Sign of chaos

«You may have a point there,» I said, drawing up a small table. I placed a pitcher and a goblet upon it; also, a hand mirror.

«I'd also suggest you support her, in case she collapses when the spell is removed.»

«True.»

I placed my left arm about her shoulders, thought of her deadly bite, stepped back, and held her at arm's distance with the one hand.

«If she bites me, it will knock me out almost instantly,» I said. «Be ready to defend yourself quickly if this occurs.»

Mandor tossed another metal ball into the air. It hung there for an unnaturally long moment at the top of its arc, then dropped back to his hand.

«All right,» I said, and then I spoke the words that raised the spell.

Nothing as dramatic as I'd feared ensued. She slumped and I supported her. «You're safe,» I said, and added, «Rinaldo knows you're here,» to invoke the most familiar. «Here's a chair. Do you want some water?»

«Yes,» she replied, and I poured some and passed it to her.

Her eyes were darting, taking in everything as she drank. I wondered whether she'd recovered instantly and might not now be stalling for time as she sipped, her mind racing, spells dancing at her fingertips. Her eyes returned more than once to Mandor, appraising, though she gave Nayda a long, hard stare.

Finally, she lowered the goblet and smiled.

«I take it, Merlin, that I am your prisoner,» she said, choking slightly. She took another sip.

«Guest,» I replied.

«Oh? How did this come about? Accepting the invitation escapes my mind.»

«I brought you here from the citadel at the Keep of the Four Worlds in a somewhat cataleptic condition,» I said.

«And where might `here' be?»

«My apartment in the Palace of Amber.»

«Prisoner, then,» she stated.

«Guest,» I repeated.

«In that case, I should be introduced, should I not?»

«Excuse me. Mandor, I introduce Her Highness Jasra, Queen of Kashfa.» (I intentionally omitted the «Most Royal» part.) «Your Majesty, I request leave to present my brother, Lord Mandor.»

She inclined her head, and Mandor approached, dropped to one knee, and raised her hand to his lips. He's better at such courtly gestures than I am, not even sniffing the back of her hand for the scent of bitter almonds. I could tell that she liked his manner - and she continued to study him afterward.

«I was not aware,» she observed, «that the royal house here contained an individual named Mandor.»

«Mandor is heir to the dukedom of Sawall in the Courts of Chaos,» I replied. Her eyes widened.

«And you say he is your brother?»

«Indeed.»

«You've succeeded in surprising me,» she stated. «I had forgotten your double lineage.»

I smiled, nodded, stepped aside and gestured.

«And this-» I began.

«I am acquainted with Nayda,» she said. «Why is the girl… preoccupied?»

«That represents a matter of great complexity,» I said, «and there are other things I am certain you will find to be of much greater interest.»

She cocked an eyebrow at me.

«Ah! That fragile, perishable item- - he truth,» she said. «When it surfaces so quickly there is usually a claustrophobia of circumstance. What is it that you want of me?»

I held my smile.

«It is good to appreciate circumstance,» I said.

«I appreciate the fact that I am in Amber and alive and not occupying a cell, with two gentlemen behaving in a conciliatory fashion. I also appreciate the fact that I am not in the straits my most recent memories indicate I should occupy. And I have you to thank for my deliverance?»

«Yes.»

«Somehow I doubt it was a matter of altruism on your part.»

«I did it for Rinaldo. He tried getting you out once and got clobbered. Then I figured a way that might work, and I tried it. It did.»

Her facial muscles tightened at the mention of her son's name. I'd decided she'd prefer hearing the one she'd given him, rather than «Luke.»

«Is he all right?» she asked.

«Yes,» I said, hoping it were so.

«Then why is he not present?»

«He's off somewhere with Dalt. I'm not sure as to his location. But-»

Nayda made a small noise just then, and we glanced her way. But she did not stir. Mandor gave me an inquiring look, but I shook my head slightly. I did not want her roused just then.

«Bad influence, that barbarian,» Jasra observed, choking again and taking another drink. «I'd so wanted Rinaldo to acquire more of the courtly graces, rather than doing rude things on horseback much of the time,» she continued, glancing at Mandor and granting him a small smile. «In this, I was disappointed. Do you have something stronger than water?»

«Yes,» I replied, and I uncorked a bottle of wine and poured some into a goblet for her. I glanced at Mandor and at the bottle then, but he shook his head. «But you have to admit he did well in that track meet against UCLA, in his sophomore year,» I said, not to let her put him down completely. «A certain amount of that comes from the more vigorous side of life.»

She smiled as she accepted the drink.

«Yes. He broke a world record that day. I can still see him passing over the final hurdle.»

«You were there?»