"Probably not," Belgarath replied. "We're not likely to meet anybody out there now."
They went through the sally port and into the brushy woods. They circled the black house until they reached the east-side, then Garion drew Iron-grip's sword. He held it lightly and swept it back and forth until he felt it pull at his hand. "The trail's over there," he said, pointing toward a scarcely visible path leading off into the woods.
"Good," Belgarath said. "At least we won't have to beat our way through the brush."
They crossed the weed-grown clearing that surrounded the House of Torak and entered the forest. The path they followed showed little sign of recent use, and it was at times difficult to see.
"It looks as if some people left here in a hurry." Silk grinned, pointing at various bits and pieces of equipment lying scattered along the path.
They came up over the top of a hill and saw a wide strip of devastation stretching through the forest toward the southwest.
"A tornado?" Sadi asked.
"No," Belgarath replied. "Beldin. The Chandim won't have much trouble finding his trail."
The sword in Garion's hand was still pointed unerringly toward the path they were following. He led the way confidently, and they increased their pace to a trot and pushed on through the forest. After a league or so, the path began to run downhill, moving out of the foothills toward the heavily forested plains lying to the east of the Karandese range.
"Are there any towns out there?" Sadi asked, looking out over the forest.
" Akkadis the only one of any size between here and the border," Silk told him.
"I don't think I've ever heard of it. What's it like?"
"It's a pigpen of a place," Silk replied. "Most Karandese towns are. They seem to have a great affinity for mud."
"Wasn't Akkad the place where the Melcene bureaucrat was from?" Velvet asked.
"That's what he said," Silk answered.
" And didn't he say that there are demons there?"
"There were," Belgarath corrected. "Cyradis told us that Nahaz has pulled all of his demons out of Karanda and sent them off to Darshiva to fight the Grolims there." He scratched at his beard. "I think we'll avoid Akkad anyway. The demons may have left, but there are still going to be Karandese fanatics there, and I don't think that the news of Mengha's death has reached them yet. In any event, there's going to be a fair amount of chaos here in Karanda until Zakath's army gets back from Cthol Murgos and he moves in to restore order."
They rode on, pausing only briefly for lunch.
By midafternoon, the clouds that had obscured the skies over Ashaba had dissipated, and the sun came back out again. The path they had been following grew wider and more well-traveled, and it finally expanded into a road. They picked up the pace and made better time.
As evening drew on, they rode some distance back from the road and made their night's encampment in a small hollow where the light from their fire would be well concealed. They ate, and, immediately after supper, Garion sought his bed. For some reason he felt bone weary.
After half an hour, Ce'Nedra joined him in their tent.
She settled down into the blankets and nestled her head against his back. Then she sighed disconsolately. "It was all a waste of time, wasn't it?" she said. "Going to Ashaba, I mean."
"No, Ce'Nedra, not really," he replied, still on the verge of sleep. "We had to go there so that Velvet could kill Harakan. That was one of the tasks that have to be completed before we get to the Place Which Is No More."
"Does all that really have any meaning, Garion?" she asked. "Half the time you act as if you believe it, and the other half you don't. If Zandramas had been there with our son, you wouldn't have just let her walk away because all the conditions hadn't been met, would you?"
"Not by so much as one step," he said grimly.
"Then you don't really believe it, do you?"
"I'm not an absolute fatalist, if that's what you mean, but I've seen things come out exactly the way the Prophecy said they were going to far too many times for me to ignore it altogether."
"Sometimes I think that I'll never see my baby again," she said in a weary little voice.
"You mustn't ever think that," he told her. "We will catch up with Zandramas, and we will take Geran home with us again."
"Home," she sighed. "We've been gone for so long that I can barely remember what it looks like."
He took her into his arms, buried his face in her hair, and held her close. After a time she sighed and fell asleep. In spite of his own deep weariness, however, it was quite late before he himself drifted off.
The next day dawned clear and warm. They made their way back to the road again and continued eastward with Iron-grip's sword pointing the way.
About midmorning, Polgara called ahead to Belgarath.
"Father, there's someone hiding off to the side of the road just ahead."
He slowed his horse to a walk. "Chandim?" he asked tersely.
"No. It's a Mallorean Angarak. He's very muchafraid -and not altogether rational."
"Is he planning any mischief?"
"He's not actually planning anything, father. His thoughts aren't coherent enough for that."
"Why don't you go flush him out, Silk?" the old man suggested. "I don't like having people lurking behind me -sane or not.
"About where is he?" the little man asked Polgara.
"Some distance back in the woods from that dead tree." she replied.
He nodded. "I'll go talk with him," he said. He loped his horse on ahead and reined in beside the dead tree. "We know you're back there, friend," he called pleasantly."We don't mean you any harm, but why don't you come out in the open where we can see you?"
There was a long pause.
"Come along now," Silk called. "Don't be shy."
"Have you got any demons with you?" The voice sounded fearful.
"Do I look like the sort of fellow who'd be consorting with demons?"
"You won't kill me, will you?"
"Of course not. We only want to talk with you, that's all."
There was another long, fearful pause. "Have you got anything to eat?" The voice was filled with a desperate need.
"I think we can spare a bit."
The hidden man thought about that. "All right," he said finally. "I'm coming out. Remember that you promised not to kill me." Then there was a crashing in the bushes, and a Mallorean soldier came stumbling out into the road. His red tunic was in shreds, he had lost his helmet, and the remains of his boots were tied to his legs with leather thongs. He had quite obviously neither shaved nor bathed for at least a month. His eyes were wild and his head twitched on his neck uncontrollably.He stared at Silk with a terrified expression.