Free The King’s Justice by Katherine Kurtz Page A

Meraude. It is a canker that festers within me—and here at my son’s court. Nor may I rest until I find a way to exorcise it.”
    Exorcism of a far different sort than Jehana had in mind was underway in another part of the castle, performed by a man who bore the very taint Jehana feared. Murmuring ritual words of purification, Bishop Duncan McLain slowly paced the circumference of the tiny Saint Camber chapel adjoining his study, methodically sprinkling the chamber with water from a silver aspergillum. Incense already hung lightly on the air. From the doorway leading back into the study, Dhugal watched and made the responses, eyes following his father’s every move with reverence and respect. They had finished nearly all the other preparations necessary before the rest arrived. The censing and asperging of the chapel was the final touch, done as much to center and steady the two participants as to cleanse a room long sanctified by its sacred use.
    â€œAsperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.”
    â€œAmen.”
    â€œPax huic domui.”
    â€œEt omnibus habitantibus in ea.”
    Peace be to this house.…
    And to all who dwell in it.…
    When they had done, and Duncan had put aside that paraphernalia of his office, father and son returned to the study, Duncan drawing into place the curtain that normally covered the door. Dhugal lingered a moment, eyeing the curtain with still-awed speculation as Duncan took a seat at the round table set before the room’s fireplace. One candle burned at the center of that table, giving the only illumination save for the firelight. After a moment, Dhugal came and joined his father, though he still continued to glance at the curtained doorway from time to time.
    â€œThe chapel retains quite an impression of power, doesn’t it?” Duncan said, smiling at Dhugal’s startled glance in his direction. “I’m not surprised you’d notice. Saint Camber does seem to make his influence felt. And if you’d had the experiences Alaric and I have had, the difference between this chapel and most others would be even more apparent. Our good Deryni saint can be a very powerful intercessor.”
    Dhugal shifted a little uneasily. “Do you—really think he intervenes in earthly affairs? Does any saint?”
    â€œWell, it’s difficult ever to be certain, of course,” Duncan replied. “Alaric and I know that a few of the things we’d ascribed to Saint Camber right after Kelson was crowned seem to have been done by—” He lowered his eyes. “By someone else,” he finished. “I’m sorry, but I’m not permitted to say whom, even to you. It was a former member of the Camberian Council, but they’ve asked that we never mention names.”
    â€œI don’t mean to pry,” Dhugal protested.
    Duncan smiled. “I know you don’t, son. In any case, some of the things we’d ascribed to Camber weren’t done by anyone we know of—so maybe he did intervene. Whenever I spend any time in that chapel, I begin to believe he did.”
    Dhugal glanced at the curtain again, then back at Duncan. “Kelson told me that’s where you and Morgan did the ritual that invested him with power. Is that why we’re doing Nigel’s there?”
    â€œIn part,” Duncan admitted. “However, it’s also appropriate that we invoke Camber’s special patronage, since it’s said he was the first to give Deryni magic to any Haldane, more than two hundred years ago. And until his name is vindicated, as I’m certain it will be, one day, this may well be the only chapel in Gwynedd that’s consecrated to him.”
    â€œOh.” Dhugal thought about that for a moment. Then: “Did—Kelson’s father also receive his power in there?”
    â€œI don’t think so. Alaric had to do with that one—not