Page 170 of Forbidden

Amber heard the squire’s footsteps begin, hesitate, and then set off at a different angle, giving her a wide berth.

“No,” Duncan said. “Stand close to the witch.”

“Which one, lord?”

Duncan shot the squire a cold glance. “Amber.”

Egbert edged close enough that Amber could see his shock of reddish hair from the corner of her eye.

“Touch him,” Duncan said distinctly, looking at Amber.

A chill gathered in Amber.

“A few moments of discomfort, I believe you said?” Duncan asked in a soft voice.

Amber turned to Egbert, who was watching her with fear in his eyes.

“This won’t hurt you,” she said quietly. “Hold out your hand.”

“But Erik will hang me if I touch you!”

“Erik,” Duncan said in a dangerous voice, “is no longer lord of this keep. I am. Your hand, squire.”

Jerkily, Egbert held out his hand to Amber. She put a single fingertip against it, flinched subtly, and turned to Duncan.

The pallor of Amber’s skin angered Duncan all over again.

“Why so pale, witch?” he asked. “Egbert is but a half-grown boy. Compared to a man’s passion, it must be less than a candle flame against a roaring hearth fire.”

“Is that a question?” Amber asked.

Duncan’s mouth flattened. He switched his savage attention to the squire.

“If you remain at the keep, will you be loyal to me?” Duncan asked.

“I—I—”

“Amber?” Duncan demanded.

“No,” she said tonelessly. “He would be for-sworn. His oath has been given to Erik. Egbert may be lazy, but he values his honor.”

Duncan grunted.

“You will leave for Winterlance at dawn,”Duncan said to Egbert. “If you are seen outside your quarters before then, you will be presumed to be an enemy bent on treachery, and you will be treated as such. Go.”

Egbert all but ran from the solar.

“Bring the next one, Simon.”

Cassandra made an involuntary motion of her hand as though to intervene.

“Be still or begone,” Duncan said coldly. “The witch was Erik’s weapon once. Now she is mine.”

THEhearth fire was freshened three times before Duncan sorted through the keep’s squires, men-at-arms, and servants. The squires were all loyal to their oaths and to Erik. The men-at-arms were locally born. They were loyal to the keep rather than to any one lord. It was the same for the servants, who were drawn from the keep’s families.

When the last scrying was done, Amber slumped in a chair near the fire, too weary even to hold her cold hands out to the flames. Pale and tightly drawn, her face was a silent rebuke to the man who had used her too hard.

“May I offer my daughter refreshment?” Cassandra asked.