Page 85 of Picking Up the Gauntlet

“Step aside, I’m going in.”

“Lady Raven told me to guard the shed. I’m not supposed to let anyone enter.”

“I’m trying to save her life, now move aside.” He pushed past Albert, entering the shed, stopping in the doorway.

Raven was standing there in her shift and Lark was helping her dress in her gown. The helm and the fake French surcoat were on the ground. He saw a bag with the rest of her armor in it.

“Jonathon!” Raven held her gown in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

Jonathon stepped inside and closed the door. “I know what you’re doing, Raven, and it is a foolish thing. You need to stop now, before you’re hurt.”

She continued dressing. “I suppose you’re going to tell my father now? I saw you and Rook talking. It’s your fault I was distracted and lost the sword fight.”

“Rook was going to tell Lord Corbett, but I stopped him. I figured you deserved a chance to explain.”

“There is nothing for me to explain.” She bent down and slipped her shoes onto her feet. “I am going to win this tournament, and then I won’t have to marry whichever fool is the winner.”

“Don’t you think that will anger your father? And embarrass both of you?”

“I no longer care.”

“Raven, fast, put on your cloak.” Lark handed it to her.

“Since you didn’t win two events in a row, you will now be forced to compete in the joust,” Jonathon told her.

“That’s right,” she answered, sounding terrified if he wasn’t mistaken.

“You are going to get yourself killed out there. This is not a game.”

“Yes, it is a game,” she told him.

“You know what I mean.”

“Don’t worry about me, Jonathon. I will be fine since I have my armor to protect me.”

“Nay. You can’t do this. I won’t let you.” He was not going to let her risk her life like this.

She walked over to him and smiled. Then she reached up and kissed him on the mouth. “You can’t stop me, and you know it. Besides, I’m doing this for us.”

“Nay. There has to be another way.”

“What way?” she asked, sounding huffy now. “You are not a noble and cannot compete, so I am the one who has to do it.”

“Rook was going to win to ensure you didn’t have to marry anyone, but you convinced your father to remove him from the competition.”

“If you two fools had told me the plan, I would have known what to do.”

“If you had told me your plan to enter the tournament using a guise–”

“Then what?” she asked. “You and my brother would have never let me do this. Just admit it.”

“Well, no, I guess not. But still–”

“Stop worrying. You taught me how to joust. I’ll be fine.” She left the shed with Lark, leaving him standing there alone.

Now he wished more than anything that he had taken the time to train Raven properly. The joust was a brutal sport, and meant for men. No lady, good with weapons or not, would ever survive it. Especially not Raven, since he’d never seen anyone as bad at the joust as she.

Rook stuck his head inside the shed. “I saw my sister leave. Did you convince her to withdraw from the tournament?”