“Back there,” I said. “About two miles down the road. He is bound to a tree. His horse is tethered near by.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I am fleeing.”
“From what?”
“Benedict. I’m the one who bound him.”
He wrinkled his brow. “I do not understand. . .”
I shook my head.
“There is a misunderstanding between us. I could not reason with him and we fought. I knocked him unconscious and I tied him up. I cannot free him, or he would attack me again. Neither can I leave him as he is. He may come to some harm before he can free himself. So I summoned you. Please go to him, release him, and see him home.”
“What will you be doing the while?”
“Getting the hell out of here, losing myself in Shadow. You will be doing both of us a favor to keep him from trying to follow me again. I do not want to have to fight him a second time.”
“I see. Now will you tell me what happened?”
“I am not certain. He called me a murderer. I give you my word I slew no one the whole time I was in Avalon. Please tell him I said that. I have no reason to lie to you, and I swear that it is true. There is another matter which may have disturbed him somewhat. If he mentions it, tell him that he will have to rely on Dara’s explanation.”
“And what is it?”
I shrugged.
“You will know if he mentions it. If he does not, forget it.”
“Dara, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Very well, I shall do as you have asked. . . . Now, will you tell me how you managed your escape from Amber?”
I smiled.
“Academic interest? Or do you feel you might have need of the route yourself one day?”
He chuckled.
“It strikes me as a handy piece of information to have.”
“I regret, dear brother, that the world is not yet ready for this knowledge. If I had to tell anyone, I would tell you-but there is no way it could benefit you, whereas its secrecy may serve me in the future.”
“In other words, you have a private way into and out of Amber. What are you planning, Corwin?”
“What do you think?”
“The answer is obvious. But my feelings on the matter are mixed.”
“Care to tell me about them?”
He gestured toward a section of the black road that was visible from where we stood.
“That thing,” he said. “It runs to the foot of Kolvir now. A variety of menaces travel it to attack Amber. We defend, we are always victorious. But the attacks grow stronger and they come more frequently. Now would not be a good time for you to move, Corwin.”
“Or it might be the perfect time,” I said.
“For you then, but not necessarily for Amber.”
“How has Eric been handling the situation?”
“Adequately. As I said, we are always victorious.”
“I do not mean the attacks. I mean the entire problem-its cause.”
“I have traveled the black road myself, going a great distance along it.”
“And?”
“I was unable to go the entire distance. You know how the shadows grow wilder and stranger the farther you get from Amber?”
“Yes.”
“. . . Until the mind itself is twisted and turned toward madness?”
“Yes.”
“. . . And somewhere beyond this lie the Courts of Chaos. The road goes on, Corwin. I am convinced that it runs the entire distance.”
“Then it is as I feared,” I said.
“That is why, whether I sympathize with you or not, I do not recommend the present time for your efforts. The security of Amber must come before all else.”
“I see. Then there is nothing more to be said just now.”
“And your plans?”
“Since you do not know what they are, it is meaningless to tell you that they are unchanged. But they are unchanged.”
“I do not know whether to wish you luck, but I wish you well. I am glad that you have your sight back.” He clasped my hand. “I had best get on to Benedict now. I take it he is not badly hurt?”