按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hort against the barrier of his wards and spread its hands in a silent entreaty； its hood slipping back from its head to reveal a serene； beautiful face。 clean…shaven and roundish in shape； crowned by a cap of silver…gilt hair。 The firm； sensitive lips parted as if to speak； but Kelson could hear nothing。
The entity's desire was clear enough； however； it wanted in。 And though Kelson found himself released from his immobility at last； it was only to raise his hand and open a gate in the wards…for he knew his spectral visitor could not pass without his invitation； nor did he desire any longer to withhold it。
His pulse was pounding as he traced the outline of the opening； using the edge of his hand like the blade of a sacred sword to cut the energies and seal them at the edges。 And as the outline was plete； and Kelson's hand moved again to dissipate the energy bound within the outline and open the gate…an inadvertent beckoning gesture…the waiting figure crossed graceful； translucent hands briefly upon its breast in gratitude。 Then suddenly it was inside the circle； the open gate clearly visible through its insubstantial body； seeming almost to swell in size rather than approach in any usual manner…though approach； it did； to Kelson's transfixed dread。 The closer it came； the more Kelson had to tip his head backward to keep watching it； until it stood directly before him and he found himself falling backward； sinking into the softness of the sleeping furs on which he lay。
And even then； the dread did not cease； for the figure looming over him； terrifyingly insubstantial； leaned closer； toward his head； right hand outstretched to reach transparent fingertips toward Kelson's forehead。
He had no place to go； no way to escape it。 And he fainted away as what should have been illusion proved to be a cool； solid physical touch； with a mand whispered in his mind to sleep。
Dhugal； meanwhile； had no notion that the being associated with the medals in his hands had made so impressive an appearance。 He had lost any thread of contact with the king some time ago。 His further efforts to revive that contact seemed worse than useless； for nearly half an hour had passed since Dhugal had last been sure he was in contact。
Still； he could not give up。 Dhugal had no idea what kind of ordeal Kelson might be undergoing； but if there was any chance that the king might be able to tap into the energy Dhugal was determined to make available to him； then Dhugal would keep it available until he himself passed out from exhaustion。 In fact； the choice was not so drastic as that； for if the power was never tapped； then there was little drain on Dhugal。 What Dhugal did not realize was that the focus of his call was broadening； with no receiver to tap it and give direction to the energy flow。 And that listeners far away were beginning to scan in his direction。
Duncan； with the head of the deeply entranced Morgan in his lap and Ciard and Jass lying close beside； stirred slightly as his mind brushed just a tendril of a familiar mental touch…the touch of none of those apparently asleep around the fire。 Uncertain； the Deryni bishop cast more intently in the direction he thought the touch had e from； forcing himself to extend farther than he thought he could； in hope of picking it up again。 Jass moaned softly as Duncan's demand for energy became more intense； but he quieted at a touch； as Duncan shifted to a more evenly distributed draw。
For Duncan had touched something startling； unperceived even by Morgan…something he had feared never to find again。 Only he was fully aware of what it had been… or what he thought it had been…and he was so surprised that he all but came out of rapport； dragging a groggy Morgan with him to half…consciousness。
Did you catch that？ he asked in Morgan's mind； laying a hand across the other's eyes when Morgan would have stirred and sat up。
Still in Duncan's partial control； Morgan subsided； only his silent query sounding in Duncan's mind。
Show me what you saw； he asked。
Reverting to purely psychic activity； Duncan closed his eyes again and shared the image he had picked up…a silver medal of Saint Camber； blurred as if from double vision… or perhaps there were two medals。 The design； however； was very familiar to both men。
Stirring lethargically； Morgan pulled one very like that of the shared image from inside his tunic。 It had been his mother's and was the master for the ones he had cast for Kelson； Dhugal； and Duncan。
There are only the three others； that I know of； Morgan observed； opening his hand so that Duncan could close it between their two palms。 And you weren't seeing yours or mine。 We'll use this as a link。
With that instruction； he edged into a dual and equal teaming with Duncan to take both of them much deeper； casting more powerfully now in the direction of the original contact。 Both of them went dangerously deep； beginning to draw heavily on the energy resources of the humans linked with them； but just when they had about reached the end of their reserves and Ciard and Jass both began breathing unevenly； the contact came again。 This time； Duncan was on it at once； dragging them all into the link and locking on it； Morgan retreating far enough to safeguard their backups while Duncan pushed the contact forward。
Dhugal！ Praise God； son； is it really you？
The mixture of joy； fatigue； and fear that came through the link nearly shattered it； but it was； indeed； Dhugal。
Father！
Frantically…for the young border lord feared to lose the link at any instant； or to have his captors interfere…Dhugal sent a jumble of reassurance and basic information in telegraphic bursts of image rather than words： that both he and Kelson were alive； that the village where they lay was called Saint Kyriell's； apparently a lost stronghold of people calling themselves the Servants of Saint Camber； some of whom were Deryni； that Kelson even now was undergoing some kind of ordeal having to do with a vision…quest for Saint Camber…for the two of them had inadvertently violated local holy places when they broke through a series of tomb chambers to escape their weeks of wandering underground； how they had been swept along an underground river and beached； more drowned than not； with Kelson badly injured； and that Dhugal had discovered how to Heal him！ Almost as an afterthought； Dhugal added that there had been merasha in Dhugal's flask。
The multiple information levels were staggering and bore far more investigation than was possible at this remove； but Duncan knew he dared not hold the link much longer。 Morgan warned that their human energy sources were nearing the end of their endurance； and Dhugal himself was wavering； his concentration slipping。
But at least Duncan and Morgan now had a fix on the direction of the contact： and provided that nothing too untoward happened to Kelson in the next few hours； all should be well。 If Duncan and Morgan had not made a physical rendezvous with the two by the following evening； they would attempt another contact then。 Duncan was grinning broadly as he let the contact go and brought Morgan out of trance。
〃God； do you believe it； they're alive！〃 Morgan blurted； struggling to a sitting