Unfortunately for Linhardt, the 'most important person in the room' category was standing right next to him. But Kelson was used to walking a thin line, knowing his own abilities made him stand out. He was caught between touting them as Divine Right and being the most benevolent Deryni ever. He had been told time and time again he had to be Perfect. If he wasn't he was dead. He could have an unfortunate accident at any time.

So Kelson didn't say what he might have said. That if he or perhaps anyone in Thorne wanted to, he could make Linhardt fight. It wasn't that difficult. Well placed hostages, idle or not so idle threats of harm. A simple magical brainwashing. It wasn't that hard to influence someone, or break them, magical or not, if you knew what you were doing. Or do away with someone who wasn't cooperative. Poison, a fall down the stairs, a fall from a horse. It wasn't hard. He thought back briefly to how easy it had been to stop someone's heart with a thought. Too easy.

So, he didn't say any of those things. Instead he said "Have you thought about the fact that the fighting might place you directly in harms way? May bloom into Castle Thorne, or Nocwich?" It was quite easy to get stabbed in the back while you were shopping for trinkets, or sleeping.