Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

Most of the stairwells they ascended were quite large, some with polished marble balustrades more than an arm's length across. Verna found the variety of stone within the palace amazing. It seemed like each vast room, each passageway, each stairwell had its own unique combination of colors. A few of the more utilitarian or service areas that Berdine took them through were done in bland, beige limestone, while the more important public areas were composed of startlingly vivid colors in contrasting patterns that lent an uplifting sense of life and excitement to the space. Some of the private corridors that served as shortcuts for officials were paneled in highly polished woods illuminated by silver reflector lamps that added warm light.

While some of those private corridors were relatively small, the main passageways stood several stories high. Some of the largest-main branches of the spell-form-were lit from above by windows in the roof that let the light stream in. Rows of soaring columns to each side rose to the roof, far above. Balconies, between those fluted pillars, looked down on the people passing below. In several places there were walkways that crossed over Verna's head. In one spot, she saw two levels of walkways, one above the other.

At times they had to go up to some of these higher levels, cross bridges over the passageways and then descend again into a different branch of hallways, only to once more have to go back up in another place. Despite the up and down of the serpentine route, they steadily worked their way higher into the center of the palace.

"Through here," Berdine said as she reached a pair of mahogany doors

The doors were twice as tall as Verna. Carved in the face of the thick mahogany were a pair of snakes, one on each door, their tails coiled around branches higher up with their bodies hanging down so that the heads were at eye level. Fangs jutted out from gaping jaws, as if the pair were about to strike. The door handles, not much lower than the snakes' heads, were bronze mellowed with a patina that spoke of its age. The handles were life-sized grinning skulls.

"Lovely," Verna muttered.

"They are a warning," Berdine said. "This is meant to command people to stay out."

"Couldn't they just paint 'keep out' on the door?"

"Not everyone can read." Berdine lifted an eyebrow. "Not everyone who can read will admit to it when caught opening the door. This gives them no excuse to cross the threshold innocently and lets them know that they will have no excuse when confronted by guards."

From the chill that the sight of the doors gave her, Verna could imagine that most anyone would give them a wide berth. Berdine threw her weight into the effort of pulling open the heavy door on the right.

Inside a cozy, carpeted room paneled in the same mahogany as the tall doors, but without any more of the carved snakes, four big soldiers stood guard. They looked more fearsome than the bronze skulls.

The closest soldier casually stepped into their path. "This area is restricted."

Berdine, wearing a dark frown, skirted the man. "Good. See to it that it stays that way."

Remembering all too well that her power was next to useless in the palace, Verna stayed close on Berdine's heels. The soldier, apparently not eager to grab the Mord-Sith, instead blew a whistle that let out a thin, shrill sound, no doubt used because such a sound would carry up the stairs to other guards on patrol. The two farthest soldiers, however, stepped together to block the pathway through the room.

One of the two held up a hand, if politely, commanding them to halt. "I'm sorry, Mistress, but as he said and as you should well know, this is a restricted area."

Berdine put one hand on a cocked hip. Her Agiel spun into her other fist. She gestured with it as she spoke.

"Since we both serve the Name cause, I will not kill you where you stand. Be thankful that I'm not wearing red leather today, or I might take the time to teach you some manners. As you should be well aware, Mord-Silh are personal bodyguards to the Lord Rahl himself and we are not restricted from anywhere we choose to go."

The man nodded. "I'm well aware of that. But I've not seen you around the palace for quite some time.»

"I've been with Lord Rahl."

He cleared his throat. "Be that as it may, since you've been gone the commander general has tightened security in this area."

"Good. As a matter of fact, I am here to see Commander General Trimack about that very subject."

The man bowed his head. "Very well, Mistress. Top of the stairs. Someone will be able to see to your wishes."

When the two guards stepped apart, Berdine flashed an insincere smile and swept between them, Verna in tow.

Crossing thick carpets of golds and blues, they came to a stairwell made of a rich, flushed, tawny marble webbed with rust-color veins. Verna had never seen stone quite like it. It was strikingly beautiful, with polished vase-shaped balusters and a wide handrail that was smooth and cool under her fingers.