按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the vipers' warning connotfirmed it。
Still； she wanted to finish her lesser adversary off before the girl recovnotered her sight。 She pleted the spell； the exquisitely inked characters burning through the parchment like hot coals。
From the elbow down； the enemy female's left arm rippled and swelled； being an enormous black spider with green markings on its bristling back。 Still attached to the rest of her body； it lunged at her throat and plunged its mandibles in。
Quenthel spun around。 Mauve with golden spots； then white； then half red and half blue； the demon loomed over her。 Most of the time it looked flat； like a hole into some other luminous； turbulent universe； and an obnotserver had only its inconstant outline from which to infer its shape。 Over the course of a couple seconds； it seemed to bee an enormous crab claw； a wagon plete with driver； and a whirling dust devil。 The length of gallery behind it resembled a tunnel carved from melting rainbow…colored slush except for one little stretch。 That section appeared unchanged until Quenthel noticed that the carvings had flipped upside down。
The high priestess scrambled to her feet。 As she rooted in her bag for another scroll； her scourge dangled from her wrist。 The vipers writhed and twisted。
The chaos demon blinked from ochre to a pattern of black and white stripes； and from the form of a simple isosceles triangle to that of an ogre。 Its cry currently a mix of roaring and cawing； it swung its newly acquired club。
Quenthel caught the blow on her buckler。 To her surprise； she didn't feel the slightest shock； but the shield turned blue； changed from round to recnottangular； and became many times heavier than it had been before。
The unexpected weight dragged her down to the floor again。 Resemnotbling a cresting wave； the intruder flowed toward her。 She yanked； but her shield arm was caught somehow and wouldn't pull free of the straps。
Rippling from magenta to brown stippled with scarlet； the demon adnotvanced to within inches of her foot。 Quenthel's boot evaporated into wisps of vapor； and pain stabbed through the extremity。
Finally her hand jerked out of its restraints； and she flung herself backnotward； rolling； her mail whispering against the floor。
When she'd put sufficient distance between herself and her foe； she rose； then faltered。 For an instant； she couldn't locate the fiend； and her mind struggled to make sense of the scene before her。 Green and blue； shaped like an hourglass； the demon was gliding along the ceiling； not the floor。 It was still pursuing her。 The cursed thing was random in every respect save its doggedly murderous intent。
The entity's howl ceased for a moment； then resumed with a peal of childish laughter。 Quenthel snatched and unrolled a scroll； which abruptly turned into a rothe's jawbone。 The air took on a sooty tinge； and her next breath seared her lungs。
Choking； she stumbled back out of the cloud。 She could breathe； though the stinging heat in her throat and chest persisted。 She suspected that； had she inhaled any more of it； the taint might well have killed her。 As it was； it had incapacitated and possibly slain the vipers； who hung inert from the butt of the whip。
She tossed away the jawbone； grabbed another scroll； and started readnoting the powerful spell contained therein。 Shaped like some hybrid of dragon and wolf； the demon； back on the floor again； advanced without moving its legs。 Though colored the blue and gold of flame； it threw off a bitter chill that threatened to freeze the skin on her face and spoil her recitation with a stammer。
Quenthel thanked the goddes