Well, Xandra may be mouthy and irritating, but I wasn't going to let my dislike of her stop my helping of someone I did like - Simon. She seemed surprised by that. Perhaps she thinks (thought?) as little of me as I of her. But what did she expect? One thing the rookeries taught me - don't leave a friend in the lurch if you can at all help it.
I wasn't happy when Xandra suggested returning me to my 'point of origin' or some neutral place. I in no way want to go back to Timashkurabad for now. Let alone be stuck on the sidelines for the duration! However, I do have these Trumps now, so even if I had been ... put to one side like that, I wouldn't have stayed there long.
I imagine Rayner and Xandra weren't expecting to find me already there when they burst into the Pattern room (as it proved to be). They Trumped out to Amber while I was in the link with Tobias, and he brought me right to the heart of the action. But there I was.
A pity that my pistol was so weak. But still useful, fortunately, making fighting those demons mere butchery.
It was ... unexpected ... when Crystal tried Trumping Fiona (her mother) and fell over. And Rayner mentioned using them to attack people, mentally. It seems they're not as unambiguously useful as they seemed at first. Presumably Azaria did whatever it was, and imprisoned Fiona, and Martin, in the first place.
It would be nice if someone could take the time to explain what in the gods names is going on. Who those demon things we slaughtered were. What Azaria (now mad thanks to Martin's wonderful machine) wants with that gem thing. But of course there isn't time. And the man who would be King of Amber is hurt and must be looked after. Unless anyone can come up with a good reason why not, I can't help thinking that Martin deserves at least a good beating for what he did.
And Tobias doesn't want Simon to contact his mother for some reason. I have no idea which of them is right, so I'm helping Simon. Just because.
I hope to mend some fences with Crystal too. It was not my intention to brawl, verbally or physically, at her party. And I hope to improve her opinion of me.
The only real problem that I have is that I've got blood on my nice new clothes. And I've only had them a few hours, dammit!.
And I leant my coat to Crystal. Not that that is a problem, as she looked like she needed it (or some covering) and I am trying to get back into her good books. And as she gave it me in the first place, well, even less of a problem.
Anyway, I imagine I can steal or obtain more clothes if I need to...
I'm told Jubal is dead, too. A pity if so. I liked him. Simon didn't have any details of what happened. Perhaps I should try and find out more, and, possible, avenge him?
I suppose, perhaps, that I should heed Xandra's warning about not getting involved with politics until I know the ground better. But I can't help thinking, based on current events, that politics will involve me with it, whether I will or not!
We'll just have to see what happens.
And I shall definitely have to remember the location of that secret door into the Pattern room...