The Courts Of Chaos

At her next step, I saw the glitter again, and more. A tiny spark of red shone through her fur farther down on her neck. She was wearing the Jewel of Judgment. How she had retrieved it, I had no idea. And it did not matter. If she would just deliver it, I felt that I could break the storm - or at least shield us from this section of it until it had passed.

But that one glance had been enough. She paid me no more heed. Slowly, carefully, as if ready to bolt at the slightest distarbance, she advanced upon the spot where Julian, Random, Bleys, Fiona, Llewella, Benedict and several nobles stood.

I should have realized then what was occurring, but I did not. I simply watched the sleek beast's movements as she picked her way forward, passing about the periphery of the group.

She halted once again and lowered her head. Then she shook her mane and dropped to her front knees. The Jewel of Judgment hung suspended from her twisted, golden horn. The tip of her horn was almost touching the person before whom she knelt.

Suddenly, in my mind's eye, I saw our father's face in the heavens, and his words came back to me: «With my passing, the problem of the succession will be upon you… I have no choice but to leave this on the horn of the Unicorn.»

A murmur moved through the group, as I realized this same thought must be occurring to the others. The Unicem did not stir at this disturbance, however, but remained a soft, white statue, not even seeming to breathe.

Slowly, Random reached forward and removed the Jewel from her horn. His whisper, carried to me.

«Thank you,» he said.

Julian unsheathed his blade and placed it at Random's feet as he knelt. Then Bleys and Benedict and Caine, Fiona and Llewella. I went and joined them. So did my son.

Random stood silent for a long while. Then, «I accept your allegiance,» he said. «Now get up, all of you.» As we did, the Unicorn turned and bolted. She raced down the slope and was out of sight in a matter of moments.

«I had never expected anything like this to happen,» Random said, still holding the Jewel at eye level. «Corwin, can you take this thing and stop that storm?»

«It is yours now,» I said, «and I do not know how extensive the disturbance is. It occurs to me that in my present condition I might not be able to hold up long enough to keep us all safe. I think it is going to have to be your first regal act.»

«Then you are going to have to show me how to work it. I thought we needed a Pattern to perform the attunement.»

«I think not. Brand indicated that a person who was already attuned could attune another. I have given it some thought since then, and I believe I know how to go about it. Let's get off to one side somewhere.»

«Okay. Come on.»

Already, something new had come into his voice and posture. The sudden role had begun working its change immediately, it seemed. I wondered what sort of king and queen he and Vialle would become. Too much. My mind felt disassociated. Too much had happened too recently. I could not contain all of the latest events in one big piece of thinking. I just wanted to crawl off somewhere and sleep around the clock. Instead, I followed him to a place where a small cooking fire still smoldered.

He poked at the fire and tossed a handful of sticks onto it. Then he seated himself close to it and nodded to me. I went over and sat down beside him.

«About this king business,» he said. «What am I going to do, Corwin? It caught me totally unprepared.»

«Do? Probably a very good job,» I replied.

«Do you think there were many hard feelings?»

«If there were, they did not show,» I said. «You were a good choice, Random. So much has happened recently… Dad sheltered us actually, maybe more than was good for us. The throne is obviously no plum. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. I think the others have come to realize this.»

«And yourself?»

«I wanted it only because Eric did. I did not realize it at the time, but it is true. It was the winning counter in a game we had been playing across the years. The end of a vendetta, really. And I would have killed him for it. I am glad now that he found another way to die. We were more alike than we were different, he and I. I did not realize that until much later either. But after his death, I kept finding reasons for not taking the throne. Finally, it dawned on me that it was not really what I wanted. No. You are welcome to it. Rule well, brother. I am sure that you will.»

«If Amber still exists,» he said after a time, «I will try. Come, let us be about this business with the Jewel. That storm is getting uncomfortably near.»

I nodded and took the stone from his fingers. I held it by its chain with the fire behind it. The light came through; its insides seemed clear.

«Lean closer and stare into the Jewel with me,» I directed.

He did this, and while we both regarded the stone, I told him, «Think of the Pattern,» and I commenced thinking of it myself, trying to summon to mind its loops and swirls, its palely glowing lines.