Page 28

“I’d have it no other way.”

Two swords crossed in the moonlight, their metal blades clanging as they collided.

“Come on, girl,” Harry goaded Bria, who was standing mere inches from him, trying to stare him down. “Concentrate. You want me to defeat you?” He swung his sword around to the side and in.

Bria just barely blocked it. She swung and the blades pushed hard against each other, then abruptly separated, the slender steel screeching as they slid free. Bria swung again, but Harry backed away and her blade whistled through empty air. She swung a third time, but this time Harry caught her swing and grabbed her wrist, bringing her in close so they were nose to nose.

“You have to control your anger,” he warned, “especially when you fight.” He pushed off of her sword and swung.

She ducked and spun away from him, then countered with an arc to his head. He blocked her blow. She lunged and then feinted left.

It took all his concentration to match her move and block it. She was quick, much quicker than he was. And she was smart. He could see her mind working even as she lunged. He caught her sword and twisted his wrist. He’d disarmed her more than once with that move.

But tonight it didn’t work.

Bria held her wrist firm and angled his weapon into the ground.

Disappointment settled heavily about his shoulders. How many times had he told her she couldn’t win against his strength? But just when he was about to overpower her and push her sword into the earth, she lurched forward, planting her leg behind his, and shoved him hard with her shoulder.

He went over like a felled tree, slamming into the ground on his back. Startled, he took a moment to recover and catch his breath. He began to rise, only to find the tip of a sword at his neck. Her blue eyes glinted, the full moon reflected in her bright gaze, a triumphant smile curling her lips.

With a sigh, he settled back against the grassy bed of the ground. “Well done,” he said.

Bria’s smile grew. “Yield,” she commanded.

His head came up quickly. “Don’t press your luck,” he said.

Bria withdrew her sword and laughed in pure delight. She threw her head back and joyful glee churned merrily from within her throat. “It worked! I did it!” she proclaimed. “I actually did it!”

Harry pushed himself to a sitting position. Every muscle in his body ached. The fall hadn’t done much to help his brittle bones either.

Bria danced happily around him, spinning wildly, as if she’d just won her first joust.

Harry planted his hands on the ground and began to ease himself to his feet.

Bria stopped her dance of victory and moved to his side, grabbing his arm and helping him to his feet. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but I’ve never won before. Garret said I could beat you if I used my wits and body. He said there were other ways to win a battle!”

Harry nodded. “Your skill has increased.”

“Increased?” Bria exclaimed. “I beat you!”

“I’m not the young man I once was, or I doubt you could have accomplished that.” He knew he was lying to save his wounded pride.

Bria took several instinctive steps toward the tethered horses.

“Stay on our lands!” Harry shouted after her.

Bria stopped cold. Harry watched her happiness fade as she stared at the forest, and he immediately regretted his words. With her friend dead, she had no reason to go racing off into the woods.

He placed an arm about her shoulders. “Mary knows,” he whispered. “She knows you beat me.”

He felt the agony written in her eyes, the grief etched in her brow. She threw her hands around his shoulders. Harry held her close, sharing her pain, soothing her with gentle touches and whispered words. But he knew nothing he said or did could replace her lost friend.

Later that night in her room, Bria stared out the window at the moon. The round circle shining in the cloudless night sky reminded her of a wide, shocked eye, shocked because of her instant reaction to Lord Knowles. She tried to push the attraction aside, but it lingered.

Terran Knowles! How dare he show up at her own castle, demanding her hand in marriage, looking like some valiant knight? Giving her hope there was someone out there she wouldn’t mind marrying? And then revealing himself as her most foul enemy! The cur.

Bria turned away from the moon, trying to push his accursed image from her mind. She concentrated on her victory earlier that night, the joy and excitement she’d felt when she’d defeated her grandfather. Her first impulse had been to run off and tell Mary. Her friend would have been so proud of her.