Read Online A Dark Champion by Kinley MacGregor - Free Book Online Page A

“Hard won how?”
    He didn’t answer. Instead, he headed back for his bed. “Come back at midday, Rowena, and I will be more approachable.”
    “But—”
    “No buts, milady. I am weary and wish to sleep.”
    His commanding tone sat ill with her, but what choice did she have?
    She felt a childish urge to stamp her foot at him. Yet what good would that do?
    None whatsoever. Sighing, she set her lute down for when she would return to teach him.
    As she started for the opening, a cry rang out.
    Lord Stryder was on his feet again in an instant, pulling on his breeches as chaos broke outside the tent.
    Rowena left the tent with Stryder one step behind her. He held his sword in his hand as he brushed past her, rushing toward the tent where everyone else seemed to be gathering.
    Half-dressed and half-asleep, knights were all stumbling past her.
    At the top of the hill, men were gathered around a red and blue tent.
    As soon as Stryder joined the men, they turned on him.
    “You!” Lord Rupert, the elder brother of Cyril, snarled. “You killed my brother!”
    Rowena wasn’t sure which of them was more stunned by that accusation.
    “We all heard your threats against him,” Rupert snarled.
    “I killed no one last night,” Stryder said, tense and angry.
    “Liar!”
    “I saw him leave Cyril’s tent myself just after matins,” another knight said. “There’s no mistaking the Blackmoor coat of arms.”
    Before she could blink, Stryder was seized by a group of knights as Henry made his way through the crowd.
    Rupert repeated his accusation to Henry.
    “What say you, Lord Stryder?” Henry asked.
    “I am innocent.”
    One of Cyril’s younger brothers came out of the tent, holding a bloodied medallion. He handed it over to the king.
    Henry studied it carefully, before looking back at Stryder. “You were with Cyril in Outremer?”
    “Aye, Sire.”
    “And where were you last night after you left the hall?”
    “In my tent.”
    “Alone?”
    “Aye.”
    “See,” Rupert spat. “He has no alibi. He killed my brother and I demand justice.”
    “We shall investigate this matter further,” the king said stoically. “Until then, the earl shall be held in the castle under royal custody.”
    Stryder’s jaw went slack at the king’s words. Indeed, even Rowena was stunned. Henry would arrest his own champion with no real evidence?
    The royal guards seized Stryder’s sword and made to tie his hands behind his back.
    “Wait!”
    All gazes turned to Eleanor, who came forward out of the crowd. The queen passed a peeved glare from her husband to Rowena and finally to Stryder.
    “Lord Stryder has an alibi.”
    Rowena had never seen more frowns or shifty gazes in her life as everyone glanced about the crowd.
    “Please,” Henry said, his voice tired as he looked at his queen. “Tell us not he was with you.”
    Eleanor’s stare turned droll. “Nay, milord. The man was with Rowena last night per your royal dictate.”
    Rowena’s eyes widened as she found herself the focal point of everyone. It was on the tip of her tongue to deny it, but no one called the queen of England a liar and kept said tongue for long.
    “Is that not right, Lord Stryder?” Eleanor asked.
    Stryder opened his mouth, then shot a look toward Rowena.
    “Speak up, milord,” Eleanor said. “We know you wish to protect the lady’s reputation, but better she be compromised than you be hanged.”
    “Stryder with the Bitch of Sussex?” someone said from the crowd. “I don’t believe it.”
    Laughter broke through the crowd. Rowena felt her face heat up immediately.
    Holding her head high, she met Stryder’s gaze and found an odd almost apologetic look there.
    “And what were they doing, Your Grace?” Rupert asked. “Not to contradict your royal personage, but I find it hard to believe they would be romantically involved.”
    “And so they weren’t,” Eleanor said without missing a breath. “The lady was tutoring his lordship on the