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〃Very good；〃 Tiercel said； nodding approval； 〃though you haven't got it exactly right。 There's warding involved； but it's on the passageway connecting the Portal room with the old library。 I'm surprised you didn't sense it when you came through。〃
Conall thought back； remembering the slight change in temperature he had felt。
〃Was that a ward？ But I walked right through。〃
〃Yes； because you're a Haldane。 Kelson and his friends set up that very specific ward to permit my fellow Councilors to use the library resources； but to keep us out of the rest of the castle unannounced。 After Charissa； one can certainly understand his reasoning。 In any case； the only way I could have left that room was the way we did or else for you to take me through under your shields。 It isn't a foolproof situation； but it serves the purpose。〃
〃And that's all been done since Charissa；〃 Conall added。
〃Correct。〃
Conall mulled that for a moment； but Charissa made him think of Rothana。 He wondered whether he dared ask Tiercel about another kind of magic…far more ancient； he suspected； than even the Portal knowledge。
〃Tiercel； can I ask you something； one man to another？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Tiercel； do you…have any love potions in that satchel of yours？ Or do you know any love spells？〃
〃Love spells？〃
〃Don't you dare laugh！〃 Conall muttered； his tone so deadly serious that the smile beginning on Tiercel's face immediately disappeared。
〃Why； what do you want with love spells？〃 Tiercel asked； after a few seconds。 〃Your lady loves you already。 She's carrying your child； she…〃
〃She is not my lady；〃 Conall said coldly。 〃She's my mistress。 The fact that she carries my child is incidental。 I could never marry Vanissa。〃
〃Ah； then you mean to marry the object of your affections…except that I gather she does not return your advances。〃
〃Don't use that tone with me；〃 Conall snapped。 〃She would if it weren't for…no matter about that。 But； she's my perfect match。 Tiercel；〃 he went on plaintively。 〃I danced with her after my knighting。 She was like a feather in my arms。 Her touch made the blood pound in my head…〃
〃It made all your brains fall into your crotch！〃 Tiercel muttered。 〃Conall； do you take me for a fool？ Even if I had a love spell or some magical potion that I could give you； don't you realize how unethical that is？〃
〃I want her love。 Tiercel！ I'm a prince。 I don't care what it takes…〃
〃It can't be bought； Conall。 Don't you understand？ It's worthless unless it es of free will。 A man named Rimmell found that out the hard way； and two other innocent people paid for his folly with their lives。 Morgan's sister； and Kevin McLain；〃 he added； at Conall's belligerent look of question。 〃And it was a 'love spell；' as you so quaintly put it…actually； a 'love charm。' God； I would have thought you'd grown beyond such peasant nonsense！〃
〃Don't you dare patronize me！〃
〃My； we are agitated about this； aren't we？〃 Tiercel murmured； shooting out a hand to block Conall as the prince lurched angrily to his feet and took a swing at him。
Conall's continued hostility made Tiercel e half to his feet himself as he caught the prince's wrist and gave it a deft twist； forcing the younger man back into his chair with a whoof of pain。 Raging at his physical helplessness； Conall even made a tentative mental foray against Tiercel's shields。 The shields held； but not without far more effort on Tiercel's part than he had expected； and he wrapped a blanketing lock around Conall's shields in return； hardly able to believe the other's strength and determination。
〃Let it go； Conall；〃 he ordered； not letting up on his wrist lock as the prince continued to fight him； both with body and with mind。 〃Give it up！ I don't want to hurt you。 This is a stupid argument。 I couldn't give you a love spell if I wanted to。 I don't know any。 Will you stop it？〃
The fight seemed to go out of Conall all in an instant。 With a little groan； he collapsed across the table and buried his face in his free arm； all resistance gone； so that Tiercel nearly staggered physically from the sudden yielding before his pressure。
〃Easy；〃 Tiercel whispered； as he edged around to Conall's side of the table； keeping contact with mind and one hand； until he could help the trembling Conall to sit up。
The prince's primary shields had collapsed at his surrender； under the pressure of Tiercel's blanketing lock； but the secondaries held as Tiercel tried a stronger probe； shielding what lay in the deeper levels of consciousness that Tiercel himself had sequestered off； months ago； to protect the knowledge of what he and Conall did from detection by Morgan or Duncan or any of the other Deryni at court。 Now Tiercel wondered what was going on in there and what had been going on in there； since last he'd had free access to Conall's mind。 He did not like the flash of willfulness he had just seen； and Conall's unexpected strength could be cause for even greater concern。
〃Do you mind telling me what that was all about？〃 he said softly； avoiding Conall's eyes as he continued to probe what he could。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Conall whispered。 〃I don't know what came over me。 I guess I lost my temper。〃
〃I guess you did；〃 Tiercel replied。 〃Do you think it's going to happen again？〃
Conall managed a careful smile and shook his head； drawing back from Tiercel's touch； and the Deryni lord withdrew。
〃All right。 I'll accept your apology…but on one condition。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃I think I ought to do a very deep probe on you tonight。 I want to find out what made you react the way you did。 We'll go back to your own rooms； so I can give you a sedative and not have to worry about how you're going to get back。 You'll sleep the better for it anyway； after all that's happened。〃
Conall swallowed visibly。 〃I said I was sorry。〃
〃So you did；〃 Tiercel said； setting a hand under Conall's elbow to assist him to his feet。 〃And so am I…because it's partially my fault for letting you overextend…too much Portal travel； all at once。 For that reason； we'll go back through the secret passageway rather than risking another Portal jump。〃
He was glad Conall did not ask what would happen if Tiercel did not like the result of the deep probe； for Tiercel did not know himself。 Neither of them said anything else as they set the room in order and Tiercel released the guard ward on the door so they could leave； but the incident continued to trouble Tiercel as he and Conall slipped out of the study； locking the door behind them and making their way out of the basilica。 Conall's insistence on arcane assistance to win the lady of his desire touched on something Tiercel could not quite isolate； something said in Council； perhaps； something very important。
They were deep in the heart of the keep； climbing a narrow stair by the light of Tiercel's handfire； Conall leading； when the answer finally came to Tiercel。
〃Rothana；〃 he murmured； stopping dead in his tracks to stare at Conall in disbelief as the prince whirled on him with stark panic in his grey Haldane eyes。 〃Arilan talked about her only days ago。 It's Rothana you've taken a fancy to… and you know that Kelson wants her。 It's your goddamn jealousy again！〃
But he got no further with his accusation