Page 23 of Chivalry in the Meadow (Hope Runs Deep #2)

A line had been scrawled across the next page in black ink which covered up the words of the book

The knight you dream of wears a borrowed face.

Mia was finally asleep in the tent when she dreamed again. It began with the sound of hooves in the mist.

Mia stood alone in a moonlit glade. Mist curled around her bare feet. Trees loomed around her, tall and ancient.

An owl landed on a branch before her. Massive and majestic, with eyes like glowing embers.

It spoke in a deep, echoing voice.

“He wears a borrowed face. The gleam on his armor is not his own.”

Mia turned to ask what it meant. But the owl flew away.

In its place stood a knight in shadowed armor, reaching toward her with clawed hands.

She woke with a gasp, tangled in her sleeping bag.

The next morning broke in a blaze of sunlight, the festival already stirring to life. Minstrels tuned lutes in the meadow, their bright notes mingling with the ring of blacksmith hammers, and someone began playing a flute.

The scent of fresh bread drifted from the vendors’ tents as laughter carried on the breeze.

Mia and Lilly headed to the cafeteria to break their fast.

Looking about her, as they neared the food court area, Mia realized the energy was slightly off. Vendors were whispering, several of the knights they passed appeared tense.

“Something is going on,” she said.

“What?” Lilly asked.

“I don’t know, but can’t you feel it? The tension in the air.”

A knowing suddenly hit her.

Something has happened.

They passed two older women and heard the words, “Young woman missing.”

Mia’s eyes widened.

“I’ll ask Finn what’s going on,” Lilly said. “Let’s put our breakfast order in first.”

“Okay,” Mia said, and they got in the pastry and coffee line. “I can wait for it if you want to find him.”

“Thanks.” Lilly walked over to the tavern, the first place to look for him.

After Mia picked up their food and drinks, she turned to glance at the tavern.

Lilly paced near it, arms crossed, impatient. It looked like the tavern wasn’t even open. Finn appeared shortly after, they spoke and then headed toward Mia.

She found a picnic table for them, sat everything down and waited.

“Morning Mia,” Finn said.

“Morning Finn,” she said. “What’s going on?”

“A young woman is missing,” Finn said grimly as he sat down. “Her name was…”

“Tess,” Mia interrupted.

“Right. Tessa,” he nodded. “Did you know her?”

“No,” she said. “Her name just came to me.”

He gave her a quizzical look but continued. “She’s only twenty-one. A college student here to work this summer. She was supposed to work the bakery booth this morning. Never showed up.”

“Drunk and wandered off?” Lilly asked, hopefulness in her voice.

“Doubtful.” Finn said. “She didn’t drink. And her bag was still in her tent. Phone too,” he added. “Her car is here, but no Tessa.”

Mia’s fingers tightened on her mug. A strange chill ran down her spine. She just knew.

Something bad had happened to Tessa.

But what, she had no idea.

A few of the knights now stood nearby in hushed conversation. Sir Cedric was among them, speaking low to Sir Gareth and Sir Thorne. Sir Cedric looked up mid-sentence and caught Mia watching. He gave her a slight, knowing smile.

It didn’t reach his eyes.

And again, she saw a shimmer. A short one and then it was gone.

“She’s of age, so the police can’t put a missing person out on her yet,” Finn said. “She was last seen at the masquerade, so it hasn’t been that long.”

Lilly finished her breakfast roll. “I forgot something in the tent,” she said. “I’m headed back to get it.”

“Not alone,” he said. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’ll wait here,” Mia said.

“You’ll be all right here,” Finn said. “Just don’t go wandering off.”

“If you want to go shopping, call me,” Lilly said. “So, I know where you are.”

Mia nodded and watched them go as she finished off her apple Danish. Wiping her hands on the napkin, she thought about the great horned owl. Pulling out a small notebook and pencil, she began sketching the owl from memory.

Sir Alaric approached quietly and looked down at her drawing. “You saw him again, didn’t you?” he asked.

Mia didn’t ask how he knew. “In my dream. He spoke this time.”

Sir Alaric sat beside her. “That’s no ordinary owl. It’s a guardian spirit. Very old.”

“Old magic,” she echoed. “Like my nana used to talk about.”

He held out his hand, closed around something. “I brought you this,” he said. “Hold out your hand.”

She held her hand out.

He opened his hand, to show her a smooth, flat stone carved with a symbol.

The eye of an owl.

“Keep this on you,” he said as he placed it in her hand.

The stone carried his warmth, and she felt it against her palm. A comforting warmth.

“It will ward off glamours,” he said. “Maybe more.”

She turned it over in her palm. “Why are you helping me?”

“Because someone, or something, is watching you,” he said, his gaze intense. “And I don’t think it’s just me.”

His voice was quiet, but fierce beneath.

