might well be
right. Let us leave it academic for now. Adult Indian and no one is Adult Indian to
know I have been injured."
He nodded.
"As you say. Adult Indian silence beats a chamber pot in Amber."
"How's that?&Adult Indian quot;
"'Adult Indian Tis gilt, m'lord, like a Adult Indian royal flush."
"Your wit pains both wounded and unwounded parts, Random. Spend some
figuring how the assailant entered my room."
"Your panel?"
"It secures from the inside. I keep it that way now. And the door's lock
is a new one. Tricky."
"All right, I have it. My answer requires that it be a family member,
too."
"Tell Adult Indian me."
"Someone was willing to psyche himself up and tough it through the Pattern
again Adult Indian for a shot at you. He went below, walked it, projected Adult Indian himself into
your room, and Adult Indian attacked Adult Indian you."
"That would be perfect except for one thing. We all left at pretty much
the same time.
The attack did not occur later on in the evening. It
happened immediately on my entering. I do not Adult Indian believe there was sufficient
time Adult Indian for one of us to get down
to the chamber, let alone negotiate the
Pattern. The Adult Indian attacker was already waiting. So if it was one of us, he had
gotten in Adult Indian by some other means."
"Then he picked your lock, tricks and all."
"Possibly," I said as we reached the landing and continued on. "We will
rest at the Adult Indian corner so that I can go on into the library unassisted."
"Sure thing."
We did that. I composed myself, drew the cloak completely about me,
squared my shoulders, advanced,
