Sign of the Unicorn

«You had better not be delirious,» he said. He stepped to the door, opened it again. «I'll be within hailing distance,» he added, and closed it behind him.

I moved nearer. Brand reached up and I clasped his hand.

«Good to see that you made it back,» he said.

«Vice versa,» I said, and then I took Gerard's chair, trying not to collapse into it.

«How do you feel now?» I asked.

«Rotten, in one sense. But better than I have in years, in another. It's all relative.»

«Most things are.»

«Not Amber.»

I sighed.

«All right. I wasn't getting technical. What the hell happened?»

His gaze was most intense. He was studying me, looking for something. What? Knowledge, I'd guess. Or, more correctly, ignorance. Negatives being harder to gauge, his mind had to be moving fast, must have been from the moment he had come around. Knowing him, he was more interested in what I did not know than in what I knew. He wasn't going to give away anything if he could help it. He wanted to know the minimum enlightenment he need shed in order to get what he wanted. Not a watt more would he willingly spend. For this was his way, and of course he wanted something. Unless… More strongly in recent years than ever before I have tried to convince myself that people do change, that the passage of time does not serve merely to accentuate that which is already there, that qualitative changes do sometimes occur in people because of things they have done, seen, thought, and felt. It would provide some small solace in times such as these when everything else seems to be going wrong, not to mention pepping up my mundane philosophy no end. And Brand had probably been responsible for saving my life and my memory, whatever his reasons. Very well, I resolved to give him the doubt's benefit without exposing my back. A small concession here, my move against the simple psychology of humors which generally governs the openings of our games.

«Things are never what they seem, Corwin,» he began. «Your friend today is your enemy tomorrow and-»

«Cut it out!» I said. «Cards-on-the-table time is here. I do appreciate what Brandon Corey did for me, and it was my idea to try the trick we used to locate you and bring you back.»

He nodded.

«I fancy there were good reasons for a recrudescence of fraternal sentiment after all this time.»

«I might suppose you had additional reasons for helping me, also.»

He smiled again, raised his right hand and lowered it.

«Then we are either even or in each other's debt, depending upon how one looks at these things. As it would seem we now have need of each other, it would be well to regard ourselves in the most flattering light.»

«You are stalling, Brand. You are trying to psych me. You are also spoiling my day's effort at idealism. You got me out of bed to tell me something. Be my guest.»

«Same old Corwin,» he said, chuckling. Then he looked away. «Or are you? I wonder… Did it change you, do you think? Living all that while in Shadow? Not knowing who you really were? Being a part of something else?»

«Maybe,» I said. «I don't know. Yes, I guess I did. I know that it shortened my temper when it comes to family politics.»

«Plain-speaking, blunt, plain-dealing? You miss some of the fun that way. But then there is a value to such novelty. Keep everyone unbalanced with it… revert when they least expect it… Yes, it might prove valuable. Refreshing, too. All right! Panic not. Thus end my preliminaries. All pleasantries are now exchanged. I'll bare the basics, bridle the beast Unreason, and wrest from murky mystery the pearl of sweetest sense. But one thing first, if you would. Have you anything smokable with you? It has been a number of years, and I'd like some foul weed or other - to celebrate my homecoming.»

I started to say no. But I was sure there were some cigarettes in the desk, left there by me. I did not really want the exercise, but, «Just a minute,» I said.

I tried to make my movements look casual rather than stiff as I rose and crossed the room. I attempted to make it seem as if I were resting my hand naturally upon the desktop as I rummaged through it, rather than leaning as heavily as I was. I masked my movements with my body and my cloak as much as possible.

I located the package and returned as I had come, stopping to light a pair at the hearth. Brand was slow in taking his from me.

«Your hand is rather shaky,» he said. «What is the matter?»

«Too much partying last night,» I said, returning to my chair.

«I hadn't thought of that. I imagine there would have been, wouldn't there? Of course. Everyone together in one room… Unexpected success in finding me, bringing me back… A desperate move on the part of a very nervous, very guilty person… Half success there. Me injured and mum, but for how long? Then-»

«You said that you knew who did it. Were you kidding?»

«No, I was not.»

«Who then?»