Last Knight (The Champion Chronicles Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

double doors.  “She is resting.”
    Marik glanced out a nearby window which looked directly to the west.  The sun was still far from dropping to the horizon.  It was past midday.  Even if the Queen had a busy morning, it was still too early for an afternoon nap.
    “Then wake her,” Marik demanded.  “I have news.”
    Arpwin shook his head.  “Whatever it is, you can tell me.  I shall pass it on to her.  She is very weary and needs her sleep.”
    “This is only for the Queen’s ears, not for you,” Marik retorted sharply.
    Arpwin hesitated for only a moment before letting out a long sigh.  He turned and opened the doors to the Queen’s bedchamber.
    The curtains had been pulled closed, keeping most of the light of the day out.  But as soon as the doors were opened, the curtains billowed out and parted, allowing sunlight to fill the room.
    “Who is it?” A weak voice said from under the covers of thick blankets.
    “It is Marik, your Majesty.”
    The queen sat up, keeping the blankets pulled up to her chin.  Her long, blonde hair was a tangled mess and her eyes were encircled by dark shadows.
    “Are you okay?” Marik asked.
    “I am just a bit sleepy,” Elissa replied.
    “It is late in the day for sleeping.  Perhaps you should retire at an earlier hour.”
    Elissa looked at the windows.  “I fell asleep as the sun was setting.  What time is it now?”
    “The sun is high in the sky.”
    “Oh,” Elissa said, running a hand through her hair.  “I must have slept in.”
    “You are queen,” Marik said.  “You have a kingdom to run.”
    Elissa looked up at Marik with her large green eyes.  Her lips were turned into a slight smile.  Or maybe it was a grimace.  It was then that Marik remembered just how young she was.  She was a stunningly beautiful young woman.  Old enough to marry and bear children, but too young for the pressure of running a kingdom.  No wonder she was lying in bed, trying to hide from the world.  Everyone was wanting something from her or for her to make a decision.  Everyone was expecting her to be the leader of kingdom, to make decisions that would affect thousands of people.  Some of them would be life or death decisions.  And this young, sweet girl had lived her life in the shadows of her father, never having been taught the ways of kings and leaders.
    For a moment Marik wondered if the kingdom would have been better off had King Neffenmark survived his one day as king.  He might have been a scourge and an evil man, but he was a leader.  He had kept his little section of the kingdom under firm rule for many years, and maybe he could have been that someone to keep Karmon from falling apart.  But these thoughts were fleeting.  As soon as he thought about the dead fat king, he remembered all the evil that he had inflicted on the kingdom.  It was his plan, his treachery that had led them to where they were now.  If he had not put plans in place, Thell and Karmon would still be enemies and King Thorndale would still be alive.  And Elissa would still be just a princess.
    But then he would never have met Conner.  And Conner would never have changed the course of a kingdom.  It was through his one act that saved Elissa’s life that put them where they were now.  Peace.  It was a crazy peace with a teenage queen and the disbandment of the fabled Karmon Knights.  But it was peace nonetheless.
    “I want to go for walk,” Queen Elissa said softly.
    Marik heard the words, but did not acknowledge her.  His news was too important and he had to discuss it right away.  “Your Majesty,” Marik said with a slight bow of his head.  “We have the treaty to discuss.”
    “Treaty?” Elissa asked.  “Should Lord Martin or Lord Kirwal be here?”
    “You are queen.”
    Elissa pulled her legs up to her chest and she wrapped her arms around her shins.  Tears started to form at the corner of her eyes.
    Marik took a fatherly step forward.  Seeing the pain on her