Sign of Chaos

Chapter 9

I walked a pace or so behind Luke, a couple of yards off to his left, trying to keep even with Julian, who was over to the right. The torch I bore was a big thing, about six tapering feet of pitchy wood, sharpened at its terminus to make it easy to drive into the ground. I held it at arm’s distance, because the oily flames licked and lashed in all directions in accord with vagaries of the wind. Sharp, icy flakes fell upon my cheek, my forehead, my hands, with a few catching in my eyebrows and lashes. I blinked vigorously as the heat of the torch melted them and they ran into my eyes. The grasses beneath my feet were sufficiently cold to give a brittle, crunching sensation every time I took a step. Directly ahead I could see the slow advance of two other torches toward us, and the shadowy figure of a man who walked between them. I blinked and waited for the flow from one or the other of his torches to give me a better look. I’d only seen him once, very briefly, via Trump, back at Arbor House. His hair looked golden, or even coppery, by what light there was upon it, but I remembered it as a kind of dirty blond by natural light. His eyes, I recalled, were green, though there was no way I could see that now. I did begin to realize for the first time, however, that he was pretty big — either that or he had chosen fairly short torchbearers. He had been alone that one time I’d seen him, and I had had no standard for comparison. As the light from our torches reached him I saw that he had on a heavy, green sleeveless doublet without a collar, over something black and also heavy, with sleeves that extended down his arms to vanish within green gauntlets. His trousers were black, as were the high boots they entered; his cloak was black and lined with an emerald green that caught our light as the cloak furled about him in shifting, oily landscapes of yellow and red. He wore a heavy circular medallion, which looked to be gold, on a chain about his neck; and though I could not make out the details of its device, I was certain that it bore a Lion rending a Unicorn. He came to a halt about ten or twelve paces from Luke, who stopped an instant later. Dalt gestured, and his retainers drove the butts of their torches into the ground. Julian and I immediately did the same, and we remained near them, as Dalt’s men were doing. Then Dalt nodded to Luke, and they both advanced again, meeting at the center of the box formed by the lights, clasping right forearms, staring into each other’s eyes. Luke’s back was to me, but I could see Dalt’s face. He showed no signs of emotion, but his lips were already moving. I couldn’t hear a word that was being said, between the wind and the fact that they seemed intentionally to be keeping it low. At least, I finally had a point of reference for Dalt’s size. Luke is about six three, and I could see that Dalt was several inches taller. I glanced at Julian, but he was not looking my way. I wondered how many eyes regarded us from both sides of the field.

Julian is always a bad person to check for reactions. He was simply watching the two of them, expressionless, stolid. I cultivated the same attitude, and the minutes passed, the snow kept falling.

After a long while Luke turned away and headed back toward us. Dalt moved off toward one of his torchbearers. Luke stopped midway between us, and Julian and I moved to join him.

“What’s up?” I asked him.

“Oh,” he said, “I think I found a way of settling this without a war.”

“Great,” I said. “What did you sell him?”

“I sold him on the idea of fighting a duel with me to determine how this thing goes,” he explained.

“God damn it, Luke!” I said. “That guy’s a pro! And I’m sure he’s got our genetic package for strength. And he’s been living in the field all this time. He’s probably in top shape. And he outweighs you and outreaches you.”

Luke grinned.

“So, I might get lucky,” he said. He looked at Julian. “Anyway, if you can get a message back to the lines and tell them not to attack when we start this thing, Dalt’s side will be holding still for it, too.”

Julian looked over to where one of Dalt’s torchbearers had started back toward his lines. He turned toward his own side then and executed a number of hand signals. Shortly, a man emerged from cover and began jogs toward us.

“Luke,” I said. “This is crazy. The only way you’re going to win is to get Benedict for a second and then break a leg.”

“Merle,” he said, “let it go. This is between Dalt and me. Okay?”

“I’ve got a bunch of fairly fresh spells,” I said. “We can let this thing start, and then I’ll hit him with one at the right time. It’ll look as if you did it.”

