Sorceress of Darshiva

him, too, then. That still leaves you, I'm afraid."
    "I just told you what to do about me."
    A faint smile touched Zakath's lips. "I don't think I really like your proposal. You're a little undependable."
    "What's your goal in all this?" Belgarath asked him.
    "I'm going to restore order in Mallorea, even if I have to depopulate whole districts to do it. Since this Sardion is the thing that's got everyone so agitated, I'd guess that my best course would be to find it and destroy it."
    "Good," Garion said, rising to his feet. "Let's go, then."
    "Oh, no, your Majesty." Zakath's tone was once again coldly imperial. "I don't trust you any more. I made that mistake once already. I can eliminate at least one of the people trying to reach the Sardion by sending you and your friends back to Mal Zeth under heavy guard. Then I can concentrate on looking for the Sardion myself.''
    "Where do you plan to start looking?" Garion asked him bluntly. The conversation, he decided, had moved around to the point where the goading Belgarath had suggested seemed to be in order. "You don't even know what you're looking for and you haven't got the faintest idea of where to start. You're just floundering around."
    "I don't think I care for that, Belgarion."
    "That's too bad. The truth is sometimes painful, isn't it?"
    "And I suppose you do know where it is?"
    "I can find out."
    "If you can, so can I, and I'm sure you'll give me a few clues."
    "Not a chance."
    "You'll grow more cooperative once I put a few of your friends on the rack. I'll even let you watch."
    "You'd better hire an expendable torturer, then. Haven't you realized yet just what I'm capable of? And all this time I thought you were intelligent."
    "I think that's quite enough, Belgarion," Zakath snapped. "Make ready. You're leaving for Mat Zeth; and to make sure you behave yourself, I'm going to separate all of you people. That should give me plenty of hostages in the event you decide to do something rash. I think that covers everything. This conversation is concluded."
    Belgarath covered his mouth with one hand and coughed. Toth nodded and lowered his head.
    Zakath stepped back in startled amazement as a shimmering apparition suddenly appeared directly in front of him. He glared at Garion. "Is this some kind of trick?" he demanded.
    "No tricks, Zakath," Garion replied. "She has some things to tell you. I suggest that you listen."
    "Wilt thou hear my words, Zakath?" the glowing form of the blindfolded Seeress of Kelt asked him.
    Zakath's face was still taut with suspicion. "What is it, Cyradis?" he asked bluntly.
    "My time with thee must needs be short, Emperor of Mallorea. I spoke to thee once concerning a crossroad in thy life. Thou hast reached mat point now. Put aside thine imperious manner and submit willingly to the task which I must lay upon thee. Thou hast spoken here of hostages."
    He drew himself up. "A custom, Cyradis," he told her. "It's a simple means of insuring good behavior."
    "Dost thou indeed feel so feeble that thou must threaten the innocent to impose thy will upon others?" Her tone was lightly touched with scorn.
    "Feeble? Me?"
    "Why else wouldst thou choose so cowardly a course? But hear me well, Kal Zakath, for thy life hangs in the balance. In the instant that thou dost raise thy hand against the Child of Light or any of his companions, thy heart shall burst, and thou shalt die between two breaths."
    "So be it then. I rule in Mallorea, and to change or falter because of any threat—even yours—is to become as nothing in my own eyes, and I will not do that."
    "Then shalt thou surely die, and in thy death shall thy mighty empire crumble into dust." She said it with a dreadful finality.
    He stared at her, his pale face growing even more livid.
    "Thou wilt not hear my warnings, Emperor of Mallorea, so I will make thee an offer instead. If thou dost require a hostage, I will be thy hostage. The Child of Light doth know that should I depart from this life ere my task is complete, his quest will surely fail. What better restraint canst thou place upon him?"
    "I will not threaten you, Holy Seeress," he said, sounding a bit less sure of himself.
    "And why not, mighty Zakath?"
    "It would not be appropriate," he said shortly. "Was that all you had to say to me? I have certain duties to attend to.''
    "They are of no moment. Thine only true duties are to me and to the task which I shall lay upon thee. The completion of that task is the purpose of thy life. It was for