Chapter Forty-three Heather asks Mandor if Jasra is still where they left her. Mandor figures she is. Heather asks if she's in a state where she can penetrate her mind. Mandor says he could remove the spell, but she'd wake up. Heather asks if there's any way to get the information without waking her. Mandor promises work on it. Heather asks him to make sure the phony servant suffers a lot. Mandor asks if she wants to watch. She nods. He leaves. Heather starts working on a Trump trap containing an image of Mebd in her demon form. The idea is to suck the user onto Brand's Pattern. Ariana and Ahab talk in the library. She tells him about the Hendrake feud. He suggests that Random should be told of this. She's not overly enthusiastic about this idea.. They discuss ways of corroborating Vetch's story. Ahab doesn't want to ask Kimdyl, since he doesn't want to force her to choose sides. He suggests Gramble or Mandor as other sources. Ariana feels their positions make that impossible. They both figure Alex is too untrustworthy to be considered a reliable source of information. Ahab figures it would be a good idea to inform Chaos that he no longer wants to kill Vetch. Felix Trumps Ahab and asks if he knows what Vetch really looks like. Ahab asks if Ariana knows. She doesn't. Felix asks if Ahab can check with Kimdyl and see if she knows. Ahab asks his intentions. Felix says he wants to apologize to Vetch for his behavior that morning. They discuss Felix's problems with Foster. Ahab offers to talk to the boy. Eris and Rinaldo teach Foster a new game. Rinaldo keeps making fun of Foster. Foster plots the proper way to thank his father for inflicting this new hell on him. Ariana and Ahab divvy up tasks. She'll talk to Random about the Hendrake feud, he'll tell Alex that he doesn't want to kill Vetch. Ahab asks if Ariana will be at dinner. Seeing as she missed dinner at Gerard's, she figures she will. She asks if Kimdyl's still planning to kill her. Ahab doesn't think so, but he jokingly warns her not to grab his crotch or blow in his ear in front of Kimdyl. Ariana laughs and says she'll try to restrain herself. Mandor brings Heather to watch the tortured death of the servant in one of his private hells. Heather stops Mandor short of killing him, so she can use him as a guinea pig for her Trump trap. Mandor is disappointed. They go back to Mandorways and Heather helps him get over it. Ariana makes an appointment to see Random the following morning. At dinner are Benedict, Dworkin, Flora, Vialle, Ahab, Kimdyl, Nicholas and Ariana. Ahab is excuses himself after the first course. As he's getting up, Lyss walks in. He tries to get her out of there before Dworkin notices her, but it's too late. Dworkin asks Ahab to bring his little friend over. Ahab introduces her as his niece. Dworkin kisses her hand and invites her to visit him in his lab. He tells Ahab to run along. Ahab does so. Lyss looks frightened. Ariana introduces herself to Lyss. Dworkin stares at Ariana. She asks what she can do for him. He sets her to fetching things. Ariana tells him to just tell her if he wants her to go away. He does so. She moves a couple seats down. Dworkin keeps having her move further away. Lyss looks unhappy but doesn't say anything. Ariana keeps an eye on them, but they just seem to be talking. Eventually they leave and head towards Dworkin's lab. Ahab tells Kimdyl that he's decided not to kill Vetch. Kimdyl is surprised. Ahab explains that since both she and Ariana would get mad at him for killing Vetch, he's opted not to do so. He asks if she has a Trump of Vetch. She asks why he would think that. He points out that Vetch is the head of her house. She tells him that informing Alex should be sufficient, so he really doesn't need to talk to Vetch. Ahab admits this is true. He asks her wear a tight top for the visit to Alex, just to torment him. Alex is in his quarters worrying about Mebd when Ahab and Kimdyl drop by. Alex is surprised to see them but agrees to pass the message along. After they leave, he checks to make sure the hour is not too late and Trumps one of Gramble's aides. He tells the aide that Amber is canceling its vendetta against Vetch. The aide is much amused by the news. He asks if Amber knows what it's doing by this act. Alex doesn't think so. The aide marvels at how Alex can live among such barbarians. Mebd drops by at about ten, much to Alex's relief. They spend the night in happy bliss. Ahab finds out where Lyss is from some pages. Ariana stops by and tells him the same information. She asks if he's found out what happened to Deirdre. He tells her that Deirdre got caught snooping in Dworkin's lab. Ariana