Riana pressed something into Jig’s mouth, and he chewed automatically. “Ptah,” he muttered. He should have known it was too good to be true. First they treated him like a friend, then they tried to feed him bread.

“Eat it,” Darnak said firmly. “You’ll need your strength.”

What else could he do? He didn’t want to offend the one who was closing the hole in his shoulder. So he forced himself to chew and swallow. He took small bites. That way he didn’t have to chew as much, and the dusty aftertaste didn’t linger as long. He hoped Riana might take the hint, but she kept shoving bread at him until the whole thing was gone. She even seemed to enjoy his disgust there at the end.

“Where’s Barius?” Jig asked.

“With his brother.” Darnak shook his head. “They hate each other, but neither wants to see the other die. Not unless it’s by their own hand, that is. Strange and tragic, but true.”

The dwarf sat up. “Best I can do, but a mite better than I’d hoped. You’ll have an ugly scar, and a matching one on back. Don’t strain that left arm anytime soon, either. But you’ll live.” He laughed. “At least until the next time you go picking fights with two wizards in one day.”

He helped Jig to sit up. Smudge had rejoined him at some point, and now scooted to his normal spot on Jig’s shoulder. “Good spider,” he muttered.

Jig tried to stand, but his head spun, and he decided maybe it would be better to stay on the floor and not move for a while. Yes, that would be for the best. He perked his ears—even his ears hurt—and listened as Darnak joined Barius.

“So how’s his wizardness doing?”

“My brother will survive,” Barius said angrily. “A fortunate thing for you, Darnak. Even striking a prince is an offense worthy of death. Had you killed him, you would have left me no choice but to execute you.”

Darnak grunted. “Aye, and you’d have left me no choice but to box your ears. Would you rather I let him kill us all then?” He didn’t give the prince time to answer. “Come on, we’ve got to be finding a way out of here. Maybe if we get him back home, your father’s advisers will have some ideas for restoring his mind.”

“What do you mean, leave? Our quest is unfinished, Darnak.”

“Aye, and your brother the wizard has lost his mind, or were you forgetting that? He’s beyond my power to help, Your Majesty. How were you planning to finish your quest without Ryslind?”

“It is my quest,” Barius said coldly. “My brother has experienced these fits of weakness before. He shall recover in time.”