King of The Murgos

do not recall having summoned you, Sariss," she said in a dry, dusty whisper.
    "The queen questions the Chief Eunuch," the two dozen shaven-headed men kneeling near the dais intoned in unison.
    "Forgive me, Eternal Salmissra," the eunuch pleaded, prostrating himself on the floor before the throne. "I was forced to bring these strangers into your presence. They threatened to kill me if I refused."
    "Then you should have died, Sariss," the serpent whispered. "You know that I do not like to be disturbed."
    "The queen is displeased," half of the kneeling eunuchs murmured.
    "Ah," the other half responded with a certain spiteful satisfaction.
    Salmissra swung her swaying head slightly to fix her eyes on Issus. "I seem to know you," she said.
    The one-eyed man bowed. "Issus, your Majesty," he replied. "The assassin."
    "I do not wish to be disturbed just now," the Serpent Queen told him in her emotionless whisper. "If that means that you're going to kill Sariss, please take him out into the corridor to do it."
    "We will not disturb you for long, Salmissra," Polgara said, pushing back the hood of her cloak.
    The snake's head turned slowly, her forked tongue tasting the air. "Ah, Polgara," she hissed without any evident surprise. "It has been some time since your last visit."
    "Several years," Polgara agreed.
    "I no longer take note of the years." Salmissra's dead gaze turned to Garion. "And Belgarion," she said. "I see that you're not a boy any more."
    "No," he replied, fighting down an involuntary shudder.
    "Come closer," she whispered. "Once you thought that I was beautiful and yearned for my kiss. Would you like to kiss me now?"
    Garion felt a strange compulsion to obey and found that he could not take his eyes from those of the Serpent Queen. Not even aware that he did it, he took a hesitant step toward the dais.
    "The fortunate one approaches the throne," the eunuchs murmured.
    "Garion!" Polgara said sharply.
    "I will not hurt him, Polgara. I never intended to hurt him."
    "I have a few questions for you, Salmissra," Polgara said coldly. "Once you answer them, we'll leave you to your entertainments."
    "What manner of questions, Polgara? What could I possibly know that your sorcery could not ferret out?"
    "You recently met a Mallorean named Naradas," Polgara said. "A man with colorless eyes."
    "Is that his name? Sariss never told me."
    "You made an arrangement with him."
    "Did I?"
    "At his request, you sent diplomats to Sendaria. Among them was a foreigner named Zandramas. Your diplomats were instructed to give the foreigner every possible assistance in getting to Halberg on the west coast of Cherek. You also ordered a ship to the Isle of the Winds to bring Zandramas back to Nyissa."
    "I gave no such orders, Polgara. I have no interest in the affairs of Zandramas."
    "The name is familiar to you?"
    "Of course. I told you once that the priests of Angarak and the sorcerers of Aloria are not the only ones who can find a truth that lies hidden. I know of your desperate pursuit of the one who took Belgarion's son from the Citadel at Riva."
    "But you say that you were in no way involved in the arrangements?"
    "The one you call Naradas came to me with gifts," Salmissra whispered, "but said nothing more than that he wished my permission to trade here in Nyissa."
    "Then how do you explain this?" Aunt Pol took the parchment sheet Sadi had given her from under her cloak.
    Salmissra flicked her tongue at one of the kneeling eunuchs. "Bring it to me," she ordered.
    The eunuch leaped to his feet, took the parchment from Aunt Pol, and then knelt on the edge of the dais, holding the sheet open and extended toward his queen.
    "This is not the order I gave," Salmissra said flatly after the briefest of glances. "I ordered the diplomats to Sendaria—nothing more. Your copy is not accurate, Polgara."
    "Would the original be about anywhere?" Garion asked her.
    "Sariss should have it."
    Garion looked at the fat eunuch groveling on the floor. "Where is it?" he demanded.
    Sariss stared at him, then his gaze went in terror to the enthroned serpent.
    Garion considered several alternatives but discarded most of them in favor of simplicity. "Make him talk, Issus," he said shortly.
    The one-eyed man stepped over, straddled the trembling eunuch, and grasped his chin firmly from behind. Then he pulled up sharply until Sariss was arched backward. The saw-edged dagger made a steely grating sound as it came out of its sheath.
    "Wait!" Sariss begged in a