"Katherine Kurtz - 02 - King's Justice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

The ripple of their objection began to appear in outraged eyes, on parted lips, but she stayed them with a gesture of her free hand without even lifting her head from its resting place, coolly regal and assured in her desert robes of silver-shot purple.
"Be at ease, my friends. I am the first to concede that we are not talking about healing at this juncture, though I know that is of abiding interest to our esteemed senior Coadjutor and the faithful Laran." She smiled indulgently at both Barrett and Laran.
"We are concerned here with the Haldane potential. What is it that makes this particular family susceptible to having Deryni-like powers placed upon them? For that matter, Wencit of Torenth, for all his villainy, apparently discovered a way to place similar powers upon supposed humans-witness Bran Coris. The late Duke Lionel and his brother Ma-hael also seem to have received this benison. Perhaps what is called the Haldane potential in Gwynedd, then, occurs elsewhere as well, and is actually a lesser degree of Deryniness-or a greater one."
"A greater one?" asked a surprised Tiercel.
"It is possible. I say 'greater' because the Haldane power comes upon the recipient full-blown, fully accessible, even if not fully understood. In some respects, at least, that is surely superior to having to learn how to use one's powers- which is what most 'pure' Deryni have had to do, from time immemorial."
Arilan, though more inclined to Sofiana's reasoning than to anyone else's, stopped his impatient turning of his bishop's ring and furrowed his brow.
"Take care, Sofiana, or soon you will be asking us to believe that everyone is Deryni."
Sofiana smiled and leaned back in her chair, silvery ear-rings chiming melodically as she shook her head.
"Never that, my friend, though it would certainly solve many problems-and doubtless create other worse ones," she added, at Vivienne's look of horror. "Consider, too, that the Haldane potential could be just such an obscure facet of our Deryniness as Morgan and McLain's 'rogue' healing talent, both gifts requiring special training and handling, and both sometimes arising spontaneously."
Arilan whistled low under his breath, and Laran glanced at Barrett in astonishment as the others buzzed among themselves. Privately, Arilan himself had examined that very possibility more than once, and felt certain he was not alone in that, but no one had ever dared to voice it in full Council. Laran, as a physician, and Barrett, whose sight might conceivably be restored if the healing gifts could be re-leashed, also would have given the subject ample consideration, Arilan felt sure.
"But, that, too, is a topic for another day," Sofiana went on. "Our immediate concern, if I understand correctly, is that Kelson is about to act against our better judgment. Short of our physical intervention, however, I fear there is little we can do to prevent it, in this particular instance."
"I believe you'll receive no argument on that point," Barrett said. "But your choice of words suggests some future remedy."
"If we are bold enough to take it-yes. If, as we seem to agree, there is no question that Kelson is to be regarded as 'of the blood,' as Vivienne so quaintly put it, then I suggest that we have the means totally within our power to control him-and have had it for several years, in fact. Bring him into the Council."
She ignored their gasps as she raised a hand toward the high-backed chair standing empty between Tiercel and Vivienne.
"Bring him into the Council and bind him by the same oaths that bind the rest of us. Or are you afraid of him?"
"Of course not!" Vivienne said indignantly.
"He is strong enough," Sofiana countered. "He is mature far beyond his years."
"He is untrained."
"Then, let us take his training upon ourselves, and make sure he receives proper supervision."
"He lacks other qualities."
"Such as?"
"Do not push me, Sofiana, I warn you!"
"What qualities does he lack?" Sofiana persisted. "I am willing to be persuaded that he is not, indeed, ready, but you must give me a specific reason."
"Very well." Vivienne lifted her head in defiance. "He is not yet sufficiently ruthless."
"He is not yet sufficiently ruthless," Sofiana repeated. "I see. Then, would you rather have Morgan or McLain?"
"Are you mad?" Laran gasped, the first one bold enough to intervene in the exchange.
"It's absolutely out of the question!" Kyri said, with an emphatic shake of her fiery mane.
"Then, elect some other Deryni willing to accept the responsibility," Sofiana replied. "We operate at less than our full potential, with our number incomplete. How long must Stefan Coram's seat sit vacant?"
"Better vacant than filled by one unready to wield its power," Vivienne snapped.
Arilan watched and listened in some amusement as reaction continued to run its course around the table: Vivienne and Kyri continuing to challenge Sofiana over the very notion; Laran deeply disturbed; Tiercel excited but thoughtful, not saying anything for once; only Barrett unreadable, sitting still and solitary in his own mind between Arilan and Sofiana.
Nor was bringing Kelson into the Council a bad idea- someday. In the beginning, though the Council quickly agreed to acknowledge the king as full Deryni, no one even tried to argue that he was skilled or experienced enough. But in the three years since truly securing his throne. Kelson had learned many a hard lesson of kingship and of manhood. Arilan was in a unique position to report to them on that. In fact, it was Arilan who had first broached the subject of Kelson's candidacy; Arilan who had continued to pursue the notion, albeit far more gently than Sofiana's efforts of late; Arilan who, alone of all the seven of them, had ongoing contact with the king and knew, better than any, just how hard and disciplined-and powerful-the king was becoming. No Haldane king had ever sat on the Council before; but no Haldane had ever displayed Kelson's abilities, either.
"I think we've talked around this subject long enough," Arilan finally said, when most of the outrage had died down. "Even if we were disposed to admit the king today-and you all know my feeling on that matter-that is not the time, with war imminent and a disputed ritual of magic in the offing for tonight. Nor do I think anyone is seriously arguing that Morgan or Duncan are viable candidates at this time."
"Well, thank heaven for that," Vivienne muttered.
"Don'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."
"Are you saying they mistrust you, then?" Tiercel asked.
Arilan waggled one hand in a yes-and-no gesture.
"'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."
"Three years ago, you brought them here without permission," Barren 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."
"And see that you continue to do so," Vivienne muttered.
"Let 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."
"What of Richenda?" Laran asked. "Will she be able to assist you? Kelson trusts her, I believe."
"He 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.
"Do not blame me for that, Denis. Had anyone asked at the time, I could have told you."
"But she's your niece," Kyri said. "You knew she was formally trained, yet you let her marry a half-breed."
"Oh, 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."
"But, 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."