Excerpt
Drawing nearer the keep, Jared realised
his guard had been partly correct. A solitary figure
did stand in the open entry way. But the light from
the torches illuminated not a man, but a woman.
Her long, unbound hair whipped about
her in the wind. Would the raven tresses still feel
like silk beneath his touch? Would they curl around
his wrist like chains as if to hold him near?
Jared gritted his teeth against the
unwarranted memories.
Less than a dozen feet away, he stopped
and glanced up at the walls. The brave men of Montreau
stood at attention, holding their helmets on the wall
before them-their empty hands in full view. They seemed
content to permit a lone woman to welcome what could
potentially be an enemy.
He drew his gaze back to Lea. Even if
he hadn't known her, he would guess her to be Montreau's
lady by her proud stance. Jared couldn't decide if
he thought her brave, or senseless.
To his chagrin, she grew more striking
with each step that brought him closer. Her regal-like,
straight posture belied her height. He knew from experience
that the top of her head would barely reach his shoulder
when her cheek rested against his chest.
The long sapphire cloak bunched on the
ground around her feet. From the way it didn't move
in the wind, she apparently stood on the extra length.
The familiar frame of ebony hair set
off the paleness of her heart-shaped face.
She looked fragile-vulnerable. He wanted
nothing more than to care for her, protect her. Jared
swallowed his instincts, knowing that was the image
she'd intended to portray. He'd fallen for that hoax
once before.
Determined to keep their former relationship
nothing more than a distant memory and from making
a spectacle in public, he focused on the business
at hand. He stopped an arm's length before her. 'I
come to protect this keep in the name of the Empress
Matilda.'
She nodded. 'I have been apprised of
your arrival.' She motioned to her men. 'We have no
quarrel with this visit by Empress Matilda's men.'
Visit? Jared raised an eyebrow at her
statement. 'Lady Lea, perhaps you misunderstood. This
is not a simple visit. My men and I are to secure
Montreau from all.'
'All?' Her brows furrowed in question.
'Surely not from its own inhabitants?'
'From all.' Jared wasn't backing down
on this. The empress had ordered him to take and hold
Montreau.
'But¼' Her voice trailed off
as if uncertain how to respond.
Jared motioned towards the keep. 'We
can discuss the details inside.'
'Details?' She shook her head. 'Details
of what?'
'The details of you surrendering the
control of Montreau to me.'
Lea straightened her back and lifted
her chin a notch. She met his gaze with a hard stare.
'This is my keep, Warehaven. I will surrender control
to no one-not even you.'
Jared's fingers instinctively tightened
around the hilt of his sword. 'Then I will take it
from you.'
