In the Kingdom's Name (Guardian of Scotland Book 2) Read Online Free

called it. His jaw twitched. He might have made an offer of marriage despite the war, but she’d told him more than once she wanted to live for the now.
    The now. What else is there?
    Though like brushing a horse’s coat against the grain, he knew she was right. He could not make a commitment to Miss Eva or to any woman no matter how much he loved her. Now a soldier of Scotland, William once had lofty ambitions to become a Templar priest. But he’d abandoned his training to fight against the outrageous acts of tyranny brought into the Kingdom by Edward the Longshanks. Ever since taking up the sword, Wallace had followed the path of war, leading a band of rebels and fighting for the release of King John from the Tower. William could no sooner take a wife as he could turn his back on his duty.
    He’d even tried to leave Eva. At first. Now William could barely tolerate the thought of spending a night without his woman in his arms. But he’d be forced to do that soon, regardless. At least his woman would be safe and thank the good Lord she’d made a bond with Lady Murray. Eva would be far less likely to venture out on her own once he and Sir Andrew took the army south.
    Reports of skirmishes on both sides of the border had been trickling in. William needed to take charge, organize these patriotic zealots and stage a full-on invasion of Northern England—and soon. If only Sir Andrew’s health would take a turn for the better. They’d joined together as comrades in arms in this rebellion. Unfortunately, the knight had suffered a crossbow arrow to the shoulder at Stirling Bridge and his health had declined since. Worse, Eva regarded Sir Andrew with fear in her green eyes. She’d predicted too many things about the future for her foresight to be mere luck. The lass had the gift of a seer—aye, she’d insisted she was from the future, but regardless, William knew the gift of sight when he encountered it.
    A moment of eerie silence mushroomed on the breeze before a flock of birds scattered and flew above the forest ahead. The back of William’s neck burned with prickles. Raising his hand, he signaled for a halt. Wallace drew his sword as he made eye contact with Blair and Little.
    With his next blink, an arrow whizzed past his ear.
    “Attack!” William bellowed, reining his horse toward Eva.
    Clutching the reins in her fists, she gasped, her mouth drawing down in a panicked grimace.
    Another hiss came. Then a dull whop. Rearing, William’s mount whinnied and reared. Clamping his knees to stay on, he reined the warhorse in a tight circle, but the horse’s hindquarter gave out and the big stallion spiraled downward. Launching himself from his stirrups, William leapt free. His shoulder smacked into the dirt. A jarring thud reverberated through his teeth.
    In the blink of an eye, he forced the pain from his mind as he rolled then rose to his knees. Still gripping his sword in his fist, William’s gaze searched the bedlam for his woman.
    The roar of battle boomed with the clang of iron in concert with bellows, grunts and shrieks from the wounded. Eva and Lady Christina huddled, hunched on their skittish mounts in the center of the mayhem. They wouldn’t be safe for long. Their horses’ ears pinned back with heads held high and nostrils flaring.
    Gaining his feet, he started to run toward them. Hoofbeats thundered behind. With an upward strike, William spun and met his assailant’s sword with a crushing blow. Flung from his mount, the man howled. William advanced and buried his sword in the traitor’s chest.
    He whirled around. “Andrew! Take the women to safety.” His order would not only save the women, it served to remove the wounded knight from danger.
    Only able to use one arm, Andrew circled his horse and latched on to Lady Christina’s mount’s bridle. “Miss Eva, follow me,” bellowed Sir Murray, reining his gelding eastward. “Make a path.”
    Swinging battleaxes and swords, William’s men fought to open