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an odd； tight look on his face。 〃He said that Father's soul had also been bound up in the spell somehow。。。 that he hadn't been。。。 entirely free。 I've frightened you again； haven't I？ I'm sorry。 It still bothers you to hear me talk so casually about magic； doesn't it？〃
Dhugal managed to swallow； forcing himself not to avoid Kelson's gaze； but it was true。
〃Yes；〃 he whispered。 〃I don't want to be afraid； but I guess it's an old reflex。 And when you talk about souls being bound up … 〃
〃That isn't the usual kind of Deryni magic；〃 Kelson said in a low voice； laying a gloved hand on the other's shoulder。 〃That's dark magic … and you have every reason to fear it； as I do。 What I do … and what Morgan and Father Duncan do … is of the Light。 I know there's no evil in it。 Would I endanger my soul？ … would I endanger yours〃 … if I thought it was evil？〃
〃No。 Not if you knew。 But what 。if you're wrong？〃
〃Was my father wrong？〃 Kelson asked。 〃You knew him； Dhugal。 Was Brion an evil man？〃
〃No。〃
〃And is Morgan evil？ Is Father Duncan evil？〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃Is Bishop Arilan evil； then？〃
〃Arilan？ Arilan's Deryni？〃
As Dhugal's jaw dropped。 Kelson nodded slowly。
〃Arilan。 And you are one of less than a dozen men who know that；〃 he replied。 〃I'm told he es from very； very old Deryni lineage； long hidden away … and he probably knows more about magic than Morgan； Father Duncan； and myself bined。 I'm in awe of him … but I know he isn't evil。 Loris is evil； and he isn't even Deryni。〃
〃I … won't argue with you on that count；〃 Dhugal murmured。 〃It's just that … 〃 He passed a hand across his eyes in futile attempt to clear a growing fuzziness from his vision； suspecting that his treatment at the renegade archbishop's hands had taken a more serious toll than he had thought。 〃I'm sorry。 I'm afraid I'm not thinking very clearly。〃
〃No need to apologize；〃 Kelson replied。 〃You've been through a lot in the last week or so； and you're still not well。 I should have had Morgan and Duncan see you； instead of bringing you here。〃
A flicker of even greater foreboding supplanted Dhugal's burgeoning disfort； and he looked up at Kelson with a sick； queasy sensation in the pit of his stomach。
〃You mean； to heal me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But … 〃 He swallowed painfully。 〃Kelson； I'm … not certain I'm ready for that yet。〃
〃Because of what happened in Transha？〃
〃Yes；〃 Dhugal admitted。 He rubbed both hands across his eyes。 〃God； my head is throbbing。 I can't think。〃
〃That's why I'd like to have them take a look at you；〃 Kelson replied。 〃They might be able to heal your injuries without touching your shields； you know。 And maybe you won't react the same way you did with me。〃
〃Maybe。 For now； however； I … think I might prefer to let nature take its course； if you don't mind。 I'll be all right。〃
〃If that's what you want；〃 Kelson said。 〃They may ask you themselves； though。 I haven't told Duncan about Transha yet； but Morgan may have。 He knows。〃
Dhugal looked down at his hands clasped tightly together and forced them to relax； drawing a deep breath。
〃Well； then； I'll wait to see what they say。 I just can't … ask them myself。 Kelson。 And I don't want you to ask them。 Maybe I … won't be afraid； if they ask me。〃 He winced and rubbed at his temples again。 〃It's too bad your probe hurts worse than the headache I've got anyway … though I wouldn't mind having my ribs healed； that's for certain。 I haven't drawn a proper breath without pain for days。 And the riding didn't help matters。〃
〃We'd better get you back to rest then；〃 Kelson said； in a tone that conveyed nothing of his disappointment。 〃It'll be time for the council soon anyway； and I could use a snack before we settle down for the meeting。〃
〃You could talk me into that without half trying；〃 Dhugal answered with a game grin。
Their spurs jingled against the polished marble of the steps as they ascended from the crypt to the level of the nave； and the gate of gilded brass creaked noisily as Kelson pulled it shut behind them。
