Sorceress of Darshiva

was Challenge in her voice.
    "You haven't changed a bit," he said in a voice thick emotion.
    "Oh, I've changed all right," she replied wryly, "in ways not even you could imagine."
    "It doesn't show."
    "It's nice of you to say so. Did you hear the little exchange between the witch and me?"
    He nodded. "You were taking chances, Poledra. What if she had taken up your challenge?"
    "Wolves enjoy taking chances." She shrugged. "It adds certain zest to their lives. It really wasn't all that risky, though. Zandramas is the Child of Dark, and the Dark Spirit is gradually taking over her body as well as her soul; it's not going to gamble at this particular time. It takes too long to train replacements, and there's not that much time left before the final meeting. All right, let's get down to business. Zandramas has her Angarak king now."
    Belgarath nodded. "We'd heard about that."
    "You always were good at ferreting out secrets. The coronation ceremony was fairly grotesque. Zandramas followed the ancient Angarak ritual. Torak was supposed to be present, but she worked her way around that. It involved a certain amount of fakery, but the image of Him she conjured up was convincing enough to deceive the gullible."
    Poledra smiled. "It certainly persuaded Archduke Otrath," she added. "He fainted on three separate occasions during the ceremony. I think the oaf actually believes that he really is the emperor now—a delusion Kal Zakath's headsman will relieve him of shortly if Otrath is unlucky enough to fall into his cousin's hands. At any rate, Zandramas has only one more major task."
    "Oh?" Belgarath said. "What's that?"
    "The same as yours. She has to find out where the meeting's supposed to take place. Don't dally on your way to Kell. You've still got a long way to go. Time's getting short, and you have to get across the Magan before Zakath gets here."
    "Zakath?" He sounded startled.
    "You mean you didn't know? He moved his army into place around Maga Renn some weks back. He sent out advance elements a few days ago, and he left Maga Renn with the bulk of his army just yesterday. He plans to blockade the river from the northern end of the Dalasian Mountains to the jungles of Gandahar. If he gets that blockade in place, you might have some difficulty getting across the river." Then she looked at Beldin. "You haven't changed much, my crooked friend," she noted.
    "Did you expect me to, Poledra?" He grinned at her.
    "I thought you might at least have changed that disreputable old tunic—or that it might have rotted off your back by now."
    "I patch it from time to time." He shrugged. "Then I replace the patches when they wear out. It's a comfortable tunic and it fits me. The original is probably only a memory, though. Is there anything else you think we need to know? Or are we going to stand around discussing my wardrobe?"
    She laughed. "I've missed you," she told him. "Oh, one of the hierarchs of Cthol Mtirgos has landed at Finda on the west coast of the Dalasian Protectorates."
    "Which one?"
    "Agachak,"
    "Does he have an Angarak king with him?" Silk asked eagerly.
    "Yes."
    "Urgit—the King of the Murgos?"
    She shook her head. "No. Apparently Urgit defied Agachak and refused to make the journey."
    "Urgit defied Agachak? Are you sure? Urgit's afraid of his own shadow.''
    "Not any more, it seems. Your brother's changed quite a bit since you last saw him, Kheldar. His new wife may have had something to do with that. She's a very determined young woman, and she's making him over to fit her conception of him."
    "That's terribly depressing," Silk mourned.
    "Agachak brought the new king of the Thulls instead—a cretin named Nathel." Poledra looked at her husband. "Be very careful when you get to Dalasia," she told him. "Zandramas, Urvon, and Agachak will all be converging on you. They hate each other, but they all know that you're the common enemy. They may decide to put aside their feelings in order to join forces against you."
    "When you add Zakath and the whole Mallorean army to that, the Place Which Is No More might be just a little crowded when we get there," Silk observed wryly.
    "Numbers will mean absolutely nothing in that place, Kheldar. There will only be three who matter there—the Child of Light, the Child of Dark, and the Seeress of Kell, who will make the choice." She looked at Eriond then. "Do you know what it is you have to do?" she asked him.
    "Yes," be replied simply. "It's not such a difficult thing,