Jacques (The Sword and the Spirit #3)

1308 AD. The persecution of the Templars continues in France.

Jacques Aznar, a Basque Templar Knight exiled to the wilds of Scotland, can only observe the events from afar. He is a man conflicted, not quite able to reconcile heart and conscience. His heart has been irrevocably stolen by Morag MacKellar, a brave Scottish lass with a spirit to match his own. Jacques’ conscience, however, tells him to uphold his Templar vows, that his obligation to the military order is not quite over.

That obligation is tested when a letter arrives unexpectedly from France. Written by Pierre Sabatier, a Templar Chaplain, the missive seems to be nothing more than an innocent enquiry about Jacques’ wellbeing. But Jacques knows better. The letter is a summons. A quiet cry for help. One he cannot ignore.

This, he realizes, is what his conscience demands. His last quest as a Templar. A final call to arms that must be answered, despite the danger.

With Morag’s blessing and a special token of her love, Jacques returns to France. What he finds there is more than he expected. A mercenary priest. A woman from his past. And the terrible realization that the Templars will never be as they once were. But all is not lost. Lives can still be saved. And, if he’s successful, he can return to Morag and freely pursue the demands of his heart.

It never occurs to him that news of a tragedy might be awaiting him in Scotland. That, upon his return, he must face the daunting task of trying to save another life. A life more precious to him than his own.