“No!” he said. “This really is a matter of honor. So you’ve got to stay out of it.”

“Okay,” I said, “if that’s how you want it.”

“Besides, nobody’s going to die,” he explained. “Neither of us wants that right now, and it’s part of the deal. We’re too valuable to each other alive. No weapons. Strictly mano a mano.”

“Just what,” Julian inquired, “is the deal?”

“If Dalt whips my ass,” Luke replied, “I’m his prisoner. He’ll withdraw his force and I’ll accompany him.”

“Luke, you’re crazy!” I said.

Julian glared at me.

“Continue,” he said.

“If I win, he’s my prisoner,” he went on. “He goes back with me to Amber, or anywhere else I care to transport him, and his officers withdraw his troops.”

“The only way of assuring such a withdrawal,” Julian said, “is to let them know that if they don’t they’re doomed.”

“Of course,” Luke said. “That’s why I told him that Benedict is waiting in the wings to roll down on him. I’m sure it’s the only reason he’s agreed to do this.”

“Most astute,” Julian observed. “Either way, Amber wins. What are you trying to buy with this, Rinaldo, for yourself?”

Luke smiled.

“Think about it,” he said.

“There is more to you than I’d thought, Nephew,” he replied. “Move over there to my right, would you?”

“Why?”

“To block his view of me, of course. I’ve got to let Benedict know what’s going on.”

Luke moved while Julian located his Trumps and is shuffled out the proper one. In the meantime the runner from our lines had come up and stood waiting. Julian put away all of the cards but one then, and commenced his communication. It lasted for a minute or so, then Julian paused to speak with the runner and send him back. Immediately, he continued the conversation with the card. When he finally stopped talking or seeming to listen, he did not restore the Trump to the inner pocket where he kept the others, but retained it in his hand out of sight. I realized then that the contact would not be broken, that he would stay in touch with Benedict until this business was finished, so that Benedict would know in an instant what it was that he must do.

Luke unfastened the cloak I’d lent him, came over, and handed it to me.

“Hold this till I’m done, will you?” he said.

“Yes,” I agreed, accepting it. “Good luck.”

He smiled briefly and turned away. Dalt was already moving toward the center of the square.

Luke advanced, also. He and Dalt both halted, facing each other, while there were still several paces separating them. Dalt said something I could not hear, and Luke’s reply was lost to me, also.

