Kelson gave him a sympathetic smile； well aware what his foster brother was trying to do and hardly blaming him。
〃It's only been this way the past year or so。 All the stone facing on the walls is new。〃 He gestured casually toward the nearest stretch of burnished marble as he moved toward it。 The slap of his open palm against the stone made Dhugal start。
〃There are tomb niches carved in the living rock behind here；〃 he went on。 〃It used to be that only kings and queens were buried in free…standing tombs like my father's。 Other members of the royal family were simply wrapped in their shrouds and laid to rest on the shelves in these walls。 They didn't rot for some reason； they just dried out and eventually crumbled away … something about the air； I'm told。 I'd hold tight to my mother's hand and hide my eyes when my parents brought me here to pray on feast days。 The fellow behind this wall； in particular； used to scare me half to death。〃
Ready to seize on any topic in preference to his own grief； Dhugal rose to approach the panel Kelson was touching。
〃Dolonus Haldanus； Princeps Gwyneddis； 675…699；〃 Dhugal read； stumbling a little over the fine； archaic script。 〃Filius Llarici； Rigonus Gwyneddis。 Requiem in pacem。〃 He glanced at Kelson in question。 〃Prince Dolon … didn't his own father execute him？〃
Kelson nodded。 〃And his younger brother as well。 It was thought at the time that they were plotting treason。〃
〃Were they？〃
〃Who knows？〃 Kelson glanced at the next row of wall inscriptions。 〃His brother is over there。 I can remember being terrified of the two headless skeletons。 My nurse told me that their father had cut off their heads because they displeased him。〃
〃What a thing to tell a child！〃
Kelson grinned。 〃I think I'd been especially trying that day。 Still； it was years before I gained a more objective perspective。〃 He glanced back at his father's tomb wistfully。
〃That wasn't my most frightening experience down here； though；〃 he went on softly； not sure whether he should risk frightening Dhugal as well by recounting the old nightmare。 〃It happened the night before my coronation。〃
〃My father heard rumors。。。。〃 Dhugal said cautiously。
Kelson smiled and moved back to Brion's sarcophagus； leaning both hands along the edge。
〃I'll bet he did。 Well； I shan't go into details that might alarm you overmuch； but as you may know； Morgan wasn't here when my father died。 He was in Cardosa。〃
〃And came back the day before the coronation；〃 Dhugal supplied。
〃That's right。 My father had been buried for over a week by then： my mother's doing … she hates Morgan for being Deryni。 Anyway； as I talked with him and Father Duncan that afternoon； it soon became apparent that … well； something we needed to make my kingship plete had been buried with my father。〃
〃Then you did open the tomb！〃 Dhugal breathed； wide…eyed with horror。 〃My father said there'd been rumors of vandals … 〃
〃We weren't responsible for that part；〃 Kelson countered。 〃We think it was Charissa or her agents； trying to discredit Morgan and Father Duncan。 We were looking for the Eye of Rom。〃
As he brushed a strand of hair behind his right ear； exposing the crimson gemstone； Dhugal nodded。
〃I remember him wearing that。〃
〃Aye； I never saw him without it。 But when we opened this；〃 Kelson tapped the stone cover of the sarcophagus with one hand； 〃it wasn't my father inside … or； it was； actually； but it didn't look like him。 We thought someone might have switched bodies at first； so we started searching the rest of the chapel。 I wasn't strong enough to push back these stone lids by myself； so Morgan and Father Duncan did that part。 I had to look in the tomb niches。 It … wasn't pleasant。〃
〃I … don't think I understand；〃 Dhugal said in a small voice。 〃You mean； it was your father's body in the coffin after all？〃
Kelson nodded。 〃I still don't totally understand； but apparently Charissa had placed some kind of a … a binding spell on the body； which also changed its appearance。 Father Duncan got rid of it； but he said that … 〃 He hesitated as Dhugal got an odd； tight look on his face。 〃He said that Father's soul had also been bound up in the spell somehow。。。 that he hadn't been。。。 entirely free。 I've frightened you again； haven't I？ I'm sorry。 It still bothers you to hear me talk so casually about magic； doesn't it？〃
