Well done； my prince； came Morgan's whispered thought in his mind。 I really wasn't certain I could reach you。 Who else is in the link？
Caulay and Dhugal； Kelson replied。 And Dhugal is still partially conscious； so try not to let anything surge； or he's going to feel it and scare himself to death pulling out。
He caught the impression of laughter； like tinkling silver bells； and then a more sober note。
A brave lad and a true friend； Morgan sent。 Why don't you bring him back to Culdi with you？
I'm needed already？ Kelson queried。
Aye。 Cardiel asked me to contact you。 He and Arilan have in mind to promote Istelyn to the See of Meara； and they'd like your official opinion。 I told them I thought you'd approve； but you ought to do it in person。
The logic of the request was apparent； and the importance of the summons beyond question； but Kelson sensed something more； vague and less pleasant； lurking beneath the surface。 Dhugal stirred； perhaps sharing some of that uneasiness； and Kelson had to tighten his control just a little。
What's wrong？ he asked。 What is it you haven't told me？
Someone tried to kill Duncan earlier this evening … merasha on the dagger。
What？
One of his own retainers … hardly more than a boy； really。 Unfortunately； he's dead。
And Duncan？
As his own shock and concern reverberated in the link； he could feel Dhugal tense and try to withdraw。 Relentlessly he clamped down on the controls； determined to hold the link just a little longer； even if doing so frightened Dhugal。
He's all right！ Morgan's reassurance came lancing through。 A bad slash on his palm that I can probably heal in the morning； and the expected aftereffects from the drug； but no permanent damage。 Just get back as soon as you can。
The emotion behind Morgan's thought was controlled； but very powerful。 Despite Kelson's attempt to buffer its intensity； Dhugal recoiled at the alien sensation； the link began to quiver。 No longer trusting the luxury of worded munication。 Kelson sent agreement and an urgency to break contact for Dhugal's sake … and was out of the link； as much pushed as of his own volition。 As he twisted around to grab the trembling Dhugal by the wrists； he continued to catch the ragged after…echo of Duncan's pain as it had e through Morgan's perception … only now it was ing from Dhugal。
〃Stop it！〃 he whispered harshly； giving Dhugal a shake and trying to force reason past the panic。 〃Look at me； Dhugal！ Take a deep breath and listen！ Let it go！ You're all right！ Duncan is all right。 Will you … 〃
As his mind probed at Dhugal's； bright pain seemed to explode behind his eyes； rebounding against his swiftly raised shields and somehow echoing back to Dhugal with even greater force。 Dhugal cried out； doubling up and sinking to the floor despite Kelson's attempt to support him； then lay there sobbing blindly … dry； wracking heaves as he gasped for breath； rocking in Kelson's arms。
Kelson was stunned。 As he held the shuddering Dhugal and tried to fort him； he could find nothing to account for the reaction。 With the breaking of the link with Morgan； Dhugal should have felt nothing further。
But when Kelson at last tried another tentative probe； the reason became abundantly clear。
〃Shields！〃 he whispered； withdrawing as quickly as he could and thrusting Dhugal far enough away to stare at him in shock。 〃Mother of God； Dhugal； where did you get shields？ Can you hear me； Dhugal？ You've got shields！ Dhugal； are you all right？〃
Groggily； Dhugal uncurled and managed to sit up； holding his head with one hand and leaning against Kelson's knee for support。 Kelson did not press him for further response； only waited while Dhugal got his bearings and gradually raised his head； dragging a sleeve across his tear…stained face。 His gaze was still a little glassy as he looked up at the king； and he seemed to be having trouble focusing。
〃Dhugal； what happened？〃 Kelson breathed。
Dhugal made a brave attempt at a smile。 〃I was about to ask you the same question。 God … my head hurts！〃
〃Somehow you managed to pick up some of what Morgan was sending me；〃 Kelson whispered。 〃Then you slammed down shields on the link。 How did you do that？〃
