I spent the next hour or so exploring. There were four large buildings and a number of smaller ones within this central walled area. There was another walled sector beyond it and another beyond that-three roughly concentric zones of ivy-covered protection. I couldn’t see any signs of heavy damage, and I got the feeling Dalt’s troops hadn’t met with much resistance. No indications of pillaging or burning, but then they’d been hired to deliver a property, and I’d a feeling Jasra had stipulated that it remain relatively intact. The troops occupied all three rings, and I got the impression from a bit of eavesdropping that they’d be around till after the coronation. There were quite a few in the large plaza in the central area, making fun of the local troops in their fancy livery as they awaited for the coronation procession. None of this was in particular bad nature, however, possibly because Luke was popular with both groups, though it did also seem that many individuals on both sides seemed personally acquainted.
The First Unicornian Church of Kashfa, as one might translate its title, was across the plaza from the palace proper. The building in which I’d arrived was an ancillary, all-purpose adjunct, at this time being used to house a number of hastily summoned guests, along with servants, courtiers, and hangers-on.
I’d no idea exactly when the coronation was to take place, but I decided I’d better try to see Luke in a hurry, before he got too swept up into the course of events. He might even have an idea where Coral had been delivered, and why.
So I found me a niche with a blank-walled, neutral background even a native probably couldn’t recognize out of context, dropped my invisibility spell, located Luke’s Trump, and gave him a call. I didn’t want him to think I was already in town because I didn’t want him to know I possessed the power to drop in the way I had. This under the theory that you never tell anybody everything.
“Merlin!” he announced, studying me. “Is the cat out of the sack or what?”
“Yeah, the kittens, too,” I said. “Congratulations on your coronation day “
“Hey! You’re wearing the school colors!”
“What the hell. Why not? You won something, didn’t you?”
“Listen. It’s not as festive a thing as all that. In fact, I was about to call you. I need your advice before this goes any further. Can you bring me through?”
“I’m not in Amber, Luke.”
“Where are you?”
“Well…downstairs,” I admitted. “I’m on the side street between your palace and the building next door that’s sort of like a hotel at the moment.”
“That won’t do,” he said. “I’d get spotted too quick if you bring me down. Go on over to the Unicorn Temple. If it’s relatively empty and there’s a dark, quiet corner where we can talk, call me and bring me through. If there isn’t, figure something else, okay?”
“Okay. “
“Hey, how’d you get here anyway?”
“Advance scout for an invasion,” I said. “One more take-over would be a coup-coup, wouldn’t it?”
“You’re about as funny as a hangover,” he said. “Call me.”
Break. So I crossed the plaza, following what seemed marked out as the route of the procession. I thought I might meet some trouble at the House of the Unicorn and need a spell to get in, but no one barred my way.
I entered. It was big and all decked out for the ceremony, with a great variety of pennons on the walls and flowers all over the place. The only other inhabitant was a muffled woman up near the front who appeared to be praying. I moved off to the left into a somewhat darker section.
“Luke,” I addressed his Trump. “All clear. Do you read me?”
I felt his presence before I caught the image. “Okay,” he said. “Bring me through,” and we clasped hands, and he was there.
He clapped me on the shoulders.
“Well, now, let me look at you,” he said. “Wonder whatever became of my letter sweater?”
“I think you gave it to Gail.”
“I think you may be right.”
“Brought you a present,” I said, tossing back my cloak and fumbling at the side of my sword belt. “Here. I turned up your father’s sword.”