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Chapter One

    The Court of Love, a place where anything could happen. Ha! Katerina stifled the scoff that tried to escape from her mouth. Her heart broken into tiny little shards, she didn’t know why she’d let Magdalena talk her into coming. Admittedly, she did love her dress. The clothes were always a bonus, and she felt a soothing balm overtake her as she stroked the rich burgundy velvet fabric.
    Magdalena rested a hand against Kat’s arm. “I have something for you. A little gift.”
    Kat raised her eyebrow, “A gift? From you? It’s not enchanted is it?”
    Magdalena looked at Kat innocently and blinked her overly large eyes. “I would never dream of enchanting a gift meant for you.” A small pout appeared on her lower lip. “You’ve made it perfectly clear how you feel about my craft.”
    “More like craftiness.” They both laughed.
    Magdalena held out her tiny hand. A velvet box that matched the color of Kat’s dress sat in her palm. “Go on. Take it.”
    Kat hesitated for only a moment.
    “Come on Kat! We haven’t got all day.” She shoved the box towards Kat.
    Reaching out, Kat closed her hand over the case and slowly opened the top.  Her eye caught the glint of sunlight through the heart-shaped  pendant. The rays illuminated small garnet gems that had been inset. Kat’s heart sped up as her fingers brushed over the gold filigree. “It’s lovely.”
    “And very old. Trust me on this one, you don’t want to lose it.” Magdalena reached across the seat and lifted the pendant out of the box. “Turn around.”
    Kat twisted and lifted the heavy weight of her hair from her neck. Magdalena clasped the necklace chain and smoothed Kat’s hair back into place.
    “There, now we are ready.”
    The heart-shaped pendant glistened just above the swell of her breasts. Kat waited for a moment, but nothing else seemed to happen. It was just a pretty necklace. Good, Kat thought. She didn’t need her witchy friend trying to fix her. She didn’t need fixing. Things were just fine. She swiped at the water that had gathered on the corner of her eye and pasted on a smile. “Thanks. Let’s go.”
    The Court of Love was already in full swing, and Kat’s eyes took in the visual feast before her. She loved indoor events. The weather had cooperated with them, and it appeared that the fencing tournament was well underway. Eight erics had been laid out, fighting arenas, where the fencers were paired off into each one dressed in their Sixteenth Century finery of doublets and poufy shirts which made flashes of blue, red, gold, and green as they parried and thrust their weapons.  The entryway to the building was located next to where they fought, and Kat couldn’t help the real smile that spread across her face.  She loved to watch them. She took Magdalena’s arm in excitement as they approached the pathway next to the erics.
    “Where’s the feast?”
    “Below.” Magdalena gestured to the path where it veered off down a ramp to the lower section of the building.
    Kat had a strange desire to stay and watch the fencers, but Magdalena tugged on her arm and they started to head down the ramp.
    “Hold!” The cry went up to all the fighters signaling that something had happened and they were to take a knee until “lay on” was called again signaling all was safe. Kat and Magdalena both glanced up to the fighting erics curious as to what had happened.  Together they watched a lone fencer strode over to the fence line where they stood. He glanced down at them for a moment. His dark green eyes lit with some emotion Kat couldn’t quite identify, his gaze met hers.
    With a leap, he cleared the high fence and landed on the path in front of them.  Kat’s hand flew to her chest where the pendant rested and her fingers curled around the gold heart. The man’s full mouth rose in a charming, wolf-like grin. He sank down on one knee in front of her and held up his hand. Kat reached out gingerly and placed her palm in