The King’s Justice

  ANNALIND, Princess—twin sister of Roisian of Meara. After Roisian’s marriage to King Malcolm Haldane in 1025, Annalind’s adherents maintained that she, not Roisian, was the firstborn of the two sisters and, therefore, rightful heiress to the Coronet of Meara. Her descendants are Pretenders of Meara. Caitrin Quinnell is the current claimant.

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

  ARILAN, Bishop Denis—formerly Auxiliary Bishop of Rhemuth, now Bishop of Dhassa; secretly Deryni and member of the Camberian Council.

  AZIM, Lord—Rothana’s uncle, and Richenda’s former teacher; high-ranking Deryni adept and precentor of the Knights of the Anvil, at Djellarda, successors of the Michaelines.

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

  BELDEN of Erne, Bishop—Bishop of Cashien.

  BRADENE, Bishop—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—seven-year-old Earl of Marley, son of Bran and Richenda.

  BRICE, Lord—Baron of Trurill.

  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—infant daughter of Morgan and Richenda, born January 1123.

  CAITRIN Quinnell, Princess—the Pretender of Meara, age sixty-one.

  CALDER of Sheele, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd, with no fixed see; great-uncle of Dhugal.

  CAMBER 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-four.

  CAULAY MacArdry—late Chief of the MacArdrys; Dhugal’s maternal grandfather.

  CIARD O Ruane—Dhugal’s old gillie.

  CONALL, Prince—eldest son of Prince Nigel, and Kelson’s cousin, age sixteen.

  CONSTANCE, Sister—nun at St. Brigid’s, killed in attack by Ithel’s men.

  CORAM, Stefan—Deryni; deceased former co-adjutor of the Camberian Council.

  CORMAC Hamberlyn—border chieftain and brigand who defected to Caitrin’s service; all but outlawed in Brion’s day.

  CREODA, Bishop—Bishop of Culdi after dissolution of his former See of Carbury, and a conniver in Loris’ return to power.

  DELRAE, Sir—captain of Jehana’s Bremagni honor guard.

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

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

  EWAN, Duke—Duke of Claibourne and hereditary Lord Marshal of the Gwynedd Royal Council.

  GILBERT Desmond, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd.

  GLODDRUTH, General—aide to Kelson, formerly in service of Duke Jared McLain.

  GODWIN, General—one of Kelson’s generals.

  GORONY, Monsignor Lawrence Edward—aide to Archbishop Loris.

  GRIGOR of Dunlea—a neighbor baron of Brice of Trurill, gone over to Caitrin.

  HAKIM—Emir Nur Hallaj, Rothana’s father.

  HELOISE, Mother—Abbess of St. Brigid’s Abbey.

  HOAG—a Haldane lancer.

  HUGH de Berry, Bishop—former secretary to Archbishop Corrigan and longtime colleague of Duncan, now one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd.

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

  ITHEL, Prince—elder son and heir of the Pretender of Meara, age sixteen.

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

  JASS MacArdry—a MacArdry retainer.

  JATHAM—squire to Kelson.

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

  JEMET—a Haldane scout.

  JENAS, Earl of—see ROGER.

  JODRELL, Lord—a young baron in Kelson’s entourage, holding lands in Kierney.

  JOLYON, Prince—last sovereign Prince of Meara, father of the twin princesses Roisian and Annalind and a younger daughter.

  JOWAN—Conall’s squire.

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

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

  KIRKON—a R’Kassan scout in Kelson’s service.

  KYRI, Lady—Deryni, around thirty, known as “Kyri of the Flame”; member of the Camberian Council.

  LACHLAN de Quarles, Bishop—newly appointed Bishop of Ballymar, in Cassan.

  LAEL, Father—Archbishop Cardiel’s chaplain and battle-surgeon.

  LAMBERT MacArdry—one of Dhugal’s retainers.

  LARAN ap Pardyce, Lord—Deryni physician, sixteenth Baron Pardyce, about fifty-eight; member of the Camberian Council.

  LAUGHLIN, Father—a priest with Kelson’s army.

  LEWYS ap Norfal—an infamous Deryni who rejected the authority of the Camberian Council.

