Sparhawk set down his candle, put his hand to the blade and twisted the tough wood of the shaft. With a dry squeak, the two separated. He looked into the ancient steel socket of the blade. The blood-red glitter of a ruby winked back at him.

‘I have but one more instruction for thee, my Champion,’ the ghost continued. ‘Should it come to pass that thy quest reaches its conclusion only after my daughter joins me in the House of the Dead, it lies upon thee to destroy Bhelliom, though this shall surely cost thee thy life.’

‘But how may I destroy a thing of such power?’ Sparhawk protested.

‘Keep thou my ring in the place where I have concealed it. Should all go well, return it to my daughter when she sits again in splendour upon her throne; but should she die, continue thy quest for Bhelliom, though the search takes thee all the days of thy life. And when it comes to pass that thou findest it, seize the spear in the hand which bears thy ring and drive it into the heart of Bhelliom with all thy might. The jewel will be destroyed.

as will the rings – and in that act shalt thou lose thy life. Fail not in this, Sparhawk, for a dark power doth bestride the earth, and Bhelliom must never fall into its hands.’

Sparhawk bowed. ‘It shall be as you command, my King,’ he swore.

A sigh came from the sarcophagus. ‘It is done, then,’ Aldreas whispered. ‘I have done what I could to aid thee, and this completes the task which I left unfinished. Do not fail me. Hail then, Sparhawk, and farewell.’

‘Hail and farewell, Aldreas.’

The crypt was still chill and empty, save for the ranks of the royal dead. The hollow whisper had fallen silent now Sparhawk rejoined the parts of the spear, then reached out his hand and laid it over the heart of the leaden effigy ‘Sleep well, Aldreas,’ he said softly Then with the ancient spear in his grasp, he turned and quietly left the tomb.

This concludes Book One: The Diamond Throne of THE ELENIUM.

Book Two: The Ruby Knight will cover the desperate search for the long-lost Bhelliom through far lands and strange adventures.

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