按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
l days ago … and had him tell me everything he knew about Dara。〃
I glanced at Ganelon； who inclined his head slightly。
〃So you now believe you have uncovered a new relative；〃 I said； 〃a mendacious one； to be sure； and quite possibly an enemy … but a relative； nevertheless。 What is your next move？〃
He took a sip of wine。
〃I would like to believe in the relationship；〃 he said。 〃The notion somehow pleases me。 So I would like to establish it or negate it to a certainty。 If it turns out that we are indeed related； then I would like to understand the motives behind her actions。 And I would like to learn why she never made her existence known to me directly。〃
He put down his glass； raised his new hand and flexed the fingers。
〃So I would like to begin；〃 he continued； 〃by learning of those things you experienced in Tir…na Nog'th which apply to me and to Dara。 I am also extremely curious about this hand； which behaves as if it were made for me。 I have never heard of a physical object being obtained in the city in the sky。〃
He made a fist； unclenched it； rotated the wrist； extended the arm； raised it； lowered it gently to his knee。
〃Random performed a very effective piece of surgery； don't you think？〃 he concluded。
〃Very；〃 I agreed。
〃So； will you tell me the story？〃
I nodded and took a sip of my wine。
〃It was in the palace in the sky that it occurred；〃 I said。 〃The place was filled with inky； shifting shadows。 I felt impelled to visit the throne room。 I did this； and when the shadows moved aside； I saw you standing to the right of the throne； wearing that arm。 When things cleared further； I saw Dara seated upon the throne。 I advanced and touched her with Grayswandir； which made me visible to her。 She declared me dead these several centuries and bade me return to my grave。 When I demanded her lineage； she said she was descended of you and of the hellmaid Lintra。〃
Benedict drew a deep breath but said nothing。 I continued：
〃Time； she said； moved at such a different rate in the place of her birth； that several generations had passed there。 She was the first of them possessed of regular human attributes。 She again bade me depart。 During this time； you had been studying Grayswandir。 You struck then to remove her from danger； and we fought。 My blade could reach you and your hand could reach me。 That was all。 Otherwise； it was a confrontation of ghosts。 As the sun began to rise and the city to fade； you had me in a grip with that hand。 I struck it free of the arm with Grayswandir and escaped。 It was returned with me because it was still clasping my shoulder。〃
〃Curious；〃 Benedict said。 〃I have known that place to render false prophecies … the fears and hidden desires of the visitor； rather than a true picture of what is to be。 But then； it often reveals unknown truths as well。 And as in most other things； it is difficult to separate the valid from the spurious。 How did you read it？〃
〃Benedict；〃 I said； 〃I am inclined to believe the story of her origin。 You have never seen her； but I have。 She does resemble you in some ways。 As for the rest。。。 it is doubtless as you said … that which is left after the truth has been separated out。〃
He nodded slowly； and I could tell that he was not convinced but did not want to push the matter。 He knew as well as I did what the rest implied。 If he were to pursue his claim to the throne and succeed in achieving it； it was possible that he might one day step aside in favor of his only descendant。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I asked him。
〃Do？〃 he said。 〃What is Random now doing about Martin？ I shall seek her； find her； have the story from her own lips； and then decide for myself。 This will have to wait； however； until the matter of the black road is settled。 That is another matter I wish to discuss with you。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃If time moves so differently in their stronghold； they have had more than they need in which to mount another attack。 I do not want to keep waiting to meet them in indecisive encounters。 I am contemplating following the black road back to its source and attacking them on their home ground。 I would like to do it with your concurrence。〃
〃Benedict；〃 I said； 〃have you ever looked upon the Courts of Chaos？〃
He raised his head and stared at the blank wall of the tent。
〃Ages ago； when I was young；〃 he said； 〃I hellrode as far as I might go； to the end of everything。 There； beneath a divided sky； I looked upon an awesome abyss。 I do not know if the place lies there or if the road runs that far； but I am prepared to take that way again； if such is the case。〃
〃Such is the case；〃 I said。
〃How can you be certain？〃
〃I am just returned from that land。 A dark citadel hovers within it。 The road goes to it。〃
〃How difficult was the way？〃
〃Here；〃 I said； taking out the Trump and passing it to him。 〃This was Dworkin's。 I found it among his things。 I only just tried it。 It took me there。 Time is already rapid at that point。 I was attacked by a rider on a drifting roadway； of a sort not shown on the card。 Trump contact is difficult there； perhaps because of the time differential。 Gérard brought me back。〃
He studied the card。
〃It seems the place I saw that time；〃 he said at length。 〃This solves our logistics problems。 With one of us on either end of a Trump connection we can transport the troops right through； as we did that day from Kolvir to Garnath。〃
I nodded。
〃That is one of the reasons I showed it to you； to indicate my good faith。 There may be another way； involving less risk than running our forces into the unknown。 I want you to hold off on this venture until I have explored my way further。〃
〃I will have to hold off in any event； to obtain some intelligence concerning that place。 We do not even know whether your automatic weapons will function there； do we？〃
〃No； I did not have one along to test。〃
He pursed his lips。
〃You really should have thought to take one and try it。〃
〃The circumstances of my departure did not permit this。〃
〃Circumstances？〃
〃Another time。 It is not relevant here。 You spoke of following the black road to its source。。。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃That is not its true source。 Its real source lies in the true Amber； in the defect in the primal Pattern。〃
〃Yes； I understand that。 Both Random and Ganelon have described your journey to the place of the true Pattern； and the damage you discovered there。 I see the analogy； the possible connection …〃
〃Do you recall my flight from Avalon； and your pursuit？〃
In answer； he only smiled faintly。
〃There was a point where we crossed the black road；〃 I said。 〃Do you recall it？〃
He narrowed his eyes。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃You cut a path through it。 The world had returned to normal at that point。 I had forgotten。〃
〃It was an effect of the Pattern upon it；〃 I said； 〃one which I believe can be employed upon a much larger scale。〃
〃How much larger？〃
〃To wipe out the entire thing。〃
He leaned back and studied my face。
〃Then why are you not about it？〃
〃There are a few preliminaries I must undertake。〃
〃How much time will they involve？〃
〃Not too much。 Possibly as little as a few days。 Perhaps a few weeks。〃
〃Why didn't you mention all o