I heard her open a drawer, and moments later I listened to her fumbling with cards. I tried to tune in on her thoughts as she manipulated them, but I could not.
"Sorry," she said, after a time. "I can't seem to get through to him."
Thanks for trying, I told her.
"When did you get separated from Merlin?" she asked.
It was the day the Powers met in the back hall, I said.
"What sort of spell did Merlin get caught up in?"
One that was hanging fairly free in Brand's quarters. You see, Merlin's and Brand's rooms being next door to each other, he'd entered out of curiosity when the wall fell during the confrontation.
"Frakir, I don't think that was an accident," she said. "One Power or the other probably arranged for things to be so."
Seems likely when one thinks about it, Princess.
"What do you want to do now? I'll be glad to help," she said.
I'd like to find a way to get back to Merlin, I said. He's had a general aura of danger about him for some time--to which I am particularly sensitive.
"I understand," she said, "and I'll find a way. It may take a few days, but I'll figure something."
All right. I'll wait, I said. I've no real choice in the matter.
"You're welcome to stay with me till that happens."
I'll do that, I said. Thanks.
I found a comfortable-looking table and wrapped myself about one of its legs. I went into stasis then, if one needs a word for it. It is not sleep, as there is no loss of consciousness. But there is no thinking in the conventional sense either. I just sort of spread out my awareness and am, until I am needed.
How long I lay coiled in this position, I have no way of telling. I was alone in the sitting room, though I was aware of Flora's breathing next door.
Suddenly, she shrieked. This time, I just loosened myself and dropped to the floor.
As I began hurrying toward the room I heard another voice. "Sorry," it said. "I am pursued. I had no choice but to drop in without invitation."
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Well, I'm a sorcerer," he said. "I was hiding in your mirror, as I have every night for a long while. I have this crush on you and I like to watch you as you go about your business."
"Peeping Tom--a voyeur!" she said.
"No," he said. "I think you're a really nice-looking lady, and I like watching you. That's all."
"There are many legitimate ways by which you could have gained an introduction," she said.
"True, but that way might have led to horrible complications in my life."
"Oh, you're married."
"Worse than that," he said.
"What, then?"
"No time now. I can feel its approach," he said.
"What's approach?"
"The guisel," he said. "I sent one to slay another sorcerer, but he disposed of it and sent one of his own after me. Didn't know he was that good. I don't know how to dispose of the things, and it will be oozing through that mirror in a matter of minutes, to destroy us all most nastily. So, this place being Amber and all, is there some hero available who might be anxious to earn another merit badge?"
"I think not," she replied. "Sorry."
Just then the mirror began to darken.
"Oh, it's coming!" he cried.
I had felt the menace it exuded some time before. But then, that is my job.
Now I got a glimpse of the thing. It was big, and wormlike, eyeless, but possessed of a shark-like mouth, a multitude of short legs, and vestigial wings. It was twice again the length of a human, and black, having crisscrossing red and yellow stripes. It slithered across our reflected room, rearing as it came on.
"You imply," Flora said, "in your quest for a hero, that it will make it through that interface and attack us?"
"In a word," said the strange little man, "yes."
When it does, I said to Flora, throw me at it. Wherever I hit I'll stick--and I'll go for the throat.
"All right," she said, "and there's one other thing."
What's that?, I asked.
"Help! Help!" she cried.
It began crawling out through the silver, flower-bordered mirror. Flora unwound me from her ankle and threw me at the thing. It had no real neck, but I wrapped myself about its upper extremity below the mouth and began tightening immediately.
Flora continued to call out, and from somewhere up the hall I heard the sound of heavy footfalls.
I tightened my grip, but the creature's neck was like rubber.
The sorcerer was moving to exit the room when the door burst open and the tall and husky, red-haired form of Luke entered.
"Flora!" he said, and then he saw the guisel and drew his blade.
On my recent journey with Merlin in the space between shadows I had gained the ability to converse at complex levels. My perceptions--which seem quite different--also became more acute. They showed me nothing special about Luke, the sorcerer, or the guisel, but Werewindle now burned of an entirely different light. I realized then that it was not merely a blade.
As Luke moved to position himself between Flora and the guisel, I heard the sorcerer say, "What is that blade?"