15-Sep-96 I bid goodbye to Anna and Mikal and travel to the game. There I discuss my problem with mind healer Talley. The news is not good. It seems that the flaw in the Broken Pattern is manifested in my psyche and is keeping the two personalities divided. Any solution would only be temporary and would probably affect my ability to shift shadow.

Mathias calls Alain to arrange the attempt to re-embody Dierdre. I am neither necessary nor invited so I keep away as the children with the help of Alain, Mikal and Calvin attempt to rescue Dierdre. I later hear that they succeeded and once Dierdre had walked the Pattern she was restored to her old self. The first really good news in a long while, I wonder if like the destruction of Ghostwheel it will also be tainted with disaster.

Later I am hunting in the forest, a pointless exercise since most of the creatures nearby are harmless and Alain forbids me to kill any gamesmen, when a figure appears beside me. I have my sword drawn and halfway there before I recognise my brother, Mikal. Good entrance Mike. Damned good way to get perforated. He has come to ask me about the interview with Talley and what I have decided to do. I have no desire to walk Pattern and enter the Amber camp, nor do I wish to remain insane. I feel that the best choice of action is to relinquish the Broken Pattern if such a thing is possible and retire in the game. Mikal assures me that the game will not be any safer than shadow. I disagree, and in any case it is not safety I desire. I am in no mood to debate it further and eventually he leaves.

I resume my hunt only to find an unusual quarry just around the next bend. Brand, casually leaning against a tree. This is bad. He says that I may only be healed by repairing the Broken Pattern in Delazny, he wants me to do it or get Mathias or Meloche to help. This is difficult. I want to believe that he has reformed, and that he is doing this for my benefit, but the suspicion is strong. Somewhere deep down there is a seductive temptation to help him, whether he has reformed or not.

He leaves abruptly, just before Mikal returns. I am in turmoil and I can feel my resolve slipping. The agitation lends strength to Wesley and I can feel the anger building. I ask Mikal to leave, I am not in the mood to talk, I might do something rash. He persists and I feel the cracks beginning to spread. I ask Mikal to get me Greyswandir, or some similar weapon. I need to die. Permanently. Greyswandir would ensure I went straight to hell with no return ticket. I am too vulnerable to brand, to easy a tool for him to seduce. I cannot risk that I become his pawn. While he cannot get the sword he does agree to kill me, but it is a trick. He reaches forth with his black Trump and traps me. Too late I remember that in the Game he is a warrior and my counter thrust is woefully late.

When he releases me from the Trump I am already on the pattern. I tell them that this is just what Brand wants. If I walk the Pattern I will be able to help him repair Delazny. I attempt to kill myself by stepping off the line, but some quirk of my initiation into Broken Pattern allows me to survive the space between. Mikal drags me back to my feet and he an Fiona force me to continue walking. With each step I can feel the crack being mended and by the time the pattern is strong enough that I can resist their control I have recovered enough of myself that I have regained the will to live. I continue through the third veil and make it to the center.

This is many time more difficult than the Broken Pattern, but infinitely superior. I do not want the suspense, the not knowing. If fate is to deal me an unkind blow I want it now, not casting a shadow over me, tainting the rest of my life. I ask the pattern to take me to Brand, actually in truth I don't remember if I though "Brand" or "father". In either case I find myself before him and ask what he wants of me. He replies that I should attune the Jewel and repair the Broken Pattern. I cannot. I do not desire the Jewel, it would only anger the King and make me more of a target. Nor do I feel I would have the strength, having just walked Pattern for the first time, to attune it then repair a Pattern.. I feel it would be beyond me. After a brief discussion he decides to delay the attempt and asks that I return the Jewel to Random as a sign of his good faith. This floors me. Could this be Brand, offering to give up the most powerful thing in the universe. Perhaps he really has changed.

He give me the Jewel and leaves, as Fiona is already on his trail. I shift a good distance away from Delazny before trumping Random. I step to Amber and hand him the Jewel, then leave as swiftly as politeness will allow. As I depart I see Mikal, Fiona, Benedict, Caine and Gerard arrive in the King's chambers. I leave the castle and head out into shadow. I need to find some seedy spaceport bar and have a strong drink. As I am ordering the third I notice a familiar red haired gentleman at the bar. I order a drink for him and invite him over. He does seem to have a knack for finding me. In the middle of a pleasant conversation I get a Trump call, which I refuse. I ask Brand and he thinks it was my cousin Tarrant. Since he is about to ascend I call him and arrange to visit after I have finished talking with Brand. It does not take long as he seems to need to keep moving to stop Fiona from locating him.

