The Hand Of Oberon

«Of course. I propose that we assemble the family and force our way through to Bleys and Fiona, wherever they may be. We hold them, locked in the full, in the flesh, just for a moment or so. Just long enough for me to strike.»

«As you did Martin?»

«Better, I trust. Martin was able to break free at the last moment. That should not occur this time, with all of you helping. Even three or four would probably be sufficient.»

«You really think you can pull it off that easily?»

«I know we had better try. Time is running. You will be one of the ones executed when they take Amber. So will I. What do you say?»

«If I become convinced that it is necessary. Then I would have no choice but to go along with it.»

«It is necessary, believe me. The next thing is that I will need the Jewel of Judgment.»

«What for?»

«If Fiona is truly in the Courts of Chaos, the Trump alone will probably be insufficient to reach her and hold her - even with all of us behind it. In her case, I will require the Jewel to focus our energies.»

«I suppose that could be arranged.»

«Then the sooner we are about it the better. Can you set things up for tonight? I am sufficiently recovered to handle my end of it.»

«Hell, no,» I said, standing.

«What do you mean?» He clenched the arms of the chair, half-rising. «Why not?»

«I said I would go along with it if I became convinced that it was necessary. You have admitted that a lot of this is conjecture. That alone is sufficient to keep me from being convinced.»

«Forget about being convinced then. Can you afford to take the chance? The next attack is going to be a lot stronger than the last, Corwin. They are aware of your new weapons. They are going to allow for this in their planning.»

«Even if I agreed with you Brand, I am certain I could not convince the others that the executions are necessary.»

«Convince them? Just tell them! You've got them all by the throat, Corwin! You are on top right now. You want to stay there, don't you?»

I smiled and moved toward the door.

«I will, too,» I said, «by doing things my way. I will keep your suggestion on file.»

«Your way is going to get you dead. Sooner than you think.»

«I am standing on your rug again,» I said.

He laughed.

«Very good. But I was not threatening you. You know what I meant. You are responsible for all of Amber now. You have to do the right thing.»

«And you know what I meant. I am not going to kill a couple more of us because of your suspicions. I would need more than that.»

«When you get it, it may be too late.»

I shrugged.

«We'll see.» I reached toward the door.

«What are you going to do now?»

I shook my head.

«I don't tell anybody everything that I know, Brand. It is a kind of insurance.»

«I can appreciate that. I only hope that you know enough.»

«Or perhaps you fear that I know too much,» I said.

For a moment a wary look danced on the muscles beneath his eyes. Then he smiled. «I am not afraid of you, brother,» he said.

«It is good to have nothing to fear,» I said. I opened the door.

«Wait,» he said.

«Yes?»

«You neglected to tell me who was with you when you discovered Martin's Trump, in the place where I had left it.»

«Why, it was Random,» I said.

«Oh. Is he aware of the particulars?»

«If you mean, does he know that you stabbed his son,» I said, «the answer is no, not yet.»

«I see. And of Benedict's new arm? I understand that you somehow got it for him in Tir-na Nog'th. I would like to know more about this.»

«Not now,» I said. «Let's save something for our next get-together. It won't be all that long.»

I went on out and closed the door, my silent regards to the rug.

CHAPTER 8

After visiting the kitchens, compiling an enormous meal and demolishing it, I headed for the stables, where I located a handsome young sorrel which had once belonged to Eric. I made friends with him in spite of this, and a short while later we were moving toward the trail down Kolvir which would take us to the camp of my Shadow forces. As I rode and digested, I tried to sort out the events and revelations of what, to me, had been the past few hours. If Amber had indeed arisen as the result of Dworkin's act of rebellion within the Courts of Chaos, then it followed that we were all of us related to the very forces which now threatened us. It was, of course, difficult to decide how far anything Dworkin said might now be trusted. Yet, the black road did run to the Courts of Chaos, apparently as a direct result of Brand's ritual, a thing which he had based on principles learned from Dworkin. Fortunately, for now, the parts of Dworkin's narrative which required the greatest credulity were those things which were not of any great moment, from an immediate, practical standpoint. Still, I had mixed feelings about being descended from a unicorn -

«Corwin!»

I drew rein. I opened my mind to the sending and the image of Ganelon appeared.

«I am here,» I said. «Where did you get hold of a set of Trumps? And learn how to use them?»