Cat leaned over Drone’s journal with her elbows holding the binding open and her head propped up in her hands.凯特俯身趴在德罗恩的日记上，双肘压住书页，让装订处保持摊开，双手托着脑袋。1
Despite the shattered window and broken door, the tower room was a comfortable temperature, as long as she kept her fur-lined cape draped around her shoulders.尽管窗户破碎、房门损坏，只要她把毛皮衬里的斗篷披在肩上，塔楼房间里的温度还是颇为舒适。2
Isolated from the rest of the family’s living quarters, the room was also marvelously quiet, but the mage could not concentrate.这房间与家中其余起居空间隔绝，也安静得出奇，可这位女法师就是无法集中精神。3
The old wizard’s crabbed handwriting blurred before her eyes, and her gaze wandered about the room, unable to focus on anything.老巫师潦草难辨的笔迹在她眼前模糊起来，她的目光在房间里游移，怎么也无法聚焦在任何东西上。4
Idly she pulled out the amulet of protection from her skirt pocket.她心不在焉地从裙子口袋里掏出防护护符。5
She could feel five lumps of varying sizes and shapes wrapped in the silk.她能摸到丝绸中包裹着五个大小形状各异的硬块。6
Her curiosity prodded at her to peek at just one of the lumps, but with a sudden burst of will, she shoved the amulet back in her pocket.好奇心不断撺掇她，哪怕只偷看其中一个也好，但她突然鼓起意志，把护符塞回了口袋。7
Ignoring Mistress Ruskettle’s advice would be like asking Tymora to send me more bad luck, and I’ve had more than my share of that, Cat thought.不听拉斯凯特尔夫人的劝告，就等于求泰摩拉再给我降下些霉运，而我受的霉运已经够多了，凯特心想。8
She stared into space and let her mind wander from the duty at hand to the events of the past year.她茫然地凝视着虚空，任由思绪从眼前的任务飘向过去一年间发生的种种事情。9
Nothing had gone right for her since the previous summer.自去年夏天以来，她做什么都不顺。10
She’d awakened on Midsummer Day in a Zhentil Keep alley with no memory of how she’d gotten there, or indeed any memory at all beyond her name and place of birth.仲夏节那天，她在散提尔堡的一条小巷里醒来，完全不记得自己是怎么到那儿的；事实上，除了姓名和出生地，她什么都不记得。11
The rest of her history had vanished, leaving an irritating void in her head and an uneasy feeling in her heart.她过往的经历全都消失了，只在脑海中留下一个令人烦躁的空洞，在心头留下一种不安的感觉。12
With nowhere to go, she wandered the streets after dark and ran afoul of one of the Keeper press gangs.她无处可去，便在入夜后四处游荡，结果撞上了散提尔堡的一支强征队。13
After the briefest of struggles, she became their prisoner.几乎没怎么挣扎，她就成了他们的俘虏。14
She foolishly bragged of her magical power, hoping to coerce or frighten the recruiting thugs into letting her go.她愚蠢地吹嘘起自己的魔法力量，希望能胁迫或吓唬那些负责征兵的恶棍放她走。15
Instead she’d found herself drafted into an army unit headed for Yulash.结果，她却发现自己被强征进了一支开往尤拉什的军队。16
An ugly little spider of a Zhentarim wizard tested her powers.一个丑陋矮小、活像蜘蛛的散塔林会巫师测试了她的能力。17
He gave her a slender book, containing only such spells as slave mages could be trusted with.他给了她一本薄薄的法术书，里面只有那些可以放心交给奴隶法师使用的法术。18
From the tiny size of the book, and the bloodstains on its cover, it was obvious that her masters did not expect her to survive, much less excel at combat.从那本书小得可怜的尺寸和封面上的血迹来看，她的主人显然不指望她能活下来，更不用说在战斗中有出色表现了。19
After five days of forced marching, her unit engaged in its first battle, against a unit of Hillsfar’s Red Plumes.被迫行军五天后，她所在的部队迎来了第一场战斗，对手是希尔斯法的一支红羽军。20
The battle was a mutual slaughter—only officers on the sidelines survived.这场战斗成了一场双方的屠杀——只有待在战线之外的军官活了下来。21
Cat’s magic power was quickly spent as the enemy overran her position.敌人攻破凯特的阵地时，她的魔力很快便耗尽了。22
Powerless and exhausted, she lay down in hopes of passing for one of the dead and escaping after dark.她既无力又疲惫，索性躺倒在地，希望能被当成死人，等天黑后再逃走。23
That was when Flattery had rescued her.就在那时，弗拉特里救了她。24
Maybe rescued wasn’t the right word, Cat thought.凯特心想，也许说“救”并不恰当。25
Collected would be more accurate, she decided.她觉得，说“捡走”才更准确。26
As soon as the army officers had quit for the evening, retiring to their tents and dinners, Flattery’s zombies stumbled onto the battlefield and began collecting bodies for Flattery’s experiments—and as food for some of his more disgusting undead minions.军队的军官们一到傍晚便收兵，各自回营帐吃饭休息；随后，弗拉特里的僵尸便蹒跚着踏上战场，开始收集尸体，供弗拉特里做实验——也给他手下某些更加恶心的不死生物充当食物。27
A particularly mindless zombie, unable to distinguish between the dead and the unconscious—for Cat had fallen asleep—collected her and brought her to its master in his fortress.一个格外愚钝的僵尸分不清死人和昏迷的人——凯特当时已经睡着了——于是把她也捡了回去，带进堡垒，交给了自己的主人。28
Cat remembered how impressed she’d been at her first sight of Flattery as he stood on a parapet overlooking the rolling fields far below.凯特还记得第一次见到弗拉特里时，自己有多么震撼：当时他站在一道胸墙上，俯瞰着下方远处起伏的原野。29
She thought his hawklike features and wolfish smile quite handsome.她觉得他鹰隼般的面容和豺狼般的微笑颇为英俊。30
His capability and power were equally alluring.他的才干与力量同样令人着迷。31
But Flattery guarded his power and secrets jealously.然而，弗拉特里对自己的力量和秘密严防死守。32
He had no apprentices, no familiars, no companions, but surrounded himself with undead servants.他没有学徒，没有魔宠，也没有同伴，只让不死仆从环绕左右。33
He isolated himself from the outside world and everyday life, using his minions to gather everything he needed to work and live.他将自己与外界和日常生活隔绝开来，让手下的奴仆搜集他工作和生活所需的一切。34
The wizard had erratic fits of temper, which might explain why he chose to work with blindly obedient slaves.这位法师时不时会大发雷霆，或许这正能解释他为何选择与盲目服从的奴隶共事。35
On the other hand, working with such slaves might have contributed to his quirkiness.不过，长期与这样的奴隶共事，也可能助长了他的古怪脾气。36
The wizard could have made Cat a zombie, or fed her to the ghouls, or resold her to the Zhentarim.这位法师本可以把凯特变成僵尸，或是拿她喂食尸鬼，又或是将她转卖给散塔林会。37
But he didn’t. Instead he took her under his wing—kept her in pleasant surroundings, taught her some new magic, and worked on a spell to help her regain her memory.但他没有这样做，反而把她收在身边——让她住在舒适的环境中，教她一些新的魔法，还着手研究一道能帮助她恢复记忆的法术。38
Cat was not averse to being sheltered and trained, but most especially she wanted her memory back.凯特并不排斥受人庇护和训练，但她最想要的，还是找回自己的记忆。39
A gnawing desire to fill the void in her head grew in her daily.填补脑海中那片空白的渴望日复一日地啃噬着她，愈发强烈。40
Regaining her forgotten history was worth everything to her—enduring Flattery’s mad temper, living among the undead servants, reconciling herself to the confinement of Flattery’s fortress.对她而言，找回被遗忘的过往值得付出任何代价——忍受弗拉特里疯狂的暴脾气，与不死仆从共同生活，以及接受自己被困在弗拉特里堡垒中的事实。41
After all, she told herself, slavery to the Zhentarim could be much worse.毕竟，她对自己说，被散塔林会奴役可能会糟糕得多。42
Finally, one evening many months later, Flattery finished the spell creating the dark jewel that held her missing past.终于，在许多个月后的一个夜晚，弗拉特里完成了那道法术，造出了一颗封存着她失落过往的黑暗宝石。43
He presented it to Cat with a proposal of marriage.他将宝石交给凯特，同时向她求婚。44
