“You are most kind, Lord Turlock,” said Alex. “A day’s rest will do me good, and I would not miss such a feast for a mountain of pure gold.”

Turlock bowed once more as Thrang and Arconn came forward to stand on either side of Alex. The crowd of dwarfs parted to let the company pass, but even the street outside the hall was crowded with hundreds of dwarfs. Alex smiled. It seemed that every dwarf in Neplee was there, wanting to see him, though most seemed too shy to meet his gaze.

When they reached their rooms, Alex thought he would go straight to bed, but Thrang pulled him toward the fire and motioned for him to take a chair.

“I’ve known you long enough to know when you leave out part of a story,” Thrang said, taking the chair next to Alex. “The dwarf who spoke to you in the caves—did he give you his name?”

“He did,” Alex answered. “Let me ask you a question, one that will answer your own. Can you tell me the story of a dwarf king named Set?”

“Set?” Thrang repeated, his eyes growing wide. “Set was an early king of the dwarf realm. He was a great king, and a defender of his people. The stories about him are many and long, but basically they all say that some evil came into Thraxon during his rule, and that Set went out to fight against it. Set did not return from the battle, but the evil vanished as well. The stories claim that Set defeated the evil, but that he paid for his victory with his own life.”

“I see,” said Alex.

“Was Set the dwarf you met in the caves?” Thrang questioned.

“Yes,” Alex answered. “He seemed to know I was coming, but I was unable to find out how he knew.” Alex hesitated, considering how much more he should say. “He asked me to take something to his heir.”

“Enough,” Thrang said, turning his eyes away from Alex and gazing into the fire. “I know enough to guess what he asked you to take, and I will not ask you for details now. We will not speak of this again until we return to Benorg. Thorgood should be present to hear all that you have to say and answer any questions you might have for him.”

“As you wish,” said Alex. “I also took some other things from the cave, gems that should be divided between us.”

“Anything you took from the cave is yours alone,” Thrang said quickly. “You may do with it as you think best. Whatever you do, though, keep your word to Set.”

“I will do as you wish, my friend,” said Alex, getting up. “Now I think I will sleep. Wake me in time for the feast, if I do not wake by myself.”

Alex left Thrang staring to the fire and moved toward his room, but Kat caught his eye as he walked past. She sat alone at one of the tables in the back of the room. Smiling, Alex sat down next to her.

“You wish to ask me something,” Alex said. It was not a question.

“You can see my thoughts more clearly than I can,” said Kat.

“No, but I can guess at them now.”

“Your battle with the necromancer—was it as close a thing as it seemed to be?”

“For a time it was very close,” Alex answered. “But that is not what you really wish to know.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Do you wish me to remove the spell I placed upon you?”

“Do you think seeing the truth will be too much for me?” Kat asked, looking him in the eye.

“No. You should see the truth if you are ready, and I think you are,” Alex answered.

“Then show me,” Kat pleaded.

Alex nodded. He stood up, touching Kat’s forehead with his hand as he rose. He felt the spell he’d put on her begin to lift, but he removed it slowly so she would not be suddenly overcome.

Kat watched him for a moment and then turned away, her eyes filling with tears.

“Do not be too hard on yourself,” Alex said in a low voice, bending toward Kat so only she could hear him. “Do not hate the gift you have because evil tried to use you. Learn from what has happened so you can prevent such things from happening again.”

Kat did not answer him, but blindly caught his hand with her own. She pulled it to her lips and gently kissed it before letting go.

Alex glanced around, making sure that the others had not seen Kat’s gesture. He was surprised by Kat’s action and unsure of what she might have meant by it. He patted Kat on the shoulder, and, feeling tired beyond words, he went to find his bed.

Chapter Twenty

To the Golden Rocks

Alex and his friends remained in Neplee as winter slowly changed to spring. The city had become more like the other dwarf cities Alex had visited in the past, and everywhere he went he was greeted with bows and smiles. Turlock had officially named him a lord of Neplee, a title all the dwarfs took seriously. Even Thrang addressed him as lord, at least when they were out in public.

There were feasts and parties almost every night, and Alex soon longed for the quiet, simple life of the open road. The fact that all of the attention was to honor him and what he had done for Neplee meant he could not miss a single feast, no matter how much he would have liked to. He knew that the dwarfs meant well, and he loved them for their kindness, but he needed to be alone and think about what had happened to him.

Sometimes, when it all became too much and Alex thought he couldn’t face one more party, he would leave the city for at least part of the day. Taking the shape of an eagle or sometimes the wind, he was free to roam the lands around Neplee.

He had sent a message to Whalen telling him what had happened in the necromancer’s cave and exactly how he’d managed to defeat Mog. He did not, however, tell Whalen about what Salinor had said. Something kept Alex from sharing the dragon’s words, even with Whalen.

Whalen had been shocked to learn the necromancer’s name, and he had gone into great detail about the stories and myths he’d heard concerning an evil spirit named Mog.

“I have no doubt now that some of the stories and myths are true,” Whalen had written in his letter to Alex. “And once more, I am impressed by your abilities.”

Finally the snows began to melt, and the smells of spring filled the air. Alex’s companions were almost as eager as he was to be back on the road, and they were all excited to continue their adventure. The dwarfs of Neplee knew that Alex’s time in the city was growing short, and they made great efforts to have as many feasts as possible before the adventurers left the city.

Alex had spent a lot of time thinking over the winter, and he had finally decided that the crown of Set should be remade. One night, after yet another feast, Alex went to his room and slipped into his magic bag. He collected the broken crown from the treasure room and then quickly went into his father’s bag, hoping that his smitty friends would be able to help him.

“Bobkin, Belkin,” Alex called as he entered the workshop. “I know it’s late, but I need your help.”

“Coming, Master Alex,” Bobkin’s voice answered.

Alex heard the hidden door open, and he was about to light some of the lamps in the dimly lit shop when he stopped short.

“What can we do for you?” Bobkin questioned, hurrying toward Alex with Belkin and Dobkin following close behind.

“Um, what?” Alex said, his attention fixed on Dobkin. “I need you to . . . Why is Dobkin glowing?”

“Oh, well, yes,” said Belkin. “He does that sometimes, but it doesn’t seem to bother him.”

“That’s not normal, is it?” Alex questioned.

“No, not normal at all,” said Bobkin. “You had some tasks you needed our help with?”

“How often does Dobkin glow?” Alex asked, waving his hand and bringing light to the workshop.

“Every new moon,” said Belkin.

“That would mean . . . Of course!” said Alex, setting the broken halves of Set’s crown on the worktable. “I know what’s happened to him.”

“He was hit on the head,” said Bobkin.

“No, he was hexed,” said Alex. “Someone has tried to control him, but they didn’t do a very good job. Every new moon the spell is renewed, which is why he glows.”