Page 205 of Forbidden

“Aye,” Duncan said.

“Hold it just above the tips of the flames. Think of Amber as the haze clears. Then tell me what you see.”

Frowning, trying to see past the vicious pain that still burned in his palms, Duncan dangled the pendant just above the flames. As the fog cleared, he saw…

“Nothing,” Duncan said.

“Again,” Erik said.

Grimacing against the agony of holding the pendant against his skin once more, Duncan cupped the amber in his hands.

“Ignore the pain,” Erik said curtly. “She did. Think of the woman who gave you her heart and her body and her soul.”

The amber in Duncan’s hands burned so fiercely he expected it to burst into fire.

“Did you give her nothing in return but your body?” Erik continued relentlessly. “Did nothing of you leave with her? Let go of your tightly held spirit. Let it seek her and make both of you whole.”

Erik’s words echoed in Duncan’s head, drowning out the cries of his body. Raggedly he exhaled, giving the breath of his life to the amber he held cupped in his hands.

“Again,” Erik commanded. “Think of Amber. You must want her beyond all else. Do you understand?You must want her more than you want life itself.”

Again Duncan breathed tenderly over the amber, infusing its coldly burning surface with his own warmth.

“To the fire,” Erik said. “Quickly! As the haze clears you will see Amber.”

Duncan let the gem slip on its chain until it was just within reach of the flames. He stared deeply into the pendant, to the place where shadows shifted and turned. He searched each shade of darkness for Amber, staring at the pendant until nothing was real but the darkness and the elusive fragments of gold…

The keening, questioning cry of an eagle piercing the air.

Mist clearing and re-forming, a dizzying view of hills and ridges, cliff-clinging trees and a glen falling away to an invisible sea.

Over all, enfolding all, the thousand whisperings of wind through an autumn marsh.

She is there, in the heart of silence, surrounded by whisperings she cannot hear.

“…hear me?” Erik demanded, shaking him harshly. “Duncan!”

Slowly Duncan lifted his head, breaking the amber enchantment. Sweat stood on his face. His hands were shaking.

“God’s blood,” Erik said roughly. “I thought we had lost you.”

Duncan drew a deep breath. “Amber.”

“Did you see her?”

“Nay.”

Disappointment flattened Erik’s mouth. “Rest. We’ll try again later.”

“I know where she is,” Duncan said as though Erik hadn’t spoken.

“Where?” Erik and Cassandra demanded simultaneously.

“Ghost Glen.”

Erik looked at Cassandra. The Learned woman shrugged.

“We can but try,” she said.