Cat had looked at the gem, yearning to hold it.凯特望着那颗宝石，渴望将它握在手中。45
Afraid of Flattery’s reaction should she refuse him, she agreed.她害怕自己若是拒绝，弗拉特里会有何反应，于是答应了。46
She’d flattered herself into believing he’d come to prefer her company to the undead, that he found her beautiful, that he wanted to take care of her.她曾一厢情愿地相信，比起那些不死生物，他已经更喜欢她的陪伴；相信他觉得她很美；相信他想要照顾她。47
After all, she told herself, he was handsome and clever and very powerful—she could do worse.毕竟，她对自己说，他英俊、聪明，又拥有强大的力量——嫁给他总比许多别的选择要好。48
After the hasty wedding ceremony with the only attendant being a wobbly priest of Mystra, goddess of magic, Flattery had become irrationally angered by her request to have the gem.匆匆举行婚礼后——唯一在场的是一位颤颤巍巍的魔法女神密斯特拉的祭司——弗拉特里因为她提出想要那颗宝石而莫名暴怒。49
He demanded she prove her worth before he restored her memory to her.他要求她先证明自己的价值，才肯把记忆还给她。50
Then he assigned her the task of sneaking through the Immersea catacombs to fetch the wyvern’s spur from the Wyvernspur family crypt.接着，他交给她一项任务：潜入伊默海的地下墓穴，从飞龙刺家族的墓室中取来飞龙马刺。51
Eager to get her hands on something the wizard truly desired, something she could barter for her memory, Cat didn’t think twice about entering the secret door to the catacombs.凯特急于拿到一件那个法师真正渴望的东西，好用它换回自己的记忆，因此想都没想便走进了通往地下墓穴的暗门。52
It felt good to be away from the undead and free of Flattery’s nerve-racking presence.远离那些不死生物，摆脱弗拉特里令人紧张不安的存在，感觉真好。53
She even enjoyed encountering some of the monsters that lived in the catacombs.她甚至挺享受与一些栖居在地下墓穴里的怪物相遇。54
They were awful, but at least they were alive; you could talk to them and bribe or trick your way around them.它们固然可怕，但至少是活的；你可以同它们交谈，也可以贿赂它们，或耍些花招绕过它们。55
Finding the spur missing came as a crushing blow to all her hopes.发现马刺已经不见了，她所有的希望都遭到了沉重打击。56
Finding her escape blocked hardly seemed to matter.相比之下，发现逃路被堵似乎都无关紧要了。57
Trapped inside those horrible tunnels, without even the comfort of having succeeded at stealing the spur, she wandered as aimlessly as any monster.她被困在那些可怕的地道里，连成功偷到马刺这点慰藉都没有，只能像任何一只怪物那样漫无目的地游荡。58
As she wandered, Cat began to reevaluate her last few months.游荡之际，凯特开始重新审视自己过去几个月的经历。59
She decided she could have done better.她认定自己原本可以有更好的选择。60
Then she’d stumbled across Drone’s nephew, Giogi.后来，她偶然遇见了德罗恩的侄子乔吉。61
Giogi’s offer of protection had been pretty amusing.乔吉提出要保护她，着实有些可笑。62
Even if the nobleman found the spur, he didn’t stand a chance against Flattery.就算那位贵族找到了马刺，他也根本不可能斗得过弗拉特里。63
She knew that Giogi’s Uncle Drone could be a powerful ally, though.不过，她知道乔吉的德罗恩叔叔可能会成为一个强大的盟友。64
Flattery had taken the trouble to warn her how shrewd Drone was and how cleverly he’d warded the crypt against magical entry and scrying.弗拉特里还特意警告过她，说德罗恩有多么精明，又是如何巧妙地设下防护，阻止别人以魔法进入墓室或窥探其中。65
After talking to Giogi, Cat fell upon a plan: In exchange for information on Flattery and his plot to steal the family’s heirloom, Cat had hoped to get Drone’s help stealing the crystal that held her lost memory.与乔吉交谈后，凯特想出了一个计划：她本想用弗拉特里的情报，以及他企图偷走飞龙刺家族传家宝的阴谋，来换取德罗恩的帮助，请他帮她偷出那块封存着她失落记忆的水晶。66
To Cat, Drone’s death had been nearly as big a blow as finding the spur missing from the crypt.对凯特而言，德罗恩之死造成的打击，几乎和发现马刺不在墓室里一样沉重。67
Giogi’s chances at finding the spur did not look very good to her, but he was her only hope.在她看来，乔吉找到马刺的希望十分渺茫，但他是她唯一的希望。68
If Flattery found the spur first, she would have nothing to barter for the memory crystal—until the wizard found some other, possibly even more dangerous or distasteful, way for her to prove her “worth.”如果弗拉特里先找到马刺，她就再也没有东西可以拿来交换记忆水晶了——除非那个法师又想出别的办法，让她证明自己的“价值”，而那办法可能更加危险，甚至更加令人厌恶。69
Then someone had tried to smother her in her sleep.接着，有人趁她熟睡时企图把她闷死。70
In the moonlight it had looked like Flattery.在月光下，那人看起来就像弗拉特里。71
Frefford and Steele Wyvernspur both resembled Flattery, but neither of them had any reason to kill her, and she doubted that either of them could walk through walls.弗雷福德和斯蒂尔·飞龙刺都与弗拉特里长得相像，但他们两人都没有杀她的理由，而且她也不认为他们中任何一个能穿墙而过。72
Flattery could have been playing some sick game or testing her loyalty.弗拉特里可能只是在玩什么病态的把戏，或是在考验她的忠诚。73
Or he might have decided to make himself a widower, in some mad fit of anger or jealousy, and then changed his mind.也可能是他在一阵疯狂的愤怒或嫉妒中，决定让自己成为鳏夫，之后又改变了主意。74
On top of last night’s shock had come Olive Ruskettle’s accusations about Flattery killing that Jade person.昨夜的惊吓尚未平复，奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔又指控弗拉特里杀害了那个叫杰德的人。75
Giogi seemed to trust Olive completely.乔吉似乎完全信任奥利芙。76
At Thomas’s mention of the halfling’s name, the nobleman had raced down the stairs with positive excitement.托马斯一提到那个半身人的名字，这位贵族便兴奋不已地冲下了楼梯。77
No one challenged the halfling’s claim to be a bard, even though Cat was pretty sure halflings were not accepted at barding college, but then Cat hadn’t known that Harpers accepted halflings into their organization, either.没有人质疑那个半身人自称吟游诗人的说法，尽管凯特相当肯定吟游诗人学院并不招收半身人；不过话说回来，她以前也不知道竖琴手同盟会接纳半身人加入他们的组织。78
Then, when confronted with the accusation that he’d been responsible for Drone’s death, Flattery not only did not deny it, but joked about it.后来，面对自己应为德罗恩之死负责的指控，弗拉特里非但没有否认，反而还拿这件事开起了玩笑。79
That had been the final blow.那成了最后一击。80
Cat realized she was an absolute fool to trust him.凯特意识到，自己竟然信任他，简直愚蠢透顶。81
Finding the spur was no longer enough.找到飞龙刺已经不够了。82
She had to find the power to ensure herself against Flattery’s power and deceptions.她必须找到足以保护自己、不受弗拉特里的力量与欺骗摆布的力量。83
Olive Ruskettle’s amulet of protection had been her first lucky break.奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔的防护护符，是她碰上的第一个好运。84
The halfling convincing Giogi to bring her to Drone’s lab had been her second.那个半身人说服乔吉把她带到德罗恩的实验室，则是第二个。85
Even if Drone’s journal did not reveal information on the spur’s whereabouts, Cat could loot from it enough magic to guarantee her survival.即使德罗恩的日志没有透露飞龙刺的下落，凯特也能从那里搜刮到足够多的魔法物品，确保自己能够活下去。86
And, if Giogi reaches Mother Lleddew in time to learn whatever she knows but which Flattery does not want Giogi to learn, then manages to bring that information back to me, Cat told herself hopefully, I may even have some power over Flattery.而且，凯特满怀希望地对自己说，如果乔吉能及时赶到莱杜嬷嬷那里，弄清她所知道、却是弗拉特里不想让乔吉知道的事，然后设法把那些消息带回来给我，我或许甚至能拥有某种制衡弗拉特里的力量。87
The mage could not deceive herself about Giogi’s chances, though.不过，这位法师无法在乔吉的胜算上欺骗自己。88
They were very, very small.他的胜算微乎其微。89
He’s so aimless and ridiculously romantic, she thought.他漫无目标，又浪漫得可笑，她想。90
