CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee…”

ISAIAH 29:3

MORGAN returned Arilan’s cold stare unflinchingly for several seconds, then nodded slowly.

“Yes, I used my powers tonight. I had no choice.”

“No choice?” Arilan echoed. “You dared to risk this entire operation, the work of weeks of careful planning, by your disobedience, and you say you had no choice?”

He turned on Duncan and held his gaze also. “And you, Father Duncan. As a priest, I would have thought your word would mean more to you than that. I suppose you had no choice either?”

“We did what had to be done, Excellency. If there had not been grave cause, we would not have considered breaking our promises to you.”

“If there was grave cause, I should have been informed of it. If Cardiel and I are to lead this force effectively, we must know what is happening. We cannot have the two of you making what could be critical decisions without our knowledge.”

Morgan only barely held his temper in check. “You would have been told in due time, my lord. As it was, the decision had to be ours to make. If you were Deryni, you would understand!”

“Would I?” Arilan breathed.

He turned away abruptly, hands clasping tightly together, and Morgan hazarded a glance at Duncan. In doing so, he could not help noticing Cardiel, who had gone almost as white as the alb he had just removed. His expression was strained, his eyes riveted on Arilan. Before Morgan could reach any conclusion regarding the bishop’s reaction, Arilan turned and took two long strides toward him, stopped to face him down, hands on hips.

“Very well, Alaric. I had not thought to tell you yet, but perhaps it is time after all. Surely you did not think that you and Duncan were the only Deryni in Gwynedd?”

“The only—” Morgan broke off in consternation, finally understanding why Cardiel was staring at his colleague so intently. “But, you…” he murmured.

Arilan gave a curt nod. “That is correct. I am Deryni also. Now tell me why I should understand what the pair of you did tonight.”

Morgan found himself speechless. Shaking his head in denial and disbelief, he staggered backward several steps and found a chair behind his knees. Gratefully he sank down on it, unable to take his eyes from the Deryni bishop. Duncan, who had retreated as far across the room as he could go, merely stared at Arilan and nodded slowly, as though putting together pieces of a puzzle he had held for a long time and never knew they formed a picture. Cardiel said nothing. Arilan, with a faint, almost self-conscious smile, turned and began removing his vestments, watching all of them out of the corner of his eye.

“Well, can’t one of you say something? Duncan, you must surely have suspected. Am I that good an actor?”

Duncan shook his head, trying to keep an edge of bitterness from his voice. “You are among the best I have ever seen, Excellency. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to live a lie, to keep the secret you and I have kept. But, tell me, did it never bother you to stand idly by while our people suffered and died for lack of your assistance? You were in a position to help them—yet you did nothing.”