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Bria raised her chin and stood squarely facing him, planting her hands on her hips. “I wanted to tell you one of your people was murdered. By your sheriff.”

Terran shifted his dark gaze to her. “Then he deserved it.”

Bria clenched her teeth. What a fool she was for thinking to confront him with the truth. “She was my friend, you dog,” she snarled and whirled to walk away.

His hand shot out, capturing her wrist. “All your suitors have left,” he said in a deceptively soft voice. “You will be my wife.”

She bridled as anger seared through her. He shrugged off Mary’s death as if the news had been a fly buzzing about his head that he swatted away with a simple flick of his wrist. He’d dismissed every word she’d said and then expected to marry her?

“Not all my suitors have gone,” she replied defiantly, struggling to be free of his hold. But he was much stronger, and she couldn’t break his grip. “Garret is still here.”

Knowles grunted softly. “I will deal with him in a moment.” He lifted those black, cold eyes to her. “He will be gone by this eve.”

“My father will never consent to my betrothal to you,” she retorted. “You overestimate your importance, Lord Knowles.”

“You overestimate your own worth,” Knowles responded. “You were betrothed to me before you were even born, and your father will adhere to the letter of the law.”

Doubt and disbelief crept into Bria’s self-righteousness. “You lie,” she finally declared.

“Ask your grandfather.” He released her wrist as if it were nothing more than an old rag, then turned and led his horse down the slight hill toward the tilting yard.

Fear gnawed at her confidence. If he was telling the truth, why had she heard nothing about it for all these years? This past year, relations with Knowles had become strained, but none of Bria’s questions to her father or grandfather about it had been answered. When she questioned the servants, she’d discovered Knowles had become betrothed, but she’d thought nothing of it at the time.

She watched him walk to the fence of the tilting yard. His gait was powerful, demanding attention. He immediately attracted Garret’s gaze. Garret spurred his horse to the wooden fence separating the practice field from the spectators, racing his horse boldly toward Knowles.

A sudden bout of fear seized Bria, and she began to walk quickly down the hill. As Garret’s horse neared the fence, her anxiety increased, as did her pace, until she was almost running. Bria reached the fence to hear Garret’s reply to something Terran had said.

“You got lucky with Odella,” Garret snarled. “But your luck has run out.”

“Prove it,” Terran replied, without looking at Garret.

“No!” Bria gasped, boosting herself up onto the wooden fence. She held the top rung with a tight grip.

“I’m more than ready,” Garret sneered.

“Garret! Don’t! You can’t win!” Bria cried.

Garret’s eyes shifted to her and he spurred his horse to Bria. He gazed down at her for a long moment, his blue eyes full of hurt pride. “I know you don’t have faith in my ability as a fighter. I will do this to prove myself.” He turned the horse, presenting her with his back.

Bria opened her mouth to protest, but Garret was gone, moving his horse toward the other end of the field. She looked quickly left, then right, then all around the field, hoping to find someone who could put a stop to this madness. Several squires practiced their swordplay nearby. They’d have no power to stop the dueling knights, and the other knights wouldn’t dare question Garret and Knowles’ right to do battle.

Terran swung himself up onto his horse and entered the tilting field. He rode past her, sitting tall in the saddle, his black eyes locked on her.

Her eyes swept his confident form. His mastery of his animal far surpassed Garret’s. Bria’s heart pounded with dread. She thought of racing back to the castle to get her father or grandfather to stop the fight, but by the time she returned, the battle would be over.

The two opponents went to opposite ends of the field and were handed jousting poles by their squires. They turned their horses and Terran spurred his steed first, heading toward Garret.

Garret responded in kind, leveling his lance at Terran, driving his horse forward with a firm kick.

Bria’s mind reeled. It was all happening so fast! The fools weren’t even wearing helmets!

There was a low thump as Terran’s lance struck Garret in his chest plate. Bria held her breath as Garret dropped his lance and teetered in the saddle. Somehow, he managed to hang on to the reins and stay atop his horse.

Terran reached the opposite end of the field and glanced over his shoulder. When he saw his opponent was still seated, he grabbed another lance and turned again, relentless in his assault.

Garret caught his balance and seized a pole from his squire, spurring his horse to meet Terran. The horses’ hooves pounded the earth, dust exploding into the air behind them.

“Come on, Dysen!” a man called from beside Bria.