  LIAM, King—middle son of Duke Lionel and Princess Morag, age nine; King of Torenth since the death of his elder brother, summer of 1123; Deryni.

  LLEWELL, Prince—younger son of the Pretender of Meara, age fifteen; executed for the murder of his sister Sidana.

  LIONEL, Duke—Duke of Arjenol and father of Wencit’s nephews and heirs; killed by Kelson at Llyndruth Meadows, 1121; succeeded by his brother Mahael.

  LORIS, Bishop Edmund Alfred—fanatically anti-Deryni former Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of Gwynedd; stripped of his offices and sent into forced seclusion at Saint Iveagh’s Abbey by his fellow bishops in 1121, but escaped; an ally of Caitrin of Meara.

  LUDOLPHUS—Azim’s peddler alias.

  MACARDRY—see ARDRY, CAULAY, DHUGAL, MARYSE, SICARD.

  MACARDRY, The Old—Caulay MacArdry, Chief of Clan MacArdry and Earl of Transha before Dhugal; believed to be Dhugal’s father until Duncan proved otherwise.

  MAHAEL, Duke—younger brother of the slain Lionel, and his ducal heir; regent, with Princess Morag, of the young King Liam.

  MALCOLM Haldane, King—great-grandfather of Kelson who married Roisian, the eldest daughter of the last Mearan Prince, intending by that union to join the Mearan Coronet permanently and peacefully to Gwynedd; died 1074.

  MARYSE MacArdry—eldest daughter of Caulay MacArdry; died 1108, age seventeen; wife of Duncan and mother of Dhugal.

  MATTHIAS MacArdry—one of Dhugal’s retainers.

  MCLAIN—See DUNCAN.

  MERAUDE, Duchess—Nigel’s wife, and mother of Conall, Rory, and Payne.

  MIR de Kierney, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd.

  MORAG, Princess—Deryni sister of Wencit of Torenth and widow of Lionel; mother of the current king, Liam, and Prince Ronal.

  MORGAN, Alaric Anthony—Deryni Duke of Corwyn and King’s Champion, age thirty-two; cousin of Duncan McLain and husband of Richenda.

  NIGEL Cluim Gwydion Rhys Haldane, Prince—Duke of Carthmoor and Brion’s younger brother, age thirty-six; Kelson’s uncle and Heir Presumptive.

  PAYNE, Prince—Nigel’s youngest son, age eight; royal page.

  QUINNELL—family name of Caitrin, the Pretender of Meara.

  RAIF—a Forcinn scout in Kelson’s service (and Sofiana’s); Deryni.

  RAMSAY of Cloome—a cadet branch of the Mearan royal line.

  RANDOLPH of Fairhaven—one of Ithel’s officers. r />
  RAYMER de Valence, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd.

  RECHOL—a blade merchant.

  REMIE, General—one of Kelson’s generals.

  RHYDON, Lord—Deryni; a former Baron of Eastmarch, member of the Camberian Council, and ally of Wencit; deceased.

  RICHENDA, Duchess—widow of Bran Coris, Earl of Marley, and mother of the current earl, their son Brendan; now wife of Morgan and mother of his daughter Briony; Deryni; age twenty-four.

  ROGER, Earl of Jenas—one of Kelson’s retainers.

  ROISIAN of Meara—eldest daughter of Jolyon, the last sovereign Prince of Meara, and queen to King Malcolm Haldane; died 1055; firstborn twin sister to Princess Annalind of Meara.

  ROLF MacPherson—Deryni Lord of the tenth century who rebelled against the authority of the Camberian Council.

  RONAL, Prince—Deryni younger brother of the current King of Torenth, age five.

  RORY, Prince—middle son of Prince Nigel, age thirteen.

  ROCAIL—Grand Master of the Knights of the Anvil at Djellarda.

  ROTHANA, Lady—novice nun at St. Brigid’s; Deryni; daughter of Emir Nur Hallaj and related to Richenda by marriage.

  SAER de Traherne—see TRAHERNE.

  SICARD MacArdry, Lord—younger brother of Caulay, Dhugal’s uncle, and husband to Caitrin, the Pretender of Meara.