One knock on the head, and he thinks he’s been kissing a goddess, for heaven’s sake.老天，不过脑袋挨了一下，他就以为自己吻过一位女神了。91
Even with a potion of superheroism in him, he’s not likely to be much of a challenge against Flattery’s hordes of undead.就算喝下了超级英雄药水，他恐怕也难以对弗拉特里麾下成群的亡灵构成多大威胁。92
Still, I’m obeying Flattery’s suggestion to use him to get what I want.不过，我确实是在遵照弗拉特里的建议，利用他来得到我想要的东西。93
Now, if I could only concentrate on the task I’ve set for myself.现在，要是我能专心完成自己定下的任务就好了。94
She couldn’t, though.然而她做不到。95
The silly fop’s face kept appearing in her mind’s eye, wearing her earring and hair-beads and that priceless headband.那个傻里傻气的花花公子的脸不断浮现在她脑海中，戴着她的耳环、发珠，还有那条价值连城的头带。96
She kept hearing his voice offering her his protection and telling her it was going to be all right and begging her not to die.她耳边不断响起他的声音：他说要保护她，告诉她一切都会好起来，又恳求她不要死。97
He cared about her.他关心她。98
For all Cat knew, he was the only person in the Realms who ever had.据凯特所知，他或许是整个诸界唯一真正关心过她的人。99
She also kept hearing him describe his dreams—the death cry of prey, the taste of warm blood, and the crunch of bone.她也总听见他描述自己的梦——猎物临死的哀号、温热鲜血的滋味，还有骨头碎裂的咔嚓声。100
For no good reason she could think of, the words excited her.她想不出任何缘由，可这些话却令她兴奋。101
In her own dreams, she was always fruitlessly searching dull desertscapes for something.在她自己的梦里，她总是徒劳地在一片片荒凉的沙漠中寻找着什么。102
She never knew what the something was.她从来不知道自己找的究竟是什么。103
The dreams left her unhappy and anxious.那些梦让她郁郁不乐、焦虑不安。104
Flattery denied having any dreams.弗拉特里矢口否认自己做过任何梦。105
He claimed they were for the guilty.他声称，只有心中有愧的人才会做梦。106
How could such a weak fool as Giogi have such interesting dreams?乔吉这样一个软弱的傻瓜，怎么会做如此有趣的梦？107
Cat looked down again at Drone’s journal, but her elbows were in the way.凯特再次低头看向德罗恩的日记，但她的双肘挡住了视线。108
“Damn!” she muttered.“该死！”她低声骂道。109
The swig of invisibility potion she’d swallowed had worn off already, which meant she’d been staring into space far too long.她喝下的那一口隐形药水已经失效了，这意味着她发呆的时间实在太久了。110
Outside the tower she heard the rattle of a carriage.她听见塔外传来马车的辚辚声。111
She ran over to a window and looked down.她跑到窗边，向下望去。112
Giogi and Ruskettle were driving away.乔吉和拉斯凯特尔正乘车离去。113
They’d finished lunch already, servants had loaded the carriage with packages for Drone’s memorial service, and the halfling and noble were leaving for Selune’s temple.他们已经吃完了午餐，仆人也把德罗恩追悼仪式要用的东西装上了马车；如今，这位半身人和贵族正动身前往塞露恩的神殿。114
I’ve been staring into space far, far too long, Cat thought with a frown.我发呆的时间实在太、太久了，凯特皱着眉想道。115
She flipped through Drone’s journal.她翻阅着德罗恩的日记。116
It was merely a day-to-day diary.那不过是一本记录日常琐事的日记。117
There were no spells written within, no formulas for magic potions scribbled in the margins, no treasure maps stuck between its pages.里面没有写下任何法术，页边没有潦草记着魔法药水的配方，书页之间也没夹着藏宝图。118
Page after page accounted family squabbles, purchases, meals, and rumors from court.一页又一页，记载的都是家庭争执、采买、饮食和宫廷传闻。119
The last entry was dated the twentieth of Ches, yesterday, just before Drone was killed.最后一则日记标注的日期是切斯二十日，也就是昨天，恰在德罗恩遇害之前。120
The full entry read:全文如下：121
Giogi arrived at last night’s meeting twenty minutes early, astonished Dorath.乔吉提前二十分钟到了昨晚的聚会，着实让多拉丝吃了一惊。122
Boy looks fit.这孩子看起来很健壮。123
Traveling must agree with him.旅行似乎很适合他。124
Didn’t get a chance to speak to him alone.没机会和他单独谈谈。125
Thomas went to meet his girl, but she never showed.托马斯去见他的姑娘，可她一直没露面。126
Taught Spot a new trick.教会了斑点一个新把戏。127
Gaylyn up all night with contractions.盖琳宫缩了一整夜。128
Frefford a wreck.弗雷福德慌得六神无主。129
Dorath in her glory.多拉丝可算大显身手了。130
Healthy baby girl born after dawn—Amber Leona, named for both the parents’ mothers.天亮后生下一个健康的女婴——安伯·利奥娜，名字取自孩子父母双方的母亲。131
Breakfast burned.早餐烧焦了。132
Nothing, Cat thought with a sigh.什么也没有，凯特叹了口气，心想。133
An ordinary day in an ordinary castle.一座普通城堡里平凡的一天。134
Arrivals, departures, births, deaths, the love affairs of servants, the muddling of a meal.有人来，有人走，有人出生，有人死去，还有仆人们的风流韵事和一顿搞砸的饭。135
A boring life.无聊的人生。136
A peaceful life, some other part of Cat’s mind argued.平静的人生，凯特心中的另一个声音反驳道。137
The mage slammed the journal closed.女法师砰地合上了日记。138
She surveyed the lab impatiently.她不耐烦地环顾实验室。139
Where are his spell books? she wondered.他的法术书在哪儿？她暗想。140
Were they destroyed with their master?它们是否与主人一同被毁了？141
Which of the undead that Flattery commands can cast a spell of disintegration?弗拉特里控制的亡灵之中，哪一个能施展解离术？142
Cat took up Gaylyn’s catalog.凯特拿起盖琳编的目录。143
What sort of wizard lets his possessions be cataloged in a pink book with pressed flowers on the cover? she thought disdainfully.什么样的法师会让人把自己的物品登记在一本粉红色的册子里，封面上还压着花？她不屑地想。144
Yet, as she stared at the flowers beneath the crystal plate fastened to the catalog binding and thought of Gaylyn, she knew she was envious of the life the Wyvernspurs lived.然而，当她凝视着固定在目录封皮上的水晶片下那些花朵，想起盖琳时，她知道自己嫉妒飞龙刺家族所过的生活。145
They got to be happy—she would have to settle for surviving and, with Tymora’s luck, regaining her memory.他们可以幸福——而她只能满足于活下去，并且若有泰摩拉眷顾，找回自己的记忆。146
Cat spent half an hour sorting through the stacks of paper, gathering the most powerful spell scrolls and potions she could find.凯特花了半个小时翻检那一摞摞纸张，把能找到的威力最强的法术卷轴和药水收集起来。147
Dust billowed as she moved piles of documents, but her stack of magic grew steadily.她挪动一堆堆文件时，尘土滚滚扬起，但她收集的魔法物品也在稳步增加。148
Then she came upon a stack that was missing a scroll—a scroll that held a disintegrate spell.随后，她发现有一摞东西少了一张卷轴——一张载有解离术的卷轴。149
She double-checked the pink book, but everything else was in place.她又核对了一遍那本粉红色的书，但其他东西全都在原位。150
“How odd,” she murmured.“真奇怪。”她低声说道。151
“Don’t move,” a man whispered harshly in Cat’s ear.“别动。”一个男人贴着凯特的耳朵恶狠狠地低声说道。152
The point of a dagger pressing lightly against her jugular vein compelled the mage to obey.一把匕首的尖端轻轻抵着她的颈静脉，迫使这位法师乖乖听命。153
The dagger’s owner stood behind her.匕首的主人站在她身后。154
“One word, one move,” he said, “and you’ll be dragon bait, understand?“敢说一个字，敢动一下，”他说，“你就会变成喂龙的饵，明白吗？155
Now hand over the spur.”现在把马刺交出来。”156
Cat remained speechless and motionless.凯特一言不发，一动不动。157
Her attacker shook her by the shoulder.袭击者抓着她的肩膀摇晃起来。158
“Did you hear me, witch?“听见没有，女巫？159
I said hand it over.”我说了，把它交出来。”160
“You also said don’t move and don’t speak,” Cat pointed out with a mocking tone, “so I’m just a trifle confused.”“你还说不许动，也不许说话，”凯特用嘲弄的语气指出，“所以我只是有那么一点儿糊涂。”161
