"It's not exactly an Eldrak, Belgarath," Beldin replied, spitting out a few soggy feathers.

"All right, but how did a Mallorean Grolim even know what an Eldrak looks like?"

"You weren't listening, old man. There are a few of those things up here in these mountains. They're distantly related to the Eldrakyn, but they're not the same. They're not as big, for one thing, and they're not as smart."

"I thought all the monsters lived in Ulgoland."

"Use your head, Belgarath. There are Trolls in Cherek, Algroths range down into Arendia, and the Dryads live in southern Tblnedra. Then there's that dragon. Nobody knows for sure where she lives. There are monsters scattered all over. They're just a little more concentrated in Ulgo, that's all."

"I suppose you're right," Belgarath conceded. He looked at Zakath. "What did you call the thing?"

"An ape-bear. It's probably not too accurate, but the people who live up here aren't very sophisticated."

"Where's Naradas right now?" Silk asked the injured Grolim.

"I saw him at Balasa," the Grolim replied. "I don't know where he went from there."

"Was Zandramas with him?"

"I didn't see her, but that doesn't mean she wasn't there. The Holy Sorceress doesn't show herself very often anymore."

"Because of the lights under her skin?" the weasel-faced little man asked shrewdly.

The Grolim's face grew even more pale. "We're forbidden to discuss that— even among ourselves, " he replied in a frightened tone of voice.

"That's all right, friend." Silk smiled at him and drew one of his daggers. "You have my permission."

The Grolim swallowed hard and then nodded.

"Stout fellow." Silk patted him on the shoulder. "When did those lights start to appear?"

"I can't say for sure. Zandramas was off in the west with Naradas for a long time. The lights had started to appear when she came back. One of the priests at Hemil used to gossip a great deal. He said it was some kind of plague."

"Used to?"

"She found out about what he'd said and had his heart cut out."

"That's the Zandramas we've come to know and love, all right."

Aunt Pol came up along the path trampled through the snow, followed by Ce'Nedra and Velvet. She tended the Grolim's wounds without comment while Durnik and Toth went back to the lean-to and led out the horses. Then they untied the tent canvas and broke down the frame. When they led the horses up to the place where the wounded Grolim lay, Sadi went to hi saddle and opened the red leather case. "Just to be on the safe side," he muttered to Garion, taking out a little vial, Garion raised one eyebrow.

"It won't hurt him," the eunuch assured him. "It'll make him tractable, though. Besides, since you're in this humanitarian mood, it should also numb the pain of his wounds."

"You don't approve, do you?" Garion said. "That we didn't kill him, I mean?"