Free Choose the Sky: A Medieval Romance (Swordcross Knights Book 2) by Elizabeth Cole Page B

for?”
    “I ask for nothing,” she muttered.
    “You’re his only daughter, though. Surely he dotes on you.”
    “No one dotes on me. Not my father, nor Joscelin.”
    “Who’s Joscelin?” Luc asked, his eyes suddenly narrow.
    “My cousin. Though he may as well be a brother to me, for he lived here many years, before he traveled to London to continue his career in the church.”
    “Ah,” Luc said, relaxing. “I see.”
    Was he jealous? Was that possible? The idea of Luc being jealous of another man in her life gave her a little jolt of pleasure. Not that she necessarily wanted Luc’s attention—certainly not now! If only she’d met him a few years ago, when all was well. Then she could enjoy being with him, enjoy his quips and his conversation, even enjoy the way he looked at her sometimes, with admiration in his eyes.
    No. She must not get distracted by Luc’s admittedly charming ways. The sooner he was gone, the better.
    “Is your hawk loyal to you alone?” Luc asked.
    Mina had seen how interested he was in the hunting, so she said, “So far, she’s flown only for me, but if you’d like to try a flight, you may.”
    “I’d hate to lose her,” Luc admitted.
    “If you risk nothing, you’ll see no reward.”
    “Is that so?” Luc’s answering look was serious.
    “A sparrowhawk is not nearly as expensive to replace as a falcon, and besides, I think you won’t lose her. You seem a good hunter.”
    “How do you know that, when you’ve never seen me hunt?”
    “It’s mostly about paying attention, and knowing when to act. The worst hunters are the men who blunder around in the woods shouting about what fine hunters they are. I’ve seen enough of those sorts when I was growing up. My father often led hunting parties for guests. I know for a fact that it takes a very skilled gamekeeper to ensure a kill, even when the so-called hunters do nothing to deserve it.”
    Luc noted, “You’re obviously a hunter yourself.”
    “Only with birds,” she said. “I never wanted to go after hare or deer—the experience is entirely different.”
    By that point, Luc had pulled on a spare glove from Mina’s supplies. She leaned forward to put her arm next to his, encouraging Brilliant to step over.
    The position put her very close to him, enough that she could feel the strength in his sword arm and the natural tension in his body. She kept her eyes on Brilliant, but she suspected that Luc was enjoying their proximity. Certainly, his smile seemed to be more than simple appreciation of the sparrowhawk stepping onto his arm.
    “She’s warming right up to me,” he said in a low voice. “Just as I hoped she would.”
    Mina countered, “She’s merely tolerating you, for she’ll do anything to have another flight. She lives for the kill.”
    “Then I’ll indulge her,” Luc promised.
    Luc sent the hawk up, watching as the bird’s wings carried it up into the clear sky. Then it hovered above the tree tops for a moment, before diving down among the branches.
    “Not as spectacular to watch as a falcon,” Mina admitted.
    “The goal isn’t to be spectacular,” Luc said, his voice remote. “It’s to bring back what’s sought.”
    “Yes, precisely,” said Mina. “Though it would be a delight to fly a falcon again. I do like a little spectacle.”
    Luc was about to answer, but then the hawk appeared again, and he had to shift all his focus to swinging the lure to get the bird back within catching distance.
    Mina watched as he worked. He moved well, not wasting motion or creating more fuss than necessary. As soon as Brilliant pounced on the lure’s bait—a morsel of liver—Luc secured the bird’s jesses and drew her in until she was perched on his arm.
    “Well,” he said, speaking to Brilliant, “You brought me no prize, but at least you didn’t escape me entirely. That’s probably the greatest outcome I can hope for today.” With his bare hand, he ran a finger down the bird’s back, smoothing