Page 84 of The Champion

“Take the lady and see her safely to her uncle.”

“But my lord–“

”Nay, Rowena,” he said coldly. “Tomorrow God himself will decide the fate of the man. I only hope that I am the instrument that finally rids this earth of his pestilence.”

Rowena hardly slept at all. The entire night was spent with her turning about in bed, as Damien and his hatred roiled through her.

Did Stryder know who he was to fight? Had someone maliciously told him?

What would he do? But then she knew. He would never kill a man he blamed himself for hurting.

Rowena got up just before the sun did, along with her ladies-in-waiting. They, too, had spent a restless night and like the rest of the court, they wanted to bear witness to Lord Stryder’s trial.

Rowena rushed to get to the list, but while her women took a place in the stands that had been set up for the tournament, she snuck around the back to Stryder’s tent where the earl had been taken to suit himself up in his armor.

There were two more than a dozen guards set around the tent and as she approached, the captain stopped her.

“He’s to have no visitors.”

“Please,” she implored him beseechingly. “I only wish one word with him.”

“Have a heart, Boswell,” another guard said. “The man could very well die this morning.”

The captain debated.

“Let her in for a moment,” another one prompted. “He’s only got a few minutes more before they start. Let him leave this world with the memory of a fair maid’s face.”

The captain’s expression turned stern as he looked at her. “Only a moment, so you’d best be quick about it.”

Rowena gave him a chaste kiss on his grizzled cheek before she dashed into the tent.

She pulled up sharply.

Stryder stood with his back to her while Kit tightened his cuirass. She’d never seen two men look more dour.

“I still say you should have taken Christian up on his offer to run.”

“I will not run, Kit, you know that. I can take any French champion.”

Kit glanced past Stryder to see her. He paused, then released his brother and excused himself.

Stryder turned and, at the moment their gazes locked, she felt a cold shock go through her.

Kit stepped between them. He doesn’t know it’s Damien. The words were mouthed to her.

Rowena crossed herself and hoped that Damien’s armor would shield him so that Stryder never learned who it was he faced.

“I’ll wait outside,” Kit said, leaving them alone.

Rowena was overwhelmed to see Stryder looking remarkably fit and awake so early. Before she could stop herself, she threw her body into his arms and held him close.

Stryder closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of Rowena’s hair. For the first time in his life, he hated the mail armor that kept him from feeling her soft curves that were pressed up against him.

All night long, he’d dreamt of her. Dreamt of tasting her lips, feeling her hands on his flesh.

Now, he wasted no time in dipping his head down to capture that mouth that had haunted his sleep. He growled at the taste of her, at the feel of her hand clutching his hair.

He ran his hands down her back, letting his palms cup and press her closer to him. He wanted inside her so badly that it was all he could do not to rip the armor from his body and take her.