Chapter Sixteen
Julian sat in his chainmail coatatop Storm, pacing the horse back and forth before the tent, waiting for his joust with Osmont. He would make Osmont pay for hurting Elora. In the past, Osmont had been an adversary. He had seen him as the man his father favored. But that had been his father’s fault, not Osmont’s.
Now, Julian saw Osmont in a different light. He was an enemy.
Baldwin stood scowling near the tent, watching Julian. His arms crossed, his gray hair sticking up straight, and his mustache in that perpetual downward slope.
Gilbert had been working with the equipment all morning. He rose from his sword duties and headed over to the side of the tent where the lances were stored.
It was almost time. Almost time for Osmont to land in the dirt where he belonged. Julian’s fists instinctively tightened around the reins. Storm responded by tossing his head, and Julian immediately relaxed his hold.
Baldwin shook his head disapprovingly. “You are not concentrating. How can you expect the horse to focus if you won’t?”
Julian knew he was right. He was holding Storm’s reins too tightly. He should be concentrating on the joust, but as much as he tried, Ellie remained a ghostly visage in the back of his mind. He marched Storm down the road to alleviate some of the tension he felt. When he raced Storm back, he saw Gilbert standing beside Baldwin, a worried expression on his plump face.
Julian reined Storm in before him, a cloud of dust following him. “What is it?”
“The lances, Julian. All of them are hacked and broken,” Gilbert explained with a hint of panic edging his tone.
“What?” Julian slid from his horse and jogged to the side of the tent. As he approached, he saw three of the lances were on the ground, and two were standing upright beside the tent. He lifted one from the grass and inspected it. Someone had taken a sword and slashed at them until they were useless. Chipped, gouged, and fragmented.
“Sabotage,” Baldwin whispered from behind him.
Julian shook his head. “It can’t be. Knights are honorable and—”
“Not all knights.”
Gilbert picked one lance out from the upright ones. “This is the only useable one left.”
Baldwin grabbed Gilbert’s tunic. “Hurry. Find more lances. Ask other knights.”
Gilbert raced away as fast as his pudgy form would allow, disappearing between the colorful pavilions of the competing knights.
Baldwin shook his head, staring at the chipped lances. “If we had enough coin, we could buy more lances. But we have nothing, Julian. Barely enough for food for us. It cost a lot to enter this tournament.”
Julian stared down at the broken pieces of lances in the grass. “When could this have happened?”
“It must have been early this morning. You and Gilbert escorted the ladies back to the castle. I went into town.”
“Why would someone do this?”
“Why?” Baldwin asked in disbelief. “You should ask yourselfwho. Who would do it? The only knight who is threatened by you.”
A tingle of fury clawed its way across Julian’s nape. He looked at Baldwin. “Osmont.”
Baldwin narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Sir Edward. He has the most to lose. The most to prove. He could have sent his sister as a decoy. Why else would she have been here?”
Julian glanced at the chopped lances on the ground.Elora?He shook his head, refusing to believe she would agree to become a distraction. He ran his hand over the cool wood of the only lance left. “Osmont has the most reason. He hates me. If I don’t show up at the joust, I’ll forfeit. Osmont will win. It had to have been Osmont.”
“Osmont is Edward’s cousin. Edward could be trying to give him the advantage.”
Julian swiveled to Baldwin, shoving the good lance into his hands. His jaw clenched tight; his eyes burned with resolve. He marched to Storm and swung himself up into the saddle. “Whoever it was will not succeed.” He held his hand out for the lance.
Baldwin lifted it to him. “She is their family. Be very careful what you tell her.”
Julian was confident Elora would never betray him. She wouldneverdo that. He shook his head, but doubt festered in the dark recess of his mind. He firmly pushed the disease aside and spurred Storm forward.
“Where are you going?” Baldwin called.
