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the vicinity of Amber herself … a growing black circle somehow related to the black road our enemies traveled； a thing for which I held myself partly responsible because of a curse I had pronounced at the time of my blinding。 I won the battle； lost the girl； and traveled on to Avalon with Ganelon。
The Avalon we reached； we quickly learned； was under the protection of my brother Benedict； who had been having troubles of his own with a situation possibly akin to the black circle/black road menaces。 Benedict had lost his right arm in the final engagement； but had been victorious in his battle with the hellmaids。 He had warned me to keep my intentions toward Amber and Eric pure； and had then allowed us the hospitality of his manor while he remained for a few days more in the field。 It was at his place that I met Dara。
Dara told me she was Benedict's great…granddaughter； whose existence had been kept secret from Amber。 She drew me out as far as she could on Amber； the Pattern； the Trumps； and our ability to walk in Shadow。 She was also an extremely skilled fencer。 We indulged in a bit of casual lovemaking on my return from a hellride to a place where I obtained a sufficient quantity of rough diamonds to pay for the things I was going to need for my assault on Amber。 The following day； Ganelon and I picked up our supply of the necessary chemicals and departed for the shadow Earth where I had spent my exile； there to obtain automatic weapons and ammunition manufactured to my specifications。
En route； we had some difficulties along the black road； which seemed to have extended its scope of influence among the worlds of Shadow。 We were equal to the troubles it presented； but I almost perished in a duel with Benedict； who had pursued us through a wild hellride。 Too angry for argument； he had fought me through a small wood … still a better man than I； even wielding his blade left…handed。 I had only managed to best him by means of a trick involving a property of the black road of which he was unaware。 I had been convinced that he wanted my blood because of the affair with Dara。 But no。 In the few words that passed between us he denied any knowledge of the existence of such a person。 Instead； he had e after us convinced that I had murdered his servants。 Now； Ganelon had indeed located some fresh corpses in the wood at Benedict's place； but we had agreed to forget about them； having no idea as to their identities and no desire to plicate our existence any further。
Leaving Benedict in the care of brother Gérard； whom I had summoned via his Trump from Amber； Ganelon and I proceeded to the shadow Earth； armed ourselves； recruited a strike force in Shadow； and headed off to attack Amber。 But upon our arrival we discovered that Amber was already under attack by creatures which had e in along the black road。 My new weapons quickly turned the tide in Amber's favor； and my brother Eric died in that battle； leaving me his problems； his ill will； and the Jewel of Judgment … a weather…controlling weapon he had used against me when Bleys and I had attacked Amber。
At that point； Dara showed up； swept on by us； rode into Amber； found her way to the Pattern； and proceeded to walk it … prima…facie evidence that we were indeed somehow related。 During the course of this ordeal； however； she had exhibited what appeared to be peculiar physical transformations。 Upon pletion of the Pattern； she announced that Amber would be destroyed。 Then she had vanished。
About a week later； brother Caine was murdered； under conditions arranged to show me as the culprit。 The fact that I had slain his slayer was hardly satisfactory evidence of my innocence； in that the guy was necessarily in no condition to talk about it。 Realizing； however； that I had seen his like before； in the persons of those creatures who had pursued Random into Flora's home； I finally found time to sit down with Random and hear the story of his unsuccessful attempt to rescue Brand from his tower。
Random； subsequent to my leaving him in Rebma years before； when I had journeyed to Amber to fight my duel with Eric； had been forced by Rebma's queen； Moire； to marry a woman of her court： Vialle； a lovely blind girl。 This was partly intended as a punishment for Random； who years before had left Moire's late daughter Morganthe pregnant with Martin； the apparent subject of the damaged Trump Random now held in his hands。 Strangely； for Random； he appeared to have fallen in love with Vialle； and he now resided with her in Amber。
After I left Random； I fetched the Jewel of Judgment and took it down to the chamber of the Pattern。 There； I followed the partial instructions I had received for purposes of attuning it to my use。 I underwent some unusual sensations during the process and was successful in obtaining control of its most obvious function： the ability to direct meteorological phenomena。 After that； I questioned Flora concerning my exile。 Her story seemed reasonable and jibed with those facts I did possess； although I had the feeling she was holding back somewhat on events at the time of my accident。 She did promise to identify Caine's slayer as one of the same sort as those individuals Random and I had fought at her home in Westchester； however； and she assured me of her support in anything I might currently be about。
At the time I had heard Random's story； I was still unaware of the two factions and their machinations。 I decided then that if Brand were still living； his rescue was of first importance； if for no other reason than the fact that he obviously possessed information that someone did not want circulated。 I hit on a scheme for achieving this； the trial of which was only postponed for the time required by Gérard and myself for returning Caine's body to Amber。 Part of this time； however； was appropriated by Gérard for purposes of beating me unconscious； just in case I had forgotten he was capable of the feat； to add weight to his words when he informed me that he would personally kill me should it turn out that I was the author of Amber's present woes。 It was the most exclusive closed circuit fight I knew of； viewed by the family via Gérard's Trump … an act of insurance should I actually be the culprit and have a mind to erase his name from the list of the living because of his threat。 We journeyed on to the Grove of the Unicorn then and exhumed Caine。 At that time； we actually caught a brief glimpse of the legendary unicorn of Amber。
That evening we met in the library of the palace in Amber … we being Random； Gérard； Benedict； Julian； Deirdre； Fiona； Flora； Llewella； and myself。 There； we tested my idea for finding Brand。 It amounted to all nine of us simultaneously attempting to reach him via his Trump。 And we succeeded。
We contacted him and were successful in transporting him back to Amber。 In the midst of the excitement； however； with all of us crowded about as Gérard bore him through； someone planted a dagger in Brand's side。 Gérard immediately elected himself attending physician and cleared the room。
The rest of us moved to a downstairs sitting room； there to backbite and discuss events。 During this time； Fiona advised me that the Jewel of Judgment might r