and without waiting for Razi to rise, he turned on his heel and disappeared inside.
Oliver strode quickly after him.
Stunned, Razi remained on his knees for a moment. Then he got uncertainly to his feet and followed Oliver inside. Wynter glanced at Christopher. Just as the shadows of the interior swallowed their friend, the two of them dashed across the sun-baked ground and ran in the door before any of the guards could stop them.
Wynter slid into dimness, startling Razi and Alberon. The brothers leapt apart. Alberon, swiping tears from his eyes, drew his sword and pushed himself ahead of the unarmed Razi. The interior of the tent was filled with shadows as bellowing men rushed the door. Christopher spun to face them and Oliver leapt at him, a knife in his hand.
Razi pulled the knight back, yelling, ‘No, Oliver! Stop! Albi, it is Wynter! It is Wyn!’
Wynter ripped her scarf aside, and Alberon, his sword poised to strike her, jerked to a halt, staring in disbelief. ‘Wyn!’ he cried.
Soldiers shoved their way into the tent, snarling in anger, weapons raised. They advanced on Christopher, and Alberon waved them away, all his attention on Wynter.
‘It is fine,’ he said. ‘You lot can go . . .’
The soldiers hesitated, eyeing Christopher, who glared dangerously at them, his fists raised. Alberon finally tore his eyes from Wynter, took in his men’s posturing, and yelled in sudden anger, ‘Oh, get out! Out for Christ’s sake, you useless chards! They could have killed me twice over if they had wished! Get out!’
The men retreated in shame, and Alberon immediately turned back to Wynter, his face transformed with joy. ‘Wyn!’ he yelled, slamming his sword into his scabbard. ‘Look at you!’
To Wynter’s shock, he took her face between his hands and stooped to kiss her. First on the mouth, then on the forehead, then on both cheeks, each kiss harder than the last. Then he grabbed her around the waist and spun her until she was breathless.
‘Look at you!’ he shouted. ‘Look at you! My little sister! Still no taller than a thumb, but all grown up nonetheless!’
He dropped her suddenly, and turned once more to his brother. Wynter staggered, and Christopher came forward, steadying her with his hand on her back. She blinked, dazed, and watched in numb disbelief as Alberon grabbed Razi’s face, looked him in the eye, laughed again and pulled him into a fierce hug.
‘He sent you! I knew he would! I knew it! I knew the stubborn old bull wouldn’t hold out long once you’d come home! I knew you’d make him listen!’ He grabbed the back of Razi’s head, knotting his fingers in his brother’s curls. ‘Oh, but it was a cruel ruse,’ he said, his voice suddenly hoarse. ‘For him to make me think you were dead. That was too cruel, Razi. It was too cruel . . .’ Razi’s face creased up at that, and he squeezed his brother tight. ‘It was too cruel,’ whispered Alberon, and that was the last he said for a while, words being too much for any of them.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
OLIVER’S SWORD came down to tap Christopher’s hand. ‘You would do well to unhand the lady,’ he said softly, and he pressed the flat of his sword against Christopher’s arm until he had pushed the young man’s hand from Wynter’s waist.
Christopher stepped back, arms spread, and Oliver gestured with his sword that he should back away from Wynter. Christopher looked at her, uncertain. She saw the surprise in his eyes when she didn’t immediately defend him, and her heart dropped.
On the trail it had been so easy to forget their differences. They had been just Christopher and Iseult, and for what had felt like the longest time, that had been all that mattered. There had never been time to discuss this return to court life, and Wynter had always assumed that Christopher would simply adapt to it. In a sudden rush of panic and regret, she realised that they had left far too many things unsaid, and now it was too late. She stared at him, her face a cool mask, the memory of their last kiss still ghosted upon her lips, and she prayed that Christopher would play along until they had time to talk things through. But Christopher’s clear grey eyes hardened, his chin lowered, and Wynter’s heart squeezed in alarm as she realised that he was going to say something both of them would regret.