The little boy in his arms with the Orb of Aldur cradled protectively against his chest smiled up at him. "Errand?" he asked.
Garion turned. The turret was leaning far out from the basalt wall, its supporting stones cracking, ripping away from the sheer face. Ponderously, it toppled outward. And then, with the shards and fragments of the Temple of Torak hurtling past it, it sheared free of the wall and fell into the awful gulf beneath.
The floor of the cave they had entered was heaving as the earth shuddered and shock after shock reverberated up through the basalt pinnacle. Huge chunks of the walls of Rak Cthol were ripping free and plunging past the cave mouth, flickering down through the red light of the newly risen sun.
"Is everybody here?" Silk demanded, looking quickly around. Then, satisfied that they were all safe, he added, "We'd better get back from the opening a bit. This part of the peak doesn't feel all that stable."
"Do you want to go down now?" Relg asked Aunt Pol. "Or do you want to wait until the shaking subsides?"
"We'd better move," Barak advised. "These caves will be swarming with Murgos as soon as the quake stops."
Aunt Pol glanced at the half conscious Belgarath and then seemed to gather herself. "We'll go down," she decided firmly. "We still have to stop to pick up the slave woman."
"She's almost certain to be dead," Relg asserted quickly. "The earthquake's probably brought the roof of that cave down on her."
Aunt Pol's eyes were flinty as she looked him full in the face.
No man alive could face that gaze for long. Relg dropped his eyes. "All right," he said sullenly. He turned and led them back into the dark cave with the earthquake rumbling beneath their feet.
* * *
Here ends Book Three of The Belgariad.
Book Four, Castle of Wizardry, brings Garion and Ce'Nedra to the first realization of their heritage as the Prophecy moves them toward its fulfillment, and Garion discovers there are powers more difficult than sorcery.
* * *
About the Author
David Eddings was born in Spokane, Washington State, in 1931, and was raised in the Puget Sound area north of Seattle. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1961. He served in the United States Army, worked as a buyer for the Boeing Company, was a grocery clerk and taught college English. With his wife Leigh he lived in many parts of the United States, latterly in the northwest. He died in 2009.
David Eddings' first novel, High Hunt, was a contemporary adventure story. The field of fantasy was always of interest for him, however, and this passion led to him writing in the epic worldwide bestsellers The Belgariad and The Malloreon series. He also went on to write other bestselling series, including The Elenium, The Tamuli and The Dreamers.
Also by David Eddings
THE BELGARIAD
Book One:
PAWN OF PROPHECY
Book Two:
QUEEN OF SORCERY
Book Three:
MAGICIAN'S GAMBIT
Book Four:
CASTLE OF WIZARDRY
Book Five:
ENCHANTERS' END GAME
THE MALLOREON
Book One:
GUARDIANS OF THE WEST
Book Two:
KING OF THE MURGOS
Book Three:
DEMON LORD OF KARANDA
Book Four:
SORCERESS OF DARSHIVA
Book Five:
SEERESS OF KELL
Magician's Gambit Page 31
