Claudia was very still, and for once her expression revealed a hint of unease.
Hartley snapped his fingers, and Tod materialized at his shoulder. Claudia stared at the hob with horrified fascination.
“My lord?” Tod said, staring wide-eyed at the mortal company. “Tod has watched the boy. He is not hurt. The cold hunter is clever and hates all Fane, but not my lord’s son.”
“You have done well. Have you heard this woman’s oath?”
The little man became a streak of light and appeared over Claudia’s head. “Tod heard, my lord.”
“Soon I will be your lord no longer. I have but one task left for you. When I am gone, you will remain to see that Lady Eden and my son leave Hartsmere in safety, using every means necessary to shield them from any who would follow. You will serve the lady and the boy for five mortal years and protect them with your life. Then you are free of all binding forever.”
“Free? Home?”
“Home.”
Instead of rejoicing, the hob looked at Eden with his bright button eyes. “My lady,” he said. He twirled about and vanished.
Hartley set Eden away from him and held her shoulders. “I have done what I can. Now do what you must. Do not be afraid for me.”
Love was indeed a miraculous emotion. Hartley saw it moving within Eden’s eyes, limitless and mortal, giving her what she needed to bear these final moments.
She would never know that he was afraid. He smiled and lifted her chin with his hand. “Last night will live within me forever.”
Her lovely eyes never left his. “As it will within me. Thank you, Hartley. Thank you… for my son.” She stood on her toes and kissed him, pouring all her passion into that last caress.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I know.” He kissed the tears from her cheeks. “Now, Eden. Quickly.”
She fell to her knees and picked up the collar. Slowly she rose, holding the iron band tight to her chest.
Hartley bent his head. Her hands shook so badly that the Iron grazed his neck many times before she could fit it around him. Fire encircled his neck, the flames searing through his skin. The cool of her hands was the only relief, and it was nothing.
“Lock it,” Claudia commanded.
Through a roar of pain he heard the click of the collar’s latch. He thought Eden was weeping, but his vision was gone. All his body’s defenses, drained by the swift and magical journey from London, were bent upon fighting death.
“I have done what you asked,” Eden said, her voice flat and hard. “Give me my son.”
“When this is finished,” Claudia said. “I will not break my word.”
“I pity you. And I will never call you Mother.”
“Someday you will realize that there was one in this world who truly loved you. Let us end this quickly.”
“What will you do?”
“We shall go up upon the fell, where he destroyed my Raines. There I will confine him in a cage of iron at the edge of his beloved forest, where he may watch it while he dies.” Claudia’s voice shifted as if she had turned away. “You will lead our captive to his destination, Cyrus. He has no power to hurt any of us now.
Hartley tried to laugh, but the collar choked off all sound. Do not fight her, dearest one, he willed Eden. Save our son.
Somehow, he knew that she heard. Someone—Lord Bradwell—took his arm and pulled him away. He staggered and reeled like a drunkard. Pain was his world. All but the most essential parts of his body shut down by the time they left the house.
Yet he still heard Eden’s voice. It remained his lifeline as he stumbled over rough gravel and snowbound park, all but blind, unable to summon even the smallest creature to his defense.
“Do not do this. Claudia—Mother—I beg of you. If you only let him go, Hartley will leave this world forever. Let that be enough…”
Her words became an incomprehensible drone. Hartley sensed the change under his feet as they started up the fell. He nearly walked into the escarpment that marked the boundary of pasture and wood.