1
" As soon as they were alone, Ioan’s face softened. “To what do I owe this pleasure, Christian?”
“We are in need of an army.”
“Done,” Ioan said without hesitation. “My men are yours.”
“We’ll have to go back through the Holy Land,” Phantom said.
“That bothers me not.”
It was Adara’s turn to frown at the man’s blasé acceptance of their mission. “Don’t you want to know why we need your army?”
Ioan shrugged. “I assume it is to fight.”
“Aye,” she said slowly, “but don’t you want to know why you’re fighting?”
“I am fighting because Brother Christian needs me.”
-Ioan, Christian, Phantom, & Adara "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
2
" Adara, cease!"
She froze at the sound of a voice she hadn't expected to hear. For a moment she thought she might be dreaming, until she blinked to look up into the most handsome face she'd ever known. She stared at the same blue eyes that made the tenderest of love to her.
Christian.
Her grip went lax and the candlestick in her hand fell to the floor. He was alive!
She threw herself into his arms and held him close as giddy tears replaced her grief-induced ones. At least until her rage took hold again. "Damn you, you worthless, heartless son of a dog!" she snarled, pulling back to strike at his chest. "How dare you make me think you were dead! Don't you ever do such a thing to me again. "
Christian was stunned by her language and actions. "I didn't know you could hear us through the door."
She struck him again on his armor, a blow that no doubt he felt not at all, but it gave her some degree of satisfaction. "Well, think better next time."
Her untoward anger amused him. Wiping the tears from her face, he kissed her tenderly. "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
8
" A tall, well-muscled blond man drew alongside Christian. He inclined his head to them. “Abbot,” he said to Christian in greeting.
Christian seemed pleased to see him. “Falcon. It’s been a long time.”
“Aye. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to greet you yester eve when you arrived.”
Christian offered him a lopsided grin. “’Tis well understood. I heard about your escapade with the butcher’s daughter and your near miss with her father’s cleaver.”
Falcon laughed. “Lies all. ’Twas the tanner’s daughter and her father’s ax.”
Christian joined his laughter. “One day, my friend, you will meet the one father who can run faster than you.”
“’Tis why God gave us horses.” He winked at Christian, then tilted his head so that he could see Adara. “’Tis a pleasure to meet you, Queen Adara. I am Lord Quentin of Adelsbury and my sword is ever at your disposal.”
Christian gave him a meaningful stare. “And your sword had best stay sheathed, Falcon, until you’re on the battlefield.”
“Your warning is well taken into consideration, Abbot, along with your sword skill and horsemanship. Have no fear of me. Your wife is ever safe from my designs. But no woman is safe from my charm.”
Adara couldn’t help teasing the man who seemed of remarkable good spirit and cheer. “However some women might find themselves immune from it, my Lord Falcon.”
“What, ho?” he said with a laugh. “Congratulations, Christian. You have found a woman as intelligent as she is beautiful. Tell me, Your Majesty, have you a sister who is fashioned in your image?”
“Nay, my lord. I fear I am one of a kind.”
He looked sincerely despondent at the news. “’Tis a pity, then. I shall just have to pray for Christian to lay aside his duties and become a monk in earnest.”
Christian snorted at that prospect. “You would have a better chance courting my horse.”
“Then I shall take my charm and work it on a woman who isn’t immune to it. Good day to you both.”
Adara glanced over her shoulder as he fell back into the ranks with the other knights.
“Don’t look at him,” Christian said in a teasing tone. “You’ll only play into his overbloated self-esteem.”
She gave him a meaningful look. “In that regard, he reminds me of someone else I know.”
“Ouch, my lady, you wound me.”
“Never, Christian. I would never wound you. "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
9
" The leech didn’t stay long. Only long enough to check his bandages and proclaim this the most miraculous recovery he’d ever witnessed.
“I’ll let the others know,” Phantom said.
Adara nodded as she returned to sit on the edge of Christian’s bed. He had yet to speak with words. But his loving gaze told her volumes. “Welcome back to the world of the living, Christian.”
He swallowed, then coughed.
