Free Knight's End (The Knight Trilogy) by Jami Montgomery Page A

responsibility; not mine,” he sneered.
    “Well, I was sleeping,” she retaliated , folding her arms across her chest and sticking her nose in the air.
    “Look here, Princess . I don’t know who you think you are, but I am not your servant,” Aston barked, dropping his knife and the rabbit on the ground and standing. He towered over Jade and she swallowed, his mention of the word ‘princess’ causing her momentary panic.
    “What did you call me?” she asked, her voice shaking. Was she really that obvious?
    “Princess. It’s what you’re acting like. Stuck up, arrogant, with no responsibility. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were royalty,” he told her, his face full of disdain.
    He didn’t move away from her and Jade felt suddenly egotistical. Stuck up? Arrogant? She’d never seen herself that way. She had always seen herself as kind and thoughtful. Looking back on the short time she’d spent with Aston, she could understand why he saw differently.
    Finally finding strength in herself, Jade tore her gaze from his and looked at the ground. She could feel tears burning her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
    “I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t your fault. I was just so tired last night, and there were wolves chasing me. I’ve never been away from home before and I am used to people doing things for me. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.” One of the tears she was holding back fell from her eye, but Jade wiped it away quickly. “Bella has been my horse for five years. She was the only part of my life I had left.”
    Aston studied her for a moment. Jade could feel his eyes appraising her. She resisted the urge to squirm. It seemed an eternity passed before he moved. He sighed and walked away from her and over to his horse, grab bing his reins. Then he walked back to Jade and handed the reins to her, looking away as her surprised face looked up to meet his.
    “ What are you doing?” sh e asked him.
    Aston shook his head. “I don’t know. Helping you, I guess. His name is Sterling,” he said, motioning to the horse. “He’ll take you wherever you need to go. Just, don’t go to Fridel. He’s too easily recognized there,” Aston added , almost as an afterthought.
    “I can’t take your horse. Besides, I’m not going anywhere,” Jade said, pushing the reins back into Aston’s hand.
    “Aren’t going anywhere? You can’t stay here ,” Aston said , his voice incredulous .
    “Of course I can. I’m a free woman. I can do whatever I like,” Jade responded. “I’m lonely and know nothing about hunting or…killing things,” she choked out, her eyes turning to the rabbit on the ground, half skinned. With a shiver, she looked back up at Aston. “You could teach me to take care of myself. And maybe I could help you out in return, somehow.” At Aston’s incredulous look Jade frowned.
    “Help me? Do what? Sew?” Aston laughed as Jade scowled . Sew? The nerve of him!
    “No! Maybe I could help you find The Rogue Royal!” Aston stopped laughing at Jade’s words, his eyes narrowing as a dark shadow passed over his face.
    “I won’t let you anywhere near him. You might be irritating and loud, but you’re still a woman and as a kni…as a man of honor I will not let harm come to you.” Aston barely caught his tongue, but Jade understood anyway.
    “A knight ? Why is a knight hiding in the forest?” she questioned, her voice loud.
    “And we are back to the questions I will not answer about myself,” he answered, kneeling on the ground and returning to his rabbit.
    Jade scoffed and sat on the stump, crossing her legs at the knee. Aston sent her a questioning gaze and she shrugged; she didn’t feel like being ladylike.
    “Aston! Aston!” She looked up at the young voice echoing through the trees. Aston winced. A young boy raced into the clearing on the back of a tall white stallion, jumping down and running to Ast on. He jumped on the knight ’s back and almost