Then they raised their arms. Luke struck a boxer’s stance, and Dalt’s hands came up in a wrestler’s defense. Luke threw the first punch — or maybe it was just a feint; either way, it didn’t land toward Dalt’s face. Dalt brushed at it and stepped back, and Luke moved in quickly and landed two blows on his midsection. Another shot at his face was blocked, though, and Luke began to circle, jabbing. Dalt tried rushing twice then and got clipped both times, a little trickle of blood coming from his lip after the second one. On his third rush, though, he sent Luke sprawling but was unable to crash down on top of him, as Luke was able to twist partly away and roll when he hit. He tried kicking Dalt in the right kidney, though, as soon as he’d scrambled to his feet, and Dalt caught his ankle and rose, bearing him over backward. Luke landed a kick on the side of his knee with his other foot as he went down, but Dalt kept hold of the foot, bearing down and beginning to twist. Luke bent forward then, grimacing, and managed to catch Dalt’s right wrist with both hands and tear his foot free of the larger man’s grip. He doubled and moved forward then, still holding the wrist, regaining his feet and straightening as he advanced, passing under Dalt’s arm on his right side, turning, and dragging him face downward to the ground. He moved quickly then, bending the arm up into a hammerlock, holding it with his right hand and seizing a handful of Dalt’s hair with his left. But as he drew Dalt’s head backward — preparatory, I was certain, to slamming it a few times against the ground — I saw that it wasn’t going to work. Dalt stiffened, and his arm started to move downward. He was straightening it against Luke’s lock. Luke tried pushing Dalt’s head forward several times then, without effect. It became apparent that if he released either hand he was in trouble, and he wasn’t able to maintain the hold. Dalt was just too damned strong. Seeing this, Luke threw all of his weight against Dalt’s back, pushed, and sprang up. He wasn’t quite fast enough, however, because Dalt’s freed arm swung around and clipped him across the left calf as he moved away. Luke stumbled. Dalt was up and swinging immediately. He caught Luke with a wild haymaker that knocked him over backward. This time, when he threw himself upon Luke, Luke was unable to roll free; he only managed to turn his body partly. Dalt landed with considerable force, twisting past a slow knee aimed toward his groin. Luke did not get his hands free in time to defend against a punch that caught him on the left side of the jaw. He turned with it and fell completely flat. Then his right hand snapped upward, its heel striking the point of Dalt’s chin, fingers hooking toward the eyes. Dalt jerked his head back and slapped the hand away. Luke threw a hammer blow toward his temple with the other hand, and though it connected, Dalt was already moving his head to the side, and I couldn’t see that it had any effect. Luke dropped both elbows to the ground and pushed himself up and forward, bowing. His forehead struck Dalt’s face, where, I am not precisely certain — before he fell back. Moments later, Dalt’s nose began bleeding as he reached out with his left hand to grasp Luke by the neck. His right hand, open, slapped Luke hard on the side of the head. I saw Luke’s teeth just before it landed, as he tried biting at the incoming hand, but the grip on his neck prevented this. Dalt moved to repeat the blow, but this time Luke’s left arm came up and blocked it, while his right hand caught hold of Dalt’s left wrist in an effort to pull it away from his neck. Dalt’s right hand snaked in past Luke’s left then, to take hold, creating a two-handed grip on Luke’s neck, thumbs moving to depress the windpipe.

I thought that might well be it. But Luke’s right hand suddenly moved to Dalt’s left elbow, his left hand crossed both of Dalt’s arms to seize the left forearm, and Luke twisted his body and cranked the elbow skyward. Dalt went over to the left and Luke rolled to the right and regained his footing, shaking his head as he did so. This time he did not try kicking Dalt, who was already recovering. Dalt again extended his arms, Luke raised his fists, and they began circling once more.

The snow continued to fall, the wind to slacken and surge, sometimes driving the icy flakes hard against faces, other times permitting the snow to descend like a troubled curtain. I thought of all the troops about me and wondered for a moment whether I would find myself in the middle of a battlefield when this thing was finally over. The fact that Benedict was ready to swoop down from somewhere and wreak extra havoc did not exactly comfort me, even though it meant that my side would probably win. I remembered then that my being there was my own choice.

“Come on, Luke!” I yelled. “Flatten him!”

This produced a very odd effect. Immediately, Dalt’s torchbearers began shouting encouragement to him. Our voices must have carried though the wind’s lulls, for shortly there came waves of sound, which I at first took to be some distant part of the storm and only later realized to be shouting coming from both lines. Only Julian remained silent, inscrutable.

Luke continued to circle Dalt, throwing jabs and trying occasional combinations, and Dalt kept swatting away at them and trying to catch an arm. Both of them had blood on their faces and both seemed a bit slower than they had been earlier. I’d a feeling they’d both been hurt, though it was impossible to guess to what extent. Luke had opened a small cut high on Dalt’s left cheek. Both of their faces were beginning to look puffy.

Luke connected with another body combination, but it was hard to say how much force there was behind the blows. Dalt took them stoically and found extra energy somewhere to rush forward and attempt to grapple. Luke was slow in withdrawing and Dalt managed to draw him into a clinch. Both tried kneeing the other; both turned their hips and avoided it. They kept tangling arms and twisting as Dalt continued reaching after a better grip and Luke kept defeating the efforts while attempting to free an arm wind get in a punch. Both tried several forehead bashes and instep stompings, but all of these were avoided by the other. Finally, Luke succeeded in hooking Dalt’s leg, driving him backward to the ground.

