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, seraph-like 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 fact. 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 a while 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 building. They usually have walls, moats, and drawbridges.’

‘I know what a castle is, Beldin.’

‘Why did you ask then? Anyway, the one ahead looks almost as if it had been transplanted directly from Arendia.’

‘Do you suppose you could clarify this for us, Cyradis?’ Belgarath asked the Seeress.

‘It is really no mystery, Ancient Belgarath,’ she replied. ‘Some two thousand years ago, a group of adventurers from the west were shipwrecked on the coast of this island. Seeing that there was no way to make their ship whole again, they settled here and took wives from among the local populace. They have retained the customs and manners and even the speech of their homeland.’

‘Lots of thee’s and thou’s?’ Silk asked her.

She nodded.

‘And castles?’

She nodded again.

‘And the men all wear armor? The same as Garion and Zakath are wearing?’

‘It is even as thou hast said, Prince Kheldar.’

He groaned.

‘What’s the problem, Kheldar?’ Zakath asked him.

‘We’ve traveled thousands of leagues only to find Mimbrates again.’

‘The reports I received from the battlefield at Thull Mardu all said that they’re very brave. That might explain the reputation of this island.’

‘Oh, it does indeed, Zakath,’ the little man told him. ‘Mimbrates are the bravest people in the world – probably because they don’t have brains enough to be afraid of anything. Garion’s friend Mandorallen is totally convinced that he’s invincible.’