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elson wants her。 It's your goddamn jealousy again！〃
But he got no further with his accusation； because suddenly Conall； in a blind rage； was shoving him backwards down the narrow stair。
Too startled even to cry out； Tiercel tried to break his fall； to catch himself against the narrow walls with outstretched arms。 But his cloak tangled between his legs and tripped him worse as Conall； instantly sobered； tried to catch him。 The Deryni lord went over backwards； his handsome face contorting as the back of his head smacked against a stair tread。 His open mouth； gaping in a soundless cry of agony； was the last thing Conall saw of him as he tumbled into the curve of the stairwell to disappear in the darkness。
After a few seconds； the frantic sound of scrabbling； of flesh and bone thudding dully against stone； was punctuated by a hollow； sickening snap and then replaced by an all too total silence。 And then； where Tiercel had been standing when it all began； the handfire left hanging there flickered； then faded and was no more； leaving Conall standing terrified in the darkness； alone。
CHAPTER NINE
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning； but the end thereof shall not be blessed。
Proverbs 20：21
〃Tiercel？〃 Conall squeaked； not daring to move as utter darkness pressed in on him from every side。 〃Tiercel； are you all right？〃
No answer…and the heavy silence； underlined by darkness； made Conall's already racing heart pound even faster。
〃Tiercel？〃 he repeated； more softly this time。
When still no answer came； Conall made himself take several deep； ragged breaths and cupped his hands to conjure handfire。 The light grew slowly in his trembling hands； ruddy and uncertain until he forced more control on his growing panic。 He tried not to think about what he might find at the bottom of the stairs。
He kept his handfire cupped in one hand as he began his tentative descent； fearing with each step to see what lay around the curve of the stairwell； until at last； just before the landing of the next level down； he saw a boot； a leg； and a tangle of russet cloak。 Somehow he managed to scramble over the motionless form without repeating Tiercel's mishap； but he knew； even before he crouched by Tiercel's lolling head； that the man was dead。
Conall choked back a whimper as he gently lifted Tiercel's head to see if there could be some mistake； but the slack movement only confirmed his worst fear。 Tiercel's neck was broken。 The supple mind that had roused him to undreamed of potentials was stilled forever； the almond…colored eyes already filming over； sightless； the formerly impenetrable shields already half…gone as the physical processes of death continued。
Dear God； what had he done？ And worse； what was he going to do？ He dared not go for help…not that anyone could help Tiercel de Claron now。 Tiercel's death had been an accident； but who would believe it？ Conall had pushed him； and they had quarreled。 If that came to light…and it would； under close interrogation by any Deryni； along with the reason for the quarrel…not only would Conall lose all chance of eventually winning out over Kelson for Rothana's hand； but his magical connections with Tiercel over the past year would be discovered； the latter with potentially far worse consequence than merely being bested at the chancy game of love。
He dared not confess； then。 If； on the other hand； he simply left the body where it was…or； better yet； dragged it the rest of the way down to the next landing and left it in the shadows to one side…days or even weeks might pass before anyone discovered it。 Maybe even months。
And when the body eventually was found； why should anyone suspect Conall？ He didn't think anyone was aware that he even knew about the secret passageway。 And it connected with Dhugal's rooms； after all。 Let someone else figure out what the Deryni Tiercel had been doing here。
The plan was not the best of all possible solutions； perhaps； but it seemed workable。 When Conall had dragged the body the short distance to the next landing； he took great care to arrange things so that it looked as if the dead man could have tumbled into that position by falling all the way down the stairs。 Tiercel's russet cloak blended well with the shadows； so that any passerby not actually looking for something unusual probably would never notice him。 Not until the body began to depose； of course…but Conall would be well gone on the royal progress before that happened。
One thing he did do； before setting the final touches to the scenario； and that was to remove the leather satchel that the Deryni lord had always brought to their sessions。 A quick search confirmed that the coveted ward cubes were there in their pouch； and some of the drugs might e in very handy。 Perhaps a little merasha in someone's wine。。。
He shook off such thoughts as he knelt a moment longer beside the dead man； searching again for any visual clues that might betray him and reviewing whether he had left anything undone。
〃I'm sorry； Tiercel；〃 he murmured under his breath； preparing to retreat into the darkness。 〃I'm sorry you had to die unshriven； too。 That would have mattered to you； wouldn't it？ I wonder； did you make your last prayer to your precious Saint Camber； there in the chapel？〃
But as he bent closer self…consciously to trace a cross on the dead man's brow； mildly regretting the uncharitable thought about Camber； his mind brushed the surface of Tiercel's disintegrating shields； the memory dissolving beyond； and a daring idea came to him。
He had Tiercel's legacy of the ward cubes and the Deryni drugs； some of which he knew how to use to continue his psychic growth on his own。 And he had his training。 But what if he could learn even more by trying to read what was left in Tiercel's mind？ He had seen Kelson try it on a dying man； and extend the reading beyond death…with very useful results。 The man had not been Deryni； but with Tiercel's shields gone； did that matter？ And to gain the secrets of a full Deryni lord； and a member of the Camberian Council； at that…
He did not pause to consider further。 How much might already have slipped away； gone beyond all possible hope of retrieval； while Conall attended to the mundane details of making good his escape？ Calling on all the skills he possessed； he wrapped his shields tightly around the fading； shifting knot of energy that was Tiercel's essence and probed deep； bypassing the trivial memories of Tiercel's day…to…day living and seizing only on those things that had to do with being Deryni…ritual procedures； outright spells； mental exercises； methods of arcane bat； snatches of Tiercel's interaction with the Camberian Council； with which； apparently he often had been at odds。。。 。
There was too much to assimilate with any real understanding； and few items were really plete…damn； why had Conall not thought of this sooner？…but any additional knowledge was better than none at all。 He could sort it all out later； when he had some leisure。 He read all he could； until his knees ached and the body was cold beneath his hands and he could take no more of contact with the increasingly fragmented impressions that were all that remained。 He avoided； once he had tou