Sorceress of Darshiva

replied in an indifferent tone. "Regardless of what Cyradis said back there, I don't really expect to come out of this alive anyway."
    "Are you sure you're not Arendish?" Garion asked suspiciously. "The whole idea is to live, Zakath, not to die. Dying defeats the purpose. Don't do it. I might need you later on. The voice told me that you're supposed to be a part of this. I think we're walking directly into the ultimate horror. You might have to hold me up when we get there."
    "Voice?"
    "It's in here," Garion tapped his forehead. "I'll explain that later. You've got enough to think about for now.''
    "You hear voices? There's a name for people who hear voices, you know."
    Garion smiled. "I'm not really crazy, Zakath," he said. "I get a little distracted once in a while, but I’ve still got a fairly firm grip on reality."
    There was a sudden, shocking sound that echoed through Garion's head like an explosion.
    "What was that?" Zakath exclaimed.
    "You heard it, too?" Garion was amazed. "You shouldn't have been able to hear it!"
    "It shook the earth, Garion. Look there." Zakath pointed off toward the north where a huge pillar of fire was soaring up toward the murky, starless sky. "What is it?"
    "Aunt Pol did something. She's never that clumsy. Listen!"
    The baying of the Hound, which had been coming closer and closer as they had been speaking, had broken off into a series of pained yelps. "It probably hurt his ears," Garion said. "I know it hurt mine."
    The Hound took up his baying again, and his howls were soon joined by others. The sound began to fade off toward the north and the boiling column of fire.
    "Let's go back," Garion said. "I don't think we need to keep watch here any more."
    Belgarath and Beldin were both pale and shaken, and even Durnik seemed awed. "She hasn't done anything that noisy since she was about sixteen," Beldin said, blinking in astonishment. He looked suspiciously at Durnik. "Have you gone and got her pregnant?"
    Even in the faint light from the overcast sky Garion could see his friend blushing furiously.
    "What would that have to do with it?" Belgarath asked.
    "It's only a theory of mine," Beldin said. "I can't prove it, because Polgara's the only sorceress I know right now, and she's never been in that condition."
    "I'm sure you'll get around to explaining it—eventually."
    "It's not that complicated, Belgarath. A woman's body gets a little confused when she's carrying a child. It does some peculiar things to her emotions and her thought processes. Focusing the Will takes control and concentration. A pregnant woman might just lose her grip on that sort of thing. You see—" He went on at some length to describe the physical, emotional, and intellectual changes involved in pregnancy.
    He spoke in matter-of-fact, even graphic, terms. After a moment, Ce'Nedra and Velvet withdrew, firmly taking Eriond with them. A moment later, Durnik joined them.
    "Did you work this out all by yourself?" Belgarath asked.
    "It gave me something to speculate about while I was watching the cave where Zedar had hidden Torak."
    "It took you five hundred years, then?"
    "I wanted to be sure I'd covered all the possibilities." Beldin shrugged.
    "Why didn't you just ask Pol? She could have told you immediately.''
    Beldin blinked. "I never thought of that," he admitted.
    Belgarath walked away, shaking his head.
    Some time later, they heard a sudden, screeching bellow coming from the west through the murky sky.
    "Everybody get down!" Belgarath hissed. "And keep quiet!''
    "What is it?" Zakath exclaimed.
    "Be still!" Beldin snapped. "She'll hear you!"
    From overhead there came the flap of vast wings and a sooty orange billow of fire. Then the huge beast flew on, screeching and belching out flames.
    "What was it?" Zakath repeated.
    "Zandramas," Garion whispered. "Keep your voice down. She might come back."
    They waited.
    "She seems to be going toward all the noise Pol kicked up," Belgarath said in a low voice.
    "At least she's not looking for us," Silk said with some relief.
    "Not yet, anyway."
    "That wasn't actually a dragon, was it?" Zakath asked the old man.
    "No, not really. Garion was right. It was Zandramas. That's her other form."
    "Isn't it just a bit ostentatious?"
    "Zandramas seems to have urges in that direction. She can only go for so long without doing something spectacular. It might have something to do with the fact that she's a woman."
    "I heard that, Belgarath," Ce'Nedra's voice came threateningly from the