“Yes. you do,” I said. “You‘ve guessed it, and you‘re not interested.”
“I didn‘t say that. It‘s just that I know where the equities lie.”
“You mean the power.”
“Okay, the power. What‘ve you got to offer?”
We talked for maybe an hour, after which time the northern seaways were open to the three phantom fleets of Bleys, which might enter expecting reinforcements.
“If you fail, there‘ll be three beheadings in Amber,” said he.
“But you don‘t really expect that, do you?” I asked.
“No. I think either you or Bleys will sit upon the throne before too very long. I‘ll be satisfied to serve the winner. That regency would be nice. I‘d still like Random‘s head as part of the price, though.”
“No deal,” I said. “Take it as you‘ve heard it or forget it.”
“I‘ll take it.”
I smiled and placed my palm upon the card and he was gone.
Gerard was a matter I‘d leave for the morrow. Caine had exhausted me.
I rolled into bed and slept.
Gerard, when be learned the score, agreed to lay off us. Mainly because it was I who was asking, as he had considered Eric a lesser of potent evils.
I concluded the deal quickly, promising him everything he asked, as no heads were involved.
Then I reviewed the troops again and told them more of Amber. Strangely, they got along like brothers, the big red guys and the little hairy ones.
It was sad and it was true.
We were their gods, and that was that.
I saw the fleet, sailing on a great ocean the color of blood. I wondered. In the Shadow worlds through which they sailed, many of them would be lost.
I considered the troops of Avernus, and my recruits from the place called Ri‘ik. Theirs was the task of marching to Earth and Amber.
I shuffled my cards and cast them. I picked up the one called Benedict. For a long while I searched it, but there was nothing but the cold.
Then I seized upon Brand‘s. For another long while there was nothing but the cold.
Then there came a scream. It was a horrible, tormented thing.
“Help me!” came the cry.
“How can I?” I asked.
“Who is that?” be asked, and I saw his body writhe.
“Corwin.”
“Deliver me from this place, brother Corwin! Anything you name shall be yours in return!”
“Where are you?”
“I—”
And there came a swirling of things my mind refused to conceive of, and another scream, torn forth as though in agony and ending in silence.
Then the coldness came in again.
I found that I was shaking. From what, I did not know.
I lit a cigarette and moved to the window to consider the night, leaving the cards where they had fallen upon the table-top of my room within the garrison.
The stars were tiny and misted over. There were no constellations that I could recognize. A small blue moon dropped quickly through the darkness. The night had come on with a sudden, icy chill and I wrapped my cloak close about me. I thought back to the winter of our disastrous campaign in Russia. Gods! I‘d almost frozen to death! And where did it all lead?
To the throne of Amber, of course.
For that was sufficient justification for anything.
But what of Brand? Where was he? What was happening about him, and who had done this thing to him?
Answers? None.
I wondered, though, as I stared up and out, tracing the path of that blue disk in its descent. Was there something I was missing In the whole picture, some factor I didn‘t quite dig?
No answer.
I seated myself at the table once more, a small drink at my hand.
I fingered my way through the pack and found Dad‘s card.
Oberon, Lord of Amber, stood before me in his green and his gold. High, wide, and thick, his beard black and shot with silver, his hair the same. Green rings in gold settings and a blade of golden color. It had once seemed to me that nothing could ever displace the immortal liege of Amber from his throne. What had happened? I still didn‘t know. But he was gone. How had my father met with his end?