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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Sarcha turned to Gregoire. “You’re the lawyer. If Dvan Freitas is dead, doesn’t that change the charges against Faith, or Zsóke, or whatever her name is, from attempted murder to murder one?”

“If it can be proved she did it,” Gregoire confirmed.

Clarice rested her head on Elle’s shoulder and sighed. “I’m going to be very glad to study for my part alone.”

“Sarcha.” Gregoire stood. “I think that’s our cue to pack.”

72

A SPEEDING ATV ROARED as it drove down the road toward the small crowd.

Deputy Dave got out his electronic ticketing tablet.

Rune drove up, parked and in a flurry of scarves leaped out and ran toward them. Briefly she scrutinized them and, satisfied, said, “Everyone looks okay!” and ran to the broken door of her shop. She looked at the yellow crime-scene tape, pulled it off and walked inside.

Elle cringed when she heard the shriek.

Deputy Dave put the tablet away. “I’ll let that one go.”

From down the road they heard the roar of an ascending ATV and the screech of tires taking the curves too fast.

The officer got out the tablet again and faced that direction.

Adam, clad in his chain mail, drove up and parked.

Deputy Dave sighed. “Of course. A knight in shining armor come to rescue his fair maiden. Can’t do it.” Again, he put the tablet away.

Adam clanked as he moved. He wore his coif and leather boots, his leather armguards and gauntlets. Unimpeded by the weight of the mail, he leaped out and pulled Elle up and into his arms. He kissed her, a desperate kiss, a promise kiss, a kiss that told Elle how important she had become to this lost soul.

He kissed her, claimed her, without hesitation, in front of everybody.

A long time later, she came up for air, leaned her head on his chest and smiled at the enthusiastically clapping audience of Clarice, her coaches, Deputy Dave, Ludwig, Señor Alfonso, the EMTs and a few Gothic folks.

Hands on hips, Rune stood in the doorway. “Way to make a declaration, Adam.”

“I love her,” Adam said simply.

“We’ll never be apart again,” Elle declared.

Adam’s arms tightened around her. “Not if I can help it.”

“No, seriously,” she said. “My hair’s caught in your armor.”

73

IT TOOK FIVE INTENSE minutes to get Elle free and bring Adam up to date on the recent battle in Rune’s shop, and by that time Rune was standing there tapping her watch saying, “Adam, you’re supposed to be fighting right now!”

“Right.” Adam glanced toward his watch, but he’d left it in his shop. “Where’s my sword?” Realization dawned. “I left my sword in my shop! Rune called me to ask if I’d heard from Elle and told me about the fight...”

“I’m sorry!” Rune said. “I got a report, and I called you.”