I Trump Tarrant and go to Jesby. As I expected he, like his father before him, asks me to accept recognition. I decline because of father and because I am now more a Prince of Amber than a Lord of Chaos. He is annoyed but I remind him that I have sworn no oath and he cannot command me. I do however offer to help in whatever unofficial ways I can.

At dinner Anna looks angry and everyone else expectant, but when there is no announcement she calms down considerably. After the meal I talk to her about Brand. She says that he intended me as some sort of experiment. Indeed he engineered the whole flight from Chaos that lead to my turbulent youth. This angers me greatly. Brand damn well better have reformed or I'll have him on the end of my sword for his actions.

I talk to the rest of my family, mainly to be polite as my thoughts are still a little muddled and I am not in the mood to socialise. Unfortunately I have already missed the funerals of Tmer, Bussar, Cymelle and Yattaf, but next week is Tarrant's ascension, that I must not miss. I finish doing the rounds and then depart to wander some more in shadow and collect my thoughts.

18-Sep-96 (mini session) I am confused. There are too many questions and few answers. The thoughts and memories roil in my mind in chaotic turmoil. I can feel it beginning to settle. The gnawing irritation is gone, but with it the drive and sense of direction. My feelings, good and bad, for friends, family and others seem somehow muted. Once I feel more at ease I will have to review all of my petty vendettas to see if I still wish to pursue them.

For a while my mind was full of death and hate, but as the memories of being Kaylem began to infuse into the immature psyche of Wesley the anger faded. It is strangely peaceful, though it will take some time to get used to it. Pattern, on the other hand is a joy. So clean and powerful. No cracks, no flaws. Like driving a sports car after spending so long on a rickety old horse cart with wheels that always appear ready to fall off.

But where to from here? I have already closed the door on Jesby. Before I was an errant son without Logrus, now I am truly estranged from the family. A son of Brand, an initiate of the Pattern, an outsider to the family. Given the changes in my past I can no longer be sure that Anna is in fact my mother and even though it feels right it is even more questionable that Brand be my father. If I had a choice I would wish that he has truly reformed and that he is indeed my parent.

There are too many imponderables and as I said, I am confused. Uler has been there and was granted strange visions. Perhaps it is like the whole city reflected in the hall of mirrors. I intend to find out. Yesterday was cloudy, but tonight I go to Tir-na Nog'th. A Trump takes me to Kolvir and I make my swiftly to the stair and begin to climb. The moonlight is bright and there is no trace of cloud. As I climb the light darkens and t seems rainy, though I still see no cloud. From inside the castle I can see a dark rain through the window. A rain of blood. I feel an evil chill at this dark portent and hurry deeper into the castle.

In the great hall there is a party. A great feast with all of Amber in attendance, even Brand and Eric are there. The young ones and many other children I do not recognise. I scan the faces and of those I know only Mikal and Uler are not present. The scene looks happy and festive until I notice the maniacal grins and see the form of a unicorn roasting on a spit over the fire. Sickened I hurry from the room. That Amber could fall so far shocks me. A quick look at the family's private rooms shows them to be empty, as is the throne room. Everyone is at the feast. I wish to finish what I came from and be gone from here, though the thought of walking the Pattern under such inauspicious conditions worries me.

Once I have descended the stairs and found the Pattern chamber to e empty and the Pattern it's normal electric blue I feel better. The walk is exhausting as always, but this time I am nether insane nor coerced, so I am able to play closer attention to the thoughts which flood through me. I remember Brand, and Delazny, from a time much earlier. Parent or not, he has long had a hand in my life. Perhaps what Anna told me is true. In any case he must have purposely set Delazny in my path, and in the path of the Broken Pattern. Finally I reach the middle and rest a bit while I decide where I wish to go. I have many questions about Brand, and Anna and my past, but I cannot think how any place the Pattern could send me would answer my questions. Instead I choose to learn about the terrible prophecy I have seen. If Tir-na Nog'th shows dreams and visions, perhaps it's Pattern will help to reveal more.

I ask to go to where I will find the cause or the solution for the dark future of Amber. It is strange. I have only been an Amberite a few days and already I am concerned for the safety of the realm. I form the thoughts and I am there. Where I am not sure, but there is no sound and no colour. Everything is black and white and shades of grey. I am in a room with an intricate mosaic design on the floor. It looks vaguely Pattern like but it is symmetric and there is no path one might follow to the center. In the middle surrounded by four staves, each with a handle, is a sword. Some instinct tells me it is Werewindle, Brand's sword. This is far too unusual a place for it to be any ordinary sword. Corwin and Bleys still carry their weapons. I suppose it could be Eric's, though I am not familiar with his blade.

