Page 171 of Forbidden

Though the Learned woman’s voice was neutral, Duncan felt as though he had been slapped.

“It is within her reach,” he said curtly. “If she wishes to eat or drink, she has but to stretch out her hand.”

“She is too spent.”

“Why?” Duncan’s voice was angry. “She said it was but a few moments of discomfort.”

“There is a candle next to you,” Cassandra said. “Hold your hand on the tip of the flame.

He looked at her as though she had lost her mind.

“Do you think I’m mad?” he asked.

“I think you wouldn’t ask your knights to do anything that you wouldn’t do yourself. Am I correct?”

“Aye.”

“Excellent,” Cassandra hissed. “Then hold your hand over the candle flame, lord. The space of two breaths, no more than three.”

“No,” Amber said dully. “He didn’t know.”

“Then he will learn. Won’t you, proud lord?”

Duncan narrowed his eyes at the naked challenge in Cassandra’s voice. Without a word he stripped off one gauntlet and held his hand over the candle flame for the space of one breath.

Two breaths.

Three.

“And now?” he challenged Cassandra, drawing back from the flame.

“Do it again. Same hand. Same skin.”

“No!” Amber said, reaching for the wine. “I’m well, mentor. See? I drink and eat.”

Duncan put his hand in the flame again. Same hand. Same place on his palm.

One breath, two, three.

Then he withdrew and looked at Cassandra.

She smiled savagely. “Again.”

“Are you—” Duncan began.

“Then again,” Cassandra continued. “And then again. Thirty-two times—”

Comprehension came to Duncan in a wave of coldness. That was the exact number of people whose truth Amber had questioned by touch.

“—until your flesh smokes and burns and you want to cry out, but don’t, for it would change nothing, especially the pain.”

“Enough.”

“Why so shocked, proud lord?” Cassandra mocked softly. “As you said, the candle is only a shadow of the hearth fire. But the flame…the flame burns just as deeply in time.”

“I didn’t know,” Duncan said through his teeth.

“Then you had better learn the nature of the weapon you wield, lest you break it in your ignorance and arrogance!”