[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
had thrown his blade. Risky, if I chose to return. But he knew I wouldn't, for the door sounded about
ready to fall.
I descended the pegs as rapidly as I could, to the place where I had slept earlier. As I did, I
considered my increased skill with the blade. At first, in the battle, I bad been awed by the man who had
beaten me before. Now, though, I wondered. Perhaps those centuries on the Shadow Earth were
not a waste. Maybe I had actually gotten better during that time. Now I felt that I might be Eric's equal
with the weapon. This made me feel good. If we met again, as I was sure we would, and there was no
outside interference-who knew? I would court the chance, however. Today's encounter had scared him.
I was certain. That might serve to slow his hand, to cause the necessary hesitation on the next occasion.
I let go and dropped the final fifteen feet, bending my knees as I landed. I was the proverbial five
minutes ahead of the posse, but I was sure I could take advantage of it and escape. For I had the cards
in my belt.
I drew the card that was Bleys and stared at it. My shoulder hurt, but I forgot it, as the coldness came
upon me.
There were two ways to depart directly from Amber into Shadow. . .
One was the Pattern, seldom used for this purpose.
Another was the Trumps, if you could trust a brother.
I considered Bleys. I could almost trust him. He was my brother, but he was in trouble and could use
my help.
I stared at him, flame-crowned, dressed all in red and orange, with a sword in his right hand and a
glass of wine in his left. The devil danced in his blue eyes, his beard blazed, and the tracery on his blade, I
suddenly realized, flared with a portion of the Pattern. His rings flashed. He seemed to move.
The contact came like an icy wind.
The figure on the card seemed life-sized now and changed position into whatever stance he presently
held. His eyes did not quite focus upon me, and his lips moved.
"Who is it?" they said, and I heard the words.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Corw in," said I, and he held forth his left hand, which no longer bore the goblet.
"Then come to me, if you would."
I reached forth and our fingers met. I took a step.
I was still holding the card in my left hand, but Bleys and I stood together on a cliff and there was a
chasm to our side and a high fortress to our other side. The sky above us was the color of flame.
"Hello, Bleys," I said, tucking the card into my belt with the others. "Thanks for the assistance."
I suddenly felt weak and realized the blood was still flowing from my left shoulder.
"You're wounded!" he said, throwing an arm about my shoulders, and I started to nod but fainted
instead.
-----
Later that night, I sprawled in a big chair within the fortress and drank whiskey. We smoked and
passed the bottle and talked.
"So you were actually in Amber?"
"Yes, that's right."
"And you wounded Eric in your duel?"
"Yes."
"Damn! I wish you'd killed him!" Then he reflected. "Well, maybe not. Then you'd have held the
throne. I might have a better chance against Eric than I'd have had against you. I don't know. What are
your plans?"
I decided upon complete honesty.
"We all want the throne," I said. "so there's no reason to lie to one another. I'm not about to try killing
you for it-that would be foolish-but on the other hand. I'm not about to renounce my claim because I'm
enjoying your hospitality. Random would like it, but he's pretty much out of the picture.
No one has beard from Benedict for some time now. Gerard and Caine seem to he supporting Eric,
rather than promoting their own claims. The same goes for Julian. That leaves Brand and our sisters. I
don't know what the hell Brand is up to these days, but I do know that Deirdre is without power, unless
she and Llewella can raise something in Rebma, and Flora is Eric's creature. I don't know what Fiona is
up to."
"And so that leaves us," said Bleys, pouring us each another drink. "Yes, you're right. I don't know [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
had thrown his blade. Risky, if I chose to return. But he knew I wouldn't, for the door sounded about
ready to fall.
I descended the pegs as rapidly as I could, to the place where I had slept earlier. As I did, I
considered my increased skill with the blade. At first, in the battle, I bad been awed by the man who had
beaten me before. Now, though, I wondered. Perhaps those centuries on the Shadow Earth were
not a waste. Maybe I had actually gotten better during that time. Now I felt that I might be Eric's equal
with the weapon. This made me feel good. If we met again, as I was sure we would, and there was no
outside interference-who knew? I would court the chance, however. Today's encounter had scared him.
I was certain. That might serve to slow his hand, to cause the necessary hesitation on the next occasion.
I let go and dropped the final fifteen feet, bending my knees as I landed. I was the proverbial five
minutes ahead of the posse, but I was sure I could take advantage of it and escape. For I had the cards
in my belt.
I drew the card that was Bleys and stared at it. My shoulder hurt, but I forgot it, as the coldness came
upon me.
There were two ways to depart directly from Amber into Shadow. . .
One was the Pattern, seldom used for this purpose.
Another was the Trumps, if you could trust a brother.
I considered Bleys. I could almost trust him. He was my brother, but he was in trouble and could use
my help.
I stared at him, flame-crowned, dressed all in red and orange, with a sword in his right hand and a
glass of wine in his left. The devil danced in his blue eyes, his beard blazed, and the tracery on his blade, I
suddenly realized, flared with a portion of the Pattern. His rings flashed. He seemed to move.
The contact came like an icy wind.
The figure on the card seemed life-sized now and changed position into whatever stance he presently
held. His eyes did not quite focus upon me, and his lips moved.
"Who is it?" they said, and I heard the words.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Corw in," said I, and he held forth his left hand, which no longer bore the goblet.
"Then come to me, if you would."
I reached forth and our fingers met. I took a step.
I was still holding the card in my left hand, but Bleys and I stood together on a cliff and there was a
chasm to our side and a high fortress to our other side. The sky above us was the color of flame.
"Hello, Bleys," I said, tucking the card into my belt with the others. "Thanks for the assistance."
I suddenly felt weak and realized the blood was still flowing from my left shoulder.
"You're wounded!" he said, throwing an arm about my shoulders, and I started to nod but fainted
instead.
-----
Later that night, I sprawled in a big chair within the fortress and drank whiskey. We smoked and
passed the bottle and talked.
"So you were actually in Amber?"
"Yes, that's right."
"And you wounded Eric in your duel?"
"Yes."
"Damn! I wish you'd killed him!" Then he reflected. "Well, maybe not. Then you'd have held the
throne. I might have a better chance against Eric than I'd have had against you. I don't know. What are
your plans?"
I decided upon complete honesty.
"We all want the throne," I said. "so there's no reason to lie to one another. I'm not about to try killing
you for it-that would be foolish-but on the other hand. I'm not about to renounce my claim because I'm
enjoying your hospitality. Random would like it, but he's pretty much out of the picture.
No one has beard from Benedict for some time now. Gerard and Caine seem to he supporting Eric,
rather than promoting their own claims. The same goes for Julian. That leaves Brand and our sisters. I
don't know what the hell Brand is up to these days, but I do know that Deirdre is without power, unless
she and Llewella can raise something in Rebma, and Flora is Eric's creature. I don't know what Fiona is
up to."
"And so that leaves us," said Bleys, pouring us each another drink. "Yes, you're right. I don't know [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]