Cunning. Of course. In the Amazon, Adam had seen that expression. He hadn’t understood it then, but he understood it now. Cunning. Lies. Adam knew what to do. He had to present a visage of weakness. “I won!” he shouted.

He pulled off his helmet, dropped it, bared his face to the sun. He turned his back on Hammer and raised his sword in triumph.

The crowd roared their approval—then shrieked in warning.

Exactly what Adam expected. He whipped around.

Hammer knelt on one knee. He picked up his sword and thrust it at Adam.

Adam slammed his booted foot down on the blade, pinning it to the ground. With a swift transfer of weight, he kicked Hammer under the chin, knocking him flat on his back. Placing his foot on his chest, he leaned forward with all his weight. Pulling a dagger from his belt, he put the tip on Hammer’s neck. “Don’t move. You’ve lost.”

“I should have shot you through the heart,” Hammer shouted.

The spectators gasped. They turned to each other, murmured questions.

“What’s he talking about?”

“When did Hammer shoot the other knight?”

“Do you understand any of this?”

A confession, as Adam suspected. Hammer had been the shooter, the man who had wanted to tip the fight in his favor. “That would have been too easy. If you hadn’t shot me, you would have had to battle an uninjured man. I would have easily beat you.”

Hammer’s bloodshot eyes almost glowed with loathing.

Adam had only a moment to jerk the blade aside.

Hammer lunged.

Adam’s dagger sliced Hammer’s neck, barely missed his jugular. The blade clanked against the armor protecting his shoulder.

One of the female spectators shouted, “Did you see that? That bastard tried to kill our leader!”

Only one voice, but Hammer raised his arm in triumph. “I won!”

Of course. No matter the course of events, no matter how many people witnessed the events, the truth would always be what Hammer deemed it to be. No matter what vicious offenses he performed, his disciples were true to the illusion he created.

Adam glanced back toward Hammer’s follower and saw Tamalyn fighting her way through the crowd to confront the woman. “You’re stupid,” the girl shouted and waved an arm. “Did you see what happened? Did you see how unfair Hammer was fighting? He’s evil, and you’re stupid!”

The woman leaped at Tamalyn.

Tamalyn popped her in the face with her fist.

The woman staggered back. She put her hand to her nose, pulled it away, stared at the blood and started screaming.

She didn’t try to attack Tamalyn again.

Adam used his boot to slam Hammer onto the ground.