“Easy,” she said, afraid he might tear the stitches in his chest.
“I’m sorry, Adara,” he said, his voice raspy and strained. His words baffled her.
“Sorry for what?”
“That I disappointed you.”
Her tears started anew. “You are never a disappointment to me, Christian. Never…unless you die on me. That would make me dreadfully disappointed, and then I should have to kill you for it.”
The corners of his lips lifted a tiny bit. "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
10
" Her heart stilled as she looked down and realized she was still naked beneath her cloak. This wouldn’t do! Adara placed her hands over Christian’s on the reins. “Can we stop for a moment?”
“Why?”
“If we are to enter a village, then I wish to dress.”
Christian’s breath caught as an image of Adara’s bare body whipped unbidden through his mind. During their argument, he’d forgotten her state of undress, though how he’d managed that, he couldn’t imagine.
Lutian made a cry of surprise as he covered his eyes with one hand. “My queen is naked beneath her clothes? I should go blind should I glimpse her fair beauty.” He split his fingers apart over his eyes to look at her. “Or will I? Mayhap we should test this theory.”
“Lutian,” Christian said solemnly. “All people are naked beneath their clothes, and if you glimpse Adara’s flesh, then it is quite possible that you will become blind when I poke out both of your eyes for the affront.”
Lutian gave a devilish grin at that as he dropped his hand from his face. “No matter what he says, your prince is jealous of you, my queen. ’Tis a good sign.”
Christian scoffed. “I’m not jealous.”
“He sounded jealous to me,” Lutian said loudly from behind his hand. “Very jealous.”
Christian let out a growl that reminded her of a ferocious bear as he glared at Lutian, who took his surly mood in stride.
-Adara, Christian, & Lutian "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
11
" Adara watched her husband through the trees while she struggled to lace her gown. He tended his horse with a gentle touch and a high regard even while Lutian was annoying him with questions and comments. “I don’t think your horse likes you to stroke him there,” Lutian said while Christian rubbed it down.
He bent over and picked up two clumps of grass similar to the ones Christian was using, then studied them closely. Christian continued without pause. “I’ve owned this horse a long time and I know what he likes.”
“Aye, but how do you know he likes that? Has he ever told you so?”
“He’s not kicking me. I take that as a good sign.”
“I’m not kicking you, either, but that doesn’t mean I like you or that I’d be grateful for your rubbing clumps of dirt over my body.” Lutian held one of the grass clumps to his cheek and rubbed it against his skin. “Hmmm…although, it could be pleasurable, perhaps…” Lutian turned around and poked his rear toward Christian. “Here, rub some on my flank and let me judge.”
Christian looked horrified by the mere thought. “I’d most certainly rather not.”
-Lutian, & Christian "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
12
" Suddenly a group of the bishop’s knights entered the tent.
“What is this?” Christian demanded.
“We’re here to arrest the witch.” Christian felt the color fade from his face. “Then you’ve come to the wrong place. There is no witch here.”
Without hesitation, they moved to take Adara from his side. Christian came off the bed at the same time Ioan, Lutian, and Phantom entered. He staggered, but refused to fall. “Release her!”
“Nay, we are under the order of the Church. The witch is to be tried for her crimes.”
“What has she done?” Christian and Ioan asked at the same time.
“According to her accuser, she summoned the devil to save you. You, by all normal rights, should be dead.”
“That is ludicrous!” Christian snarled. “There is no devil here.”
“I have done nothing,” Adara said.
“Silence, witch.” One of the knights drew back his hand to strike her. Christian grabbed the man and, even while near death, he shoved him away from her. “You lay one hand to my wife, and there’s no power on this earth or beyond to save you from my wrath. None. If you want a prisoner, then take me.”
“Bishop Innocent wishes to interrogate her himself for the charges against her.”
“It will be all right, Christian,” Adara said. “I am innocent. You rest and I will be back soon.”
But he knew better. He’d studied the Church’s laws extensively. He knew firsthand the devices they would use to wrest a confession from her. “You tell the bishop that he is not to go near her until I speak with him.”
