“They’re too high for me. I get dizzy.”
“You afraid of heights?”
“Sort of,” Melanie said. “You going to go look and see what season it is?”
Linda thought about it. “Maybe. Tomorrow.”
“I’ll go with you if you want.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know.”
Melanie plucked the new string, then started tuning it.
Holding out a fan-spread deck to Snowclaw, Deena Williams said, “Pick a card.”
“Huh?”
“Pick a card, and I’ll show you a trick.”
“What do you mean, a trick?”
“I’ll tell you what card you picked.”
“I don’t need anyone to tell me what card I picked if I pick a card.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’ll tell you what card you picked without looking at the card.”
“You mean you want me to tell you what card it is?”
“No!
“But I already know what card it is.”
“No, no! Snowy, listen. I’ll tell you what card it is without you tellin’ me or me lookin’ at the card. Get it?”
“How can you do that?”
“Well, I’ll show you.”
“Yeah, but it’d have to be some kind of trick.”
Deena rolled her eyes. “That’s the
“Yeah, it would have to be. So, what good is it?”
“Whaddya mean?”
“If it’s a trick, then you really can’t tell me what card I picked.”
“Yes, I can!”
“But you said it’s a trick. That means you sneak a look at it or figure it out some way with numbers or something or do tricky stuff with your hands, hiding it, and sort of like that. Right?”
Deena was mystified. “Well, for Pete’s sake, that’s what card tricks are all about.”
“Like I said, what good is it? You can’t
Deena slumped. She bent over and bumped her forehead against the tabletop. “I don’t
“I don’t see your problem. Hey, do you know an eight-letter word for a stupid person?”
“Yeah. “Snowclaw.””
“Hey. Lighten up.”
“Confound it!”
Lord Peter had just lost his last knight.
“You must have some arcane strategy in mind,” Dalton said. “I can’t figure why you gave that up.”
“Damn your eyes, I didn’t bloody well give it up intentionally, and you bloody well know it!”
“Sorry. Temper, temper.”
“Oh, bugger off.”
After a strained silence, Lord Peter added, “Sorry, old chap. Lost it, there. Please forgive.”
“Think nothing of it, my lord.”
“I think I shall concede,” Lord Peter said, assessing the board. “Yes, yes. All’s lost. You’ve got me boxed in good and tight. The game’s yours.”
“Sorry, old bean.”
“Tut, tut. Good game, damn good.” Lord Peter let out a breath and sat back. Then he yawned. “Pardon me. Past my bedtime. Been having a devil of a time sleeping lately.”
“Oh? Any reason you can think of?”
“Been having strange dreams.”
“What sort?”
“Don’t know. Can’t remember them. Never remember dreams.”
“How do you know they’re strange?”
“They wake me up.”
“Try a glass of warm milk.”
“Hate milk.”
“Well, go see Mirabilis.”
“Won’t take pills.”
“Well, you’re out of luck, my friend.”
“It’s nothing, really. Hardly life-threatening.”
“Well, you need your rest. You should try a pill, at least.”
“No, I shall down three drams of Scotch whisky before bed tonight. I should think that will fix it right up.”
“There you go. The old remedies are best.”
“Now, that’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all week.”
Melanie had finished tuning, and was now idly strumming a chord.
“Play something,” Linda suggested.
“Oh, not really in the mood. You ever going to tell me about your love life?”
“I don’t have one. Except in my dreams.”
“Dreams, yeah.”
Gene Ferraro came striding in.
“Evening, folks.”
“Hi, Gene!” Melanie said brightly. “What’ve you been doing lately?”
“Not a whole hell of a lot.”
Gene took a seat at the card table and commandeered the deck, which Deena had given up on.
Linda asked, “Find any interesting aspects lately?”
“Nope.”
“Have any good adventures?”
Gene searched his memory. “Nnnnnope.”
Melanie sighed. “This is the point where someone usually says, “Are we having fun yet?””
“I’m having a good time,” Snowclaw said simply. “I need a word or a phrase that means “perilous aspect.” Ten letters.”
“Can’t help,” Linda said. “I’m terrible at crossword puzzles.”
Shuffling the deck, Gene looked around at his fellow Guests.
“Well, folks. Anyone for bridge?”
Twenty-nine
King’s Chambers
Incarnadine, Lord of the Western Pale and King of the Realms Perilous, woke up with a start.
“Huh?”
He sprang to a sitting position and looked wildly around the room. It took a moment to focus.
Yes. His bedchamber, in the castle. He was home. Everything was all right. He was safe.
“Gods. What a monster of a dream.”
