and her boots.格里夫特用法杖拨弄灰烬，将凯尔携带和穿戴的那些未被烧毁的物品拨到一旁——一把匕首、一柄剑、一条腰带、一只剑鞘、三个核桃形的灵魂陷阱、两枚金戒指、一枚新月与竖琴图案的银胸针，还有她的靴子。303
Always a careful scavenger, Grypht turned her smoking boots upside down.格里夫特向来是个仔细的搜刮者，他把她那双仍在冒烟的靴子倒了过来。304
A silver ankle bracelet tumbled from one boot, and from the other a large yellow gem—the one the ape Finder had used to cast a tongues spell.一只靴子里掉出一条银脚链，另一只里则掉出一颗硕大的黄色宝石——正是猿猴芬德曾用来施展通晓语言术的那一颗。305
Grypht pocketed the yellow gem.格里夫特把黄色宝石装进口袋。306
He crushed the soul traps in his bare paws, but no other beings rose from the broken shards.他用赤裸的爪子捏碎了那些灵魂陷阱，但没有其他生灵从破碎的残片中升起。307
The traps had been unused.这些陷阱还从未使用过。308
Remembering the last trap Kyre had triggered, the saurial searched the floor until he discovered it under a chair and smashed it with his staff.想起凯尔最后触发的那个陷阱，蜥蜴人在地板上搜寻起来，直到在一把椅子下面找到它，随即用法杖将它砸碎。309
Time to leave this vermin-infested ape lair, he thought, rising to his feet.该离开这个爬满害虫的猿猴巢穴了，他一边想着，一边站起身来。310
He looked down at the Turmishman.他低头看着那个图米什人。311
He’d have to take the creature with him.他得把这个生物一起带走。312
It had freed him from Kyre’s trap; it stood to reason it was an enemy of the Darkbringer, and leaving it here would endanger it further.是它把他从凯尔的陷阱中解救出来的；由此推断，它应该是黑暗使者的敌人，把它留在这里，只会让它陷入更大的危险。313
If it recovered, it might be able to help him find Champion.如果它醒过来，也许能帮他找到勇士。314
He bent back down, swaddled Akabar in his cape, and slung him over his shoulder.他又俯下身，用自己的斗篷裹住阿卡巴，将他甩到肩上扛着。315
Unbowed by the weight of the merchant-mage, Grypht strode over to the window and stuck his head out.格里夫特丝毫没有被商人法师的重量压垮，大步走到窗边，把头探了出去。316
There was a river to his left, and beyond that a temple, but beyond the temple lay a forest.左边有一条河，河对岸有一座神殿，而神殿后方则是一片森林。317
He looked long and hard at the tree line, first estimating its distance, then checking to be sure there were no other apes nearby.他久久凝视着林缘，先估算了一下距离，然后仔细察看附近是否还有别的猿猴。318
Exuding the scent of fresh-mown hay, Grypht shifted himself and his burden through a dimensional portal.格里夫特身上散发出新割干草的气味，带着自己和肩上的负担穿过一道次元传送门。319
A moment later, he stood at the edge of the tree line across the river.片刻之后，他站在了河对岸的林缘。320
He glared back at the twisted tower of Ashaba, glad to be free of it, and then turned and lumbered into the forest.他回头怒视着扭曲的阿沙巴塔，庆幸自己终于摆脱了那里，随后转过身，拖着沉重的步子走进森林。321
As Grypht carried Akabar Bel Akash from the Tower of Ashaba, he failed to note he was being observed.格里夫特带着阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什离开阿沙巴塔时，并未察觉有人正在监视自己。322
He was tired and wounded and preoccupied with how he would find Champion.他既疲惫又负了伤，满脑子都在琢磨该如何找到勇士。323
Even if he had been fresh and alert, the saurial wizard might not have sensed the eyes watching him, for those eyes spied upon him with magic from over a hundred miles away.即使他精神饱满、警觉万分，这位蜥蜴人法师也未必能察觉那双窥视着他的眼睛，因为那双眼睛正从一百多英里之外以魔法监视他。324
The Mouth of Moander, high priestess of the Darkbringer, regarded Grypht’s fleeing image in an enchanted pool of water.莫安德之口——黑暗使者的大祭司——正从一池附魔的水中注视着格里夫特逃离的影像。325
Moments after Moander had used the possessed body of the Harper Kyre to stun Akabar, the god had sent the Mouth of Moander to the pool to cast a spell to scry upon the half-elf.莫安德借被附身的竖琴手凯尔之躯击昏阿卡巴后不久，便命莫安德之口来到池边施展法术，窥探那名半精灵。326
It was important to the Darkbringer that the high priestess see this Turmishman whom the god desired to possess beyond all others.黑暗使者最渴望附身的便是这个图米什人，因此，让大祭司亲眼看看他至关重要。327
