Eve could barely breathe as the king narrowed his eyes at her.
“It can’t be,” he said.
“’Tis.”Adam nodded to the twin horsetail braids and the pair of high wood pattens on the ground.“There is her costume.And here,” he said, sweeping up the rolled parchment, “is the document Your Grace signed.”
“Nay,” she managed to croak out, reaching toward him as if she could snatch it from his hand.
He handed it to the king.
Her throat ached with the pain of treachery.Tears burned behind her eyes.Why was he betraying her?
“Adam?”she begged.
He made no reply.
“Adam,” she sobbed.
“Guards!”the king called out.
Two royal guards rushed through the pavilion flap, their hands at the ready, clapped on their sheathed swords.
“Take her,” the king instructed.
Finally, Eve’s instincts for survival overcame her wounded heart.Adam might have crushed her with his cruelty.But she would not go quietly.
She tore off her coif and veil.Sweeping up the hard cheese that had spilled from her satchel, she withdrew the wee eating dagger she’d stabbed into it earlier.Then, kicking aside the skirts of her habit, she faced the two guards with fight in her blood and fire in her eyes.
They drew their swords.
She gulped.
The blades were long.Sharp.Gleaming.Her puny knife was no match for them.
Still, she blew out a forceful breath, steadying herself.
“Wait!”
It was Adam.
The king raised his hand, halting his men.
“By rights as a Rivenloch, Your Grace,” Adam said, “I claim this captive.”
The gears clicked in Eve’s head.Was he trying to rescue her after all?Did he mean to spirit her away from the king?But why hadn’t he just let her explain to Malcolm about his men and their crime?Why had he changed the plan?
“I may have a use for her,” he continued.
“Indeed?”the king said.
“She’s a beautiful woman and a talented trickster,” Adam said.“She’s likely valuable to Fergus.She may be a useful pawn against him.”
What the Devil was he trying to do?
“What do you suggest?”the king asked.
“Belay the attack on the morrow,” Adam said.“I’ll go to Fergus and tell him his spy was captured.I’ll say Your Grace is willing to negotiate her safe return, but only if there are no clan raids in the next fortnight.”
“A truce?”The king scoffed.“Our men are eager for battle.The rebellion cannot continue.Fergus is wreaking havoc.The war must be won as soon as possible.”
