"Watch out, down there," one of them roared into the confusion at the base of the wall, and the siege engine ponderously toppled outward and fell with a crash onto the rocks below.

There was a thunder of hoofs across the now-lowered bridge, and the Mimbrate knights crashed into the city.

"As soon as we tie up to the bridge, I want you and the princess and the other ladies to go to the north bank," King Rhodar said tersely to Polgara. "Get back out of harm's way. This will probably take the rest of the night, and there's no point in exposing any of you to any accidents."

"Very well, Rhodar," Polgara agreed. "And don't you do anything foolish, either. You're a rather large target, you know."

"I'll be all right, Polgara - but I'm not going to miss this." He laughed then, a strangely boyish laugh. "I haven't had so much fun in years," he declared.

Polgara gave him a quick look. "Men!" she said in a tone that said everything.

A guard of Mimbrate knights escorted the ladies and Errand perhaps a thousand yards upstream to an indented cove on the north bank of the stream, well away from the press of the horsemen rushing toward the beleaguered city. The cove had a gently sloping sand beach and was protected on three sides by steep, grass-covered banks. Durnik the smith and Olban quickly raised a tent for them, built a small fire, and then climbed up the bank to watch the attack.

"It's going according to plan," Durnik reported from his vantage point. "The Cherek ships are lining up side by side across the south channel. As soon as they get the planking in place, the troops on the other side will be able to cross."

"Can you tell if the men inside have taken the south gate yet?" Olban demanded, peering toward the city.

"I can't tell for sure," Durnik replied. "There's fighting going on in that part of the city, though."

"I'd give anything to be there," Olban lamented.

"You stay right where you are, young man," Polgara told him firmly. "You appointed yourself bodyguard to the Rivan Queen, and you're not going to go running off just because things are more interesting someplace else."

"Yes, Lady Polgara," the young Rivan answered, suddenly abashed. "It's just "

"Just what?"

"I wish I knew what was happening, that's all. My father and my brothers are in the middle of the fighting, and I have to stand here and watch."

A sudden great belch of flame shot up from inside the walls to illuminate the river with sooty red light.

Polgara sighed. "Why do they always have to bum things?" she asked sadly.

"It adds to the confusion, I suppose," Durnik replied.