Page 61 of The Champion

Rowena crossed herself as she felt pity for a man she knew only by name. He was the youngest son of a baron and rumored to be a fair enough sort of fellow. “But your majesties can’t honestly believe Lord Stryder⁠—”

“There was proof, Rowena,” Eleanor said, her tone sharp and brittle. “A fragment of Lord Stryder’s tunic was found in the dead hand of Roger, as if they had fought.” The queen handed Rowena a tunic where the collar was ripped. “That was taken from Stryder’s tent this morning, after another knight said he had seen the earl leaving Roger’s tent late last night.”

Rowena stared at the crimson cloth and what it signified.

Nay. Rowena couldn’t believe Stryder would do such a thing. Could he?

But why Roger? At least with Cyril she understood the motivation. Cyril was part animal and had insulted Kit. But Roger...

To her knowledge no one had ever complained of the man. Why would Stryder wish him dead, let alone kill him?

It made no sense whatsoever.

Eleanor looked around as the men surrounded the king and demanded Stryder’s life for the deed.

“Close your mouth, dearest,” Eleanor said beneath her breath as she took her hand and shut Rowena’s gape. “Between us, I believe him innocent. Lord Stryder is too intelligent a man to leave something so damning behind. This reeks of treachery and the men, God bless their souls, are too consumed with bloodlust to see the truth of it.”

“But who would wish to blame the earl for this?”

Eleanor sighed. “The earl has many enemies. Apparently, one has found a most effective way of dealing with him.” She looked back at her husband and glared intently. “I shall talk to Henry when we are alone and see what can be done. But for the time being, I agree with him. If Stryder is locked up, then the ones calling for his death can’t get to him. He can’t keep his eyes open all the time for an attack, and believe me, one of them will attack at his back. With any luck, our killer will strike again.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then let us hope Lord Stryder survives his trial.”

Rowena stepped back as terror washed over her. Stryder was a noble, but Henry could choose any trial he wished for the earl. One that could leave him maimed or worse, dead. Nay, she couldn’t allow that to happen.

Stryder was innocent. She knew it.

The queen returned to Henry’s side, while Rowena struggled to make sense of this. She saw Kit standing to the side of the crowd with Stryder’s men. Every one of them looked as if they were ready to kill the devil himself to get Stryder free.

“I say we tear down the walls to reach him,” Swan snarled.

Val shook his head. “Better we hope the assassin kills someone else and soon.”

Zenobia elbowed the giant in the ribs. “That’s a terrible thing to wish.”

Terrible or not, ’twas truth. “The queen said herself that if no one else turns up dead, they’ll most likely try Lord Stryder,” Rowena said as she joined them.

“Then I vote we kill Kit as a sacrifice to prove Stryder innocent,” Swan said.

Zenobia groaned out loud.

“What?” Swan asked innocently. “He’s the least useful of all of us.”

“I take issue with that,” Kit said, his tone greatly offended. “I’m far from worthless. I say we cut your throat as sacrifice.”

“Cease!” Nassir said, cutting them all off. “We’ll deal with finding the culprit later, but first we are forgetting that right now Stryder is being locked into a stone cell.”

Rowena watched as, one by one, their faces went pale with realization.

For years they had all been locked inside such a place and tortured.

“I’ll go to him,” Rowena said without hesitation.

Swan shook his head. “He needs his men.”

She gave him a droll stare. “They won’t let one of his men in to see him,” she reminded the knight. She looked at Nassir and Zenobia. “Nor are they likely to let him have unknown visitors. I can get the queen to force the guards to let me see him.”