“That’s another thing. I can’t see you giving something like this away to the enemy.”
He sighed. “It might even be enough to get me off the hook,” he added.
“You’re thinking of calling off your feud?”
“I don’t know. But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and if I did decide to go that route it would make for a real good opener.”
“And if you decided not to, you’d be screwing yourself. Wouldn’t you?”
“I could live with it, though. It might make my job harder, but not impossible.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “If word of this gets out and I’ve got nothing to show for letting you get away like this, I’ll be in real hot water.”
“I won’t tell anybody if you won’t.”
“There’s Vinta.”
“And she keeps insisting that her big aim in life is to protect you. Besides, she won’t be there if you go back. Or rather, there will be the real Vinta, having awakened as from a troubled sleep.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because you’ve left. She’s probably already off seeking you.”
“Do you know what she really is?”
“No, but I’ll help you speculate sometime.”
“Not now?”
“No, I’ve got to sleep some more. It’s catching up with me again.”
“Then let’s go over this deal one more time. What are you going to do, how do you intend to do it and what are you promising me?”
He yawned. “I stay here till I’m back in shape,” he said. “Then when I’m ready to attack the Keep I get in touch with you. Which reminds me, you still have my Trumps.”
“I know. Keep talking. How do you intend taking the Keep?”
“I’m working on it. I’ll let you know that too. Anyhow, you can help us or not at that point, as you see fit. I wouldn’t mind having another sorcerer with me, though. Once we’re in and she’s freed, I’ll tell you what I promised and you can take it back to Amber.”
“What if you lose?” I asked.
He looked away. “I guess there’s always that possibility,” he finally agreed. “Okay, how’s this? I’ll write the whole thing out and keep it with me. I’ll give it to you-by Trump or in person-before we attack. Win or lose, I’ll have paid my way with you.”
He extended his good hand and I clasped it.
“Okay,” I said.
“Then let me have my Trumps back, and I’ll be talking to you as soon as I get moving again.”
I hesitated. Finally, I drew out my pack, which was now grown quite thick. I shuffled out my own then along with a number of his and passed him what remained.
“What about the rest?”
“I want to study them, Luke. Okay?”
He shrugged weakly. “I can always make more. But give me back my mother’s.”
“Here.”
He accepted it, then said, “I don’t know what you’ve got in mind, but I’ll give you a piece of advice: Don’t screw around with Dalt. He’s not the nicest of guys when he’s normal, and I think there’s something wrong with him right now. Keep away from him.”
I nodded, then got to my feet.
“You’re going now?” he asked.
“Right.”
“Leave me the ladder.”
“It’s all yours.”
“What are you going to tell them back in Amber?”
“Nothing-yet,” I said. “Hey, you want me to bring some food up here before I go? Save you a trip.”
“Yeah. Good idea. Bring me a bottle of wine, too.”
I went back and got him a load of provisions. I dragged in the sleeping bag also.
I started up the ladder, then paused. “You don’t know your own mind on this yet,” I said, “do you?”
He smiled. “Don’t be too sure of that.”
When I got to the top I stared at the big boulder that had once sealed me in. Earlier, I’d thought of returning the favor. I could keep track of the time, come get him when he was back on his feet. That way, he couldn’t pull a disappearing act on me. I had decided against it, though, not only because I was the only one who knew he was here and if something happened to me he’d be dead. Mainly, it was because he wouldn’t be able to reach me with my Trump when he was ready to move, if I kept him fully confined. That’s what I told myself, anyhow.