“You’ll be a trifle dead if you keep acting smart, you little ass,” the man said.“你这头小蠢驴，要是还敢耍小聪明，就会死得透透的。”那男人说道。162
With his dagger still pressed into her flesh, he moved around her so that they stood face to face.他的匕首仍抵着她的皮肉，同时绕到她面前，两人就这样面对面站着。163
Cat shuddered when first confronted with the man’s face-Flattery’s face.刚看清那男人的脸——弗拉特里的脸——时，凯特不由得打了个寒战。164
After a moment, she saw it wasn’t Flattery, though.不过片刻之后，她便看出那人并不是弗拉特里。165
The man was too young, too nervous, and he had a birthmark by his lips.这个男人太年轻，也太紧张，而且唇边还有一块胎记。166
He was Steele, the kobold-torturer.他是斯蒂尔，那个折磨狗头人的家伙。167
“Now, give me the spur and don’t try anything.“现在，把马刺给我，别想耍花招。168
My uncle was a wizard, so I know all your foolish conjurer tricks.”我叔叔是个巫师，所以你们这些法师的愚蠢把戏，我全都知道。”169
“I don’t have the spur,” Cat objected.“马刺不在我手上。”凯特反驳道。170
“Don’t lie to me.“别对我撒谎。171
I was at the inner stair door.我刚才就在内楼梯的门外。172
That halfling freak locked it, but her people aren’t the only ones who can pick locks or listen at doors.那个半身人怪胎把门锁上了，可会撬锁、会贴着门偷听的又不只有她的同族。173
I was listening.我一直在听。174
I heard Giogi call you a little ass, and he was right.我听见乔吉骂你是小蠢驴，他骂得没错。175
Only an ass would risk her neck to save that idiot.只有蠢驴才会冒着丢掉小命的危险去救那个白痴。176
The divination said the spur was in the little ass’s pocket.占卜说，马刺就在那头小蠢驴的口袋里。177
Now, reach into your pocket very slowly and pull it out and hand it to me.”现在，慢慢把手伸进口袋，拿出马刺，交给我。”178
“I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Master Steele.“恐怕您弄错了，斯蒂尔大人。179
I haven’t got the spur.马刺不在我这里。180
Maybe the divination referred to the little burro that Master Giogi had yesterday.也许占卜指的是乔吉大人昨天带着的那头小毛驴。181
A burro is a small ass, you know.要知道，毛驴就是小驴。182
It’s missing, though, like the spur, I’m afraid.”不过恐怕它也和马刺一样，不见了。”183
“Asses don’t have pockets!”“驴可没有口袋！”184
Steele shouted angrily.斯蒂尔怒吼道。185
“Now give me everything you’ve got in yours.”“现在，把你口袋里的东西全都交出来。”186
“I have to put these scrolls and this book down to use my hands,” Cat said.“我得先把这些卷轴和这本书放下，才能腾出手来。”凯特说。187
In a fury, Steele knocked the book and the scrolls out of Cat’s arms.斯蒂尔怒不可遏，一把将书和卷轴从凯特怀里打落。188
“Now, that pocket first,” the nobleman ordered, pointing to the right-hand side pocket of her dress’s skirt.“先搜这个口袋。”那名贵族指着她裙子右侧的口袋命令道。189
One at a time Cat pulled out three potion vials she’d removed from Drone’s shelves.凯特从里面逐一掏出三小瓶她从德罗恩的架子上拿走的药水。190
Steele knocked each one to the ground, where all three smashed to pieces.斯蒂尔把它们一瓶瓶打落在地，三瓶全都摔得粉碎。191
Cat bit her upper lip angrily but remained silent.凯特气愤地咬着上唇，却一言不发。192
“I want to see you turn the pocket out to prove it’s empty,” Steele said.“把口袋翻出来，让我看看里面确实空了。”斯蒂尔说。193
“There’s something else in there,” Cat replied.“里面还有别的东西。”凯特回答。194
“Give it to me.”“交给我。”195
“Very well.”“很好。”196
Cat drew out the last item and held it out for Steele’s inspection.凯特取出最后一样东西，举到斯蒂尔面前让他查看。197
“What is it?”“这是什么？”198
Steele growled.斯蒂尔低吼道。199
“Something inflexible, Master Steele,” she said, inscribing a circle in the air with the small iron nail she held.“一件不会弯曲的东西，斯蒂尔主人。”她说道，同时用手里那枚小铁钉在空中画了一个圈。200
At the word “inflexible” the tip of the iron bar sparked and the nail vanished.“不会弯曲”几个字一出口，铁钉尖端便迸出火花，随后整枚钉子消失了。201
Steel tensed to lunge, but he was transfixed by the mage’s spell.斯蒂尔绷紧身体想要扑上去，却被法师的法术定在了原地。202
He stood as still as a statue with his one hand reaching for the magically expired nail, the other still holding the knife.他像雕像一样一动不动，一只手伸向那枚被魔法变没的钉子，另一只手仍握着刀。203
Cat pulled away carefully from the Wyvernspur’s blade.凯特小心翼翼地避开飞龙刺的刀刃。204
Steel remained immobile.斯蒂尔依旧动弹不得。205
Hastily the mage gathered up the scrolls she’d dropped and stuffed them into a sack.法师匆忙捡起掉落的卷轴，塞进一只口袋里。206
She wiped the broken potion vial glass and liquid as thoroughly as she could from the cover of Gaylyn’s catalog and left the book on Drone’s desk.她尽可能彻底地擦去盖琳的目录封面上破碎的药水瓶玻璃和药液，然后把书留在德罗恩的书桌上。207
Snatching up her fur muff, Cat backed toward the outer stair’s door.凯特一把抓起毛皮手筒，倒退着走向外侧楼梯的门。208
“Apparently that’s one trick you didn’t learn from your uncle, hmmm, Master Steele?“看来这一招你叔叔没教过你，是吧，斯蒂尔主人？209
Mages call it ‘hold person,’ spell component, a small piece of straight iron.”法师们称它为‘人类定身术’，施法材料是一小截笔直的铁。”210
Cat laughed and was turning toward the door when something heavy cracked across her temple.凯特笑了起来，正要转身走向门口，一件沉重的东西突然砰地击中了她的太阳穴。211
The blow felt as if a fireball had exploded in her skull and left a fire raging there.这一击仿佛有一团火球在她颅内爆炸，留下一团烈火熊熊燃烧。212
Cat collapsed to her knees as a woman’s voice said, “We know the trick ‘hold mage,’ though.凯特双膝一软，跪倒在地；一个女人的声音说道：“不过，‘法师定身术’这一招我们也会。213
Spell component, a stout stick.”施法材料是一根结实的棍子。”214
Cat felt a pinprick at her throat.凯特感到喉头被针尖轻轻一刺。215
“This pin’s coated with poison.“这根针上淬了毒。216
If it breaks your skin, you’ll be dead,” the woman’s voice warned.要是它刺破你的皮肤，你就死定了。”那个女人的声音警告道。217
“Now, release Steele,” she demanded.“现在，放开斯蒂尔。”她命令道。218
Despite the agonizing pain in her head, the mage managed to recall the magic word.尽管头痛得要命，法师还是勉强想起了那个魔法词。219
“Willow,” she whispered.“柳树。”她低声说道。220
Steele sprang back to life, half falling forward, jabbing at the empty air with his knife.斯蒂尔猛然苏醒过来，身子半向前栽去，挥刀刺向空无一物的空气。221
He caught himself and straightened up.他稳住身形，直起腰来。222
“Good work, Julia,” he said.“干得好，朱莉娅，”他说。223
“You managed to tear yourself from your peasant lover, I see,” he added with a sneer.“看来你总算舍得离开你那个乡巴佬情人了，”他又冷笑着说。224
“You’ve hobbled up here just in time.”“你一瘸一拐地赶到这儿，来得正是时候。”225
Julia, Steele’s sister, Cat remembered.朱莉娅是斯蒂尔的妹妹，凯特想起来了。226
She must be as crazy as he is, the mage thought.这个法师心想，她肯定和他一样疯。227
Julia drew her poison pin away from Cat’s throat, but Cat remained kneeling on the floor.朱莉娅把毒针从凯特的喉咙旁移开，但凯特仍跪在地板上。228
The fire in her skull made any movement too excruciating, and the light in the room was too bright to open her eyes.她颅内烈火般的疼痛令任何动作都变得难以忍受，房间里的光线也太刺眼，让她根本睁不开眼睛。229
“Aunt Dorath’s been looking for you everywhere,” Julia said anxiously.“多拉丝姑妈一直在到处找你，”朱莉娅焦急地说。230
“She’ll check up here any minute now.“她随时都会上来查看。231
You are going to catch Nine Hells if she finds you here.要是让她发现你在这儿，你可要吃尽九层地狱的苦头了。232
You know she’s put the room off-limits.”你知道她不许任何人进这个房间。”233
“Nothing will be off-limits to me in a moment,” Steele said.“马上就没有什么地方是我不能进的了，”斯蒂尔说。234
He pointed at Cat.他指了指凯特。235
