Silhouette

“I am the specter of Kabeiro ap Cadmilus, your precious Little Meliai. The eleven-year
old girl you abandoned to the flames of war and cruel men. The child
you left to die and be reborn from the ashes. And no matter how you
deny it, I am your Daughter. I am your Blood. I am your Sin.

“And I shall no longer be forgotten.”

Silhouette

“I must leave you, Little Meliai. But only for a time,” she’d said.

“I shall return to you, I promise.”

It had been the first time her mother had lied to her.

But as Silhouette holds Caine’s hand, a lifetime away from that fragile moment, she doubts it would be the last.

Raven

"Knives'll work," Raven agrees, "and I'm taking the crowbar, too. Might come in handy. Here." She tosses down one of the cloaks. "Finder's right - I'm taking the less ugly one. 'Ware below; I'm coming down."

Brita

Brita is mute, staring off into the distance. She shakes her head slowly at first and then shakes it as if she is clearing her head. "No. No, I had Not Heard." Her face goes sad, "Cousin Lucas. His Unique Wit will be Missed. There has been Too Much Death in Our Generation," she says as she turns to Ossian. "It Needs to End."

Celina

"Deflect me, derail me,and keep me out of the way. While history suggests I am the least of her concerns, from Moire's own emotional words, I am some essential part of the future and she does not want me damaged."

Signy

"So, now that I've joined this family, now what? Nobody seems too surprised at my appearance, so I assume that there's missing relatives that show up often enough for this to be unremarkable."

Fletcher

"At Court, I was named Defender of the Faith. It was a job at court principally dealing with spiritual and ecclesiastical matters. In those days people in Amber were more spiritual than they are now, and religious too. Organized religions had a lot of clout back then, which was double-edged sword. Faith, morality, and purpose are vital to civilization.

"The Order our family embodies makes such things possible. Without it we'd all be Chaos creatures running around randomly eating anyone smaller or weaker than us."

Jerod

Jerod wraps the shell into the soft leather and places it into another pocket. "Thank you sister for my freedom. I'll give you your vengeance." he whispers, before pulling out the trump deck, sifting out Random's card. He stops for a moment to let the mask settle across his features, then realizes the mask is no more. He smiles again - let them make of that what they will.

Celina

"Yes, how and why," Celina says. "I'm not sure of Trump etiquette and wisdom, Conner. I have no idea how safe this chat is..." She looks at him because she feels he will advise her if she should speak family business. "There are answers in hand and many outstanding yet."

Vere

"Would Moire flee in weakness?" he asks."I do not know her well, but my reading of her is that she would be inclined to seek to prove she was not weak, and go upon the offensive. Wounded sharks are killed by their school, after all."

Conner

Conner pauses a moment and looks more fully at Vere, "because of a bad judgment call from Robin. There are many in the family not pleased with her."

-In that you are a well matched pair.- Conner thinks but does not speak.

Silhouette

She gives a self-effacing laugh, “Or perhaps my prolonged proximity to Prince Huon’s mistrust has clouded my judgment enough to read far too much in your words.”

Garrett

He surveys the assembled group with a furrowed brow. Finally settling his gaze on Ash, he says, "Um... Report?"

Robin

Robin nods to the mayor. "Sorry to make this so difficult on you, Ash, but as I said, it's delicate. And I'm not one to air dirty laundry in the courtyard like some fish-wife."

Folly

"Any sane woman steeped in the traditions of Amber would be wondering by now whether I were half-mad or simply toying with her."

Brita

"I'd be Better if there were Fewer Deaths to Deal With," Brita says wryly as she hugs her mother.

Edan

"...for all I've done lately, all that has happened to me, all the sound and fury and fire that's followed in my wake, I feel as though I have accomplished... nothing. Or worse, hurt the ones with me."

Hannah

"What good lies beside destruction? If I man is ill and I take a knife to him to try to take away his sickness, have I done more harm than good? The answer lies in if he lives or dies, usually. I, perhaps, have learned too much how to turn the other cheek. You, perhaps, know nothing of how to do that."

Brennan

When the war of fire and ice is over, the fire contained but not destroyed, and Brennan can see again, he looks down at his hands. He is surprised not to see a blade in one or both.

Ossian

Ossian's eyes narrow. "Does paternity really matter?"