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"Of a certainty, ht replied earnestly "I vouchsafe it upon my life to thee" Mandorallen wore mail and his silver-trih, Mandorallen" Barak sighed "Now," he continued briskly, "we’ve been forbidden to ride along with Garion and the others, right?"

"That's what Cyradis said at Rheon," Hettar replied softly He wore his usual black horsehide, and his scalplock was caught in a silver ring He lounged in a chair with his long legs thrust far out in front of hio with the to Mallorea on business of our own, is there?"

"What kind of business?" Lelldorin asked blankly

"We'll think of soot a ship We'll run on down to Tot Honeth and load her with a cargo of so"

"How do you plan to get the Seabird across to the Sea of the East?" Hettar asked

"That could be a long portage, don't you think?"

Barak winked broadly "I've got a map," he said "We can sail around the southern end of Cthol Murgos and right on into the eastern sea Froos were very secretive abouthis open young face

"They are," Barak grinned, "but Javelin's been in Rak Urga and he et it away from Javelin?" Hettar asked "He's even os"

"He sailed back to Boktor aboard Greldik's ship Javelin's not a good sailor, so he wasn't feeling very well Greldik pinched the rapher make a copy Javelin never even knew he'd been robbed"

"Thy plan is excellent, ravely, "but methinks I detect a flaw"

"Oh?"

"As all the world knows, Mallorea is a vast continent, thousands of leagues across and even more thousands from the south to the polar ice of the far north It could well take us our lifetimes to locate our friends, for I perceive that to be the thrust of thy proposal"

Barak slyly laid one finger aside his nose "I was just coot Yarblek drunk He's shrewd enough when he's sober, but once you get a half keg of ale into hiets talkative I asked him a few questions about the operation of the business he and Silk are running in Mallorea, and I got some very useful answers It seems that the two of them have offices in every major city in Mallorea, and those offices keep in constant touch with each other Noto keep an eye on his business interests Every tiets near one of those offices, he'll find some excuse to stop by to see how many ht," Hettar agreed

"All we have to do is drop anchor in some Mallorean seaport and look up the little thief's office His people will know approxi to find the others"

"My Lord," Mandorallen apologized, "I have wronged thee Canst thou forgive ht, Mandorallen," Barak replied nanimously

"But," Lelldorin protested, "we're still forbidden to join Garion and the others"

"Truly," Mandorallen agreed "We may not approach them lest we doom their quest to failure"