Black Moon Draw

Denial was a huge factor, he suspected. It was not unusual for warriors to go through such a stage. Clearly not of this kingdom, she was refusing to accept where she was, which left him wary for two reasons. If she was not of this world, as she admitted, then from whence did she come? Was she going to disappear before the end of the era the way she appeared?

"M'lord."

And then there's that. He stiffened and turned. Beautiful, regal, and the sister of an ally he needed, his betrothed was everything a Knight wanted in a queen. She wore green, his favorite color, and stood a short distance from him, head bowed in respect.

She was trailed by her sister, a woman who trained with the warriors and secretly fought alongside them.

"I wish to congratulate you on your victory," his betrothed said, lowering the hood of her cloak.

He stepped aside to let her into the tent. "The battlefield is no place for you, princess," he reminded her.

"My sister fights with your men and you are my future. Where else should I be?" she countered gracefully.

He knew the words were for anyone who might overhear them, just as he knew he was unable to complete their bonding rite. The night he tried, she had broken down in tears and admitted a truth not even her brother knew.

She was already secretly bonded to another man, one who was imprisoned by her brother, the Red Knight. A secret bonding such as this carried the penalty of certain death, a fate her brother would not hesitate to carry out.

Despite his fury at being tricked, the Shadow Knight had kept her secret for a year, protecting her and the man she loved, only because he needed her brother as an ally.

Now that he knew her brother was dealing directly with Brown Sun Lake, he began to think his mercy had reached its limits.

"Has your latest victory convinced you to reconsider returning me, m'lord?" she asked quietly enough for the battle-witch and her sister not to hear.

"Not yet."

"I have followed you for a year." She appeared hopeful. "Is that not enough to assure you of my family's loyalty?"

If not for the curse . . . In truth he had been looking for an excuse to send her away without offending her brother. He was powerful enough that he did not need to explain his motivation to anyone.

But short on time, he was counting on good will with her brother to grant him a quick victory over White Tree Sound, one of the two remaining kingdoms he had not yet subdued. Of all his enemies, the peace loving Red Knight was the most likely to fold to reason or, barring reason, would surrender if his sisters' lives were threatened.