The knight laughed at him. “The bishop doesn’t speak to heathens who are in league with witches.”
Before Christian could move, they had dragged her from the tent. Christian sat back on the bed, too weak to stop this travesty.
“What do we do?” Ioan asked.
Christian looked to Phantom. It would take too long to get to the pope. By then, Adara would most likely be condemned and executed…that is, if she survived interrogation.
“Follow them and see where they take her.”
Phantom left immediately.
Christian went to his trunk to pull out his monk’s robe.
Ioan put his hand out to stop him. “You can barely stand, Christian.”
He shrugged his friend’s hand away. “You know as well as I do what they’ll do to her. I cannot allow this.”
“If you go to her defense, they could label you a witch as well.”
“Then I will die.”
Ioan shook his head. “Fine. We die together, then. "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
15
" Adara fought the guards, but in the end she was forced to submit for fear of hurting her unborn child. They grabbed her arms roughly and led her behind the bishop and his priests. The hallway was dismal and horrifying. The screams grew louder. As soon as the priests opened the door to her new cell, the bishop froze.
Adara didn’t know why until she saw knights surrounding them. “Let her go.” Her knees weakened at the sound of Christian’s thundering voice. She looked past the bishop to see Christian in the room with Phantom and Ioan. Never had he been more welcome or handsome to her.
The bishop glared at him. “You’d best remember your place, brother, as well as who you serve.”
“You’d best be warned, Your Grace,” Lutian said in his fool’s voice. “Lord Christian has a mighty sword beneath his robes. Mighty indeed.”
The bishop frowned at Christian. “Monks are forbidden to arm themselves. You should know that.”
“I’m not a monk,” Christian said as he came forward. “And you will not interrogate my wife for a crime she did not commit.”
The man curled his lip as if the idea of any man telling him what to do were the most repugnant action he could imagine. “I have the backing of the Church for what I do.”
“And I have the backing of an army who will lay waste to every man here if needs be, should you not heed my words.”
The bishop was aghast. “You would threaten me?”
Christian didn’t hesitate with his answer. “For her life, aye.”
“You would jeopardize your soul for her? She is a heretic and a witch.”
“She is a woman. My woman.”
His words only succeeded in angering the bishop more. “I will have you excommunicated for this.”
Christian pulled the black monk’s robe from over his head and balled it up. “Then excommunicate me. If I am in the wrong for protecting an innocent woman, then God can judge me as He will.”
He handed the robe to the bishop, then pushed past him to Adara’s side. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come for you sooner,” he said to her.
“I will have you killed for this!” the bishop screamed.
Christian gave him an angry glare. “Then I will see you in hell. "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
20
" Phantom choked on the porridge. Brother Thomas pounded him on the back while Phantom reached for, then drank from a small wooden cup. He gave a menacing glare to Thomas, who immediately halted his hand in the mid-pounding stroke position. “Pardon?” Phantom asked once he’d regained some composure.
“I wish to go home and I need a guide and guard.”
He cleared his throat. “You’ll get neither from me, Your Majesty. I will not return there. Ever.”
“Why are we returning with Phantom, my queen?” She glanced over to Lutian. “I’ll explain later.” Then she looked back at Phantom. “I can pay you a fortune.”
Phantom scoffed at that. “Coin is ever useless to a corpse.”
She arched a brow at him. “Are you afraid, then?” He laughed bitterly. “Hardly, and you’ll never get me to agree by calling me craven.”
“Then what will it take?”
Phantom wiped his mouth, then gave Brother Thomas an almost amused smirk. “You haven’t enough money, power, or influence to buy me, Your Majesty. There are some things—few, I grant you, but some—that are not for purchase. My loyalty, or in this case stupidity, will not be bartered for any price.” He picked his cup up and lifted it in a mock salute. “Work your wiles on your husband. He’s the greater fool of the two of us.”
Her throat tight, Adara struggled for composure. “And therein lies the problem. I’ve no wish to work my wiles on him, either. He’s suffered enough in this.”
-Phantom, Adara, & Lutian "
― , Return of the Warrior (Brotherhood of the Sword #6)
