The air was distorted between us, and when Mandor lowered his arms a dinner table covered with embroidered white linen came into sudden view between us, soundlessly, followed a moment later by a pair of facing chairs. The table bore numerous covered dishes, fine china, crystal, silverware; there was even a gleaming ice bucket with a dark twisted bottle within it.
“I am impressed,” I stated.
“I’ve devoted considerable time to gourmet magic in recent years,” he said. “Pray, be seated.”
We made ourselves comfortable there on the bridge between two darknesses. I muttered appreciatively as I tasted, and it was some minutes before I could begin a summary of the events that had brought me to this place of starlight and silence.
Mandor listened to my entire tale without interruption, and when I’d finished he nodded and said, “Would you care for another serving of dessert?”
“Yes,” I agreed. “It’s quite nice.”
When I glanced up a few moments later, I saw that he was smiling.
“What’s funny?” I asked.
“You,” he replied. “If you recall, I told you before you left for that place to be discriminating when it came to giving your trust.”
“Well? I told no one my story. If you’re going to lecture me on being friendly with Luke without learning his, I’ve already heard it.”
“And what of Julia?”
“What do you mean? She never learned…”
“Exactly. And she seems like one you could have trusted. Instead, you turned her against you.”
“All right! Maybe I used bad judgment there, too.”
“You designed a remarkable machine, and it never occurred to you it might also become a potent weapon. Random saw that right away. So did Luke. You might have been saved from disaster on that front only by the fact that it became sentient and didn’t care to be dictated to.”
“You’re right. I was more concerned with solving technical problems. I didn’t think through all the consequences.
He sighed.
“What am I going to do with you, Merlin? You take risks when you don’t even know you’re taking risks.”
“I didn’t trust Vinta,” I volunteered.
“I think you could have gotten more information out of her,” he said; “if you hadn’t been so quick to save Luke, who already appeared to be out of danger. She seemed to be loosening up considerably at the end of your dialogue.”
“Perhaps I should have called you.”
“If you encounter her again, do it, and I’ll deal with her.”
I stared. He seemed to mean it.
“You know what she is?”
“I’ll unriddle her,” he said, swirling the bright orange beverage in his glass. “But I’ve a proposal for you, elegant in its simplicity. I’ve a new country place, quite secluded, with all the amenities. Why not return to the Courts with me rather than bouncing around from hazard to hazard? Lie low for a couple of years, enjoy the good life, catch up on your reading. I’ll see that you’re well protected. Let everything blow over, then go about your business in a more peaceful climate.”
I took a small sip of the fiery drink.
“No,” I said. “What happened to those things you indicated earlier that you knew and I didn’t?”
“Hardly important, if you accept my offer. “
“Even if I were to accept, I’d want to know.”
“Bag of worms,” he said.
“You listened to my story. I’ll listen to yours.”
He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, looked up at stars.
“Swayvill is dying,” he said.
“He’s been doing that for years.”
“True, but he’s gotten much worse. Some think it has, to do with the death curse of Eric of Amber. Whatever; I really believe he hasn’t much longer.”
“I begin to see…”
“Yes, the struggle for the succession has become more intense. People have been falling over left and righ-tpoison, duels, assassinations, peculiar accidents, dubious suicides. A great number have also departed for points unknown. Or so it would seem.”
“I understand, but I don’t see where it concerns me.”
“One time it would not have.”
“But?”
“You are not aware that Sawall adopted you, formally, after your departure?”
“What?”
“Yes. I was never certain as to his exact motives. But you are a legitimate heir. You follow me but take precedence over Jurt and Despil.”