"It's not really all that complicated, Garion. There are several ways to tamper with the normal order of things. Vordai's a witch. What she does involves the use of spirits - usually benign, mischievous sometimes - but not actually wicked. A magician uses devils - evil spirits."

"Isn't that sort of dangerous?"

Belgarath nodded. "Very dangerous," he replied. "The magician tries to control the demon with spells - formulas, incantations, symbols, mystic diagrams - that sort of thing. As long as he doesn't make any mistakes, the demon is his absolute slave and has to do what he tells it to do. The demon doesn't want to be a slave, so it keeps looking for a way to break the spell."

"What happens if it does?"

"It generally devours the magician on the spot. That happens rather frequently. If you lose your concentration or summon a demon too strong for you, you're in trouble."

"What did Beldin mean when he said that you weren't very good at magic?" Silk asked.

"I've never spent that much time trying to learn about it," the old sorcerer replied. "I have alternatives, after all, and magic is dangerous and not very dependable."

"Don't use it then," Silk suggested.

"I hadn't really planned to. Usually the threat of magic is enough to keep the Morindim at a distance. Actual confrontations are rather rare."

"I can see why."

"After we get through the north range, we'll disguise ourselves. There are a number of markings and symbols that will make the Morindim avoid us."

"That sounds promising."

"Of course we have to get there first," the old man pointed out. "Let's pick up the pace a bit. We've still got a long way to go." And he pushed his horse into a gallop.

Chapter Seven

THEY RODE HARD for the better part of a week, moving steadily northward and avoiding the scattered settlements which dotted the Nadrak forest. Garion noticed that the nights grew steadily shorter; by the time they reached the foothills of the north range, darkness had virtually disappeared. Evening and morning merged into a few hours of luminous twilight as the sun dipped briefly below the horizon before bursting into view once more.

The north range marked the upper edge of the Nadrak forest. It was not so much a mountainous region as it was a string of peaks, a long finger of upthrusting terrain reaching out toward the east from the broad ranges that formed the spine of the continent. As they rode up a scarcely defined trail toward a saddle that stretched between two snowy peaks, the trees around them grew more stunted and finally disappeared entirely. Beyond that point, there would be no more trees. Belgarath stopped at the edge of one of these last groves and cut a half dozen long saplings.