Trumps Felix and has him bring her back to summer house. They build a bonfire and make S'mores. Ariana and Driscoll spend much of their time trying to keep Rinaldo from setting himself, Foster, or any number of things on fire. Rinaldo mentions that his mother is napping at Heather's. Ahab Trumps Felix and asks if now is a good time to talk to Foster. Felix brings him through. Much mayhem ensues. Rinaldo makes a face at Ariana. Felix tells him that if someone hits him while he's making a face, it'll freeze that way. Later on, Felix makes a face, so both Ariana and Rinaldo hit him. Most of Felix's evening goes this way. Ariana asks if Rinaldo is ticklish. He kicks her, so she picks him up and proceeds to find out. Then she spins him around for a while. She stops when he begins to get sick. Rinaldo spends the next ten minutes trying to get up and falling back down. Eris is much amused. Ahab walks over to Foster, who is sitting on a rock a short distance away from the others. He tries to give the boy advice. Foster just wants to forget about it. He admits that he's not mad at Felix, he's just afraid that Felix is mad at him. Ahab points out that Felix probably feels the same way. He adds that Felix isn't going to hurt Foster. Foster figures he wouldn't last long against Felix anyway. Ahab says he could use the Logrus. Foster points out that he's only ten, so he hasn't taken the Logrus. In a louder voice, he adds he doesn't have a death wish. Everyone turns in their direction. Ariana tells Ahab that Foster's too young to walk the Pattern. Ahab replies "Shows what you know." Ariana tells him he's just mad because Lyss beat his record. Ahab insists that Foster should at least tell Felix he's not mad at him, even if he doesn't want to explain himself. Ahab feels he's an expert on this, since he and Kimdyl fight all the time. Foster asks why he's marrying her then. Ahab says he likes fighting with her. Foster tells Ahab that he's sick. This last part again carries to the others. Felix looks like he's having second thoughts about letting Ahab talk to his son. Ahab suggests that Foster give Rinaldo squash if he bothers him again. Foster wants to melt Rinaldo's brain. Ahab doesn't think that's a good idea, since Brand is probably still around. He suggests Foster give Rinaldo an attraction to Eris. Foster thinks that's sick. He agrees to talk to Felix and they leave it at that. Felix gives Eris a horsy ride. Rinaldo asks Ariana to spin him around again. Driscoll is more than happy to let Ariana deal with the child. Ariana actually manages to tire Rinaldo out, although he still insists on a bedtime story before going to sleep. Ahab hangs around and socializes a while longer, then goes back to Amber. Lyss still hasn't emerged from the lab. He checks in on Deirdre in the infirmary, but she's gone. He Trumps her and asks how she's doing. She claims she's improving. Ahab asks what Dworkin's mental state was when she found him. She says it was poor. He tells her that Lyss has been closeted with Dworkin in his lab. Deirdre begins laying out her armor. Ahab asks what she's doing. She points out it's pretty obvious. She asks why he told her if he didn't expect her to do something about it. He tells her he wanted her to tell him not to worry. She says she won't lie to him anymore. He asks if she at least has a plan. She claims she worked one up in the infirmary. He asks if she's getting help. She figures the less he knows about that the better. He wishes her luck. Ahab notices that Kimdyl is reading a book on the collective works on sadism. He starts reading over her shoulder. After a while, she leans him back and starts experimenting. Of course, this soon degenerates into sex. Heather probes Jasra's mind. Much to her surprise, she discovers that Jasra actually loves Brand. She stole the Jewel because she feared drawing a Pattern would get Brand killed. She feels a bond for Rinaldo, to the point that she wouldn't allow him to come to harm if she could prevent it, but she doesn't have a lot of love for him. She'd save Brand before Rinaldo. Heather's not one of her favorite people (like she's anyone's). Heather backs out of Jasra's mind and Trumps Brand. She tells him that he seems to have misplaced a few things along the way. He asks her to enlighten him. She looks at him like he's slipping. He claims it's due to the pain. Heather figures the items he misplaced would be at the top of his mind. Brand replies that if Rinaldo isn't with her, he's with Driscoll, and that Jasra is rather uncomfortable. Heather glances over at Jasra, which Brand notices. He notes Jasra's luck is changing. Heather tells Brand she's willing to