  SIDANA, Princess—daughter of Caitrin and Sicard, age fourteen; briefly, wife of Kelson; killed on her wedding day by her brother Llewell.

  SIWARD, Bishop—former itinerant bishop, now in charge of the new See of Cardosa.

  SOFIANA—Deryni; sovereign Princess of Andelon, and Richenda’s aunt; member of the Camberian Council.

  SULIEN—a R’Kassan Adept.

  TEGAN O Daire—a border chieftain and brigand won over to Caitrin’s support; all but outlawed in Brion’s day.

  THORNE Hagen—Deryni, in his early fifties; former member of the Camberian Council.

  TIBALD MacErskine—a border chieftain and brigand won over to Caitrin; all but outlawed in Brion’s day.

  TIERCEL de Claron—Deryni, in his mid-twenties; youngest member of the Camberian Council.

  TOLLIVER, Bishop Ralf—Bishop of Coroth, age fifty-two.

  TRAHERNE, Saer de—Earl of Rhenndall and brother of Meraude, Nigel’s duchess.

  VIVIENNE, Lady—Deryni; elderly co-adjutor of the Camberian Council.

  WARIN de Grey—self-appointed messiah who formerly believed himself divinely designated to destroy all Deryni; has healing power that does not seem to come from Deryni sources.

  WENCIT of Torenth, King—Deryni sorcerer-King of Torenth and scion of the Festillic claim to the Gwynedd throne; slain by Kelson at Llyndruth Meadows in 1121.

  WILLIAM du Chantal—a neighbor baron of Brice of Trurill; gone over to Caitrin.

  Appendix II

  THE KING’S JUSTICE

  Index of Place Names

  ABBEYFORD—site of a wool market.

  ARJENOL—duchy east of Torenth; held, since the death of Lionel, by his brother Mahael.

  BALLYMAR—newly created coastal see in northern Cassan, seat of Bishop Lachlan de Quarles.

  CANDOR RHEA—field outside Rhemuth where King Brion was slain; also site of a sacred well.

  CARBURY—north of Valoret, the former episcopal see of Bishop Creoda, now transferred to Culdi.

  CARTHMOOR—duchy of Prince Nigel, bordering Corwyn and the Royal Honor of Haldane.

  CASHIEN—newly created see on the Gwynedd-Connait border, seat of Bishop Belden of Erne.

  CASSAN—duchy of Duncan McLain since the death of his father, encompassing the Earldom of Kierney and bordering the Mearan Protectorate.

  CORWYN—duchy of Alaric Morgan.

  CÙILTEINE—marcher holding south of Droghera.

  CULDI—site of the synod to elect a new Bishop of Meara, and see of Bishop Creoda, now Bishop of Culdi.

  DANOC—a Gwynedd earldom.

  DHASSA—free holy city and seat of the Bishop of Dhassa, now Bishop Denis Arilan; known for its woodcraft and the shrines of its patron saints, Torin and Ethelburga, that guard its approaches south and north.

  DORNA—plain where Duncan finally found Sicard’s army.

  DROGHERA—marcher holding on the Meara-Gwynedd border, south of Culdi.

  EASTMARCH—former earldom of Ian Howell; ceded to the Crown on his death and subsequently given to Burchard de Varian to reward his loyalty in the Torenth War.

  ELEVEN KINGDOMS—ancient name for the entire area including and surrounding Gwynedd.

  FIANNA—wine-growing county across the Southern Sea.

  FORCINN BUFFER STATES—group of independent principalities south of Torenth.

  GRECOTHA—university city, former site of the Varnarite School; seat of Bishop Wolfram de Blanet.

  GWYNEDD—central and largest of the Eleven Kingdoms, held by the Haldanes of Gwynedd since 645.

  HALDANE—crown duchy comprising the central portion of Gwynedd and traditionally held directly by the king.

  JENAS—a Gwynedd earldom.

  KHELDISH RIDING—northeastern portion of the old Kingdom of Kheldour, held directly by the King of Gwynedd; famous for its weavers.

  KIERNEY—earldom and secondary holding of the Dukes of Cassan, now held by Duncan McLain.

