Be that how it may, the manner of the beast's coming and going was actually the main cause of my trepidation concerning the entire affair. It had employed a Trump Gate, which is not a thing one does lightly-or at all, for that matter, if it can be avoided. It is a flashy and spectacular thing f; – to make Trump contact with some distant place and then pour tons of power into the objectification of such a gateway as a form possessed for a time of an independent existence. It is exceedingly profligate of energy and effort-even a hellrun is much easier-to create one which will stand for even fifteen minutes. It can drain most of your resources for a long while. Yet this was what had occurred. The reason behind it did not trouble me, as much as the fact that it had happened at all. For the only people capable of the feat were genuine initiates of the Trumps. It couldn't be done by someone who just happened to come into possession of a card.
Which narrowed the field considerably.
I tried to picture the werebeast about its errand. First, it would have to locate me and—
Of course. I suddenly recalled the dead dogs in the grove near Arbor House and the large doglike tracks in the vicinity. The thing had spotted me sometime before, then, and had been watching, waiting. It had followed me when I set out yesterday evening, and when I made my camp it made its move. It set up-or was set up with-the Trump Gate, for a retreat that would brook no pursuit. Then it came to kill me. And I had no way of telling whether it involved Sharu Garrul, Luke's secret, the blue stones or the body-switching entity's mission. For now it would simply have to dangle as yet another loose end, while I concentrated on basics.
I overtook and passed a line of wagons headed for Amber. A few horsec men went by me headed in the other direction. No one I knew, though everyone waved. The clouds continued to mount to my left, but nothing resembling a storm took shape. The day remained cool and sunny. The road dipped and rose again, several times, though overall it rose more than it dipped. I stopped at a large, busy inn for lunch, had a quick, filling meal and did not linger. The road improved steadily after that, and it was not long before I caught distant glimpses of Amber atop Kolvir, sparkling in the noonday light.
Traffic grew heavier as the sun advanced through the heavens. I continued to make plans and indulge in whatever speculations came to mind as I rode on into afternoon. My uphill way took several turnings as the route passed through the heights, but Amber remained in sight most of the time.
I recognized no one along the way, and I reached the Eastern Gatepart of an ancient fortification-late in the afternoon. I made my way up East Vine and stopped at the Bayle town house, where I had once attended a party. I left Smoke with a groom at the stable in the rear, and they both seemed happy to see each other. I walked around to the front door then and knocked. A servant informed me that the Baron was out, so I identified myself and gave him Vinta's message, which he promised to deliver when his employer returned.
That duty out of the way, I proceeded up East Vine on foot. Near the top, but before the slope grew roughly level, I smelled food and discarded my plan of waiting to eat until I was back at the palace. I halted and cast about me for the source of the aromas. I located it up a side sheet to my right where the way widened into a large circle, a fountain at its centerin which a rearing copper dragon with a wonderful green patina pissed into a pink stone basin. The dragon faced a basement restaurant called the Pit, with ten outside tables enclosed by a low fence of copper pickets, potted plants along its inside perimeter. I crossed the circle. As I passed the fountain I saw a great number of exotic coins within its clear water, including a U. S. Bicentennial quarter. Crossing to the fenced area, I entered, made my way through and was about to descend the stair when I heard my name called.
“Merle! Over here!”
I looked about but did not see anyone I recognized at any of the four occupied tables. Then, as my eyes retraced their route, I realized that the older man at the corner table to my right was smiling.
“Bill!” I exclaimed.
Bill Roth rose to his feet-more a touch of display than any formality, I realized immediately. I hadn't recognized him at first because he now sported the beginnings of a grizzled beard and a mustache. Also, he had on brown trousers with a silver stripe running down their outside seams, vanishing into a pair of high brown boots. His shirt was silver with brown piping, and a black cloak lay folded upon the chair to his right. A wide black sword belt lay atop it and a sheathed blade of short-to-medium length was hung upon it.
“You've gone native. Also, you've lost some weight.”
“True,” he said, “and I'm thinking of retiring here. It agrees with me.”
We seated ourselves.
“Did you order yet?” I asked him.
“Yes, but I see a waiter on the stair now,” he said. “Let me catch him for you.”
Which he did, and ordered for me too.
“Your Thari's much better,” I said afterward.
“Lots of practice,” he replied.
“What've you been doing?”
“I've sailed with Gerard. I've been to Deiga, and to one of Julian's camps in Arden. Visited Rebma, too. Fascinating place. I've been taking fencing lessons. And Droppa's been showing me around town.”
“All the bars, most likely.”
“Well, that's not all. In fact, that's why I'm here. He owns a half interest in the Pit, and I had to promise him I'd eat here a lot. A good place, though. When did you get back?”
“Just now,” I said, “and I've another long story for you.”
“Good. Your stories tend to be bizarre and convoluted,” he said. “Just the thing for a cool autumn's eve. Let's hear it.”
I talked throughout dinner and for a long while afterward. The day'send chill began making it uncomfortable then, so we headed for the palace. I finally wound up my narrative over hot cider in front of the fireplace in one of the smaller rooms in the eastern wing.
Bill shook his head. “You do manage to stay busy,” he finally said. “I have just one question.”
“What?”
“Why didn't you bring Luke in?”
“I already told you.”
“It wasn't much of a reason. For some nebulous piece of information he says is important to Amber? And you've got to catch him to get it?”
“It's not like that at all.”
“He's a salesman, Merle, and he sold you a line of shit. That's what I think.”
“You're wrong, Hill. I know him.”
“For a long time,” he agreed. “But how well? We've been all through this before. What you don't know about Luke far outweighs what you do know.”
“He could have gone elsewhere, but he came to me.”
“You're part of his plan, Merle. He intends to get at Amber through you.”
“I don't think so,” I said. “It's not his style.”
“I think he'll use anything that comes to hand-or anyone.” I shrugged. “I believe him. You don't. That's all.”
“I guess so,” he said. “What are you going to do now, wait and see what happens?”
“I've a plan,” I said. “Just because I believe him doesn't mean I won't take out insurance. But I've a question for you.”
“Yes?”
“If I brought him back here and Random decided the facts weren't
clear enough and he wanted a hearing, would you represent Luke?”
His eyes widened, and then he smiled. “What kind of hearing?” he asked. “I don't know how such things are conducted here.”
“As a grandson of Oberon,” I explained, “he'd come under House Law. Random is head of the House now. It would be up to him whether to forget about a thing, render a summary judgment or call a hearing. As I understand it, such a hearing could be as formal or informal as Random wanted. There are books on the subject in the library. But a person has always had the right to be represented at one if he wanted.”