ended."

Caramon gave the snakes, swaying in their baskets, a wide berth. The High Priest and his followers had wisely

fled the arena, leaving the vipers behind. Even as Raistlin spoke his warning, one of the snakes slid out of its

basket and slithered across the floor.

People spilled into the arena, some trying to flee the melee, others seeking new opponents. A guard bumped

into a brazier, spilling burning coals onto the straw which had been spread to deaden the noise. Gouts of flame

shot up, wisps of smoke coiled into the air, further increasing the pandemonium as someone shouted hysterically

that the building was on fire.

"This way!" Raistlin gestured toward the narrow doorway inside the stone statue of the snake.

The two entered a corridor of stone, lit by flickering torches. Several doors opened off the corridor on both

sides. Raistlin looked into one of these, a large room, splendidly furnished, lit by hundreds of wax candles. In

these rooms, Belzor's priests lived-lived well, by the looks of it-and worked. He had hoped to find Judith, but the

room was empty, as was this part of the corridor. The followers of Belzor had deemed it wise to abandon the

temple mob.

Glancing around in haste, Raistlin discovered that not all the faithful had fled. A lone figure crouched in a

shadowed corner. He drew near tosee it was one of the priestesses. Either she was injured orshe had collapsed

out of fear. Whatever the reason,

the other servants of Belzor had abandoned her, left her huddled against the stone wall, weeping bitterly.

"Ask her where to find Judith!" Raistlin instructed. He deemed it wiser if he remained out of sight, hidden in the

shadows behind his brother.

Caramon gently touched the priestess on the hand, to draw her attention. She started at his touch, lifted her tearstreaked

face to stare at him fearfully.

"Where is the High Priestess?" Caramon asked.

"It wasn't my fault. She lied to us!" the girl said, gulping. "I believed her."

"Sure you did. Where-"

A scream, a scream of anger, rising shrilly to fear, was suddenly cut off, in a horrible gurgle. Raistlin was chilled

to the bone with horror at the dreadful sound. The girl screamed herself, covered her ears with her hands.

"Where is Judith?" Caramon persisted. He had no idea what was going on, but he had his instructions. He wasn't

going to let anything distract him. He shook the frightened girl.

"Her waiting room ... is down there." The girl whimpered. She crouched on her knees. "You have to believe me! I

didn't know ..."

Caramon didn't wait to hear more. Raistlin was already moving down the corridor in the direction the girl had

indicated. Caramon caught up with his twin at the end of the hall. Here the corridor branched off, ran in two

different directions, forming a Y. The torches on the left side of the corridor, the side where Judith's room was

located, had been doused. That portion of the temple was in darkness.

"We need light!" Raistlin commanded.

Caramon grabbed a torch from an iron sconce on the wall. He held it high.

Smoke from the burning straw in the arena had drifted through the doorway. The smoke slid in sinuous curls

across the floor. The light shone on a single door which stood at the end of the dark corridor, gleamed off the symbol

of the serpent made of gold which adorned the door.

"Did you hear that scream, Raist?" Caramon whispered uneasily, coming to a halt.

"Yes, and we weren't the only ones to hear it," Raistlin answered impatiently, casting his brother an annoyed

glance. "What are you standing there for? Hurry up! People will be coming to investigate. We don't have much time."

Raistlin continued walking down the hall. After a moment's hesitation, Caramon hurried to his brother's side.

Raistlin rapped sharply on the door, only to find that it swung open at his touch.

"I don't like this, Raist," Caramon said, nervous and shaken. "Let's go."

Raistlin pushed on the door.

The room was brightly lit. Twenty or thirty thick candles stood on a ledge of stone inside the small chamber.

Thick velvet curtains, hung from an interior door, closed off another room in the back, probably Judith's sleeping

chamber. Wine in a pewter goblet and bread and meat, sustenance intended for the priestess's refreshment after