To Rule in Amber

It was a long, hot, dusty trip, broken twice for meals and rest. But as evening approached, the Shadows grew true, and I knew we were close.

Three of Uthor's scouts rode out on black warhorses to meet us. All three were hell-creatures… the lai she'one… with glowing red eyes beneath their steel helms. Their armor jingled faintly as they moved.

“King Oberon,” said the one in the lead, who wore a lieutenant's insignia at his collar. “I am Nox. I will be your liaison to the king's staff.” His words were polite, though his tone showed scorn. “Your warriors are to camp north of here. My men will show them the way. I am to escort you to the king immediately.”

“Very well.” Again, I wished I had thought to bring a crown of my own. Too many details to remember… I would have to find a secretary at some point to manage such things.

“I'll take the men and get them settled in,” Co

“Thanks. Aslom! Haetor!” I called. A king could not enter another's camp unescorted. “You will come with me.”

“Yes, Oberon!” they both cried. They steered their chariots forward, bumping across the rough ground.

“Lead on,” I said to Nox.

Without a word, he wheeled his black stallion and headed for the valley where Uthor's forces were camped. As we followed, I heard Co

As we entered the long rows of tents, which seethed with movement as Uthor's men hurried through their duties, I heard a familiar voice calling my name from somewhere behind us. I craned around in the saddle and spotted Aber riding quickly toward me. He wore no armor and carried no sword; clearly duty hadn't called him here.

“My brother,” I said to Nox.

He grunted and shrugged. Clearly he didn't care one way or another if Aber joined us.

My brother was out of breath when he finally caught up, bent over and gasping for air.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“I have a message from Freda,” he said in a low voice. “A prophecy. King Uthor's life is in grave danger.”

I shook my head in bewilderment. “We're about to ride into battle against Lord Zon—of course his life is in danger. So is mine!”

“No! You don't understand!” He shook his head. “Uthor won't live to see the battle. You must let me talk to him. I have something for him—a ring. It will help protect him.”

A ring? A spikard, maybe? I remembered how mine had warned me against the assassin in Amber. It couldn't hurt, and it might further cement our alliance.

“All right,” I said. “I'll present you to him when we get there.”

“Good. Freda said you'd help,” Aber went on. “She saw it in the cards.”

“Not that again.” I rolled my eyes. “I'm half minded to say no, just to prove to you once and for all that nothing is shown in her cards but what we make of it.”

“She knew you'd say that. And she knew you'd let me through anyway, because you're playing with the King of Chaos's life. Uthor won't be happy if he finds you're keeping things back from him. Especially information that might save his life.”

I sighed. He had a point.

“I already said I'd present you.”

We were almost at the center of the camp. Here the press of Uthor's forces kept our pace slow and deliberate; several times we had to wait while wagons full of supplies trundled past.

Finally, though, we reached a series of huge pavilions. Aber and I dismounted and gave our horses' reins to waiting attendants. Flanked by Aslom and Haetor, we followed Nox past lines of guards standing rigidly at attention and into the central area, which had a throne and lines of supplicants waiting to consult with Uthor.

As soon as he spotted us, though, he motioned us forward. He looked old and tired suddenly. Clearly the strain of his struggle against Lord Zon had begun to tell on him.

“Your arrival is most timely,” he said. “Good. The dispatches from home are not promising. We must move swiftly.”

“How soon?” I asked.

“Tomorrow.”

I nodded slowly. “Very well. We are ready and will await your command.”

Aber cleared his throat.

“Ah… my brother has a warning for you from my sister,” I said. “She has some talent in future-telling.”

“The Lady Freda?” He leaned forward, looking at Aber with interest. “Speak. She has a true gift, I know. Any warning she sends will be given proper weight.”

Aber stepped forward and dropped to one knee before King Uthor. “Highness.”

“Rise,” said Uthor. He looked faintly pleased at Aber's obeisance.

“This is for you.”

He pulled something from a pouch at his belt and held it out. I craned to see. It looked like an ancient gold ring, inscribed with characters I could not make out.

“What is this?”

“The Sign of Chaos.”

It seemed to mean something to Uthor and the others around us. Uthor gasped. Everyone else shifted and muttered to themselves. Clearly they had heard of it. And clearly it meant something good.

“What is it?” I asked Nox in a quiet voice.

“An ancient signet,” he said in a hushed, almost reverential voice. “It was lost centuries ago—stolen by the Feynim. To have it back, most especially at this troubled time… it is a great omen!”

Gri

With a triumphant grin, he slipped it onto the index finger of his right hand. As he did, his face took on first a puzzled expression, then one of horror.

Suddenly his ring-finger turned black. The blackness spread rapidly up his arm and to his shoulder. When he opened his mouth to scream, no sound came out. His face, frozen in a horrible grimace, turned black as well.

I rushed forward to see if I could help, along with Nox and all the others. But nothing remained to be done. Uthor's whole body had turned to stone.

Off balance, like a statue shoved from its pedestal, King Uthor toppled forward. When he hit the hard-packed ground, his arms and head snapped off. The head rolled over and stopped at my feet, eyes staring blindly up at my face, as if accusing me of treason.

I swallowed hard and took a step back. The soldiers around me began to moan and cry out.

“He did it!” someone shouted, pointed at Aber.

“Me?” My brother folded his arms stubbornly. “You're crazy! The ring did it!”

“That's right,” another soldier shouted. “He brought the ring!”

I stepped forward. “There's no proof my brother knew anything about it!” I said. “The ring might have been poisoned long ago, or magics laid on it—”

“Murderer!” shouted Nox. He drew his sword, face livid.

I dropped my hand to the hilt of my own sword and gave a warning growl. “We are all friends here. We are bound by a treaty.”

“Traitor!” another called. More swords left their sheaths. A shiver ran through me.

“You're wrong!” I said desperately. My brother might be a lot of things, but I couldn't believe he would kill King Uthor and me.

Aber stepped forward. “Let me speak!” he shouted. “Please, let me speak!”

The muttering around us died. I took a deep breath. This situation could still be saved. I just hoped Aber could convince Uthor's men of our i

Already my thoughts turned through the possibilities. If they could be rallied under my flag… if I could lead them all against Lord Zon…

“I didn't know the ring would kill him,” Aber said in a loud voice. “I'm just a messenger!”

“You have a message?” I asked, puzzled.

“That's right.” He swallowed hard then looked me in the eye. “Lord Zon sends his greetings. Ta, brother.”

With an apologetic shrug, he stepped back and disappeared in a sudden flash of light.