Free Nine princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny Page A

much to you as a prisoner,” Julian observed. “Although you will torture me, I can only tell you what I know, and that isn’t much.”
    “Start with that then,” I said.
    “Eric looks to have the strongest position,” he told us, “having been right there in Amber when the whole thing broke loose. At least this is the way I saw it, so I offered him my support. Had it been one of you, I’d probably have done the same thing. Eric charged me with keeping guard in Arden, since it’s one of the main routes. Gerard controls the southern seaways, and Caine is off in the northern waters.”
    “What of Benedict?” Random asked.
    “I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything. He might be with Bleys. He might be off somewhere else in Shadow and not even have heard of this thing yet. He might even be dead. It’s been years since we’ve heard from him.”
    “How many men have you got in Arden,” asked Random.
    “Over a thousand,” he said. “Some are probably watching you right now.”
    “And if they want you to go on living, that’s all they’ll do,” said Random.
    “You are doubtless correct,” he replied. “I have to admit, Corwin did a shrewd thing in taking me prisoner rather than killing me. You just might make it through the forest this way.”
    “You’re just saying that because you want to live,” said Random.
    “Of course I want to live. May I?”
    “Why?”
    “In payment for the information I’ve given you.”
    Random laughed.
    “You’ve given us very little, and I’m sure more can be torn from you. We’ll see, as soon as we get a chance to stop. Eh, Corwin?”
    “We’ll see,” I said. “Where’s Fiona?”
    “Somewhere to the south, I think,” Julian replied.
    “How about Deirdre?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “LIewella?”
    “In Rebma.”
    “Okay,” I said, “I think you’ve told me everything you know.”
    “I have.”
    We drove on in silence, and finally the forest began to thin. I’d lost sight of Morgenstern long ago, though I sometimes saw Julian’s falcon pacing us. The road took a turn upward, and we were heading toward a pass between two purple mountains. The gas tank was a little better than a quarter full. Within an hour, we were passing between high shoulders of stone.
    “This would be a good place to set up a road block,” said Random.
    “That sounds likely,” I said. “What about it, Julian?”
    He sighed.
    “Yes.” he agreed, “you should be coming upon one very soon. You know how to get by it.”
    We did. When we came to the gate, and the guard in green and brown leather, sword unsheathed, advanced upon us, I jerked my thumb toward the back seat and said, “Get the picture?”
    He did, and he recognized us, also.
    He hastened to raise the gate, and he saluted us as we passed by.
    There were two more gates before we made it through the pass, and somewhere along the way it appeared we had lost the hawk. We had gained several thousand feet in elevation now, and I braked the car on a road that crawled along the face of a cliff. To our right hand, there was nothing other than a long way down.
    “Get out,” I said. “You’re going to take a walk.”
    Julian paled.
    “I won’t grovel,” he said. “I won’t beg you for my life.” And he got out.
    “Hell,” I said. “I haven’t had a good grovel in weeks! Well . . . go stand by the edge there. A little closer please.” And Random kept his pistol aimed at his head. “A while back.” I told him, “you said that you would probably have supported anyone who occupied Eric’s position.”
    “That’s right.”
    “Look down.”
    He did. It was a long way.
    “Okay.” I said, “remember that, should things undergo a sudden change. And remember who it was who gave you your life where another would have taken it.
    “Come on, Random. Let’s get moving.”
    We left him standing there, breathing heavily, his brows woven together.
    We reached the top and were almost out of gas. I put it in neutral,