Sign of chaos

«Yes, he did. And you shouldn't have shown him your power, there at the end»

«Why not?»

«You'll have a wary enemy if you ever go after him.»

«He needed warning.»

«A man like that lives with risks. He calculates and he acts. However he figures you, he won't change his plans at this point. Besides, you haven't seen the last of Rinaldo either. He's the same way. Those two understand each other.»

«You may be right.»

«I am.»

«If the fight had gone the other way, do you think his army would have stood for it?» I asked.

Julian shrugged. «He knew mine would if he won, because he knew I stood to gain by it. That was sufficient.»

I nodded.

«Excuse me,» he said. «I have to report this business to Vialle now. I assume you'll want to trump through when I've finished?»

«Yes.» He produced a card and set about the business. And I found myself wondering, not for the first time, just what it was that Vialle sensed when it came to a Trump contact. I always see the other person myself, and all of the others say that they do, too. But Vialle, as I understood it, had been blind from birth. I've always felt it would be impolite to ask her, and for that matter it's occurred to me that her answer probably wouldn't make much sense to a sighted person. I'll probably always wonder, though.

As Julian addressed her shadowy presence, I turned my mind to the future. I was going to have to do something about Mask and Jurt soon, and it looked now as if I'd be. doing it without Luke. Did I really want to follow his advice and try to talk Jasra into an alliance against them? Would the benefits really be worth the risk? And if I didn't, how would I manage the thing? Maybe I should make my way back to that strange bar and see about renting the Jabberwock. Or the Vorpal Sword. Or both; Maybe -

I heard my name mentioned, and I drifted back to the present moment, present problems. Julian was explaining something to Vialle, but I knew there wasn't all that much to explain. So I got to my feet, stretched, and summoned the Logrus Sight.

I saw her ghostly form clearly when I directed my vision toward the area before Julian: She was in that same stiff chair where I had last seen her. I wondered whether she had remained there the entire while or had just returned. I hoped she'd had a chance to go back and eat that dessert I hadn't had a shot at.

Julian glanced at me, then, «If you're ready to go, she's ready to take you through,» he said.

I crossed over and stood beside him, dropping the Logrus vision as I did so. I had decided it was not a good idea to bring the forces of the Logrus and the Pattern into too great a proximity. I reached out and touched the card, and Vialle's image sprang into full focus. A moment, and it was no longer an image.

«Anytime,» she said, extending a hand. I reached out and took hold of it gently.

«So long, Julian,» I said, as I stepped forward.

He did not reply. Or if he did, I didn't catch it.

«I did not mean for things to go this way,» she told me immediately, not releasing my hand.

«There was no way of foreseeing what happened,» I said.

«Luke knew,» she replied. «It makes sense now, doesn't it? Some of those little remarks he made? He planned the challenge all along.»

«I guess so,» I said.

«He's gambling on something. I wish I knew what.»

«I can't help you on that,» I answered. «He didn't say anything to me about it.»

«But you will be the one with whom he will get in touch, eventually,» she said. «I want to know immediately when you hear from him.»

«All right,» I agreed.

She released my hand.

«It would seem there is nothing more to say, for the moment.»

«Well,» I began, «there is another matter I think you ought to know about.»

«Oh?»

«It concerns Coral's not being present at dinner this evening.»

«Go on,» she said.

«You are aware that we took a long walk about town today?»

«I am,» she said.

«We wound up below,» I continued, «in the chamber of the Pattern. She'd expressed a desire to see it.»

«Many visitors do. It is pretty much a matter of judgment whether to take them. Often they lose interest, though, when they learn about the stairway.»

«I did tell her about it,» I said, «but it didn't discourage her. When she got there, she set foot upon the Pattern-»

«No!» she cried. «You should have watched her more closely! All that other trouble with Begma… and now this! Where is her body?»

«Good question,» I responded. «I don't know. But she was alive the last time I saw her. You see, she claimed Oberon was her father, and then she proceeded to walk the Pattern. When she'd finished, she had it transport her somewhere. Now, her sister - who is aware that we went off together - is concerned. She was pestering me through dinner as to where Coral might be.»

«What did you tell her?»