The Ruby Knight

got us so close to Bhelliom. A Zemoch is incapable of logic. That’s Azash’s weakness. A Zemoch doesn’t think because he doesn’t have to. Azash does all his thinking for him. That’s why Azash so desperately needs Elene converts. He doesn’t need their adoration; He needs their minds. He has Zemochs all over the western kingdoms gathering old stories – in the same way that we did. I think He believes that one of them will stumble over the right story and that then His Elene converts will be able to piece together the meaning of it.’
    ‘That’s the long way around, isn’t it?’
    ‘Azash has time. He’s not pressed by the same sense of urgency that we are.’
    Later that night, Sparhawk was standing watch some distance away from the fire, looking out over the small lake that glittered in the moonlight. Again, the howls of wolves echoed back in the dismal woods, but now for some reason the sound did not seem so ominous. The ghastly spirit which had haunted this forest was locked away forever, and the wolves were only wolves now and not harbingers of evil. The Seeker, of course, was an entirely different matter. Grimly Sparhawk promised himself that the next time they encountered it, he would bury the spear of Aldreas in the hideous creature.
    ‘Sparhawk, where are you?’ It was Talen. He spoke quietly and stood near the fire peering out into the darkness.
    ‘Over here.’
    The boy came towards him, putting his feet down carefully to avoid hidden obstructions on the ground.
    ‘What’s the problem?’ Sparhawk asked him.
    ‘I couldn’t sleep. I thought you might like some company.’
    ‘I appreciate that, Talen. Standing watch is a lonely business.’
    ‘I’m certainly glad to be away from that castle,’ Talen said. ‘I’ve never been so scared in my life.’
    ‘I was a little nervous myself,’ Sparhawk admitted.
    ‘Do you know something? There were all sorts of very nice things in Ghasek’s castle, and I didn’t once think of stealing any of them. Isn’t that odd?’
    ‘Maybe you’re growing up.’
    ‘I’ve known some very old thieves,’ Talen disagreed. Then he sighed disconsolately.
    ‘Why so mournful, Talen?’
    ‘I wouldn’t tell just anyone this, Sparhawk, but it’s not as much fun as it used to be. Now that I know I can take just about anything I want from almost anybody, the thrill has sort of gone out of it.’
    ‘Maybe you should look for another line of work.’
    ‘What else am I suited for?’
    ‘I’ll give it some thought and let you know what I come up with.’
    Talen laughed suddenly.
    ‘What’s so funny?’ Sparhawk asked him.
    ‘I might have just a little trouble getting references,’ the boy replied, still laughing. ‘My customers didn’t usually know they were doing business with me.’
    Sparhawk grinned. ‘It could be a problem,’ he agreed. ‘We’ll work something out.’
    The boy sighed again. ‘It’s almost over, isn’t it, Sparhawk? We know where that king’s buried now. All we have left to do is go and dig up his crown, and then we’ll go back to Cimmura. You’ll go to the palace, and I’ll go back to the streets.’
    ‘I don’t think so,’ Sparhawk said. ‘Maybe we can come up with an alternative to the streets.’
    ‘Maybe, but the minute it gets tedious, I’ll just run away again. I’m going to miss all this, you know? There’ve been a few times when I was so scared I almost wet myself, but there have been good times too. Those are the ones I’ll remember.’
    ‘At least we gave you something.’ Sparhawk put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. ‘Go back to bed, Talen. We’ll be getting up early tomorrow.’
    ‘Whatever you say, Sparhawk.’
    They set out at dawn, riding carefully along the rutted road to avoid injury to the horses. They passed the woodcutters’ village without stopping and pressed on.
    ‘How far do you make it?’ Kalten asked, about mid-morning.
    ‘Three – maybe four more days – five more at the most,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘Once we get out of this forest, the roads improve and we’ll make better time.’
    ‘Then all we have to do is find Giant’s Mound.’
    ‘That shouldn’t be much of a problem. From what Ghasek said, the local peasantry uses it as a landmark. We’ll ask around.’
    ‘Then we get to start digging.’
    ‘It’s not really the sort of thing you want to have somebody do for you.’
    ‘Do you remember what Sephrenia said at Alstrom’s castle back in Lamorkand?’