story identification - 3 words of power make you a powerful mage. 4 words of power make you G-D like

I read this trilogy around 1990 and would love to re-read it. From what I remember, the young boy was working in a castle and had a "knack". This was the ability to feel the ground as the area leading to the castle he was working in would flood, and he would "feel" where the land was and get whatever he had in his wagon safely back to or possibly from the castle. I believe that on his mother's deathbed, his mother told him that the "knack" was actually a magic power this boy had from a word of power his mother gave him.

In this trilogy, the fewer people who knew the word, the more power the holder of this word had. Also, there were a few "super" mages, who if I remember correctly, knew 4 words of power. This knowledge would destroy all, but a special few. Pretty much all I remember about this. I don't believe it was David Duncan.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

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