The Quest for Saint Camber (67 page)

“Someone very like you said the same thing to a friend of mine a few years ago, on a road not very far from here. Do you know Father Duncan McLain?”

Again the shrug. “I know many priests, my son.”

“And do you know of Saint Camber?” Kelson dared to ask. “Can you tell us anything of him?”

“Ah, then, you seek the great Defender?” the man countered.

“We do,” Kelson answered. “We went on a quest to find his relics this spring. We found some of his Servants, but we never found any sign of him.”

“And what sign did you think to find?” came the next query.

“Well, some—tangible evidence that this has all been real, that the contacts we've had with him haven't just happened because we wanted so badly for them to be true.” He paused a beat. “I don't know why I'm telling you all of this.”

“Perhaps because an honest seeker always knows the teacher when he finds him,” the man replied, shifting his staff to begin idly tracing designs with the tip. “Are you bold enough, young seekers, to trust a stranger-teacher who would help you with what you seek?”

The man was tracing a more intricate design now, in the wake of a wave that had come particularly high onto the sand, and Kelson felt himself beginning to slip into trance as his eyes caught and followed the pattern. It was not—quite—familiar, but he did not feel at all afraid. And Dhugal likewise was falling under the man's spell.

“Let go and follow what I would show you, young seekers,” the man's voice urged, soothing, soft. “You will come to no harm.”

It was against all logic, but Kelson sensed instinctively that he might trust the man. Withholding nothing, he let himself slip into deeper trance. After a few seconds, as the man's voice droned on, almost singsong now, in a language Kelson did not know, the wet sand seemed to take on a darker sheen, to deepen and then to clear. Suddenly Kelson seemed to be floating in another time and place.

He looked upon a great, vaulted chamber with a bier occupying the place of honor underneath the center of the dome. Upon that bier, covered by a network of scarlet silk cords, lay a body clad in robes very like those of the priestly elite at Saint Kyriell's, but of dark blue rather than grey. Like the nets Kelson and Dhugal had seen in the mountain burial chamers, this one was studded at its intersections with small
shiral
crystals, but all of these were polished very smooth and drilled to take the cord. The net seemed to delineate a shimmer of power shrouding the body, and the sense of peace surrounding it was almost palpable. A legend had been chiseled around the edge of the bier, and Kelson, in his vision, bent to read it.

Hic jacet Camber Kyriell MacRorie, Comes Culdi: carissimus pater, ministrator coronae Gwyneddi, Regum salvator, sacerdos et episcopos, defensor hominum. Natus est Anno Domini 846. Non mortuus est. Resurget
.

He was still trying to make sense of it as a wave washed over the sigil and erased it, snapping him abruptly out of his trance. He swayed a little on his feet as he dragged himself back to normal consciousness, catching his balance on Dhugal's arm and stupidly watching the wave eddy around their boots.

But the grey-clad man was gone. Nor was there any sign of how he had contrived to disappear without leaving footprints. Both Kelson and Dhugal glanced around wildly, trying to imagine how he had managed it, but then Kelson suddenly fell to his knees in the receding wave and began grubbing in the sand.

“What're you doing?” Dhugal gasped.

“I saw something—there!” Kelson pounced on it before the wave could carry it out, and scrambled a little closer to the water to rinse it. What he held aloft triumphantly between thumb and forefinger was a small, well-polished
shiral
crystal, glinting wetly in the summer sun.

“Sweet
Jesu!
” Dhugal whispered, also dropping to his knees beside the king and pulling his hand down for a closer look. “If you tell me it's got a hole drilled through it, I think I'll faint.”

“Prepare to get very wet, then, if you intend to do it right here,” Kelson said, helping Dhugal up with his free hand and glancing around again, “because it does. Dhugal, you don't suppose this is from—you
did
see what I saw, I hope? The body on the bier, with a net of these over it?”

Dhugal nodded gravely. “A net of red silk cords, with
shiral
crystals knotted where they cross—just as in the tombs. Kelson, do you suppose they
know
where he's buried?”

“Their ancestors may have known,” Kelson answered. “And I'd be willing to bet a lot that the fellow who was just here knows.”

“You don't think that
he
was Saint Camber, then?” Dhugal ventured.