“Check her pockets.“搜她的口袋。236
She’s Giogi’s little ass.她是乔吉的小骚货。237
She has the spur.”马刺在她身上。”238
“What are you talking about?”“你在说什么？”239
Julia asked.朱莉娅问。240
“Just do as I say,” Steele ordered.“照我说的做就是了，”斯蒂尔命令道。241
Using the large staff she’d used to club the mage, Julia lowered herself clumsily to one knee.朱莉娅拄着方才用来击打法师的那根粗大手杖，笨拙地单膝跪下。242
Keeping her poison pin pointed at Cat, Julia ran her hands through the folds of the mage’s gown until she came on an item.朱莉娅始终用毒针对着凯特，同时双手在法师长袍的褶层间摸索，直到碰到一样东西。243
Julia drew out a silk scarf wrapped around a lumpy bundle—the amulet of protection against scrying and detection.朱莉娅抽出一条裹着鼓囊囊一团东西的丝巾——里面是那枚能够抵御窥探与侦测的护身符。244
Through clenched teeth Cat growled, “My amulet.”凯特咬紧牙关，低吼道：“我的护身符。”245
Slipping her pin into the bodice of her gown, Julia stood and unwrapped the material.朱莉娅把针插进礼服的胸衣里，站起身来，解开了那块布。246
“Eeeew,” she said, sniffing at the contents of the scarf with disgust.“噫——”她嫌恶地嗅了嗅围巾里的东西，说道。247
From the five pieces of dried, cured meat she selected the largest chunk.她从五块风干腌制的肉中挑出了最大的一块。248
It was the size and shape of a baby zucchini, and uglier than a three-month-old sausage.它的大小和形状活像一根嫩西葫芦，模样比放了三个月的香肠还难看。249
“Steele!“斯蒂尔！250
It is!” she cried excitedly.真的是！”她兴奋地喊道。251
“It’s the spur!”“是飞龙刺！”252
Steele strode forward, but Julia stepped back, pulling out her poison pin and holding it out warningly.斯蒂尔大步上前，朱莉娅却后退一步，拔出毒针，警告似的对准了他。253
“You can’t fool me, Sister, dear.“你骗不了我，亲爱的妹妹。254
I know you don’t have poison on that pin.我知道你的针上没有毒。255
You’re too tender-hearted.”你的心太软了。”256
“I do have the sleeping sap you gave me, though, which works just as well for my purposes.“不过，我确实带着你给我的昏睡树液，要达到我的目的，它一样管用。257
I helped you, Steele.我帮了你，斯蒂尔。258
Remember what you promised,” she demanded.记住你答应过什么。”她厉声说道。259
“Yes, yes.“是，是。260
All right.好吧。261
Now give me the spur.”现在把飞龙刺给我。”262
“On your honor as a Wyvernspur, swear it.”“以你身为飞龙刺家族一员的荣誉发誓。”263
Steele huffed.斯蒂尔气恼地哼了一声。264
“On my honor as a Wyvernspur, you have my permission to marry any jackass you please.“我以身为飞龙刺家族一员的荣誉起誓，你想嫁给哪个蠢货都行，我准了。265
It could be a Calimshan merchant for all I care.哪怕是个卡林珊商人，我也不在乎。266
Now hand the spur over.”现在把飞龙刺交出来。”267
Cat opened her eyes against the stinging light just in time to watch the spur tossed across the room.凯特忍着刺眼的光睁开眼睛，正好看见那枚马刺被扔过房间。268
It looked like a piece of brown, dried meat someone had kept in a knapsack for a few years too long.它看起来像一块褐色的肉干，仿佛有人把它放在背包里多搁了好几年。269
Steele snatched it from the air.斯蒂尔一把从空中抓住了它。270
His laughter sounded like Flattery’s.他的笑声听起来和弗拉特里的一模一样。271
Frefford burst into the room.弗雷福德猛地闯进房间。272
“What is going on here?” he hissed.“这里到底是怎么回事？”他厉声问道。273
“Aunt Dorath said she heard glass breaking.”“多拉丝姑妈说她听见了玻璃破碎的声音。”274
Gaylyn came in behind her husband.盖琳跟在丈夫身后走了进来。275
“Julia, you shouldn’t have climbed all the way up here with your ankle.“朱莉娅，你的脚踝还伤着，不该一路爬到这里来。276
It could get worse …”伤势可能会加重……”277
Gaylyn’s chiding died on her lips and she blanched when she spotted Cat kneeling on the floor.盖琳责备的话戛然而止；她看见凯特跪在地板上，顿时脸色煞白。278
Frefford looked down at what had upset his wife.弗雷福德低头看向令妻子惊骇的景象。279
“Mistress Cat, are you all right?” he asked, dropping to his knees beside the mage.“凯特女士，你没事吧？”他问道，同时在女法师身旁跪了下来。280
“What happened?”“发生什么事了？”281
“Hit on the head,” Cat muttered.“脑袋挨了一下。”凯特喃喃道。282
Her head throbbed too much to say more, but she rose shakily to her feet with the Wyvernspur lord’s assistance.她的头疼得厉害，没法再多说什么，但还是在飞龙刺领主的搀扶下摇摇晃晃地站了起来。283
Gaylyn, aghast, stared at the pin in Julia’s hand.盖琳惊骇地盯着朱莉娅手里的别针。284
“Julia, what have you done?” she gasped.“朱莉娅，你都做了什么？”她倒抽着气问道。285
“Steele’s found the spur,” Julia said, pointing at her brother as if his discovery would explain everything.“斯蒂尔找到马刺了。”朱莉娅说道，指着自己的哥哥，仿佛他的发现足以解释一切。286
“And now its power will be all mine,” Steele declared.“现在，它的力量全都将属于我。”斯蒂尔宣告道。287
“Steele, it doesn’t work that way,” Gaylyn insisted, trying to keep her voice calm and steady.“斯蒂尔，它不是这么用的。”盖琳坚持道，竭力让自己的声音保持冷静平稳。288
“Uncle Drone explained it to me the night before he died.“德罗恩叔叔去世前一晚向我解释过。289
Only one of the guardian’s favorites can use the spur safely.只有守护者最宠爱的人才能安全使用这枚马刺。290
Put it down, please.”请把它放下。”291
Cat focused on the spur.凯特把注意力集中在那根刺上。292
It was ugly for an artifact, but its power was already obvious.作为一件神器，它的模样实在丑陋，但它的力量已显而易见。293
Blue sparks were shooting from its surface between the fingers of Steele’s fist.蓝色火花正从它表面迸射而出，穿过斯蒂尔紧握的指缝。294
“Oh, no,” Steele said.“哦，不，”斯蒂尔说。295
“I’m not buying that silly story, Gaylyn, dear.“亲爱的盖琳，我才不信那套荒唐的说辞。296
The guardian is a family myth only someone as foolish as Giogi could possibly believe in.守护者不过是个家族神话，只有乔吉那样的傻瓜才可能相信。297
I am not letting that idiot get his hands on the spur.我绝不会让那个白痴把刺弄到手。298
I don’t care if Drone wanted to give it to him.我才不管德罗恩是不是想把它送给他。299
I found it.是我找到它的。300
It’s mine.”它是我的。”301
Steele held the spur with both hands and raised it above his head.斯蒂尔双手握住那根刺，将它高高举过头顶。302
“I can feel its power already,” he said.“我已经能感受到它的力量了，”他说。303
The blue sparks were now bolts of blue light, which flickered down Steele’s arm.此时，蓝色火花已化作一道道蓝光，沿着斯蒂尔的手臂闪烁而下。304
Aunt Dorath huffed into the room and pushed past Frefford and his wife.多拉丝姑妈气冲冲地闯进房间，挤过弗雷福德和他的妻子。305
Like a mother who’d found her little child playing with a dagger, Aunt Dorath fixed Steele with a hard glare.就像一个母亲发现自己的小孩子在玩匕首一样，多拉丝姑妈狠狠瞪住了斯蒂尔。306
“Steele Wyvernspur, you put that thing down this instant,” she commanded angrily.“斯蒂尔·飞龙刺，你马上把那东西放下，”她怒声命令道。307
Steele just laughed.斯蒂尔只是放声大笑。308
His arms began to glow blue, and the light bolts spread down his torso.他的双臂开始泛起蓝光，一道道光芒沿着他的躯干向下蔓延。309
“It’s happening.“开始了。310
The power is mine.力量是我的了。311
I can do anything.”我无所不能。”312
Steele jumped up to the shattered window’s sill.斯蒂尔纵身跳上那扇破碎窗户的窗台。313
“Steele, no!”“斯蒂尔，不要！”314
Julia screamed.朱莉娅尖叫道。315
“Watch this, Sister, dear,” he said gleefully.“亲爱的姐姐，看好了。”他兴高采烈地说。316
He pushed open the broken window’s casement and spread his arms wide.他推开破窗的窗扇，张开双臂。317
“Fluff-fluff,” Cat whispered just as the Wyvernspur leaped from the tower.就在飞龙刺跃下高塔的那一刻，凯特低声念道：“轻飘飘。”318
Aunt Dorath and Frefford dashed to the window.多拉丝姑妈和弗雷福德冲到窗前。319
“He’s just floating down!”“他就这么飘下去了！”320
Frefford gasped.弗雷福德倒吸了一口气。321
“What?”“什么？”322
Julia cried.朱莉娅叫道。323
