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Back Shadow of the Hawk
Chapters (96)
  1. Cover
  2. By David Gilman
  3. SHADOW OF THE HAWK
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. CHARACTER LIST
  8. Map
  9. Epigraph
  10. PROLOGUE
  11. PART ONE
  12. CHAPTER ONE
  13. CHAPTER TWO
  14. CHAPTER THREE
  15. CHAPTER FOUR
  16. CHAPTER FIVE
  17. CHAPTER SIX
  18. CHAPTER SEVEN
  19. CHAPTER EIGHT
  20. CHAPTER NINE
  21. CHAPTER TEN
  22. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  23. CHAPTER TWELVE
  24. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  25. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  26. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  27. PART TWO
  28. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  29. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  30. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  31. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  37. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  38. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  39. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  40. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  41. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  42. PART THREE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  47. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  48. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  49. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  50. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  51. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  52. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  53. CHAPTER FORTY
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  55. PART FOUR
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  57. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  58. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  59. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  60. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  61. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  62. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  63. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY
  65. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  66. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  67. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  68. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  69. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  70. PART FIVE
  71. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  72. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  73. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  74. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  75. CHAPTER SIXTY
  76. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  77. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  78. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  79. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  80. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  81. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  82. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  83. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  84. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  85. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  86. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  87. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  88. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  89. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  90. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  91. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  92. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  93. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  94. Author’s Notes
  95. About the Author
  96. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘You tease him?’ said Blackstone.

‘I allow him the pleasure,’ she answered.

Blackstone crouched next to her. She showed no sign of concern at the threat from the city. ‘We cannot become trapped here, Velasquita. The King is in a violent rage. Portugal has abandoned him and his treasure has been seized by the admiral of the fleet, who has gone over to Trastámara. Don Pedro seems determined to die here. I cannot allow that but I am not the one to convince him to leave.’

‘There is no man in the kingdom who can convince him. No matter how powerful, strong, loyal or intelligent, not one of you can persuade this King what to do. Not one of you can calm him. Only a woman can do such a thing. And I am the only woman who can enter the royal quarters when he is so violent.’

‘Why do you think I’m here?’

‘Not to seduce me?’

The thought that she knew Ranulph de Hayle interrupted the moment. It was important to appear as if he still desired her. ‘There isn’t time.’ Her look told him there was. Yet there was nothing more he needed from her except to prise the King out of Seville. ‘The enemy is close and the door we escape through is closing.’ She looked unperturbed. Did that mean she knew the outcome? ‘What is it you see?’ he asked, acknowledging her link with the unknown forces that hover between heaven and earth.

‘Then you believe me and yet you are not afraid of me?’

‘I deal in reality. I face whatever – or whoever – is trying to kill me, not distorted dreams or visions. But you were right about the King betraying me here – intending to escape and leave me and my men to defend the palace. Well, now his escape is blocked. If you want Don Pedro to live and reclaim Castile then you must get him to agree to ride north. There is no time. We must leave the city at first light.’

She picked up her sandals and rose to her feet. He stood next to her. She went on tiptoe and kissed him. Her smile was followed by a sigh. It was as if she was regretfully bidding him farewell. She turned and walked along the colonnade, suddenly merging into the shadows. Blackstone looked where her wet footprints had touched the hot clay tiles; they had already evaporated, as if she had never been there. Blackstone blinked in the glare but could not shake the sensation, questioning whether she had.

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO