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d the wounds in Conall's hand with something that stung ferociously； back and palm； soon took away pain and wound and all with a firm healer's touch with nothing apparently amiss in his assessment of Conall's reaction。 Conall flexed the hand in wonder when Duncan had done； for there was not even a drop of blood to show for his ordeal； though blood still stained the pin of the brooch Morgan held。
〃How do you feel？〃 Morgan asked； searching the grey Haldane eyes。
Cautiously Conall nodded； allowing a faint hint of dazed…ness to color his movement。
〃All right； I think。 It…〃
He swallowed and shook his head； truly unable to articulate what had just happened to him； even if he had dared； with what was on his conscience。 And he did not want to talk about that unfamiliar face he had seen。
〃I'm very tired；〃 he whispered； instinctively knowing that to be the safest response。
〃It's amazing that you're even conscious；〃 Arilan murmured； wiping the oil from Conall's breast and then scrubbing at what remained on his head。 〃In fact； I don't think you ever really lost consciousness； did you？〃
Conall decided immediately that a slightly embellished truth was safer than an outright lie。
〃Well； I…think I did；〃 he whispered。 〃It was sort of like…drifting in and out。 I don't remember much； though。〃
〃Well； that's standard enough；〃 Duncan murmured。 〃I don't think Kelson was ever able to tell us much about what he experienced； though he did report seeming to see his father。〃
Arilan snorted。 〃Hardly to be expected in this instance； since Nigel's still alive。 It seems certain something happened； though。 Conall； do you feel up to flexing your Haldane powers yet？ Maybe making some demonstration； since you're in pretty good shape？〃
Conall swallowed uneasily； considering what harmless thing he might do that would not seem too pretentious after so short a time； from someone previously unschooled。 Then； pretending to concentrate very hard； he held out his right hand and cupped it； summoning handfire。 He feigned awe as it appeared； flickering crimson in his palm； but Arilan only smiled； and Duncan and then Morgan nodded slowly。
〃Handfire；〃 Arilan said。 〃Well； that's certainly a start。〃 He glanced at the other two Deryni。 〃Will you need my help dismantling； or shall I take him back to his room？〃
〃We can manage；〃 Duncan said； as Morgan got slowly to his feet with the Haldane sword。
Later； when they had dismissed the wards and Arilan had gone with Conall； and the two of them had gathered up most of the paraphernalia of the night's work； Morgan； with a weary sigh； sank down on the floor with his back to the side of Nigel's bed； still toying restlessly with the hilt of the now…sheathed sword。
〃I suppose we…have to accept that Kelson is dead； then〃 he whispered； as Duncan knelt beside him in question。 〃I didn't want to believe it before； but…〃
His voice broke； and he bowed his head in one hand as the grief； held back for so many days； became a force no lodger to be denied。 He indulged it for a little while； taking fort from the circle of Duncan's arms and the gentle brush of his mind as the other drew him into soothing rapport； though Duncan's grief was surely no less than his own； for having lost a son as well as a king。 But oddly； the hard； despairing grief abated fairly quickly； gradually being replaced by a growing certainty that they must somehow confirm for themselves that Kelson and Dhugal were； indeed； dead。
〃Do you mean； go to the place where they were lost and Keep looking for bodies？〃 Duncan asked aloud； when either of them could speak again。
Morgan nodded woodenly。 〃We have to； Duncan。 Until we can see the evidence for ourselves and accept that they're gone； we'll be little use to anyone。 I'm not even certain how much we had to do with what happened here tonight。〃
〃Odd that you should mention that；〃 Duncan said。 〃I was thinking myself how different tonight was from what I'd expected。 Almost a little hollow； as if we were only going through the motions。 It certainly wasn't anything like Kelson's。〃
〃Well； I'll grant you that the sequence was jumbled by the standards of what we've seen before；〃 Morgan said； jarred more deeply than he wanted to admit by Duncan's confirmation of the…oddness of the night's experience。 〃That alone would have made it seem different。 And maybe other things felt different because we didn't have the Eye of Rom…though I'd certainly have to say that the end result was successful。 Something certainly happened when he impaled his hand on that brooch…though I'll grant you〃； everything felt very different from when Kelson did the same thing。〃
Sighing； Duncan sat back against the side of the bed beside Morgan and ran a hand over his face； off in his own thoughts for a few seconds； before shaking his head。
〃We're tilting at shadows； Alaric；〃 he murmured； 〃and unfortunately； the source of those shadows is far more likely to be our own unresolved grief than anything truly odd that happened here tonight…not that Haldane magic can ever really be considered other than odd by Deryni standards； I suppose。〃
〃Aye； that's true。〃
〃Which brings us to another interesting point；〃 Duncan went on。 〃Conall is only Haldane。 He doesn't have Jehana for a mother…which will make for a far duller sort of power exercise than we've bee accustomed to with Kelson； I'm afraid。〃
〃Unless there's Deryni blood in the Haldanes already； even before Jehana；〃 Morgan said。 〃There has been； in the past…though I daresay it's pretty well diluted by now。〃 He sighed。 〃But you're right。 Conall is not going to be the king that Kelson was…or Brion。 Which is a pity； for its own sake。〃
He dragged himself slowly to his knees to turn and gaze at Nigel； now divested of his Haldane regalia； even paler against the stark white of the sheets than he had been when swathed in Haldane crimson。
〃And what a pity that Nigel will never get to reign；〃 he went on； laying a hand regretfully on one of Nigel's still ones。 〃God； he would have made a wonderful king； Duncan！ He isn't a Kelson； I'll grant you； but in many ways； he had all the best attributes of Brion…without the weaknesses。 Poor； dear Nigel。 He wouldn't have wanted to go this way； either。 Why couldn't he have had a clean； honest death in battle？〃
Duncan looked away； fighting for posure。 〃We aren't doing ourselves any service by dwelling on this； Alaric。 You know that。〃
〃I know。〃
With a sigh； Morgan rose and laid the sheathed Haldane sword across a pair of pegs above the head of the bed。
〃Duncan； let's go tonight； shall we？〃 he said then； turning to face his cousin squarely。 〃I know it's ridiculous to suppose that they could be alive after so long； and with Con…ill now in possession of the Haldane powers； but even if all we ever find is battered； waterlogged bodies； at least we'll know。〃
Duncan kept his eyes averted as he； too； rose； head bowed； restless fingertips twisting at a fold of blanket he had started to pull over Nigel。
〃Do you really think we ought to go so soon？ What if Conall needs us？〃
〃Why should he need us？〃 Morgan replied。 〃He's never needed us before。 And if he does need a Deryni； Arilan will be here。 We can check in at regular intervals； if that will Make you feel