“No, but I'd be very surprised if he didn't turn out to be one of Camber's servants—in the broad sense, not a member of the group at Saint Kyriell's. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he's the same chap that your father saw near here, several years ago. The point is, we may finally have tangible proof that a tomb exists—or at least that it did exist—something physical that we can hold in our hands. And—”

He stopped talking as his eyes suddenly paused at the open throat of Dhugal's shirt, where the young border lord wore, along with his recovered Saint Camber medal, a small, honey-colored nugget of
shiral
on a leather thong—once the gift of his mother to his father, on their wedding night. Dhugal's face went very still as he realized what Kelson was looking at, and his hand was trembling as he closed it around the crystal.

“Kelson, you don't suppose that my
mother
knew about any of this?”

“I dunno,” Kelson whispered. “But suddenly a few more pieces begin to fit together. Could there be more clues in Transha, do you think?”

It was a question that neither of them could answer just then, but it was one that would continue to be asked in the future, along with many others. Both young men were quiet as they rode back to Coroth a little later to tell the others, but Kelson was also more hopeful than he had been in months.

Perhaps joy might yet come out of sorrow. Perhaps the quest for Saint Camber was not ended after all, but was just beginning.

APPENDIX I

INDEX OF CHARACTERS

AGNES
de Barra, Lady—a young lady at court.

ALARIC
—see
MORGAN
.

ALEXANDER
of Rhemuth, Archbishop—bishop who ordained Duncan.

ALROY
, King—late King of Torenth, eldest son of Duke Lionel of Arjenol and Wencit's sister, the Princess Morag; killed in a fall from a horse while hunting, summer of 1123, shortly after his fourteenth birthday; succeeded by his younger brother Liam, now age ten. Many in Torenth believe the “accident” was engineered by Kelson to eliminate a rival who had come of age.

ARDRY
MacArdry—eldest son and heir of Caulay; killed 1107, age twenty, in brawl with a McLain retainer.

ARILAN
, Bishop Denis—Bishop of Dhassa, age forty-one; secretly Deryni and member of the Camberian Council.

ARMAND
, Sir—a legendary hero of the Eleven Kingdoms, subject of many ballads.

ARNOLD
, Brother—monk who guided Kelson and Dhugal to the ruins of Caerrorie.

BARRETT
de Laney—elderly Deryni; blind co-adjutor of the Camberian Council.

BELDEN
of Erne, Bishop—Bishop of Cashien, suspended for his part in the Mearan rebellion of 1123/24.

BENED
—a
cyann
or chief of the hill people at Saint Kyriell's.

BENOIT
d'Evering, Bishop—elected Auxiliary Bishop of Valoret at the Synod of Valoret in 1125.

BEVAN
de Torigny, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd; elected Bishop of Culdi at the Synod of Valoret in 1125.

BRADENE
, Archbishop—scholarly former Bishop of Grecotha, now Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of Gwynedd.

BRAN
Coris, Lord—traitor Earl of Marley and former husband of Richenda; killed by Kelson.

BRENDAN
Coris, Lord—eight-year-old Earl of Marley, son of Bran and Richenda.

BRION
Donal Cinhil Urien Haldane, King—Kelson's late father; slain at Candor Rhea by the magic of Charissa, 1120.

BRIONY
Bronwyn de Morgan, Lady—daughter of Morgan and Richenda, born January 1123.

CAITRIN
of Meara, Princess—the defeated Pretender of Meara, age sixty-two, now immured in a convent; mother of Ithel, Llewell, and Sidana.

CALDER
of Sheele, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd, with no fixed see; great-uncle of Dhugal; suspended for his part in the Mearan rebellion of 1123/24.

CAMBER
(MacRorie) of Culdi, Saint—outlawed Deryni saint of two centuries previous; patron of magic.

CARDIEL
, Archbishop Thomas—former Bishop of Dhassa, now Archbishop of Rhemuth, age forty-six.

CARTHANE
, Earl of—Gwynedd earl whose daughter elicits much interest among the young men at Kelson's court.

CAULAY
MacArdry (The Old MacArdry)—Chief of Clan MacArdry and Earl of Transha until his death in 1123; believed to be Dhugal's father until Duncan proved otherwise.

CIARD
O Ruane—Dhugal's faithful old gillie.

