Ce'Nedra, Imperial Princess of Tolnedra, was confused.

Evryone knew that the tales of the Orb that protected the West from the evil God Torak were just silly legends. But here she was forced to join a serious and dangerous quest to recover that stolen Ord. No one beleived in sorcery. Yet Garions aunt and grandfather seemed to be the fabled sorcerers Polgara and Belgarath, who would have to be thousands of years old. Even young Garion was learning to do things that could only be sorcery.

Garion! He was nothing but a farm boy, totally unsuitable for an Imperial Princess. Then why did she have such an urge to teach him, to brush back his hair, and to comfort him?

Now he was going to a strange tower in the centre of all he beleived evil, to face some horrible, powerful magician. And she wouldn't be there to watch over him. He might be killed! She'd never see him again . . .