〃I must ask the sacristan to have that oiled；〃 he said； making small talk as they moved along the transept arm heading toward the nave。 〃Remind me one day to tell you about his part in the confusion the night before my coronation。 I wish you could have been here for the day itself。〃
Dhugal returned Kelson's sunny grin uneasily。
〃My father told me about the part he saw。 He said you fought some sort of magical duel； right here in the cathedral。〃
Kelson gestured grandly toward the transept crossing； trying to diffuse some of the magical drama of the incident while still conveying the wonder。
〃Right there at the foot of the altar steps；〃 he replied。 〃What really saved me； though； was one of those seals set in the floor。 Without it； I wouldn't have had a clue what to do。〃 He led Dhugal to one near the center of the transept and removed his right glove as he knelt beside it。
〃All of these are seals and sigils of various patron saints of this cathedral；〃 he explained； gesturing to include the entire circle of mosaic designs beneath the crossing。 〃Part of the kingmaking I had from my father called for a 'Defender's Sign。' We had assumed … not unreasonably； at the time … that the Defender's Sign was Morgan's signet ring； since he was my defender； my champion。〃
He brushed his fingertips almost reverently over the worn design beside his knees。 〃It wasn't； though。 It was this： Saint Camber's seal。〃
〃The Deryni heretic saint？〃
〃Yes。 I know his name doesn't appear on it； but somehow I knew this was it … don't ask me how。 Maybe the ability to recognize the true seal when it was time was part of the knowledge that passed to me with my father's magic。 Here's the robed and hooded figure holding up the crown … see？ Because Saint Camber restored the crown of Gwynedd to the Haldanes。 And here； worked into the design； you can trace out most of the letters of his name； if you know where to look： ？ … M … ？ … R … S。 The vagueness of the identification may be what saved the seal from obliteration when Camber's cult was stamped out； two centuries ago。〃
Dhugal nodded distractedly； steadying himself with gloved knuckles against the floor as he stared down at the swirls of colored mosaic； his eyes tracing out the sigil of Sanctus Camberus as Kelson's fingertip showed him where to look。
〃You don't believe that Saint Camber was evil； then？〃 he finally asked。
Kelson shook his head and stood； giving Dhugal a hand up。 〃Not at all。 And I don't want to sound naive； but either Saint Camber or some present…day disciple who wants us to think he's Saint Camber has e to our rescue more than once … Morgan's and Duncan's as well as my own。 I think I'd like to restore his cult someday；〃 he added wistfully。 〃Most folks would disagree； but I think he was a great man； as well as a powerful saint。 I'd like to find out more about what he was really like； and then I think I'd like to go on a quest to try to recover some of his relics； and build a proper shrine to house them。 He deserves that。〃
〃I suspect the Church might take exception to that notion；〃 Dhugal murmured。
〃I suspect you're right；〃 said a voice from behind them； 〃if you judge the Church by some of her more stodgy leaders。 By that definition； the Church takes exception to a great many notions of far less controversial nature。 I can personally vouch for that。〃
〃Father Duncan！〃 Kelson said； as he and Dhugal both whirled to see Duncan standing behind them with an armful of manuscript scrolls。 〃Oh； bother； I didn't mean for you to overhear the part about Camber。 It's probably silly to even think of it。〃
〃Not silly； my prince；〃 Duncan said mildly。 〃No genuine act of piety and faith is ever silly。 This is not to say that your dream is necessarily realistic；〃 he added。 〃At least not now。 But who knows what the future may bring？ After all； who would have thought the bishops would approve the appointment of a known Deryni to their ranks？〃
Nervously Kelson glanced around the transept to be certain there was no one else within earshot； a little annoyed that even Duncan should have crept up on him unawares。
