The King’s Justice Read Free Page A

at this time.”
    â€œWell, thank heaven for that,” Vivienne muttered.
    â€œDon’t worry, Vivienne,” Arilan replied. “I am the first to agree that both of them are still very much unknown quantities. Besides—” He allowed himself a bitter grimace. “—they still haven’t forgiven me for our apparent abandonment of them, once Kelson’s throne was secure.”
    â€œAre you saying they mistrust you, then?” Tiercel asked.
    Arilan waggled one hand in a yes-and-no gesture.
    â€œâ€˜Mistrust’ is perhaps too strong a term,” he allowed. “Let us simply say they’re cautious where I’m concerned—and who can blame them? They resent the fact that I won’t talk about the Council—and of course, I can’t tell them why I won’t.”
    â€œThree years ago, you brought them here without permission,” Barrett said stiffly. “They already know too much about us.”
    Arilan inclined his head. “I accept responsibility for that—though I still maintain I did the right thing, under the circumstances. I’ve observed the Council’s restrictions scrupulously since then, however.”
    â€œAnd see that you continue to do so,” Vivienne muttered.
    â€œLet us not stray from the subject again,” Barrett said quietly. “This is an old, old argument. Let us return to tonight. Denis, if you cannot prevent it, can you at least control it?”
    Arilan allowed himself a curt nod. “To the point that any trained practitioner can control the course of the outward ritual—certainly. I can make sure that we’re properly warded, that the forms proper to any serious working of high magic are observed. But what happens on the inner levels is and remains in Kelson’s control.”
    â€œWhat of Richenda?” Laran asked. “Will she be able to assist you? Kelson trusts her, I believe.”
    â€œHe does.” Arilan shifted his attention to Sofiana. “And we now know that Richenda is possessed of both power and training we had not guessed before, don’t we, Sofiana?”
    Sofiana gave a noncommittal shrug.
    â€œDo not blame me for that, Denis. Had anyone asked at the time, I could have told you.”
    â€œBut she’s your niece,” Kyri said. “You knew she was formally trained, yet you let her marry a half-breed.”
    â€œOh, Kyri, I did not let her do anything! Richenda is a grown woman, and Deryni, fully capable of making her own decisions. And as for being my niece—” She shrugged again, shifting to a more whimsical mood. “—I’m afraid I hardly know her. My sister and her husband decided that Richenda should marry outside our traditions and faith, when they chose her first husband. I did not agree, but I respected their decision. I saw little of the girl after she became Countess of Marley.”
    â€œBut, to marry Morgan—”
    Sofiana’s dark eyes flashed ebon fire. “Are you trying to make me condemn him?” she retorted. “I will not. Because he has made Richenda happy and has taken my sister’s grandson as his own child, and has given her a daughter as well, I cannot be but kindly disposed toward him—and curious, make no mistake. And though I have heard that his powers are formidable, if largely untrained, I have met him only once. Needless to say, he was both on his guard and on his best behavior.”
    â€œAh, then, you do not trust Morgan either,” Vivienne said.
    â€œHow does one define trust?” Sofiana countered. “I trust him to be a proper husband and father to my kin; I trust my niece’s sincerity when she tells me of his honor in all that he has done since she has known him. Beyond that, all else is hearsay. How could I trust him in the way that I trust all of you? We of the Council may often disagree, but we all have bared our souls to one another in our oath-takings.