The previous year when Moander had possessed Akabar, the god had been so pleased with the mage’s well-trained mind and talents that it had taken special care with the mage’s body so the possession could be permanent.前一年，莫安德附身于阿卡巴时，对这位法师训练有素的头脑和才干极为满意，因此格外悉心保护他的身体，好让这次附身成为永久的。328
The god had made the error, though, of using Akabar in a battle against his own friends, and the paladin Dragonbait had managed to free the mage.然而，这位神犯了一个错误：它利用阿卡巴与他自己的朋友交战，结果圣武士龙饵设法解救了这位法师。329
Afterward, Akabar succeeded in destroying Moander.此后，阿卡巴成功摧毁了莫安德。330
Now, though, the god had possessed new minions and had forced them to built it a new body.但如今，这位神已经附身于新的爪牙，并强迫他们为它打造了一具新的躯体。331
Moander demanded that Akabar be brought to the body to witness its resurrection.莫安德命人把阿卡巴带到那具躯体面前，让他亲眼见证它的复活。332
Akabar had proven difficult to find, though.不过，阿卡巴一直很难找到。333
He had left Turmish, and some powerful misdirection spell made it impossible for the Mouth of Moander to discover the mage with scrying magic.他已经离开了图米什，而且某种强大的误导法术使莫安德之口无法用探知魔法发现这位法师。334
Moander suspected Akabar was in Alias’s company, so Kyre had been sent to Shadowdale to discover if the Nameless Bard knew of Alias’s or the mage’s whereabouts.莫安德怀疑阿卡巴与阿莉亚丝在一起，于是派凯尔前往阴影谷，查明无名者吟游诗人是否知道阿莉亚丝或那位法师的下落。335
Kyre had succeeded in discovering Akabar and separating him from Alias or whatever had protected him from scrying magic.凯尔成功找到了阿卡巴，并让他与阿莉亚丝分开——也可能是与那个令探知魔法无法发现他的东西分开。336
Moander was too pleased with the half-elf’s successes to be annoyed by the inconvenience of her violent death.莫安德对这名半精灵取得的成果太过满意，甚至不曾因她横死所造成的不便而恼怒。337
The images of Grypht and Akabar began to blur and fade as the scrying spell cast on the pool of water wore off, but not before the Mouth of Moander had time to note that Grypht fled west from Shadowdale.随着施在水池上的探知法术逐渐失效，格里夫特和阿卡巴的影像开始模糊消退；不过在彻底消失之前，莫安德之口仍及时看出，格里夫特正从阴影谷向西逃去。338
“Kyre recruited other servants on her way to Shadowdale,” the Mouth of Moander said.“凯尔在前往阴影谷的途中招募了其他仆从，”莫安德之口说道。339
“It will be a simple matter to send flyers to alert them to intercept Grypht and Akabar.“派飞行者去通知他们拦截格里夫特和阿卡巴，是轻而易举的事。340
The Turmishman will not escape the destiny the Darkbringer has assigned to him.”那个图米什人逃不掉黑暗使者为他安排的命运。”341
The two saurial priests who attended the priestess nodded.侍奉在女祭司身边的两名蜥蜴族祭司点了点头。342
“The flyers are too weak to travel so far,” the priestess cried suddenly with vehemence.“飞行者太虚弱了，飞不了那么远！”女祭司突然激烈地叫道。343
The two priests shifted uneasily.两名祭司不安地挪动了一下身体。344
The priestess’s habit of arguing with herself frightened all her people who witnessed it.女祭司这种自言自语争辩的习惯，令所有亲眼见到的族人都感到恐惧。345
“They only need to fly away,” the priestess answered herself with a cooler tone of voice.“它们只需要飞过去，”女祭司语气冷静了些，回答自己道。346
“It matters not if they return.”“它们回不回来并不重要。”347
The Mouth of Moander glared at her reflection on the dark surface of the pool of water.莫安德之口怒视着黑暗水面上的倒影。348
A female saurial with pearly white scales glared back up at her with disgust.一名长着珍珠般洁白鳞片的雌性蜥蜴族也从水中厌恶地瞪着她。349
Before Moander had possessed her, her name had been Coral, and she had served the goddess of luck.在莫安德附身于她之前，她名叫科拉尔，侍奉的是幸运女神。350
