the-secret-crusade-oliver-bowden

But he had no time to stop and inspect his find. He could hear voices,
the anvil sound of sword strikes: two combatants, one of whom was
unmistakably female.
Ahead of him a large arch was decorated with the Templar cross at its
apex. He went to it and entered a vast chamber, with a ceremonial area
at its centre ringed by intricate stone pillars. There, in the middle, were
Bouchart and Maria, fighting. She was holding the Templar leader off,
but only just, and even as Altaïr entered the chamber he struck her and
she tumbled, yelling in pain, to the stone.
Bouchart gave her an indifferent look, already turning to face Altaïr,
who had made no sound when he entered the chamber.
‘Witless Emperor Comnenus,’ announced the Templar, contemptuous
of the erstwhile Cypriot leader, ‘he was a fool, but he was our fool. For
almost a decade we operated without interference on this island. Our
archive was the best-kept secret on Cyprus. Unfortunately, even the bestlaid
plans were not immune to Isaac’s idiocy.’
For almost a decade, thought Altaïr. But then … He took a step
forward, looking from Bouchart to Maria. ‘He angered King Richard and
brought the English a little too close for comfort. Is that it?’
When Bouchart made no move to stop him, he crossed the floor and
bent to Maria. He held her face, looking for signs of life.
Bouchart was talking, enjoying the sound of his own voice.
‘Fortunately we were able to convince Richard to sell the island to us. It
was the only way to divert his attention.’
Her eyes fluttered. She groaned. Alive. Breathing a sigh of relief,
Altaïr laid her head gently on the stone and straightened to face
Bouchart, who had been watching them with an indulgent smile.