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maining chair to Dhugal's right； across from the king。
〃With your permission。 Sire；〃 Arilan said； nodding to Kelson； 〃I should like to get right to the heart of this matter。 Dhugal；〃 he conjured handfire in a softly glowing blue…white sphere which he set in the center of the table； 〃I think this should answer any question about what I am and why I presume to take charge in this matter。 Will you trust me？〃
Dhugal had jerked back as the fire materialized； new apprehension flaring around the still pulsing shields； but a glance at Kelson lent him sufficient courage to push his anxiety to a lower level。 Morgan was amazed。 As Dhugal drew a deep； steadying breath； he folded his shaking hands in deliberate mimicry of Kelson's； setting them but a hand…span from the handfire glowing in the center of the table； and made himself look squarely into the eyes of the Deryni bishop。
〃I'd be lying if I said I'm not afraid。 Excellency； but my … friend Duke Alaric has taught me a great deal in the last little while。 And Kelson told me of you before。 I'll try to do as you ask。〃
Arilan's mouth quirked upward in grudging response…even he could not deny the boy had pluck … but Morgan caught his disapproval of Kelson's indiscretion quite clearly。 He was glad it was directed at the king instead of himself。
〃Very well。 We shall see just how much you have learned；〃 Arilan said。 〃I assume I shan't have to go into long； involved explanations of what I should like to do。〃
〃N…no； sir。〃
With a sigh and a glance at the rest of them which bespoke impatience only barely held in check； Arilan flexed his fingers and lifted one hand toward Dhugal's forehead。 The startled Dhugal started to draw back in reflex avoidance； but then he took another deep breath and leaned closer so that Arilan could touch him。 He flinched at the contact； but he did not draw away even when Arilan began to probe； though the process obviously caused him some disfort。 After a moment； Arilan dropped his hand and sat back； sighing again。
〃Well； there's no question of the shields。 Given time and the right support； I could probably breach them； but it might do permanent damage。 I see no need to risk that。 Duncan； you said he didn't seem to mind your touch as much。 Are you willing to give it another try？〃
Duncan； standing between Arilan and Morgan； looked at Dhugal in question。 〃That depends。 Are you willing； Dhugal？ I'll stop whenever you want； if it gets too bad。〃
Licking his lips nervously； Dhugal swallowed and gave a nod。 Without further ado； Duncan came around to stand behind his chair； resting his hands lightly on Dhugal's shoulders。
〃Has Kelson taught you how to relax by using deep breathing？〃 he asked； easing Dhugal's shoulders back against his chest and sliding his thumbs up to rest on the pulse points in his throat。
〃A little。〃
〃Good。 That will make things much easier for both of us。 Take a deep breath； then； and let it out； and try to concentrate on your heartbeat。 You should be able to feel it against my thumbs。 Do you？〃
〃Aye。〃
〃Excellent。 Take another breath； then … that's good … and now close your eyes and let all your muscles go limp。 And another deep breath。 Good。。。〃
Morgan dared not follow Duncan's probe for fear of spilling over into the precarious balance he was building； but he could see physical signs of Dhugal ceasing his resistance。 The boy did not tense or even seem to notice as Duncan shifted his fingertips up to overlap temples and forehead。 He relaxed even more as Duncan bowed his head to rest his lips against the reddish hair。 They stayed that way for most of a minute； still and balanced； until finally Duncan slowly raised his head and opened his eyes； ing back to normal consciousness with a blink。 Dhugal； too； looked up and blinked as Duncan slipped his hands back to Dhugal's shoulders。
〃Well？〃 Arilan asked。
Duncan shook his head。 〃No clash…and no pain； I don't think； was there Dhugal？〃
Dhugal shook his head； twisting around to stare up at Duncan in awe。 〃What did you do？〃
〃Well； I didn't get through；〃 Duncan replied。 〃I just went round and round。 Any suggestions； anyone？〃
With a perplexed sigh； Arilan sat back and folded his arms across his chest。 〃Fascinating。 He's either one of us or another damned Warin de Grey。 I don't suppose one of you has a shiral at hand？〃
As Duncan nodded and went across the room to rummage in a desk drawer； Dhugal whispered； 〃What…what's a shiral？
〃It won't hurt you；〃 Kelson said quickly。 〃It's a clear amber stone。 One finds them in streambeds…and sometimes along the seashore。〃
〃Well； wh…what does it do？〃
Morgan smiled。 〃It's sensitive to the kind of power that Deryni can draw upon。 That's all。 Remember how we talked earlier about power not being good or evil of itself； but only the use being good or evil？〃
Dhugal's nod was still very apprehensive。
〃Well； all a shiral crystal does is serve as a focus；〃 Morgan continued。 〃If you have the ability； or even the potential ability； to wield the kind of power we do； the crystal will gtow。〃
〃But；。 I'm not D…〃
〃Dhugal； you don't know what you are right now；〃 Kelson muttered under his breath。 〃All we know for sure is that you've got those bloody shields！〃
Duncan returned to the table； undoing the strings of a small leather bag； and withdrew a wad of age…yellowed silk As he carefully unwrapped it and Dhugal craned his neck to see what was inside； loops of a fine leather thong sprang free； strung through the center of a honey…colored lump the size of an almond。
〃I've had this since I was younger than Dhugal；〃 Duncan said； holding it to the light by its thongs as he tossed bag and silk on the table。 〃It isn't the clearest of crystals； but it's always been sufficient for my purposes。〃
As Dhugal stared； half afraid and half intrigued； Arilan caught the dangling stone against his sleeve and peered at it more closely； quenching his handfire with a gesture； then released it and sat back； giving Duncan a nod。
〃I'd hoped for better； but it will do。 Go ahead and test him。 You know what's involved。〃
〃But I don't know what's involved；〃 Dhugal protested； as Duncan moved back behind his chair and extended the crystal over his shoulder。
〃I assure you； there's even less chance of disfort from this than there was from what we just did；〃 Duncan murmured。 〃Just hold the stone in your hand…either hand。 Physically； it won't feel different from any other stone。〃
Hesitantly； Dhugal reached up； flinching when the stone first touched his skin。 But then he closed it resolutely in his palm and dared another questioning glance at Duncan。
〃What next？〃
〃Close your eyes and try to ignore what's in your hand；〃 Duncan said with a smile； slipping his hands to Dhugal's shoulders and bearing him back in the chair again。 〃I'm not going to do anything different from what I did before； so there isn't a thing to be anxious about。 Take a deep breath and let it out slowly。 This won't take long。〃
With a nervous nod； Dhugal obeyed； gradually calming again as Duncan droned on； soothing and reassuring。 When Arilan at length reached across the table to touch the boy's closed fist lightly； the hand relaxed enough for all present to see golden light streaming from the crystal