overlook the circumstances of her childhood, but she won't allow her brother to go through the same thing. She also tells him that it would be a shame to waste such sick devotion. He asks if she called for any other reason. Then he asks how the Star is doing. She says it was well the last time she checked. He asks how she's doing, noting that she looks different. She replies that she's merely had time to reflect. He says he's sorry. She tells him that's his problem, and suggests he might find it useful to do some reflecting of his own. He disagrees. She points out he might spend less time "resting" that way. He tells her that will change soon. She asks how he's doing. He says the recovery is progressing. She asks how much he's given away. He figures no more than he intended to. He asks what she did with the Jewel. She tells him it's back where it belongs. The following morning at the summer house, Felix gets up and checks on Murine. He notices that her eyes are open. He speaks to her, but gets no response. He takes her hand, and senses something psychically, but he can't make much of a contact. He notices that something about her doesn't look quite right. He runs down the hall screaming for Gerard, waking up the entire house in the process. Gerard and Ariana examine Murine. They determine that she's dehydrating and start setting up a GI tube. The rest of the house gathers in the hall to find out what's going on. Mebd sleeps in the next morning. Alex lays in bed and plots for a while. Ahab puts on his armor and sword and checks the door outside of Dworkin's lab. No blood outside, but there's a fresh trickle of blood coming out from under the door. Ahab goes back to his room and Trumps Corwin. No answer. He tries Fiona. Still no luck. He teleports to the Rose. No one's around, but the ground looks disturbed and the car's been trashed. Ahab asks the Rose if it's all right. No answer. He checks his mental map, but the Rose still appears. He calls out for Ghostwheel and a ring of light appears on his finger. He asks if Ghost is functional. It says it is. He asks if its looked in on Lyss. Ghost tells him that Deirdre is within and Dworkin is not. Ahab asks if Ghost can show him the scene. Ghost figures that would be spying. Eventually Ahab figures out that Deirdre and Corwin are in the Rose. He asks if Lyss is in there also. Ghost tells him she'll recover. Apparently Dworkin abused her. It mentions that a metaphysical event has occurred. Apparently a Pattern lives on after its creator dies. It reveals that Ghost brought Deirdre to Dworkin at an opportune moment and she killed him with her sword. It also tells him that Abe died. Corwin and Deirdre are comforting Lyss. Ahab Trumps Kimdyl and fills her in. He tells her he's going to be busy comforting Lyss and asks how she feels about adopting a 30 year old. She tells him to go right ahead, she's not going to claim her. He asks if she hasn't always wanted a daughter. She tells him that she never wanted children at all, but after dealing with him for a while, she thinks she can handle Nicholas. He tells her not to get too bored after he's gone. Ghost brings Ahab into the Rose. He finds himself in a place similar to the Great Hall, only not as ornate. He is approached by a page and asks to be brought to Lyss. He is brought to the infirmary. Both Corwin and Deirdre smile when he walks in. Deirdre's arm is in a sling. She says she would have called, but there wasn't time. Lyss is lying on a cot. The right side of her face is bandaged and she appears to be sleeping. Ariadne is sitting in a chair nearby, staring straight ahead. Ahab tells Deirdre psychically that he supposes congratulations are in order, although the circumstances are regrettable. He takes Lyss hand, causing her to wake up. She asks "Father?" Then she realizes that he isn't Abe. Ahab finds himself at a loss for words, so he just sits there holding her hand. Lyss quickly falls asleep again. Gerard and Ariana finish setting up the GI tube. Driscoll ushers Eris and Rinaldo out, but Foster remains frowning at the door. Felix talks to him. Foster asks how long Murine is going to be like that and comments that it's not much of a life. Breakfast at the summer house is a subdued affair. Heather finishes her Trump trap. Mary tells Heather that if she's busy, just give her some art supplies. Heather does so. She Trumps Mandor and asks if the servant is still alive. Mandor points out that she said he couldn't kill him. She asks him to bring the servant to the Star. She meets them there. Mandor tells the man that Heather is his new taskmistress and that he would be wise to do what she says. Heather tells the