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With a ferocious yank, Roker pulled her free and slammed the heavy door shut.

William tried to break the door down but to no avail.

It took time to get a timber and ram it open.

Rolf heard a scream and followed the sound, but he did not know the lay of the castle.

The high-pitched whinny of a horse caught his attention.

He ran to a window and saw a chestnut destrier with two riders galloping down the hill.

“I’ll get the horses,” yelled William. Meet me at the bottom.”

“There’s no time.” He heard his friend calling for him as he rose high into the air and circled around.

He followed Roker, waiting for the horse to tire.

When it began to slow, Rolf landed and shifted into a wolf.

He felt the speed and power in his muscles as all four feet hit the ground and he caught Melissa’s scent.

When he had them in sight, he slowed just enough to stay directly behind.

If the horse saw a wolf in his side vision, it might bolt or shy.

He didn’t want the horse to stumble. If Melissa were caught underneath, it could kill her and his child.

He waited for Roker to look in one direction and he made his leap from the other.

He pushed into Melissa, sending both riders to the ground.

Rolf smiled in satisfaction as Roker broke her fall.

With teeth bared, he pulled at the duke’s shoulder to get him away from Melissa.

She looked into his eyes and scrambled backward, away from her captor.

But Rolf should have kept his eyes on the enemy.

A knife sank into his shoulder. He gathered his strength and attacked again, knocking Roker back to the ground.

The man wrestled and rolled, trying to escape the teeth that gripped his neck.

His hand went out, blindly feeling for something.

Rolf saw the wicked grin that crossed his face as he smashed a stone into his wolf’s head.

Rolf cried out as he went down. Warm blood seeped into his eye, and he lay on the knife now imbedded in his shoulder.

But the duke was not finished. He pulled the blade from Rolf’s shoulder.

On his knees, swaying slightly and breathing hard, he raised the knife high.

His glazed eyes were cold and empty as he laughed. “I’ll see you in hell, wizard.”

Rolf closed his eyes, praying to his god, praying to Merlin’s gods that Melissa survived. He heard the soft chink of chain mail as the knife blade came down.

Roker let out a roar as he drew back, blood dripping from his blade.

“NO!” Melissa cried, and Rolf felt a weight cover his body.

Roker lowered his arm again—and then toppled over.

William stood above them, his sword coming down in a powerful arc.

The gurgle of a man life blood draining from his throat sounded like sweet music to Rolf.

William lifted the weight off him, his weapon still in one hand. As he came back to form, Rolf realized the weight on him had been Melissa. She lay on the ground, blood spreading across her breast. So red. So red next to her pale blonde hair. He sank to his knees and cradled her in his arms.

“Merlin! Merlin! You promised she would be safe.” Rolf smoothed back her hair and stroked her cheek. He kissed her gently on the mouth then buried his face in her neck. Holding her lifeless body tightly against his chest, he rocked back and forth. “Melissa, Melissa, come back to me.”

William stood beside him. “Arbrec, do you feel that rumble?”

The ground began to tremble beneath them.

A clash of thunder rolled across the sky and lightning lit the night.

The wind rose and turned into a great gale.

Rolf held onto his wife, barely able to keep his balance against the force.

Another great crack, as if the earth were ripping in two, reverberated across the open field.

This time when lightning lit up the sky, they saw him.

Merlin, in his dark wizard’s robe, stood before them. His hands were raised to the heavens, his long white beard whipping in the fierce wind. Yet the slight old man held firm and never wavered. As his arms lowered, the wind died down, the rumbling eased, and thunder ceased.

“I am free.” He walked to them, his long robe of crescent moons and stars flowed behind him.

“You are too late. She is dead.” Rolf hated him. “Was this the bargain all along? Did you know she would die so you could live?”

“Nay, Rolf.” He placed a hand on his shoulder and another on Melissa’s chest. “After all this time, do you still think I could be such a monster?”

“Give her back to me or send me to be with her.”

Merlin shook his head. “I told you she would be safe as long as she wore the amulet.” His aged fingers gently felt the blood-stained tunic and found the stone.

He pulled back the collar and pulled it out.

As it pulsed with deep and light purples, swirling in a frenzy of color, Merlin rubbed the stone gently and a shimmering cloud seeped from it.

Melissa stirred. Her lids fluttered open. “Rolf?”

Merlin let out a cackle and slapped Rolf’s good shoulder. “We did it, boy. We did it.”