-"

"Did you send the message?" Retoc cut him off.

"As you ordered, sire. Yes."

"Good."

"Sire, I hate inactivity. I loathe it. I am a soldier."

"As I am," said Retoc slowly, his hard cruel eyes staring at something
Hultax could not--and would never be able to--see.

"So we just sit here in this rented house in Nadia City, cooling our
heels. It doesn't make sense, sire."

"Sense?" mused Retoc. "What is sense? Is it victory and power for the
strongest? Well, is it?"

"Yes, lord," Hultax responded. "But--"

"And you sent the message? Our legions will come?"

"Yes, lord. Two days hence they'll be encamped on the ice fields three
jeks march from the city gates. But I don't see--"

"You obey, Hultax. I see. I do the seeing."

"But I thought you ... the Princess Volna ... together...."

"The Princess can serve me, now. If she can deliver Nadia without a
fight, then Tarth is mine, Hultax, don't you see? In two days all the
royal blood of all the royal families of Tarth will be assembled here
in Nadia for the funeral games. If Bontarc's army doesn't interfere,
then I will be master of Tarth."

"But if Bontarc finds out--"

"That, Hultax," said Retoc with a smile, "is why you sent the
message."

"My sire," said the proud soldier Hultax humbly.

Soon, thought Retoc, all Tarth would call him that. _My sire...._

* * * * *

Ahead of Bram Forest loomed the ramparts of the palace. He must hurry.
He knew he had to hurry. He pushed impatiently through the crowd.
Several times men looked up angrily, and would have said something.
But when they saw his face, they turned away.

What they saw in Bram Forest's face made them afraid.

"Majesty?" Prokliam the seneschal said.

"Well?" Volna demanded. "Didn't the guards send you for the girl?"

"Majesty, I was thinking...."

"Well, Prokliam, what is it? Didn't you go for the girl?"

"Not yet, majesty, begging your pardon...."

"If you have something to say, then say it. And get the girl."

"Majesty, a seneschal knows the palace. It is his job...."

"I warn you, Prokliam, I have little patience today." Her anxiety was
evident.

"No one wishes to be chosen," Prokliam blurted quickly, boldly, "even
as I did not wish to be chosen to accompany the body of Prince Jlomec
on the Journey of No Return. Now that you have spared me, in your
royal benevolence, I thought I might in turn advise you...."

"Yes, what is it, man?"

"You s