g hard。 His chain…mail shirt and the tan leather tunic under it had big rips from the claws。 Rachel got more tears at all the blood on him。 Blood was running down his arm onto her hand。 She didn’t want him to be hurt。 She loved him something fierce。 She clutched Sara and the fire stick tighter。
Zedd stopped。 ‘Keep walking；’ he told Chase。
The dark thing looked at Zedd standing there； and a big grin with sharp teeth came to its face again。 It laughed that awful laugh and tore at the ground as it started in a rush toward the wizard。
Zedd threw his hands up。 Dirt and grass flew up in the air around the thing。 It was lifted into the air。 Bolts of blue lightning struck it from all around before it hit the ground。 It howled in laughter as it thudded to the ground； smoking。
Something else happened； Rachel couldn’t tell what； and the thing stopped with its arms stretched out； like it was trying to run； but its feet were stuck。 It howled and twisted； but couldn’t move。 Zedd’s arms swirled around in circles and he threw them out once more。 The ground shook as if from thunder and there were flashes of light hitting the thing。 It laughed and there was a breaking sound； like wood snapping； and the thing started toward Zedd。
Zedd began walking again。 The thing stopped and frowned。 Then the wizard stopped and threw his arms out again。 A terrible ball of fire went through the air toward the thing as it ran for Zedd。 The ball of fire made a loud scream and grew bigger as it flew toward the dark thing。
The fire hit so hard it made the ground shake。 The blue and yellow light was so bright Rachel had to squint as she was walking backward。 The ball of fire stayed in that one place as it burned and made a loud roar。
Smoking； the dark thing stepped out of the fire； its shoulders shaking as it laughed。 The flames went out in little sparks that flew around in the air。
‘Bags；’ the wizard said as he started walking backward。
Rachel didn’t know what ‘bags’ meant； but Chase had told Zedd not to say it in front of little ears。 She didn’t know what that meant either。 The wizard’s wavy； white hair was all messed up and sticking out in clumps。
Rachel and Chase were on the path through the trees； almost to the door。 Zedd was walking backward toward them as the dark thing watched。 Zedd stopped and the thing started ing again。
Walls of flame shot up in front of it。 The air smelled like smoke and roared with noise。 The thing stepped through the wall of fire。 Zedd made another； and it stepped through that； too。
When the wizard started walking again； it stopped by a short； vine…covered wall； watching。 Fat vines ripped off the wall by themselves and grew suddenly longer。 They whipped around the dark thing as it stood there； tangling all around it。 Zedd was almost up with them。
‘Where are we going？’ Chase asked him。
Zedd turned。 He looked tired。 ‘Let’s see if we can shut it in here。’
The thing tore at the vines as they pulled it to the ground； and was slicing through them with its sharp claws as the three of them went through the big doorway。 Chase and Zedd each took one of the golden metal doors and pushed it shut。
From the other side came a howl； and then a loud crash。 A big dent popped out in the door； knocking Zedd to the ground。 Chase put a hand on each door and put all his weight against them as the thing pounded from the other side。
Horrible screeches came through the metal as the thing clawed at the door。 Chase was covered with sweat and blood。 Zedd jumped to his feet and helped Chase hold the doors closed。
A claw stuck through the crack between the two doors and slid down； then another came out from underneath。 Through the door； Rachel could hear the thing laughing。 Chase grunted as he pushed。 The doors creaked。
The wizard stood back and held out his arms； with his fingers up； like he was pushing against the air。 The creaking stopped。 The thing howled louder。
Zedd grabbed Chase’s sleeve。 ‘Get out of here。’
Chase backed away from the doors。 ‘Is that going to hold it？’
‘I don’t think so。 If it es for you； walk。 Running or standing still attracts its attention。 Tell anyone else you see。’
‘Zedd； what is that thing？’
There was another loud crash and another big dent popped out in the door。 The tips of claws broke through the metal and made rips in the door。 The noise it made hurt Rachel’s ears。
‘Go！ Now！’
Chase snatched her up with an arm around her waist and started running down the hall。
CHAPTER 2
Zedd idly fingered the stone through the coarse cloth of his robe； where it was nestled in an inner pocket； as he watched the claws pull back through the rips in the metal。 He turned and watched the boundary warden carrying Rachel down the hall。 They hadn’t gone more than a few dozen strides when one of the doors flew off its hinges with a horrific boom。 The strong hinges shattered as if they were made of clay。
Zedd dove out of the way； the gold…clad iron door just missing him as it flew across the hall and crashed against the polished granite wall； sending shards of metal flying and stone dust boiling down the hall。 Zedd rolled to his feet and ran。
The screeling bounded out of the Garden of Life and into the hall。 Its body was hardly more than a squat skeleton covered in a veneer of dry； crisp； blackened skin。 Like a corpse that had dried in the sun for years。 White bone stuck out in places where the skin； hanging in flaps here and there； had been torn in the fight； but that didn’t seem to bother the creature； it was a thing of the underworld； and not hindered by all the frailties of life。 There was no blood。
If it could be torn up enough； or hacked apart； maybe it could be stopped； but it was awfully quick。 And magic certainly wasn’t doing it much harm。 It was a creature of Subtractive Magic； Additive Magic was just being absorbed into it like a sponge。
Maybe it could be harmed with Subtractive Magic； but Zedd had nothing of that half of the gift。 No wizard in the last few thousand years did。 Some might have had the calling for the Subtractive … Darken Rahl was proof of that … but none had had the gift for it。
No； his magic wasn’t going to stop this thing。 At least； the wizard thought； not directly。 But maybe indirectly？
Zedd walked backward as the screeling watched with blinking； bewildered eyes。 Now； he thought； while it’s standing still。
Concentrating； Zedd gathered the air； making it dense； dense enough to lift the heavy door。 He was tired； it took an effort。 He pushed the air with a mental grunt； crashing the door onto the back of the screeling。 Dust rolled up and across the hall as the door slammed the creature to the ground。 It howled。 Zedd wondered if it was howling in pain； or anger。
The door lifted； stone chips sliding off。 The screeling held the heavy door up with one clawed hand as it laughed； a woody tendril of the vine he had tried to strangle it with still coiled around 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