Half kneeling atop him then, Luke caught him with a left cross and followed it immediately with a right. He tried for another left then, and Dalt caught his fist, surged upward and threw him back to the ground. As Dalt hurled himself upon him again, his face a half mask of blood and dirt, Luke was somehow able to strike him beneath the heart, but this did not stop Dalt’s right fist which came down like a falling rock on the side of Luke’s jaw. Dalt followed it with a weak left to the other side, a weak right, paused to suck in a great breath, then landed a solid left. Luke’s head rolled to the side and he did not move.

Dalt crouched there atop him, panting like a dog, studying his face as if suspecting some trick, his right hand twitching as if he were contemplating striking again.

But nothing happened. They remained in that position for ten or fifteen seconds before Dalt slowly drew himself erect, eased off of Luke to Luke’s left, then rose carefully to his feet, swayed for a second and straightened fully.

I could almost taste the death spell I had hung earlier. It would only take a few seconds to nail him, and no one would be certain how he had died. But I wondered what would happen if he were to collapse now, too. Would both sides attack? It was neither this nor humanitarian considerations that finally restrained me, however. Instead, it was Luke’s words, “This really is a matter of honor. So you’ve got to stay out of it,” and, “Nobody’s going to die… We’re too valuable to each other alive.”

Okay. There was still no sound of trumpets. No rush of men to combat. It seemed that things might actually go as had been agreed. This was the way Luke had wanted it. I was not going to interfere.

I watched as Dalt knelt and began to raise Luke from the ground. Immediately, he lowered him, then called to his two torchmen to come and carry him. Dalt rose again and faced Julian as the men advanced.

“I call upon you to observe the rest of our agreement,” he said loudly.

Julian inclined his head slightly.

“We will, provided you do,” he answered. “Have your men out of here by daybreak.”

“We leave now,” Dalt replied, and he began to turn away.

“Dalt!” I called out.

He turned back and regarded me.

“My name is Merlin,” I said. “We’ve met, though I don’t know whether you remember.”

He shook his head.

I raised my right arm and pronounced my most useless and at the same time flashiest spell. The ground erupted before him, showering him with dirt and gravel. He stepped back and wiped his face, then looked down into the rough trench that had appeared.

“That is your grave,” I said, “If Luke’s death comes of this.”

He studied me again.

“Next time I’ll remember you,” he said, and he turned and followed the men who were carrying Luke back to his lines.

I looked over at Julian, who was watching me. He turned away and uprooted his torch. I did the same. I followed him back the way we had come.

Later, in his tent, Julian observed, “That solves one problem. Possibly two.”

“Maybe,” I said.

“It takes care of Dalt for the moment.”

“I guess.”

“Benedict tells me the man is already breaking camp.”

“I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.”

“If that’s the best he can manage for an army these days, it won’t matter.”

“Don’t you get the impression this was an impromptu mission?” I asked. “I’d guess he pulled his force together very fast. It makes me think he had a tight schedule.”

“You may be right there. But he really gambled.”

“And he won.”

“Yes, he did. And you shouldn’t have shown him your power, there at the end.”

“Why not?”

“You’ll have a wary enemy if you ever go after him.”

“He needed warning.”

“A man like that lives with risks. He calculates and he acts. However he figures you, he won’t change his plans at this point. Besides, you haven’t seen the last of Rinaldo either. He’s the same way. Those two understand each other.”

“You may be right.”

“I am.”

“If the fight had gone the other way, do you think his army would have stood for it?” I asked.

Julian shrugged. “He knew mine would if he won, because he knew I stood to gain by it. That was sufficient.”

I nodded.

“Excuse me,” he said. “I have to report this business to Vialle now. I assume you’ll want to trump through when I’ve finished?”

