Medieval 02 - Forbidden

bloomed sullenly, then burst into savage flames, burning even higher than before.
    The hammer whistled and hummed in a deadly blur, driven by the mad power of Duncan’s arm. The hammer descended, a wooden table exploded, and he kicked the pieces into the fire. Then the hammer sang again, cutting circles around Duncan’s head, its moan in ghastly duet with his scream of fury. The bed frame was smashed to kindling and fed to the ravening fire.
    Dominic had seen men like this before, in the heat of battle, when the leash was slipped on all that was human and only rage remained.
    “There will be no reasoning with him,” Dominic said softly to Simon.
    “Aye.”
    “We have to take him before he turns on the people of the keep.”
    “I’ll get some rope from the armory.”
    Dominic drew his sword. “Don’t be long, brother.”
    He was talking to himself. Simon already was sprinting toward the staircase.
    Very quickly Simon reappeared with a coil of rope in his hand. Dominic was waiting in the doorway, his heavy black mantle in one hand and his sword in the other. As soon as he saw Simon, he sheathed the sword.
    “When I tangle the hammer in my mantle,” Dominic said, “get enough rope on Duncan to hold a bear.”
    Just as Dominic started forward, he sensed Meg coming up behind him. His arm shot out, barring her from the room.
    “Stay back,” Dominic said in a low voice. “Duncan is in a berserker’s rage. He doesn’t know anyone right now, least of all himself.”
    The hammer moaned and whipped through the air. Wood shattered like pottery. The chest was destroyed in a single blow and kicked into the fire. All that remained was a smaller chest and a wardrobe.
    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
    “T HE drawbridge 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.
    “I don’t want war with you.”
    “You won’t get it.”
    “In six days,” Dominic said,