A Code of Knights and Deception Tour and Giveaway!
Outlander
meets Black Mirror in this sizzling dark time travel romance!
A Code of
Knights and Deception
Swords of
Time Book 1
by Eliza
Hampstead
Genre: Dark
Time Travel Historical Romantasy
Outlander
meets Black Mirror in this sizzling dark time travel romance!
Sophia
I thought I was trapped in history. Turns out, it’s far worse than I imagined.
I woke up in
15th-century England, a brutal world where women are silenced, superstition
rules, and survival depends on obedience. Trapped far from my husband and son,
nothing makes sense. I’m a scientist, not a damsel in distress, so I did what I
had to—I disguised myself as a man and trained with Henry, the castle’s
master-at-arms, learning to wield a sword to defend myself.
But as I
carve my place in this world, my forbidden love for Henry shakes everything I
believed in. Do I fight to return home—or surrender to a future I never
imagined?
Yet, I can’t
shake the feeling that Henry is hiding something—something that could shatter
everything I’ve fought for.
Ethan
What if the woman you’re supposed to observe becomes the one you can’t live
without?
I never meant to fall for her. She’s fearless, brilliant, captivating. Every
lesson, every stolen moment deepens the lie—and my guilt. I’m not the man she
thinks I am. That my name is Ethan, not Henry, is the least of the lies I tell
her.
If she learns the truth, I’ll lose her forever.
And time is running out.
*Warning: strong language, steamy scenes, and graphic violence inside.
Mention/Description of, but not limited to, abduction, blood, death,
amputation, childbirth, death, sexual assault, suicide, violence against
children, rape, and torture.*
The book is
the first in a duology and ends with a cliffhanger.
Sophia wakes up in medieval England
I had the strangest dream. Nothing unusual for me, but this one lingered in vivid
detail, as if I’d truly been there—in a medieval castle, smoke and burning wood
perfuming the air, stone walls looming around me. Azure blue eyes. I smiled at the
memory, then made the mistake of swallowing and winced at the sharp, scratchy
sensation in my throat. I reached for my phone on the nightstand, seeking comfort in
the familiar routine of checking the time, but my hand met only empty space.
Confused, I squinted into the darkness. My surroundings looked much as it had last
night: thick red bed curtains drawn nearly shut, letting in only a small beam. I shifted
under the heavy covers, my feet touching the icy stone floor and sending shivers up
my legs as I sat up in my underdress. A faint shaft of light crept in from a small
window, softly hinting at dawn. It might have been around six.
Breathing out a small cloud, I rubbed my arms to coax some warmth back into them
and took in the room's strangeness, feeling how truly alien this place was.
"Good mornin', my lady! How be ye feelin' today?" she chirped, her voice motherly
and comforting in my panic. Her plain brown dress rustled as she moved about the
room, efficient and unfazed.
"Toilet?" I croaked, my voice strained and hoarse from my sore throat.
Polly looked at me in confusion, observing me standing there with legs crossed.
"Ah, a privy ye seek." She nodded thoughtfully, then produced a chamber pot from
under the bed, holding it out to me.
I reached for it, mortified. What was I supposed to do now?
Sophia and Henry meet for the first time
Then, with a sudden crash, I was yanked back into reality. My eyes blinked open to
find myself lying on beaten earth, small stones scattered around me like the
remnants of some forgotten battle. I attempted to reach for them, but my fingers
refused to obey my command. Were those dark pellets in the corner rat droppings?
The thought made me want to retch, but I had no air to spare.
Before me appeared the bluest eyes I had ever seen. They fixed intently on my face,
twin beacons of azure that seemed to anchor me against the encroaching tide of
despair. I stared into them, unable to pull my gaze away from their hypnotic depths.
They were like the water in the Mediterranean—inviting, warm, and mysterious all at
once. Just as I longed to dive into those azure waves and sink into them on a hot
summer day, I wanted to immerse myself in the comforting embrace of those
mesmerising eyes.
Strong hands grasped my shoulders, shaking me back into reality with a jolt. I tore
my gaze from those captivating eyes and looked downward, my vision fixing on
sensually shaped lips surrounded by a dark beard. The man's mouth moved
vigorously, but I couldn't make out the words he was saying. My ears were filled with
a persistent ringing, drowning out the world around me.
"…breathe," I finally heard him say, his voice taking on an urgent tone. "Can you
hear me? You must draw breath!" He shook me again, his grip firm yet gentle,
grounding me in the present moment. "Breathe! Quickly now, do not falter!"
The Execution Scene - Sophia realises she is really in medieval
England
I tensed up, unsure of what would happen next. Would they really go through with it?
Beating someone up for a believable story was one thing, but they wouldn't kill an
actor, would they? No, they wouldn't go that far; I was sure of it.
Before I could process the thought, two soldiers brought forth a rope, swinging it over
the tall branch of an oak in the square. They couldn't possibly stage this, could they?
Hanging someone without harm wasn't possible. Using the fake hand and stage
blood was one thing, but hanging someone? That could go wrong very quickly!
Surely, any moment now, a rider would burst through the crowd, interrupting the
execution. But no such intervention came. The dreadful scene continued.
Helpless and sick, my stomach churned as the farmer was led to the tree, and the
noose was placed around his neck. A priest stepped forward, reciting a brief Latin
prayer, his voice audible amidst the oppressive silence. Was this really happening?
They couldn't just sentence him one minute and hang him the next! There had to be
some sort of protocol or waiting period, right?
As time ticked by and nothing happened, it became clear that this was not a show or
a performance. This was a real execution, taking place right before our eyes in a
matter of minutes.
A Moment of Vulnerability with Henry
My heart soared at his confession, hope blooming within me like the flowers that
surrounded us. Perhaps there was still a chance for us, a possibility that he might
feel the same way I did. I pressed on, desperate to know the truth.
"I have recently come to a revelation." I hoped my statement would pique his
interest.
"Truly?" His curiosity flickered to life. "And what is it you’ve discovered?"
Taking a steadying breath, I replied, "That life is more than duty or obligation," I
began, glancing at him sideways. "At times, we must heed the call of our hearts and
seek that which brings true joy. We must embrace risks rather than the safety of
caution and cast aside fear."
"A wise sentiment," he said, though his voice held a note of caution.
A cool breeze tugged at my hair as I turned towards Henry, my heart pounding in my
chest. The shadows played tricks on my eyes, the moon casting an eerie glow over
the castle gardens. I felt so vulnerable, exposed by the intensity of my emotions.
"Henry, your betrothed," I began hesitantly, my voice laying bare my feelings for him
to see, "is she... is she truly the one you desire, the one you love?"
His azure-blue eyes locked onto mine, a storm of emotion swirling within their
depths. I was an open book, as he could easily read the hope, hurt, and insecurity
reflected on my face. For a moment, he hesitated, as though searching for the right
words.
He stepped closer and reached for my hands, "I swear upon the stars, Sophia, there
is none for me but you."
Eliza
Hampstead, a scientist by training, lives with her family in the UK. When she's
not writing, she spends her time as a geek. Playing all sorts of games (board
games, video games, RPGs) and being a big fan of medieval history are only a
few of the many hobbies she has. Passionate about fantasy, she’s always
planning her next adventure.
Thank you!
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