A Knight With Grace: Book 1 of the Assassin Knights Series Read Online Free PDF

for a very long time. It wasn’t quite what she had imagined. Perhaps the inside was in better shape. Trepidation spread through her. And then, she lifted her chin. It didn’t matter. This was her home. With Curtis. What had she expected? It will be fine, she told herself. We will make it work.
    He reined his horse in before the open door and dismounted. He looked around, gazing from here to there, as if lost in memory. Then, he turned to Grace and helped her from the horse.
    Grace glanced at the overgrown doorway, the weeds twisting and turning as if to block her way. There was a rectangular area beside the cottage that seemed particularly overgrown with thick weeds and tall stalks of grass. It must have been the garden at one time, but it was almost non-existent now. If it weren’t for the lone vine of cucumbers she might not have recognized it.
    She suddenly felt Curtis’s gaze on her. She hadn’t realized she was wringing her hands until he grasped one. “Would you like to go home now?”
    Shocked, she pulled her hand free of his. “This is my home now. This is our home. It just needs a little...work.” A little work? They would have to pull all the weeds and replant. She didn’t know if they would even get any food this year. As she gazed at him, a slow realization dawned in her. “You thought I would return home?”
    Curtis bowed his head, ignoring the question. He gently pulled her toward the doorway. “Come. See the inside.” But he stopped as a figure appeared in the doorway and stepped out into the daylight. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
    The man was dressed in chainmail with a sword strapped to his side. He wore no helm, his dark hair falling to his shoulders in waves. He glanced at Grace. Blue eyes burned into her, sweeping her from head to toe. She was surprised she wasn’t afraid of this man.
    “I’m here to take Lady Grace home,” the knight proclaimed in a calm, assured voice.
    “Who are you?” Grace asked.
    “Sir William de Tracy.”

CHAPTER 7
    S ir William sized up Sir Curtis with a quick glance. He was a tall man, but not of impressive stature. He was young. Maybe just a few years older then Lady Grace, if even that.
    Curtis’s lip curled in a sneer and he stepped back, drawing his sword. “You shant be taking her anywhere.”
    William had known it would come to this. He held up his hands. “I don’t want to fight you.”
    “Of course not,” Curtis snarled. “You’ve done enough murdering for a lifetime. You will have to fight if you intend to take Lady Grace, for I have no intention of giving her up.”
    With a reluctant sigh, William pulled his sword from its sheath. “So be it.” William was skilled in sword fighting and he was sure he would defeat this young knight standing so brazenly defiant before him. He hoped that perhaps he could teach the brash young hot head a lesson without hurting him.
    Curtis swung first, two quick blows.
    William easily deflected them, but he was too close to the cottage and had nowhere to retreat, so he eased to the side. Curtis attacked that side with another swipe, intent on keeping William cornered. William parried the blows, the tings of the blades ringing out through the air. William quickly moved the other way, away from the cottage.
    They circled, each man holding his sword up, and each sharp, deadly tip pointed at its opponent.
    “Murderer,” Curtis hissed.
    William betrayed no emotion. He had grown used to the accusation and the derogatory names and comments others threw at him. He had lived with them for a long time.
    “You don’t deny it.”
    “It would not matter what I said. You’ve cast your judgment,” William stated. He watched the young knight’s style, looking for a way to disarm him. Curtis made many mistakes. He kept his sword too low. His grip was too loose. His eyes focused on his opponent’s blade. It was a wonder he was still alive. But William knew Curtis had not been trained as he had. The