The ruby knight - David Eddings

The second volume of David Eddings' magnificent Elenium trilogy, now part of the Voyager Classics collection.

Ehlana, the young Queen of Elenia, clings to life by a thread, preserved within a crystalline tomb conjured by the sorceress Sephrenia. But there's a price to pay - twelve Pandion Knights must sacrifice their lives to keep her alive for just one year.

Only one thing is powerful enough to save Ehlana - the Bhelliom, an exquisite and magical jewel that has been lost for centuries. Sparhawk, the Queen's Champion, and his band of allies must set off on a perilous quest to locate the precious stone. But the evil God Azash has plans for it himself.