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Anger made his own powers stir more potently, coiling in that secret place behind his eyes, but she only scrambled to a sitting position, her wrist still clasped in his hand, her own powers like an impenetrable wall between them as she laid her other hand on the wrist of her sleeping husband — tried and failed to rouse him.
«How have you done this to him, and what did you intend to do to me?» she demanded.
Once again he tried to take her mind, again clashing against those adamantine shields, feeling the killing power start to stir, as it had with Sief, all those years ago — but abruptly he backed down, releasing her wrist as if it were a bar of red-hot iron. Killing her was the last thing he wished to do, even if it meant that there would now be no magical protector for his sons.
«God, forgive me, Alyce!» he breathed.
Burying his face in his hands, he slid to the floor beside the bed, elbows braced against its edge, and wept — for the dead Krispin, for Jessamy, also in her grave, and for the child who now would never be. She watched him in silence for several long moments, again checking the sleeping Ke
By the time he had mostly spent his tears, she had wept as well, and scrubbed her sleeve across her eyes as he lifted his head, reluctant to meet her gaze. She said nothing as he hauled himself back up off his knees and gingerly sat on the edge of the bed.
«You must think me a terrible man», he said uncertainly. «And if you did, I would not blame you».
Slowly she shook her head, pitying him.
«No, not terrible», she replied. «But I think I now understand more of what a heavy weight it is to wear a crown. What pain you must have borne, when Krispin died — and to be forced to bear it in secret, unable to express your true loss…».
He nodded bleakly, his anguish etched on his weathered face.
«Jessamy was obliged to bear it all — and all her sacrifice was for naught, in the end». He hung his head. «I don't know why I thought I might repeat the same exercise. I suppose I wanted to re-create Krispin. But of course, that would never have happened, even had I succeeded in what I set out to do tonight. I did consider simply asking you openly — but there was Ke
«But nothing happened here, Sire», she said softly.
«It would have happened, if I'd had my way — much to my shame».
«But it did not». She glanced across at Ke
He looked at her in question. «I don't understand».
«You should wake Ke
He started to get up, but she stayed him with a hand on his wrist, only nodding toward Ke
The touch of her mind was gentle now, taking the controls he gave, and he bowed his head as he withdrew, in awe of her grace, leaving it to her to do what she felt needful.
After a moment, Alyce, too, withdrew her hand, and Donal dared to look back at both of them. He saw the tenderness as she bent to press a gentle kiss to her husband's brow, tensed as the other man's eyelids flickered and then the sea-gray eyes opened.
Their gaze was cool at first, appraising, measuring. But then he sat up wordlessly to take his wife in his arms and hold her to his breast, the while not taking his eyes from the king's.
After a moment, as Alyce straightened and turned within the circle of his arm, to lean against his chest and also meet the king's eyes, Ke
«I grieve with you, Sire, for your loss», he said quietly. «You have had to live with your grief in silence, since that awful morning when we found the boy in the well. And I understand what you meant to do, and why».
«Can you forgive me?» Donal managed to ask.
«Yes», Ke
«I don't understand», Donal whispered.
Ke
«Alyce is already with child, Sire», he murmured. «At least she tells me she is. Apparently, Deryni can sense these things long before another might guess».
«But-how…?»
«Quite frankly, it was probably akin to the way your Krispin was conceived», Ke
«But one makes do when one must», he said, bending to kiss her again. «And the timing, apparently, was fortuitous.
«This child is truly meant to be, Sire», Alyce murmured. «And I believe it will be a son. If you wish it, he can be your son, in every way save of your blood, raised to be a loyal companion and protector to Prince Brion, with the powers of a Deryni to aid him».
«What are you saying?» Donal whispered.
«She's saying that we shall give him to you, Sire», Ke
Epilogue
«Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou earnest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…»[31]
In due course, Alyce's pregnancy became obvious to all with eyes to see. The queen, too, was found to be again with child; and the relationship of the two women shifted subtly as Alyce joined her in the role of wife and mother-to-be. Both prospective fathers doted on their pregnant wives, and each paid due deference to the other's spouse. It was a time of tranquility and expectation.
«He actually did it!» said Oisín Adair, in a reaction mixed of amazement and admiration, when Seisyll had reported the dual pregnancies to the Camberian Council. «And not just Alyce, but the queen as well!»
«Well, hopefully not both at once», Vivie
Seisyll shook his head, smiling. «Never underestimate Donal Haldane», he said. «In his long and colorful life, he has accomplished a great deal that no one would have expected».
«When will she give birth?» Khoren asked.
«Early in the autumn, by all the signs», Seisyll replied. «And the queen at about the same time».
«Just bear in mind that Alyce's child could be a girl», Dominy reminded them.
«That would only matter for the Corwyn succession», Seisyll replied. «If Donal's purpose was to beget a future protector for his sons — a Deryni protector — a woman could serve as well as a man, provided she had the proper training. We could ensure that she had that training. I could ensure it; or another could be recruited».
«True enough», Michon agreed.
«Then, it appears we have only to wait until the autumn, to see what fruit is borne from the king's new experiment», Barrett said.
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JEREMIAH 1:5