“Yes.” He produced a card and set about the business. And I found myself wondering, not for the first time, just what it was that Vialle sensed when it came to a Trump contact. I always see the other person myself, and all of the others say that they do, too. But Vialle, as I understood it, had been blind from birth. I’ve always felt it would be impolite to ask her, and for that matter it’s occurred to me that her answer probably wouldn’t make much sense to a sighted person. I’ll probably always wonder, though.

As Julian addressed her shadowy presence, I turned my mind to the future. I was going to have to do something about Mask and Jurt soon, and it looked now as if I’d be doing it without Luke. Did I really want to follow his advice and try to talk Jasra into an alliance against them? Would the benefits really be worth the risk? And if I didn’t, how would I manage the thing? Maybe I should make my way back to that strange bar and see about renting the Jabberwock. Or the Vorpal Sword. Or both. Maybe —

I heard my name mentioned, and I drifted back to the present moment, present problems. Julian was explaining something to Vialle, but I knew there wasn’t all that much to explain. So I got to my feet, stretched, and summoned the Logrus Sight.

I saw her ghostly form clearly when I directed my vision toward the area before Julian. She was in that same stiff chair where I had last seen her. I wondered whether she had remained there the entire while or had just returned. I hoped she’d had a chance to go back and eat that dessert I hadn’t had a shot at.

Julian glanced at me, then, “If you’re ready to go, she’s ready to take you through,” he said.

I crossed over and stood beside him, dropping the Logrus vision as I did so. I had decided it was not a good idea to bring the forces of the Logrus and the Pattern into too great a proximity. I reached out and touched the card, and Vialle’s image sprang into full focus. A moment, and it was no longer an image.

“Anytime,” she said, extending a hand. I reached out and took hold of it gently.

“So long, Julian,” I said, as I stepped forward.

He did not reply. Or if he did, I didn’t catch it.

“I did not mean for things to go this way,” she told me immediately, not releasing my hand.

“There was no way of foreseeing what happened,” I said.

“Luke knew,” she replied. “It makes sense now, doesn’t it? Some of those little remarks he made? He planned the challenge all along.”

“I guess so,” I said.

“He’s gambling on something. I wish I knew what.”

“I can’t help you on that,” I answered. “He didn’t say anything to me about it.”

“But you will be the one with whom he will get in touch, eventually,” she said. “I want to know immediately when you hear from him.”

“All right,” I agreed.

She released my hand.

“It would seem there is nothing more to say, for the moment.”

“Well,” I began, “there is another matter I think you ought to know about.”

“Oh?”

“It concerns Coral’s not being present at dinner this evening.”

“Go on,” she said.

“You are aware that we took a long walk about town today?”

“I am,” she said.

“We wound up below,” I continued, “in the chamber of the Pattern. She’d expressed a desire to see it.”

“Many visitors do. It is pretty much a matter of judgment whether to take them. Often they lose interest, though, when they learn about the stairway.”

“I did tell her about it,” I said, “but it didn’t discourage her. When she got there, she set foot upon the Pattern — ”

“No!” she cried. “You should have watched her more closely! All that other trouble with Begma… and now this! Where is her body?”

“Good question,” I responded. “I don’t know. But she was alive the last time I saw her. You see, she claimed Oberon was her father, and then she proceeded to walk the Pattern. When she’d finished, she had it transport her somewhere. Now, her sister — who is aware that we went off together — is concerned. She was pestering me through dinner as to where Coral might be.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her that I’d left her sister enjoying some, of the beauties of the palace and that she might be a bit late to dinner. As things wore on, though, she seemed to grow more concerned and made me promise to search for her tonight if she didn’t turn up. I didn’t want to talk about what had really happened because I didn’t want to go into the business of Coral’s parentage.”

“Understandable.” she replied. “Oh, my.”

I waited, but she said nothing more. I continued to wait.

Finally, “I was not aware of the late king’s affair in Begma,” she said, “so it is difficult to assess the impact of this revelation. Did Coral give you any indication as to how long she intended to stay away? And for that matter, did you provide her with any means of return?”

