kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第59部分

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ome　as　he　felt　for　the　pulse　in　Dhugal's　wrist。　〃I'm　sure　he'll　be　all　right　in　a　few　minutes。　Do　you　think　the　archbishop　would　mind　if　you　raided　his　sacramental　wine　for　a　wee　dram？〃
〃Ach；　o'course　not；　Yer　Grace。　Twill　be　just　th'　thing。　Wait　ye　here。〃
As　the　old　man　shuffled　across　the　room；　fumbling　with　a　ring　of　keys　hanging　at　his　waist；　Morgan　leaned　closer　to　Dhugal's　ear。　The　boy's　breathing　was　shallow；　his　head　leaned　against　the　side　of　the　press；　eyes　closed。
〃Dhugal；　sit　still　and　don't　be　surprised　at　anything　you　see；〃　he　whispered；　touching　a　forefinger　to　his　lips　for　silence　as　the　boy　opened　his　eyes。　〃I　think　Brother　Jerome　is　going　to　take　a　little　nap。〃
Morgan　could　sense　Dhugal's　startled　question　through　the　fog　of　his　distress；　but　he　put　it　out　of　mind　as　he　crossed　to　where　Jerome　was　trying　to　match　a　key　to　the　lock　on　the　wine　cabinet。
〃I　know　I　hae　th'　key　here　somewhere；〃　Jerome　was　muttering。
〃Why　don't　you　try　that　one？〃　Morgan　said；　deftly　slipping　one　arm　around　the　stooped　shoulders　as　if　to　point　one　out；　before　he　pressed　his　other　hand　over　the　old　man's　forehead　and　eyes。
〃Never　mind；　old　friend。　Just　go　to　sleep　and　forget　all　this；〃　he　whispered。　〃That's　right。。。〃
The　old　man　was　no　challenge　at　all。　As　he　started　to　buckle　at　the　knees；　already　deep　asleep；　Morgan　shifted　control　and　steadied　him　enough　to　walk　him　carefully　back　to　the　seat　in　the　oriel　window。　Soft　snoring　followed　Morgan　as　he　returned　to　the　dazed　and　awestruck　Dhugal。
〃Don't　touch　me；〃　Dhugal　whispered；　going　rigid　as　Morgan　took　his　hand　and　pulled　him　to　his　feet。　〃Please。　What　did　you　do　to　that　old　man？　Where　are　we　going？〃
〃I　didn't　hurt　Brother　Jerome；　and　I'm　not　going　to　hurt　you；〃　Morgan　said；　only　tightening　his　grip　on　Dhugal's　wrist。　〃e　stand　here　with　me。　If　you　don't　cooperate；　it　will　only　be　more　difficult　for　both　of　us。〃
〃No。　Please！〃
Shaking　his　head　sympathetically；　for　there　was　no　time　to　explain；　Morgan　half…dragged　the　reluctant　Dhugal　to　the　center　of　the　room　where　the　floor　tiles　marked　out　a　squared　cross　just　large　enough　for　two　people　to　stand　side　by　side。　As　he　spun　Dhugal　away　from　him；　clamping　his　hands　on　the　boy's　shoulders；　Dhugal　tried　again　to　pull　away。
〃If　you　can　let　yourself　relax；　this　will　be　a　great　deal　easier；〃　Morgan　murmured；　slipping　one　arm'around　the　boy's　neck　from　behind　for　a　choke　hold　if　he　did　not　stop　struggling。　〃One　way　or　another；　I'm　going　to　take　you　through　something　called　a　Transfer　Portal。　It's　a　Deryni　way　of　getting　somewhere　in　a　hurry。〃
〃It's　…　magic？〃　Dhugal　gasped；　panic　flaring　around　him　with　an　almost　physical　resistance。
Morgan　sensed　him　drawing　breath　to　cry　out。　The　last　thing　they　needed　was　to　attract　more　attention。　Biting　back　his　annoyance；　for　it　was　hardly　Dhugal's　fault　he　was　frightened；　he　tightened　his　arm　across　the　boy's　throat　and　clapped　his　other　hand　over　the　gasping　mouth　reaching　out　with　his　mind　for　the　controls　that　would　bring　unconsciousness。　Dhugal　only　struggled　harder；　his　fear　and　his　now　wildly　pulsing　shields　making　psychic　control　all　but　impossible　unless　Morgan　wanted　to　risk　really　hurting　him。　He　nearly　had　to　wrestle　Dhugal　to　the　floor　before　he　could　feel　the　choke　hold　starting　to　take　its　toll。
〃I'm　sorry　son；〃　he　murmured；　as　he　felt　the　dark　start　to　swoop　down　on　the　boy's　mind　and　Dhugal　ceased　his　squirming。　〃But　I　told　you；　one　way　or　the　other；　you're　going。　I　don't　have　time　for　niceties。　That's　right；〃　he　finished；　as　Dhugal　slumped　in　his　arms。
He　could　feel　the　Portal　tingling　beneath　his　feet　as　he　straightened　once　again；　shifting　both　arms　to　a　firm　hold　around　Dhugal's　chest。　Drawing　a　deep　breath　and　closing　his　eyes；　he　visualized　his　destination　and　opened　his　mind　to　the　energies　binding　the　two　locations；　reaching　out　to　shift　their　balance。　Abruptly　he　was　standing　elsewhere　in　close　darkness；　Dhugal　a　dead　weight　in　his　arms。
