Keladry of Mindelan perched in her saddle at the end of the tilting lane, shaking her hands to regain their feeling. Peachblossom's breath came heavy and quick. Kel felt the same breathlessness after going two rounds against Lord Wyldon. This would be the third and final pass. She wasn't even done tilting against the man and already her body ached fiercely. She hoped against hope that she could hold on for one last round.

The trumpet sounded and Peachblossom charged without her prompting. Kel shifted in her seat, trying to find her balance. She watched as Lord Wyldon came barreling down the lane on his own warhorse, Cavall's Heart. They lowered their lances in tandem, and Kel could already tell this was going to end badly for her. They met with a great clash.

Kel was idly aware that her lance had met its mark on the former training master's shield. However, that small victory was over shadowed by a great blooming pain in her shoulder and then the feeling of flying.

Her last coherent thought before her back slammed the ground was the regret that she didn't get to bed Cleon before she died.


Lord Raoul sat in the stands of the tilting yard, watching his young squire square off for the third and final round of her match. Warmth settled in his chest; the pride he felt for his squire was evident in his smile. Which was all well and good, seeing as words just weren't adequate at the moment.

It was obvious that Kel wasn't going to win the match, but Raoul still stood to win a good amount of coin if she could manage to stay on her mount. Raoul could definitely admire Kel's skill with a lance but he wasn't stupid enough to bet against Lord Wyldon. Not yet anyway.

The spectator stands were full and noisy today. Evidently, everyone wanted to see how The Girl stacked up against one of Tortall's legends. Raoul could pick out a few of his men in their blue uniforms sitting around the arena. He also spied Alanna sitting next to Duke Baird, as well as a group of squires shouting encouragements.

Then the trumpet sounded and Peachblossom charged. The great beast was tired, as evidenced by his frothing mouth and his sweat streaked sides, but the gelding refused to let mere exhaustion slow him down. Raoul could tell Kel was sore and tired as well, her pinched facial expression only visible to those who know her best. The determined fire in her eyes, however, was apparent to all.

Raoul watched as the fierce warriors lowered their lances simultaneously and crashed together.

Kel's lance struck true; Lord Wyldon's shield buckled slightly, just below the center. Unfortunately for Kel, Lord Wyldon's lance also landed.

Raoul couldn't help the groan that escaped his lips as he watched Kel get popped from the saddle and go flying. Well, there went that bet.

Raoul stood from his seat and joined the crowd in polite applause for the former training master. He was already planning Kel's next tilting lesson. Then he noticed an anxious quiet settle in the stands. He looked back to the arena and felt dread creep into his gut. Kel had yet to move.

Raoul started to shoulder his way through the throng of people standing in his way, muttering general apologies as he went. He watched as Lord Wyldon swung down from his mount and quickly make his way to Kel's side. The man dropped to his knees and pulled the squire's helm from her head. Dread weighed in his gut like a brick and fear was starting to constrict his lungs when Raoul heard Lord Wyldon shout, "Goldenlake!"

Raoul in turn shouted, "Alanna! Baird!" Raoul picked up his pace and started shoving people who got in his way. He was past being polite. When he finally managed to duck into the arena, he threw himself down at his squire's side. The quiet surrounding them made Raoul's skin prickle. When he saw the blood on the inside of Kel's helm, terror choked him.

"Mindelan! Keladry, answer me," Lord Wyldon demanded gruffly. His fingers pressed against the pulse point in Kel's neck and Raoul was reassured to hear the man's relieved sigh.

The next moment Baird dropped to the ground at Kel's head and his hands were pressing against her temples. Green fire leaped from his palms without hesitation. The healer was mumbling to himself as his Gift catalogued her injuries. After a brief pause, the fire faded. Baird's voice was quiet when he spoke. "She has a severe concussion and a dislocated shoulder. I'm going to try to wake her. She should spend at least tonight in the infirmiry for observation, but we'll decide that later."

The green fire was back, wrething Kel's head in a grim parody of a crown. Raoul held his breath when her eyes flickered a moment and then opened. The knot in his gut tightened when he noticed her dreamy hazel eyes looked glassy and blank.

"Keladry?" Lord Wyldon asked. Kel's eyes didn't move from where they were watching clouds drift by. In a surprising moment of tenderness, Lord Wyldon gently touched his finger tips to her cheek. "Keladry? Please look at me," he requested. Her eyes flickered to look at the ex-training master. The knot in Raoul's gut tightened further still when he realized there was no recognition sparking in Kel's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Kel tilted her head as his words reverberated in her skull. The tip of her tongue darted out to wet her dry dusty lips. Her reply made Raoul want to howl with grief. "Who are you?"