Fire Sorceress (Tales of New Camelot, #5) / Tales of New Camelot (ePub)

King Wolfrick needs a champion defeat a demon. Sheriff Toleman recommends fractious freelancer Sir Quinton Wycliff, currently locked in his jail. The warrior-sorcerer, an ebon-headed rooster raised among a nest of blond-headed chicks, has been disinherited by his father upon the arrival of a fair-headed brother.
Golden-headed Caitríona seeks adventure and escape from the brutal drudgery at the commune she's been in since birth. Escaping with meager rations, Caitríona ruefully discovers adventures are best not done at the onset of winter.
Quinton rescues a woebegone lad. The boy pleads to become his squire. When the lad suffers from fever, Quinton is aghast: the lad is a lass! After seeing the welts on her back, he reluctantly allows her to become his squire.
Caitríona is ecstatic to be on a quest. However, questing turns out to be a dull business. Quinton refuses to seek out rogue dragons or rescue fair maidens. Nonetheless, as the days pass, hero worship grows in her eyes along with love for the valiant warrior.
Peri Fairies are also seeking the demon. They know Caitríona is a kindred spirit and help her release her dormant Fire Sorceress talents—controlling fire and light.
To Quinton's dismay, the attraction between him and his Cat is growing passionate. Penniless and without a home to give her, he fears his love will bring dishonor.
Night descends on an abandoned village and an amorphous demon attacks. It takes fey and human powers to defeat the creature. On the journey back, a heartsick distraught Quinton turns the lass over to the commune representative and the sheriff. Watching the betrayal kill Caitríona's love, Toleman sees his history repeat itself. Toleman knows the pain the young lovers feel for he once carried honor's heavy burden. He tricks an inebriated Quinton and puts him back in jail to tell him the story of his birth. Quinton is the son of a disgraced duke. He was exchanged with Cat to be raised a noble.
King Wolfrick bestows a duchy upon Quinton. Her heart savaged, Caitríona rejects her titled and landed lover when he proposes to her. When asked why by her new friends, she sobs, tipsy with wine, "He never said he loved me."
With a new sorceress in town, hopeful beaus flood in. Behind them come scheming mammas with their unwed daughters. Wolfrick orders Caitríona to attend a royal ball and pick one of the men. She waits in eager anticipation for Quinton. He never appears. He's been subdued and imprisoned by Toleman's best friend.
Matthias, knows that Toleman is slowly killing himself over his lost love for his beloved, Arabella. The wily old warrior sets into plan a desperate bid to rekindle their once fiery passion by forcing Arabella and Toleman together on a quest to rescue Caitríona.
Matthias subdues Caitríona and hides her away from the curious eyes of the gossipy castle Flower Fairies. Bribed to silence with sweets, the fey creatures will not tell the old lovers and Quinton where the girl is. However, he did not bribe the Peri Fairies. Quinton summons them and their leader discloses Caitríona is hidden in a tall tower in the land of the Moors.
Quinton, Toleman, and Arabella seek her out and are met by an armored Matthias. The old warrior insists Quinton must show his mettle and prove in battle that he is worthy of the Fire Sorceress's love. After Quinton prevails, they join forces to fight a hostile force intent on taking the women. In rekindling Caitríona's passion for her knight, sparks fly, wrongs are forgiven and their love for each other admitted.
Matthias's ploy has worked. The time together forced upon Toleman and Arabella has opened festering wounds. Exposed to the bright light of love, they understand each other's decisions that led to their estrangement and choose to forgive. Love bursts forth from cold ashes. After the four enraptured lovers depart, Matthias enjoys a smug smile of accomplishment.