Then, taking into account her Tolnedran heritage, Ce'Nedra performed an act of sheer unselfishness. "No, thanks, Belgarath," she said. "I wouldn't want to separate you from an old friend. Garion and I can put it back where it was when we leave."

Belgarath laughed.

Geran and the young wolf were playing together near one of the windows. There was a fair amount of mauling involved in their play, and the wolf was cheating outrageously, seizing every chance to lick Geran's neck and face, which always sent the little boy into uncontrolled giggling.

Poledra was looking around at the cluttered circular room. "It's good to be home," she said. She was fondly caressing the back of the owl-clawed chair. "I spent almost a thousand years perched on this chair," she told Garion.

"What were you doing, Grandmother?" Ce'Nedra asked her. Ce'Nedra had begun, perhaps without realizing it, to mimic Garion's customary forms of address.

"Watching him," the tawny-haired woman replied. "I knew that eventually he'd get around to noticing me. I didn't really think it would take him all that long, though. I really had to do something out of the ordinary to get his attention.”

"Oh?"

"I chose this form," Poledra said, touching one hand to her breast. "He seemed more interested in me as a woman than he did when I was an owl or a wolf."

"There was something I always meant to ask you,” Belgarath said. "There weren't any other wolves around when we met. What were you doing out there?"

"Waiting for you."

He blinked. "You knew I was coming?"

"Of course."

"When was that?" Ce'Nedra asked.

"Just after Torak stole the Orb from Aldur," Belgarath replied, his mind obviously on something else. "My Master had sent me north to advise Belar of what had happened. I took the form of the wolf to make better time. Poledra and I met somewhere in what's now northern Algaria." He looked at his wife. "Who told you I was coming?" he asked her.

"No one had to tell me, Belgarath," she replied. "I was born knowing you'd come someday. You certainly took your time about it, though." She looked around critically. "I think we should tidy up a bit here," she suggested, "and those windows definitely need some curtains."

"See?" Belgarath said to Garion.

There were kisses and embraces and handshakes and a few tears although not really very many of those. Then Ce'Nedra picked up Geran, and Garion the wolf, and they started down the stairs.

"Oh," Garion said when they were halfway down, "give me the diamond. I'll put it back where it belongs."

"Wouldn't an ordinary pebble work just as well, Garion?" Her eyes were suddenly calculating.

"Ce'Nedra, if you want a diamond so badly, I'll buy you one."

"I know, Garion, but if I keep this one I'll have two."

He laughed, firmly took the diamond from her tightly clenched little fist, and returned it to its place under the step.