Roger Zelazny. The Guns of Avalon. The First Amber Pentology – Corwin’s Story: Book 2. Chapter 9

“Damn!” I said. “She is in Amber by now! Listen, Benedict! I am going to get Gerard or Caine over here to handle the transfer of the troops to you. Ganelon will come through, also. Give them their orders through him.”

I looked around, saw Gerard talking with several of the nobles. I shouted for him with a desperate urgency. His head turned quickly. Then he began running in my direction.

“Corwin! What is it?” Benedict was shouting.

“I don‘t know! But something is very wrong!” I thrust the Trump at Gerard as he came up.

“See that the troops get through to Benedict!” I said. “Is Random in the palace?”

“Yes.”

“Free or confined?”

“Free—more or less. There will be some guards about. Eric still doesn‘t—didn‘t trust him.” I turned.

“Ganelon,” I called out. “Do what Gerard here tells you. He is going to send you to Benedict—down there.” I gestured. “See that the men follow Benedict‘s orders. I have to get into Amber now.”

“All right,” he called back.

Gerard headed in his direction, and I fanned the Trumps once more. I located Random‘s and began to concentrate. At that moment, it finally began to rain. I made contact almost immediately.

“Hello, Random,” I said, as soon as his image came to life. “Remember me?”

“Where are you?” he asked.

“In the mountains,” I told him. “We just won this part of the battle, and I am sending Benedict the help he needs to clean up in the valley. Now, though, I need your help. Bring me across.”

“I don‘t know, Corwin. Eric—”

“Eric is dead.”

“Then who is in charge?”

“Who do you think? Bring me across!”

He nodded quickly and extended his hand. I reached out and clasped it. I stepped forward. I stood beside him on a balcony overlooking one of the courtyards. The railing was of white marble, and not much was blooming down below. We were two stories up. I swayed and he seized my arm. “You‘re hurt!” be said.

I shook my head, only just then realizing how tired I was. I had not slept very much the past few nights. That, and everything else. ..

“No,” I said, glancing down at the gory mess that was my shirt front. “Just tired. The blood is Eric‘s.”

He ran a hand through his straw-colored hair and pursed his lips.

“So you did finally nail him . . .” he said softly. I shook my head again.

“No. He was already dying when I got to him. Come with me now! Hurry! It is important!”

“Where to? What is the matter?”

“To the Pattern,” I said. “Why? I am not certain, but I know that it is important. Come on!”

We entered the palace, moving toward the nearest stairwell. There were two guards at its head, but they came to attention as we approached and did not attempt to interfere with our passage.

“I‘m glad it‘s true about your eyes,” Random said as we headed down. “Do you see all right?”

“Yes. I hear that you are still married.”

“Yes. I am.”

When we reached the ground floor, we hurried to the right. There had been another pair of guards at the foot of the stair, but they did not move to stop us.

“Yes,” he repeated, as we headed toward the center of the palace. “You are surprised, aren‘t you?”

“Yes. I thought you were going to get the year over with and be done with it.”

“So did I,” he said. “But I fell in love with her. I really did.”

“Stranger things have happened.”

We crossed the marble dining hall and entered the long, narrow corridor that led far back through shadows and dust. I suppressed a shudder as I thought of my condition the last time I had come this way.

“She really cares for me,” he said. “Like nobody else ever has before.”

“I‘m glad for you,” I said.

We reached the door that opened onto the platform hiding the long, spiral stairway down. It was open. We passed through and began the descent.

“I‘m not,” he said, as we hurried around and around. “I didn‘t want to fall in love. Not then. We‘ve been prisoners the whole time, you know. How can she be proud of that?”

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