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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

He also knew he had the advantage. Plate mail had been created for jousting. Adam’s lighter chain-mail armor had been created for hand-to-hand combat and effectively blocked injury. More importantly, he had been trained in combat and practiced for this moment for years.

A hundred phones were held up, taking video.

The knight’s helmet muffled his grunts and curses.

If only Adam had use of both arms... He shook his hand, trying to get feeling back into it, and that brought another wave of pain that sent him staggering backward.

Although Shiny Pants had other weapons hanging on his steel belt, he struggled desperately to free the tarnished blade from its planting in the ground.

To the knight, Adam said, “I tried to warn you.”

Shiny Pants lifted his head, and Adam could imagine the glare of those mad eyes behind the helmet.

Rune shouted and gestured at Adam to come out of the arena.

Adam shook his head. If he didn’t end this now, someone would die. It might be him. And by God, not now. Not when he’d at last found a reason to live.

He looked around for Elle, but she hadn’t arrived with his sword.

No matter. He didn’t need a weapon.

With a yank, Mr. Shiny Pants knight freed his sword. He stumbled backward.

Adam was behind him, waiting. He slammed his shoulder into the knight’s back, sending him reeling the other direction.

The plate metal rang like a gong.

The crowd laughed, going from alarmed to amused in a second.

Shiny Pants swung around, sword extended, ready to slice Adam in two.

Adam danced away, off to the side, staying out of his limited vision.

Shiny Pants spun in a circle.

The crowd laughed harder, more riotously. For them, it was a comedy.

Adam heard the knight’s muffled ranting, the constant stream of furious invective about Adam, his cowardice, his morals, his doubtful ability to get an erection.

When the knight had made a thorough fool of himself, when the crowd was jeering, Adam darted behind him and shoved again.

Shiny Pants stumbled forward, still slashing the air.

With his other hand, Adam tapped the knight’s shoulder.

Shiny Pants swung toward him.

Directly behind him, Adam danced to the other side and tapped him again.

Shiny Pants turned, then anticipating Adam’s next move, he swiftly turned back.

But Adam knew this man, his trickery, his lack of values.

He would reveal his identity, no matter the cost.

He stayed behind him, braced himself for the surge of pain, and with both hands, he reached up and pulled the polished helmet off the knight’s head.

76

BIG JOHN HAMMER WAS REVEALED.

Gasps rose from the crowd. Murmurs that grew louder and louder. “Who is that?”

“Is that...?”

“Yes, it’s him.”

“What’s he doing?”

“Are you sure it’s him? He looks bad.”