«Well, we're not obliged to provide the man with an education. I gather he's bean something of a pain for years. I think Benedict has the right answer for him.»
«I did not call you in for advice,» she said.
«Sorry,» I told her. «It's just that I don't like seeing someone trying to pull a stunt like this and actually believing he has a chance of success.»
«He has no chance of success,» Vialle stated. «But if we kill him now, we learn nothing. I would like to find out what is behind this.»
«Have Benedict bring him in. I have spells that will open him up.»
She shook her head.
«Too risky,» she explained. «Once bullets start flying, there's the chance one might find him. Then we lose even though we win.»
«I don't understand what it is that you want of me.»
«He asked Julian to get in touch with us and relay his demand. He's promised to hold the truce until we give him some sort of official answer. Julian says he has the impression that Dalt would settle for either one of them.»
«I don't want to give him Jasra either.»
«Neither do I. What I do want very badly is to know what is going on. There would be small point in releasing Jasra and asking her, since this is a recent development. I want to know whether you have means of getting in touch with Rinaldo. I want to talk to him.»
«Well, uh… yes,» I said. «I have a Trump for him.»
«Use it.»
I got it out. I regarded it. I moved my mind into that special area of alertness and calling. The picture changed came alive…
It was twilight, and Luke stood near a campfire. He had on his green outfit, a light brown cloak about his shoulders clasped with that Phoenix pin.
«Merle,» he said. «I can move the troops pretty fast… When do you want to hit the place and-»
«Put it on hold,» I interrupted. «This is something different.»
«What?»
«Dalt's at the gates; and Vialle wants to talk to you before we take him apart.»
«Dalt? There? Amber?»
«Yes, yes, and yes. He says he'll go and play someplace else if we give him the two things he wants most in the world: you and your mother.»
«That's crazy.»
«Yeah. We think so, too. Will you talk to the queen about it?»
«Sure. Bring me thr-» He hesitated and looked into my eyes.
I smiled.
He extended his hand. I reached forward and took it. Suddenly, he was there. He looked about, saw Vialle. Immediately, he unclasped his sword belt and passed it to me. He approached her, dropped to his right knee, and lowered his head.
«Your Majesty,» he said. «I've come.»
She reached forward and touched him.
«Raise your head,» she said.
He did, and her sensitive fingers slid over the plane and arches of his face.
«Strength,» she said, «and sorrow… So you're Rinaldo. You've brought us some grief.»
«It works both ways, Your Majesty.»
«Yes, of course,» she replied. «Wrongs done and wrongs avenged have a way of spilling over on the innocent. How far will it go this time?»
«This thing with Dalt?» he asked.
«No. This thing with you.»
«Oh,» he said. «It's over. I've done with it. No more bombs or ambushes. I've already told Merlin that.»
«You've known him for several years?»
«Yes.»
«You've become friends?»
«He's one of the reasons I'm calling it off.»
«You must trust him, to come here. I respect that,» she said. «Take this.»
She removed a ring she wore upon her right forefinger. The band was of gold, the stone a milky green; the prongs of its setting caught it in a fashion to suggest some mantic spider guarding dreamland treasures against the daybreak world.
«Your Majesty…»
«Wear it» she said.
«I will,» he replied, slipping it upon the little finger of his left hand. «Thank you.»
«Rise. I want you to know exactly what has occurred.»
He got to his feet, and she began telling him what she had told me, concerning Dalt's arrival, his forces' disposition, his demands, while I stood stunned at the implications of what she had done. She had just placed Luke under her protection. Everyone in Amber knew that ring. I wondered what Random would think. I realized then that there would not be a hearing. Poor Bill. I believe he was really looking forward to arguing Luke's case.
«Yes, I know Dalt,» I heard him saying. «Once we shared… certain goals. But he's changed. He tried to kill me the last time we met. I'm not sure why. At first I thought the wizard of the Keep had taken control of him.»
«And now?»
«Now, I just don't understand. I've a feeling he's on a leash, but I don't know who holds it.»
«Why not the wizard?»
«It makes no sense to go to these lengths to claim me when he had me and let me go just a few days ago. He could simply have left me in my cell.»
«True,» she replied. «What is this wizard's name?»
«Mask,» he answered. «Merlin knows more about him than I do.»
«Merlin,» she said. «Who is this Mask?»
«He's the wizard who took the Keep of the Four Worlds away from Jasra,» I explained, «who, in turn, had taken it away from Sharu Garrul, who is now also a coatrack. Mask wears a blue mask and seems to draw power from a strange fountain in the citadel there. Doesn't seem to like me much either. That's about all I can tell you.»
I'd omitted mentioning my plan to head that way for a showdown soon, because of Jurt's involvement, for the same reason I hadn't wanted Random to know about it. I was certain Luke had tossed me the question because he wasn't sure how far I wanted it taken.
«That doesn't really tell us much,» she decided, «as to Dalt's involvement.»
«There may not be a connection,» I said. «I gather Dalt is a mercenary, and their relationship could have been a one-time thing. He could either be working for someone else now or pulling something on his own.»
«I can't see why anybody wants us badly enough to go to such dramatic lengths,» Luke said. «But I've a score to settle with that guy, and I'm going to combine business with pleasure.»
«What do you mean?» she asked.
«I assume there's a way to get down there in a hurry,» he said.
«One could always trump through to Julian,» I said, but what have you got in mind, Luke?»
«I want to talk to Dalt.»
«It's too dangerous,» she said, «since you're what he wants.»
Luke grinned. «It could be a bit dangerous for Dalt, too,» he replied.
«Wait a minute,» I said. «If you've got more in mind than just talking, you could blow this truce. Vialle's trying to avoid a conflict here.»
«There won't be any conflict,» Luke said. «Look, I've known Dalt since we were kids, and I think he's
