"It is a risk," I acknowledged.
"As for the crossbow-supposing a sudden gust of wind deflected the bolt each time you shot one?"
"I am afraid I do not follow you."
"The Jewel. He walked it part way through the primal Pattern, and he has had some time to experiment with it since then. Do you think it possible that he is partly attuned to it now?"
"I do not know. I am not at all that sure how the process works."
"I just wanted to point out that if it does work that way, he may be able to use it to defend himself. The Jewel may even have other properties you are not aware of. So what I am saying is that I would not want you to count on being able to kill him at a distance. And I would not even want you to rely on being able to pull the trick you did with the Jewel again-not if he may have gained some measure of control over it."
"You do make things look a little bleaker than I had them."
"But possibly more realistic," he said.
"Conceded. Go on. You said you had a plan."
"That is correct. My thinking is that Brand must not be allowed to reach the Pattern at all, that once he sets foot upon it the probability of disaster goes way up."
"And you do not think I can get there in time to block him?"
"Not if he can really transport himself around almost instantaneously while you have to take a long walk. My bet is that he is just waiting for moonrise, and as soon as the city takes form he will be inside, right next to the Pattern."
"I see the point, but not the answer."
"The answer is that you are not going to set foot in Tir-na Nog'th tonight."
"Hold on a minute!"
"Hold on, hell! You imported a master strategist, you'd better listen to what he has to say."
"Okay, I am listening."
"You have agreed that you probably cannot reach the place in time. But someone else can."
"Who and how?"
"All right. I have been in touch with Benedict. He has returned. At this moment, he is in Amber, down in the chamber of the Pattern. By now, he should have finished walking it and be standing there at its center, waiting. You proceed to the foot of the stairs to the sky-city. There you await the rising of the moon. As soon as Tir-na Nog'th takes form, you will contact Benedict via his Trump. You tell him that all is ready, and he will use the power of the Pattern in Amber to transport himself to the place of the Pattern in Tir-na Nog'th. No matter how fast Brand travels, he cannot gain much on that."
"I see the advantages," I said. "That is the fastest way to get a man up there and Benedict is certainly a good man. He should have no trouble dealing with Brand."
"Do you really think Brand will make no other preparations?" Ganelon said.
"From everything I've heard about the man, he's smart even if he is daft. He just may anticipate something like this."
"Possibly. Any idea what he might do?"
He made a sweeping gesture with one hand, slapped his neck and smiled.
"A bug," he said. "Pardon me. Pesky little things."
"You still think-"
"I think you had better remain in contact with Benedict the entire time he is up there, that is what I think. If Brand gets the upper hand, you may need to pull Benedict back immediately to save his life."
"Of course. But then-"
"But then we would have lost a round. Admitted. But not the game. Even with the Jewel fully attuned, he would have to get to the primal Pattern to do his real damage with it-and you have that under guard."
"Yes," I said. "You seem to have everything figured. You surprised me, moving so fast."
"I've had a lot of time on my hands recently, which can be a bad thing unless you use it for thinking. So I did. What I think now is that you had best move fast. The day isn't getting any longer."
"Agreed," I said. "Thanks for the good counsel."
"Save your thanks till we see what comes of it," he said, and then he broke the contact.
"That one sounded important," Random said. "What's up?"
"Appropriate question," I answered, "but I am all out of time now. You will have to wait till morning for the story."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"As a matter of fact," I said, "yes, if you'll either ride double or go back to Amber on a Trump. I need Star."
"Sure," Random said. "No trouble. Is that all?"
"Yes. Haste is all."
We moved toward the horses.
I patted Star a few times and then mounted.
"We'll see you in Amber," Random said. "Good luck."
"In Amber," I said. "Thanks."
I turned and headed toward the place of the stairway, treading my tomb's lengthening shadow eastward.
Chapter 13
On the highest ridge of Kolvir there is a formation which resembles three steps. I sat on the lowest of these and waited for more to occur above me. It takes night and moonlight to do this, so half of the requirements had been met.
There were clouds to the west and northeast. I was leery of those clouds. If they massed sufficiently to block all moonlight, Tir-na Nog'th faded back to nothingness. This was one reason why it was always advisable to have a backup man on the ground, to Trump you to safety should the city vanish about you.
The sky overhead was clear, however, and filled with familiar stars. When the moon came up and its light fell upon the stone at which I rested, the stairway in the sky would come into being, sweeping upward to a great height, taking its way to Tir-na Nog'th, the image of Amber that rode the night's middle air.
I was weary. Too much had occurred in too brief a time. Suddenly to be at rest, to remove my boots and rub my feet, to lean back and rest my head, even against stone, was a luxury, a pure animal pleasure. I drew my cloak together before me against the growing chill. A hot bath, a full meal, a bed would be very good things. But these assumed an almost mythic quality from that vantage. It was more than sufficient simply to rest as I was, to let my thoughts move more slowly, drifting, spectatorlike, back over the day's happenings.
So much... but now, at least, I had some answers to some of my questions. Not all of them, certainly. But enough to slake my mind's thirst for the moment... I now had some idea as to what had been going on during my absence, a better understanding of what was happening now, a knowledge of some of the things that had to be done, of what I had to do... . And I felt, somehow, that I knew more than I realized, consciously, that I already possessed pieces that would fit the growing picture before me, if I were only to jiggle them, flip them, rotate them properly. The pace of recent events, particularly today's, had not allowed me a moment's reflection. Now, though, some of the pieces seemed to be turning at odd angles....
I was distracted by a stirring above my shoulder, a tiny effect of brightening in the higher air. Turning, then standing, I regarded the horizon. A preliminary glow had occurred out over the sea at the point where the moon would ascend. As I watched, a minute arc of light came into view. The clouds had shifted slightly also, though not enough to cause concern. I glanced up then, but the overhead phenomenon had not yet begun. I withdrew my Trumps, however, riffled them, and cut out Benedict's.
Lethargy forgotten, I stared, watching the moon expand above the water, casting a trail of light over the waves. A faint form was suddenly hovering on the threshold of visibility high overhead. As the light grew, a spark limned it here and there. The first lines, faint as spider webbing, appeared above the rock. I studied Benedict's card, I reached for contact... .
His cold image came alive. I saw him in the chamber of the Pattern, standing at the designs' center. A lighted lantern glowed beside his left foot. He became aware of my presence.