Then she had protected all her people, but now, because she had been too weak to resist Moander, there was no evil the god could not force her to perpetrate on even the smallest or most innocent saurial.那时，她保护着自己的所有族人；可如今，因为她太过软弱，没能抗拒莫安德，哪怕面对最弱小、最无辜的蜥蜴族，也没有什么恶行是这位神不能逼她犯下的。351
For the moment, Moander had loosened its hold on her mind, as it always did after having used the priestess’s body to cast a powerful spell such as scrying.此刻，莫安德暂时放松了对她心智的控制；每当它借女祭司的身体施展探知术之类的强大法术后，总会如此。352
Coral fought against the control of the Darkbringer so strongly that the god was forced to withdraw so their battle of wills did not use so much energy that the tendrils of possession controlling the priestess were destroyed.科拉尔竭尽全力反抗黑暗使者的控制，迫使这位神退却，以免双方的意志之战消耗太多能量，毁掉那些操控女祭司的附身触须。353
Moander lurked in the back of Coral’s consciousness, though, ready to pounce on her thoughts should she try to act against the god.然而，莫安德潜伏在科拉尔的意识深处，随时准备在她试图反抗神祇时扑向她的思想。354
In the meantime, the god savored with a cruel delight the anguish and horror Coral felt at every action it forced her to perform.与此同时，莫安德残忍地欣赏着科拉尔被迫执行它的每一个命令时所感受到的痛苦与恐惧。355
Most especially, the Darkbringer enjoyed controlling the priestess and forcing her to speak aloud its evil thoughts.黑暗使者尤其喜欢控制这名女祭司，强迫她把它的邪恶念头大声说出来。356
Unable or unwilling to keep her emotional outbursts in check, Coral always argued aloud with what the god had made her say.科拉尔无法或不愿克制自己的情绪爆发，总是出声反驳神祇逼她说出的话。357
Hence the priestess appeared to be arguing with herself.因此，女祭司看起来就像是在与自己争吵。358
None of Coral’s people understood what was really happening.科拉尔的族人没有一个明白究竟发生了什么。359
Although all the members of her tribe who had been captured by Moander were infected with its tendrils of possession, most were only controlled physically.她部落中所有被莫安德俘获的人都遭到了附体触须的侵染，但其中大多数只受到了肉体上的控制。360
The Darkbringer had no need to control the minds of ordinary saurials; however, the god had magically shackled the thoughts of any spell-casting saurials it caught.黑暗使者无须控制普通恐龙人的思想；然而，它用魔法禁锢了所有被它抓获的施法恐龙人的心智。361
The ordinary saurials thought the priestess had turned evil and insane, while the spell-casters, who had been enchanted to love the Darkbringer, thought the priestess was merely insane.普通恐龙人以为女祭司已经变得邪恶而疯狂；那些被施法爱上黑暗使者的施法者，则认为女祭司只是疯了。362
“If Grypht cannot be captured,” Moander said, addressing the priests through Coral’s mouth, “he must not be left alive.“如果无法活捉格里夫特，”莫安德借科拉尔之口对众祭司说道，“那就绝不能让他活着。363
He might yet find allies to interfere with our plans.他或许仍能找到盟友，前来干扰我们的计划。364
He searches now for Champion, the paladin whom people of this world call Dragonbait.他正在寻找勇士，也就是这个世界的人称作龙饵的那名圣武士。365
If our servants discover Champion, however, they must bring him to me alive.不过，如果我们的仆从发现了勇士，就必须将他活着带到我面前。366
In order to enslave the servant Alias to the master’s will, Champion must be sacrificed with special ceremony.为了让仆人阿莉亚丝臣服于主人的意志，必须以特殊的仪式献祭勇士。367
Mine will be the hand that destroys the paladin.”我将亲手毁灭那名圣武士。”368
“No!”“不！”369
Coral shouted with anguish.科拉尔痛苦地喊道。370
“I want no part of his destruction!”“我绝不要参与毁灭他！”371
The priests shook their heads disapprovingly.众祭司不以为然地摇了摇头。372
With a complete sense of hopelessness, Coral envied Kyre her death.在彻底的绝望中，科拉尔羡慕凯尔已经死去。373
It was horrible enough to Coral that she was forced to slaughter sacrifice after sacrifice to further strengthen Moander’s new body.科拉尔被迫杀死一个又一个祭品，以进一步强化莫安德的新躯体，这已经够可怕了。374
