These Amberites refuse to leave me in peace.  Scarcely had I 
found a new shadow and begun exploring the Spikard again, when 
several riders appeared.  Their leader was, of course, an Amberite.  
She introduced herself as Morgan, and I think she's Flora's daughter.  
She definitely bears as resemblance to the pictures I've seen of Flora.  
She wanted to know who I was, what I was doing there, etc.  I asked 
if she wanted me to move.  She said that wasn't necessary, then 
proceeded to tell me that I'd be safer if I moved closer to Ygg.  
Claimed I might encounter other, less understanding, Amberites.  
Which means she really did want me to move.  I have to agree with 
her about the possibility of encountering other Amberites.  I've 
encountered two in as many hours.  Don't they have anything better 
to do?  Apparently not.  Morgan claims she's been to Chaos once, for 
the King's coronation.  I don't know why she told me that.  Eventually 
she gave me a Trump of herself and left.  Amberites certainly are 
casual about handing out Trumps.  It must be nice to have so many 
of them that you can just give them away.  I wonder what her game 
is?

	I decided to heed Morgan's advice and moved further away 
from Amber.  Turns out I needn't have bothered.  I hadn't been in 
the new shadow for more than a few hours when I was mentally 
attacked.  Nothing I couldn't initially hold off, but it felt like it was 
easily capable of wearing me down.  I asked the Spikard to take me 
someplace where I'd be safe from what was attacking me.  Nothing 
happened.  How comforting.  The thing was starting to erode my 
defenses, and I was getting desperate, so I told the Spikard to bring 
me to someone who could help me.  I wound up in the middle of 
Castle Amber.

	I suppose it could have been worse.  It could have brought me 
to Mandorways.  I doubt I'd still be alive in that case.  I recognized 
Morgan immediately.  She looked rather surprised, to say the least.  
They all did.  I asked Morgan for help, and we were able to hold the 
thing off, but it still persisted.  Until Jacob joined the contact.  Then 
the thing screamed and died.  Jacob would have us believe that was a 
coincidence, but I'm not buying it.  Especially since he was able to 
hurt Brand.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

	As soon as I looked around, I knew something was wrong in 
Amber.  For one thing, the King and Queen of Amber were frozen in 
the center of the room.  And everyone looked real jumpy.  Just the 
sort of situation that I love to arrive in the middle of.  Someone 
mentioned Brand was alive, and my first reaction was to wish I was 
anywhere but here.  But it occurred to me that suddenly 
disappearing again would only make me seem more suspicious.  
Besides, Jacob and Morgan had helped me, and it would have been 
rude to just leave.  And I wanted to know what had happened here.  
Much to my surprise, the Amberites told me.  Well, not me directly.  
This big oaf named Bart started asking me how it was that I knew of 
Brand.  I pointed out that Brand is pretty well known in Chaos.  
Nicholas made an appearance at that point.  Markus, who is 
apparently Random's son, asked if Nicholas could vouch for me, since 
he seemed to know me.  I found that rather amusing.

	Interestingly enough, Etienne was there.  I had no idea that he 
was in Amber.  Apparently he's been working for Julian.  I wonder if 
Derek knows about this?  Etienne gave no sign of recognizing me, but 
I'd be surprised if he had.  We've never formally met, and even if we 
had, I wouldn't have been in this form.

	Now here's where things got interesting.  Amberites can be so 
stupid.  Markus asked for an update from those gathered in the room 
before he questioned me.  And he allowed me to stay in the room 
while the others made their report!  I couldn't believe my luck.  
Naturally, I did my best to make myself inconspicuous.  I learned 
quite a bit before Rachel pointed out the error the others had made.  
She's definitely one to watch out for.

	From what I heard, Brand attacked Amber with an army.  
Apparently Lord Bremen of Hendrake was with him.  This is 
impossible.  I attended his execution.  He was dismembered, burned, 
and his ashes scattered into the Abyss.  I don't care how good a 
shapeshifter he was, no one could recover from that.  Then again, I 
would have laid good odds that Brand was dead too.  Apparently 
Brand had several entities with him that he was using to take control 
of people's minds.  He did this to Etienne, and tried to use one on 
Jacob, but Jacob was able to destroy it.  They think Brand only had 
four, and all were destroyed except for the one inhabiting Etienne.  
That one fled after he expelled it.  I have an uneasy feeling that it 
was what attacked me.  If so, it's been destroyed.  I hope there are 
no more of those things running around.

	Two things of interest that I observed.  None of Oberon's 
children were present during the briefing.  As a matter of fact, I 
haven't seen any of them so far.  Except for the statue-like King and 
Queen.  Etienne says Julian was somehow trapped in a Trump.  Could 
Brand have taken out all of them?  If so, the advantage for Chaos 
would be enormous.  Also, Markus was wearing a blue pendant 
which I heard called the Rebman Jewel of Judgment.  There was no 
sign of the Right Eye of the Serpent.  What is this Rebman Jewel?  
And where is the Right Eye?  I'm certain Markus would have been 
using it if he'd had it.  It wasn't on Random's body, either.

	During Brand's attack, Jacob apparently made mental contact 
with Brand, which caused Brand to scream in pain.  Jacob still claims 
it was a fortunate happenstance.  Not likely.  Details on what 
happened after that are sketchy, but judging by the number of 
bodies I saw, Brand's forces actually made it into the Castle.  Brand 
and Lord Bremen apparently both walked the Pattern and 
disappeared.  Normally, I would have been shocked that a Chaos 
Lord managed to walk the Pattern and survive, but the fact that he is 
alive at all somehow makes it easier to believe.  By all normal rules, 
he should be dead.  So obviously, normal rules do not apply.