〃Do what？〃
〃Shield。 Most humans can't。 Everything was fine until Morgan told me about the attack on Duncan； and the merasha。〃
〃What's merasha？' Dhugal asked blankly。
〃Oh； sweet Jesu； of course you don't know。 It's a drug。 I don't know where it es from。 But it muddles Deryni senses so that we … can't use our magic。 I've never had it used on me； but Morgan has … and now Duncan。 And I know it was used to make my father vulnerable to Charissa's magic； so she could kill him。〃
Dhugal shivered。 〃It sounds terrible。〃
〃So was what happened when you tried to back out of the link！ And you've got shields； for God's sake！ He doesn't；〃 he stabbed one hand toward the sleeping Caulay in a gesture of frustration； 〃and you didn't seem to； either； until we started getting that rebound from Duncan。 What the devil happened？ Can you remember anything at all？〃
Dhugal rubbed at his temples and winced。 〃I can't think with you yelling at me。〃
〃I'm not yelling at you； I just have to know what happened；〃 Kelson said； a little less emphatically。 〃You scared the hell out of me。〃
〃I scared the hell out of me； too。〃
Cautiously Dhugal took a deep breath and let it out slowly； not looking at Kelson as he tried to ease himself back to memory of the pain。
〃It's still mostly a jumble；〃 Dhugal finally went on haltingly； 〃but I do remember that after you stopped talking； I got sort of … drowsy。〃
〃That was my fault；〃 Kelson muttered。 〃I confess I did a little more than I'd told you I was going to。 But that shouldn't have made you react the way you did。 What else do you remember？〃
〃I … have a vague impression of General Morgan laughing。 。。。 Something about bishops； too … and … and then a terrible pain in my head。〃
〃That must have been Duncan and the merasha；〃 Kelson said； nodding。 〃Somehow； you got farther into the link than I thought … just enough to channel some of the emotion。 I wasn't expecting shields； though。 Caulay doesn't have them。〃
〃He doesn't have my knack with animals； either；〃 Dhugal countered； almost a little irritated； 〃and he used to be as good a tracker as Ciard。〃 He paused。 〃Maybe it does have something to do with the Second Sight； though。 Maybe … maybe shields go along with that。〃
〃Maybe；〃 Kelson replied。
But Dhugal's ment about the animals had struck a responsive chord in Kelson； so that the part about the Second Sight barely even registered。 He recalled his father telling him how Morgan could charm deer to the very gates of the city if he wanted to； and some passing mention he remembered of Morgan's sister Bronwyn being able to call the birds from the sky。 If their ability came of being Deryni； then what about Dhugal？ Dhugal was also good with animals … and that would certainly account for the shields。
〃Let's try this again；〃 he said； slipping his hands to either side of Dhugal's head before the other could object。 〃Try not to fight me。 This is the only way we're going to find out more about what we're up against。〃
But Dhugal gasped and tried to pull away at once as Kelson's first probe clashed against the shields again。
〃God； what are you doing to me？〃
〃I don't want to hurt you；〃 Kelson answered。 〃Try to relax。 I'll ease up while you do； but you've got to help me。 Don't fight me； dammit！ The more you struggle； the more it's going to hurt！〃
But the pain of Kelson's probe had already pushed Dhugal beyond reason again； contorting him into a shuddering fetal ball。 Kelson tried several approaches； but the shields refused to budge。 He could also sense Dhugal's heartrate rising dangerously。 He would have to stop。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he murmured； as he withdrew altogether。 〃God； I wish I knew where you got those shields！〃
He doubted Dhugal had heard him； but he kept repeating his apology while he waited for Dhugal to e around； kneading the rigid shoulders until finally Dhugal stirred； uncurling enough to turn frightened； pain…dulled eyes on him。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Kelson said again。 〃I didn't want to hurt you。 I really am sorry。 Are you all right？〃
Dhugal nodded groggily and sat up with Kelson's