“Then it works?“这么说，真的管用？324
The spur works?”那根刺真的管用？”325
Cat bolted for the door and dashed down the outer staircase.凯特冲出门去，沿着外侧楼梯飞奔而下。326
Behind her she could hear Aunt Dorath shout, “Frefford, get down after Steele!她听见身后的多拉丝姑妈大喊：“弗雷福德，快下去追斯蒂尔！327
Get that cursed thing away from him!”把那该死的东西从他手里夺走！”328
Cat felt dizzy and sick, but she was not going to let an insane kobold-torturer get away with her prize.凯特感到头晕恶心，但她绝不会让一个折磨狗头人的疯子带着她的战利品逃之夭夭。329
Because of her spell, Steele was falling with the resistance of a feather, so it would take him at least a minute to reach the ground.由于中了她的法术，斯蒂尔坠落时受到的阻力如同一根羽毛，因此至少要一分钟才能落地。330
The mage raced from the manor house and rushed to the corner tower.女法师奔出庄园宅邸，冲向角落里的塔楼。331
She stood at the base of the tower as Steele drifted toward her.她站在塔底，看着斯蒂尔缓缓飘向自己。332
He was still cackling about the power of the spur and flapping his arms, oblivious to the fact that he was really falling.他还在为那根刺的力量咯咯狂笑，不停挥动双臂，浑然不知自己其实正在坠落。333
When his feet touched the earth and he was finally released from her feather fall spell, he wheeled to face her, his eyes wide with crazed rage.当他的双脚触及地面、终于摆脱她的羽落术时，他猛地转身面对她，双眼因疯狂的暴怒而圆睁。334
“Die!” he shrieked, swiping in her direction with his hand cramped like an animal claw, although he was not close enough to actually reach her.“去死！”他尖叫着，五指蜷曲得如同兽爪，朝她猛抓过去，尽管他离得太远，根本够不着她。335
Cat sprinkled sand over an imaginary baby in her arms and whispered, “Lullaby, Steele.”凯特把沙子撒向臂弯里那个并不存在的婴儿，低声念道：“摇篮曲，斯蒂尔。”336
The Wyvernspur slid fast asleep, into the slush and mud.飞龙刺当即沉沉睡去，滑进了半融的雪和烂泥里。337
Cat pounced on him and tore the spur from his hands.凯特扑到他身上，从他手中夺走了那根刺。338
All this time, she thought, I was expecting some shiny piece of metal, something that can be attached to a boot and used as a prod.这么长时间以来，她一直以为那会是某种亮闪闪的金属玩意儿，可以装在靴子上，用来催马。339
What does the spur turn out to be?结果这飞龙刺究竟是什么？340
A disgusting piece of shriveled, mummified—ugh—someone actually slashed it off a wyvern’s foot.一块恶心的、干瘪的、木乃伊似的——呃——居然真有人把它从一只飞龙的脚上砍了下来。341
A shadow fell across her and the snoozing Steele.一道阴影笼罩了她和呼呼大睡的斯蒂尔。342
Frefford stood over her, offering a hand to help her up.弗雷福德站在她面前，伸出手要拉她起来。343
“I’m taking this to Giogi,” Cat muttered, backing away from Frefford on her knees.“我要把这个交给乔吉。”凯特咕哝着，跪在地上往后挪，躲开弗雷福德。344
“Well, now, it would be foolish for me to argue with such a battle-hardened and powerful spell-caster, wouldn’t it?”“唔，要我跟一位身经百战、法力高强的施法者争辩，未免太愚蠢了，不是吗？”345
Frefford said, grinning as he looked her up and down.弗雷福德一边说，一边上下打量着她，咧嘴笑了起来。346
Cat was suddenly aware of how comical she must appear, with her gown scorched by fire and covered with mud and a lump the size of an egg on the side of her head.凯特忽然意识到，自己此刻的模样一定滑稽透顶：长袍被火烧焦，又沾满泥浆，脑袋一侧还鼓着一个鸡蛋大的包。347
Despite herself, she laughed.她忍不住笑了起来。348
She held her hand out and let Frefford pull her to her feet.她伸出手，让弗雷福德把自己拉起来。349
“I have a horse saddled and waiting in the stable,” the nobleman said.“我有一匹马已经备好鞍，在马厩里等着了。”这位贵族说道。350
“Bronder,” he hailed a passing servant, “have Sash bring out Poppy, and be quick about it.”“布隆德，”他招呼一个路过的仆人，“叫萨什把波比牵出来，动作快点。”351
The servant scurried off to the stable.那仆人急匆匆地跑向马厩。352
Cat studied Frefford with amazement.凯特惊讶地端详着弗雷福德。353
“You really aren’t interested in possessing the spur, are you?” she asked.“你真的没兴趣把飞龙刺据为己有，是吗？”她问道。354
Frefford shrugged.弗雷福德耸了耸肩。355
“You heard Gaylyn.“你也听见盖琳说的话了。356
Giogi’s the only one who can use it.只有乔吉能使用它。357
Aunt Dorath doesn’t want him to, but that’s really for Giogi to decide, isn’t it?”多拉丝姑妈不想让他用，但这终究该由乔吉自己决定，不是吗？”358
Cat felt dizzy for a moment and touched the lump on her forehead.凯特一阵头晕，抬手摸了摸额头上的肿包。359
Far above them, Dorath shouted down, “Frefford?多拉丝从他们头顶高处喊下来：“弗雷福德？”360
Did you get it?”“你拿到了吗？”361
“How’s your head?”“你的头怎么样？”362
Frefford asked, ignoring his aunt.弗雷福德问道，对姑妈置若罔闻。363
“If it were a horse, I’d have to put it to sleep,” Cat groused.“要是我的脑袋是匹马，我就只能让它安乐死了。”凯特抱怨道。364
“I didn’t know I had the spur,” she explained.“我不知道那枚马刺在我身上。”她解释道。365
“Someone else gave it to me.“是别人给我的。366
I thought it was something else …”我以为那是别的东西……”367
Her voice trailed off.她的声音渐渐低了下去。368
“Are you sure you’re up to riding?”“你确定自己还能骑马吗？”369
Frefford asked.弗雷福德问道。370
“Yes,” Cat insisted.“能。”凯特坚持道。371
“Why are you being so nice and understanding about this?” she asked.“你为什么对这件事这么体贴，这么善解人意？”她问道。372
Frefford grinned.弗雷福德咧嘴一笑。373
“You could turn out to be a relative someday.“说不定有一天，你会成为我的亲戚。374
We Wyvernspurs stick together, don’t you know.”我们飞龙刺家族的人一向互相照应，你不知道吗？”375
“How did you know—” Cat bit back her words.“你怎么会知道——”凯特猛地把后半句话咽了回去。376
He didn’t know she was a Wyvernspur.他并不知道她是飞龙刺家族的人。377
He was thinking of her in terms of Giogi.他是因为乔吉，才把她当成未来的亲戚。378
She could feel the blood rushing to her face.她能感觉到血一下子涌上了脸。379
“You’re sure you feel up to riding?“你真觉得自己还能骑马？380
You look a little flushed,” Frefford teased.你看起来脸有点红。”弗雷福德取笑道。381
“You don’t understand,” she said.“你不明白。”她说。382
“This is serious.“这事很严重。383
There’s a wizard, Flattery.有个叫弗拉特里的巫师。384
He killed your Uncle Drone.他杀了你叔叔德罗恩。385
He’ll kill Giogi to get the spur from him.他会杀掉乔吉，从他手里夺走那枚马刺。386
He doesn’t even want Giogi visiting the Temple of Selune to find out anything about it.”他甚至不想让乔吉去塞露恩神殿查清那枚马刺的任何事情。”387
“Once Giogi has the spur, I don’t think anyone will be able to take it from him,” Frefford said calmly.“只要乔吉拿到飞龙刺，我想就没人能从他手里夺走它了。”弗雷福德平静地说。388
“It will be a simple matter for him to bring this Flattery to justice.“到时候，他要把这个弗拉特里绳之以法，不过是轻而易举的事。389
As for the Temple of Selune—Giogi’s already there by now.至于塞露恩神殿——乔吉这会儿已经到了。390
You could join him.你可以去找他。391
Mother Lleddew serves a lovely tea in the open air.”莱杜嬷嬷会在露天摆上很不错的茶点。”392
Frefford pointed northwest over the fields.弗雷福德越过田野，指向西北方。393
“The temple’s on Spring Hill—that big hill there.“神殿就在春之丘上——就是那边那座大山丘。394
There’s a shortcut to the west side of town if you follow the footpath down the north slope of this hill instead of the road into town,” Frefford explained.你别走进城的大路，沿着这座山丘北坡的小径下去，就能抄近道到镇子西边。”弗雷福德解释道。395
“The road to the temple comes before the road to the graveyard.”通往神殿的岔路在通往墓地的岔路之前。”396
A stableboy, leading a chestnut mare with a black snip, approached Frefford.一个马童牵着一匹鼻端有小块黑斑的栗色母马，朝弗雷福德走来。397
His Lordship helped the mage into the sidesaddle and handed her the reins.爵爷扶法师侧身坐上马鞍，又把缰绳递给她。398
