As I lay back on the couch, I again wondered just why she had risked such danger by going into the Argzoon tent. There had been no need for it— and as ruler of her folk she should have returned at once to Varnal.

I decided that the sooner we found her the sooner we should have answers to these and other questions.

I slept until a servant entered with food. Then I ate the food and, on receiving a message that Darnad and his warriors were ready, washed hastily and went down to join them.

The day should have been grim and stark and full of storm-clouds. It was not. It was a lovely, clear day with the pale sun brightening the streets of the city and obscuring most traces of the strife that had so recently ended.

At the foot of the palace steps was a company of warriors mounted on dahara. Darnad was at their head, holding the reins of a dahara that was evidently meant for me.

I mounted the beast, stretching my legs out along it. Then the whole company turned into the street leading towards the main gate.

We were soon riding across the Calling Hills, tracking our fleeing enemy.

It was still a mystery why the Argzoon had fled so precipitately—particularly in the face of such a small force.

But we did not ask ourselves these questions as we rode grimly after our quarry, even though it seemed that Ranak Mard had, indeed, been the master-mind behind the Argzoon attack—for it was plain that he was dead and the Argzoon were now in confusion.

Yet why had Horguhl told me otherwise?

No questions. Not yet.

Find the Argzoon—they will answer our questions.

On we rode.

It was not until late in the afternoon that we managed to surprise a group of some ten weary Argzoon who had camped in a shallow valley far, far from the Calling Hills.

They rose up at our approach and stood ready to fight. For once we outnumbered them. Normally, this would not please me but I felt that in this case it made a pleasant change to have the advantage over the Argzoon.

They put up a token fight as we attacked them. About half were killed and then the others lay down their arms.

The Argzoon have no code of loyalty such as we understand it, and little sense of comradeship with one another. This made it easier to question them in one way—but harder in another.

They did not stay silent because they did not wish to betray their fellows. They stayed silent out of stubbornness.

It was not until Darnad significantly fingered his long dagger and hinted that, since they were no use to us, it would be as well to dispose of the Argzoon, that one of them broke.

We were lucky. He knew a great deal more than we had expected one simple warrior to know.