Authors: Katherine Kurtz
Camber nodded. “A wise decision. Given all the pertinent factors, though, how soon do you think he'll be able to ride? Cinhil thought Gregory was being melodramatic.” He chuckled as he remembered the king's outburst. “He seemed to think Gregory was trying to steal his thunder, with all this talk about dying, so he wants to see him.”
“I can imagine,” Rhys chuckled. “On the other hand,” he continued on a more serious note, “I didn't want Cinhil thinking he had to get on a horse and come charging out here, in his condition.”
“Oh, I don't think he would haveâ” Camber began.
“He would have, and you know it!” Rhys disagreed with a grin. “He's the second most stubborn man I know.”
“Myself being the first, I suppose.” Camber smiled. “Well, you're probably right.” He sobered as his thoughts returned to Cinhil. “The trip certainly wouldn't have done him any good, though. I don't like the sound of his cough.”
He looked to Rhys for reassurance, his hope fading as the Healer did not deny the fear he had so lightly posed. “How much time
does
he have, Rhys?” he asked, almost inaudibly.
“A matter of weeks,” Rhys managed to reply. “A month, at the outside. I don't think he'll see Eastertide.”
A chill slithered down Camber's spine.
Weeks! A month at the outside!
And Cinhil
knew
, he realized, as he thought back on their last conversation. Cinhil was aware that he was dying, and had started to tell Camber and Joram about his concern for his sons when Rhys's message had called them both away.
Now Cinhil was alone at Valoretâor, not alone, for Jebediah was with him; and Tavis was available for the basic work of Healing. But Jebediah was not trained to cope with what must occur before Cinhil diedâand Tavis must never know!
“We must get back to him,” Camber breathed, unclasping cramped fingers and reaching for his cloak. “How soon can the two of you leave?”
He stood as Joram laid the heavy cloak on his shoulders and fastened the clasp. Rhys and Evaine also stood, almost frightened at the intensity of Camber's reaction.
“We need to be certain Gregory is free of any aftereffects,” the Healer said. “Under the circumstances, with he being who he is, we really should spend the night here and plan to leave in the morning.”
“So long?” Camber murmured. “God, I wish I hadn't left Cinhil! What if heâ”
“
Father
, he isn't going to die tonight!” Evaine insisted gently, sensing Camber's increasing anxiety and knowing it to be unwarranted, as yet. “Unless he was much worse at noon than he was this morning, he has time.”
With a weary sigh, Camber clasped both their hands to his breast and shook his head.
“I'm sorry. I know. You're right. Nonetheless, I must go back to him. We've come so far.⦠Return as soon as you can. God keep you both safe.”
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APPENDIX I
INDEX OF CHARACTERS
ALFRED
, FatherâCinhil's human confessor.
ALISTER CULLEN
, Fatherâ
see Cullen
.
ALLYN
, CrevanâAlister Cullen's successor as Vicar General of the Order of Saint Michael; human.
ALROY
, Princeâinfant son and heir of King Cinhil, twin to Javan; in poor health.
ANDREW
âfarrier at Grecotha.
ANSCOM
of Trevas, ArchbishopâDeryni Primate of All Gwynedd; Archbishop of Valoret.
ANSEL
MacRorie, Lordâyounger son of Cathan; age five.
ARIELLA
of Festil, Princessâelder sister of the former King Imre and mother of his son, Mark.
BAYVEL
de Cameron, Lordâuncle of Queen Megan.
BENEDICT
âKing Cinhil's name in religion.
BEREN
, Sirâa Michaeline knight.
CAMBER
Kyriell MacRorie, LordâEarl of Culdi: canonized as Saint Camber in 906;
Defensor Hominum
and patron of Deryni magic.
CAMERON
âfamily name of Queen Megan.
CATHAN
MacRorie, LordâCamber's eldest son and heir; murdered by Imre in 903.
CHARLES
, Brotherâa Servant of Saint Camber; formerly a baker in village at Caerrorie.
CINHIL
Donal Ifor Haldane, Kingârestored King of Gwynedd; formerly a priest of the
Ordo Verbi Dei
under the name of Benedict; kidnapped from his monastery by Joram and Rhys.
COEL
Howell, Lordâbrother of Elinor, Cathan's wife; member of Imre's council; executed by King Cinhil in 905.
CRINAN
âCathan's squire; doubled for Rhys under a shape-changing spell.
