“Do ye really think Lord Alaric has enslaved the young master like they say? ’Tis bad enough he must murder the king’s own men, but when he threatens the life o’ the king himself, that’s another matter entirely.”

“Both deeds are from the same wickedness!” Edgar retorted, stalking around the room like a caged animal. “He cannae—”

“Hsst!” Lawrence said suddenly, holding up his left hand for silence. “I think I hear somethin’.”

“Harold, over there,” Edgar ordered, motioning the third man to the left of the fireplace.

From behind the wall beside the fireplace, the three men could hear faint scraping sounds, as though of cautious footsteps. Immediately, they doused their light and stood back in the shadows, weapons at the ready.

As they watched, a portion of the wall sighed and indented slightly, then slid back. From the opening, dim candlelight poured into the room, revealing Morgan carrying the unconscious prince, with the priest Duncan McLain behind him. Even as the two stepped through the doorway, they were aware of the fire burning brightly, sensed the presence of others in the shadows.

“Ye demon!” Edgar’s voice hissed from the darkness. “What hae ye done to His Highness?”

The three men stepped into the circle of candlelight and glared defiance at Morgan and Duncan, weapons menacing, their faces dark, masked beneath steel helmets and dark, hooded cloaks.

“Have ye nothing to say, ye monster?” Edgar continued furiously. “Stand an’ defend yerself!”

CHAPTER NINE - “Whence comes the wonder, whence the miracle?”

CHAPTER NINE

“Whence comes the wonder, whence the miracle?”

THE words of the intruder launched the two men into action. Duncan dashed his candle to the floor to douse the light, then tossed Morgan’s sword to him. Morgan had already eased the unconscious Kelson to the floor at his feet, and he slung the scabbard from his blade with a quick whip of his wrist. At his side, Duncan drew Kelson’s sword and prepared to fight.

Immediately, the junior of the three attackers engaged Duncan in combat, pressing him back into a corner. The remaining two attacked Morgan in unison with rapier and two-handed broadsword, their blows ringing against Morgan’s blade like hammer blows in a forge.

After the initial clash, Morgan proceeded to parry each attack of his two opponents easily, methodically, less concerned for the present with actually defeating them than with keeping himself always between them and the motionless form of Kelson behind him. The slender stiletto had again appeared in his left hand, and he was using it to good advantage to deflect an occasional blow from the rapier. But it was, of course, completely ineffectual against the blows of the broadsword that continued to rain down on him.