“I gave her my Trump,” I said, “but she hasn’t been in touch. I got the impression she didn’t intend to be away for too long, though.”

“This could be serious,” Vialle decided, “for reasons other than the obvious. How does Nayda strike you?”

“She seemed quite sensible,” I said. “Also, I believe she rather likes me.”

Vialle brooded a moment, then said, “If word of this gets to Orkuz, he could well get the impression that we are holding her hostage against his proper performance in any negotiations which might arise out of the situation in Kashfa.”

“You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“He will. People tend to think of such matters when dealing with us. So what we need to do is buy some time and try to turn her up before this begins looking suspicious.”

“I understand,” I said.

“Most likely, he will send to her quarters soon — if he hasn’t already done so — to discover why she was not present at dinner. If he can be satisfied now, you will have the entire night in which to try to locate her.”

“How?”

“You’re the magician. You figure it out. In the meantime, you say that Nayda is sympathetic?”

“Very much so.”

“Good. It seems to me that the best course of action then would be to attempt to enlist her aid. I trust you to be tactful and do this in the least distressing manner possible, of course — ”

“Naturally —” I began.

“— because of her recent illness,” she went on. “All we need to do now is give the second daughter a heart attack.”

“Illness?” I inquired. “She hadn’t mentioned anything about that.”

“I’d imagine the memory is still distressing. She was apparently quite close to death until very recently, then rallied suddenly and insisted on accompanying her father on this mission. He’s the one who told me about it.”

“She seemed fine at dinner,” I said lamely.

“Well, try to keep her that way. I want you to go to her immediately, tell her what happened as diplomatically as possible, and try to get her to cover for her sister while you search for her. There is, of course, the risk that she will not believe you and that she will go directly to Orkuz. Perhaps you might employ a spell to prevent this. But we have no other choice that I can see. Tell me whether I’m wrong.”

“You’re not wrong,” I said.

“Then I suggest you be about it… and report back to me immediately if there are any problems, or any progress, no matter what the hour.”

“I’m on my way,” I said.

I departed the room in a hum but shortly came to a halt. It occurred to me that while I knew the general area of the palace in which the Begman party was quartered, I did not really know where Nayda’s rooms were located. I did not want to go back and ask Vialle because it would make me look stupid for not having found out during dinner.

It took me the better part of ten minutes to turn up a member of the palace staff able to give me directions — along with a smirk — and then to follow them at a jog until I stood before Nayda’s door.

I ran my hand through my hair, brushed off my trousers and jacket, wiped my boots on the backs of my pants legs, took a deep breath, smiled, exhaled, and knocked.

The door opened a few moments later. It was Nayda. She returned my smile and stepped aside.

“Come in,” she said.

“I was expecting the maid,” I told her as I entered. “You surprised me.”

“Since I was expecting you, I sent her off to bed early,” she replied.

She had changed into an outfit that looked like a gray sweat suit with a black sash. She also had on a pair of black slipper, and she had removed most of her makeup. Her hair was now drawn back severely and tied with a black ribbon. She gestured toward a couch, but I did not move to seat myself.

I clasped her shoulder lightly and stared into her eyes. She moved nearer.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Find out,” she said softly.

I could not even permit myself a sigh. Duty called. I slipped my arms around her, drew her to me, and kissed her. I held the pose for several seconds, then drew away, smiled again, and said, “You feel fine to me. Listen, there are some things I did not tell you — ”

“Shall we sit down?” she said, taking my hand and leading me toward the couch.

Vialle had told me to be diplomatic, so I followed her.

Immediately, she continued our embrace and began to add refinements. Damn! And me constrained to rush her out to cover for Coral. If she would, I’d be happy to cover her afterward. Or any other interesting position Begmans might go in for. I’d better ask quickly, though, I decided. A couple of minutes more and it would be very undiplomatic to begin talking about her sister. Today was just a bad day when it came to timing.

