Free PRINCE OF CHAOS by Roger Zelazny

times.”
    “Yes, present times,” I said, pouring more coffee.   “We’ve noted they’ve grown interesting.”
    “Indeed.   Your story of the girl Coral, asking the Pattern to send her to an appropriate place, is a case in point.   What did it immediately do? It sent her to a Shadow Pattern and turned out the lights.   Then it sent you to rescue her, repairing that edition of itself in the process.   Once it was repaired it was no longer a Shadow Pattern, but another version of itself that it was then able to absorb.   It probably absorbed that entire shadow as well, adding considerably to its own energies.   Its edge over the Logrus increased even more.   The Logrus would need a big gain to restore the balance after that.   So it risked an incursion into the Pattern’s domain, in a desperate effort to obtain the Eye of Chaos.   That ended in a stalemate, though, because of the intervention of that bizarre entity you call Ghostwheel.   So the balance remains tipped in the Pattern’s favor, an unhealthy state of affairs.”
    “For the Logrus.”
    “For everybody, I’d say.   The Powers will be at odds, the shadows in turmoil and disorder in both realms till things have been righted.”
    “So something should be done to benefit the Logrus.”
    “You already know that.”
    “I suppose I do.”
    “It communicated with you directly, didn’t it?”
    I recalled my night in the chapel in the place between shadows, where I had been faced with a choice between the Serpent and the Unicorn, the Logrus and the Pattern.   Resenting the bullying in such a forced format, I had refused to choose either.
    “Yes, it did,” I answered.
    “It wanted you for its champion, didn’t it?”
    “I suppose it did,” I said.
    “And ...   ?”
    “...   And here we are,” I replied.
    “Did it indicate anything that might support my thesis?”
    I thought about that trek through the Undershadow, mixing menace with ghosts-Pattern, Logrus, or both.   “I suppose it did,” I repeated.
    But, ultimately, it had been the Pattern I had served at the end of that journey, albeit unwittingly.
    “You are prepared to execute its design for the good of the Courts?”
    “I’m prepared to seek resolution of this matter. For everybody’s peace of mind.”
    He smiled.
    “Is that a qualification or an agreement?”
    “It’s a statement of intent,” I said.
    “If the Logrus has chosen you, it has its reasons.”
    “I daresay.”
    “It almost goes without saying that having you on the throne would strengthen the House of Sawall immensely.”
    “The thought had occurred to me, now you mention it.”
    “For one with your background, of course, it would become necessary to determine where your ultimate loyalty lies-with Amber or with the Courts.”
    “Do you foresee another war?”
    “No, of course not.   But anything you do to strengthen the Logrus will arouse the Pattern and provoke some response from Amber.   Hardly to the point of war, but possibly to that of retaliation.”
    “Could you be more specific as to what you have in mind?”
    “I’m only dealing in generalities at the moment, to give you opportunity to assess your reactions.”
    I nodded.
    “Since we’re talking generalities I’ll just repeat my statement: I’m prepared to seek a resolution-“
    “All right,” he said.   “We understand each other to this extent.   In the event you make it to the throne, you want the same thing we do-“
    “ ‘We’?” I interrupted.
    “The House of Sawall, of course.   -But you don’t want anyone dictating specifics to you.”
    “That says it nicely,” I replied.
    “But of course we’re speaking hypothetically, there being a couple of others about with stronger claims.”
    “So why argue contingencies?”
    “If the House were able to see you crowned, however, do you acknowledge you would owe consideration for this?”
    “Brother,” I said, “you are the House, for all major purposes.   If