Mia felt heat rise in her chest. Not fear. Something else. Trust. Wanting him. Wanting his arms around her, to hold her and make all danger go away.

Mia and Lilly wove through the crowd, skirts swishing, drawn toward the lists, where the knights were polishing armor, and testing lances, for the day’s tilts.

Sir Cedric stood near the horses, his white surcoat hanging open as he ran a cloth along the gleaming length of his helm.

When he saw Mia, his smile lit like sunlight on water. “Good morrow, my lady. Did you dream of my victory?”

Before Mia could muster a reply, a commotion erupted near the edge of the encampment and frustrated, fearful voices rose.

She and Lilly exchanged a glance and then turned to follow the current of people to a merchant’s tent.

The scene inside was… wrong.

Clothing and trinkets lay scattered across the ground as if swept aside by an impatient hand. A satchel lay ripped open, its contents half-chewed.

Tiny footprints, too small for a human child, too many to count, dotted the dirt in erratic, swirling patterns.

The merchant, pale and shaking woman, stammered to the gathered onlookers. “I, I swear, they weren’t here when I closed last night. And… and the sound. Like claws on wood. Chittering and chittering.”

Sir Alaric stepped forward from the crowd, his calm dark gaze sweeping the scene. “Mistress Young, was anything taken?”

She nodded. “Bread. Dried meat. And… and a silver hair comb.”

Sir Cedric appeared at Mia’s side; his voice pitched low. “It’s nothing you should trouble yourself over. Mischievous thieves, nothing more.”

But Sir Alaric’s glance toward Sir Cedric was sharp enough to cut. “You know better.”

Before Mia could ask what, he meant, the air shifted.

A whisper of movement brushed past her ear, and she looked up to see the great horned owl perched atop the merchant’s tent pole. Its feathers rippled in the light wind; its golden eyes fixed directly on her.

The world seemed to narrow to that gaze. The noise of the crowd fell away.

The owl’s beak opened. Not in a screech, but in a low, resonant voice she felt and knew more than heard.

They watch. They want. Beware the dark between the tents.

Then the owl was gone, lifting into the sky on silent wings, vanishing against the bright morning sun.

Mia turned to Lilly, her pulse racing. “Did you hear?”

But Lilly shook her head, frowning. “Hear what?”

From somewhere beyond the festival’s music and chatter came a faint squeak, like the sound Mia had heard before.

And this time, it felt closer.

Early morning at the food court area the energy felt slightly off. Venders were whispering to each other and the knights appeared tense.

Mia picked at her croissant as Lilly paced nearby, arms crossed.

“Her name was Tessa,” Finn said grimly. “She was supposed to work the bakery booth this morning. Never showed.”

“Drunk and wandered off?” someone offered weakly.

“Her bag was still in her tent,” Finn said. “Phone too.”

Mia’s fingers tightened on her mug. A strange chill ran down her spine.

A few of the knights stood nearby in hushed conversation, Sir Cedric among them, speaking low to Sir Gareth and Sir Thorne.

Sir Cedric looked up mid-sentence and caught Mia watching. He gave her a slight, knowing smile.

It didn’t reach his eyes.

***

“Let’s go and watch the jousting warmups,” Lilly said. “Sir Elias told me when they’ll be practicing.”

“That sounds like fun,” Mia said.

She and Lilly walked toward the practice field.

Lilly paused and put her hand on Mia’s arm before they walked near enough to attract attention. “Mia, wait. It looks like they are fighting for real. Maybe we shouldn’t go over there.”

Sir Cedric and Sir Alaric were squared off in a verbal spar.

Their horses pawed at the dirt as if sensing the tension.

Sir Alaric scowled, making his dark features even darker. “You always did think you deserved more. Even the girl, now?”

Sir Cedric’s smile sharpened, less charming and more deadly. “You’re just upset she doesn’t look at you like that.”

Mia watched from the sidelines, heart pounding. Were they talking about her? Fighting over her? “These aren’t rehearsed lines,” she murmured. “This is real .”

Sir Alaric threw the first punch, and it hit hard.

Several knights rushed to pull them apart and it was only then that he saw her. He stood still, the darkness in his eyes softer when they lit on her.

Sir Cedric’s lip was bloodied, and he turned to look at her.

She could see that his pride was hurt as well. But she felt only a cold chill. Because when Sir Cedric met her gaze …his eyes shimmered again.

Just for a second. But that second was long enough.

There was something very off about Sir Cedric and she needed to keep her distance from whatever it was that he was or had. It felt dangerous.

“Lilly,” she whispered. “Let’s go.”

The went back quietly and then headed for the tavern.

Mia now wanted to be among people.

As they sat at the tavern after placing their order, Mia said, “Sir Cedric is dangerous. I don’t want to be alone with him.”