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n out of trance。
〃God； do you believe it； they're alive！〃 Morgan blurted； struggling to a sitting position with Duncan's help。 〃We didn't just imagine it； did we？ Reassure me that you read the same things I did； Duncan。〃
Duncan only sighed and nodded happily； distractedly scanning their human allies and then deepening their trances to let them recover in sleep for a little while before all must rouse themselves and ride。
〃Aye； they're alive； all right；〃 Duncan said。 〃For every question we've just had answered； though； several new ones arise。〃
The first edge of Morgan's exuberance blunted immediately； and he grimaced as he shifted to a more fortable position。
〃Aye； that's for certain；〃 he said quietly。 〃And the most troubling one； beyond their immediate safety； has to do with the merasha in Dhugal's flask。 Who could have put it there； Duncan； and why？ Dhugal has no enemies； does he？〃
〃None that I know of。〃
〃None that I know of； either； but…wait a minute。 Try this one。 Who is the single person whose fortunes took an upward turn when Kelson and Dhugal came up missing？〃
Duncan drew in breath cautiously。 〃Conall？〃
〃Conall；〃 Morgan agreed； 〃who has bee king now in all but name。 He has the full range of Haldane powers； too； Duncan； and he isn't going to want to give them up。〃
Duncan whistled low under his breath。 〃And we gave them to him。〃
〃Did we？〃 Morgan replied。 〃I wonder。〃 He paused a moment to glance into the fire； then looked back at Duncan。
〃What if we didn't give them to him？ What if he already had them？ Suppose Tiercel was right…obviously he was right！ More than one Haldane can hold the Haldane power at a time； since Kelson's still alive。 Good God； maybe Tiercel…〃
〃Maybe Tiercel brought Conall to power；〃 Duncan interjected grimly； 〃and then Conall killed him for his trouble。 Tiercel would have had access to merasha； too。 Or…good Lord； you don't suppose the Council had something to do with this； do you？〃
Morgan shook his head。 〃If they did； Arilan knew nothing of it。 His grief was genuine when he thought Kelson was dead。〃
Duncan snorted。 〃That mightn't have kept him from countenancing Kelson's death。 He still could have been grieving； even while he accepted the necessity for it。 If the Council put Tiercel up to working with Conall and found him a more biddable king candidate than Kelson…〃
〃More biddable。〃 The word triggered the ghost of an entirely different memory in Morgan； and he closed his eyes to try to capture it。 The word had been Arilan's； but in reference to…
〃Rothana；〃 he murmured。
〃What？〃
〃Sweet Jesu； by now he's married her。 And I'll bet she did love Kelson！ No wonder I was feeling uneasy when Arilan told us Conall was marrying her。 Good Lord； could Conall somehow have done all this for jealousy； for love？〃
〃Jealousy of Kelson and Dhugal and love of Rothana；〃 Duncan repeated； horror in his tone。 〃And Nigel。 Alaric； what about Nigel？〃
〃If Conall already had the Haldane power and Nigel found out…about that； about Tiercel； about the merasha； you name it…〃 Morgan said； 〃Conall very well could have turned on him。〃
〃On his own father？〃
Morgan bowed his head； tight…lipped。 〃Knowing what you do of Conall's character； do you really think that would have made much difference？〃 he asked quietly。 〃A crown was at stake； Duncan； and a queen。〃
〃Poor queen；〃 Duncan whispered。
〃Aye； poor queen。〃
In Rhemuth Castle； in the royal suite formerly belonging to Kelson； now Conall's； the woman Conall had chosen as his future queen sat huddled at the edge of the hearth in a fur…lined robe； black hair tumbled loose on her shoulders and arms hugged around her knees。 The cathedral bells had tolled the passing of midnight a short time ago； rousing Rothana from a fitful doze and after futile attempts to go back to sleep； she had fled her marriage bed to take counsel of the fire； leaving Conall snoring underneath the sleeping furs。 More furs were mounded before the fireplace； and she snuggled her toes deep into them for warmth。
Ah me； and I am well and truly Conall's wife now； she thought； as she gazed resignedly into the flames。 The taking of her maidenhead had not been as painful as she had feared it might be； but it was unpleasant enough for one until quite recently vowed to virginity。 Conall had tried to be gentle and had told her repeatedly how much he loved her…an avowal honestly reflected in （he brief； awkward rapport he allowed her when he first embraced her as husband rather than betrothed…but he was both insistent and impatient as a lover。 He had apologized afterward； which was an unexpected kindness； and spent quite a while kissing away her unbidden tears； his hands caressing； until her slight disfort was transmuted to a sharp； intense crescendo of pleasure that left her weak and trembling； long after he had drifted off to sleep。
Rothana suspected she knew why such ambivalence warred within her； as she prodded listlessly at the nearest log with an iron poker。 If it were Kelson sleeping in the canopied bed behind her； she did not think she would feel this way。 If it were Kelson in the bed； she would be there at his side even now； content merely to be close beside him。 It was not that she disliked Conall or that he had treated her badly…for in faith； he had not…but he simply was the wrong Haldane。
Oh； she would still be Gwynedd's queen when the time came and take up her royal and Deryni duties with willingness and petence； for she had been bred to that； and it had been Kelson's wish； but how she wished that it would be at the side of a different Haldane。 She was thinking about that other Haldane； dreaming of what might have been； when a hand on her shoulder brought her sharply out of her reverie。
〃Why so startled； darling？〃 Conall whispered； bending down to do disturbing things to her ear with his tongue。
She shivered as she looked up at him； for he was naked in the firelight； his body smooth and kissed with the gold of the flames and more than ready to take his pleasure of her again。
〃My lord； I though you were asleep；〃 she managed to reply； glancing back at the fire in an effort to still her trembling。 〃I did not wish to disturb you with my tossing and turning。〃
With a low chuckle deep in his throat； Conall dropped to one knee beside her and slid his hand into her hair； tilting her head back so that he could kiss her passionately； his other hand slipping into the front of her robe。
〃Then； let us toss and turn together； my love；〃 he murmured； as he drew back a little from the kiss and bore her to the furs before the fire。 〃This is our wedding night。 The first time was for my pleasure。 The second shall be for yours。 Lie down with me； Rothana； and let me show you the ways of a king with his queen。〃
Silhouetted against the firelight； with his black hair tousled around his face； she could almost believe he was that other king she mourned； and she let herself retreat into that fantasy as he took her again。 Her body believed the lie； even if her heart did not； and took even greater pleasure in his ministrations this time； eventually 。lifting her to an ecstasy that carried her into sated oblivion。
The sexual tension of that bedchamber at Rhemuth found its echo in an under