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t we were all of us related to the very forces which now threatened us。 It was； of course； difficult to decide how far anything Dworkin said might now be trusted。 Yet； the black road did run to the Courts of Chaos； apparently as a direct result of Brand's ritual； a thing which he had based on principles learned from Dworkin。 Fortunately； for now； the parts of Dworkin's narrative which required the greatest credulity were those things which were not of any great moment； from an immediate； practical standpoint。 Still； I had mixed feelings about being descended from a unicorn …
〃Corwin！〃
I drew rein。 I opened my mind to the sending and the image of Ganelon appeared。
〃I am here；〃 I said。 〃Where did you get hold of a set of Trumps？ And learn how to use them？〃
〃I picked up a pack from the case in the library a while back。 Thought it a good idea to have a way of getting in touch with you in a hurry。 As for using them； I just did what you and the others seem to do … study the Trump； think about it； concentrate on getting in touch with the person。〃
〃I should have gotten you a pack long ago；〃 I said。 〃It was an oversight on my part which I am glad you've remedied。 Are you just testing them now； or did something e up？〃
〃Something；〃 he said。 〃Where are you？〃
〃As chance would have it； I am on my way down to see you。〃
〃You are all right？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Fine。 e ahead then。 I'd rather not try bringing you through this thing； the way you people do。 It is not that urgent。 I will see you by and by。〃
〃Yes。〃
He broke the contact and I rustled the reins and continued on。 For a moment； I had been irritated that he had not simply asked me for a deck。 Then I recalled that I had been away for over a week； by Amber's time。 He had probably been getting worried； didn't trust any of the others to do it for him。 Perhaps rightly so。
The descent went quickly； as did the balance of the journey to the camp。 The horse … whose name； by the way； was Drum … seemed happy to be going somewhere and had a tendency to pull away at the least excuse。 I gave him his head at one point to tire him a bit； and it was not too long afterward that I sighted the camp。 I realized at about that time that I missed Star。
I was the subject of stares and salutes as I rode into camp。 A silence followed me and all activity ceased as I passed。 I wondered whether they believed I had e to deliver a battle order。
Ganelon emerged from his tent before I had dismounted。
〃Fast；〃 he observed； clasping my hand as I came down。 〃Pretty horse； that。〃
〃Yes；〃 I agreed； turning the reins over to his orderly。 〃What news have you？〃
〃Well。。。〃 he said。 〃I've been talking to Benedict。。。〃
〃Something stirring on the black road？〃
〃No； no。 Nothing like that。 He came to see me after he returned from those friends of his … the Tecys … to tell me that Random was all right； that he was following a lead as to Martin's whereabouts。 We got to talking of other matters after that； and finally he asked me to tell him everything I knew about Dara。 Random had told him about her walking the Pattern； and he had decided then that too many people other than yourself were aware of her existence。〃
〃So what did you tell him？〃
〃Everything。〃
〃Including the guesswork； the speculation … after Tir…na Nog'th？〃
〃Just so。〃
〃I see。 How did he take this？〃
〃He seemed excited about it。 Happy； I'd even say。 e talk with him yourself。〃
I nodded and he turned toward his tent。 He pushed back the flap and stepped aside。 I entered。
Benedict was seated on a low stool beside a foot locker atop which a map had been spread。 He was tracing something on the map with the long metal finger of the glinting； skeletal hand attached to the deadly； silver…cabled； firepinned mechanical arm I had brought back from the city in the sky； the entire device now attached to the stump of his right arm a little below the point where the sleeve had been cut away from his brown shirt； a transformation which halted me with a momentary shudder； so much did he resemble the ghost I had encountered。 His eyes rose to meet my own and he raised the hand in greeting； a casual； perfectly executed gesture； and he smiled the broadest smile I had ever seen crease his face。
〃Corwin！〃 he said； and then he rose and extended that hand。
I had to force myself to clasp the device which had almost killed me。 But Benedict looked more kindly disposed toward me than he had in a long while。 I shook the new hand and its pressures were perfect。 I tried to disregard its coldness and angularity and almost succeeded； in my amazement at the control he had acquired over it in such a brief time。
〃I owe you an apology；〃 he said。 〃I have wronged you。 I am very sorry。〃
〃It's all right；〃 I said。 〃I understand。〃
He clasped me for a moment； and my belief that things had apparently been set right between us was darkened only by the grip of those precise and deadly fingers on my shoulder。
Ganelon chuckled and brought up another stool； which he set at the other end of the locker。 My irritation at his having aired the subject I had not wanted mentioned； whatever the circumstances； was submerged by the sight of its effects。 I could not remember having seen Benedict in better spirits； Ganelon was obviously pleased at having effected the resolution of our differences。
I smiled myself and accepted a seat； unbuckling my sword belt and hanging Grayswandir on the tent pole。 Ganelon produced three glasses and a bottle of wine。 As he set the glasses before us and poured； he remarked； 〃To return the hospitality of your tent； that night； back in Avalon。〃
Benedict took up his glass with but the faintest of clicks。
〃There is more ease in this tent；〃 he said。 〃Is that not so； Corwin？〃
I nodded and raised my glass。
〃To that ease。 May it always prevail。〃
〃I have had my first opportunity in a long while；〃 he said； 〃to talk with Random at some length。 He has changed quite a bit。〃
〃Yes；〃 I agreed。
〃I am more inclined to trust him now than I was in days gone by。 We had the time to talk after we left the Tecys。〃
〃Where were you headed？〃
〃Some ments Martin had made to his host seemed to indicate that he was going to a place I knew of further off in Shadow … the block city of Heerat。 We journeyed there and found this to be correct。 He had passed that way。〃
〃I am not familiar with Heerat；〃 I said。
〃A place of adobe and stone … a mercial center at the junction of several trade routes。 There； Random found news which took him eastward and probably deeper into Shadow。 We parted pany at Heerat； for I did not want to be away from Amber overlong。 Also； there was a personal matter I was anxious to pursue。 He told me how he had seen Dara walk the Pattern on the day of the battle。〃
〃That's right；〃 I said。 〃She did。 I was there； too。〃
He nodded。
〃As I said。 Random had impressed me。 I was inclined to believe he was telling the truth。 If this were so； then it was possible that you were also。 Granting this； I had to pursue the matter of the girl's allegations。 You were not available； so I came to Ganelon … this was several days ago … and had him tell me everything he knew about Dara。〃
I glanced at Ganelon； who inclin