by M. Lynn
Helena wrapped her cloak tighter around her sleeping gown and leaned against the doorway, trying to process everything they’d said. One thought rose above the rest. Quinn was alive.
Ire snaked through her veins and she slapped the door, jolting everyone in the room. “So the Queen of Gaule will send my brother back to Madra?”
“Yes, Princess.” Sorrow filled Landon’s eyes. “We were welcomed into the palace of Gaule and safe there for about a week before guards came to arrest Quinn and place him in the dungeons. I haven’t seen him since.”
There was one question she was scared to ask because the answer could break her. But she needed to know. “And Quinn… does he want to go back? To Cole?”
Landon’s eyes softened. “He fought with everything he had to keep himself from that fate.”
Helena released the breath she’d been holding.
“Was he planning to come to Bela?” Dell asked.
Landon shook his head. “There was nothing for him here. He thinks every member of his family died in Madra.”
Etta narrowed her eyes. “Then why are you here?”
Simon took a long drink before setting his goblet down. “Catrine is facing choices that only lead down a dark path. I will not let her compromise her character.”
Helena didn’t know the man, but she understood the look in his eyes. He betrayed the queen because he was in love with her.
Edmund lifted his head. “Simon, nice of you to join us.”
“Ignore him,” Etta said.
Tyson released a snore.
“And him.” She sighed.
“What would you have us do?” Alex asked.
“Talk to her.” Simon met the king’s gaze. “I didn’t come to Bela because I need the king and queen’s help. I came because I needed Catrine’s sons. Quinn isn’t scheduled to leave on a Madran ship for another week.”
“And if she won’t listen?” Dell asked.
Helena kicked away from the doorframe and strode toward them. “Then, we fight. Quinn will not be returning to Madra while I still have breath in my lungs. I’ll be ready to leave in the morning.”
She slapped the side of Edmund’s face. “Wake up, you drunkard.”
He startled awake. “What? What’s going on?”
“Sleep this off because you’re coming with me.” She turned to Alex, flicking her eyes between him and Tyson. “Decide which one of this queen’s sons can change her mind and prepare to ride.” She strode to the door.
“I’m coming too,” Dell called after her.
“Of course you are.”
Chapter Five
Helena slipped into her room and put a hand against her throat. Her pulse hammered against her fingers. What was she doing?
Elation took control, drowning out any doubt. Quinn was alive. Not only that, but he wasn’t rushing to join his twin. The two had always had a bond that nothing on the outside could encroach upon—not even her.
A tear slipped down her cheek. She’d felt so alone—even when she’d still had Kassander by her side as well as a handful of others who cared about her. But Quinn… he truly was alone in a dungeon.
A groan came from the bed she shared with Kass and he thrashed.
“No,” he said. “You can’t take them. Helena!” His eyes shot open, landing on his sister.
Helena rushed to the bed and sat on the edge, pulling Kassander onto her lap. “Shhhh.” She stroked his hair. “It’s okay. I’m here.” For now. She’d have to leave him come dawn.
Kassander’s wide eyes lifted to hers. “I dreamed of that night.”
She dropped a kiss on his forehead. It wasn’t the first time any of them dreamed of burning castles and sword fights in the halls. Every time she saw it, a phantom pain seared up her arm where she’d been stabbed.
“It’s over, Kass. We’re safe.”
“Are we?” It was a question she’d asked herself many times. Would Cole come after them? He thought Helena was dead, but Kass…?
No. She knew with sudden certainty, Kassander wouldn’t be harmed. At least not by Cole. Their brother may have hated their parents and despised Estevan, but he’d loved his youngest sibling. She’d seen it. Not everything could have been a lie, could it?
She laid back on the bed with Kassander. “I need to tell you something.”
“Hmm?” He turned to bury his face in her shoulder.
“I have to leave tomorrow.”
“Where are you going?”
Could she tell him about Quinn? No. By the time he woke, she’d be gone. If she was too late to help Quinn, Kassander would never know. She couldn’t bear his disappointment again.
“Just promise me you’ll keep yourself out of trouble until I return.”
She waited for an answer, but he’d already fallen asleep.
The sun had barely risen when Helena saddled her horse. She wasn’t comfortable in a saddle, but she supposed she’d learn quickly. There was no other choice.
Edmund grumbled beside her. “It’s too early, and my head is killing me.”
Helena knew he meant nothing by what he said. He wanted to find Quinn almost as much as she did. He was just Edmund, a complainer.
“Maybe if you hadn’t forced so much ale into me,” Tyson began, leading a horse up beside them, “We wouldn’t feel so rough this morning.”
Edmund snorted. “Forced.” He narrowed his eyes as he finally took in the beast at Tyson’s side. “No. Ty, you go put that horse back right now.”
Helena leaned around Edmund to catch sight of Vérité.
Tyson crossed his arms. “Unlike you, Vérité likes me. Etta told me to take him. He can help us.”
“He’s just a horse,” Dell said.
Simon joined them, shaking his head. “You don’t know Vérité. He’s more than a horse, but he only listens to Etta.”
“And me.” Tyson sent a glare toward each one of them.