CULLEN
, Father AlisterâDeryni Vicar General of the Order of Saint Michael; later, Bishop of Grecotha and Chancellor of Gwynedd.
DAVET
, Bishopâone of Gwynedd's six itinerant bishops.
DAVIN
MacRorie, Lordâelder son of Cathan; age seven; Earl of Culdi after his grandfather's death.
DERMOT
O'Beirne, Bishopâhuman Bishop of Cashien, in west Gwynedd.
DOTHAN
of Erne, Lordâformer Festillic minister imprisoned by Cinhil for trial; son and daughter killed in assassination attempt on Cinhil.
DUALTA
Jarriot, Lordâa Michaeline knight.
ELINOR
MacRorie, Ladyâwidow of Cathan; mother of Davin and Ansel; later, wife to James Drummond.
EMRYS
, DomâDeryni adept and Abbot of the Order of Saint Gabriel.
EUSTACE
of Fairleigh, Bishopâone of Gwynedd's six itinerant bishops; human.
EVAINE
MacRorie Thuryn, Ladyâdaughter of Camber and wife to Rhys.
EWAN
, Lordâeldest son of Duke Sighere; later, Earl of Rhendall.
FINTAN
, Lordâhuman earl on Cinhil's council.
GABRILITES
âpriests of the Order of Saint Gabriel, an all-Deryni esoteric order based at Saint Neot's, in the south Lendour mountains; especially noted for training Healers.
GELLIS
de Cleary, Fatherâacting Precentor of the Order of Saint Michael.
GUAIRE
of Arliss, Lordâfriend of Cathan; former aide to Camber and Cullen; finally, a founding Servant of Saint Camber.
HALDANE
âsurname of the ancient royal family of Gwynedd.
HILDRED
, Lordâhuman baron on Cinhil's council; expert on horses.
HOWELL
, Coelâ
see Coel
.
HOWICCAN
, Parganâclassic Deryni lyric poet.
HRORIK
, Lordâmiddle son of Duke Sighere; later, Earl of Eastmarch.
HUMPHREY
of Gallareaux, Fatherâdead Michaeline priest responsible for death of Cinhil's firstborn son, Prince Aidan.
ILLAN
, Lordâa Michaeline knight.
IMRE
, Kingâfifth Festillic King of Gwynedd, reigned 900â904; died after defeat by Cinhil.
JAFFRAY
of Carbury, Archbishopâsuccessor to Anscom as Archbishop of Valoret; Deryni and former Gabrilite.
JAVAN
, Princeâinfant son of King Cinhil, twin to Alroy; born with a clubfoot.
JAMES
Drummond, Lordâgrand-nephew of Camber; former suitor to Elinor and later her second husband.
JASPER
Miller, Fatherâa Michaeline priest.
JEBEDIAH
of Alcara, LordâDeryni Grand Master of the Order of Saint Michael; later, Earl Marshal of Gwynedd.
JOHANNES
, Brotherâlay Michaeline monk, servant of Vicar General Alister Cullen.
JOHN
âfactor who bought Dolban for the Servants of Saint Camber.
JOHN
, Brotherâan alias of Evaine.
JORAM
MacRorie, Fatherâyoungest son of Camber; priest and knight of the Order of Saint Michael; later, confidential secretary to Bishop Alister Cullen.
JOWERTH
Leslie, Lordâformerly a Festillic minister; Deryni; now on Cinhil's staff.
KAI
, Bishopâone of Gwynedd's six itinerant bishops.
KYRIELL
âCamber's name in religion.
LAUREN
, Sirâa Michaeline knight.
M
ac
GREGOR
, Bishop Ailinâone of Gwynedd's six itinerant bishops.
M
ac
RORIE
âsurname of Camber's family.
MARK
of Festilâinfant son of Imre and Ariella and carrier of the Festillic line in Torenth after his parents' deaths.
MEGAN
, Queenâwife to Cinhil; mother of Alroy, Javan, and Rhys Haldane; formerly Camber's ward.
MICHAELINES
âpriests and knights of the Order of Saint Michael, a militant fighting and teaching order, predominantly Deryni.
MURDOCH
, Baronâhuman Baron of Caithane, of an ancient human family in power before the Festillic Interregnum.
NATHAN
, Fatherâa Michaeline priest.
NIALLAN
Trey, BishopâDeryni Bishop of Dhassa; formerely of the Order of Saint Michael.
