"lt's still there," I remarked.
"I'd almost forgotten," he said.
And as I shifted gears, I noticed that my trousers had taken on a certain sheen which they had not possessed before. Also, they were tapered considerably as they reached toward my ankles, and I noted that my cuffs had vanished. Then I noticed my shirt.
It was more like a jacket. and it was black and trimmed with silver; and my belt had widened considerably.
On closer inspection, I saw that there was a silver line down the outer seams of my pants legs.
"I find myself garbed effectively," I observed, to see what that wrought.
Random chuckled, and I saw then that he had some where acquired brown trousers streaked with red and a shirt of orange and brown. A brown cap with a yellow border rested on the Seat beside him.
"I was wondering when you'd notice," he said. "How do you feel?"
"Quite good," I told him, "and by the way, we're almost out of gas."
"Too late to do much about that," he said. "We are now in the real world, and it would be a horrible effort to play with Shadows. Also, it would not go unnoticed. I'm afraid we'll have to hoof it when this gives out."
It gave out two and a half miles later. I coasted off to the side of the road and stopped. The sun by now was westering farewell, and the shadows had grown long indeed.
I reached into the back seat, where my shoe's had become black boots, and something rattled as my hand groped after them.
I drew forth a moderately heavy silver sword and scabbard. The scabbard fit my belt perfectly. There was also a black cloak, with a clasp like a silver rose.
"Had you thought them lost forever?" asked Random.
"Damn near." said I.
We climbed out of the car and began walking. The evening was cool and briskly fragrant. There were stars in the east already, and the sun was diving toward its •
We trudged along the road, and Random said:
"I don't feel right about this."
"What do you mean?"
"Things have gone too easily, thus far," he told me. "I don't like it. We made it all the way through to the Forest of Arden with barely a hitch. True, Julian tried to take care of us there-but I don't know... We've made it so very far so readily that I'd almost suspect we were permitted to do it."
"This thought has also crossed my mind," I lied. "What do you think it portends?"
"I fear," said he, "that we are walking into a trap."
We walked on for several minutes in silence.
Then "Ambush?" said I. "These woods seem strangely still."
"I don't know."
We made maybe two miles, and then the sun was gone. The night was black and studded with brilliant stars.
"This is no way for two such as we to move," Random said.
"True."
"Yet I fear to fetch us steeds."
"And I, also."
"What is your assessment of the situation?" Random asked.
"Death and dreck," said I. "I feel they may be upon us soon."
"Do you think we should abandon the roadway?"
"I've been thinking about it," I lied again, "and I don't see that it would hurt any for us to walk off to the side a bit."
So we did.
We passed among trees, we moved past the dark shapes of rocks and bushes. And the moon slowly rose, big, of silver, and lighting up the night.
"I am taken by this feeling that we cannot do it," Random told me.
"And what reliance can we give this feeling?" I asked.
"Much."
"Why?"
"Too far and too fast," he responded. "I don't like it at all. Now we're in the real world, it is too late to turn back. We cannot play with Shadows, but must rely on our blades." (He wore a short, burnished one himself.) "I feel, therefore. that it is perhaps Eric's will that we have advanced to this point. There is nothing much to do about it now, but now we're here, I wish we'd had to battle for every inch of the way.
We continued for another mile and paused for cigarettes, which we held cupped in our hands.
"It's a lovely night," I said, to Random and the cooI breeze. "I suppose.... What was that?"
There was a soft rustling of shrubbery a bit of a way behind us.
"Some animal, maybe."
His blade was in his band.
We waited, several minutes, but nothing more was heard.
So he sheathed it and we started walking again.
There were no more sounds from behind us, but after a time I heard something from up ahead.
He nodded when I glanced at him, and we began to move more cautiously.
There was a soft glow, as from a campfire, away, far, in the distance.
We heard no more sounds, but his shrug showed acquiescence to my gesture as I headed toward it, into the woods, to the right.
It was the better part of an hour before we struck the camp. There were four men seated about the fire and two sleeping off in the shadows. The girl who was bound to a stake had her head turned away from us, but I felt my heart quicken as I looked upon her form.
"Could that be ...?" I whispered.
"Yes." he replied. "I think it may."
Then she turned her head and I knew it was.
"Deirdre!"
"I wonder what the bitch has been up to?" Random said. "From those guys' colors, I'd venture they're taking her back to Amber."
I saw that they wore black, red, and silver, which I remembered from the Trumps and from somewhere else to be the colors of Eric.
"Since Eric wants her, he can't have her," I said.
"I never much cared for Deirdre," Random said, "but I know you do, so.." and he unsheathed his blade.
I did the same. "Get ready," I told him, rising into a crouch. And we rushed them. Maybe two minutes, that's about what it took,
She was watching us by then, the firelight making her face into a twisted mask. She cried and laughed and said our names, in a loud and frightened voice, and I slashed her bonds and helped her to her feet.
"Greetings, sister. Will you join us on the Road to Amber?"
"No," she said. "Thanks for my life, but I want to keep it. Why do you walk to Amber, as if I didn't know."
"There is a throne to be won," said Random, which was news to me. "and we are interested parties."
"If you're smart, you'll stay away and live longer," she said. and God! she was lovely, though a bit tried-looking and dirty.
I took her into my arms because I wanted to, and squeezed her. Random found a skin of wine and we all had a drink.
"Eric is the only Prince in Amber," she said, "and the troops are loyal to him."
"I'm not afraid of Eric," I replied, and I knew I wasn't certain about that statement.
"He'll never let you into Amber," she said. "I was a prisoner myself, till I made it out one of the secret ways two days ago. I thought I could walk in Shadows till all things were done, but it is not easy to begin this close to the real place. So his troops found me this morning. They were taking me back. I think he might have killed me, had I been returned-though I'm not sure. At any rate, I'd have remained a puppet in the city. I think Eric may be mad, but again, I'm not sure."
"What of Bleys?" Random inquired.
"He sends things out of the Shadows, and Eric is greatly disturbed. But he has never attacked with his real force, and so Eric is troubled, and the disposition of the Crown and Scepter remains uncertain, though Eric holds the one in his right hand."
"I see. Has he ever spoken of us?"
"Not of you, Random. But of Corwin, yes. He still fears the return of Corwin to Amber. There is relative safety for perhaps five more miles-but beyond that, every step of the way is studded with peril. Every tree and rock is a booby trap and an ambush. Because of Bleys and because of Corwin. He wanted you to get at least this far, so that you could not work with Shadows nor easily escape his power. It is absolutely impossible for either of you to enter into Amber without falling into one of his traps."