“Fine.” Edmund took a step back. “But keep him away from me.”
As if he knew they were speaking about him, Vérité lunged for Edmund, snapping his teeth and catching the edge of the blonde man’s cloak.
Edmund released a high-pitched squeal and jerked away.
Dell laughed, but Helena didn’t join in the hilarity. She only had the mission on her mind. Get to Gaule. Confront the queen. Free her brother. Then take her revenge on Cole.
Landon helped her onto her horse, and she gripped the reins as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did.
The rest of their group mounted up and without a look backward, they left the village behind.
Helena kicked her horse to keep up with the rest, wobbling before righting herself and straightening her spine.
Dell pulled up beside her, a knowing look on his face. “You okay?”
She only nodded, her lips folding in to a grim line.
Sensing her need to not talk, Dell called up to Tyson. “How’d you get stuck with this mission instead of your brother?”
Ty shrugged. “Alex is king in Bela now. Plus, mother is more likely to listen to me. Alex and Camille have had a… tough relationship. Mother wouldn’t take anything he says about Camille to heart. Me, on the other hand, I love my sister. I also love my mother and know she doesn’t hand innocent people over. We will help Camille, but not this way.”
For the first time, Helena considered how hard it must be to hold the title of prince in two kingdoms. It had been difficult for her to be a princess of one.
But she didn’t think for one second that a queen could be swayed simply by talk. Not one who was said to be as strong as Catrine. What would it really take to free Quinn?
Landon rode beside her, looking as though he was trying to find something to say. “We’ll reach the border by sundown tomorrow.”
Helena only nodded.
“Is it true?” he finally blurted.
She turned to pierce him with her gaze. “Is what true?”
“The young prince Kassander. He lives as well? I heard r
umors at the palace.”
She faced forward once again. “He does. He was sleeping when you arrived.”
A smile spread across Landon’s face. “That’s good. Really really good.”
“Estevan is still dead.” Her voice held no emotion.
“Yes.” He ducked his head. “I had heard that.”
“And Cole doesn’t have long to live.”
His brow furrowed at that, but he nodded.
“Two brothers dead or traitor,” she continued. “One imprisoned. One a child. Do you believe in vengeance, General?”
“I do.”
“What about killing one’s own family?”
He shifted his eyes away from her and didn’t answer.
Dell met her gaze with worry, but didn’t speak.
Weariness seeped into her bones by the time they stopped for the night. She dismounted, an ache creeping up her spine. She stumbled as she tried to walk after spending all day atop a horse.
Dell gripped her arm. “You’ll get used to it.”
She shrugged and freed her pack tied to the saddle before walking away.
Simon and Landon got a fire started. Tyson passed around a tin of the dried meat Etta had sent.
“Quinn should have chosen a better time of year to get imprisoned,” Edmund said, pulling his cloak over his mouth.
Tyson shoved him. “You can’t make jokes, asshole.”
It was a side Helena hadn’t known of Edmund. Flippant and uncaring. In the year she’d known him, he’d always had a joke in him, but it wasn’t like this. Had the loss of Stev stolen the man he’d become?
She shook her head and lowered herself onto the bedroll she’d laid out, pulling the wool blanket up to her chin. The nighttime chill seeped through the cover and she scooted closer to the fire than was safe. She wasn’t the only one.
A faint breeze suddenly stopped, throwing them into utter stillness. At least Edmund still had his magic.
Without the wind, the cold grew more bearable.
The men chatted as Helena let her eyelids droop. Tomorrow night she’d reach Gaule.
I’m coming Quinn.
Something brushed Helena’s arm, jolting her awake. Her eyes snapped open to find Dell hovering over her.
“What are you doing?” She pushed the blanket off to sit up.
He sat back on his heels and scratched his cheek. “You were shivering. I… uh…”
It was only then she noticed there hadn’t only been one blanket covering her. Both now lay crumpled to the side. “You were giving me your blanket?”
He shrugged, suddenly at a loss for words. That wasn’t like him.
“Dell…” Whatever she’d wanted to say, something else left her mouth. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”
His jaw clenched. “You’ve made that rather clear.” He stood and stalked away.
Helena kicked off the rest of the blankets and jumped up to run after him. “Dell, wait.”
He turned so quickly, she collided with him. “For what, Len?”
“I’m sorry.”
He pushed out a breath and dipped his head to meet her gaze. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Come here.” He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m only here because of you, Len. You may not need me, but that doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere.”
She pulled away. “What do you mean you’re here because of me? You had to run from Madra for your own safety as well as mine.”
He ran a hand through his hair and looked to the sky. “Do you know why I defied my brothers to help Edmund?”
“Because you trusted Edmund.”
“I did… but Len, I became a spy. I risked everything… that’s not something you do just because someone you respect asks you to.”
“Then why?”
He lowered his gaze until it settled on her once more. “I knew what would happen to those inside the palace if a rebellion broke out.”
“But you didn’t know I was the princess.” It couldn’t have been all for her.
“No. I thought you were the prince’s mistress.”
Embarrassment flushed through her. “And you still wanted to save me?”
