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re the place is。〃
〃I know where Ed's place is。 He must have tools； though。〃
Bill shrugged and smiled。
〃All right；〃 I said。 〃Let me use your bathroom； and then we had better get moving。〃
〃You seemed as if you knew the prospective buyer。〃
I put the tray aside and rose to my feet。
〃You heard of him last as Brandon Corey。〃
〃The guy who pretended to be your brother and got you mitted？〃
〃'Pretended' hell！ He is my brother。 No fault of mine； though。 Excuse me。〃
〃He was there。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Ed's place； this afternoon。 At least a bearded redhead was。〃
〃Doing what？〃
〃Said he was an artist。 Said he wanted permission to set up his easel and paint in one of the fields。〃
〃And Ed let him？〃
〃Yes； of course。 Thought it was a great idea。 That is why he told me about it。 Wanted to brag。〃
〃Get the stuff。 I will meet you there。〃
〃Right。〃
The second thing I took out in the bathroom was my Trumps。 I had to reach someone in Amber soonest； someone strong enough to stop him。 But who？ Benedict was on his way to the Courts at Chaos； Random was off looking for his son； I had just parted with Gérard on somewhat less than amicable terms。 I wished that I had a Trump for Ganelon。 I decided that I would have to try Gérard。
I drew forth his card； performed the proper mental maneuvers。 Moments later； I had contact。
〃Corwin！〃
〃Just listen； Gérard！ Brand is alive； if that is any consolation。 I'm damn sure of that。 This is important。 Life and death。 You've got to do something … fast！〃
His expressions had changed rapidly while I had spoken … anger； surprise； interest。。。
〃Go ahead；〃 he said。
〃Brand could be ing back very soon。 In fact； he may already be in Amber。 You haven't seen him yet； have you？〃
〃No。〃
〃He must be stopped from walking the Pattern。〃
〃I do not understand。 But I can post a guard outside the chamber of the Pattern。〃
〃Put the guard inside the chamber。 He has strange ways of ing and going now。 Terrible things may happen if he walks the Pattern。〃
〃I will watch it personally then。 What is happening？〃
〃No time now。 Here is the next thing： Is Llewella back in Rebma？〃
〃Yes； she is。〃
〃Get hold of her with her Trump。 She's got to warn Moire that the Pattern in Rebma has to be guarded also。〃
〃How serious is this； Corwin？〃
〃It could be the end of everything；〃 I said。 〃I have to go now。〃
I broke the contact and headed for the kitchen and the back door； stopping only long enough to thank Alice and say good night。 If Brand had got hold of the Jewel and attuned himself to it； I was not certain what he would do； but I had a pretty strong hunch。
I mounted Drum and turned him toward the road。 Bill was already backing out of the driveway。
Chapter 11
I cut through fields in many places where Bill had to follow the roads； so I was not all that far behind him。 When I drew up； he was talking with Ed； who was gesturing toward the southwest。
As I dismounted； Ed was studying Drum。
〃Nice horse； that；〃 he said。
〃Thanks。〃
〃You've been away。〃
〃Yes。〃
We shook hands。
〃Good to see you again。 I was just telling Bill that I don't really know how long that artist stayed around。 I just figured he would go away when it got dark； and I didn't pay too much attention。 Now； if he was really looking for something of yours and knew about the post heap； he could still be out there for all I know。 I'll get my shotgun； if you like； and go with you。〃
〃No；〃 I said； 〃thanks。 I think I know who it was。 The gun will not be necessary。 We'll just walk over and do a little poking around。〃
〃Okay；〃 he said。 〃Let me e along and give you a hand。〃
〃You don't have to do that；〃 I said。
〃How about your horse； then？ What say I give him a drink and something to eat； clean him up a bit？〃
〃I'm sure he'd be grateful。 I know I would。〃
〃What's his name？〃
〃Drum。〃
He approached Drum and began making friends with him。
〃Okay；〃 he said。 〃I'll be back in the barn for a while。 If you need me for anything； just holler。〃
〃Thanks。〃
I got the tools out of Bill's car and he carried the electric lantern； leading me off to the southwest where Ed had been pointing earlier。
