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the light； licked the blood off its claws； and then loped after them。 They went down the next stairway。 The creature followed； sometimes stopping briefly in confusion； seemingly unsure if it was them it was after。
Chase held Rachel in one arm and a sword in his other hand。 Zedd stayed between them and the screeling as they backed down a small hall。 The screeling climbed up the walls； scratching the smooth stone； and sprang across tapestries； tearing them with its claws as it followed the three。
Polished walnut side tables； each with three ornate legs carved in vines and dotted with gilded blossoms； tipped over into the hall as the screeling pushed at them with a claw； grinning and laughing at the sound of cut…glass vases shattering on the stone floor。 Water and flowers spilled over carpets。 The screeling hopped down and tore a priceless blue and yellow Tanimuran carpet to shreds as it howled in laughter and then skittered up the wall to the ceiling。
It advanced along the ceiling like a spider； head hanging down； watching them。
‘How can it do that？’ Chase whispered。
Zedd only shook his head as they backed into the immense central halls of the People’s Palace。 The ceiling here was well over fifty feet high； a collection of four…pointed ribbed vaults held up by a column at the corner of each vault。
Suddenly the screeling sprang along the ceiling of the small hall it was in and leapt at them。
Zedd released a bolt of fire as the creature flew through the air。 He missed； the fire boiling up the granite wall； leaving a trail of black soot before it dissipated。
For the first time； Chase didn’t miss。 With a solid strike his sword lopped off one of the screeling’s arms。 For the first time the screeling howled in pain。 It tumbled around on the ground and darted behind a green…veined gray marble column。 The severed arm lay on the stone floor； twitching and grasping。
Soldiers came running across the vast hall； their swords to hand； the clatter of their armor and weapons reverberating off the vaulted ceilings high overhead； their boot strikes echoing off the tiles around the devotion pool as they skirted it。 D’Haran soldiers were a fierce lot； and they looked all the more so at finding there was an invader in the palace。
Zedd felt an odd sort of apprehension at the sight of them。 A few days ago they would have dragged him off to the former Master Rahl to be killed； now they were the loyal followers of the new Master Rahl； Zedd’s grandson； Richard。
As Zedd saw the soldiers ing； he realized the halls were filled with people。 The afternoon devotion had just ended。 Even if the screeling did have only one arm； this could be a bloodbath。 The screeling could kill a few dozen of them before they even thought to run。 And then it would kill more when they did。 They had to get all these people away。
The soldiers rushed up around the wizard； eyes hard； searching； ready； looking for the cause of the motion。 Zedd turned to the mander； a heavily muscled man in leather and a polished breastplate with the ornate letter R embossed on it： the symbol of the House of Rahl。 The scars of rank were incised on upper arms covered only with coarse mail sleeves。 Intense blue eyes glowered out from under his gleaming helmet。
‘What’s going on here？’ he demanded。 ‘What is it？’
‘Get these people out of this hall。 They are all in danger。’
The mander’s face reddened behind the cheek plates of his helmet。 ‘I’m a soldier； not a bloody sheepherder！’
Zedd gritted his teeth。 And a soldier’s first duty is to protect people。 If you don’t get these people out of this hall； mander； I will see to it you bee a sheepherder！’
The mander’s fist snapped to his heart in salute； his voice suddenly controlled at realizing who he was arguing with。 ‘By your mand； Wizard Zorander。’ He turned his anger instead on his men。 ‘Get everyone back！ Right bloody now！ Spread rank！ Sweep the hall！’
The soldiers fanned out； pushing a wave of startled people before them。 Zedd hoped they could get them all clear； and then maybe； with the soldiers’ help； they could bottle up the screeling and hack it to pieces。
But then the screeling launched itself from behind the column； a black streak tearing across the floor。 It tumbled into a bunched knot of onlookers the soldiers were herding back； toppling many over one another to the floor。 Shrieks and wails and the screeling’s hideous laughter erupted from across the hall。
Soldiers fell upon the creature and were flung back； bloodied； as more came to their aid。 In the panicked clump of people； the soldiers couldn’t swing a sword or axe with any effect as the screeling tore a bloody path through the bodies。 It had no more caution for the armed soldiers than unarmed innocents。 It simply ripped at anyone close enough。
‘Bags！’ Zedd cursed。 He turned to Chase。 ‘Stick close to me。 We have to draw it away。’ He looked around。 ‘Over there。 The devotion pool。’
They ran to the square pool of water that was situated under an opening in the roof。 Sunlight streamed down； reflecting in rippling patterns on the column at one of its corners。 A bell perched on the dark pitted rock that sat off…center in the water。 Orange fish glided through the shallow pool； unconcerned with the mayhem above。
Zedd was getting an idea。 The screeling certainly wasn’t bothered by fire； the most it did when hit with it was steam a little。 He ignored the sounds of pain and dying and stretched his hands out over the water； gathering its warmth； preparing it for what he was going to do。 He could see shimmering waves of heat just above the surface of the water。 He held the rising heat at that point； just below ignition。
‘When it es；’ he told Chase； ‘we have to get it in the water。’
Chase nodded。 Zedd was glad the boundary warden wasn’t one who always needed to have things explained to him； and knew better than to waste precious seconds with questions。 Chase set Rachel on the floor。 ‘Stay behind me；’ he told her。
She； too； asked no questions。 She nodded and hugged her doll close。 Zedd saw she was clutching the fire stick in her other hand。 Gutsy indeed。 He turned to the uproar across the hall； lifted a hand； and sent tickling tongues of flame into the flailing dark thing in its center。 The soldiers fell back。
The screeling straightened； turning； dropping a disembodied arm from its teeth as it did so。 Steam rose where the flames had licked it。 It hissed a cackling laugh at the wizard standing still in the sunlight by the pool。
The soldiers were pushing the remaining people down the halls； although the people no longer needed the encouragement。 Zedd rolled balls of fire across the floor。 The screeling batted them out of the way and they sparked out。 Zedd knew the fire wouldn’t harm it； he only wanted to draw its attention。 It worked。
‘Don’t forget；’ he said to Chase； ‘in the water。’
‘You don’t mind if it’s dead when it goes in； do you？’
‘All the better。’
With a clatter of claws against stone； the screeling charged across the hall。 The tips o