With My Last Breath, Book Three by Cori Chaffee Page A

allow the Saxons to change what we do?'
    ‚Or the Romans?' I added. ‚It could be either, from what I heard.'
    ‚True,' he acknowledged. ‚Although, my lady, this is something that you do not need to concern yourself with. That is my job as your man. I won’t allow harm to come to you.'
    At times like this, I did truly miss Cadmus. Cadmus, in his true form, knew very well that I was perfectly equal to him in every way. In our earlier mortal lives, not so much. I swallowed my annoyance and smiled cockily.
    ‚Yes, Lucan. You are correct. I should sit by the fire and embroider something.'
    He grinned. ‚You’re such a cheeky one, Heleyne. Anyway, it is too hot to sit by a fire. You’ll have to sit outdoors in the shade or in the queen’s bower.' I swung around and punched him on the arm and he laughed.
    ‚You’re not meek enough by half,' he observed. ‚But I love you to distraction.'
    ‚As I love you,' I answered softly, stroking his bulging muscle where I had just punched him. ‚But do not become distracted this day, Lucan. Not at the joust.'
    He rolled his eyes as he stood.
    ‚Must you think so little of me?' he looked toward the ceiling in mock despair.
    ‚Do you think me so unskilled? I will win tonight, my lady. For you. Shall I carry your favors?'
    ‚Of course,' I replied lightly, rising from the bed to choose a red scarf from my armoire. ‚We’ll tie this around your arm.'
    He took it and bowed low. ‚I will have my squire see to it,' he said obediently with a grin. ‚And I will win the tournament for you.'
    ‚Only for me?' I asked doubtfully. ‚Not for the fame and glory?'
    He shook his head. ‚Only for you. I will hand your scarf back to you as a champion.'
    Courtney Cole 58
    With My Last Breath, Book Three
    I shook my head with a smile as he dipped to kiss me and walked from my rooms.
    I took one moment to straighten my disheveled hair and set out to find my mother.
    It wasn’t hard. She was overseeing the servants who were setting up the seats for the joust. I crossed the field to the side of the castle, treading across the wildflowers and grass that led to the jousting arena.
    One side of the arena backed up to the cliffs that the castle itself was situated on. I stood on the edge for a moment, looking down. The ocean crashed below me, magnificent and strong, with sandy beaches unfurling for miles on each side. Amid the call of the seagulls and the smell of sea salt, I closed my eyes with the sun on my face.
    The baby was rapidly stealing my energy and I would swear that I could fall asleep in this standing position if I stayed still too long. Shaking the weariness from my eyes, I turned to meet my mother.
    On either side of the arena, wooden tiered benches were arranged for the crowds.
    On the far end, a box filled with seats sat, with a bright green canopy snapping in the wind. Arthur’s green crest hung in front, just below the seat that he would sit in, if he didn’t participate. However, there was seldom a joust in which he did not participate.
    His seat, like normal, would sit empty today.
    Next to him, was Guinevere’s seat and my own, as well as several other chairs for visiting dignitaries and any noblemen of the kingdom who were in attendance. From this vantage point, we had a perfect view of the tournament. Any time a knight crashed into the dust, his lance splintered, we would see it perfectly. And to be honest, right now I just didn’t have the stomach for it. Men from this era so loved blood and sport.
    ‚I wish that Arthur would cancel this today,' Guinevere muttered as she straightened the chairs that we would sit in. Turning, she took a vase of flowers from a servant girl and placed them on a pedestal in the corner of the gallery box.
    I didn’t know why she bothered. The smell of the roses would not come close to overpowering the strong scents of horses, manure, dust and blood that would fill this stadium in a little while.
    ‚We do not have time for this,' she