Page 197 of Forbidden

As soon as the hammer began to circle again, Dominic struck. His mantle fouled the hammer. Before Duncan could jerk it free, Dominic dove at him low and hard, sweeping Duncan off his feet. He landed with a crash that drove the breath from his body.

Even that wasn’t enough to subdue Duncan. If it hadn’t been for Simon’s quickness, Duncan would have shaken off the attack with the strength of the madness that had claimed him.

But in the end, the two brothers finally managed to truss Duncan like a fowl for the spit.

Duncan gave a last, terrible cry and strained against his bonds until his face was dark. Even his great strength wasn’t enough to throw off Dominic, Simon, and the ropes that bound him. Slowly the violent tension began to leave Duncan’s body.

Breathing heavily, Simon and Dominic wiped sweat from their faces and came warily to their feet. Duncan lay unmoving, his eyes open, staring at nothing. Dominic retrieved his mantle and spread it over Duncan’s nakedness.

“Now, Meg,” Dominic said. “He knows you best.”

“Duncan,” Meg said softly. “Duncan.”

Slowly Duncan’s head turned until he could look at her.

“Meggie?” he asked.

“Aye, Duncan. What is wrong?”

The last light of madness left Duncan’s eyes, leaving no light at all.

“Gone,” Duncan said simply.

“What?”

There was no answer.

Meg came forward and knelt by Duncan’s shoulder. Gently she stroked the hair back from his sweat-drenched forehead.

“Amber?” asked Meg. “Is she gone?”

“The light…” A shudder went through Duncan’s big body. “She took the light with her, Meggie.”

22

“THEdrawbridge is up,” Simon said to Dominic. “The gate is sealed. Amber can’t be gone.”

“Every keep has at least one bolt-hole.”

“Then she can’t have gone far,” Simon said. “She left at night in a storm.”

Cool laughter came from the hallway beyond the bedchamber. When Simon and Dominic turned, they saw Erik. He was watching Duncan with a combination of anger and pity in his eyes.

“Amber is Learned,” Erik said. “If you blink, she will be out of your sight. If you blink twice, she will be beyond your reach.”

“Set your hounds after her,” Dominic said.

Erik shrugged. “As you wish.”

“You don’t sound enthusiastic about finding your sister,” Simon said.

“She will head for sacred ground. The dogs won’t follow once she reaches a stone circle.”

Simon muttered something under his breath about witches, but didn’t argue the matter. He had learned in trailing Meg that the ancient stone rings had secrets they yielded to no outsider.

“We have to try,” Dominic said.

“Why?” Erik asked bluntly.