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"Nachak will have you killed for this, Lelldorin," Torasin cried "We've all been sworn to secrecy on a blood oath"

"Tell the Murgo that I spit on his oath," Lelldorin said hotly "What need have Asturian patriots for a Murgo henchold, you blockhead!" Torasin raged, alold to buy the uniforthen the backbones of sos with me," Lelldorin said intensely "A patriot does what he does for love of his country-not for Angarak gold"

Garion'squickly now His moment of stunned amazement had passed "There was a man in Cherek," he recalled "The Earl of Jarvik He also took Murgo gold and plotted to kill a king"

The two stared at hi happens to a country when you kill its king," Garion explained "No ood the people are who kill hi is confused, and there's nobody to point the country in any one direction Then, if you start a war between that country and another one at the same time, you add just that o, that's exactly the kind of confusion I'd want to see in all the kingdoms of the West"

Garion listened to his own voice almost in amazement There was a dry, dispassionate quality in it that he instantly recognized From the time of his earliest memories that voice had always been there - inside hishi or foolish But the voice had never actively interfered before in his dealings with other people Noever, it spoke directly to these two young old isn't what it seems to be," he went on "There's a kind of power in it that corrupts you Maybe that's why it's the color of blood I'd think about that before I accepted any o Nachak Why do you suppose he's giving you gold and helping you with this plan of yours? He's not an Asturian, so patriotis to do with it, could it? I'd think about that, too"

Lelldorin and his cousin looked suddenly troubled

"I' about this to anybody," Garion said "You told me about it in confidence, and I really wasn't supposed to hear about it anyway But reht now than what's happening here in Arendia Now I think I'd like to get some sleep If you'll shohere ht, if you'd like"

All in all, Garion thought he'd handled the whole thing rather well He'd planted a few doubts at the very least He knew Arends well enough by now to realize that it probably wouldn't be enough to turn these two around, but it was a start

Chapter Four

THE FOLLOWING MORNING they rode out early while the en, wrapped in a dark cloak, stood at his gate to bid the beside his father, seemed unable to take his eyes off Garion's face Garion kept his expression as blank as possible The fiery young Asturian seeht keep hi disastrous It wasn't e under the circuen said "Soer We're very isolated here, and I'd like to knohat the rest of the world's doing We'll sit by the fire and talk away a ravely "Maybe when this business of en" Then he turned his horse and led the way across the wide clearing that surrounded Reldegen's house and back once again into the gloohtly as they rode along "I think I actually detected an original thought or two in hireed

"He sets a good table," Barak said "I haven't felt this full since I left Val Alorn"

"You should," Aunt Pol told hiest part of one deer by yourself"

"You're exaggerating, Polgara," Barak said

"But not by very much," Hettar observed in his quiet voice Lelldorin had pulled his horse in beside Garion's, but he had not spoken His face was as troubled as his cousin's had been It was obvious that he wanted to say soin