Page 110 of The Champion

“As a warning to me,” Kit said. “No doubt, Elizabeth was a similar sacrifice because she tried to cover for me or maybe, like I said, she confronted him or her. She told me she had a suspicion, but she refused to elaborate.” Kit sighed. “Nay, I think the Scorpion is playing with us.”

Stryder narrowed his gaze. “How can you be sure?”

“Again, because you’re all living. If you were meant to die, you would have been attacked while you slept or when your guards were down. Not in the middle of the day when you could see the attacks coming.” He looked at Zenobia, “and not with poisons the Scorpion would know you could identify.”

Zenobia nodded. “He has a point.”

Swan moved forward. “It seems to me I know one way to draw the Scorpion out.”

“And that is?” Stryder asked.

Swan glanced speculatively at Kit. “We have something he wants.”

“You’re not endangering my brother.”

“Stryder, he’s right,” Kit said calmly. “I am the one thing he will expose himself for.”

“Then I say we get you out of here, to someplace safe.”

Kit shook his head. “There is no such place. The Scorpion will find me no matter where I go.”

“Perhaps. But this time you won’t be there alone. You’ll have us with you.” Stryder stepped back and addressed the group. “After nightfall, I want Nassir, Zenobia and Christian to take you to the Scot in northern England.”

“And if the Scorpion follows him?” Rowena asked.

Stryder crossed his arms over his chest. “If it’s who I think it is, he won’t. Besides, if a noble goes missing, we will know instantly who the Scorpion is and I can send Swan after them to warn them.”

“I think not,” Swan said. “I don’t want to be the next dead man found.”

Stryder passed an evil glare at him.

“Have no fear,” Val said. “I shall go with you and keep those evil beasts from slaughtering you.”

Swan scoffed at that.

“It’s the only plan we have,” Stryder said sternly. “Tell the Scot that he is to keep Kit safe no matter what.”

Christian nodded. “Don’t worry. The Scot burns for nothing more than someone to breech his walls looking for one of us. I think he would relish the idea of laying hands to an assassin.”

“All right then,” Stryder said. “Until it’s time to leave, everyone act normal and let no one know what we’ve learned.”

“And what have we learned?” Swan asked. “Nothing more than someone is trying to kill us which was something we knew before this.”

Val elbowed him in the stomach. “I say if we need a sacrifice, we use Swan. He makes far too much noise for my tastes.”

Stryder ignored them.

“Nassir, Zenobia, will you stay with Kit until tonight? I don’t want him to be alone.”

Nassir nodded.

Assured they would keep him safe, Stryder took Rowena’s hand and started for the door.

“And now look at this.” Swan indicated their combined hands.

Val slugged him so hard, Swan crumpled into an unconscious heap on the floor.

Stryder arched a brow at his large friend.