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guards from the courtyard outside； forcing Cardiel and Arilan to push their way through to reach Duncan's side。 White…faced； Duncan only shook his head and drew in his breath between clenched teeth as he gingerly eased open his right hand。 The palm was slashed almost to the bone where he had tried to ward off his attacker's knife with his bare hand； but more terrifying； by far； was the wave of queasy disharmony that he radiated as Morgan reached out in instinctive mental probe and as quickly recoiled。
〃Careful of the blade；〃 Morgan warned； though Arilan had already stopped with his hand poised above the knife as he； too； sensed the drug's effects。
Taking care to avoid the blood； which might carry traces of the drug to affect them as well； the two Deryni turned over the dead assassin。 Bright scarlet stained the front of the blue Cassani livery and steamed where it had pooled on the cold stone beneath the body； welling from a second mouth which gaped beneath a beardless chin。 The bloody face could not have been more than fourteen。
〃Why； it's a boy！〃 Cardiel murmured。
〃As God is my witness； I had no choice；〃 Duncan whispered； closing his hand again and slumping back to sit on his heels。 〃Until he actually cut me； I thought he was legitimate。〃
〃You don't know him？〃 Arilan asked。
〃No … but I wouldn't expect to recognize every last page or squire in my service。 And with … with the merasha in me； I was afraid that if I didn't kill him while I still could； he might be able to outwait me； until I was helpless with the drug。 Why did he do it？〃
Morgan shook his head； reaching out gingerly with his mind as he slid a hand around the back of the boy's neck； where there was less blood。 Sometimes it was possible to readjust a little from a dead man's mind； if he had not been dead too long； but Morgan could detect nothing beyond a few hazy images of dim childhood memories； fading even as he read them。 While Arilan and a monk began gathering up the scattered dispatches； he carefully searched the body for anything which might give them a clue as to the boy's identity or origin； but there was nothing。 Duncan was beginning to weave as Morgan glanced over at him again； his blue eyes glassy from the drug； keeping them open only by the sheerest force of will。 Cardiel had an arm around his shoulder to support him； but it was obvious that Duncan was slipping fast into the chaos of the merasha。 Whoever the assassin had been； he had known his quarry to be Deryni。
〃Thomas； why don't you take Duncan back to your quarters and see to his wound？〃 Arilan suggested softly； touching a hand to Cardiel's shoulder and including Morgan in his glance。 〃I'll see to the clean…up here and try to find out more about our boy…assassin。〃
Cardiel nodded； he and Morgan helping Duncan to stand。
〃Very well。 You might check with the guards who let the boy into the pound。 Perhaps someone may have recognized him。 It would also be interesting to know whether he was the original messenger sent with the dispatches； or if the real one is lying dead in a ditch somewhere … or； at the least； relieved of his livery。〃
Duncan went pletely limp as Cardiel finished speaking； and Morgan and the archbishop together had to carry him back to the episcopal apartments。 An hour later； washed and bandaged； Duncan was sleeping soundly in his own room； an exhausted Morgan running himself through a brief spell to banish fatigue。
〃I'll try to heal him in the morning； when he's over the worst effects of the drug；〃 Morgan whispered； as he turned at last from Duncan's bed。 〃It's a nasty wound； but I didn't think it was a good idea to put my fingers into all that merasha。'''
His hands were trembling as he took the cup of wine which Cardiel gave him； for going into Duncan's merasha…muddled mind had been a great personal trial； as well as a physically taxing one； forcing him to relive much of his own terrifying experience。 He still kept flashing on the worst of it； unless he kept his mind on short leash。 He knew he would have nightmares for days to e。
But Cardiel's touch on his shoulder conveyed genuine passion and even understanding as he guided Morgan to one of the cushioned chairs beside the fireplace。 Morgan guessed that the archbishop was remembering his own part in the later aftermath of that ordeal； when Morgan and Duncan had e to him and Arilan in Dhassa and disclosed all in desperate confession； seeking to make peace with the Church which had declared them exmunicate for what they had done to escape。
Morgan sat and sipped silently at his wine for several minutes； staring blindly into the fire and feeling himself gradually unwind； then laid his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes until Arilan returned。 The fatigue…banishing spell did not seem to have worked very well； even though he tried it several times。
〃I've been questioning some of the guards；〃 the Deryni bishop said； sitting beside Morgan after he had looked in on their patient。 〃Apparently the boy came from Ballymar； up on the north coast。 He was trained in Duke Jared's household and page to one of the local barons for a while； but was dismissed。 One of my informants seemed to think it had to do with Mearan sympathies。〃
〃Mearan sympathies？〃 Cardiel murmured。 〃How old is the lad？〃
〃Older than he looked；〃 Arilan replied； 〃and old enough to risk paying for his actions with his life。 What puzzles me is why he tried to kill Duncan。 It can't be over the Mearan bishopric。 Everyone knows that Duncan was not a candidate。〃
Duncan and Meara。 Suddenly Morgan sat up straighter； remembering the conversation he and Duncan had observed between Judhael and old Creoda。 They had assumed that Judhael was campaigning for his coveted bishopric。 What came to Morgan now was an oblique approach to Judhael getting what he wanted； but its further potential was yet more chilling。
〃No； it wasn't about the bishopric … at least not directly；〃 he said softly； reviewing the genealogical relationships in his mind just to make sure。 〃But Duncan is Duke of Cassan and Earl of Kierney。 That makes him almost a prince in his own right … and his lands have not always gone by their present names。〃
Arilan's deep blue…violet eyes lit in sudden prehension。 〃The other half of ancient Meara；〃 he said with a nod。 〃Now； wouldn't that be a power base； if one wanted to break away from one's overlord and establish an independent holding？ The two Mearas reunited！〃
〃And Duncan has no direct heir；〃 Cardiel added； catching the gist of what they were suggesting。 〃Who is his heir…at…law； Alaric？ You？ You're cousins； aren't you？〃
Morgan grimaced。 〃Not in the right degree for this； I fear … and I say that not out of any greed to amass more titles and land； but out of concern about who es ahead of me。 There are three； actually … though I'd only thought about the first two until today。 Neither Duncan's father or his grandfather had any brothers； but his grandfather had two sisters。 The younger； my paternal grandmother； produced one son： my father。 The elder sister also produced a son； however； and he married the Princess Annalind of Meara。〃
〃Queen Roisian's twin sister；〃 Cardiel whispered。 〃Then； Caitrin's eldest son is Duncan's heir！〃
Morga