A Knight With Grace: Book 1 of the Assassin Knights Series by Laurel O'Donnell

him?”
    “I will see you back to your father safely,” William proclaimed. There was no doubt in his voice, only fact.
    She felt tears flood through her eyes, closing her throat. He would take her home. To her father. Back to another man who wanted nothing to do with her. Maybe in the face of her prolonged absence, her father's anger would calm. While she was at Bovey with William, perhaps her father would know she was safe and that would be enough for him. Perhaps. But she knew it wouldn’t be. She had never been able to make him happy. Not him or any man. Not her father, not Curtis.
    The horse moved from side to side beneath her as it walked forward. William’s arms were around her, clutching the reins. “You needn’t worry, Grace,” William said softly. “I will protect you and see you safely home. The marriage will be dissolved and you will have everything you wanted.”
    Grace nodded and looked away. Yes. Everything she wanted, her mind repeated but there was doubt festering at the edge of her mind that made mockery of his words. Was she sure of what she wanted anymore?

    When William was convinced they were not being followed, they stopped near a stream in the forest. William gave her bread to eat and left her alone by the stream. She rinsed her hair and face and any exposed skin she could manage to reach without removing any clothing.
    When she returned to their camp, the sun was setting. Dappled red light fell upon the ground. At first, she didn’t see William and her stomach clenched in nervousness. Had he abandoned her? But as she stepped around a tree, she saw him on his knees. She inhaled in alarm, thinking at first he was hurt. Then she saw his folded hands and bowed head and realized he was praying. His dark hair fell over his strong shoulders. His powerful body was completely still. His eyes were closed.
    The sight shocked her. A cursed knight was praying? To a God who didn’t listen. The irony didn’t escape her. She turned to go, but stopped. The golden rays of the sun touched his head and shoulders making a halo of gold. She couldn’t take her gaze from him. She knew she was intruding and she should let him pray, but she couldn’t move; she could only stare at the sight of the humbled knight on his knees. He was magnificent. So strong and so proud. And so amazingly handsome.
    And cursed.
    She felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She wished he wasn’t cursed. She wished he hadn’t killed the archbishop. She wished he had peace.
    He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, locking gazes with her. He made the sign of the cross, touching his forehead, his stomach and each shoulder before standing.
    Grace came forward. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
    “I was done.”
    “Do you pray every night?”
    “I pray every chance I get.”
    It was the fact that he had never given up hope that sent another wave of sympathy through her. After everything that had happened to him, he still prayed. He moved by her. “Why did you do it?” she couldn’t help asking. “Why did you kill Archbishop Becket?”
    He stopped cold, his shoulders stiff. He gazed into the darkness of the forest for a long moment, almost as if remembering. Then, he slowly turned his head to her. His stunning blue eyes fastened on her. “I did it for my king.” He narrowed his gaze slightly and continued past her.
    There was something practiced and stiff in his speech. It was a rehearsed answer, she realized. Almost as if he had been asked so many times before that it was the only answer he could give. And it served its purpose, she realized. She had stopped asking about it.
    William moved to Hellfire and opened a bag. He pulled the blankets out, handing them to her. “We can’t light a fire, but you should be warm enough with these.”
    Grace took the blankets, unable to look away from him. So strong. So stoic. She felt confident he would protect her. But she had believed that about Curtis, too. “You didn’t have to do