  LAAS—ancient capital of independent Meara and periodic center of separatist uprisings in Meara.

  LLYNDRUTH MEADOWS—grasslands at the foot of the Cardosa Defile; site of the final confrontation between Kelson and Wencit of Torenth.

  MARBURY—seat of Ifor, Bishop of Marbury, in Marley.

  MARLEY—former earldom of Bran Coris, now held by his son Brendan, under the regency of Richenda and Morgan.

  MEARA—formerly a sovereign principality, now a possession of the Crown of Gwynedd, west of Gwynedd.

  PURPLE MARCH, The—meadowlands north of Rhemuth; one of the Lordships of the Crown of Gwynedd.

  RAMOS—site of the infamous Council of 917, which ruled stringent measures forbidding Deryni to enter the priesthood, hold office, own property, etc.

  RATHARKIN—new capital of Meara after the union of Meara and Gwynedd in 1025, and seat of the Bishop of Meara.

  RHEMUTH—capital city of Gwynedd, called “the beautiful.”

  RHENNDALL—mountainous earldom in the southern portion of old Kheldour, famous for the blueness of is lakes; held by Saer de Traherne, brother of Duchess Meraude.

  R’KASSI—desert kingdom south and east of the Hort of Orsal, famous for its blooded horses.

  SAINT GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL—seat of the Archbishop of Rhemuth, now Thomas Cardiel.

  SAINT GILES’ ABBEY—convent in the lake region of Shannis Meer, near the Eastmarch border, where Jehana went into retreat before Kelson’s birth and after his coronation.

  SAINT HILARY’S BASILICA—ancient royal basilica within the walls of Rhemuth Castle, of which Duncan is rector.

  SAINT URIEL AND ALL ANGELS’ CATHEDRAL—seat of the Bishop of Meara, in Ratharkin.

  SHANNIS MEER—lake region site of the Abbey of Saint Giles, where Jehana went into retreat before Kelson’s birth and after his coronation.

  TALACARA—town where Ithel of Meara was captured by Kelson.

  TOLAN—duchy in Torenth, formerly held by Charissa.

  TORENTH—major kingdom east of Gwynedd, now ruled by regents for the boy King Liam, nephew of the late King Wencit.

  TRANSHA—seat of Dhugal MacArdry, Earl of Transha, in the border marches between Kierney and the Purple March.

  TRURILL—ancient border barony between Gwynedd and Meara, west of Culdi; held by Brice of Trurill.

  VALORET—old capital of Gwynedd during the Interregnum, and seat of the Archbishop of Valoret (and Primate of Gwynedd), Bradene.

  About the Author

  Katherine Kurtz was born in Coral Gables, Florida, during a hurricane. She received a four-year science scholarship to the University of Miami and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry
. Medical school followed, but after a year she decided she would rather write about medicine than practice it. A vivid dream inspired Kurtz’s Deryni novels, and she sold the first three books in the series on her first submission attempt. She soon defined and established her own sub-genre of “historical fantasy” set in close parallels to our own medieval period featuring “magic” that much resembles extrasensory perception.

  While working on the Deryni series, Kurtz further utilized her historical training to develop another sub-genre she calls “crypto-history,” in which the “history behind the history” intertwines with the “official” histories of such diverse periods as the Battle of Britain (Lammas Night), the American War for Independence (Two Crowns for America), contemporary Scotland (The Adept Series, with coauthor Deborah Turner Harris), and the Knights Templar (also with Harris).

  In 1983, Kurtz married the dashing Scott MacMillan; they have a son, Cameron. Until 2007, they made their home in Ireland, in Holybrooke Hall, a mildly haunted gothic revival house, They have recently returned to the United States and taken up residence in a historic house in Virginia, with their five Irish cats and one silly dog. (The ghosts of Holybrooke appear to have remained behind.)

  All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 1985 by Katherine Kurtz

  Map by Shelly Shapiro

  Cover design by Michel Vrana

  ISBN: 978-1-5040-3123-3

  This edition published in 2016 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

  345 Hudson Street

  New York, NY 10014

  www.openroadmedia.com