"Beat me if you must," said Ghelfunn, "but I have never heard about the book you seek. Perhaps he left it in the palace. He had a very nice library there." Ghelfunn spit blood on the floor, making sure he still had all of his teeth.
"I'm out of time," Margon said. "Either tell me where it is or I'm going to let you taste some of the Nprudi's famous poison." Margon motioned to one of his men, who then promptly brought forward a Nprudi spear, most assuredly one with a poisonous tip.
"Ghelfunn," Margon bent down to speak softly to this captive. "All I must do is scratch you with the tip of this spear and you are gone. Understand? Within a few heartbeats you will cease to exist. All I want is a location. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll leave you here, alive. Once the king is found dead, everything will change. It will be too late for you to do anything about it.
Ghelfunn looked up. He took a moment to consider his options. They were few. He could tell the truth and probably die. He was now certain that Margon was serious, running out of time, and would not hesitate to kill him. It became clear to him in that moment. Facing death strips away all pretense and grips the mind, making survival the only goal. Ghelfunn knew what to do--make up a story, tell a lie, stall for time.
"Okay," Ghelfunn said. "The book you seek is in the Sovereign's private sanctuary, a place no one knows about. He gave me the location after promoting me to lead his private guard. He said it was to remain a secret until he was dead. Then, he said, depending on the situation, I could divulge it's whereabouts." Ghelfunn winced in pain, gasping for air as if he was about to pass out. This was part an act, to make Margon believe his sincerity.
"Well then, out with it," Margon said. "I have wasted enough time dealing with you. Where is it?"
"It's in the Colla-Ti."
Margon motioned for the two footmen behind Ghelfunn to raise him up. After a brief struggle, Ghelfunn returned to his knees, facing Margon.
"The Colla-Ti?" Margon grinned. "You must be lying. That's a two-day ride from here. It's nothing but ragged cliffs and mountainous trails that only goats can navigate. Why there?"
"The Sovereign discovered a cave there," Ghelfunn said. "He was just a kid, climbing around like a goat, I guess. The cave became his private place, a place he could go and escape the demands of being a kid, and later, a Sovereign."
"Draw me a map," Margon ordered.