	Rachel and Markus started asking questions about the Spikard.  
I'm sure they weren't satisfied with my answers.  They asked me 
why I had come to Amber.  I told them I was attacked, and thought 
Morgan could help me.  She had invited me to contact her, after all.  
Almost no one there realized House Barimen still existed.  Typical 
Amberites.  Dworkin betrays his own house, and his descendants just 
assume we no longer exist.  It certainly makes things more 
convenient for them.  However, someone pointed out this does make 
me related to them, in a way.  As if that would automatically make 
me sympathetic to them.  Still, I'll use whatever advantage I can get.

	Markus told me I was welcome to stay as a "guest", and had 
four armed guards escort me to a room.  The fact that these guards 
initially drew their weapons on me told me all I needed to know 
about what kind of guest I am.

	Naturally, the first thing I did once I was left alone was Trump 
Dad.  Well, actually the first thing I did was block the door so I 
wouldn't be interrupted.  I told Dad everything.  Hopefully the House 
can use the information to its advantage.  Dad told me I've been gone 
several weeks.  I miss him and Mom and Lilith.  Serpent, I even miss 
Gregory, as obnoxious as he can be sometimes.  I'd rather be arguing 
with him about the dangers of pit diving than sitting here 
surrounded by Amberites.  They're probably discussing how to kill 
me and take my Spikard.  Well, if they try, I'll make damn sure I 
take them with me.  What I don't understand is why they didn't try 
to take my Trumps?  I wouldn't have let them, but I'm surprised 
they didn't try.  Since they didn't, I'd assumed the room would be 
warded against Trumps, but I had no trouble reaching Dad.

	Bart paid me a visit, after I'd finally managed to fall asleep.  
Words cannot express the contempt I have for this man.  He kept 
asking what he could do to make my stay more pleasant.  I'm sure 
he'd rather my stay was as unpleasant as possible.  I'm definitely a 
prisoner, in so far as they don't want me to leave Amber.  For my 
own safety, of course.  This makes no sense.  If they're afraid I'll tell 
others in Courts what they foolishly allowed me to learn, why leave 
me alone in a room that's not even Trump-warded?  Maybe it hasn't 
occurred to them that I have Trumps.  Hmm, I'll have to be careful 
not to give them cause to think otherwise.

	They allowed me to have breakfast in a dining room instead of 
in my room.  Markus was there.  He asked me to stay as a favor to 
him.  I agreed.  Maybe I'll learn more useful information.  Besides, it 
doesn't hurt to have the Crown Prince of Amber owe you a favor.

	Nicholas talked to me afterwards.  He's been in touch with 
Suhuy, who told him all about the Spikard.  Including that fact that I 
haven't had it long.  Suhuy probably told Nicholas who I really am, 
too.  Damn Suhuy!  He takes this nonpartisanship too far!  If I don't 
want to use my true form and name around people who may be my 
enemies for all I know, he has no business interfering!  I'm so 
annoyed at him I could spit acid!

	Nicholas claims Suhuy suggested Brand as another person who 
could help me learn how to control my Spikard.  That's an even 
worse choice than Mandor!  I'd have to be truly insane to approach 
Brand.  I'm wondering if Suhuy even made the suggestion at all.  
Nicholas is Brand's son, after all.  Maybe he's in league with his 
father.

	Nicholas revealed that the Amberites are trying to cover up 
how badly they were hurt by Brand's attack.  I'm amazed they think 
they have a chance.  There were so many bodies in the Castle alone.  
Won't their families talk?  Not to mention the difficulty in explaining 
the missing Amberites.  Nicholas asked me what my feelings were 
about Amber.  I told him I harbor no ill will towards Amber.  What 
did he expect me to say?  I doubt anyone would buy it if I started 
claiming I favored Amber over my own House.  Nicholas also asked 
me not to contact my family in Chaos.  Sorry, but you're a bit late.  
Not that I told him this.  Instead I asked him what I was allowed to 
do in Amber.  He suggested exploring some caves at the base of 
Kolvir.  I should have been more suspicious, but it seemed perfect.  
Someplace in Amber where I could continue exploring my Spikard 
without interruptions.  And without worrying about accidentally 
killing someone nearby, or blowing up something valuable.

	I found a few new spells in the Spikard.  And learned to make 
sure I aimed the spells towards the mouth of the cave.  Lighting does 
ricochet off rock in the most interesting manner.  My studies were 
interrupted by a deluge of water right outside of the mouth of the 
cave.  I got the hell out of there.

	It has to have been Nicholas.  He's the only one who knew I 
was down there.  He probably hoped the force of the water would 
smash me against one of the cave walls, either killing me outright or 
knocking me unconscious and drowning me.

	Nicholas looked real surprised when I Trumped him.  Guess he 
hadn't gotten around to checking the cave yet.  It was a stupid thing 
to do, but I was so mad.  I didn't wait to hear his excuses.

	So now what do I do?  I don't think there's anywhere I'm truly 
safe.  If I go back to the Courts, I'll be attacked, and I don't think the 
House can protect me.  Not to mention the drain on the House's 
resources it would cause.  Ironically enough, I think the safest place 
for me to be is Amber.  Most Chaos Lords will think twice about 
attacking me there.  And if the Amberites try to kill me, I'll be a 
position to hurt them badly as I go.  I don't think they'll attack me in 
their own castle.  Even Nicholas waited until I was in the caves.  I'll 
just have to be very careful.  It's obvious I can't trust anyone in 
Amber.  Or just about anyone else, for that matter.  Even Suhuy 
betrayed me.

	So, I guess I'll have to return.  But first, I'm going to talk to 
Derek.  Maybe he knows what Etienne is doing in Amber.  And I 
should at least let him know why I left Chaos.  I don't want him to 
think I'm running away from him.