And where was that damned black road now that I finally had a use for it? If I could locate it, I could follow it. I had a feeling that it was somewhere off to my left. . . .
I reached out once again, parting the fogs, rolling them back. . . . Nothing . . .
A shape? Something moving?
It was an animal, a large dog perhaps, moving to remain within the fog. Was it stalking me?
The Jewel began to pulse as I moved the fog even farther back. Exposed, the animal seemed to shrug itself. Then it moved straight toward me.
Chapter 8
I stood as it came near. I could see then that it was a jackal, a big one, its eyes fixed on my own.
“You are a little early,” I said. “I was only resting.”
It chuckled.
“I have come merely to regard a Prince of Amber,” the beast said. “Anything else would be a bonus.” It chuckled again. So did I.
“Then feast your eyes. Anything else, and you will find that I have rested sufficiently.”
“Nay, nay,” said the jackal. “I am a fan of the House of Amber. And that of Chaos. Royal blood appeals to me, Prince of Chaos. And conflict.”
“You have awarded me an unfamiliar title. My connection with the Courts of Chaos is mainly a matter of genealogy.”
“I think of the images of Amber passing through the shadows of Chaos. I think of the waves of Chaos washing over the images of Amber. Yet at the heart of the order Amber represents moves a family most chaotic, just as the House of Chaos is serene and placid. Yet you have your ties, as well as your conflicts.”
“At the moment,” I said, “I am not interested in paradox hunting and terminology games. I am trying to get to the Courts of Chaos. Do you know the way?”
“Yes,” said the jackal. “It is not far, as the carrion bird flies. Come, I will set you in the proper direction.”
It turned and began walking aWay. I followed.
“Do I move too fast? You seem tired.”
“No. Keep going. It is beyond this valley certainly, is it not?”
“Yes. There is a tunnel.”
I followed it, out across sand and gravel and dry, hard ground. There was nothing growing at either hand. As we walked, the fogs thinned and took on a greenish cast-another trick of that stippled sky, I assumed.
After a time, I called out, “How much farther is it?”
“Not too far now,” it said.
“Do you grow tired? Do you wish to rest?”
It looked back as it spoke. The greenish light gave to its ugly features an even more ghastly cast. Still, I needed a guide; and we were heading uphill, which seemed to be proper.
“Is there water anywhere near about?” I asked.
“No. We would have to backtrack a considerable distance.”
“Forget it. I haven’t the time.”
It shrugged and chuckled and walked on. The fog cleared a little more as we went, and I could see that we were entering a low range of hills. I leaned on my staff and kept up the pace.
We climbed steadily for perhaps half an hour, the ground growing stonier, the angle of ascent steeper. I found myself beginning to breathe heavily.
“Wait,” I called to him. “I do want to rest now. I thought you said that it was not far.”
“Forgive me,” it said, halting, “for jackalocentrism. I was judging in terms of my own natural pace. I erred in this, but we are almost there now. It lies among the rocks just ahead. Why not rest there?”
“All right,” I replied, and I resumed walking.
Soon we reached a stony wall which I realized was the foot of a mountain. We picked our way among the rocky debris which lined it and came at last to an opening which led back into darkness.
“There you have it,” said the jackal. “The way is straight, and there are no troublesome side branches. Take your passage through, and good speed to you.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving up thoughts of rest for the moment and stepping inside.