NIMUR
, KingâDeryni King of Torenth; connected to the Festils of Gwynedd through the female line.
ORIN
âDeryni mystic and magician; author of the Protocol of Orin, a collection of four scrolls containing extremely potent spells of Deryni magic.
ORISS
, Father Robertâhuman Vicar General of the
Ordo Verbi Dei;
boyhood friend of Anscom of Trevas; later, Archbishop of Rhemuth.
PORRIC
Lunal, Fatherâa priest of the Order of Saint Michael and a candidate to succeed Alister Cullen as Vicar General.
QUERON
Kinevan, DomâDeryni Healer-priest, originally of the Order of Saint Gabriel; a founding Servant of Saint Camber.
RAYMOND
, Bishopâformer Prince-Bishop of Dhassa and maternal uncle of Alister Cullen, whom he ordained.
REVAN
âlame former carpenter's apprentice saved by Cathan; now a clark to Evaine.
RHYS
Thuryn, LordâDeryni physician and Healer; developer of the Thuryn technique of concentration; husband of Evaine and son-in-law to Camber.
SIGHERE
, Dukeâformer independent Earl of East-march; later, first Duke of Claibourne.
SIGHERE
, Lordâyoungest son of Duke Sighere; later, Earl of Marley.
SORLE
âCinhil's squire.
TAMMARON
, Lordâhuman earl on Cinhil's staff.
TERMOD
of Rhorau, LordâDeryni princeling, cousin of Imre, killed by Willimite terrorists in 903.
THOMAS
âbailiff at Dolban, for Servants of Saint Camber.
THURYN
âsee Rhys.
TOBAN
âhospice page.
TORCUILL
de la Marche, LordâDeryni baron, formerly a Festillic minister; now on Cinhil's staff.
TURLOUGH
, Bishopâone of Gwynedd's six itinerant bishops.
UDAUT
, Lordâa human earl; Constable of Gwynedd.
ULLIAM
ap Lugh, Bishopâhuman Bishop of Nyford.
UMPHRED
âCamber's bailiff at Caerrorie.
WILLIAM
âfarrier at Grecotha.
WILLIM
, Saintâchild martyr to Deryni ill-use; patron saint of the Willimite movement.
WILLIMITES
âterrorist group sworn to punish Deryni who escape justice through normal legal channels; mostly suppressed in 904 under Imre.
WILLOWEN
, Fatherâhuman Dean of Grecotha Cathedral and assistant to Bishop Cullen.
WULPHER
, MasterâCathan's steward; doubled for Joram under a shape-changing spell.
APPENDIX II
INDEX OF PLACES
ALL SAINTS
'
CATHEDRAL
âseat of the Archbishop of Valoret, Primate of All Gwynedd.
ARGOED
âpotential site for new Michaeline Commanderie (military headquarters).
CAERRORIE
âCamber's principal residence, a few hours' ride northeast of Valoret; Camber's burial place.
CARBURY
âtown west of Valoret, where Elinor's parents live.
CHELTHAM
âsite of the Michaeline Commanderie, destroyed by Imre in 904.
CLAIBOURNE
âprincipal city of Kheldour; later, name of duchy given to Sighere of Eastmarch, after annexation of Kheldour by Sighere and Cinhil.
COLDOIRE
âpassage through the Rheljan Mountains, near the Arranal Canyon.
COR CULDI
âhereditary ancestral seat and fortress of the Culdi earls, near the city of Culdi, on the Gwynedd-Meara border.
CÃILTEINE
âpotential site for a new Michaeline Commanderie.
CULDI
âcentral city of the Honor of Culdi, on the Gwynedd-Meara border.
DHASSA
âfree holy city in the Lendour Mountains; seat of the Bishop of Dhassa.
DOLBAN
âruined manor bought by Guaire of Arliss as a site for the first monastery of the Servants of Saint Camber; on the main road between Valoret and Caerrorie.
EASTMARCH
âindependent holding of Sighere, Earl of Eastmarch; later given to Hrorik, Sighere's middle son.
GRECOTHA
âuniversity city, site of the Varnarite school; seat of the Bishop of Grecotha. Camber, Anscom, and Cullen all attended school here at one time or another.
GWYNEDD
âcentral of the Eleven Kingdoms; seat of the Festillic Dynasty, 822â904; restored to the Haldane Line in 904.