"Unbelievable!" she exclaimed, spreading both arms. "Why don't you just cut my heart out and have done with it? I couldn't consider anything less than three and a half."

"To save time, why don't we just say three?" He said it firmly. "With intention that the arrangement become permanent," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Permanent?" Vella's eyes widened.

"I like you," he replied. "Well, what do you say?"

"Stand up and let me have a look at you," she ordered him. Slowly he unwound himself from the chair in which he had lounged. His tall body was as lean as his scarred face, and there was a hardmuscled quality about him. Vella pursed her lips and looked him over. "Not bad, is he?" she murmured to Tashor.

"You could do worse, Vella," her owner answered encouragingly. "I'll consider your offer of three with intentions," Vella declared. "Have you got a name?"

"Tekk," the tall trapper introduced himself with a slight bow.

"Well then, Tekk," Vella told him, "don't go away. Tashor and I need to talk over your offer." She gave him an almost shy look. "I think I like you, too," she added in a much less challenging tone. Then she took hold of the leash that was still wrapped around Tashor's fist and led him out of the tavern, glancing back over her shoulder once or twice at the lean-faced Tekk.

"That is a lot of woman," Silk murmured with a note of profound respect.

Garion found that he was able to breathe again, though his ears still felt very hot. "What did they mean by intention?" he quietly asked Silk.

"Tekk offered an arrangement that usually leads to marriage," Silk explained.

That baffled Garion. "I don't understand at all," he confessed.

"Just because someone owns her doesn't give him any special rights to her person," Silk told him, "and those daggers of hers enforce that. One does not approach a Nadrak woman unless one's tired of living. She makes that decision. The wedding customarily takes place after the birth of her first child."

"Why was she so interested in the price?"

"Because she gets half," Silk shrugged.

"She gets half of the money every time she's sold?" Garion was incredulous.

"Of course. It'd hardly be fair otherwise, would it?"

The servingman who was bringing them three more cups of ale had stopped and was staring openly at Silk.

"Is something wrong, friend?" Silk asked him mildly.

The servingman lowered his eyes quickly. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I just thought - you reminded me of somebody, that's all. Now that I see you closer, I realize that I was mistaken." He put down the cups quickly, turned, and left without picking up the coins Silk had laid on the table.

"I think we'd better leave," Silk said quietly.

"What's the matter?" Garion asked him.

"He knows who I am - and there's that reward notice that's being circulated."

"Maybe you're right," Belgarath agreed, rising to his feet.