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Chapters (21)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Introduction
  5. CHAPTER ONE - “Princes met and talked against me.” PSALMS 119:23
  6. CHAPTER TWO - “Hell hath no fury like the woman scorned, Or the woman mourning.”
  7. CHAPTER THREE - “And I will give him the morning star.” REVELATIONS 2:28
  8. CHAPTER FOUR - “O God, with your judgement endow the King, and with your ...
  9. CHAPTER FIVE - “And a voice shall speak from legend.”
  10. CHAPTER SIX - “A Spokesman of the Infinite must guide. . . .”
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN - “Things are not what they seem.”
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT - “In the unknown lies terror, and in the night, deceit.”
  13. CHAPTER NINE - “Whence comes the wonder, whence the miracle?”
  14. CHAPTER TEN - “Even as Father, so the Son.”
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN - “For surely laughter masks a nervous soul.”
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE - “A gilded silver crucifix—yours, Duncan!”
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN - “Who, then, is the Defender?”
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN - “Defender’s Sign shall seal . . .”
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN - “You placed on his head, O Lord, a crown of precious stones. ...
  20. INDEX OF CHARACTERS
  21. INDEX OF PLACE-NAMES

Kelson shrugged. “If you say so, Archbishop. Now, let’s get on with this farce. I have more important things to do.”

“Such as consorting with this disciple of evil, Your Highness?” Loris hissed.

“Your definition of terms leaves much to be desired, Archbishop,” Kelson said evenly.

Loris forced himself to regain control, taking a deep breath. “Legal procedures have been followed to the letter, Your Highness. I do not think there is much chance of him escaping his just punishment this time.”

“Words, Archbishop,” Morgan said.

Loris clenched and unclenched his fists several times, then gestured to a pair of his guards. “Bind him.” As the two moved to obey, pinning Morgan’s arms behind him, Loris returned his attention to Kelson.

“Your Highness, I realize that you have been under considerable stress during these past weeks, and I am willing to forget the words that passed between us earlier. And if you should wish to return to your quarters and rest now, I am certain that the Council would understand, under the circumstances.”

Kelson fumed. “Under what circumstances, Archbishop? Do you really think I would abandon Morgan to your mercy—or my mother’s? And regardless of my personal feelings in the matter, I think it’s rather important that the next King of Gwynedd be present at any session this important. Don’t you agree?”

Anger flared again in Loris’s eyes, but he had finally realized the folly of continuing his argument. The fact had finally sunk home that this boy before him was, indeed, the next King of Gwynedd, however unorthodox his ideas might be at present.

Loris bowed low, but there was challenge and defiance in his eyes.

“As you wish, Your Highness,” was all he could be heard to murmur.

CHAPTER FOUR - “O God, with your judgement endow the King, and with your ...

CHAPTER FOUR

“O God, with your judgement endow the King, and with your justice, the King’s son.” PSALMS 72:1

THE Council was in turmoil when Kelson and Morgan finally arrived.

There were several dozen men besides the Council lords in the chamber now, for Jehana had given permission for certain other of Brion’s retainers and advisors to join the Council for this final confrontation with Morgan. Extra chairs, mostly unoccupied at present, had been set up behind the regular seats on either side of the Council table. But their would-be occupants milled about in seeming confusion, arguing and discussing at the tops of their voices. Though unable to vote, the newcomers nonetheless had explicit ideas on what should be done with the powerful Deryni lord who was the topic of their conversation. Whatever feelings Lord Alaric Morgan inspired in humans, apathy was not one of them.