I nodded. It explained several things, one of them being why he was Protector here. He had to keep her somewhere, and he certainly would not want to take her back to Amber. He would not even want her existence known to the rest of us. She could be made into an easy armlock. And it would be out of keeping to make me aware of her so readily.
So, “I do not believe that you are supposed to be here,” I said, “and I feel that Benedict would be quite angry if he knew that you were.”
“You are just the same as he is! I am an adult, damn it!”
“Have you heard me deny it? You are supposed to be someplace else, though, aren‘t you?”
She filled her mouth instead of answering. So I did, too. After several uncomfortable minutes of chewing, I decided to start on a fresh subject. “How did you recognize me?” I asked.
She swallowed, took a drink of wine, grinned. “From your picture, of course,” she said.
“What picture?”
“On the card,” she said. “We used to play with them when I was very small. I learned all my relatives that way. You and Eric are the other good swordsmen, I knew that. That is why I—”
“You have a set of the Trumps?” I interrupted.
“No,” she said, pouting. “He wouldn‘t give me a set—and I know he has several, too.”
“Really? Where does he keep them?”
She narrowed her eyes, focusing them on my own. Damn! I hadn‘t meant to sound that eager.
But, “He has a set with him most of the time,” she said, “and I have no idea where he keeps the others. Why? Won‘t he let you see them?”
“I haven‘t asked him,” I told her. “Do you understand their significance?”
“There were certain things I was not allowed to do when I was near them. I gather that they have a special use, but he never told me what it is. They are quite important, aren‘t they?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so. He is always so careful with them. Do you have a set?”
“Yes, but it‘s out on loan just now.”
“I see. And you would like to use them for something complicated and sinister.”
I shrugged.
“I would like to use them, but for very dull, uncomplicated purposes.”
“Such as?” I shook my head.
“If Benedict does not want you to know their function yet, I am not about to tell you.”
She made a small growling noise.
“You‘re afraid of him,” she said.
“I have considerable respect for Benedict, not to mention some affection.” She laughed.
“Is he a better fighter than you, a better swordsman?”
I looked away. She must have just gotten back from someplace fairly removed from things. The townspeople I‘d met had all known about Benedict‘s arm. It was not the sort of news that traveled slowly. I certainly was not going to be the first to tell her.
“Have it as you would,” I said. “Where have you been?”
“The village,” she said, “in the mountains. Grandpa took me there to stay with some friends of his called Tecys. Do you know the Tecys?”
“No, I don‘t.”
“I‘ve been there before,” she said. “He always takes me to stay with them in the village when there is any sort of trouble here. The place has no name. I just call it the village. It is quite strange—the people, as well as the village. They seem to—sort of—worship us. They treat me as if I were something holy, and they never tell me anything I want to know. It is not a long ride, but the mountains are different, the sky is different—everything!—and it is as if there were no way back, once I am there. I had tried coming back on my own before, but I just got lost. Grandpa always had to come for me, and then the way was easy. The Tecys follow all of his instructions concerning me. They treat him as if he were some sort of god.”
“He is,” I said, “to them.”
“You said that you do not know them.”
“I don‘t have to. I know Benedict.”