“It’s a nice day for a ride, but you’d better hurry before Aunt Dorath gets down here,” he said and smacked the horse into a trot.“今天天气不错，正适合骑马，不过你最好赶在多拉丝姑妈下来之前快走。”他说着，在马身上拍了一掌，让它小跑起来。399
Cat bounced out of the castle’s front gate feeling nauseated.凯特一路颠簸着出了城堡正门，只觉得一阵恶心。400
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a horse.她都不记得自己上一次骑马是什么时候了。401
Before she’d been kidnapped in Zhentil Keep, she guessed.大概是在散提尔堡遭到绑架以前吧。402
Has riding unsettled me this much before? she wondered.以前骑马也让我这么难受吗？她心想。403
Once outside the castle walls, Cat followed the path that Frefford had recommended.出了城堡围墙，凯特便沿着弗雷福德推荐的那条小径走。404
From the hillside, she could look out across most of the Wyvernspur lands.从山坡上，她可以俯瞰飞龙刺领地的大部分区域。405
A dark gray cloud loomed over Spring Hill.一团深灰色的乌云笼罩着春之丘。406
Huge birds of death circled beneath the cloud.巨大的死亡之鸟在云层下盘旋。407
Vultures in for the kill, Cat thought, her queasy stomach turning to ice.秃鹫是来取人性命的，凯特心想，她原本翻腾不已的胃顿时变得冰冷。408
Fearing she might already be too late, Cat urged her horse into a canter, but the sensation of being unbalanced as the beast sped down the hill was too unpleasant.凯特唯恐自己已经来得太迟，便催马慢跑起来，可那畜生飞奔下山时，她失去平衡的感觉实在太难受了。409
She slowed the horse to a walk.她让马放慢脚步，改为缓行。410
Her heart was pounding hard, but she still didn’t know what she was going to do.她的心怦怦狂跳，却依然不知道自己该怎么办。411
Ruskettle lied about the amulet of protection.拉斯凯特尔在护身符的事上撒了谎。412
Flattery could be watching me this very moment.弗拉特里此刻很可能正在监视我。413
I could take him the spur, but if Ruskettle did tell the truth about seeing a dark crystal being stolen from Flattery’s pocket, he has nothing to offer me—except my miserable life.我可以把马刺交给他，但如果拉斯凯特尔说的是真话，的确看见有人从弗拉特里的口袋里偷走了一块暗色水晶，那他就没什么可以给我的——除了我这条可悲的命。414
If I take the spur to Giogi, though, can he really use it to defeat Flattery?可如果我把马刺交给乔吉，他真能用它击败弗拉特里吗？415
Or, if not, can he at least weaken Flattery enough to give me an opportunity to search for the memory crystal in case Flattery does still have it?或者，就算不能，他至少能不能削弱弗拉特里，好让我有机会搜寻记忆水晶，以防它仍在弗拉特里手里？416
An eerie keening wafted across the fields.一阵诡异而凄厉的哀号飘过田野。417
Cat looked up at Spring Hill.凯特抬头望向春山。418
A brilliant white light flickered at the top.山顶闪烁着一道耀眼的白光。419
A moment later, a shimmering fog rolled down from the hilltop.片刻后，一片微光粼粼的雾从山顶翻滚而下。420
Cat kept her eyes on the hilltop, still letting her horse plod along.凯特目不转睛地盯着山顶，仍任由坐骑缓步前行。421
When she saw the bolt of white light shoot from the hilltop, though, her fear for Giogi outweighed her fear of falling off the horse.然而，当她看见一道白光从山顶激射而出时，对乔吉的担忧终于压过了坠马的恐惧。422
She kicked it into a trot, and then into a gallop.她踢了踢马腹，让它先小跑起来，继而放足疾驰。423
Olive held the brake just enough to keep the carriage from passing out of the shimmering fog, taking advantage of the protection it offered them.奥利芙稍稍踩住刹车，不让马车驶出微光闪烁的雾气，借此利用它为他们提供的庇护。424
Undead lay on either side of the road, unmoving.道路两旁躺着一具具亡灵，纹丝不动。425
The fog stopped at the bottom of the hill.雾气止于山脚。426
The carriage squelched through the field road.马车沿着田间道路，噗嗤噗嗤地碾过泥泞。427
Olive spotted a large brown bear clawing at something out in the tall grass, but she had no desire to investigate any closer.奥利芙看见高草丛中有一头棕色巨熊，正用爪子抓挠着什么，但她一点也不想靠近查看。428
She presumed it was one of Mother Lleddew’s chums taking care of an undead creature that had managed to escape the fog.她猜那是莱杜嬷嬷的某个伙伴，正在收拾一个侥幸逃出雾气的亡灵生物。429
Olive looked over at Giogi with concern.奥利芙忧心忡忡地看向乔吉。430
He was leaning back with his eyes closed.他靠坐在那里，双眼紧闭。431
He was pale and bruised and bleeding.他脸色苍白，浑身青肿，还流着血。432
“You don’t look so good,” she said.“你看起来不太好。”她说。433
She tied the reins up, letting the horses set their own pace down the road, and turned to check the nobleman’s wounds.她把缰绳系好，任由马匹自行控制沿路前进的速度，随后转过身去查看那位贵族的伤口。434
“I don’t think I was cut out to be an adventurer,” Giogi muttered.“我觉得我天生就不是当冒险者的料。”乔吉喃喃道。435
“It hurts too much.”“实在太疼了。”436
Olive laughed.奥利芙笑了。437
“But you were great,” she insisted.“可你刚才棒极了。”她坚持说道。438
She sliced a piece off the bottom of his cape, folded it up, and pressed it against a gash in his neck.她从他斗篷下摆割下一块布，叠好后按在他颈上的一道伤口上。439
“Press on that,” she ordered.“按住这里。”她命令道。440
Giogi obeyed, but he had to disagree with the halfling’s assessment.乔吉照做了，但他实在无法认同这个半身人的评价。441
“I nearly got Mother Lleddew killed.”“我差点害死莱杜嬷嬷。”442
“She’ll be fine.“她不会有事的。443
Werebears heal fast, and they’re harder to kill than people.熊化人伤口愈合得很快，而且比一般人更难杀死。444
Did you know she was a werebear?”你知道她是熊化人吗？”445
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。446
“No, of course not.“不知道，当然不知道。447
How can a werebear be a priestess?”熊化人怎么能当女祭司呢？”448
“It’s traditional for lycanthropes to worship the moon,” Olive said with a shrug.“狼人一类的变形人崇拜月亮是传统。”奥利芙耸耸肩说道。449
“Even priests need hobbies.”“就连祭司也得有点业余爱好。”450
Alerted by the sound of a galloping horse, Olive looked across the fields again.一阵疾驰的马蹄声引起了奥利芙的注意，她再次望向田野。451
“I think that’s Cat,” she said, pointing to a just barely mounted rider.“我觉得那是凯特。”她指着一个勉强骑在马背上的人说道。452
Giogi opened his eyes.乔吉睁开眼睛。453
“It is.“是她。454
She’s riding Poppy.”她骑的是波比。”455
The nobleman reached over and pulled back on the horses’ reins, stopping the carriage.这位贵族伸手拉紧马匹的缰绳，让马车停了下来。456
Cat came charging up to them.凯特策马朝他们猛冲过来。457
She pulled back too hard on Poppy’s reins and set the mare rearing on her hind legs.她猛地拉住波比的缰绳，力道过大，惊得母马用后腿直立起来。458
The mage toppled from her saddle and into the muddy field.女法师从马鞍上摔了下来，一头栽进泥泞的田野里。459
Giogi leaped from the carriage and rushed to the woman’s side.乔吉跳下马车，冲到那女人身边。460
“Obviously he doesn’t hurt as bad as he thought he did,” Olive muttered.“显然，他伤得没自己以为的那么重。”奥利芙嘟囔道。461
She climbed down from the driver’s seat and scrambled up the carriage door to check on their passenger.她从车夫座上爬下来，又手脚并用地攀上车门，去查看他们的乘客。462
Mother Lleddew remained in her bear form.莱杜嬷嬷依然保持着熊的形态。463
A good sign, Olive knew, since lycanthropes turned human when they died.奥利芙知道，这是个好兆头，因为兽化人死后会变回人形。464
The bear brushed its nose with a paw.熊用一只爪子蹭了蹭鼻子。465
She’s just sleeping off the pain, Olive decided.她只是在睡觉缓解疼痛，奥利芙断定。466
“I’m fine,” Cat moaned as Giogi bent over her.“我没事。”乔吉俯身察看凯特时，她呻吟道。467
“I just forgot,” she said as he helped her to her feet, “that I don’t know how to ride.”“我只是忘了，”他扶她站起来时，她说道，“我根本不会骑马。”468
