tg.stone of tears-第3章

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its　neck。
　
　‘Bags；’　Zedd　muttered。　‘Nothing　is　ever　easy。’
　
　Zedd　kept　walking　backward。　The　door　crashed　to　the　floor　as　the　screeling　stepped　out　from　underneath　it　and　followed。　It　was　starting　to　learn　that　the　people　who　walked　were　the　same　ones　who　ran　or　stood　still。　This　was　an　unfamiliar　world　to　it。　Zedd　had　to　think　of　something　before　it　learned　any　more。　If　only　he　wasn’t　so　tired。
　
　Chase　went　down　a　wide　marble　stairway。　Zedd　followed　him　at　a　quick　walk。　If　he　had　been　sure　it　wasn’t　Chase　or　Rachel　the　screeling　was　after；　he　would　have　gone　a　different　way；　drawing　the　danger　away　from　them；　but　it　could　just　as　easily　go　after　them；　and　he　didn’t　want　to　leave　Chase　to　fight　it　alone。
　
　A　man　and　a　woman；　both　in　white　robes；　were　ing　up　the　stairs。　Chase　tried　to　turn　them　around　but　they　slipped　past　him。
　
　‘Walk！’　Zedd　yelled　at　them。　‘Don’t　run！　Go　back　or　you　will　be　killed！’　They　frowned　at　him　in　confusion。
　
　The　screeling　was　shuffling　along　toward　the　stairs；　its　claws　clicking　and　scraping　on　the　marble　floor。　Zedd　could　hear　it　panting　with　that　nerve…jarring　near　laughter。
　
　The　two　people　saw　the　dark　thing　and　froze；　their　blue　eyes　going　wide。　Zedd　shoved　them；　turning　them　around；　and　forced　them　back　down　the　stairs。　They　both　suddenly　broke　into　a　run；　bounding　down　the　stairs　three　at　a　time；　their　blond　hair　and　white　robes　flying。
　
　‘Don’t　run！’　Zedd　and　Chase　yelled　at　the　same　time。
　
　The　screeling　rose　up　on　its　clawed　toes；　attracted　by　the　sudden　movement。　It　let　out　a　cackling　laugh　and　darted　to　the　stairs。　Zedd　threw　a　fist　of　air；　hitting　it　in　the　chest；　knocking　it　back　a　pace。　It　hardly　noticed。　It　peered　over　the　carved　stone　railing　at　the　top　and　saw　the　people　running。
　
　With　a　cackle；　it　grasped　the　railing　and　leapt　over；　dropping　a　good　twenty　feet　to　the　two　running；　white…robed　figures。　Chase　immediately　put　Rachel’s　face　to　his　shoulder　and　reversed　direction；　ing　back　up　the　stairs。　He　knew　what　was　going　to　happen；　and　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　about　it。
　
　Zedd　waited　at　the　top。　‘Hurry；　while　it’s　distracted。’
　
　There　was　a　very　brief　struggle；　and　screams　that　were　just　as　brief。　Howling　laughter　echoed　in　the　stairwell。　Blood　splattered　in　an　arc　up　the　white　marble；　almost　to　where　Chase　was　charging　up　the　stairs。　Rachel　hid　her　face　against　him　and　hugged　his　neck　tight；　but　didn’t　make　a　sound。
　
　Zedd　was　impressed　by　her。　He　had　never　seen　one　so　young　use　her　head　as　well　as　she　did。　She　was　smart。　Smart　and　gutsy。　He　understood　why　Giller　had　used　her　to　try　to　keep　the　last　box　of　Orden　away　from　Darken　Rahl。　The　way　of　wizards；　Zedd　thought　…　using　people　to　do　what　must　be　done。
　
　The　three　ran　down　the　hall　until　the　screeling　appeared　at　the　top　of　stairs；　then　they　slowed　to　a　backward　walk。　The　screeling　grinned　with　bloodred　teeth；　its　deathless　black　eyes　momentarily　reflecting　golden　in　the　sunlight　ing　in　a　tall；　narrow　window。　It　winced　at　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