I reach forward, into the region above the design and as I do so I see Bleys and Fiona. I snatch back my hand and wait a few moments. Nothing happens so I reach forward again and wait the brief moment it takes them to notice me. They notice but do not recognise me. They ask and I give my name. "Kaylem", "Kaylem who?", "Kaylem of Jesby.". They say "Be gone Lord of Chaos", I reply that I am not a Lord of Chaos, but a son of Amber, my feet upon the Pattern proves me to be their kin. This does not sway them and again they tell me to go.

I decide to push my luck in the hope that should they grow angry I can escape by simply withdrawing my hand. I ask why they hold Werewindle and their answer is until it is time for it to be used again, that time will be when the four come to claim it. Cryptic. Use for what? Who are the four? These questions come to mind but for some reason I feel that asking them would be a bad idea. Instead I tell them that I will be one of the four, bow and retire. I leave the room, it seems to be a small temple or some such thing, with pillars and but a single door. Outside there are rocks and mist, but otherwise all is barren and grey. I begin to make sketches, trying to capture the feel of the place so that I may find my way back more easily.

I am on the last picture when I notice a shadow. I look up and see Corwin. He does not answer my greeting. It take me a few moments to realise I cannot hear my own words. I reach out and touch him and find that this way we can converse. He calls me Lance and tells me that he has been here a long time. I suppose that I do look a little like the Lance of old, for in my youth my hair was still light. This place is small and circles back on itself and there is no way out. It sounds incredibly boring. There is only the temple which I have seen and the Pattern, which looks to be a reflection of the Broken Pattern in Delazny. There is no reaction when Corwin walks on the Pattern, but when I do so it acts normally. I take Corwin's hand in the hope that I can help him out of here, but something about the contact makes him begin to dissolve. Beneath the skin is a jagged matrix of lines reminiscent of Pattern. He must be a construct of some kind. Even when I shove him back and let go he continues to fade and eventually all is gone. Construct or not I feel a pang of guilt at his passing.

I make it to the middle and then walk back out so I can try shifting this shadow. The shadow is strong and refuses to change so I have no recourse but to trust my luck to this colourless Broken Pattern. This trip is more difficult, it has not been long since I walked in Tir-na Nog'th, then here. Even so it is trivial compared to the real thing. I feel that the safest place to travel to, and the most likely to succeed is this Pattern's twin, my familiar Pattern in Delazny. There is a moment of dizziness as I feel turned upside down, the I am back. The colour has returned and the guards I have set about the place are regarding me with frightened suspicion. Eventually one summons the courage to challenge me and after they verify my identity I go on my way.

I have much to do. I need time in shadow to learn the nature of shadow with my new power and a new shadow, a goodly distance from Delazny must be found so I can move my ventures there. I get Keiko from the stable and set out into shadow. I am sure Keiko finds the travel much more pleasant, I know I do.

22-Sep-96 Before my departure I inform my agents of their duties - recruiting, spying etc. I notice in the mirror that my hair has darkened again. It is nearly ad dark as it used to be, but with a hint of red, my eyes mostly green. I am not sure what this means. Am I still in flux despite having walked the Pattern, or has the Wesley side receded a bit more. Am I more nearly Kaylem again. I don't feel all that different.

I head to a fast shadow. A good spot for a vacation while I grow comfortable with myself. I plan to kick back and relax for a few weeks while only days pass in Amber. One day Mikal appears. We have a few drinks and I tell him that he may thanks for my life, but he must bear the guilt if things turn out for the worst. A little harsh but I am still angry. Some help, some hinder but few seem to care about what I, Kaylem, want. I know this well for the lesson is constantly reinforced.

Mikal tells me that Random wishes to speak with me, he is worried that I am upset. Strange that a King should be so solicitous. I wonder what he wants. Mikal also invites me to the children's landing ceremony. Once he has departed I finish my holiday then spend a few days in shadow recovering more of the things I have lost then Trump to Jesby in ample time to prepare my costume for Tarrant's ascension. Mikal arrives along with the rest of the Amber family. Random offers me a place with the Amber party. I decline. He also offers Fiona's assistance with my mental status. This annoys me greatly but I manage to hide it.

