The Seeress of Kell

for him. Let's make it lighter a little at a time." He watched as Zakath strained to raise the sword. "A little more," he instructed the Orb.
    The sword point came up slowly.
    "How's that?" Garion asked.
    "A bit more, maybe," Zakath grunted.
    "Do it," Garion said to the Orb.
    "That's better " Zakath sighed " but is it really safe to talk to that stone that way?”
    "You have to be firm. It's like a dog or a horse sometimes or even a woman."
    "I will not forget thy remark, King Belgarion," Cyradis said in a crisp tone.
    He grinned at her. "I didn't expect you to, Holy Seeress," he said mildly.
    "One for your side," Zakath said.
    "You see how useful that is?" Garion laughed. "I'll make an Alorn of you yet.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    The ship continued to move against the wind, and when they were perhaps three leagues out from the harbor, the albatross appeared, ghosting along on motionless, seraphlike wings. It made one solitary cry, and Polgara inclined her head in response. Then it took a position just in advance of the bowsprit as if it were leading the vessel.
    "Isn't that peculiar?" Velvet said. "It's just like the one we saw on the way to the Isle of Verkat.”
    "No, dear," Polgara told her. "He's the same one."
    "That's impossible, Lady Polgara. That was half a world away."
    "Distance has no meaning to a bird with wings like that."
    "What's he doing here?"
    "He has a task of his own."
    "Oh? What's that?"
    "He did not choose to tell me, and it would have been impolite of me to ask.”
    Zakath had been walking up and down the deck trying to set his armor into place. "This always looks so splendid, but it's really very uncomfortable, isn't it?"
    “Not nearly as uncomfortable as not having it on when you really need it," Garion told him.
    "You get used to it in time, though, don't you?"
    "Not appreciably, no."
    Although it was some distance to the island of Perivor, the strange ship with its silent crew made good time and landed them on a wooded coast about noon the following day.
    "To be perfectly honest with you," Silk said to Garion as they unloaded the horses, "I'm just as happy to be off that vessel. A ship that sails against the wind and sailors who don't swear make me nervous somehow."
    "There are a great many things about this entire business that are making me nervous," Garion replied.
    "The only difference is that I'm just an ordinary man. You're a hero."
    "What's that got to do with it?"
    "Heroes aren't allowed to be nervous."
    "Who made up that rule?"
    "It's a known tact. What happened to that albatross?"
    "He flew off as soon as we came in sight of land." Garion put his visor down.
    "I don't care what Polgara says about them," Silk said with a shudder. “I’ve known a lot of sailors, and I’ve never heard one of them with anything good to say about those birds."
    "Sailors are superstitious."
    "Garion, there's some basis in fact for all superstitions." The little man squinted at the dark woods lining the upper end of the beach. "Not a very inviting coast, is it? I wonder why the ship didn't put us down in some seaport?"
    "I don't think anybody really knows why the Dals do anything."
    After the horses had been unloaded from the ship, Garion and the others mounted and rode up the beach into the woods. "I think I'd better cut you and Zakath some lances," Durnik said to Garion. "Cyradis had some reason for putting you two in armor, and I’ve noticed that an armored man usually looks a little undressed without a lance.” He dismounted, took his axe, and went back among the trees. He returned a few moments later with two stout poles. "I'll put points on them when we stop for the evening," he promised.
    "This is going to be awkward," Zakath said, fumbling with his lance and shield.
    "You do it like this," Garion said, demonstrating. "Buckle the shield on your left arm and hold the reins in your left hand. Then set the butt of the lance in the stirrup beside your right foot and hold it in place with your free hand."
    "Have you ever fought with a lance?"
    "A few times, yes. It's fairly effective against another man wearing armor. Once you knock him off his horse, it takes him quite awhile to get back on his feet again."
    Beldin, as usual, had been scouting ahead. He came drifting back, ghosting among the trees on almost motionless wings. "You're not going to believe this," he said to Belgarath after he had changed back into his own form.
    "What's that?"
    "There's a castle up ahead."
    "A what?"
    “A large