His teeth ground together for a few seconds. “There’s nothing to stop you from forfeiting the match.”
“Nothing but my honor,” I said softly, pushing aside his mail coif so I could touch my gloved hand to his cheek. “I wouldn’t mind stripping Veronica of her wins and prize money, but I can’t do that to the rest of her team. They’re innocent. If I quit now, they all lose. That’s not fair to them. They worked hard.”
“Third and final call for Walker McPhail and Pepper Marsh,” the crier yelled, looking directly at us.
“We have to do this, Walker. There are too many other people counting on us.”
He pulled away from me, reaching for his black helm, jerking it over his head as he dug his heels into Marley’s side. “Nothing says I have to joust well.”
“I say you do! Those judges will be watchin
