able to beat them off. Then you arrived and the battle turned.
'It was my thought that whoever hopes to seize the jewels, thought to obtain them then. We were certainly more accessible once we were off the island.
'As to whether or not they would have taken Julia, I don't know. I can only guess. And worry.' And once more, the man gazed at the princess with love in his eyes. He reached out a hand to stroke her hair, but a warning growl from the giant stopped him.
'You say you have seen this old man twice,' said Hary. 'Please tell me about it. Everything you can remember. Please, for her sake.'
Studying the man, Mika found that he almost liked him. Gone was the irritating manner that had so annoyed him throughout the trip. Deciding, he told him all he knew.
'… so I don't think he's too powerful,' concluded Mika, after the story was told. 'Even though he froze me and Tam solid as logs. He's maybe fourth level, fifth at most. My father was far more advanced than that.
'All you need to do is find yourself a higher level mage when you reach Eru-Tovar. It'll cost you a few grushnicks, but I assume the king can afford them.
'This fellow is probably just some little nobody, who's tired of being ignored,' Mika elaborated, enjoying the look on Hary's face as he leaned forward, listening intently.
'He heard about the jewels and decided he'd try for them. Make something of himself-a name to be remembered before he died. He looked pretty old to me. I'll bet that Princess Julia and her magic jewels are his last chance.'
'What you say makes sense,' agreed Hary. 'But there is one aspect of this whole business that you have not considered.'
'What's that?' asked Mika with a frown.
'Any spell, as you know, must be renewed from time to time, if it is to remain active. That is why the man is hovering about, dogging our trail. He must do so if he is to keep the sleep spell in force.
'He doesn't care if we reach Eru-Tovar or not. He wants us out here on the prairie by ourselves. All he wants is to get inside the wagon and steal the gems that he thinks are hidden here. Since we've prevented him from doing that, all he's been able to do is keep renewing the spell on Julia!'
Mika brushed away the fly that chose that moment to buzz between them.
'Possibly,' admitted Mika. 'But may I remind you that this mage does not actually have to be close to Julia to extend the spell. It can be done from a distance.'
'Not all that distant!' gloated Hary. 'He must be within a certain radius and he must be in human form, for if he is in another guise, say that of an animal, he would not be able to apply the spell.
'Now, here is what I propose. We will travel back to the Bubbling Springs as fast as we are able and use that as our base, since it provides water, shelter, and firewood.
'We can ride the perimeter and make certain that the fellow does not get through! Then, once the spell is broken, we can return to Dramidja.
'Oh, it will take some extra precautions, but I am certain that it can be done. You see, these drivers are not really drivers, but men from my command.'
The fly buzzed loudly, the rapid fluttering of its wings vibrating against the cowhide covering and resonating throughout the small interior of the wagon.
'I'm not sure we can keep the fellow away from her,' Mika said slowly. 'But it's a plan. A place to start and better than anything I can think of at the moment.' And all the while he was thinking of ways to rid himself of Hary, Recknass, and the drivers, not to mention the mysterious old man, before Julia was taken back to her island kingdom. He was quite certain that once she wakened he would find favor in her eyes.
'Then we have your promise of cooperation?' asked Hary. 'You understand what is at stake here? Julia is beyond your paltry triflings. She is no common plaything. Come, man, say that you will help us.'
'You have my promise,' said Mika. But he did not say what it was that he promised.
Chapter 11
They came at dawn, out of the east with the rising sun. Mika had been asleep, camped underneath the princess's wagon, much to the disgust of the driver, the man named Cob, when Tam began to growl ana paw at his arm. Mika was so totally tuned to Tam, that he knew, even in the depths of sleep that this was no casual warning. Something was very wrong.
He opened his eyes, instantly alert, and reached for his sword, only half cognizant of the fact that his wing had finally turned back into an arm.
Tam was standing above him, head up, ears twitching forward, ruff fully extended, staring into the rising sun. He whined shrilly with each exhalation.
Mika rolled swiftly to his feet, snaking out from under the confining wagon. All around him, wolves, some twenty of them, were standing in postures identical to Tam's. Some, more highly strung than others, were yipping nervously and wheeling in small circles as though anxious to run.
All of the nomads, too, were on their feet, buckling on their weapons, straining to see what had so alarmed their animals.
A soft wind was blowing from the north, its cool currents carrying the scent of green things growing on the prairie, the legacy of the storm. Birds were twittering their morning songs and the eastern horizon was stained a brilliant crimson, promising a beautiful day to come.
At first, Mika could see nothing wrong, nothing that would so alarm the wolves. But it was difficult to see anything at all; the bright ball of sun brought tears to his eyes and caused him to see spots of yellow. Something was surely wrong, though. Tam was now growling deep in his chest, and his dewlaps were raised, exposing his canines.
Mika looked away from the bright glare, and shielding his eyes with his hand, he looked again, this time, focusing low on the horizon. And then he saw them, the dark outlines tramping toward them, shoulder to shoulder. With a sinking heart he recognized them for what they were and realized that they were badly outnumbered.
He turned and was surprised to find Hary at his side. The man moved so silently that Mika wondered briefly if he were part elf.
'What is it?' asked Hary.
'Gnolls,' Mika replied grimly. 'Sort of a cross between a human and a hyena. Seven feet tall and strong. Green-grey skin covered with fur, but they wear armor and use weapons as well as any human.'
A quavering howl split the calm morning and hung shivering on the sweet air.
'Hyenas,' added Mika. 'You'll find them wherever you find gnolls and their larger cousins, spawn of Hades, hyenadons. And there'll usually be a couple of trolls, trailing in the rear to pick up the scraps.'
'Sweet God of the Sea,' whispered Hary. 'How? Where? What shall we do? Can we fight them?'
'No way,' said Mika, swiftly gathering his few possessions and throwing them onto the seat of the wagon.
'There're too many of them and we're not talking about kobolds this time. Gnolls are twice as big as kobolds and ten times as tough. Not to mention trolls. You can't kill them. Even if you cut them into cubes, they just regenerate, and even the pieces can kill you.'
'Then what should we do?' asked Hary, gripping Mika by the shoulder.
Tam's head swiveled toward them and instantly he was between the two men, his long white teeth inches away from Hary, a harsh growl thick with menace rumbling from his twitching black lips. Hary dropped his hand immediately-and Mika made a slashing gesture to force the wolf back.
'Run. It's our only hope,' said Mika, knowing that it would not be enough. 'We cannot hope to stand and fight. They would have us in no time. Since they are afoot, we must try to lose them.'
Hary lost no time in argument. Hurrying away, he roused his drivers with shouts and kicks, commanding them to harness their mules as quickly as possible. The men did as they were told and Mika had scarcely finished saddling the grey before Hornsbuck rode up and he was surrounded by wagons and nomads, ready to follow his lead.
The mules had scented the rank aroma of the hyenas and hyenadons and their nostrils were flared and