CONALL
Blaine Cluim Uthyr Haldane, Prince—eldest son of Prince Nigel, and Kelson's cousin, age eighteen.

CONLAN
, Bishop—Bishop of Stavenham.

CREODA
, Bishop—Bishop of Culdi after dissolution of his former See of Carbury, and a conniver in Loris' return to power; suspended for his part in the Mearan rebellion of 1123/24.

DERRY
, Sean Lord—former aide to Morgan and now his lieutenant for Corwyn, age twenty-eight; also a member of Kelson's privy council.

DHUGAL
Ardry MacArdry, Lord—foster brother to Kelson, age seventeen; Earl of Transha and Chief of Clan MacArdry; son of Duncan McLain by Maryse MacArdry; grandson of Caulay MacArdry.

DOLFIN
—Kelson's new senior squire, age fifteen.

DUNCAN
Howard McLain, Bishop—Deryni priest, cousin of Morgan, age thirty-three; Duke of Cassan and Earl of Kierney, following the deaths of his father and elder brother; Auxiliary Bishop of Rhemuth under Archbishop Cardiel; father of Dhugal MacArdry.

EIRIAN
Elspeth Sidana Haldane, Princess—infant daughter of Nigel and Meraude, born June, 1124.

ELROY
, Father—Archbishop Bradene's chamberlain.

EWAN
, Duke—Duke of Claiboume and hereditary Earl Marshal of the Gwynedd Royal Council.

GELRIC
, Brother—monk who guided Kelson and his party toward the High Grelder Pass above Saint Bearand's Abbey.

GILBERT
Desmond, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd, suspended for his part in the Mearan rebellion of 1123/24.

GORONY
, Monsignor Lawrence Edward—aide to Archbishop Loris; executed by Kelson in 1124 for treason.

HAMILTON
, Lord—seneschal of Morgan's castle at Coroth.

HELOISE
, Mother—Abbess of Saint Brigid's Abbey.

HILLARY
, Lord—commander of Morgan's castle garrison at Coroth.

HUGH
de Berry, Bishop—former secretary to Archbishop Corrigan and longtime colleague of Duncan, now one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd; elected Bishop of Ballymar by the Synod of Valoret in 1125.

ISTELYN
, Bishop Henry—former itinerant bishop and assistant to Archbishop Bradene; briefly Bishop of Meara; hanged, drawn, and quartered at order of Archbishop Loris in 1123; sainthood is being discussed at the Synod of Valoret in 1125.

ITHEL
, Prince—elder son and heir of the Pretender of Meara, executed by Kelson at age sixteen for treason.

IVO
Hepburn—Kelson's new junior squire, age twelve.

JANNIVER
, Princess—daughter of a Connaiti prince, formerly betrothed to the King of Llannedd.

JARED
McLain, Duke—Duke of Cassan and father of Kevin and Duncan McLain; captured at Rengarth and executed by Wencit of Torenth at Llyndruth Meadows, 1121.

JASS
MacArdry—a young MacArdry retainer knighted by Kelson in 1125.

JATHAM
—former squire to Kelson, knighted by him in 1125.

JEHANA
, Queen—Deryni mother of Kelson and widow of King Brion, age thirty-seven.

JENAS
, Earl of—see
ROGER
.

JILYAN
, Mother—a
ban-aba
or abbess among the hill folk of Saint Kyriell's.

JODOC
d'Armaine, Father—a candidate being considered as an itinerant bishop.

JODRELL
, Baron—one of Duncan's lieutenants in Kierney.

JOHN
—Duncan's alias as a royal courier to Arilan at Valoret.

JORIAN
de Courcy, Father—Deryni priest, close friend of Arilan, discovered to be Deryni and burned at the stake before Arilan's ordination.

JOWAN
—Conall's squire.

JUDHAEL
Michael Richard Jolyon MacDonald Quinnell, Prince of Meara—priest-nephew of Caitrin of Meara; illegally made Bishop of Ratharkin by Loris and executed for treason at age thirty-eight by Kelson.

KELRIC
Alain Morgan, Master of Coroth—infant son of Alaric and Richenda, born spring 1125.

KELSON
Cinhil Rhys Anthony Haldane, King—son of King Brion and Jehana, now eighteen; Deryni.

KEVIN
, McLaine—Duncan's deceased brother.