“Before we get too involved here,” I said, “I’ve got to ask a favor of you.”

“Ask me anything,” she said.

“I think there’s going to be a delay in turning up your sister,” I explained, “and I’d hate to worry your father. Do you know whether he’s sent to her rooms yet, or been by them, to check on her?”

“I don’t believe so. He strolled off with Gerard and Mr. Roth after dinner. I don’t think he’s returned to his apartment yet.”

“Could you possibly find a way of giving him the impression that she hasn’t strayed? Buy me some time to find out where she’s off to?”

She looked amused.

“And those things you haven’t told me…?”

“I’ll give you the whole story if you’ll do this for me.”

She traced my jawline with her index finger.

“All right,” she said then. “We have a deal. Don’t go away.”

She rose, crossed the room, and passed out into the hall, leaving the door a few inches ajar. Why hadn’t I had a nice normal affair since Julia? The last woman I’d made love to had actually been under the control of that strange body-shifting entity. Now… Now there was the faintest of shadows across the couch, as I realized that I’d rather be holding Coral than her sister. That was ridiculous. I’d only known her for half a day…

There had simply been too much activity since my return. I was getting punchy. That had to be it.

When she returned she seated herself on the couch again, but this time with a couple of feet separating us. She seemed cheerful enough, though she made no move to resume our earlier occupation.

“It’s taken care of,” she said. “He will be misled, if he asks.”

“Thanks,” I told her.

“Now it’s your turn,” she stated. “Tell me things.”

“All right,” I began, and I launched into the story of Coral and the Pattern.

“No,” she interrupted. “Start at the beginning, would you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Give me your whole day, from the time you left the palace together until you parted.”

“That’s silly,” I protested.

“Humor me,” she said. “You owe me one, remember?”

“Very well,” I agreed, and I started again. I was able to skip over the bit about blasting the table in the cafe, but when I glossed over the business in the sea caves by saying that we’d looked around in them and found them pretty, she interrupted me.

“Stop,” she said. “You’re leaving something out. What occurred in the caves?”

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“That is a secret I do not care to share just now.” she explained. “Suffice it to say I have a means of spotchecking your veracity.”

“It’s not relevant,” I said. “It will just confuse the issue. That’s why I omitted it.”

“You said you’d give me the whole afternoon.”

“All right, lady,” I agreed, and I did.

She bit her lip while I told her about Jurt and the zombies, and she licked idly at the beads of blood that appeared thereafter.

“What are you going to do about him?” she asked suddenly.

“That’s my problem,” I said then. “I promised you the afternoon, not my memoirs and survival plans.”

“It’s just that… Remember, I offered to try to help you?”

“What do you mean? Do you think you can nail Jurt for me? I’ve got news for you: He’s practically a candidate for godhood at the moment.”

“What do you mean by ‘godhood’?” she asked.

I shook my head.

“It would take most of the night to tell you this story properly, and we don’t have the time, not if I’m going to start looking for Coral soon. Just let me finish with the business about the Pattern, will you?”

“Go ahead.”

I did, and she showed no surprise whatsoever at the matter of her sister’s paternity. I was going to question her as to her lack of reaction. Then I said, the hell with it. She’s done what I wanted, and I did what I promised. She hasn’t had a heart attack. And now it’s time to go.

“That’s it,” I said, and I added, “Thanks.”

I began to rise, and she moved quickly and was hugging me again.

I returned her embrace for a moment, then said, “I’d really better be going, Coral could be in danger.”

“The hell with her,” she said. “Stay with me. We have more important things to talk about.”

I was surprised by her callousness, but I tried not to show it.

“I’ve a duty to her,” I said, “and I’ve got to see to it now.”

“All right,” she said, sighing. “I’d better come along and give you a hand.”

“How?” I asked.

“You’d be surprised,” she told me, and she was on her feet and smiling a twisted smile.

I nodded, feeling that she was probably right.