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Osric talks to Clarissa about having the Pattern 'L' on his forehead removed. Clarissa says that she cannot even see the mark, but her daughter Fiona or her son Brand would be appropriate. Clarissa disavows any real claim on her descendants who do not ask for training from her.
"Benedict was nice, Oberon was very good, ... thought that continuing up the chain... but it apparently all came from Oberon."
Clarissa complains that Oberon spends too much time in deals and responsibilities instead of being in bed. Clarissa and Osric continue to chat. Clarissa shares. People are horrified. Cassandra asks Ilk if they know if that really is their Clarissa. Ilk can't be sure, and tells Cassandra so. Osric tries to hit on Clarissa. She doesn't seem to notice.
Osric goes over to ask Jenoir about removing a magical mark on his forehead. Jenoir asks Amaranth if she can see anything; Amaranth announces the presence of an 'L'. Jenoir then apparently guides Amaranth through removing the mark. Jenoir then introduces Osric to her new apprentice.
Pattern Suhuy approaches Rainbow and Verra, ignores Rainbow, and bows to Verra. Verra nods to him. Pattern Suhuy's apprentice follows along and acts mostly apprentice-like.
"I noticed you watching me during the council, whereas most here couldn't see me."
"Yes, and your companion too." Verra nods to Suhuy's apprentice. Ilk nods in reply.
Rainbow asks Verra with whom she is conversing. Suhuy and Verra decide to talk later when she is unaccompanied. Verra nods at Suhuy and Ilk. Suhuy nods; Ilk winks.
Sethra is encouraging Cassandra to fight her way into the House of the Dzur by defeating seventeen Dzur heros. Cassandra seems amused at Sethra's remark that some of the possible feuds result in assassination attempts, and informs Sethra that she is apprenticed to the Guildmaster of the Assassins' Guild in Chaos. The discussion shifts to House Dragon, and whether or not Corwin is a Dragonlord.
Sethra goes over to Verra and prostrates herself at her goddess's feet. Rainbow makes snide comments to Verra about floozies falling at her feet.
Cassandra goes over to Princess Chandra. Princess Chandra is busy giving orders to people who are becoming noticeable and unnoticeable as they approach and leave her presence.
Both Cailins are un-yeti'd and are catching up.
Ilk asks Morrolan about what kind of city Verra would prefer. It turns out that most of what Ilk could import from shadow wouldn't be very useful.
The group heads up from the dungeon to a sitting room.
The ways and means committee is almost done constructing the ways between Norton's House and his home shadow. They tell Norton that they sent through a werewolf as a test. Norton informs them that werewolves are at war with the inhabitants of that shadow. He creates a gargoyle, gives it a note, and sends it through the ways. The gargoyle comes back with a cleaning bill stapled to its back.
A group goes through the ways to investigate the destination. They spot the werewolf hanging from a nearby clothesline.
[Wash-and-wear-wolf]
Ilk fetches the werewolf. Two large robots roll through the door and grab Morrolan, who is the closest to the door. After checking for permission from Norton, Morrolan pulls Blackwand and looks surprised when the robots don't flinch. Morrolan starts hacking the robots apart.
Ilk looks around - it's not the right shadow. Cailin checks for magical power - almost none. One little pool, on a different continent. Ilk checks for statues - one, in the same place as the pool of power.
The group retreats back through the gate, and asks the ways and means committee to close the way.
Norton proposes a jaunt to go acquire Benedict's body. Celeste is tired from keeping Norton alive despite the Morganti incident, and decides to stay behind out of a desire to avoid Llewella or Cathryne.
Celeste tries to talk to Dworkin via Jean about having the Pattern in Castle Amber turned down.
Ilk pulls the group to Rebma. He notices more order in Norton than he had expected, presumably from the Greyswandir that is no longer being shielded by Corwin. There is also some order in Cailin.
The group appears over the seas over Rebma. Someone points the way to Benedict's body. Ilk looks for traps there and finds many. He warns the others, and solidifies them inside the room.
Norton is now trapped in a block of blue. Norton dies, but remains blue. Norton tries to go gaseous, and fails.
Cailin brings up magic sight. Lots of magic, all over the place, many lines weaving around Norton.
Ilk looks at the room - the Pattern itself apparently noticed a Logrus user and warded the room against him. Ilk tries to figure out when he last annoyed the Pattern.
The room looks like a lab or an operating theater. There is a vivisectionist table there with the remains of someone dressed in Benedict's colors, and there is blood all over the place.
Neville and Cailin experiment.
Norton vibrates Cailin, and acquires communication. He suggests departing at high speed.
Neville opens a door and sees Cathryne, muttering to herself in a library. He closes the door.
Cailin opens a gate back to Chaos, tosses a test tube through it, pushes the Norton-sicle through, pushes the vivisectionist table through, and then Neville, Morrolan, and Cailin follow.
Celeste watches with interest. Celeste tries to trump Norton, and fails. Celeste tries to contact Darkstar, and gets a "I'm not here, honest" response. Celeste tries to tack a note, "More blue stuff. Need help. Love, Celeste." but fails. Norton asks Celeste to tell Ilk that they're not there any more. Celeste trumps Ilk, and contacts the one in the paper-thin Norton, who is resting in a fast time shadow. She tells him that they're not there any more, that Norton is in a blue thing, and that they have a Benedict on a vivisectionist table. That Ilk tells one of the tendri'd Ilks, who heads back to Chaos.
Celeste tries to mentally contact Andron, but splashes on the outside of the council chambers. Celeste asks Jean to send her an Etiquette Guild member; he trumps one through. Celeste gives the poor guy a plea for help for Andron. The Etiquette Guild member flees. Another member returns shortly, with Andron's regrets - he can't make a house call. Celeste opens a gate to outside the council chambers; the group is trundled through. The table is left in Norton's place, and Norton pumps the defenses around it.
Celeste notices that Norton isn't really going undead - he just thinks he is. Two Ilks arrive in Norton's place; one stays with a Cailin, another goes to the council chambers, where he cuts short Celeste's sparring with the Etiquette Guild by bringing Celeste and Cailin in as his guests.
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