Cautiously　he　felt　along　one　er　of　the　parment　for　the　stud　that　would　let　them　out；　conjuring　handfire　with　an　impatient　gesture　when　he　could　not　readily　locate　the　stud　by　touch　alone。　By　the　greenish　light；　he　found　the　stud　at　last　…　he　had　been　searching　the　wrong　er　initially。　When　he　pushed　it；　the　adjacent　wall　pivoted　away　from　him　with　a　soft　hush　of　still　air　stirred；　also　pushing　back　a　heavy　tapestry　that　ordinarily　concealed　the　door's　outline。
The　room　beyond　was　deserted；　softly　lit　by　daylight　filtering　through　the　amber　glass　mullions　of　the　window　to　their　right。　A　fireplace　dominated　the〃　left…hand　wall；　with　a　thick　carpet　covering　the　stone　floor　before　it。　There　Morgan　laid　the　unconscious　Dhugal；　making　a　pillow　of　his　cloak　to　cushion　the　boy's　head。　A　few　soft…spoken　words　closed　the　door　to　the　Portal　chamber　and　brought　flame　to　torches　set　in　wall　cressets。　As　an　afterthought；　as　Morgan　knelt　down　beside　the　boy；　he　quenched　the　handfire　hovering　at　his　shoulder；　no　sense　having　that　frighten　Dhugal　when　he　came　to。
And　there　was　certainly　enough　to　frighten　him　without　that。　Even　in　unconsciousness；　the　reaction　triggered　in　the　cathedral　continued　to　pulse　around　Dhugal's　tight…locked　shields。　An　added　plication　was　the　constant　ache　of　his　injuries；　only　aggravated　by　Morgan's　less　than　gentle　handling　…　but　for　that；　at　least；　Morgan　might　have　a　solution。
〃Let's　just　see　if　I　can　heal　around　those　shields；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　quickly　unlacing　the　thongs　closing　Dhugal's　tunic　front　and　the　shirt　beneath。
A　wide　bandage　bound　the　bruised　chest；　but　if　Morgan　took　the　time　to　remove　it；　Dhugal　might　regain　consciousness　before　he　was　finished。　No　matter。　He　could　work　around　it。　Laying　his　palms　on　Dhugal's　chest　above　and　below　the　turns　of　greyish　linen；　hands　rising　and　falling　with　Dhugal's　shallow　breathing；　he　slid　his　fingertips　as　far　under　the　bandage　from　either　side　as　he　could；　already　reaching　out　with　his　mind　to　read　the　damage　as　he　closed　his　eyes　and　let　out　a　long；　slow　breath。　Dhugal's　shields　were　avoidable　at　this　level　…　　perceivable　as　an　annoyance；　a　distraction；　but　they　did　not　interfere。　Without　further　hesitation；　Morgan　shifted　into　the　healing　mode　which　had　bee　more　and　more　second　nature　in　the　past　three　years；　letting　his　senses　extend　through　his　hands　and　into　Dhugal's　body。
The　damage　was　not　great。　This　healing　would　require　very　little　drain　of　him；　for　life　energy　was　not　threatened。　Smoothly；　Morgan　set　the　healing　process　in　motion；　mending　torn　cartilage　and　muscle；　knitting　bone；　sending　rich；　life…bearing　blood　to　melt　away　the　bruising；　not　only　in　Dhugal's　chest　but　in　all　parts　of　his　body。　He　felt　it　in　himself　as　a　tingling　and　a　resonance　which　reached　to　the　furthest　ers　of　his　being；　evoking　such　a　surge　of　Joy　that　the　pleasure　was　almost　pain。　With　that　came　the　fleeting　but　familiar　impression　of　unseen　hands　superimposed　on　his　own　…　the　Camber　touch；　as　he　had　e　to　think　of　it。
Then　the　flow　was　slacking　and　he　was　opening　his　eyes；　a　little　light…headed　until　he　remembered　to　take　a　few　deep　breaths；　he　sometimes　forgot　to　breathe　as　much　as　he　should；　when　in　his　healing　trance。　He　blinked　and　settled　back　into　normal　consciousness；　heaving　another　deep　sigh；　then　began　slowly　undoing　the　bandages　which　still　bound　Dhugal's　chest。　As　he　gently　eased　his　patient　to　a　half…sitting　position　against　his　knee；　to　unwind　from　behind；　Dhugal's　eyelids　fluttered　and　he　groaned。
〃Just　take　it　easy；　my　young　friend；〃　Morgan　murmured；　bracing　the　boy　with　one　arm　while　he　continued　to　unwind　the　bandage。　〃You'll　be　fine　in　a　few　seconds。　I'm　sorry　I　had　to　take　you　out　the　way　I　did；　but　it　was　either　that　or　hit　you。　It　seemed　to　me　you'd　had　enough　of　hitting　lately。　And　it　was　obvious　I　wasn't　going　to　be　able　to　use　the　approach　I　used　on　Brother　Jerome。〃
〃On　Brother　Jerome　…　〃　Dhugal　repeated　groggily。　〃What　did　you　…　what're　you　doing？〃
〃Taking　off　your　bandages。〃
〃But　…　〃
〃Well；　you　don't　need　them　anymore；〃　Morgan　replied；　pulling　the　last　turn　free　of　Dhugal's　shirt　and　sitting　back　on　his　heels　to　begin　winding　the　linen　into　a　roll　as　he　saw　that　Dhugal　was　capable　of　sitting　on　his　own。
Dhugal