Children of the Knight (37 page)

Lance just gasped in amazement. “Oh my God, you
gotta
show me how to get those!”

Jack merely laughed and proceeded to do just that. He taught Lance how to lift heavy objects and focus more on the biceps and back and how to heft heavy items so as to build up the chest and shoulders, and the two of them loaded all the weighty furniture into the back of the truck, laughing as they did so.

When they were finished, Lance could really feel the soreness in his muscles and knew he’d gotten a hard workout.

“Thanks, Jack,” he said shyly, dropping his gaze from the older boy’s face.

“Oh, that was only the first lesson, my friend,” Jack told him with a painful squeeze of Lance’s left bicep, “We got a
long
way to go.”

Lance groaned dramatically, and both of them laughed.

T
HE
MTS football field was located at the rear of the campus and had to be accessed by crossing railroad tracks, tracks that were still in use by the rail companies. It had always amused Lance the few times he attended PE when a long-ass train had taken like the entire period to go across, and the class would be trapped on the other side. Crazy-ass setup, he’d always thought. But no train was crossing this day as he hurriedly dragged Jenny out to the field.

He’d waylaid her in her classroom while she was scrambling to get her grades finished in time for graduation the next day, but now none of that mattered. She had a thousand questions for him, but the boy refused to answer them. He just told her she needed to come with him and literally pulled her from the room. His newfound muscles were not lost on her either as he gripped her wrist with a strength not previously there.

As he drew her along a narrow walkway between the baseball field and back of the bleachers, Jenny finally became too exasperated and forcibly yanked her hand from his.

The boy turned to her in frustration. He was dressed in a green tunic, long-sleeved, that she had to admit set off his eyes well, brown drawstring leather pants, and leather boots up to his knees. His fancy attire made her feel like a slob in her jeans and short-sleeved, blue shirt that she’d bought at Ross.

“Thou must come with me, Lady Jenny!”

She stood her ground, hands on her hips, and shook her head. “Not till you tell me what’s going on, Lance. Where is Arthur? And what’s with this
Lady Jenny
stuff?”

The boy turned on the charm and gazed imploringly at her with those eyes and that beautiful face that always reminded her of a Botticelli painting. “All thy questions shalt be answered, milady, but thou must come now. Please!”

Sighing, she reluctantly followed him. He rounded the corner where the bleachers ended and turned to step underneath them. As Jenny followed she found herself face to face with Arthur. His sudden presence startled her, and she gasped in surprise.

Arthur bowed courteously then gently took her hand and kissed it. He was dressed in a royal-purple tunic, with light brown leather pants, soft leather boots, his long red cloak, and a circlet crown on his head.

“We meet again, Lady Jenny.”

Jenny pulled her hand back brusquely. “What do you want?”

Lance leaned in and whispered to Arthur, “Told ya she still don’t trust you.”

Arthur nodded. “Stand guard, Sir Lance. Alert me at anyone’s approach.”

The boy bowed respectfully. “Yes, sire.” Casting a backward glance in Jenny’s direction, he hurried to the edge of the bleachers and stood at attention.

Jenny watched the boy go and then turned to face the man she’d so badly wanted to find. “
Sir
Lance?”

Arthur nodded. “He hath been knighted, milady, as have all the others.”

Jenny felt triumphant. “So I
was
right. You’re recreating the Round Table and filling it with children.”

Arthur bowed slightly in deference to her conclusions. “Thou art as insightful as thou art lovely. We must needs talk, Lady Jenny. I doth require thy help. There be much I must tell and show thee, and methinks we have little time. Be ye willing to accompany Lance and myself?”

She paused and considered. This was what she’d wanted. She needed to know what the man was up to. She’d wanted to know that Lance was safe, and Lance was not only safe, but apparently quite happy from the look of him. Yet if she went with Arthur to who knew where and told no one, they could easily make her just disappear, and no one would be the wiser. But no, she knew, that was not this man’s intent. Lance would never be with him if the guy were dangerous. Lance was too smart for that. So she made her decision.

“All right. I’ll come.”

Arthur grinned, a look that struck her as very handsome. Though she hated to admit it, he was very good-looking and
very
charismatic. He took her by the arm and led her gently into the shadows to where Lance was waiting. Then the three of them walked to Jenny’s Prius parked in the rear lot that abutted the campus.

Lance sat in the backseat of the compact car and Arthur in front with Jenny. She looked askance at him when Arthur directed her toward the closest storm drain entrance. He merely smiled and sat a trifle uncomfortably in his seat. This was his first time in an automobile, and while he understood the appeal, he preferred the safe and secure confines of Llamrei’s saddle.

Entering through the storm drain grate was the first of many surprises for Jenny that afternoon and evening. Arthur had arranged for Esteban, Darnell, and Reyna to conduct training in his absence, and all was in full swing when the king, Lance, and Jenny arrived.

She gazed about in amazement as they wended their way through the various tunnels, and Arthur pointed out the different training areas, sleeping quarters, eating areas, the weapons and clothing storage. Jenny was astonished to see Reyna and her girls teaching teenaged boys how to shoot a bow. Chris especially enchanted her when he latched onto Lance as soon as the boy entered The Hub and wouldn’t let go.

Mark and Jack, who’d been sparring with swords and shields, ceased their workout when Arthur and Jenny appeared. Arthur introduced her to the boys but failed to notice Mark’s lack of cordiality toward her. Jack noticed, however, and he didn’t like it. An idea began forming in Jack’s mind as Mark mad-dogged Jenny with his eyes while she wandered The Hub, an idea that almost made Jack sick to his stomach with despair.

As Lance watched Arthur and Jenny together, that pang of jealousy arose again, and he hated himself for it. But he just couldn’t help it. When she was around, Arthur didn’t even notice anyone else was in the room. Including him.

All that she had seen rendered Jenny speechless, but what astonished her most of all was the obvious love and fealty these children felt toward Arthur. In her mind, she’d conjured all manner of nefarious scenarios involving the man and his plans for these kids. But maybe Karla was right. Maybe he
was
teaching them more valuable lessons than they could ever get in school.

Just then, little Chris tugged on Arthur’s luxurious tunic, and the man scooped him into his arms.

“What is it, my boy?”

“Is it dinnertime, Arthur?” Chris responded, eliciting an easy, comfortable laugh from both Arthur and Jenny.

Feeling guilty over his jealousy, Lance quickly stepped forward and grabbed Chris from Arthur’s arms. “I’ll feed him,” he said, a bit more sullenly than he’d intended. Then he softened a little. “I mean, you’re… busy.”

He took off before Arthur could respond, but Jenny had noticed the tightness in his voice and frowned. Arthur, eyes and soul fixed only on Jenny, failed to notice anything awry. He led her to his throne and seated her carefully in it.

Jenny squirmed a bit, feeling awkward and out of place, but no one was really paying any attention.

“Now, milady,” Arthur began, “that ye have seen my new Round Table, what be thine opinion?”

Feeling overwhelmed, Jenny didn’t really have a response. This was
way
too much to process all at once. So she just shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it depends on what you plan to do.”

He flashed that winning smile, the one that accentuated his good looks, and replied, “I plan to ask ye for a favor.”

Her eyebrows rose questioningly.