The Brave and the Bold #4

In the shadowed heart of Forest Perilous, a notorious Robber Baron preys on travelers, until Sir Edwin secretly hides his stolen jewels on Lady Celia’s mule. When Squire Brian overhears the plan, he dons the guise of the Silent Knight, aided by his loyal hawk Slasher, to track down the hidden castle and reclaim the treasure. As he escapes with Lady Celia and the jewels, she catches a glimpse of his flashing eyes—and wonders where she’s seen that same gaze before.

In a frost-laden winter festival, Viking Prince Jon faces off against the fierce Toke the Red-Bearded in a trio of trials to win a dance with the fair Gunnda. From scaling icy cliffs to retrieve a tern’s egg—where a treacherous fall sends him into a sea battle with a giant otter—through a blinding ski race where he turns Gunnda’s cloak into a makeshift sail, each challenge tests courage and cunning. When the final duel begins, tied to a swaying pole and swinging axes, only one man can claim the prize.

In a shadowed Roman forest, the Golden Gladiator Marcus is lured into a deadly trap by the scheming Cinna, who seeks to assassinate the Emperor. Forced to fight in a hidden arena to save Lucia—Cinna’s niece and the woman he loves—Marcus must rely on cunning and courage when his sword breaks. With the odds stacked against him, he turns a runaway chariot into his weapon of escape, racing through the trees with Lucia safe in his arms. Her laughter rings out as she declares her love for a warrior, not a poet, sealing a bond forged in fire and flight.