At once everyone looked around them. The Black Knight raised a hand and pointed in my direction. One 379/431

by one people stepped out of the way, opening up a path for Tristan to find me.

“I didn’t hear what they said,” I called out, trying to find Jane’s face among all the rest. “What is the contest?”

No one answered me, although several people laughed. Everyone stared at me.

Tristan ran toward me, but there was no concern in his expression, only happiness, triumph. Was the contest already over? Had he won?

I looked over at the Black Knight, but he wasn’t moving, only calmly sitting on his horse, watching.

Once Tristan reached me he took hold of my arms and smiled at me breathlessly. I hadn’t seen him so happy since before we’d come to the Middle Ages. “Kiss me,” he said.

“What?” I tried to take a step back from him but he held onto me tightly.

“Just kiss me. Do it now.”

But I couldn’t. I would switch enchantments with him and be stuck in the Middle Ages forever. I shook my head.

Frustration filled his face. “Savannah, this is no time to be shy. The contest depends on it.”

“What?” I asked again.

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His grip tightened on my arms. “The Black Knight and I are having a contest to see who you will willingly kiss first. You have to kiss me or I’ll lose.” I could feel the crowd pressing around us, watching, waiting, and yet I stood there unable to move or speak.

His eyes didn’t leave mine and I couldn’t break his gaze. I watched disappointment seep into his eyes with every second that passed. “Savannah,” he said, and it was half question, half reprimand.

I whispered, “I’m sorry, I can’t. I—” Tristan dropped his hold on my arms. “You can’t?” and it wasn’t a whisper.

From on top of his horse the Black Knight laughed. All heads turned in his direction. All heads but mine. I looked at the ground and took shuddering breaths.

“She can’t,” the Black Knight called, “because she has already kissed me. On our first meeting, in fact; she begged me to kiss her. Ask her—I’ve given her truth potion and she cannot lie in my presence lest her tongue burn out of her mouth.”

I didn’t say anything, just felt my cheeks burning with shame. I wanted to explain but couldn’t. I couldn’t let an entire crowd know I’d taken a switching potion.

Tristan turned to me, his eyes blazing with anger.

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I raised my gaze to his and at once felt scorched by his expression. “It isn’t what you think.”

“What I think?” he asked. “You told me you needed more time after Hunter. You said you were through with fairy-tale romances. What I think is that you’re a liar.

Now did you kiss him or not?”

It hurt to do it, but I nodded.

Even after his speech, Tristan still took a step away from me as though I’d struck him. The crowd at once murmured, pressing toward us and throwing words of scorn in my direction.

“Hussy!”

“The way of such a woman is wickedness!”

“The downfall of he who held her dear!” I stepped toward Tristan, my hands out. My voice came out in broken spurts. “I’m sorry, but we’ll think of another way to defeat him.”

He shook his head. “Don’t you understand?”

“Tristan—”

I didn’t finish; the Black Knight spoke again. “And thus falls your most promising knight.” He held his sword out to the crowd and yelled, “All of you will like-wise fall if Prince Edmond does not accept my challenge soon. I tire of waiting. I give him a fortnight and no longer. Then I will return and you shall feel the wrath of the Black Knight.” He nudged his horse forward, and the 382/431

crowd parted before him. He called over his shoulder to King Roderick. “I leave it to the king to see that the consequences of Sir Tristan’s challenge are fulfilled. If his head isn’t posted outside the castle wall by tomorrow at nightfall I will consider it an act of war.”

“What?” I yelled and then screamed, “No!” I knew the Black Knight heard me. For a moment his head swung in my direction and he paused as he looked at me. I stepped toward him, half stumbling. “No!” I cried. “Have mercy!” But he spurred his horse on and rode toward the forest.

I turned back to Tristan, my head shaking, all of me shaking. “You didn’t wager your life. Tell me you didn’t wager your life.”

His voice, his manner was bitterly calm. “It was the only way I could get the Black Knight to agree to his own banishment if he lost.”

Above the rumblings of the crowd, I heard the king, his tone heavy with regret. “Guards, bring Sir Tristan to me.”

I couldn’t breathe. Everything looked dark and shadowy by the torchlight. The cold air grabbed at my throat.

The crowd at once erupted with protests. “It wasn’t a fair fight!” someone yelled.

“It should be her head, not his that hangs on the castle wall!”

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“We don’t answer to the Black Knight!” someone else shouted.

Instead of moving out of the way, the people stood their ground, blocking the way of the guards as they tried to come for Tristan.

I put my hand on Tristan’s arm. “You have to run.” I looked around the courtyard. “My carriage—I have twelve fast horses, at least they’ll be fast until midnight—”

He didn’t move. “And what will I do when the Black Knight seeks revenge on all of these people? Where will I run to then?”

“They’ll be able to handle the Black Knight. He’s not invincible anymore.”

Tristan still made no move to leave. His jaw was set.

He looked at the progress of the guards through the crowd.

I tugged at Tristan’s arm to get his attention again and kept my voice low so only he could hear me. “That’s how I stole his invincibility enchantment. I drank switching potion and now I’ll switch enchantments with anyone who kisses me this week.” I knew he didn’t understand but I went on trying to explain, trying to redeem myself.

“I kissed him, but I did it for you.” Tristan nodded but still didn’t look at me. I wasn’t sure if he believed me or not. “I remember that day. You 384/431

were worried you’d end up being the Black Knight’s downfall. Ironic, isn’t it?”

The guards were making headway through the crowd.

They yelled and pushed people out of the way, their swords gripped in tight fists. No one was putting up much resistance anymore. The guards would be here soon.

I reached over to Tristan’s waist and pulled his sword from its sheath. I held it in front of me, my senses already growing sharp. “I won’t let them take you.” He let out a sigh. “You don’t know how to use that.

Put it down before someone decides to chop it out of your hands.”

I didn’t.

Tristan reached out and took the sword from me. I could have stopped him. The world slowed as his hand came toward mine, every moment crawled by. I saw not only his hand reaching for the sword, but the guards and the crowd before us. One of the guards had his sword pointed at Hunter, was yelling at Hunter to drop his weapon. Another had just grabbed Jane by her arm.

I realized I could save Tristan, but I couldn’t save them all. If I stood here and fought for Tristan’s life, Hunter and Jane would lose theirs.

So I let Tristan take the sword.

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The world still moved in slow motion. I put my hand on Tristan’s shoulder and leaned in close to him. I pushed myself up on my tiptoes and kissed his lips.

At once the world sped up, crashed around me, with noise and motion.

But Tristan looked with wonder out at the crowd and I could tell his new senses had already kicked in. “What’s happened?”

“You’re invincible now. They can’t hurt you.” The guard who had grabbed Jane held his sword at the base of her throat. Her eyes stared at us, wide and frightened. “Drop your sword!” the guard yelled to Tristan.