“You sure?”
“Yeah, as soon as I started coming down I switched to a fast lane. In this shadow it’s been several days since I’ve seen you.”
He was wearing sunglasses and green swim trunks. He was seated at a small table beside a swimming pool in the shade of a great umbrella, the remains of a large lunch spread before him. A lady in a blue bikini dived into the pool and passed from my line of sight.
“Well, I’m glad to hear about that and-“
“So what happened to me, anyhow? I remember you said something about someone slipping me some acid when I was a prisoner back at the Keep. Is that how it went?”
“It seems very likely.”
“I guess that’s what happens when you drink the water,” he mused.
“Okay. What’s been going on while I’ve been out of it?”
Knowing how much to tell him was always a problem. So, “Where do we stand?” I asked.
“Oh. That,” he said.
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’ve had a chance to do a lot of thinking,” he replied, “and I’m going to call it quits. Honor has been satisfied. It’s pointless to keep pushing this thing against everybody else. But I’m not about to put myself in Random’s hands for a kangaroo trial. Now it’s your turn: Where do I stand so far as Amber’s concerned? Should I be looking over my shoulder?”
“Nobody’s said anything yet, one way or the other. But Random is out of town now and I just got back myself. I haven’t really had a chance to learn what the others’ feelings might be on this thing.”
He removed his sunglasses and studied me. “The fact that Random’s out of town…”
“No, I know he’s not after you,” I said, “because he’s in Kash-“ ‘and I tried to stop it just a syllable too late.
“Kashfa?”
“So I understand.”
“What the hell’s he doing there? Amber was never interested in the place before.”
“There’s been a … death,” I explained. “Some kind of shake-up going on.”
“Ha!” Luke remarked. “That bastard finally bought it. Good! But…Hey! Why’s Amber moving in so suddenlike, huh?”
“Don’t know,” I said.
He chuckled. “Rhetorical question,” he said. “I can see what’s going on. I’ve got to admit Random’s got style. Listen, when you find out who he puts on the throne let me know, will you? I like to keep abreast of doings in the old hometown. “
“Oh, sure,” I said, trying unsuccessfully to determine whether such information could be harmful. It would become public knowledge very soon, if it wasn’t already.
“So what else is going on? That other person who was Vinta Bayle …?”
“Gone,” I said. “I don’t know where.”
“Very strange,” he mused. “I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her. She was Gail, too. I’m sure. Let me know if she comes back, will you?”
“Okay. You want to ask her out again?”
He shrugged, then smiled. “I could think of worse ways to spend some time.”
“You’re lucky she didn’t try to take you out, literally.”
“I’m not so sure she would’ve,” he replied. “We always got along pretty well. Anyhow, none of this is the main reason I called…”
I nodded, having already guessed as much.
“How’s my mother doing?” he asked.
“Hasn’t stirred,” I answered. “She’s safe.”
“That’s something,” he said. “You know, it’s kind of undignified for a queen to be in that position. A coat rack. Jeez! “
“I agree,” I agreed. “But what’s the alternative?”
“Well, I’d sort of like to … get her freed,” he said.
“What’ll it take?”
“You raise a very thorny issue,” I stated.
“I sort of figured that.”
“I’ve a strong feeling she’s the one behind this revenge business, Luke, that she’s the one who put you up to going after everybody. Like with that bomb. Like encouraging you to set up that private army with modern weapons, to use against Amber. Like trying for a hit on me every spring. Like-“
“Okay, okay. You’re right. I don’t deny it. But things have changed-”
“Yeah. Her plans fell through and we’ve got her.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m changed. I understand her now, and I understand myself better. She can’t push me around that way anymore.”