〃Shhh！〃 he hissed under his breath。 〃The bishops may know； and a lot of other people； but everybody doesn't。 You needn't make things any more difficult than they are。〃
Duncan raised an eyebrow。 〃I am what I am。 Sire； as we all are。 Denying serves no useful purpose。〃
〃And what am I； then？〃 Dhugal whispered； turning sick； fearful eyes on Kelson。 〃Go ahead and ask him； Kelson。 He's right。 I need to know。 And I can't properly serve you and what you've bee； until I do。〃
Kelson glanced up at Duncan to find the Deryni priest incredibly still； glancing back and forth between him and Dhugal with taut question in the blue eyes。
〃Dhugal has shields；〃 Kelson murmured； at the same time touching his fingertips to Duncan's hands and imparting a quick mental impression of what he and Dhugal had experienced。 〃I told Alaric about them before the expedition； but there wasn't time to tell you。 Now he needs to be healed； but I'm a little afraid to have either of you try it alone。 I suspect you're going to have to get around the shields to do it； and that could be very tricky。 He shut down in terrible pain when I tried to read him in Transha。〃
Duncan's eyes betrayed no emotion as he assimilated Kelson's words and thoughts； but when the king had finished； Duncan slowly turned his gaze on the apprehensive Dhugal； looking slightly wistful。
〃Shields； you say？ Shields that even you can't breach； Kelson？〃
The king shook his head。 〃I don't want to hurt him any more than I have already； trying to force the issue。 I have the technical knowledge； but you and Alaric have far more experience。 If necessary； I thought you might draw on … other expertise； as well；〃 he added； thinking of Arilan； and seeing that the thought had occurred to Duncan as well； though he suddenly did not want Duncan to know that he had told Dhugal。
〃No；〃 Duncan said softly； 〃I'd rather not involve any one else； if we can handle this ourselves。〃 He flicked his attention back to Dhugal； shifting his armful of scrolls to free one hand。 〃Do you mind if I try a light probe； Dhugal？〃 he asked； reaching casually toward the boy's forehead before Dhugal could back away。 〃I'll pull right out if it distresses you。〃
As he touched Dhugal； he sent out a cautious tendril of thought； recoiling almost immediately as rigid shields slammed into place and Dhugal blinked。
〃Was that painful？〃 Duncan asked； not withdrawing his hand。
Dhugal gave a cautious shake of his head； too amazed to even think of pulling back。 〃Not painful； no。 But I felt … something。〃
〃With shields like that； I should imagine you did。〃 Again Duncan extended a cautious probe。 〃Can you feel that？〃
Dhugal got an odd； not quite frightened look on his face。
〃I don't exactly … feel it。 It isn't a physical sensation at all。 Kind of like a。。。 an itch inside my head。〃
〃Shall I stop？〃
Dhugal swallowed。 〃Well； it doesn't really hurt。 It isn't even that unpleasant； but … 〃
〃Let me help；〃 Kelson said； adding his hand beside Duncan's and trying a contact。
But at Kelson's first psychic touch； Dhugal gasped and recoiled； clapping hands to his temples and doubling over with pain。 Both Kelson and Duncan withdrew immediately； Duncan letting his scrolls fall to the floor as he helped Kelson support his tottering foster brother。 Dhugal gasped for breath； letting Duncan ease him to a crouch and push his head between his knees； trying not to jostle his sore ribs or kink the bruise on his thigh。 His head was throbbing again。
〃That's exactly what happened in Transha；〃 Kelson murmured； leaving Dhugal to Duncan's ministrations while he awkwardly gathered up the dropped scrolls。 〃It didn't happen right away； but it's been that way ever since。 I wonder why you don't get the same reaction。〃
Duncan shrugged； gently kneading the back of Dhugal's neck and trying a tentative probe again。 〃I don't know。 He's still shielded； though。 The harder I push； the stronger it gets。〃
〃But it doesn't hurt when you do it；〃 Dhugal managed to murmur。
〃And damned if I know why；〃 Duncan replied； helping the boy to stand。 〃I confess it's beyond me； at least on casual investigation。 We're due back at the council meeting very shortly； but why don't we closet ourselves with Ala