Hope of a Highlander: A Scottish Time Travel Romance (Arch Through Time Book 18) by Katy Baker

Author:Katy Baker [Baker, Katy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Katy Baker
Published: 2022-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

EDGAR WAS IN HIS ELEMENT. The captain of the guard strutted around the roped off enclosure like a peacock, taking in the adulation of the spectators.

“And here we have it, ladies and gentlemen!” he bellowed, looking around at the sea of faces. “The semi-final of the sword trials! Which skilled warriors have made it this far, eh? Which brave fellows have bested all who’ve come before them? Our very own Graham of the castle garrison and Cinead, the laird’s son!”

There was a roar at this and Cinead saw wagers changing hands furiously amongst the onlookers. As Edgar launched into another barrage extolling the prowess of the two combatants, Cinead, turned away, scanning the crowd. He was looking for one face in particular.

Layla’s.

Since their kiss in the healer’s tent, he’d been able to think about little else. Those lips, so soft and yet so insistent against his. That scent that filled his nostrils like nectar. That warmth that seeped into his skin.

Ah, damn. When he’d come home to Dun Calas, he’d expected to say goodbye to his father and then be off again, back to his life with the Order of the Osprey. The last thing he’d expected was to meet a woman who made him feel things he’d never felt before.

Edgar turned to the two combatants. “Ye understand the rules so make sure ye fight cleanly. First to three points or to force their opponent to yield is the winner. Ready?”

Cinead nodded, gripped his wooden practise sword tightly, and faced Graham, his opponent. He didn’t know the man, but from what he’d seen so far, he was an excellent fighter. Cinead would need all his wits about him if he was to progress to the final.

“Fight!” Edgar called.

The crowd erupted into cheering as Graham launched an attack at Cinead. Cinead stepped back, parrying the blows but not attempting to strike back. Graham obviously wanted a quick bout and had decided that all-out attack was his best chance. But Cinead had been taught differently. In order to beat your opponent you had to know his weaknesses. So, for the first few minutes of the fight, he did nothing but defend as Graham came at him, watching and learning his opponent’s moves, which side was his strongest, how he kept his balance, whether he was light on his feet and a myriad other things that passed through Cinead’s mind quicker than thought.

Cinead danced backwards, almost to the edge of the roped off area, leaving a gap between himself and Graham. Graham, caught by surprise by Cinead’s sudden disengagement, stumbled. Cinead pounced. He caught the tip of Graham’s practise sword with his own and ripped it from his fingers. Then he shoved the man’s shoulder, allowing his momentum to take him crashing to the ground. Once there, Cinead pressed the tip of his practise sword against Graham’s throat.

“Do ye yield?”

Graham stared up at him. “I’d heard the stories,” he said. “About how good ye were, but I didnae believe them until now.” He nodded.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.