Tarrant ascends to the seat and is crowned. Paul and Arvada's engagement is also announced. Rebecca's daughters Claire and Elise are also recognised by the family. This gives me pause, considering my own status. I never had the slightest hint that Rebecca had a lover, let alone children. Then again, I have always known she was a shrewd one.

A vaguely familiar Hendrake approaches me. He turns out to be the brother of Relfer, a fool I had to kill a long time ago. I think this is Torset, the brother I had to wound on that occasion. He reminds me that Hendrake has a long memory. I do believe he is threatening me. How amusing. Since he did nothing overt I must assume he intends to be dishonourable, so I had best watch my back.

Random again invites me to visit Amber. Fiona also seeks me out and makes some comment about my changing visage. What is up with these Amberites. They find themselves very free to meddle in my affairs. Perhaps they mean well though I doubt it. In any case I keep my refusal polite. A little miffed I choose to make a cryptic remark about the rain in Amber as I depart and go to speak with Arvada. She almost doesn't recognise me with this new face. We discuss the engagement, her parentage, Julian and Thomas. Gossip really.

I also talk to Rebecca about her children. Perhaps she chose this time to reveal them as they are now old enough and Jesby is in need of extra bodies. Enough socialising. I take my leave at an appropriate moment and again head out into shadow. Despite the disadvantages, having the real Pattern does make travelling in shadow much more pleasant.

On the path I chance to meet Corwin, who undoubtedly arranged to be here. I apologise for accidentally killing his construct. He tells me he had a strange dream which closely matches my experience in the place of black and white. I mention Merlin, who is only one of my prospective duels. We discuss the realities of life, death and marriage in Amber. After we part ways I continue on my own path.

Some weeks later there is the landing ceremony for Meloche, Mathias, Arvada and Alaric. Both Corwin and Merlin attend. Each of them swear a blood oath to Amber. It seems to be a commitment of some substance. Four new arrivals are also named. I think there are still a few unrecognised. I talk surfing with Garvin and arrange to speak with Uler later.

The tranquillity of the proceedings is shattered when Julian takes a dagger and threatens to kill Thomas unless one of the family acknowledges him as kin. A hush falls and finally Bleys steps forward to claim him. I am sure I saw Julian blanch. I talk to Thora, another of the new ones. Her father is not here to name her and the elders do not want her to walk the Pattern yet. Being a little mischievous, but also wanting the girl to be free to take her own path, I tell her of Tir-na Nog'th and fill her in on a few home truths about Amber.

I speak with Thomas and congratulate him on his parentage. He knows nothing of Gareth and I find little more to speak about. That evening I talk with Uler and Thomas' lie is swiftly revealed. This does not endear him to me.. Gareth is in Uler's shadow, and Thomas knew. The families have been trying to marry Uler off to Jesby. All that done I again return to shadow, only to have my journey interrupted by a hurried invitation to Meloche's wedding. Meloche! Marriage! I am astounded. Whoever she is the poor girl cannot deserve this.

I rush back for the ceremony which is swift and to the point. Not a lot of romance coming from Meloche. At the reception afterwards Egraine, one of the new ones, does something to Random and snatches the Jewel. And throws it to Armand who takes a large hammer and smashes the Jewel. I am dumbfounded but that does not stop me from acting. Too many others seem frozen in place. That I, not even a prince of Amber, should be among the few to act is deeply ironic. Alas my thrown dagger does not knock the Jewel far enough to stop the blow. There is an explosion and in the aftermath we see two naked bodies on the stone. One is Eric, the former king and the other a Chaos Lord who swiftly becomes stone. As we stand around in shock the black clouds roll in and it begins to rain blood.

It turns out that Meloche had foretold this. Arvada also had had dreams about Benedict being gored by a unicorn. Alaric is the fourth who has had premonitions. Perhaps we are the four. Since the news is out I give a few details of what I saw in the black and white shadow, but by no means all.

Later Meloche, Uler and I have a long council of war. They invite me to join their cabal. They plan to resurrect House Barrimen. I accept. We discuss other possible allies. Perhaps Arvada, Thomas and Alaric are unlikely.

29-Sep-96 I noticed that when the Jewel was destroyed Meloche seemed to teleport. Was this an effect of the destruction or has Meloche mastered some new power. As a side effect Uler now has a blind spot in his vision and his Logrus sight is likewise blind. This probably affects all Logrus masters, although perhaps Uler most strongly since he was at the scene.

