"I will not say," he replied, "but someone along the way here should beable to tell you. And whatever happens, my blessing--which is probably nolonger worth much--lies on both of you."

We bowed and said thanks. When we looked up again, he was gone.

"Great," I said. "Back for less than an hour and involved in Amberambiguity."

Luke nodded.

"Chaos and Kashfa seem just as bad, though," he said. "Maybe thestate's highest function is to grind out insoluble problems."

I chuckled as we moved on, regarding ourselves in dozens of pools oflight. For several paces nothing happened, then a familiar face appeared ina red-framed oval to my left.

"Corwin, what a pleasure," she said.

"Dara!"

"It seems that my unconscious will must be stronger than that of anyoneelse who wishes you ill," she said. "So I get to deliver the best piece ofnews of all."

"Yes?" I said.

"I see one of you lying pierced by the blade of the other. What joy!"

"I've no intention of killing this guy," I told her.

"Goes both ways," Luke said.

"Ah, but that is the deadly beauty of it," she said. "One of you mustbe run through by the other for the survivor to regain that element ofpermeability he has lost."

"Thanks, but I'll find another way," Luke said. "My mom, Jasra, is apretty good sorceress."

Her laughter sounded like the breaking of one of the mirrors.

"Jasra! She was one of my maids," she said. "She picked up whatever sheknows of the Art by eavesdropping on my work. Not without talent, but shenever received full training."

"My dad completed her training," Luke said.

As she studied Luke, the merriment went out of her face.

"All right," she said. "I'll level with you, son of Brand. I can't seeany way to resolve it other than the way I stated. As I have nothing against