“You’re joking, surely,” Kelson said. “Who could believe a thing like that?”

“Have you ever seen Alaric without shoes, Sire?” Duncan inquired slyly.

At that moment Derry intruded with a platter of meat, cheese, and bread and extended it with a grin.

“I’ve seen his feet, Sire,” he said, as Morgan speared a gobbet of cold beef on his dagger and took a chunk of bread. “And regardless of what they say, I can assure you that he has no cloven hooves—not even an extra toe.”

Morgan saluted Derry with the skewered meat and took a bite, then cast an inquiring look at Kelson and Nigel. The royal duke was himself again, sitting back in his chair and smiling faintly, well aware of what Morgan had been trying to do, and that it had succeeded. Kelson, somewhat taken aback at the exchange, glanced from one to the other of them several times before he finally concluded that they were sporting with him. At length, he shook his head and broke into a grin, making a shooing motion toward the three captains, who were only too happy to absent themselves.

“Cloven hooves, indeed!” He snorted. “Morgan, for a moment you almost had me believing you.”

“One cannot labor under tension all the time, Sire,” Morgan said with a shrug and a faint smile. “Now, what news since we left? What has been happening to put you in this agitated frame of mind?”

Kelson shook his head. “There’s nothing new, really. That may be why I’m so uneasy. I am still trying to decide the best way to end this internal contention, and that brings us back to the basic question of how best to honorably reconcile ourselves with my clergy and my rebellious subjects.”

Duncan washed down the last of his meat with a swallow of wine and nodded in Kelson’s direction. “We have also given that matter considerable thought in the past few days, my prince. And we’ve about reached the conclusion that the most reasonable approach is first to attempt a reconciliation with the six rebel bishops in Dhassa. They want to help you; their quarrel is with Alaric and me only. You are not involved.”

“That’s true,” Kelson agreed, considering. “If you could be formally reinstated and cleared of the charges that the Curia brought against you, I could accept their aid without worrying about compromising their honor. I have been reluctant until now to even communicate with them because of just that factor. If they have been loyal to me so far, it’s because I am the king—and maybe a little because they know and trust me personally. At least Bishop Arilan does.”

Morgan wiped the blade of his dagger against the side of his boot and returned it to its sheath. “That is certainly a factor, my prince. It is one reason we considered this proposition so carefully, before even discussing it with you. Whatever we do, we would not wish to endanger that trust which the Six in Dhassa still hold for you.”