I broke the contact and headed for the kitchen and the back door, stopping only long enough to thank Alice and say good night. If Brand had got hold of the Jewel and attuned himself to it, I was not certain what he would do, but I had a pretty strong hunch.
I mounted Drum and turned him toward the road. Bill was already backing out of the driveway.
Chapter 11
I cut through fields in many places where Bill had to follow the roads, so I was not all that far behind him. When I drew up, he was talking with Ed, who was gesturing toward the southwest.
As I dismounted, Ed was studying Drum.
'Nice horse, that,' he said.
'Thanks.'
'You've been away.'
'Yes.'
We shook hands.
'Good to see you again. I was just telling Bill that I don't really know how long that artist stayed around. I just figured he would go away when it got dark, and I didn't pay too much attention. Now, if he was really looking for something of yours and knew about the compost heap, he could still be out there for all I know. I'll get my shotgun, if you like, and go with you.'
'No,' I said, 'thanks. I think I know who it was. The gun will not be necessary. We'll just walk over and do a little poking around.'
'Okay,' he said. 'Let me come along and give you a hand.'
'You don't have to do that,' I said.
'How about your horse, then? What say I give him a drink and something to eat, clean him up a bit?'
'I'm sure he'd be grateful. I know I would.'
'What's his name?'
'Drum.'
He approached Drum and began making friends with him.
'Okay,' he said. 'I'll be back in the barn for a while. If you need me for anything, just holier.'
'Thanks.'
I got the tools out of Bill's car and he carried the electric lantern, leading me off to the southwest where Ed had been pointing earlier.
As we crossed the field, I followed the beam of Bill's light, searching for the heap. When I saw what might be the remains of one, I drew a deep breath, involuntarily. Someone must have been at it, the way the clods were strewn about. The mass would not have been dumped from a truck to fall in such a dispersed fashion.
Still... the fact that someone had looked did not mean he had located what he had been seeking.
'What do you think?' Bill said.
'I don't know,' I told him, lowering the tools to the ground and approaching the largest aggregate in sight. 'Give me some light here.'
I scanned what remained of the heap, then fetched a rake and began taking it apart. I broke each clod and spread it upon the ground, running the tines through it. After a time. Bill set the lantern at a good angle and moved to help me.
'I've got a funny feeling...' he said.
'So do I.'
'... that we may be too late.'
We kept pulverizing and spreading, pulverizing and spreading....
I felt the tingle of a familiar presence. I straightened and waited. Contact came moments later.
'Corwin!'
'Here, Gerard.'
'What'd you say?' said Bill.
I raised my hand to silence him and gave my attention to Gerard. He stood in shadow at the bright beginning of the Pattern, leaning upon his great blade.
'You were right,' he said. 'Brand did show up here, just a moment ago. I am not sure how he got in. He stepped out of the shadows off to the left, there.' He gestured. 'He looked at me for a moment, then turned around and walked back. He did not answer when I hailed him. So I turned up the lantern, but he was nowhere in sight. He just disappeared. What do you want me to do now?'
'Was he wearing the jewel of Judgment?'
'I could not tell. I only had sight of him for a moment, in this bad light.'
'Are they watching the Pattern in Rebma now?'
'Yes. Llewella's alerted them.'
'Good. Stay on guard, then. I will be in touch again.'
'All right. Corwin-about what happened earlier...'
'Forget it.'
'Thanks. That Ganelon is one tough fellow.'
'Indeed,' I said. 'Stay awake.'
His image faded as I released the contact, but a strange thing happened then. The sense of contact, the path, remained with me, objectless, open, like a switched on radio not tuned to anything. Bill was looking at me peculiarly.
'Carl, what is happening?'
'I don't know. Wait a minute.'
Suddenly, there was contact again, though not with Gerard. She must have been trying to reach me while my attention was diverted.
'Corwin, it is important...'
'Go ahead, Fi.'
'You will not find what you are looking for there. Brand has it.'
'I was beginning to suspect as much.'
'We have to stop him. I do not know how much you know-'
'Neither do I any more,' I said, 'but I have the Pattern in Amber and the one in Rebma under guard. Gerard just told me that Brand appeared at the one in Amber, but was scared off.'
She nodded her small, fine-featured face. Her red tresses were unusually disarrayed. She looked tired.
'I am aware of this,' she said. 'I have him under surveillance. But you have forgotten another possibility.'
'No,' I said. 'According to my calculations, Tir-na Nog'th should not be attainable yet-'
'That is not what I was referring to. He is headed for the primal Pattern itself.'
'To attune the Jewel?'
'The first time through,' she said.
'To walk it, he would have to pass through the damaged area. I gather that is more than a little difficult.'
'So you do know about it,' she said. 'Good. That saves time. The dark area would not trouble him the way it would another of us. He has come to terms with that darkness. We must stop him, now.'
'Do you know any short cuts to that place?'
'Yes. Come to me. I will take you there.'
'Just a minute. I want Drum with me.'
'What for?'
'No telling. That is why I want him.'
