The Ruby Knight

<b>From the flaps of the Del Rey first edition:</b> "The Magic Bhelliom - Ehlana, Queen of Elenia, was poisoned and frozen in crystal to save her. But the spell could only until the last Knight aiding it should die - as they were already dying, one each month. Too much time and too many deaths had been spent while Sparhawk, Knight and Queen's Champion sought for the cure. <p>Now the ghost of her father had summoned him to reveal that it was Primate Annias who had poisoned her, to gain free access to the treasury, that he might bribe his way to become Archprelate. And the cure for the poison was Bhelliom, the great jewel lost in Lamorkand when King Sarak of Thalesia died in battle five hundred years ago. It had been in his crown, and since then men had searched the shores of Lake Randera for it - vainly. <p>Yet somehow, Sparhawk must find it. Grimly, he gathered his companions to go in search of it: Four brave Knights, the novice Berit, his squire Kurik, and Sephrenia, the Styric instructor in magic to the Knights. At her suggestion he added the young thief Talen and the strange little girl Flute. <p>The Knight Tynian claimed some power in necromancy and they hoped to gain knowledge of the dead King Sarak's burial place by raising ghosts of those who had died in battle. <p>But the way was long, and troubles began to beset them at the onset. Azash, evil God of far-eastern Zemoch, had sensed their quest and sent a Seeker - an evil, insectile monster of great power - to plague them. And there were other delays constantly. <p>But Sparhawk knew that somehow they must reach and find the Bhellion before his queen could perish. They <i>must</i> not fail!"