“One could always trump through to Julian,” I said, “but what have you got in mind, Luke?”
“I want to talk to Dalt.”
“It’s too dangerous,” she said, “since you’re what he wants.”
Luke grinned. “It could be a bit dangerous for Dalt, too,” he replied.
“Wait a minute,” I said. “If you’ve got more in mind than just talking, you could blow this truce. Vialle’s trying to avoid a conflict here.”
“There won’t be any conflict,” Luke said. “Look, I’ve known Dalt since we were kids, and I think he’s bluffing. He does that sometimes. He hasn’t got the kind of force to risk another attack on Amber. Your guys would slaughter him. If he wants Mom or me, I think he’d be willing to tell me why, and that’s what we want to find out, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes,” I said. “But-“
“Let me go,” he said to Vialle, “and I’ll find a way to get him off your back. I promise.”
“You tempt me,” she told him. “But I don’t like your talk of settling accounts with him at this time. As Merlin said, I want to avoid this conflict-for more than one reason.”
“I promise not to let it go that far,” he stated. “I can read the dice. I’m good at playing things by ear. I’m willing to postpone gratification.”
“Merlin … ?” she said.
“He’s right, in that,” I answered. “He’s the deadliest salesman in the southwest.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand the concept.”
“It’s a highly specialized art, back on that Shadow Earth we both inhabited. In fact, he’s using it on you right now.”
“Do you think he can do what he says?”
“I think he’s very good at getting what he wants.”
“Exactly,” Luke observed. “And since we both want the same thing here, I think the future looks bright for all of us.”
“I see what you mean,” she said. “How much danger would this put you near, Rinaldo?”
“I’ll be as safe as I am right here in Amber,” he said.
She smiled.
“All right, I’ll speak to Julian,” she agreed, “and you can go to him and see what you can learn from Dalt.”
“A moment,” I requested, “It’s been snowing on and off, and that’s a pretty nasty wind out there. Luke just came in from a more temperate clime, and it’s a pretty flimsy-looking cloak he has on. Let me get him something warmer. I’ve a nice heavy one he can take, if he finds it suitable.”
“Go ahead,” she said.
“We’ll be right back.”
She pursed her lips, then nodded.
I passed Luke his weapons belt and he buckled it on. I knew that she knew I just wanted to talk to him alone for a few minutes. And she was certainly aware that I knew it. And we both knew she trusted me, which brightens my existence, as well as complicating it.
As we passed along the hallway toward my rooms, I’d intended to fill Luke in concerning the upcoming coronation in Kashfa, as well as a few other matters. I waited, however, till we were well away firm the sitting room, because Vialle has inordinately acute hearing. This, though, gave Luke a foot in the door, and he began to speak first.
“What a strange development,” he said. Then, “I like her, but I’ve a feeling she knows more than she’s telling.”
“Probably true,” I answered. “I guess we’re all like that.”
“You, too?”
“These days, yes. It’s gotten that way.”
“You know anything more about this situation that I should be aware of?”
I shook my head. “This is very new, and she gave you the whole story I know. Would you, perchance, know something about it that we don’t?”
“Nope,” he said. “It came as a surprise to me, too. But I’ve got to pursue it.”
“I guess so.”
We were nearing my stretch of corridor now, and I felt obliged to prepare him.
“We’ll be to my rooms in a minute,” I said, “and I just wanted you to know your mother’s in there. She’s safe, but you won’t find her too talkative.”
“I’m familiar with the results of that spell,” he said. “I also recall that you said you know how to lift it. So.. That leads into the next topic. I’ve been thinking. This interlude is slowing us down a bit in our plan for going after Mask and your brother.”