The Ruby Knight

time,’ Flute told them. ‘Ghwerig’s an outcast, so he talks to himself most of the time, and he says whatever is crossing his mind. We can find out a great deal by eavesdropping. Oh, by the way, he has Sarak’s crown, and Bhelliom’s still attached to it.’
    Sparhawk felt a sudden rush of excitement. The thing he had sought for so long was no more than a few hundred paces away. ‘What’s he doing?’ he asked Flute.
    ‘He’s sitting at the edge of the chasm that the waterfall has carved out of the rock. All his treasures are piled up around him. He’s cleaning the peat-stains off Bhelliom with his tongue. That’s why we can’t understand him at the moment. Let’s move a little closer, but stay back from the mouth of the gallery.’
    They crept on down towards the light and stopped a few yards from the opening. The reflected light from the waterfall shimmered and seemed to waver liquidly. It was peculiarly like a rainbow.
    ‘Stealers! Thieves!’ The voice was harsh, far harsher than any Elene or Styric throat could have produced. ‘Dirty. She all dirty.’ There was more of the slobbering sound as the Troll-Dwarf licked at his treasure. ‘Stealers all dead now,’ Ghwerig chortled hideously. ‘All dead. Ghwerig not dead, and his rose come home at last.’
    ‘He sounds as if he’s mad,’ Kurik muttered.
    ‘He always has been,’ Flute told him. ‘His mind’s as twisted as his body.’
    ‘Talk to Ghwerig, Blue Rose!’ the unseen monstrosity commanded. Then he howled out a hideous oath directed at the Styric Goddess Aphrael. ‘Bring back rings! Bring back rings! Bhelliom not talk to Ghwerig if Ghwerig not got rings!’ There was a blubbering sound, and Sparhawk realized with revulsion that the beast was crying. ‘Lonely,’ the Troll sobbed. ‘Ghwerig so lonely!’
    Sparhawk felt a wrench of almost unbearable pity for the misshapen dwarf.
    ‘Don’t do that,’ Flute said sharply. ‘It will weaken you when you face him. You’re our only hope now, Sparhawk, and your heart must be like stone.’
    Then Ghwerig spoke for a time in terms so vile that there were no counterparts in the Elene language.
    ‘He’s invoking the Troll-Gods,’ Flute explained quietly. She cocked her head. ‘Listen,’ she said sharply. ‘The Troll-Gods are answering him.’
    The muted roar of the waterfall seemed to change tone, becoming deeper, more resonant.
    ‘We’ll have to kill him very soon,’ the little girl said in a chillingly matter-of-fact tone. ‘He still has some fragments of the original sapphire left in his workshop. The Troll Gods instructed him to make new rings. Then they’ll infuse them with the force to unlock the power of Bhelliom. He’ll be able to destroy us at that point.’
    Then Ghwerig chuckled hideously. ‘Ghwerig beat you, Azash. Azash a God, but Ghwerig beat him. Azash not ever see Bhelliom now.’
    ‘Can Azash possibly hear him?’ Sparhawk asked.
    ‘Probably,’ Sephrenia said calmly. ‘Azash knows the sound of His own name. He listens when somebody says something to Him.’
    ‘Man-things swim in lake to find Bhelliom,’ Ghwerig rambled on. ‘Bug-thing belong Azash watch from weeds and see them. Man-things go away. Bug-thing bring man-things with no minds. Man-things swim in water. Many drown. One man-thing find Bhelliom. Ghwerig kill man-thing and take Blue Rose. Azash want Bhelliom? Azash come seek Ghwerig. Azash cook in Troll-God fire. Ghwerig never eat God-meat before. Ghwerig wonder how God-meat taste.’
    Deep within the earth there was a rumbling sound, and the floor of the cave seemed to shudder.
    ‘Azash definitely heard him,’ Sephrenia said. ‘You almost have to admire that twisted creature out there. No one has ever thrown that kind of insult into the face of one of the Elder Gods.’
    ‘Azash mad to Ghwerig?’ the Troll was saying. ‘Or maybe-so Azash shake from fear. Ghwerig have Bhelliom now. Soon make rings. Ghwerig not need Troll-Gods then. Cook Azash in Bhelliom-fire. Cook slow so juice not burn away. Ghwerig eat Azash. Who is pray to Azash when Azash lay deep in Ghwerig’s belly?’
    The rumble this time was accompanied by sharp cracking sounds as rocks deep in the earth shattered.
    ‘He’s sticking his neck out, wouldn’t you say?’ Kurik said in a strained voice. ‘Azash isn’t the sort you want to play with.’
    ‘The Troll-Gods are protecting Ghwerig,’ Sephrenia replied. ‘Not even Azash would risk a confrontation with