Read Online The Harrowing of Gwynedd by Katherine Kurtz - Free Book Online

to Lord Rhun and his bride, and to Lord Richard and his.” He included both couples in his expansive gesture. “I bring you a cross lately worn by the renegade Alister Cullen, and am happy to report that both he and the outlawed Jebediah of Alcara are dead!”
    In the eruption of whooping and shouts of relief and pleasure that followed, Javan was just barely able to temper his own shock and horror, though it took every jot of his will and self-control to do so. Alroy’s control was not as good, and he looked appalled. Rhys Michael, who had idolized Jebediah before his resignation as earl marshal, appeared to be close to tears. The two could not be dead! It was impossible! Surely Manfred must be lying.
    But as the new earl sketched his account of the slaying, giving due credit to the fawning knight beside him, Javan very much feared that Manfred was not lying. Nor was the knight, supplying details on demand. Javan even dared, after brief consideration, to try using his growing ability to tell whether a person was telling the truth—a Deryni ability, Tavis had told him, though Alister Cullen had hinted that it was much, much more, somehow tied in with the succession and with what he and Javan’s father had done to him the night Cinhil died. Whatever its source, Javan seemed to be able to do it. Tonight, he wished he could not.
    â€œThey slew three other of my knights before they fell, and the good Sir Rondel was knocked senseless for a time,” Manfred was saying, “but he saw the bishop’s ring on Cullen’s finger. His descriptions of both men leave little doubt as to their identities.”
    â€œThen, why did he not bring back the ring?” Hubert demanded, turning suspicious eyes on Rondel. “For that matter, why did you not bring back the bodies, man?”
    Rondel, immediately all deference and obsequious charm, could only make Hubert a bow of his own, gloved right hand to his breast in abject apology.
    â€œI had planned to do that, your Grace, but it was getting dark, and I was dazed and alone, far from known friends. As I began trying to load the first body on a horse—which I had to catch first, your Grace, and the animals were crazed with the smell of blood—As I began trying to load the first body, I could see torches approaching—nearly a dozen. With night falling, not knowing exactly where I was or who they might be—well, it seemed the better part of valor to get away, to at least report what I’d seen. I couldn’t get the ring off Cullen’s hand, and there wasn’t time to cut off the finger to get it, so I settled for the cross he was wearing.” He gestured with his chin toward the item Manfred was handing to his brother. “I had to break the chain to do that.”
    Snorting, Rhun rose lazily and leaned across his bride to take the cross from Hubert, turning it impatiently in his hand.
    â€œManfred, this could be anyone’s cross. How do you know he’s telling the truth?”
    â€œWell, there’s a very quick and reliable way to find out, isn’t there?” Manfred replied, without hesitation or resentment. “Have him Truth-Read. Hubert, haven’t you got a tame Healer named Oriens, or something like that?”
    â€œIt’s Oriel,” Rhun said. The cross chimed against the wood as he tossed it onto the table in front of Alroy, who stared at it as if transfixed. “But why not try my Truth-Reader?” the regent went on smoothly. “He isn’t a Healer, but he doesn’t have to be, to Truth-Read. I campaigned him hard at Saint Neot’s. Perhaps it’s time he confirmed his worth by performing in front of an audience. My lords, what say you?” he asked, glancing casually at his fellow regents.
    Seeing no objection, he signalled a guard who snapped to attention in a side doorway.
    â€œFetch Declan Carmody. And don’t tell him what this is all about.”
    Javan