Neither of us realized there had been a change until a halfdozen guystried an ambush.

We had spent the night in the Dancing Mountains, Shask and I, where I'dwitnessed a bizarre game between Dworkin and Suhuy. I'd heard strange talesabout things that happened to people who spent the night there, but I hadn'thad a hell of a lot of choice in the matter. It had been storming, I wastired, and my mount had become a statue. I don't know how that game turnedout, though I was mentioned obliquely as a participant and I'm stillwondering.

The next morning my blue horse Shask and I had crossed the ShadowDivide 'twixt Amber and Chaos. Shask was a Shadow mount my son Merlin hadfound for me in the royal stables of the Courts. At the moment, Shask wastraveling under the guise of a giant blue lizard, and we were singing songsfrom various times and places.

Two men rose on either side of the trail from amid rocky cover,pointing crossbows at us. Two more stepped out before usone with a bow, theother bearing a rather beautiful looking blade, doubtless stolen,considering the guy's obvious profession.

"Halt! and no harm'll happen," said the swordsman.

I drew rein.

"When it comes to money, I'm pretty much broke right now," I said, "andI doubt any of you could ride my mount, or would care to."

"Well now, maybe and maybe not," said the leader, "but it's a rough wayto make a living, so we take whatever we can."

"It's not a good idea to leave a man with nothing," I said. "Somepeople hold grudges."

"Most of them can't walk out of here."

"Sounds like a death sentence to me."

He shrugged.

"That sword of yours looks pretty fancy," he said. "Let's see it."

"I don't think that's a good idea," I said.

"Why not?"

"If I draw it, I may wind up killing you," I said.