Sign of chaos

We passed out of Death Alley without, incident and made our way along Harbor Road over to Vine. The sun was getting ready to set as we headed upward, and the cobbles passed through a variety of bright earth tones and fire colors. Street and pedestrian traffic was light. Cooking smells drifted on the air; leaves. rattled along the road;. a small yellow dragon rode the air currents high overhead; curtains of rainbow light rippled high in the north beyond the palace. I kept waiting, expecting more questions from Coral than the few she had asked. They never came. If I'd just heard my story, I think I'd have a lot of questions, unless I were totally overpowered by it or somehow understood it thoroughly.

«When we get back to the palace…?» she said then.

«Yes?»

«…You will take me to see the Pattern, won't you?»

I laughed.

… Or unless something else were occupying my mind.

«Right away? First thing in the door?» I asked.

«Yes.»

«Sure,» I said.

Then, that off her mind, «Your story changes my picture of the world,» she said, «and I wouldn't presume to advise you…»,

«But-» I continued.

«…If seems that the Keep of the Four Worlds, holds the answers you want. Everything else may fall into place when you learn what's going on there. But I don't understand why you can't just do a card for it and trump in.»

«Good question. There are parts of the Courts of Chaos to which no one can trump because they change constantly and cannot be represented in a permanent fashion. The same applies to the place where I situated Ghostwheel. Now, the terrain around the Keep fluctuates quite a bit, but I'm not positive that's the reason for the blockage. The place is a power center, and I think it possible that someone diverted some of that power into a shielding spell. A good enough magician might be able to drill through it with a Trump, but I've a feeling that the force required would probably set off some psychic; alarm and destroy any element of surprise.»

«What does the place look like, anyway?» she asked.

«Well…,» I began. «Here.» I took my notebook and Scripto from my shirt pocket and sketched. «See, all of this area is volcanic.» I scribbled in a few fumaroles and wisps of smoke. «And this part is Ice Age.» More scribbles. «Ocean here, mountains here…»

«Then it sounds as if your best bet is to use the Pattern again,» she said, studying the drawing and shaking her head.

«Yes.»

«Do you think you'll be doing it soon?»

«Possibly.»

«How will you attack them?»

«I'm still working on that.»

«If there's any sort of way that I can help you, I meant what I said.»

«There isn't.»

«Don't be so sure. I'm well trained. I'm resourceful. I even know a few spells.»

«Thanks,» I said. «But no.»

«No discussion?»

«Nope.»

«If you change your mind…»

«I won't.»

«…Let me know.»

We reached the Concourse, moved along it. The winds grew more blustery here and something cold touched my cheek. Then again…

«Snow!» Coral announced, just as I realized that a few middle-sized flakes were drifting past us, vanishing immediately when they hit the ground.

«If your party had arrived at the proper time,» I observed, «you might not have had your walk.»

«Sometimes I'm lucky,» she said.

It was snowing fairly hard by the time we reached the palace grounds. We used the postern gate again, pausing on the walkway to gaze back down over the light-dotted town, half screened by falling flakes. I knew she kept looking longer than I did, because I turned to gaze at her. She appeared happy, I guess - as if she were pasting the scene in a mental scrapbook. So I leaned over and kissed her cheek, because it seemed like a good idea.

«Oh,» she said, fuming to face me. «You surprised me.»

«Good» I told her. «I hate to telegraph these things. Let's get the troops in out of the cold.»

She smiled and took my arm.

Inside, the guard told me, «Llewella wants to know whether you two will be joining them all for dinner.»

«When is dinner?» I asked him.

«In about an hour and a half, I believe.»

I glanced at Coral, who shrugged.

«I guess so,» I said.

«Front dining room, upstairs,» he told me. «Shall I pass the word to my sergeant - he's due by soon - and have him deliver it? Or do you want to-»

«Yes,» I said. «Do that.»

«Care to wash up, change clothes…?» I began, as we walked away.

«The Pattern,» she said.

«It would involve a lot more stairs,» I told her.

She turned toward me, her face tightening, but saw that I was smiling.

«This way,» I said, leading her to the main hall and through it.

I didn't recognize the guard at the end of the brief corridor that led up to the stair. He knew who I was, though, glanced curiously at Coral, opened the door, found us a lantern, and lit it.

«I'm told there's a loose step,» he remarked as he passed me the light.

«Which one is it?» He shook his head.

«Prince Gerard's reported it several times,» he said, «but no one else seems to notice it.»

«Okay,» I said. «Thanks.»