A Dark Champion by Kinley MacGregor Read Free Book Online

a selection of roasted lamb, chicken, and venison while they chatted over nothing in particular.
    She knew Kit watched her, and he grew very quiet as their meal progressed.
    “Why do you look so sad all of a sudden, Kit?” she asked.
    Kit glanced away from her as he picked at his roasted chicken. “I know not what you mean,” he said in a low tone, trying to disguise the ache in his heart.
    She placed her hand on his. That innocent caress set him on fire. “Is there something you wish to talk about?”
    “Nay,” he said, reluctantly removing his hand from hers. He didn’t want to taint her. “I’m just a bit tired. Stryder keeps unholy hours.”
    “I’m quite sure he does.”
    By the tone of her voice, he could tell what she omitted. And just who does he keep them with…
    “It’s not what you think, Rowena.”
    She clucked her tongue in disbelief of that.
    Kit opened his mouth to defend Stryder when a booming voice interrupted him.
    “Ah, fairest Rowena, here you are.”
    Rowena went cold at the deep, gruff voice that belonged to Cyril Longshanks. She didn’t bother to hide the distaste on her face as he grabbed Kit’s arm and pushed him down the bench as if to give himself space so that he could sit between them.
    “Make room, gelding. Why don’t you go fetch wine for your betters.”
    Rowena was appalled by the knight and his manners. Her appetite gone, she rose to her feet and started away before he could sit beside her.
    Cyril grabbed her arm.
    “Let go of her,” Kit growled, rising to his feet.
    Without releasing her arm, Cyril shoved him backward. “Find me when you grow up, boy.”
    One minute Rowena was still attempting to extricate her arm; the next, she was completely free of Cyril as he went flying back several feet and crashed into the table.
    Silence rang out in the hall.
    Her jaw slack, Rowena realized another man had joined them. Tall and broad of shoulder, she knew him in an instant.
    He was the one who had saved her from falling.
    “You ever lay hand to my brother again,” he snarled, “and I’ll rip your arm off and beat you with it.”
    Cyril came to his feet with a fierce growl and ran for him.
    The stranger caught him another blow that flipped Cyril up and over onto his back. Cyril lay on the floor dazed while the man put his foot on the center of Cyril’s chest.
    “Yield, Cyril. You know firsthand what I’m capable of doing to you.”
    To her amazement, Cyril nodded and held his hands up in surrender. “I yield.”
    The unknown knight removed his foot from Cyril’s chest and turned toward Kit. “Are you all right?”
    Kit nodded.
    Cyril rose to his feet slowly. “Leave it to Stryder of Blackmoor to protect a gelding such as that one.”
    Stryder of Blackmoor.
    Stunned Rowena looked at her mysterious knight to see the fury in his eyes over the insult Cyril had dealt Kit’s manhood.
    Before she could blink, Stryder had Cyril by the throat. He pulled the man up so that Cyril had to stand on his tiptoes to meet his gaze levelly. Cyril’s eyes bulged as his face reddened.
    “One more word,” Stryder growled, “and I will silence you forever. Do you understand me?”
    “Stryder!” Henry’s voice rang out in the hall. “Release him.”
    Stryder hesitated before he obeyed his king.
    Cyril coughed as he struggled to inhale air back into his lungs. “This isn’t over,” Cyril snarled.
    The look on Stryder’s face clearly contradicted him. “Aye, but it is. Cross me or mine again and it will be the final mistake of your life.”
    Rowena watched as Cyril passed an angry glare from Stryder to Kit, whose face was filled with embarrassed shame, and if she didn’t know better…hatred.
    Cyril’s eyes widened for a second, then narrowed even more. Turning on his heel, he marched stiffly from the hall.
    It was only after he was gone that Rowena realized her uncle was by her side.
    “Are you all right, Rowena?” Lionel asked gently.
    “Aye,” she breathed, her gaze never