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！
Somebody swung a backhand Goblin's way。 He leaned only slightly。 When the man pulled his hand back； having missed entirely and been only lightly brushed by a warding hand； he looked at his own paw in astonishment。
Ten thousand pinpricks of blood had appeared。 They formed a pattern。 Almost a tattoo。 And that tattoo showed two serpents intertwined； each with its fangs buried in the other's neck。 If necks are what snakes have behind their heads。
A distraction。 I recognized it； of course。 After the first moment； I concentrated on One…Eye。 He just grinned。
The men who were to stretch him turned back after a moment； whipped by their Colonel's snarl。 Sweet was damned unfortable now。 He had a suspicion he faced something extraordinary； but he refused to be intimidated。
As the torturers stepped up to One…Eye his naked belly heaved。 And a big； nasty spider crawled out of his navel。 It came out in a ball； dragging itself with two legs； then unwrapped the others from around a body half the size of my thumb。 It stepped aside and another crawled forth。 The first ambled down One…Eye's leg； toward the man who held the crank to which One…Eye's ankles were strapped。 The fellow's eyes just kept getting bigger。 He turned to his manding officer。
Absolute silence filled the cellar。 I don't think the imperials even remembered to breathe。
Another spider crawled out of One…Eye's heaving belly。 And another。 And he seemed diminished just a bit more each time。 His face changed； slowly shifting toward what a spider's face looks like if you look real close。 Most people do not have the nerve。
Goblin giggled。
〃Turn the crank！〃 Sweet roared。
The man at One…Eye's feet tried。 The first spider scuttled up the lever onto his hand。 He shrieked； flung his hand around； hurled the arachnid into the shadows。
〃Colonel；〃 I said in as businesslike a voice as I could muster； 〃this has gone far enough。 Let's not get someone hurt。〃
There was a whole mob of them and four of us and Sweet wanted badly to rely on that。 But already several men were edging toward the exit。 Most were edging away from us。 Everyone stared at Sweet。
Damned Goblin。 Had to let his enthusiasm get away。 He squeaked； 〃Hold on； Croaker。 This is a once…in…a…lifetime chance。 Let them stretch One…Eye a little。〃
I saw the light dawn behind Sweet's eyes； though he tried to conceal it。 〃Damn you； Goblin。 Now you've done it。 We're going to have a talk after this is over。 Colonel。 What will it be？ I have the edge here。 As you now know。〃
He elected for the better part of valor。 〃Release him；〃 he told the man nearest One…Eye。
There were spiders all over One…Eye。 He had them popping out of his mouth and ears now。 Getting enthusiastic； he had them turning up as gaudy as you can imagine； hunters； web…spinners； jumpers。 All big and revolting。 Sweet's men refused to go near him。
I told Tracker； 〃Go stand in the doorway。 Don't let anybody out。〃 He had no trouble understanding that。 I released One…Eye。 I had to keep reminding myself the arachnids were illusions。
Some illusions。 I felt the little creepies 。 。 。 Belatedly； I realized One…Eye's legions were marching on Goblin。 〃Damn it； One…Eye！ Grow up！〃 The son…of…a…bitch wasn't satisfied to bluff the imperials。 He had to play games with Goblin； too。 I wheeled on Goblin。 〃If you do one damned thing to get involved in this； I'll see you never leave the Hole again。 Colonel Sweet。 I can't say I've enjoyed your hospitality。 If you and your men will e over here？ We'll just be on our way。〃
Reluctantly； Sweet gestured。 Half of his men refused to move toward the spiders。 〃One…Eye。 Game time is over。 It's get…out…alive time。 Would you mind？〃
One…Eye gestured。 His eight…legged troops rushed into the shadows behind the rack； where they vanished into that mad oblivion from which such things spring。 One…Eye strutted over to stand by Tracker。 He was cocky now。 For weeks we would hear about how he had saved us。 If we lived to get away tonight。
I shooed Goblin over； then joined them myself。 I told Goblin and One…Eye； 〃I want no sound to escape this room。 And I want that door sealed like it was part of the wall。 Then I want to know where we find this character Corbie。〃
〃You got it；〃 One…Eye said。 Eye twinkling； he added； 〃So long； Colonel。 It was fun。〃
Sweet forebore making threats。 Sensible man。
Fixing the room took the wizards ten minutes； which I found inordinately long。 I became mildly suspicious； but forgot that notion when they said they were done and that the man we wanted was in another building nearby。
I should have harkened to my suspicions。
Five minutes later we stood in the doorway of the building where Corbie was supposed to be。 We had encountered no difficulty getting there。 〃One second； Croaker；〃 One…Eye said。 He faced the building we had vacated； snapped his fingers。
The whole damned place fell in。
〃You bastard；〃 I whispered。 〃What did you do that for？〃
〃Now there's nobody who knows who we are。〃
〃Whose fault was it they did know？〃
〃Chopped off the head of the snake； too。 Be so much confusion we could walk off with the Lady's jewelry if we wanted。〃
〃Yeah？〃 There would be those who knew we were brought in。 They would wonder some if they saw us wandering around。 〃Tell me； O genius。 Did you locate the documents I want before you tumbled the place down？ If they're in there； you're the gent who's going to dig them out。〃
His face dropped。
Yes。 I expected that。 Because that is my kind of luck。 And that is the way One…Eye is。 He never thinks things through。
〃We'll worry about Corbie first；〃 I said。 〃Inside。〃
As we pushed through the door we encountered Case ing to investigate the uproar。
Chapter Thirty…Three： MISSING MAN
〃Hi； fellow；〃 One…Eye said； punching a finger into the soldier's chest； pushing him back。〃Yeah。 It's your old pals。〃
Behind me； Tracker stared across the pound。 The collapse of the headquarters building was plete。 Fire snapped and crackled inside。 Toadkiller Dog loped around the end of the ruin。
〃Look at that。〃 I punched Goblin's arm。 〃He's running。〃 I faced Case。 〃Show us your friend Corbie。〃
He did not want to do that。
〃You don't want to argue。 We're not in the mood。 Move it or we walk over you。〃
The pound had begun to fill with yammering soldiers。 None noticed us。 Toadkiller Dog loped up； sniffed Tracker's calves； made a sound deep in his throat。 Tracker's face gleamed。
We pushed in behind Case。 〃To Corbie；〃 I reminded him。
He led us to a room where a single oil lamp illuminated a man on a bed； neatly blanketed。 Case turned the lamp up。
〃Oh； holy shit；〃 I murmured。 I plopped my butt on the edge of the bed。 〃It ain't possible。 One…Eye？〃 But One…Eye was in another universe。 He just stood there with his mouth open。 Like Goblin。
Finally； Goblin squeaked； 〃But he's dead。 He died six years ago。〃
Corbie was the Raven who played such a grand part in the pany past。 The Raven who had set Darling on her present course。
Even I had been convinced he was dead； and I was by nature suspicious of Raven。 He had tried the same stunt before。
〃Nine lives；〃 One…Eye remarked。
〃Shou