She didn’t wish to live to arrange the conquest of Grypht or the Darkbringer’s reunion with Akabar, but most especially the priestess would rather die than spill the blood of her former lover.她不愿活着策划征服格里夫特，也不愿促成黑暗使者与阿卡巴重聚；但最重要的是，这名女祭司宁愿死去，也不愿让昔日恋人的鲜血流淌。375
“Lady Luck,” she called out to the goddess she had once served, “please let me die!”“幸运女神啊，”她向自己曾经侍奉的女神呼喊道，“求求您让我死吧！”376
Moander’s tendrils of possession used the priestess’s mouth to argue with herself.莫安德附身的触须借女祭司之口与她本人争辩。377
“No,” Coral was forced to say.“不，”科拉尔被迫说道。378
“I have something to live for: vengeance.“我还有值得活下去的事：复仇。379
Champion’s insults cannot be forgiven.勇士的侮辱不可饶恕。380
I must see him humbled.”我一定要亲眼看他受辱。”381
As the priestess spoke these words, the scent of roses and baked bread and mint all wafted from the glands at her throat.女祭司说出这些话时，玫瑰、烤面包和薄荷的香气一齐从她喉间的腺体飘散出来。382
She felt anger and grief and shame, for she was not able to argue with Moander’s words.她感到愤怒、悲痛而又羞耻，因为她无法反驳莫安德的说辞。383
She had struggled to forgive the paladin for leaving her, but she had never really succeeded, and imagining him humbled was a source of perverse pleasure to her.她曾竭力原谅那个圣武士离她而去，却从未真正做到；想象他受辱的情景，竟会给她带来一种扭曲的快意。384
Unfortunately this feeling was Moander’s foothold in her mind.不幸的是，这种感受正是莫安德侵入她心灵的突破口。385
The god had twisted and perverted it to seduce her from her natural feelings of compassion.那个神扭曲、败坏了这种感受，诱使她背离天生的怜悯之心。386
Should Champion actually be brought before her, Coral feared that Moander would have little trouble goading her into harming the paladin.科拉尔害怕，如果勇士真的被带到她面前，莫安德轻而易举就能煽动她伤害那个圣武士。387
“Champion despised me when I worshiped the goddess of luck,” Moander made Coral say aloud.“我信奉幸运女神时，勇士就厌恶我，”莫安德迫使科拉尔大声说道。388
“No,” Coral insisted, trying desperately to keep from growing angry with the paladin.“不，”科拉尔坚持道，拼命不让自己对那个圣武士生出怒意。389
“He merely disapproved.“他只是不赞同。390
He never despised me.”他从未厌恶过我。”391
“Now that I am Moander’s priestess, he will be horrified and repulsed by me.“如今我是莫安德的女祭司，他看见我一定会既惊恐又厌恶。392
I will kill him gladly to wipe that look from his face,” Moander said through Coral’s mouth.我会欣然杀了他，好抹去他脸上的那副神情，”莫安德借科拉尔之口说道。393
The two priests nodded with approval.两名祭司赞许地点了点头。394
Coral thrust her hand over her mouth to stop the god’s hateful words.科拉尔猛地用手捂住嘴，不让那个神再说出可恨的话。395
Inside her head, she heard the god think, And after you slay him, I’ll release your mind to relish your guilt and grief.她听见那个神在自己脑海中想道：等你杀了他，我就解除对你心智的控制，让你尽情品味自己的内疚与悲痛。396
Coral clawed at the fin on top of her head in a futile attempt to sweep Moander from her brain.科拉尔用指甲抓挠头顶的鳍，徒劳地想把莫安德从脑中赶出去。397
You only live to serve and amuse me, priestess, he reminded her in her thoughts.你活着不过是为了侍奉我、供我取乐，女祭司，他在她脑海中提醒她。398
Coral shrieked like a madwoman and crumbled to the ground, sobbing hysterically.科拉尔像疯女人一样尖叫起来，随即瘫倒在地，歇斯底里地抽泣。399
The two priests stood beside Coral, annoyed at her peculiar behavior, unable to understand why someone who was insane had been granted the honor of serving as the Mouth of Moander.两名祭司站在科拉尔身旁，对她古怪的举止颇为恼火，怎么也想不通一个疯子为何竟获赐担任莫安德之口的殊荣。400
Why hadn’t one of them been chosen? they both wondered resentfully.“为什么被选中的不是我们中的一个？”两人都愤愤不平地想。401
Moander gathered up all the tendrils of possession inside Coral’s mind, like a rider taking up a horse’s reins, and drove her back to her duties as the Mouth of Moander.莫安德收拢了盘踞在科拉尔心智中的所有附身触须，如同骑手收紧马缰一般，驱使她回去履行莫安德之口的职责。402