Random calls a meeting to inform the family of their course of action. Afterward he and Fiona collar me. He asks where I see my future and also suggests that I should have Fiona investigate my parentage. He assures me that he would not hold my father's actions against me. I am astonished that after such a calamitous event as the loss of the Jewel the King would be thinking about the allegiance of a minor player like myself. Amber has plenty of Princes and Princesses, but he has hinted strongly that he believes Band is my father, perhaps he suspects Brand and wants me as a pawn to use against him. This is the third time Amber has been solicitous of my company. What can they want. I doubt very much that they have my interests at heart. While I have grave doubts as to my professed parentage I decline testing and while I am not opposed to Amber I prefer to go my own way. After all I am still a child. Nothing has yet convinced me that I should commit to either camp. I realise that my position affords me little protection, but I have seen other with strong alignments be used as badly as I have so I do not put much weight to the argument. I may still have the opportunity to lend my assistance at a particularly telling moment. He then asks if I think Brand is involved in the Jewel's destruction. I think not but have no evidence to add.

Having escaped the attention of His Royal Highness more or less unscathed I again depart into shadow. Uler contacts Meloche and I. We discuss our views on the Jewel. Then move on to plan the Barrimen plot. Dworkin cannot be found to give his yea or nay, but we decide to go ahead anyway. The attack is to be in four days. We invite Arvada to join us. She is hesitant and does not seem to be prepared to help us much, but Meloche seems to want her so I do not object. I Trump nearer to chaos and begin raising troops. My armies have many shadows to this is a relatively easy task, especially with Pattern. I can now lead large bodies of troops without them being swallowed by the flaw. In order that my armies may travel more swiftly I give shadow compasses to each battalion. I get a message from Uler, via Meloche. He says "I may be a hostage to Amber, the eye has been taken". This would explain the blindness of the Logrus. I pass the message on to Arvada.

It seems that even the simplest journey I make through shadow must be interrupted many times. Brand appears and tells me that Random will be very displeased by the attack and suggests that I desist. Friendly fatherly advice or am I interfering with his plans? I thank him for the advice but say that I am likely to proceed. While I do not court the disfavour of monarchs Random is not my King. I cannot abort my every scheme out of fear of upsetting someone. It seems that of late I have been receiving a lot of offers and advice and if I recollect I have declined them all save the invitation to join Uler and Meloche. Walking the Pattern was supposed to have repaired my mind. Am I mad in what I do. I don't feel mad, and if I am then so too are Uler and Meloche.

Uler calls. Dara has agreed to support the reinstatement of House Barrimen in exchange for Uler acting as hostage to Amber. We seem to have won, despite not having entered battle. Yes! I am a little disappointed to have come this far and not get to lead my troops in battle, but perhaps it is for the best. I begin to move the troops to Uler's shadow as that is the only land granted us. I leave the armies and head back to my local beach to get royally drunk. I would prefer to have a drink on hand when the axe falls and despite our seeming victory I fear disaster is about to strike. Am I getting pessimistic? Paranoid? No. I am only too correct.

Uler calls me again. The other body freed from the Jewel is Pendaren, elder brother of Dworkin, heir apparent to House Barrimen. I see the sands of out victory slipping through my fingers. Falling as dust to my feet.

This is not enough. There is more bad news. I remember a time in chaos, while we visited with Mandor, when the ill tidings just kept on rolling in. Now is such a time. Despite the guards the pattern in Rebma is destroyed. By a large unicorn which bears within its sockets both eyes of the serpent. This creature has decreed that there will be a new order. Amber will no longer be the first city, but equal with the rest of shadow. I come through to be introduced to Pendaren. He is very nosy, inquiring after our ancestry and ties with Barrimen. He has the self assured arrogance of great power, one used to command. I could take an instant dislike to him, but prefer to see where the chips fall before convincing myself I hate him. He may be the enemy, because of what he wants and what he will do, but not necessarily because of what he is.

2-Oct-96 I ask Pendaren what position in his House he offers us. He does not answer, instead reflecting the question back on me, asking where I see myself and what I wish to commit. Shrewd but unendearing. He tas take what we have and now expects us to offer him service. By rights he should be making lavish offers to avoid out opposition. I think he considers us less than gnats. Little more than toys and diversions. In that way he is like the manipulative parent of your choice. My replies are vague and we do not talk long.

