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ecting and rejecting nearly a dozen； he found a forked branch that suited him。 Quickly she trimmed it to the shape of a short…tailed Y and peeled it； pausing often to pare away a knot or test the proportions of the arms。 When he had sheathed his dirk； he held out his work for their inspection。
〃Now； why did you pick this particular bit of wood； Ciard？〃 Morgan asked。
〃Why； because it spoke t'me； sair。 Some o' them hae th' yen tae bend tae water； an' others dinnae。 Feel th' life in this one…not th' life o' the tree it came from； exactly； but a…a vitality； if ye will。〃
As the two Deryni ran their fingers along the smooth； pale wood； Duncan nodded； opening his perceptions to Morgan as well。
〃I think I see what you mean；〃 he said。 〃Now； how do you use it？〃
A little more tentative now； Ciard took the two arms of the forked branch lightly in his fingers and turned so that the tail of the Y pointed toward the water。 After a few seconds； the tail dipped a little between his hands。
〃Are you doing that？〃 Morgan asked。
Duncan shook his head at the same time Ciard shook his。
〃No； sair；〃 the gillie murmured； his seamed face very still； eyes a little unfocused on the end of the stick。 〃I… cannae exactly explain what I'm doin'； but。。。〃
As his voice trailed off and the tail of the Y jerked more strongly between his hands； Duncan moved enough closer to touch his forearm gently。
〃Try not to pay any attention to me； Ciard；〃 Duncan said； pushing a tentative probe toward the gillie's mind。 〃You've worked with Dhugal； so you know a mind touch won't hurt。 I just want to see if I can figure out how you're doing that。〃
He closed his eyes then； reading all the nuances of energy flow that went into what Ciard was doing。
〃We'll have to make our own dowsing sticks；〃 he said； when he looked up at last and let his hand fall away。 〃Each one has to be chosen by and for the user。 But I think I've got the general idea。〃
An hour later； forked sticks in hands； both of them were focusing on the pool where the river went underground； gradually beginning to pick up impressions of where the river went next。
〃It's going to be slow going；〃 Duncan said； 〃and God knows whether it will lead us anywhere useful； but at least it's better than doing nothing。 We need to get to the other side of the river； though。 Ciard； is that possible； without going all the way down to the valley； of Saint Bearand's？〃
〃Aye； but it'll be tricky with th' horses。 There's a ford o' sorts a few miles farther up； above where the bank gave way。〃
〃Let's go； then；〃 Duncan said。 〃Unless you think we're wasting our time； Alaric；〃 he added。
Morgan； who was not yet as adept with his dowsing stick as Duncan； could only shake his head and follow Duncan and Ciard back to the campsite so preparations could be made。
CHAPTER TWENTY…TWO
If I wait； the grave is my house。
Job 17：13
Dhugal chipped loose another shard of mortar…hopefully the last he would have to remove to loosen the brick it held… then smacked the brick with the heel of his hand。 It gave； tumbling into the chamber beyond before he could catch it； and hit the floor with a muffled clatter。 The sound roused Kelson； who had been dozing on their heaped…up cloaks； dose beside the pile of bricks that had grown from their exertions。
Dhugal had been at it for what must be nearly twenty…four hours now； with only short breaks to catch his breath and snatch a few fitful minutes' nap。 The last of their water Was gone。 Kelson had tried to help with the digging； but he could not work for long before he must lie down and rest or else swoon。 He rose now； however； wobbling closer to peer over Dhugal's shoulder as the latter conjured a second； smaller sphere of handfire and sent it through the opening。
〃Is that one going to make the difference？〃 the king asked； as Dhugal stuck his head and one arm through and began inching his shoulders past the uneven edges。
〃I certainly hope so；〃 came Dhugal's somewhat muffled reply。 〃We should have made the opening lower； though。 Give me a boost； can you？〃
Though it made his head reel a little。 Kelson bent to set his interlaced fingers under Dhugal's knee； as if giving him a leg up onto a horse。 Dhugal's contortions as he wormed his way through the opening nearly knocked Kelson off balance； but he braced his shoulder against the wall and somehow managed to keep the other's legs steady until Dhugal had gotten both hands safely on the floor beyond and could drag his torso and legs the rest of the way through。
They already knew that no immediate escape lay on the other side。 Hoping to break through into the open； they instead had found themselves working to enter a burial chamber； dank and decaying； very likely but the first in a long series of similar tombs set beadlike on the string that was the long cavern they had been following。 The tomb's occupant apparently lay in a coffin hewn from a tree trunk； set lengthwise across the room on a raised bier of piled stones。 A pall or banner shrouded most of it； though too mildewed and moisture…rotted to be read any longer； at least from their limited vantage point； and the floor around it was littered with the long…decayed remains of floral tributes； mostly gone to mulch。
But the acrid； musty odor of ancient death was not Dhugal's primary concern； as he picked himself up and dusted debris from his hands and knees。 It was the distinct possibility that his and Kelson's deaths might follow all too soon。 For hardly half a dozen paces beyond the coffin lay another wall very like the one he had just breached； though plastered and painted with a fresco now cracked and peeling from the damp。 And though a substantial…looking wooden door pierced the wall at its center； it was tightly closed and ominously latchless。 Nor would it yield when Dhugal came and set his shoulder against it； first tentatively and then with a lunge whose impact reverberated in the close confines of the chamber。
〃Is it latched from the other side？〃 came Kelson's fearful query； from where he bent to peer through the hole in the first wall。
〃Seems to be；〃 Dhugal replied； returning。 〃But we'll worry about that after we've gotten you through。 I wonder whose tomb this is。 It looks really old。〃
Kelson； who had been stuffing their cloaks through the hole； passed Dhugal the empty flask and saddlebags； then bent to stick his right arm and head through the hole。
〃Right now； I don't care how old it looks；〃 he said； as he began the contortion process to get his upper body through。 〃The question is； am I going to be able to get through here〃。
〃You should；〃 Dhugal replied； taking Kelson's right arm。 〃You're a bit broader through the shoulders than I am； so it's going to be a little tight…and unfortunately； there's no way to give you a boost from behind； but…that's it。 Good。 Can you push yourself off now； and I'll pull？〃
'〃Push yourself off；' he says；〃 Kelson muttered； as he tried to suit action to words。 With his legs now dangling free； he took his full weight across his middle and one trapped arm and bit back a gasp。 〃God； I'm about to amputate my arm！〃
〃No you're not。〃
〃It isn't your arm that's being amputated！〃
〃That's true。〃
Shifting his grip beneath Kelson's arm that w