The pillars of creation

An instant in time later, the hours of chanting were ended.

Je

"Anything wrong, here?"

There was a soldier towering over her.

The woman to the side put an arm around Je

"Her mother passed away recently," the woman quietly explained.

The soldier shifted his weight, looking ill at ease.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. My heartfelt sympathy to you and your family."

Je

Stu

Je

She missed her mother beyond endurance. And now, she was terrified for Sebastian.

Je

Now that the devotion was over, the noise of all the people in the palace rose again to resound off marble walls and columns. Laughter could be heard ringing out across the hall. People had gone back to their own concerns, buying, trading, discussing their wants and needs. Guards patrolled, and palace staff, most in light-colored robes, went about their business, carrying messages, seeing to matters Je

The cleaning staff was back, too, busy at dusting, mopping, polishing. Je

After chanting the devotion for hours, Je

She moved quickly, back the way she had come. There was no time to lose. On balconies above, people who lived at the People's Palace gazed down on the hall as they went about their work, watching those who had come to marvel at the great place. Je

Sebastian had warned her not to run and cause people to wonder if there was something wrong. He had cautioned her to act normal, lest she give people reason to take note. Yet, so acute was the danger of being at the palace, that he had been captured despite knowing how to act. If she raised suspicion, then soldiers would surely stop her. If the soldiers got ahold of her, and found out who she was…

Je

If they tortured him, he might not be able to hold out. If he confessed to who he was, they would put him to death. The thought of Sebastian being executed almost made her knees give out. Under torture, people would confess to anything, whether true or not. If they decided to torture him to make him confess to something, he was doomed. The mental image of Sebastian being tortured made her sick and dizzy.

She had to rescue him.

But to do that, she had to have the sorceress's help. If Althea would help her, cast Je

She reached the stairs where they had come up. People were still emptying up into the hall, some sweating and buffing with the effort of the climb. Few were going down, yet. Standing at the edge, hand on the marble rail, she took a careful look around, making sure she wasn't being followed or observed. Despite her urge to run, she made herself look around casualty. Some people looked at her, but no more than they looked at anyone. Patrolling soldiers were a good distance off. Je

She went as quickly as possible without looking like she was ru

She thought that going down would be easy, but after hundreds of steps she found that going down was tiring on the legs. Her legs burned with the effort. She told herself that if she couldn't run, she could at least not stop but keep going and in that way make better time.

On the landings, she cut the comers, saving steps. When no one was looking, she took the stairs two at a time. When she had to traverse passageways, she tried to screen herself behind clumps of people as she went past watchful guards. People sitting on benches, eating bread and meat pies, drinking ale, talking with friends, casually noted her along with everyone else who passed, just another visitor going by.

Lord Rahl's half sister among them.

On the steps again, she went quickly, her legs trembling from the nonstop effort. Her muscles burned with the need of a rest, but she gave them none. Instead, she pushed faster when she had the chance. On an empty flight of stairs between two landings screened from sight because they turned from different directions, Je

The air grew colder as she descended. On one level, with guards thick as flies in a barn in spring, one of the soldiers looked right into her eyes and smiled. Stu

Unable to contain her fear, Je

Breathing hard from the long descent, she finally made it to the cavelike entrance with the hissing torches. Since there were so many soldiers at the portal into the great plateau, she slowed and walked close behind an older couple to make it look as if she might be a daughter with her parents. The couple was engaged in a spirited debate of a friend's chances of making a go of it with his new shop selling wigs up in the palace. The woman thought it a good business. The man thought his friend would run out of willing sellers of their hair and would end up spending too much of his time looking for more.

Je

Neither one of the couple noticed Je

Stretching her neck, she looked about for the red scarf as she rushed down the rows of stalls. The places that before had seemed so splendid now looked shabby after she had been in the palace. In the whole of her life, Je

A hawker pushed in close. "Charms, for the lady? Good luck for sure." Je

"No, thank you."

He walked sideways, right close in front of her but off to the side a bit. "Just a silver pe

She thought she would trip over the man's feet. "No, thank you. Please leave me be, now."

"A copper pe

"No." Je

"Good charms, they are, my lady." He kept bumping her as she tried to walk, as she craned her neck, looking for the red scarf. "Good luck for you.»

" No, I said." Almost stumbling over the man, she gave him a stiff shove. "Please, leave me be!"

Je

Past an empty space, before a table with wine casks, Je

Je