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〃Father？〃 I asked。
Nothing。
〃Father？〃
〃Yes。。。〃 Very faint and distant； as though through a seashell； immersed in its monotone humming。
〃Where are you？ What has happened？〃
〃I。。。〃 Long pause。
〃Yes？ This is Corwin； your son。 What came to pass in Amber； that you are gone？〃
〃My time；〃 he said； sounding even further away。
〃Do you mean that you abdicated？ None of my brothers has given me the tale； and I do not trust them sufficiently to ask them。 Eric now holds the city and Julian guards the Forest of Arden。 Caine and Gerard maintain the seas。 Bleys would oppose all and I am allied with him。 What are your wishes in this matter？〃
〃You are the only one … who … has asked；〃 he gasped。 〃Yes。。。〃
〃'Yes' what？〃
〃Yes； oppose … them。。。〃
〃What of you？ How can I help you？〃
〃I am beyond help。 Take the throne。。。〃
〃I？ Or Bleys and I？〃
〃You！〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃
〃You have my blessing。。。 Take the throne … and be quick … about it！〃
〃Why； Father？〃
〃I lack the breath … Take it！〃
Then he； too； was gone。
So Dad lived。 That was interesting。 What to do now？
I sipped my drink and thought about it。
He still lived； somewhere； and he was king in Amber。 Why had he left？ Where had he gone？ What kind of； which； and how many？ Like that。
Who knew？ Not I。 So there was no more to say； for now。
However。。。
I couldn't put the thing down。 I want you to know that Dad and I never got along very well。 I didn't hate him； like Random or some of the others。 But I； sure as hell； had no reason to be especially fond of him。 He had been big； he had been powerful； and he had been there。 That was about it。 He was also most of the history of Amber； as we knew it； and the history of Amber stretches back for so many millennia that you may as well stop counting。
So what do you do？
As for me； I finished my drink and went to bed。
***
The following morning I attended a meeting of Bleys's general staff。 He had four admirals； each in charge of roughly a quarter of his fleet； and a whole mess of army officers。 Altogether there were about thirty of the high…ranking brass at the meeting； big and red or small and hairy； as the case might be。
The meeting lasted perhaps four hours； and then we all broke for lunch。 It was decided that we would move three days hence。 Since it would require one of the blood to open the way to Amber； I was to lead the fleet aboard the flagship； and Bleys would take his infantry through lands of Shadow。
I was troubled by this； and I asked him what would have happened had I not shown up to give this assistance。 I was told two things in reply： one； if he had had to do it alone； he would have led the fleet through and left them at a great distance from shore； returned in a single vessel to Avernus and led his foot soldiers forward to rendezvous at a given time； and two； he had purposely sought for a Shadow in which a brother would appear to give him aid。
I had some misgivings when I heard about the latter； though I knew I was really me。 The former smacked of being a bit unworkable； since the fleet would be too far out to sea to receive any signals from the shore； and the chance of missing the date … allowing for mishaps when it came to a body that large … was too great； as I saw it； to encourage a whole big lot of faith in his general plan。
But as a tactician； I had always thought him brilliant； and when he laid out the maps of Amber and the outlying Country which he himself had drawn； and when he had explained the tactics to be employed therein； I knew that he was a prince of Amber； almost matchless in his guile。
The only thing was； we were up against another prince of Amber； one who occupied what was definitely a stronger position。 I was worried； but with the impending Coronation； it seemed about the only course available to us； and I decided to go along for the whole ride。 If we lost； we were creamed； but he held the biggest threat available and had a workable time schedule； which I didn't。
So I walked the land called Avernus and considered its foggy valleys and chasms； its smoking craters； its bright； bright sun against its crazy sky； its icy nights and too hot days； its many rocks and carloads of dark sand； its tiny； though vicious and poisonous beasts； and its big purple plants； like spineless cacti； and on the afternoon of the second day； as I stood on a cliff overlooking the sea； beneath a tower of massed vermilion clouds； I decided that I rather liked the place for all that； and if its sons would perish in the wars of the gods； I would immortalize them one day in song if I were able。
This mild balm in mind for what I feared； I joined the fleet and took mand。 If we made it； they would be feted forever in the halls of the immortals。
I was guide and opener of the way。 I rejoiced。
So we set sail the following day； and I directed things from the lead ship。 I led us into a storm； and we emerged that much nearer our destination。 I led us past an enormous whirlpool； and we were so much to the good。 I led us through a shallow rocky place； and the shade of the waters deepened afterward。 Their colors began to approximate those of Amber。 So I still knew how to do it。 I could influence our fate in time and place。 I could take us home。 Home for me； that is。
I led us past strange islands where green birds cawed and green apes hung like fruit in the trees； swung； sometimes gibbered； and threw rocks into the sea。 Aimed； doubtless； at us。
I took us far out to sea； and then nosed the fleet around back in the direction of shore。
Bleys by now was marching across the plains of the worlds。 Somehow； I knew he would make it； past whatever defenses Eric had set up。 I kept in touch with him by means of the cards； and I learned of his encounters along the way。 Like； ten thousand men dead in a plains battle with centaurs； five thousand lost in an earthquake of frightening proportions。 Fifteen hundred dead of a whirlwind plague that swept the camps。 Nineteen thousand dead or missing in action as they passed through the jungles of a place I didn't recognize； when the napalm fell upon them from the strange buzzing things that passed overhead。 Six thousand deserting in a place that looked like the heaven they had been promised； five hundred unaccounted for as they crossed a sand flat where a mushroom cloud burned and towered beside them。 Eighty…six hundred gone as they moved through a valley of suddenly militant machines that rolled forward on treads and fired fires； eight hundred sick and abandoned； two hundred dead from flash floods； fifty…four dying of duels among themselves； three hundred dead from eating poisonous native fruits； a thousand slain in a massive stampede of buffalo…like creatures； seventy…three gone when their tents caught fire； fifteen hundred carried away by the floods； two thousand slain by the winds that came down from the blue hills。
I was pleased that I'd lost only a hundred and eighty…six ships in that time。
To sleep； perchance to dream。。。 Yeah； there's a thing that rubs。 Eric was killing us by inches and hours。 His proposed coronation was only a few weeks away； and he obviously knew we were ing against him； because we died and we died。