Delphine, solid and dependable and slightly older than he, drew him closer to the fire, where Claara was playing with one of her grandchildren. Vera had stayed to read in the chamber where Alyce slept, and Llion had taken Alaric and Duncan outside for a run-around in the garden with Alaric’s hound-puppy.

«I don’t know», Delphine said in a low voice, drawing Kenneth to a seat a little apart from her sister. «Claara says it is nothing, but I am frankly worried. I fear it may be the milk fever, though she denies she has any of the symptoms. She did lose a lot of blood. She does not rest enough. She pushes herself too fast, but she is determined that she must be strong enough to travel to the coronation. Can you not make her see some sense?»

Kenneth sighed, leaning his forearms on his thighs to interlace his fingers.

«She can be a very stubborn woman, Delphine», he said. «And seeing the new king crowned is very important to her». And to him, he added in his own mind. «But there is time yet».

But time was running out for Alyce de Corwyn Morgan. She had been feverish for the first Mass of Christmas, which she insisted on attending, and was worse the following day. She spent most of St. Stephen’s Day in bed even as she directed the packing of her gowns for the trip to Rhemuth and the coronation. By Childermas, two days later, even she was forced to admit that her illness was serious. And Kenneth, himself poised to head back to the capital, was torn between loyalty to his new young king and devotion to his wife.

«You will not be able to go with me to the coronation», he told her sternly, when Claara had gone out of the sickroom to fetch clean compresses. «You must rest, regain your strength».

«But Prince Brion needs me», she whispered desperately, clinging to his hand.

«No, your children need you!» came Kenneth’s retort. «I need you!»

«He needs his powers awakened», she choked out, tears streaming down her face. «Without them, he is likely to perish the first time some Torenthi interloper faces him down in a magical challenge. What if that Torenthi prince and princess show up at his crowning?»

«Darling, they won’t», he began.

«No, listen to me! Alaric was to have been the instrument of that awakening, but he is too young by many years. Donal knew that. It means that I must do it, though it cost me my life».

«No! That is too high a price to pay!» Kenneth blurted, seizing her hand and pressing it to his lips.

«It is the price I agreed to pay», Alyce countered. «Kenneth, I gave my word!»

«But you are ill», he protested. «It can wait until you are well. Surely he will be safe at his own coronation. He will be surrounded by guards».

«Would he be safe from someone like me?» she demanded, flaring her shields around her head in an emerald aura; and then, at his tight-lipped resistance, raising her free hand in a fist that opened to release a column of green flame that gushed briefly upward, so powerful that it left a scorch-mark on the ceiling.

He flinched from it, turning his face away until it had subsided, then dared to look at her again.

«I do not know», he admitted. «But there has been no challenge by Deryni in many years. Surely he can be protected for another week or two, until you are well».

«Then, perhaps you could bring him to me», she said quietly, exhausted by her exertion. «It would ease my mind. If I need not expend the energy to go to him, perhaps I can marshal it to do what must be done here».

«No», Kenneth said flatly. «I will not leave you. And he would not come merely on my written word. Not so close to his coronation. He is of age, Alyce, but he is still a boy; and I left him in the care of Duke Richard and the crown council. They would not let him come».

«Then I must go to him as planned», she said, «and pray that God will give me the strength to carry out what I have promised».

Kenneth summoned up a deep sigh, shaking his head, but it was more in resignation than any further attempt at fruitless resistance. If anyone knew the cost of duty, it was he.

«Very well. I shall go. I cannot fight you indefinitely».

«Thank you», she mouthed, drawing his hand nearer to kiss it. «I promise that I shall rest while you are gone».

«See that you do!» he said sternly, though he managed a faint smile as he bent to kiss her burning forehead.

Chapter 23

«For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie».[24]

Kenneth rode out alone within the hour and returned with the following dawn — and with the king posing as his squire. The early morning light stained the snow with rose as the pair passed through the gates of Morganhall, giving lie to the somber atmosphere within the manor walls.

Delphine and Vera met them just inside the door, both of them grey with fatigue and pinched with worry. Delphine did not speak as Kenneth embraced her, and Vera choked back a sob. Neither seemed to notice the crimson-clad squire standing quietly at Kenneth’s back, face averted.

«How is she?» he murmured, drawing back to search their eyes.

Grim-lipped, Delphine shook her head. «Not good, brother. She is very weak, and her fever has not abated. I called the priest shortly after you left — just in case. She was lucid while she received the Sacrament, but now she is drifting. I think you should prepare yourself for the worst».

«No!» he said firmly, though he kept his voice down. «I cannot accept that! We’ll think of something — we must! I’ll go to her now».

He started forward, Brion starting to follow like the dutiful squire he pretended to be, but Delphine put out an arm to stop him.

«You won’t be needed in my lady’s chamber, sir squire», she said somewhat imperiously. «The kitchen lies down a level, through that arch. Go warm yourself by the fire, and ask Cook to give you something to eat».

«No, I need him with me», Kenneth retorted, reaching back to seize Brion’s shoulder and urge him along, before the king could think of a suitable response that would also preserve his anonymity. «He has a message from the king, which hopefully will cheer my dear wife».

«Oh. Very well, then».

Somehow Kenneth managed to keep his expression neutral as he drew the king with him up the turnpike stair. Brion easily stayed in character as a squire, for until a few weeks before, he had served ably as a squire in his father’s service — and would retain that rank until he earned the accolade of knighthood at age eighteen, even though he now was king. As they reached the level of the upper solar and moved along a narrow corridor toward the principal sleeping chamber, Kenneth glanced at the king appraisingly.

«I don’t know how much you caught of what my sister told me», he said softly, «but the outlook apparently is not good. I have no idea whether this has been a wasted trip».

«I understand», Brion said, inclining his head. «What I don’t understand is why she insisted she had to see me before the coronation, when her health is in jeopardy».

Kenneth sighed, pausing before a tiny window just outside a heavy oak door. «Brion, I don’t know how much your father told you about your Haldane inheritance, and I am not personally involved in securing that for you. But I do know what was done in my presence, to make the appropriate preparations, and I have an inkling what further must be done — though I am not able to speak of that, even to you. I…can’t even tell you why I am not able to speak of it». He allowed himself another heavy sigh to brace himself. «I just pray to God that she knows what she’s doing».

With that, he knocked lightly on the door and entered. Inside, his sister Claara was bent over Alyce’s supine form, wringing out a wet cloth over a ceramic basin.