Morgan scrambled to his feet, studying Arilan quizzically as the bishop passed into the larger room. Duncan was sitting in the window seat, his eyes downcast, and Cardiel had retreated to another window, head resting against a forearm thrust across the window jamb. Cardiel looked up as the two appeared, and started to speak, but Arilan shook his head.

“We’d best talk privily, Thomas. Come. The guards can stay with them.”

As Arilan threw open the doors, the guards streamed in, hands on the hilts of their weapons, but at Arilan’s gesture they drew back, merely stationing themselves around the room to stare apprehensively at the two prisoners. As soon as the doors had closed behind the departing bishops, Morgan moved slowly to the window seat, keeping his bound hands well in sight of the guards, and eased himself down beside his cousin. He could hear Duncan’s light breathing beside him as he leaned his head against the glass panels behind and closed his eyes to concentrate.

I hope we’ve done the right thing, Duncan, his mind whispered in the deadly silence. Despite our good intentions, if Arilan and Cardiel didn’t believe us, we may have signed our own death warrants. How do you think Cardiel took it?

I don’t know, Duncan replied after a long moment. I really don’t know.

CHAPTER TEN

“I form the light, and create darkness.”

ISAIAH 45:7

“SO, what of Morgan and Duncan?” Arilan asked.

The two rebel bishops were standing once more in Cardiel’s private chapel, the doors closed and barred from within, and an anxious escort from Cardiel’s household guard waited outside. Arilan leaned casually against the altar rail to the left of the center aisle, idly fingering the cross and chain around his neck. Cardiel, restless with nervous energy, was pacing the marble floor and carpet before him, striding back and forth in the narrow transept and gesturing expansively as he spoke.

“I simply am not sure, Denis,” he said perplexedly. “Though I know I should be more cautious, I am inclined to believe them. Their stories are plausible—much more so than many I have heard. And aside from the differing points of view, they even agree with what Gorony told us on the day it all happened. Frankly, I don’t see how they could have done any differently and still lived to tell of it. I probably would have done the same thing.”

“Even to using magic?”

“If I were capable, yes.”

Arilan bit on one of the links of his chain reflectively. “An interesting observation. Thomas, you surprise me. It appears that the question is not so much what they did, but how they did it. The real issue is magic, and the wanton use of it.”

“Is it wanton to defend oneself when attacked?”

“Perhaps, if one uses magic to do it. At least that is what we have always taught and been taught.”

“Well, perhaps we have been wrong.” Cardiel scowled. “It wouldn’t be the first time. You know, if Morgan and Duncan were not Deryni, they would have been absolved by now, after coming to us the way they did—if they had even been excommunicated in the first place, that is.”