Medieval 02 - Forbidden

of?” Erik asked Duncan.
    “I don’t remember.”
    “The Scots and Saxons are said to have a few such women,” Amber said quickly.
    The knife spun with lazy grace before Erik plucked it out of the air with a speed that made Duncan blink.
    “Simon,” Duncan said before thinking.
    “What?” asked Erik.
    “I believe you are as quick as Simon.”
    Erik’s golden eyes became hooded. He slid the dagger into its sheath with careless skill.
    “That won’t be put to the test,” he said softly. “Simon has left us.”
    “But why?” asked Duncan, surprised.
    “Simon told Alfred that he felt he must resume his quest. He left immediately.”
    Absently Duncan rubbed his body, remembering Simon’s blow.
    “Despite my aching ribs,” he said, “I liked the man.”
    “Aye,” agreed Erik. “It was almost as though you knew one another.”
    A chill went over Amber that had nothing to do with the drafts in the room.
    “He looked familiar to me,” Duncan admitted.
    “Is he?”
    “If he is, I have no memory of it.”
    “Amber.”
    Though Erik said no more, Amber knew what he wanted. She laid her fingers on Duncan’s wrist.
    “Was Simon known to you?” Erik asked Duncan.
    Angrily, Duncan looked from Amber’s hand to Erik.
    “You question my word?” Duncan asked savagely.
    “I question your memory ,” Erik answered. “An understandable precaution, surely?”
    Duncan let out a long, hissing breath. “Aye. That is understandable.”
    “And?” Erik prompted gently.
    Amber winced. She knew Erik was at his most dangerous when he appeared most gentle.
    “When I first saw Simon,” Duncan said, “I sensed danger like the shadow of a hawk.”
    Swiftly Amber drew in her breath.
    “In my mind I heard voices chanting and saw candles,” Duncan continued.
    “Church?” Erik asked.
    But it was Amber he asked, not Duncan.
    “Yes,” she said. “It has the feel of church.”
    “What else do you sense?” Erik asked curiously.
    “Duncan’s memories stir, but not strongly enough to win free of the shades of darkness.”
    “Interesting. What else?”
    Amber glanced sideways at Duncan. He was watching her with an expression of growing disbelief.
    “Think of the church, dark warrior,” she said.
    The taut line of Duncan’s mouth was his only answer. Amber took in a ragged breath.
    “I gather that whatever happened in the church was a special occasion rather than an ordinary mass,” she said faintly.
    “Funeral? Wedding? Baptism?” Erik prodded.
    Amber simply shook her head. “He doesn’t know.”
    Duncan gave Amber a long look.
    Subtle tension overtook her, drawing her mouth into a taut line.
    “What is it?” Erik asked.
    “Duncan resents me,” Amber said.
    “Quite understandable,” Erik said in a dry voice. “I don’t hold it against him.”
    “But he holds it against me. It is like grasping nettles,” Amber whispered. “May I release him?”
    “Soon. Until then,” Erik said, switching his glance to Duncan, “you might consider that Amber is your best hope of piercing the darkness of your past.”
    “How so?” Duncan asked coldly.
    “I should think it would be obvious,” Erik retorted. “Apparently she can sense things in your thoughts that you miss.”
    “Is that true?” Duncan asked Amber.
    “With you, yes. With others, never.”
    Duncan looked down at Amber. The unhappiness in her expression told him that she disliked the process of questioning him through touch as much as he did.
    “Why am I different?” he asked. “Because I have no memory?”
    “I don’t know. I know only that we’re joined in ways I don’t understand.”
    For a long moment Duncan simply looked at Amber. Then his breath sighed out. He picked up her fingers and gave them a kiss. Holding her hand between his own, he began speaking softly.
    “When I first saw Simon, I sensed danger, voices chanting, candles,” Duncan said. “Then I remembered the feel of a cold knife blade between my thighs.”
    Amber made a shocked sound.
    “Not a comfortable memory,” Erik said, smiling thinly.
    “Aye.”
    Duncan’s voice was as sardonic as Erik’s smile.
    “Go on,” said Erik.
    “There’s little more to it,” Duncan said, shrugging. “I remember a man watching me with eyes as dark as midnight in hell.”
    “Simon,” Erik said.
    “At first I thought so. But now…” Duncan sighed.
    “Amber?” Erik asked.
    “Why did you decide it wasn’t Simon?” she asked Duncan.
    “Because he didn’t