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ercy or even by the knowledge that it was his own father he was about to strike and almost certainly slay。 And though he thought he managed； in the very last instant； to deflect a portion of the lethal blast he loosed in his father's mind； he had no idea whether his efforts had been enough。
He watched in horror as the assault ran its course； Nigel's open hands uplifted in a futile warding…off gesture as he tried to stand； his handsome face contorted in a rictus of pain； hands clutching at both silvered temples in silent agony。 It seemed to last for hours； though in fact no more than thirty heartbeats passed； and rapid ones at that； for Conall knew his heart was racing。
When； at last； he felt the power wane； still by no mand that he himself had given； Nigel crumpled slowly like a felled tree。 Conall watched； spellbound； until his father's limp body had sunk to the floor in a tangle of faintly twitching limbs and overturned chair； the handsome face drained of color； grey eyes blank and etched still with the echo of unspeakable pain。
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
And they shall mourn for him； as one mourneth for his only son。
Zechariah 12：10
Kelric was kicking。 Morgan； with his cheek laid against the bulge that was his unborn son； glanced up at Richenda in wonder； grinning as the baby kicked again and she winced。
〃Our son is active this morning；〃 he murmured。
〃He's been active most of the night； Richenda countered。 〃I think he's turning。 It must get very cramped for a baby； just before the end。 At this rate； he may not wait another three weeks to be born。〃
Morgan sat up in alarm。
〃Is it time？ Shall I send for Master Randolph？〃
〃Alaric…〃
She laughed and set her hands to either side of his face as she shook her head； dispelling his anxiety and coaxing him by gesture and mind to worm higher in the bed； so she could kiss him。 He sighed contentedly as he snuggled down beside her and buried his face against her shoulder； one arm now draped protectively above her swollen abdomen。
〃I know；〃 he murmured； gazing beyond her at the curtains enclosing the bed。 〃I worry too much。 But I wonder if you realize how frightening it is for a man to know what his wife is going to have to go through to give him a child； and worry whether she'll survive it。〃
〃Dearest heart； I've done it twice before…〃 she protested。
〃Yes； and I wasn't there either time；〃 he said； rubbing his unshaven cheek against her arm and raising his head to grin wickedly when she protested。 〃Well； you didn't wait until I could get home； the last time；〃 he went on。 〃And it isn't my fault you had your first baby with the wrong husband。 If you'd been sensible and married me first； things would have been much different。〃
〃You didn't ask；〃 Richenda retorted。 〃Besides； Brendan wouldn't be Brendan； if he'd had you for a father。 He'd be very nice； I'm sure； and quite extraordinary…but he'd be someone else。〃
Morgan raised one eyebrow in agreement。 〃Aye； that's true。 Well； little Kelric will be someone else； that's for certain…and undoubtedly extraordinary； just like his mother。〃 He glanced thoughtfully at her stomach again。 〃I wonder what he's thinking right now。 I wonder if babies think； before they're born。〃
〃Well； if he does； I hope he's thinking how sorry he ought to be that he's giving his mother such a difficult time this morning；〃 she replied sourly。 〃I doubt I slept more than a few hours。 At least he seems to be settling down now。 Maybe you can wheedle Lord Rathold into having Cook send breakfast up； and then I'll let you wrangle with your precious officers while I spend the morning napping。 They won't miss me anyway。 Besides； it's hard to take a woman seriously who looks as if she might explode at any moment。〃
〃Darling！ You do not；〃 Morgan said indignantly； sitting up to look at her again。
〃Well； I feel as if I might。 Alaric； you have no idea how…〃
〃Hush a moment； love；〃 Morgan murmured； touching fingertips to her lips as he cocked his ear to the sound of feet pounding up the staircase outside their door。 And as fists hammered on it； he reached for a night robe。
〃Your Grace！ Oh； please。 Morgan； e at once！〃
It was Derry's voice； agitated and edged with heavy emotion； and Morgan was out of bed and dashing to the door； pulling on his robe； before the next set of pounding ceased。
〃I'm ing； Derry。 What is it？〃 He threw the bolt and flung open the door and was stunned to see Duncan standing at Derry's side； travel…stained； smelling of horse； and looking as if his entire world had ceased to exist。
〃Duncan？〃
〃It's Kelson；〃 Duncan managed to choke out。 〃And Dhugal。 There's been an accident。〃
My God； what have I done？
Fists pressed to his temples in disbelief； Conall stared at his father's motionless body in shock for nearly a dozen heartbeats before he could move himself to kneel beside him。
He did not know what had e over him。 He had not meant to do Nigel any harm。 The power he had tapped； which he had channeled into an attack on his own father； had risen all unbidden and uncontrollable in response to his panic。 It had been like the bolt of energy that Kelson loosed at Charissa in that terrible battle in the cathedral on Kelson's coronation day。 Conall had wanted the full power of his Haldane potential and had gone to considerable lengths to get it； but he had never thought to pay this price for it。
But by some miracle which Conall could not begin to explain； Nigel still lived； despite the frightful blast of energy he had taken； all unprepared for an attack by his own son。 His breathing was shallow and erratic； his skin clammy； and he did not respond to any of Conall's attempts to rouse him； but a pulse throbbed weakly in his throat。 There was blood in Nigel's mouth； too； from biting his tongue while he convulsed； and Conall had to close the unseeing eyes； for they would not close of their own accord。
But though the pulsebeat steadied after a minute or two； nothing else of Nigel's condition seemed to change。 And a fearful venture back into his mind encountered only the fog of unconsciousness； the irregular shadows of vast trauma done to body as well as mind…though even Conall； knowing what to look for； could detect no sign of how it had occurred； or by whose action。
Conall's own pounding heart began to slow down as he realized that he； at least； could not be blamed； and a detached； unfamiliar part of him began quite coolly developing a story to explain the condition without casting blame upon himself。 Some of the reasoning； he knew with a frightening and puzzled certainty； came from the memories of the dead Tiercel de Claron。
He had seen men in a similar state before…usually older men than Nigel； who was not yet forty…but it sometimes happened that young men suffered a like fate。 Physicians differed as to whether the heart or the brain was to blame。 In any case； the effects were very similar to what Conall now observed in his father。 Recovery； if it came； was always slow and laborious； and the victim might lie unconscious for days； weeks； or even months and be paralyzed and speechless for some time after that…perhaps indefinitely。
Except that； in this case； Conall knew that the victim would not get better unless someone could reverse wha