Dhugal managed to swallow； forcing himself not to avoid Kelson's gaze； but it was true。
〃Yes；〃 he whispered。 〃I don't want to be afraid； but I guess it's an old reflex。 And when you talk about souls being bound up … 〃
〃That isn't the usual kind of Deryni magic；〃 Kelson said in a low voice； laying a gloved hand on the other's shoulder。 〃That's dark magic … and you have every reason to fear it； as I do。 What I do … and what Morgan and Father Duncan do … is of the Light。 I know there's no evil in it。 Would I endanger my soul？ … would I endanger yours〃 … if I thought it was evil？〃
〃No。 Not if you knew。 But what 。if you're wrong？〃
〃Was my father wrong？〃 Kelson asked。 〃You knew him； Dhugal。 Was Brion an evil man？〃
〃No。〃
〃And is Morgan evil？ Is Father Duncan evil？〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃Is Bishop Arilan evil； then？〃
〃Arilan？ Arilan's Deryni？〃
As Dhugal's jaw dropped。 Kelson nodded slowly。
〃Arilan。 And you are one of less than a dozen men who know that；〃 he replied。 〃I'm told he es from very； very old Deryni lineage； long hidden away … and he probably knows more about magic than Morgan； Father Duncan； and myself bined。 I'm in awe of him … but I know he isn't evil。 Loris is evil； and he isn't even Deryni。〃
〃I … won't argue with you on that count；〃 Dhugal murmured。 〃It's just that … 〃 He passed a hand across his eyes in futile attempt to clear a growing fuzziness from his vision； suspecting that his treatment at the renegade archbishop's hands had taken a more serious toll than he had thought。 〃I'm sorry。 I'm afraid I'm not thinking very clearly。〃
〃No need to apologize；〃 Kelson replied。 〃You've been through a lot in the last week or so； and you're still not well。 I should have had Morgan and Duncan see you； instead of bringing you here。〃
A flicker of even greater foreboding supplanted Dhugal's burgeoning disfort； and he looked up at Kelson with a sick； queasy sensation in the pit of his stomach。
〃You mean； to heal me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But … 〃 He swallowed painfully。 〃Kelson； I'm … not certain I'm ready for that yet。〃
〃Because of what happened in Transha？〃
〃Yes；〃 Dhugal admitted。 He rubbed both hands across his eyes。 〃God； my head is throbbing。 I can't think。〃
〃That's why I'd like to have them take a look at you；〃 Kelson replied。 〃They might be able to heal your injuries without touching your shields； you know。 And maybe you won't react the same way you did with me。〃
〃Maybe。 For now； however； I … think I might prefer to let nature take its course； if you don't mind。 I'll be all right。〃
〃If that's what you want；〃 Kelson said。 〃They may ask you themselves； though。 I haven't told Duncan about Transha yet； but Morgan may have。 He knows。〃
Dhugal looked down at his hands clasped tightly together and forced them to relax； drawing a deep breath。
〃Well； then； I'll wait to see what they say。 I just can't … ask them myself。 Kelson。 And I don't want you to ask them。 Maybe I … won't be afraid； if they ask me。〃 He winced and rubbed at his temples again。 〃It's too bad your probe hurts worse than the headache I've got anyway … though I wouldn't mind having my ribs healed； that's for certain。 I haven't drawn a proper breath without pain for days。 And the riding didn't help matters。〃
〃We'd better get you back to rest then；〃 Kelson said； in a tone that conveyed nothing of his disappointment。 〃It'll be time for the council soon anyway； and I could use a snack before we settle down for the meeting。〃
〃You could talk me into that without half trying；〃 Dhugal answered with a game grin。
Their spurs jingled against the polished marble of the steps as they ascended from the crypt to the level of the nave； and the gate of gilded brass creaked noisily as Kelson pulled it shut behind them。
〃I must ask the sacristan to have that oiled；〃 he said； making small talk as they moved along the transept arm heading toward the nave。 〃Remind me one day