As we crossed the field； I followed the beam of Bill's light； searching for the heap。 When I saw what might be the remains of one； I drew a deep breath； involuntarily。 Someone must have been at it； the way the clods were strewn about。 The mass would not have been dumped from a truck to fall in such a dispersed fashion。
Still。。。 the fact that someone had looked did not mean he had located what he had been seeking。
〃What do you think？〃 Bill said。
〃I don't know；〃 I told him； lowering the tools to the ground and approaching the largest aggregate in sight。 〃Give me some light here。〃
I scanned what remained of the heap； then fetched a rake and began taking it apart。 I broke each clod and spread it upon the ground； running the tines through it。 After a time。 Bill set the lantern at a good angle and moved to help me。
〃I've got a funny feeling。。。〃 he said。
〃So do I。〃
〃。。。 that we may be too late。〃
We kept pulverizing and spreading； pulverizing and spreading。。。
I felt the tingle of a familiar presence。 I straightened and waited。 Contact came moments later。
〃Corwin！〃
〃Here； Gérard。〃
〃What'd you say？〃 said Bill。
I raised my hand to silence him and gave my attention to Gérard。 He stood in shadow at the bright beginning of the Pattern； leaning upon his great blade。
〃You were right；〃 he said。 〃Brand did show up here； just a moment ago。 I am not sure how he got in。 He stepped out of the shadows off to the left； there。〃 He gestured。 〃He looked at me for a moment； then turned around and walked back。 He did not answer when I hailed him。 So I turned up the lantern； but he was nowhere in sight。 He just disappeared。 What do you want me to do now？〃
〃Was he wearing the Jewel of Judgment？〃
〃I could not tell。 I only had sight of him for a moment； in this bad light。〃
〃Are they watching the Pattern in Rebma now？〃
〃Yes。 Llewella's alerted them。〃
〃Good。 Stay on guard； then。 I will be in touch again。〃
〃All right。 Corwin … about what happened earlier。。。〃
〃Forget it。〃
〃Thanks。 That Ganelon is one tough fellow。〃
〃Indeed；〃 I said。 〃Stay awake。〃
His image faded as I released the contact； but a strange thing happened then。 The sense of contact； the path； remained with me； objectless； open； like a switched on radio not tuned to anything。 Bill was looking at me peculiarly。
〃Carl； what is happening？〃
〃I don't know。 Wait a minute。〃
Suddenly； there was contact again； though not with Gérard。 She must have been trying to reach me while my attention was diverted。
〃Corwin； it is important。。。〃
〃Go ahead； Fi。〃
〃You will not find what you are looking for there。 Brand has it。〃
〃I was beginning to suspect as much。〃
〃We have to stop him。 I do not know how much you know …〃
〃Neither do I any more；〃 I said； 〃but I have the Pattern in Amber and the one in Rebma under guard。 Gérard just told me that Brand appeared at the one in Amber； but was scared off。〃
She nodded her small； fine…featured face。 Her red tresses were unusually disarrayed。 She looked tired。
〃I am aware of this；〃 she said。 〃I have him under surveillance。 But you have forgotten another possibility。〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃According to my calculations； Tir…na Nog'th should not be attainable yet …〃
〃That is not what I was referring to。 He is headed for the primal Pattern itself。〃
〃To attune the Jewel？〃
〃The first time through；〃 she said。
〃To walk it； he would have to pass through the damaged area。 I gather that is more than a little difficult。〃
〃So you do know about it；〃 she said。 〃Good。 That saves time。 The dark area would not trouble him the way it would another of us。 He has e to terms with that darkness。 We must stop him； now。〃
〃Do you know any short cuts to that place？〃
〃Yes。 e to me。 I will take you there。〃
〃Just a minute。 I want Drum with me。〃
〃What for？〃
〃No telling。 That is why I want him。〃
〃Very well。 Then bring me through。 We can as easily depart from there as from here。〃
I extended my hand。 In a moment； I held hers。 She stepped forward。