man that she just wants him to look at something, and then she will have no more use for him. She holds the Trump up before him. He looks at it and disappears. Heather hears a crackling noise from the Star behind her. Mandor observes that there are better ways to go. Heather is disappointed that she wasn't able to watch the man fry. Mandor asks what she's going to do with the trap. Heather figures it's a wonderful toy. He asks why she used Mebd's image for it. Heather hints that she may use it on Alex if he's not nice to Mebd. She carefully puts the card away. Alex and Mebd eat breakfast in bed. Ariana meets with Random. Random doesn't look happy when she walks in. She tells him she'll be brief. She explains that House Hendrake may be responsible for the kidnappings, due to a feud they have with Kimdyl and Foster's house. As she gets ready to leave, he suggests she visit her mother. Ariana asks if he's visited Mirelle. He says he has, and she's doing better. Ariana thanks him. He tells her Mirelle's taken up quarters on the third floor. Alex meets with Random after lunch. Random's mood has not improved since his meeting with Ariana. Alex tells Random that he's been informed that the vendetta against Vetch has been canceled. Random tells Alex that he wasn't aware of any vendetta. Alex explains that he's referring to the earlier request for permission to kill Vetch. Random asks if that was presented as a request from Amber's government. Alex claims it wasn't. Random asks if he included the names of the individuals making the request. Alex admits he forgot. Random doesn't look like his mood's improved. Alex presents Random with a watch set to the time in Chaos. Alex returns to his quarters and Trumps Gramble's aide. He explains that it appears that the original request was unauthorized by Random. The aide looks exasperated. Satisfied that he's done his job as ambassador and made a further muddle of things, Alex breaks the contact. Felix uses one of Murine's Trumps to contact Kimdyl. She looks surprised when she answers and tells him he's not her love puppet. Felix looks uncomfortable. He tells her that Murine's eyes are open but she's comatose. Kimdyl thanks him for the information. She asks where he got her Trump. He tells her he found it in Murine's deck. She warns him to be careful of a few of them. He tells her that there are only two male Trumps in the deck, one of which is Foster's. He's wondering if the other one is Vetch's. He explains that he wants to apologize to Vetch. Kimdyl asks if he's sincere and checks to make sure he is. Satisfied, she tells him to try the other one, but she doesn't guarantee any results. Felix tries the Trump. The man who answers looks rather surprised. Felix asks if he's speaking to Lord Vetch. The man says he can relay a message. Felix gives the details of his apology. The man says he'll pass it along. He warns that if Felix is using the deck he thinks he's using, he should be careful. Felix says he been warned. He also asks that Vetch be told that Murine is improving. Felix can't find Foster. He finds Foster's book on Nietzche and sits down with it. After a while, a shadow falls over the book and Foster asks what he's doing. Felix explains that he's making an effort to share Foster's interests. Foster tells him it's summer and suggests that he put the book away. He wants Felix to teaching him about weightlifting. Felix is more than happy to oblige. Ahab tells Ariadne that he's sorry. She just stares ahead. Ahab asks Deirdre if the fight with Dworkin caused the damage outside. She tells him that after Dworkin was taken care of, the Logrus makes a play for the Rose. That's how Abe died. Apparently Corwin only had time to Trump Deirdre for help. Corwin gives her a you should tell him look. Deirdre hesitates. Corwin tells Ahab that Dworkin did something rather bizarre. He adds that Random should have missed the Jewel by now. Ahab looks under the bandage and finds the Jewel in Lyss' right eye socket. Corwin and Deirdre have no idea why Dworkin did that. Ahab asks where Fiona is. Corwin says she's dealing with the power fluctuation. Ahab asks what's next. Corwin figures the Logrus will go after the Star next. Ahab asks if that's their problem. Corwin points out that removing a Pattern will probably cause a lot of disruption in shadow. Plus, the Rose and the Star are cooperating, and removing the Star would weaken the Rose's position. Ahab also learns that the Pattern was not weakened by Dworkin's death, but it's in a bit of a grudge match with the Logrus right now. He asks where Bleys is. Corwin notes that Fiona is disappointed with Bleys, because she can't find him.