Uler, Meloche and I discuss the effect Pendaren's appearance has on out plans for House Barrimen. The consensus seems to be clear. He must die. Despite all of the possibilities about him being Brand in disguise, the person responsible for the destruction of the Jewel and any other plot you care to mention, the simple fact remains that he is going to step in and claim all of out hard won gains. The problem is Arvada, always a late comer to out group baulks at this suggestion so we permit her to leave. Provided she doesn't betray us I am happy to just let her walk away. The other problem is we are not sure what we are dealing with. Pendaren may well be too strong for us. I plan to wait a while. See if we can convince any to support us and observe Pendaren to gauge his strength.

I resolve to gather some other opinions. I try to contact Bleys but he is not available. Nor is Mikal. I Trump Tarrant and go to Chaos. I speak with Tarrant, Anna and a few others about Pendaren. He moves fast. He has already offered an alliance with Jesby. By the sound of it they are going to accept the offer. They view Pendaren as a legendary character. Much preferable to an uninspiring pawn like Uler. Despite my arguments they are heedless of the risk. I will certainly find no allies against him here. Hendrake is nervous about the troops I currently have stationed in the rift. I assure Tarrant that I will move them shortly.

After the others depart I spend a few moments talking with Anna. I am almost beginning to think of her as Anna, rather than mother. These last few months have driven that much of a wedge between us. It used to be that even unacknowledged Anna and House Jesby were the center of my universe. Now I find I have blood of Amber and the King is acting very solicitous but I have little love for either of my prospective families. I should not have come. Anna makes some oblique reference to an expected announcement in Amber, but she refuses to elaborate. This angers me greatly in light of the things she has concealed from me in the past. I do not need her withholding any more secrets. Three hundred years and several disasters and she has still not learned. Despite my protest she continues to look smug and say "Oh, it's nothing really." I have had enough. I stalk out and return to Amber. My desire to kill Merlin to revenge the damage to House Jesby is lessening by the moment.

Upon my return I find that another shadow storm is moving through the golden circle. I am not overly concerned, but there is some nagging doubt in the back of my mind. I speak with Uler and Meloche in the garden. They still insist that Pendaren must die, but Dara is non-committal. They are preparing to contact Hendrake, perhaps he will be an ally. It occurs to me that both Hendrake and Pendaren are in line for the throne. If Torset proves a nuisance I may be able to play Barrimen against Hendrake. I leave the two of them to their plotting and go in search of Beys or Mikal. Neither are to be found and I end up chatting with Arvada in the library.

At dinner Random announces the engagement of Egraine to Sanett of Varsh. Admittedly Varsh is a minor house, but this is a rather paltry punishment for destroying the Jewel. We really are having a rash of weddings. Perhaps if I bleed on the Pattern a bit they will marry me off too.

More unpleasant news. Delazny was destroyed, hence the shadow storm. The nagging worry has stepped forward. I have a horrible thought. If Delazny is destroyed my link to the black and white shadow may be gone. Even worse, the broken Pattern may have followed me to Delhaven. I am getting a bad feeling about this.

Uler suggests we all go in search of Dworkin. I agree to join them, but must attend to some personal business first. I arrange to call Mathias tomorrow then rush to Delhaven. The feel has not had time to change much, but as I feared the broken Pattern is there. Another shadow explosion. Another BP relocation. This time without any interference from Ghostwheel. Perhaps it is just the turmoil caused by the destruction the Pattern in Rebma or the loss of the Jewel, but I suspect that this thing is following me. This happened very soon after I finished moving my people here. It is Delhaven no more. Brand did say that this place was part of my destiny. I just hope it is not a destiny of his creation. I cannot flee my destiny, at least not one as persistent as this. This is Delazny once more. I claim it for my own.

While I am pondering these weighty matters Brand appears. I ask a few questions of him, but he knows nothing of Pendaren. He does however speculate on the new unicorn. He is sure it is not a real unicorn and reasonably sure that it is not Dworkin. He has a request to make of me. He asks that I convey the offer of his assistance to Amber if the King will pardon him for his past crimes. Very interesting. I almost believe that he is sincere. I wonder if Random will accept, and if he does so, will the offer, and acceptance be genuine. I assure Brand that I will convey his message swiftly.

Since I have finished what I cane for I disturb Mathias while he is abed to trump me back to Amber. The next morning we head to the Primal Pattern. Bleys, Fiona and Benedict guard it. We investigate the cave. No sign of Dworkin. There is a large ball of string, paintings, a spittoon and a large book. In the desk are two enormous decks of trump. Despite the danger Meloche shuffles through them. One is of people, apparently in Amber birth order. There are several unfamiliar faces. The other contains places rather than people.

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