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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

She stumbled, righted herself, prepared herself to grab the sculpture and ram him again.

But when she looked, the man stood erect and immobile, impaled on the sculpture’s razor-sharp points. Groin, belly, chest, forehead. Blood bathed him in wet, flowing crimson. He sagged at the knees.

Was he dead?

His limp weight pulled at the sculpture. The trolley wheels slid back and up. The heavy metal fell forward, on top of him. The points buried themselves to the hilt.

But the body still twitched, and the fall and the weight of the sculpture pushed the remaining air from his mouth, and an inhuman groan made her jump back in horror.

With that, the last suggestions of Penderghast’s life disappeared.

Dead. Yes, dead. He was gone from this earth, vanquished.

She drew a quivering breath, wiped a sudden gush of tears off her cheeks. She had known the man but not realized that he was a monster of inhumane cruelty. He had sought to use her to find the treasure he coveted, and he never intended her to live long enough to see it rise to the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

Now she lived, and Adam waited.

She sidled forward without looking at the corpse. Picking up the sword and scabbard, she turned and ran to the ATV and placed them on the seat. Right this minute, as fast as she could, she wanted to drive up the hill to Adam.

But she’d learned a hard lesson.

She hurried back to the shop and locked up, leaving Penderghast’s body alone and unmourned. After she had given Adam his sword, she would report to law enforcement.

Then she drove as fast as she could up the hill to the arena.

75

AT THE FESTIVAL SITE, beside the central arena, a tent of simulated medieval splendor had been constructed of cheap shiny cloth and moldering velvet curtains, and two banners waved atop the two peaks created by the tent poles. “Listen to the crowd. They’re buzzing like a nest of giant murder hornets. If we don’t get this fight going...” Rune dropped Adam off at the back entrance. “Get in there and get ready.”

“I am ready.”

“I know. I know. Chain-mail hauberk and hood, leather gauntlets and armguards and breeches. Everything but your sword.” She glared. “Adam, how could you forget it?”

Once again Adam tried to comprehend how he could have run out without his weapon.

Such impetuosity was unlike him.

Falling in love was also unlike him.

He smiled at Rune. “Elle’s an extraordinary woman.”

“Making you forget something—she’s a witch!” Rune lifted a finger. “That’s it! I’ll make an announcement. I’ll say you’re recovering from a bewitchment and will be out when you’re given your magic sword. Make something up about the enchantress who ensnared you. I’ll tell them a story they won’t forget!”