Page 195 of Forbidden

“Did it help my quest for peace?”

Erik hesitated. Then he shrugged. The peregrine shifted restlessly on his wrist, making silver bells on her jesses ring.

“Something has changed,” Erik said. “I can sense it. But I don’t know what.”

“Permit me to educate you,” Cassandra said from behind Erik.

The quality of the Learned woman’s voice brought a hush to the room.

Erik stepped aside, allowing Cassandra room to pass. He saw that her normally braided and concealed hair was loose, a seething silver glory rippling freely over her scarlet cloak. Ancient silver rune stones glittered in her hands.

The peregrine flared her wings again and gave a keening cry.

“You have just come from casting silver runes,” Erik said, his voice toneless.

There was no answer. None was needed. The hammered silver markers in the Learned woman’s hands spoke for themselves.

“What did you learn?” Erik asked.

“More than I wished. Less than I hoped.”

Cassandra walked until she stood in front of Dominic and Meg.

“Witch of Glendruid,” Cassandra said formally, “do you dream?”

A single glance at Cassandra’s silver eyes brought Meg to her feet.

“Yes,” Meg said. “I dream.”

“Will you share your dreams?”

“A scream the color of amber. A darkness being torn apart like tough cloth, one fiber at a time.”

Cassandra bowed her head for a moment. “Thank you.”

“For what? There is neither comfort nor answer in my dream.”

“It was confirmation I sought, not comfort.”

Meg gave the older woman a curious look.

“When my emotions are involved,” Cassandra said calmly, “I have to be wary of casting the silver stones. Sometimes I see what I wish rather than what is.”

“What did you see?” Meg asked. “Will you share it?”

“The amber prophecy is complete. She has given her heart and her body and her soul to Duncan.”

“You didn’t need to cast the silver stones to see that was coming,” Erik said.

Cassandra nodded agreement.

“Then why did you cast them?” Erik asked. “They are not to be used lightly.”

“Aye.”

Silently Cassandra looked from Erik to Dominic. Then she looked at no one at all.

“Erik, son of Robert,” she said. “Dominic, Wolf of Glendruid. If you go to war now, it is because you wish to. Amber is no longer your excuse. She has—”