As soon as they neared the main medieval road, which was covered with straw, they saw where a crowd was gathering to watch the parade.
“Just in time,” Finn said. “Look!” he pointed. “The herald is about to begin.”
The crowd surged forward.
Trumpets blared.
“Milords and Milady’s! Hear ye, hear ye!” the herald announced.
All heads turned toward him.
“All may attend! Six of our most valiant knights, who compete in the joust tomorrow are gathered here tonight, for the Parade of Champions!”
Excited energy spread through the crowd.
A line of six knights appeared at the far end of the camp, riding to the edge slowly, on large powerful steeds. Knights ready to ride.
Mia’s breath caught again. This time for an entirely different reason.
The sight of the six manly knights in armor, upon their strong steeds, stirred her blood.
Then the air shimmered again.
The herald, wearing brightly colored red and purple garb, announced the first knight riding forth, “Sir Cedric of Goldmane!”
Every bit the white knight, Sir Cedric rode in first, upon a powerful white horse, as the setting sun’s rays shone upon him, gilding his long blonde hair like a halo. Wearing white and gold, and polished silver steel armor which gleamed and was etched with golden filigree and a gold cross on the front of his chest plate. A white and gold pennant trailed from his lance as he rode and as he raised a gauntleted hand to the crowd, his rakish smile widened, showing a dimple in his chiseled chin.
Mia was very much aware of how atop his stallion; he was controlling the animal with powerful hands and thighs.
How strong he must be.
She sighed at the sight of how handsome he was, like a character stepped out of one of her romance novels.
“Mia!” Lilly whispered. “There's a cover model for one of your -romance novels if I’ve ever seen one.”
“Yes,” Mia whispered back, unable to look away from the handsome knight. It was as if he’d stepped out of her dreams. “Sir Cedric,” she spoke his name low.
Suddenly his blue eyes, bright, amused, knowing, met hers for a heartbeat too long, as if he’d sensed her saying his name, before he rode past her. In that moment, a thrill went through her, and she shivered with excitement at the connection.
“Sir Alaric of Ravenwood,” the Herald announced the second knight, who rode behind Sir Cedric.
Of course he would be the black knight, Mia thought.And he really fits the part.
A dark figure, upon a black horse, he was in complete contrast to Sir Cedric. Wearing black, his armor storm-gray steel with gold filigree, his pennant black and gold. With short dark hair, and a dark trimmed beard and mustache, his mouth maintained a hard line where no smile escaped to grace his handsome face.
He and his horse moved in sync, as if in a perfected dance. A powerful one.
Mia tried not to look at Sir Alaric’s thighs, which were as powerful as Sir Cedric’s.
He guided his steed in an easy way, different than Sir Cedrick had. The smooth way that Sir Alaric used his strong legs to guide his horse, made her hyper aware of his masculinity.
Try not to look there, she told herself as she forced her gaze up and away from his legs.
Stern and strong, his intense dark brown eyes landed on Mia.
She gasped and suppressed a shiver as their eyes met.
His massive horse, coal-dark, with braids in its mane, showed muscular strength, every bit a stallion, giving a loud snort as he neared. She’d never seen such a large horse or such an intimidating man.
