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his sword arm while a wet knee jammed into his chest and the flat of a dagger pressed hard against his throat。
〃Good God； boy； it doesn't even need a Deryni to take you by surprise when you're that stupid！〃 said a familiar voice； not Jowan's。 〃I could have been anybody！〃
As the speaker's identity registered； Conall's reflex alarm and anger quickly shifted to indignation and then to grudging acknowledgement； though his hands still closed around the other's wrists to protect himself and move the blade aside； even as his mind tested at the other's decidedly Deryni shields。
〃Here； now！ Enough of that！〃 the newer said； abandoning his threat and pulling back。 〃You'll frighten the girl。〃
Conall subsided immediately； releasing his assailant and sitting up with a grunt of agreement。 The stunned girl only cowered on the rushes and stared up at both of them in fear； skirts and bodice akimbo； cringing as the cloaked and hooded stranger sheathed his blade。
〃Oh； for Christ's sake； Vanissa； no one's going to hurt you；〃 Conall said； looking put upon as he reached across to touch her forehead with his fingertips。 〃Relax。 Go to bed and forget what's just happened。 I'll e to you later。 And Tiercel； stop dripping on me！〃
The offender drew back with a muttered oath； but he gave a hand up to the girl； who headed without ment toward the door to the next room； face devoid of emotion； mechanically smoothing her skirts as she went。 When the door had closed behind her。 Tiercel took off the offending cloak and laid it out next to Conall's。 He was only a few years older than the prince。
〃So。 I was only half joking about just anybody walking right in； you know；〃 said Tiercel de Claron； for more than a year now Conall's secret tutor in matters magical and Deryni…though without the knowledge or consent of the Camberian Council； who staunchly upheld the exclusive right of only one Haldane at a time to hold the Haldane legacy of magical power。 Few outside the Council itself even knew of its existence…though Conall did； and the risk Tiercel took to teach him。 〃It mightn't have been so bad if Jowan had e in…〃
〃He's e in before and remembers nothing；〃 Conall interjected； a surly note in his voice。
〃That's undoubtedly true；〃 Tiercel agreed。 〃At least that kind of control is better than I ever dared to hope you'd achieve。 I wish I could say the same about your self…control。 Couldn't you have waited？〃
〃I was going to； but I was cold；〃 Conall said； as he lay back to do up his breeches before rolling to his knees and then getting to his feet。 〃I'm not anymore； though；〃 he added； giving the Deryni lord a sly grin。 〃She's far better than a fire。 Tiercel。 Go ahead。 Have her； if you want。 I'll wait。 She'll never know； if you tell her to forget。〃
Tiercel snorted disdainfully as he snatched up Conall's discarded towel to scrub at his own sopping hair。 〃Sometimes I wonder why I bother with you。〃
〃What's the matter。 Tiercel？ Too fastidious to take a woman who's carrying another man's child？〃
〃What makes you so bloody certain it's yours？〃 Tiercel muttered； tossing the towel aside and unlooping the strap of a leather satchel from across his chest。
〃How's that？〃
〃You heard me。〃
〃As a matter of fact； I did。 And I'm not at all certain I like your…〃
〃Just now； I don't much care what you like or don't like！〃 Tiercel said。 He tossed the satchel on a well…scrubbed trestle table near the fireplace and hooked one of the stools closer with a booted toe； disturbing the rushes。 〃Sit down and act like a prince instead of a stablehand？〃
Conall sat。
〃Now。 The point is； you were screwing around when you should have been paying attention to the business at hand；〃 Tiercel said sternly。 〃Anyone could have walked through that door instead of me。 I could have betrayed you。 A prince must never neglect his defenses。 And you had defenses available to you that ordinary men only dream of…but you didn't bother to use them。〃
〃But…who was going to be out on a day like this？ Besides； Jowan would have stopped them。〃
〃Oh？ He didn't stop me。〃 Tiercel stalked to the outer door and wrenched it open； curtly beckoning a sleepy looking Jowan to enter。 〃Go lie down by the fire； Jowan；〃 he said。 〃Take off your wet things and have a nap。〃
Conall's grey eyes narrowed as he watched the squire obey； but； by the time Jowan was snoring peacefully in the rushes； he had managed to push his anger down to a smoldering resentment。
〃Very well； you've made your point；〃 he finally said sulkily。 〃It won't happen again。 I apologize。 Am I forgiven？〃
His bright smile was both pelling and infectious； and he knew it。 Tiercel only sighed and nodded as he sat at the table opposite the prince。
〃So long as you've learned from this little unpleasantness。 Are you ready to work？〃
〃Of course。 What are we going to do？〃
〃Something I've been meaning to do for several months now；〃 Tiercel replied； feeling around inside his satchel。 〃I'm going to start you on proper warding。 Wards are a type of magical protection or defense。 Eventually； you'll learn to use them in conjunction with working other spells。 It won't always be necessary to use a physical matrix to set the wards； but these will help； in the beginning。〃
As he extracted a well…worn brown leather pouch and opened it； spilling a handful of thumbnail…sized black and white cubes into his cupped palm； Conall leaned closer。
〃They look like dice。〃
〃Aye。 And so they might have been； a long time ago… or could have been disguised as dice； once it became dangerous to be Deryni。 I've seen spotted ones； and they work just as well。 Notice there are four each of the black and white。 That has an esoteric significance； but we won't bother with that for now。 Most Deryni children begin their formal training with cubes similar to these。 Hold out your right hand。〃
Hesitantly Conall obeyed； flinching involuntarily as Tiercel tipped them from his own right hand into Conall's。 The cubes felt cold and sleek； the white ones yellowed like old ivory but with little of ivory's warmth； the black ones more a charcoal grey than true ebon or obsidian。
〃Now； close your eyes and tell me the first thing you sense about them；〃 Tiercel said。
〃They're colder than they look；〃 Conall ventured； cautiously closing his hand to finger the cubes' ers and edges。
〃Good。 What else？〃
Conall hefted the handful of cubes； considering； then opened his eyes and shifted the four black cubes to his left hand。 He stared at them a moment； black cubes in his left hand； white in his right； then cocked his head at Tiercel。
〃There's something different besides their color。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃I…don't know what it is。〃
〃Try changing them to opposite hands and tell me how that feels。〃
Dutifully Conall plied； but after a few seconds of concentration； he shook his head and switched them back。
〃No； they definitely feel better this way。〃
〃Better？〃
〃Well； more…balanced；〃 Conall conceded。 〃Does that make any sense？〃
Raising an appreciative eyebrow。 Tiercel nodded。 〃It does； indeed。 In fact； this may be easier than I dreamed。 You've detected the polarities。 Put the four white cubes on the table； forming a square； all of them touching。 Then set the four black ones at the corners。〃
Conall o