Free Archer's Sin by Amy Raby Page B

paced about the small room, wishing she hadn’t snapped at him earlier. She should not have doubted him. Deep down, she knew Justien was a good man. But she hadn’t expected even a man as good as Justien to make such a sacrifice on her account. “Tell me everything. What happened after I left?”
    “I wish I hadn’t even gone up on the platform,” he said. “I’d expected Felix to announce your name. I was preparing myself to applaud for you, even though I was jealous and angry with myself for missing the butt with that third arrow. And when he said my name instead, I was confused. I wondered if maybe I could have misunderstood the scoring. In the end, I went up there because he told me to and everyone was watching.”
    “I wasn’t confused when it happened,” she said, lowering her gaze. “Just humiliated.”
    “You’ve perhaps more experience with this sort of thing than I have,” said Justien. “I know there’s a certain antipathy toward women warriors, but I didn’t think the judges would dare to be so blatant. Hundreds of people saw you outshoot me. Gods above, the emperor and empress saw it! And then I was called up on the platform to be supposedly honored—the crowd was booing, by the way.”
    “I heard them,” said Nalica. “Much good it did.”
    “I felt trapped up there,” said Justien. “But after I thought it over, I realized I couldn’t accept the award. I told them you’d outshot me and I couldn’t accept the prize. So I went back down to the field, and they conferred to pick a new winner. I was hoping they’d do the right thing this time and name you.”
    Her eyes swam, and her heart swelled with warmth. She wanted to hug Justien for standing up for her when no one else would.
    “They didn’t, though,” he said. “Instead they named Caellus.”
    Now she hurt for Justien as well as herself. “I hate to say it, but in a way I wish you’d taken the job. Better you than Caellus, and they would never have given it to me.”
    Justien shook his head. “After what happened, I couldn’t take it. And when I turned the job down, I felt relieved . Can you believe that? After wanting that job so badly, I was glad I wouldn’t be stuck with it. Because I’d have known every single day that I didn’t deserve it.”
    “Caellus deserves it even less.”
    “I know,” said Justien. “I can’t help that.”
    She went to the bed and sat beside him. “I wish I hadn’t wasted my money on the entry fee. Maybe I should go back and demand that they return it. Obviously I wouldn’t have entered if I’d known they wouldn’t let me win.”
    “They won’t give it back. If they did, they’d be admitting their deceit.”
    She sighed. “Captain Felix—that jack-scalder! I hope the authorities hauled him in and questioned him about the horse race, at least.” She blinked. Was it possible she’d been passed over because of reporting his presence at the stable? No, probably not, otherwise Felix would have passed over Justien as well.
    “He wasn’t the only judge.”
    “They’re all jack-scalders,” she grumbled.
    Justien raised a finger to her cheek and traced one of the old tear tracks. “I’m sorry it happened. I really am.”
    She turned away, flushing, and rubbed her face. But it wasn’t his touch she objected to, and to make that clear, she scooted closer to him. After a moment, he slipped an arm around her waist. “I almost forgot. I brought you a present.” Metal clinked gently as he fished something from his pocket. “Here.”
    She opened her hand, and he poured a necklace into it. Sparkling yellow citrine winked up from her palm. She smiled. “From the jewelry tent.”
    “I figured if I was going to come here after what happened this evening, I’d better bring an offering. Let me put it on you.”
    She handed him the necklace and turned so he could fasten it around her neck. His hand on her tender skin sent a tingle all the way down to her toes.
    “Thank you.”