“Why not just go there and quickly kill him? It’s only an elf.”

“We may have them after us when you don’t turn up,” she said, “but we most certainly will if they find a dead sentry in that post.”

He sighed, as if he were disappointed, then said, “Very well. They don’t keep close track of us, mostly because those things they make us wear…it saps our will and makes our minds…muddled.”

“Tell me about it later,” said Sandreena, and Keandar nodded. To herself she muttered, “If there is a later.”

Dawn found a very nervous Farson waiting in the designated spot, all three horses tacked up and ready to ride. He had his sword out as Sandreena hove into view, and was about to strike when she called him by name.

“Sergeant?” he asked, looking at the dwarf.

“This is Keandar of Dorgin. If anything happens and I fall, you get him to Sorcerer’s Island.”

Farson’s eyes widened. “Sorcerer’s Island? Sergeant, no one goes…”

“Sorcerer’s Island.”

“But Krondor…”

Firmly, she said, “Sorcerer’s Island.” She looked around, then asked, “Jaliel?”

Farson shook his head.

“We wait until the sun clears the horizon, then we leave without him.” She knew he was probably lost; even coming from the other side of that fortification, had he been close to being on time, they would have encountered each other in the gully or on the upper trail. Still, she honored her word to him to wait.

And they waited. The sun rose, and when she could see it full above the horizon, she said, “Goddess, watch over him.” She took the reins of Jaliel’s mount and handed them to the dwarf. “Do you need a leg up?”

The dwarf grinned. In the morning sun his hair and beard looked especially red and his eyes were a glinting blue. He was, like most of his race, barrel-chested and broad of shoulders, with powerful arms and thick legs. “I’m short,” he replied, “not a child.”

His vault into the saddle was impressive and he took the reins in hand like a practiced rider.

Farson and Sandreena mounted and she took one last look around, half-hoping to see Jaliel come into sight. Then, taking a deep breath, she said, “Durban!”

They turned their horses and rode to the north.

CHAPTER 9

WAR

Gulamendis leaped.

The lizard scuttled away, but not before the Demon Master seized it and with a single motion, bashed it hard against the rocks. He hurried back to the cave where his brother waited. A small fire burned in the back and the Conjurer was huddled before it, trying to stay warm in the early morning chill.