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his opponent in the games, and stood ready to meet Tedric on foot.
    Orion moved quickly away from his master. Conan was not at ease as he waited for Tedric to dismount and meet him on the ground. As Tedric drew out his mace, Conan nearly chuckled, but his amusement at Tedric’s move vanished as he watched the lesser knight. Tedric had maneuvered his horse to the opposite side of the tilt as if meeting Conan astride for a second time. In spite of the roar from the knights and the crowd, Tedric spurred his horse and charged the fallen knight.
    To dive and miss the weapon never occurred to Conan, for so strong was the fury at being unfairly attacked that his better judgment failed him. Instead he threw down his sword and braced himself. When Tedric drew near, Conan stepped toward the swinging mace, ducking slightly, and grabbed the offending weapon just behind the spiked ball. He felt the bones in his hand crack and yield, but he did not. With one tug, he brought Tedric to the ground with a crash of metal and a surprised yelp from the victim.
    For a moment Conan’s vision failed him, the pain in his hand was so severe. It took as long for Tedric to begin to regain his senses and find himself looking up into the victor’s blue eyes, which seemed to glitter like the wrath of God. Dimly, Tedric saw the great spreading wings of Mars as the bird glided low over his head and came to rest on Conan’s shoulder.
    “ You are bedeviled,” Tedric gasped.
    “ I should have killed you for what you would have done,” Conan said through gritted teeth. “ But better you should bear your shame alive. You have dishonored yourself -- and your father.”
    “ I could not see you were down! I knew your lance was destroyed, but I did not reckon you’d lost your horse. There is a splinter here, in my eye! I would have met you astride even with my injury!”
    “ You lie!” Conan’s voice dropped low, barely above a w hisper as he heard Alaric’s mounted men coming to the field. “ Would you have chosen a mace instead of a sword thinking me astride? You may stay your father with your winsome tale, for he is too tolerant with you, but I am the one to know. Your aim was far too accurate. It belies your blindness.”
    As the men came closer to take a look at the situation, they heard Tedric’s words. “ I humble myself to you, Conan! Even now I cannot see you clearly!”
    Conan shook with rage as the men-at-arms helped Tedric to his feet. “ Sir Theodoric has ordered you from the contest,” one guard reported.
    “ But I have broken no tournament rule,” Tedric argued.
    “ By the eye of God!” Conan roared. “ I will kill you the next time you dare so much!” And with that he turned and walked toward his pavilion. It did not occur to him to stride valiantly toward Medwin’s box and collect a kiss from the fair Chandra in reward for his success. Outside his tent his squires were bent over the splintered remains of his lance, with Thurwell and Mallory looking on.
    “ See here, Conan,” Mallory said. “ This could be the mark of an injustice. Someone has tampered with your lances. There are small holes bored into the wood to weaken them. I would swear that it was Tedric.”
    Conan looked sharply over his shoulder to see the beaten knight leaving the lists.
    “ You can bring charges against him,” Mallory suggested. “ It looks bad for Tedric.”
    “ Is there any point?” Conan asked sharply. “ Tedric has done me a great service. I have no doubt those marks were made by him or someone in his service, yet no one saw the act. I have other opponents on this day. Why not one of them? Charges would be difficult to prove, but even without proof I have come to see Tedric’s methods clearly. There is little chance he will find me so disadvantaged again.”
    Galen approached Conan, his eyes downcast and a bright flush on his cheeks.
    “ Sir Conan, ‘twas I who was set to guard your things. Though I did not leave or look away, the