Read Online Dauntless (Valiant Hearts Book #1) by Dina L. Sleiman - Free Book Online Page B

she pulled away, she lost her balance. Her arms flailed, catching only air.
    Before she could react, she tumbled from the branch. Not light and flexible like a cat. Rather, she landed hard upon her back—with a loud thump—at the base of the tree.
    All air whooshed from her chest, and she struggled to pull in a breath.
    “Merry, Lady Merry!” She heard Cedric’s cry from a distance as the treetop seemed to spin above her head.
    “Are you all right?” Allen flipped down from the branch and landed in a crouch beside her. At least someone had used their training properly this day. But she could not find the needed breath to reply.

    “I’m so sorry,” Allen said. “It was a mistake. It shall never happen again.”
    Fool! He berated himself. Allen had sworn to himself that he would undertake no such romantic nonsense with Merry. He knew the moment he leaned in for that kiss that it was wrong.But the magic of sunlight filtering through the leaves, her stunning features so close, her beseeching brown eyes, her scent of honey and herbs, her enchanting smile . . . It had all proven too much for his resolve.
    But it must never, ever happen again.
    Merry pushed herself to an elbow, pain twisting her face. She drew in a ragged breath, which seemed not to reach her lungs. Staring at a point beyond his shoulder, she said, “It shall . . . never happen again. And it never . . . happened in the first place. Do I . . . make myself clear?”
    “Yes, of course.” Had he not told himself it must never happen again only moments earlier? ’Twas a mistake for certain. Yet to hear her deny that it ever happened cut straight to his heart. He clenched his jaw and steeled himself.
    Merry was a lady—he a peasant. Those who fight and those who labor. Never the twain to meet. His father would be appalled with his behavior. Heat crept up his face at the awful thought, and he turned away from her.
    Would God be appalled as well? He was not so certain anymore.
    Cedric ran up to them and knelt beside Merry. “Whatever happened?”
    Merry sat up now and rubbed her back, desperately sucking in air. “It was the oddest thing. A wave of . . . dizziness overtook me. That has never happened before. Perhaps I . . . have taken a slight fever.”
    She denied his kiss just as Peter denied his Christ. As if it had never happened. Somehow that hurt more than any other aspect of her rejection. It had happened, and in that single, priceless moment, it had split his world in two. He still felt her soft lips emblazoned upon his. Upon his very soul.
    Pressing the back of his hand to Merry’s forehead, Cedricsaid, “You do feel a bit warm, and your cheeks are flushed. Perhaps that is the reason you’ve been so melancholy.”
    Allen shot Cedric a warning look.
    “What? Is she not supposed to know she’s been in a foul mood of late? ’Tis rather obvious.” Cedric helped her to her feet and pulled her arm over his shoulder to support her weight. “We should not push you so, Lady Merry. We forget ourselves at times. You are not invincible.”
    “Not in the least.” Merry found her footing. “But I think I shall be fine.” She pulled herself away from Cedric and brushed the dirt from her backside, then bent to retrieve her bow and some scattered arrows from the ground. Allen turned his eyes away and focused them on a hawk soaring through the sky.
    The three set out toward camp, Allen mentally chastising himself the entire way. Merry might never forgive him this misstep, and he would be the last to blame her. He knew better. Had known better since childhood.
    Yet . . . what had she said? She wasn’t a lady anymore, just an outlaw, like the rest of them. Were they truly so different now? And if not, might there yet be hope for them?
    Ever since the rebellion started, Allen had dreamed of running off to fight. Suddenly, he could not fathom parting from Merry for even a moment.
    He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, limping along with