The rough pad of his thumb scraped across her cheek. “From the moment I met you, it didn’t matter who you were behind the palace walls. When you were with me, you were Len. I never stopped thinking about you.”
He rested his forehead against hers.
Helena’s heart lurched at his touch. She wanted more than anything to give in to the emotions swirling inside her.
“Do you ever wish we could go back to the ball?” she whispered. “To when you realized who I was and no one else existed but us?”
“Every day… without our families imprisoning us beforehand.”
She closed her eyes, a tear escaping. Life behind the mask seemed like so long ago, yet she found herself missing it. Days spent with her mother. Nights spent joking with her brothers. She hadn’t needed the rest of the world. She’d had them.
For a short time, Dell had given her everything they couldn’t. He’d shown her what kind of life she could have had. One of adventure… one of love.
“Helena,” he breathed. “I-”
He leaned in, his lips brushing hers.
“We can’t.” She pulled away. “That’s the problem, Dell. We can’t go back. Those people don’t exist anymore. If I’m going to do what needs to be done, I need to forget about the girl I was.” She stepped out of his arms.
He let them drop to his sides. “Len, don’t do this. Don’t let the anger consume you.”
“Didn’t you listen to anything Etta said? That’s how I’m going to fight.”
Chapter Six
Rain enveloped the group on the second day’s ride. Dell pushed wet hair from his face and kept his eyes trained on Helena’s back. She was wrong. Anger wasn’t the only way to fight. He’d heard everything Etta taught Len, but didn’t think anger was the point of her lessons.
“Ty,” Edmund barked. “Aren’t you going to do something about this?” He glanced to the sky as another deluge struck them.
“Oh.” Tyson shrugged. “I guess I could.”
Dell startled as the rain stopped. No, it didn’t stop. The patter of it hitting the ground still sounded around them but it was as if the water bent out from where they rode. Like a shield had been placed around the group.
Helena gasped moments before Dell too felt the water drain from his clothing.
“Are you doing this?” he asked the young prince.
Landon cursed and looked around wildly. “You Belaens,” he grumbled.
Tyson shrugged. “I can be useful sometimes.”
What did that mean? Tyson’s power with water was the coolest thing Dell had seen in Bela.
Edmund shifted in his saddle. “Ty… of course you’re useful.”
Tyson looked down at his hands. “Nah, it’s okay. I know my role in Bela and in Gaule. I’m the messenger. Belonging to neither kingdom wholly. You haven’t been here the last year Edmund. After…”
“You left Amalie,” Edmund finished.
“Yeah, that. I spend most of my time on the road. Don’t worry though; I’m the best person to navigate Gaule. That’s something I can do.”
“Navigate Gaule?” Dell looked between the two men.
Tyson sighed, but it was Simon who answered. “Gaule has become a treacherous place, lad.”
Helena slowed her horse to move beside Dell. “No. I’ve studied Gaule with my palace tutors. It was a place of peace for many years.”
Simon fixed his stare on her. “It was a false peace, but that isn’t something they’d teach in Madra. Gaule hunted down those with magic within their borders for many years. For non-magic folk, they had peace, yes. But it came at a cost.”
“And then Alex happened.” Tyson rubbed his eyes as if it hurt his head to think of this.
“What did Alex do?” Dell flicked his eyes between each of those present.
&
nbsp; Simon grimaced. “Nothing that should have cost him his throne. He wanted to halt the persecution. Many of the nobles acted out of fear and didn’t stand behind their king when the common folk rebelled. His own council took the crown from atop his head.”
“A council can’t do that,” Helena scoffed. “The only ones with the power to remove my father were the priests.”
“There are no priests in Gaule. The council and king ruled in conjunction with each other. They realized the people would never end their rebellions with Alexandre as their king. He was a magic lover.”
“Darn right.” Tyson crossed his arms.
“Wait.” Dell couldn’t fathom how this could happen. “Queen Catrine took the crown from her own son?”
“Alex let her.” Tyson’s voice held a defensive note. “This was at the same time Etta was marching to war against La Dame. Alex needed to join that fight and he never could have when his duty lay with Gaule.”
“Did Catrine’s coronation quell the rebellion?” Helena asked.
Dell wondered if she was thinking of the rebellion in her own kingdom. That too resulted in a new ruler.
Simon blew out a breath. “We’d hoped it would, but the kingdom was already divided. There are still many who are loyal to the queen, but others continue to sow unrest. Years of rebellions have resulted in food shortages, only adding to the unease.”
“That’s why she needs the Madran alliance,” Helena breathed. “My father said we promised her troops.”
Tyson grit his teeth. “And it is the only reason my sister would agree to marriage in a foreign kingdom.”
“They won’t release Quinn.” She gripped her reins, speaking only to Dell this time.
Dell couldn’t negate the truth in her words. If Gaule needed Madra why would the queen risk the alliance to release a single man?
Simon, overhearing Len’s words, brushed a hand over his head nervously. “You don’t know Catrine. She does the right thing no matter the cost. Her integrity is below none. That is why I came to Bela. There has to be another way. Gaule cannot be beholden to a king who killed his own family to take the throne.”