Giogi grinned until he caught sight of the bruise on her temple.乔吉咧嘴笑了起来，直到瞥见她太阳穴上的瘀青，笑容才消失。469
“What happened?“出什么事了？470
Who hit you?” he demanded angrily.谁打的你？”他怒气冲冲地追问。471
“Your fool Cousin Julia, trying to rescue her fool brother, Steele.“你那个蠢货表亲朱莉娅，她想救她那个蠢货兄弟斯蒂尔。472
I should have let him fall to the base of the tower, but, as you keep saying, we Wyvernspurs have to stick together.我本该让他摔到塔底去的，可就像你一直说的，我们飞龙刺家族的人必须同舟共济。473
Giogi, don’t fuss.乔吉，别瞎操心了。474
It was a very soft stick.那根棍子软得很。475
Here.喏。476
This is for you,” Cat concluded, holding up the spur for Giogi to see.这是给你的。”凯特最后说道，举起马刺给乔吉看。477
“You found it!”“你找到它了！”478
Giogi shouted.乔吉大喊道。479
“You clever, clever woman.”“你这女人，真聪明，真聪明！”480
He picked the mage up by the waist and twirled her around.他搂住法师的腰，将她抱起来转了个圈。481
When he set her back down, he kissed her on the cheek.把她放回地面后，他亲了亲她的脸颊。482
“Would you please take it away,” Cat asked.“能请你把它拿走吗？”凯特问道。483
“You never told me it was this ugly.”“你从没告诉过我，它竟然这么丑。”484
Giogi laughed and took the spur from the mage.乔吉笑了起来，从法师手里接过马刺。485
“It is, isn’t it?” he agreed, holding it up to his face.“确实很丑，是吧？”他表示赞同，把它举到眼前。486
“Where was it?”“它是在哪里找到的？”487
“You’d better ask Mistress Ruskettle,” Cat suggested.“你最好问问拉斯凯特尔夫人。”凯特建议道。488
Giogi turned around and faced Olive with confusion, holding the spur out for her to see.乔吉转过身，一脸困惑地望着奥利芙，把马刺伸给她看。489
Olive looked at the artifact with a bit of confusion of her own.奥利芙看着这件神器，自己也有些困惑。490
She’d presumed, as Cat had, that the spur would be a metal prod to strap around one’s ankle to spur wyverns into the air or something.她和凯特一样，原以为这马刺会是某种绑在脚踝上的金属尖刺，用来催促双足飞龙飞上天之类的。491
It took her several moments to recognize the hunk of mummified flesh as one of the pieces of dried meat she’d tied into the bundle she’d given Cat.过了好一会儿，她才认出这块木乃伊般的干瘪肉块，正是她捆进交给凯特的那个包裹里的几块肉干之一。492
The halfling had some explaining to do, she realized.她意识到，自己这个半身人得好好解释一番了。493
Olive needed time to figure out what to explain first.奥利芙需要一点时间，想清楚该先解释哪件事。494
She looked up into the clear blue sky.她抬头望向晴朗的蓝天。495
“How about you tuck that away, and as soon as we’re safe indoors, I’ll explain about the spur,” she promised.“你先把它收起来怎么样？等我们安全进了屋，我马上就把马刺的事解释清楚。”她保证道。496
“Flattery could always fly over in the shape of a bird or something.”“弗拉特里随时可能变成一只鸟什么的飞过来。”497
Giogi looked up nervously.乔吉紧张地抬头望去。498
The sky was empty.天空中空无一物。499
The lone cloud that had shaded Spring Hill had vanished.先前给春之丘遮阴的那片孤云已经消失了。500
He didn’t see any birds.他一只鸟也没看见。501
Still, he was inclined to take Olive’s suggestion.尽管如此，他还是愿意听从奥利芙的建议。502
“I’ll tie Poppy to the back of the carriage, so you can ride with us,” he said to Cat.“我把波比拴在马车后面，这样你就能和我们一起坐车了。”他对凯特说。503
“Can’t you explain on the way?”“不能在路上解释吗？”504
Cat asked Olive with pseudo-innocence.凯特故作天真地问奥利芙。505
“No,” Olive said.“不能。”奥利芙说。506
“I think I’d better stay in back with Mother Lleddew.“我想我最好留在后面陪莱杜嬷嬷。507
She’s not well.”她身体不舒服。”508
“Mother Lleddew?“莱杜妈妈？509
What’s wrong with her?”她怎么了？”510
Cat asked anxiously.凯特焦急地问。511
She peered into the carriage window and pulled back quickly.她探头朝车厢窗内望去，又迅速缩了回来。512
“Giogi,” she whispered, “there’s a bear in there.”“乔吉，”她低声说道，“里面有一头熊。”513
“Don’t worry, dear,” Olive said.“别担心，亲爱的，”奥利芙说。514
“She’ll sleep it off.“她睡一觉就会好的。515
If you would be so kind as to open the door for me, we can be off.”劳驾你替我打开车门，我们就可以出发了。”516
Once they were all loaded back on the carriage, Giogi and Cat on the driver’s seat, Olive inside with Mother Lleddew, and Poppy clopping along behind, Olive began racking her brain for exactly what she would tell Giogi and Cat.等大家都重新上了马车，乔吉和凯特坐在车夫座上，奥利芙陪莱杜妈妈待在车厢里，波比则嗒嗒地跟在后面，奥利芙便开始绞尽脑汁，琢磨究竟该对乔吉和凯特怎么说。517
At the same time, she kept an ear on the conversation between the nobleman and the mage.与此同时，她还留心听着那位贵族与法师之间的谈话。518
“I thought it was some sort of metal spur, such as for a horse,” Cat said.“我原以为那是某种金属马刺，就像给马用的那种，”凯特说。519
“It’s been sliced off a real wyvern’s foot, though, hasn’t it?” she asked.“可它其实是从一头真正的飞龙脚上割下来的，对不对？”她问。520
“Yes,” Giogi said.“对，”乔吉说。521
“It was a gift from a female wyvern to Paton Wyvernspur for rescuing her children.“这是雌飞龙送给佩顿·飞龙刺的礼物，感谢他救了她的孩子。522
She sliced it off her dead mate.”她从死去的伴侣脚上把它割了下来。”523
Yuck!真恶心！524
Olive thought inside the carriage.车厢里的奥利芙心想。525
“Yick!”“噫！”526
Cat exclaimed.凯特惊叫道。527
“How gruesome.”“太瘆人了。”528
“Well, yes.“嗯，确实。529
Speaking of gruesome, are you sure you’re all right?说到瘆人，你确定自己没事吗？530
That’s a nasty bump you’ve got there,” Giogi said.你那儿肿得可真厉害，”乔吉说。531
“You should talk,” the mage laughed.“你还好意思说。”法师笑道。532
“You’re three colors that humans don’t generally come in,” she said, poking at a large bruise on his cheek.“你脸上都有三种人类通常不会有的颜色了。”她一边说，一边戳了戳他脸颊上的一大块瘀青。533
“You’re bleeding, too.“你还在流血呢。534
What happened?”出什么事了？”535
“We ran into a few undead,” Giogi said with a shrug.“我们碰上了几个不死生物。”乔吉耸耸肩说道。536
“Nothing we couldn’t handle.“没什么应付不了的。537
The potions you gave us helped a lot, though.”不过，你给我们的药水确实帮了大忙。”538
Olive mentally amended: An army of undead that we beat only with help from a werebear and a goddess’s powerful minion.奥利芙在心里修正道：是一整支不死生物大军，而且我们还是靠一个熊化人和一位女神的强大仆从相助才打败了它们。539
And the potions helped only as long as the right type of undead attacked us.而且，那些药水也只有在相应种类的不死生物袭击我们时才有用。540
“So, how was your afternoon?”“那么，你下午过得怎么样？”541
Giogi asked the mage.乔吉问法师。542
Cat related the events at Redstone in detail.凯特详细讲述了红石发生的事情。543
Giogi looked astonished by her story.乔吉听完她的讲述，显得十分惊讶。544
“Is that all?” he asked with mock ennui.“就这些？”他故作无聊地问。545
“Is that all?”“就这些？”546
Cat echoed.凯特重复道。547
“No. One more thing.”“不，还有一件事。”548
“What?”“什么？”549
“I missed you,” the mage admitted.“我想你了。”法师承认道。550
“Really?”“真的？”551
Giogi asked, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.乔吉问道，感觉自己的心在胸膛里怦怦直跳。552
Olive shifted uneasily inside the carriage.奥利芙在马车里不安地挪了挪身子。553
Despite the mage having loyally handed the spur over to Giogi, Olive could not trust her.尽管那个女法师忠实地把马刺交给了乔吉，奥利芙还是无法信任她。554
She hadn’t leveled with Giogi about being Flattery’s wife, but she continued to flirt with him.她没有向乔吉坦白自己是弗拉特里的妻子，却还在继续勾引他。555
The halfling had firsthand experience at betraying people.这个半身人在背叛别人这件事上可是有亲身经验的。556
She couldn’t help thinking that Cat still had some sort of scheme in mind that required Giogi’s cooperation.她忍不住怀疑，凯特心里仍在盘算着某种需要乔吉配合的阴谋。557