〃Lord！〃 said Bill； drawing back。 〃You were giving me doubts about your sanity； Carl。 Now it's mine I wonder about。 She … she's on one of the cards； too； isn't she？〃
〃Yes。 Bill； this is my sister Fiona。 Fiona； this is Bill Roth； a very good friend。〃
Fi extended her hand and smiled； and I left them there while I went back to fetch Drum。 A few minutes later； I led him forth。
〃Bill；〃 I said； 〃I am sorry to have wasted your time。 My brother has the thing。 We are going after him now。 Thanks for helping me。〃
I shook his hand。
He said； 〃Corwin。〃 I smiled。
〃Yes； that is my name。〃
〃We have been talking； your sister and I。 Not much I could learn in a few minutes； but I know it is dangerous。 So good luck。 I still want the whole story one day。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said。 〃I will try to see that you get it。〃
I mounted； leaned down； and drew Fiona up before me。
〃Good night； Mr。 Roth；〃 she said。 Then； to me； 〃Start riding； slowly； across the field。〃
I did。
〃Brand says you are the one who stabbed him；〃 I said； as soon as we had gone far enough to feel alone。
〃That's right。〃
〃Why？〃
〃To avoid all this。〃
〃I talked with him for a long while。 He claimed it was originally you； Bleys； and himself； together in a scheme to seize power。〃
〃That is correct。〃
〃He told me he had approached Caine； trying to win him to your side； but that Caine would have none of it； that Caine had passed the word along to Eric and Julian。 And this led to their forming their own group； to block your way to the throne。〃
〃That is basically correct。 Caine had ambitions of his own … long…term ones … but ambitions nevertheless。 He was in no position to pursue them； however。 So he decided that if his lot was to be a lesser one； he would rather serve it under Eric than under Bleys。 I can see his point； too。〃
〃He also claimed that the three of you had a deal going with the powers at the end of the black road； in the Courts of Chaos。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃we did。〃
〃You use the past tense。〃
〃For myself and for Bleys； yes。〃
〃That is not the way Brand tells it。〃
〃He wouldn't。〃
〃He said you and Bleys wanted to continue exploiting that alliance； but that he had had a change of heart。 Because of this； he claims you turned on him and imprisoned him in that tower。〃
〃Why didn't we just kill him？〃
〃I give up。 Tell me。〃
〃He was too dangerous to be allowed his freedom； but we could not kill him either because he held something vital。〃
〃What？〃
〃With Dworkin gone。 Brand was the only one who knew how to undo the damage he had done to the primal Pattern。〃
〃You had a long time to get that information out of him。〃
〃He possesses unbelievable resources。〃
〃Then why did you stab him？〃
〃I repeat； to avoid all this。 If it became a question of his freedom or his death； it were better he died。 We would have to take our chances on figuring the method of repairing the Pattern。〃
〃This being the case； why did you consent to cooperate in bringing him back？〃
〃First； I was not co…operating； I was trying to impede the attempt。 But there were too many trying too hard。 You got through to him in spite of me。 Second； I had to be on hand to try to kill him in the event you succeeded。 Too bad things worked out the way they did。〃
〃You say that you and Bleys had second thoughts about the alliance； but that Brand did not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How did your second thoughts affect your desire for the throne？〃
〃We thought we could manage it without any additional outside help。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Do you believe me？〃
〃I'm afraid that I am beginning to。〃
〃Turn here。〃
I entered a cleft in a hillside。 The way was narrow and very dark； with only a small band of stars above us。 Fiona had been manipulating Shadow while we had talked； leading us from Ed's field downward； into a misty； moorlike place； then up again； to a clear and rocky trail among mountains。 Now； as we moved through the dark defile； I felt her working with Shadow again。 The air was cool but not cold。 The blackness to our left and our right was absolute； giving t