"Zelazny, Roger - Amber Short Stories 04 - Coming To A Cord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

Coming To A Cord from Pirate Writings #7 Summer, 1995
by Roger Zelazny
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Preface from _Pirate Writings_: This story takes up the second Amber
series where "The Shroudling and the Guisel" (which appeared in the first issue
of _Realms of Fantasy_) left off. It shows the continuing tale of
Merlin's strangling cord, Frakir, while telling more about the leftover guisel
and the sorcerer responsible for the affair behind the mirror. Flora and the
visiting Luke are drawn into the action.

I have been using an occasional short story of late to tie up loose ends
I'd left hanging in previous Amber books and stories, as well as to continue the
overall narrative. The first of these stories was "The Salesman's Tale,"
featuring Luke and Vialle, which appeared in the February 1994 (#6) issue of
_Amberzine_, and the second was "Blue Horse, Dancing Mountains," which
will appear this Summer in the AvoNova collection of gambling stories, _Wheel
of Fortune_, edited by myself. "The Shroudling and the Guisel" was the third
Amber story, and "Coming to a Cord" is the fourth.

So, if anyone has a burning Amber question, I suggest they send it to me
c/o AvoNova and I may be able to straighten the matter out in one of these
stories (I may not, also). And to all you Amber fans, thanks for hanging around
for so long.

-Roger Zelazny
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It is no fun being tied to a bedpost when you are feeling under the
weather. I phased back and forth between visibility and invisibility
uncontrollably. On the other wrist, I felt my ability to communicate beginning
to return. My increased sentience had remained with me ever since my strange
journey with Merlin in the place between shadows. But there was a shock on my
return to this reality. Slowly now, I was recovering from it, though some of
the symptoms were slower in going than others. Consequently, it took me much
longer than it normally would have to unknot myself.

I am Frakir, strangling cord to Merlin--Lord of Amber and Prince of Chaos.
Normally, too, he would never have abandoned me like this, in the blasted
apartments of Brand, late Prince of Amber and would-be Lord of the Universe.
But he was under a mild spell Brand had actually left about for his son Rinaldo.
However, Merlin has such a strong affinity with Rinaldo--also known as Luke--by
virtue of their long association, that the spell latched onto him. He must have
shaken it by now, but that still left me in an awkward position, with him
doubtless back in the Courts.

I did not feel like waiting around with all the rebuilding and redecorating
going on. They could decide to chuck the bed, with me attached, and go for all
new stuff.

I finished unknotting myself. At least Merlin had used no magic when he'd