by M. Lynn
Her gaze hardened. “On his way to Madra.”
Dell slid his hand from Helena’s wrist to lace his fingers through hers. “Come here.”
Surprising him, she didn’t object as he pulled her into the bed, lifting the covers for her to slide underneath.
The warmth of her body burned into his memory as he pulled her into his arms. She melted against him, burying her face in his chest.
“How long have I been out?”
His shirt muffled her voice. “The fight was more than a day ago.”
“Did you spend the night in here?” He settled his accusing glare on the chair as if it was the offender.
“I couldn’t leave you.”
Dell had known how he felt about Len from the moment he saw Ian with her at the Madran games—before he knew who she truly was.
For him, nothing had changed.
But she’d given no hint of how she felt… until now.
Neither said anything for a long moment as he stroked her back.
She pulled back to look at him. “I’m gross. I’m sorry. Edmund tried to get me to bathe and eat, but I—”
“Len,” he cut her off. “You could appear covered in Vérité’s droppings and I wouldn’t care.”
A laugh shook her. “Yes, you would.”
“Okay, bad example. Please don’t cover yourself in horse dung.”
“I don’t know. Now that I know you enjoy the smell of barns, I may have to try it.”
He brought his lips to her ear. “It won’t change the simple facts.”
“And what simple facts are these?” She lifted her face to gaze at him.
“I don’t think I annoy you as much as you pretend.” He smirked. “I even think you might like me.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I tolerate you.”
“Yeah?” He dropped his voice. “Then why do you feel so good in my arms?”
“I’m only here because I was cold.”
“Okay, Princess.” He rested his chin on the top of her head, his words dropping off at the thoughts her title provoked. Princess. And she’d just lost another brother.
He ran a hand the length of her back before inching it along her side. “I’m sorry about Quinn.”
She didn’t respond for a long moment. “You don’t know Cole and Quinn. Those two… they were as close as siblings could be. I always envied them. But Quinn… he’s good. And Cole will try to take that from him. What if he turns Quinn against me and Kass?”
Dell shifted down to press his forehead against hers. “I’m not sure goodness is something that can be stripped away. Have faith in your brother, Len.”
She nodded, swallowing heavily. “I’m going to help him.” Her eyes darkened. “It’s time, Dell. No more waiting. I need to return to Bela and find a way back to Madra. It’s time to go home.”
He didn’t respond. He’d seen it coming, her decision. Helena had wanted to go back to Madra since she woke aboard a ship bound for Bela. It was her kingdom. He couldn’t blame her, could he?
But he feared if she set foot on Madran soil, he’d never see her again, that she wouldn’t make it out alive. His arms tightened around her.
He released a sigh into her hair. “Len, I don’t want to lose you.”
He didn’t realize he’d said the words out loud until she lifted her head to look at him. She didn’t make false promises, but the determination in her eyes softened. She’d do what she needed. He had no doubt of that.
Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt and she pulled him closer, her lips finding his.
When they’d kissed at the ball in Madra, Dell had seen every possibility before them. It had been powerful and all-consuming, but it ended too quickly.
Now, they took their time to pour everything into that moment. Len’s lips moved over his as she opened for him, pressing harder against his body.
Dell ran his fingers over her cheeks, her shoulders, down her sides before wrapping his arms around her waist, wanting every part of her and terrified he’d end up with nothing.
The coming trials held a darkness neither of them was prepared for. He only knew he’d do anything to keep the vengeance from shattering his princess.
Helena hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep until a pounding on the door woke her. Before she could rise, the door opened, and Edmund walked in.
She scrambled from the bed but not before Edmund saw her and raised an eyebrow. He didn’t mention it. Instead, he gestured to Dell’s still sleeping form. “How is he?”
“Getting better,” she answered. “He woke early this morning.”
Edmund nodded. “Good. Then we can leave him alone. Lady Amalie returned late last night and has requested our presence at breakfast. First, you need to bathe.” He wrinkled his nose, and she swatted at him.
A young maid entered behind him and curtsied. “Miss, I can take you to your room.”
Helena glanced toward Dell once more before following the girl into the hall. In the light of day, the estate house held a cheerier air. Brightly colored fabric decorated the walls, yet its appeal was in the simplicity. They used no great amount of money on the house, and Helena appreciated the modesty.
The room she arrived at was identical to Dell’s save for a washroom attached. The maid showed her where a fresh set of clothing lay and a copper tub sat, filled with steaming water.
As soon as she was alone, Helena removed her clothes and sank into the tub, allowing the water to relax every muscle.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head back. Had it only been a day since they fought on that beach? It seemed as if a lifetime had passed. She scrubbed the dirt and road dust that was caked on her skin, feeling like a girl for the first time in a while. Her fingers worked lye soap into the tangled strands of her once beautiful hair.
Her mother and Sophia used to spend hours washing the dark tresses, brushing them, and pinning them so she always looked as proper as a princess should. What would Sophia think of her now? The old maid hadn’t approved of the things the queen taught her daughter, considering knife skills too manly.
But her mother never cared what anyone else thought. She made sure Helena always appeared the perfect and obedient princess around her father or his priests. But then she also gave Helena the means to be her own person.
The throne hadn’t been everything to Chloe Rhodipus, and it wouldn’t be everything to her daughter.
Helena dipped her head beneath the water before emerging fresh and new with a different thought. She didn’t want the crown from Cole. She had no desire to issue commands or collect taxes. That wasn’t why she needed to return to Madra. Even if Helena couldn’t be the queen, Cole didn’t deserve the title of king. He didn’t deserve the respect and obedience when he’d had none.
She stood in the tub, letting the water drip down her body before stepping out. Someone knocked on the door.
“Len?”
Dell? What was he doing out of bed? She dried herself as best she could and pulled her clothes on, jumping to secure the snug pants. There was no doubt in her mind how much Dell meant to her. She’d seen him fall and her heart stopped. But she didn’t have the luxury of being an infatuated girl. She had to be hard, cold, and calculated. She could no longer be the pretty princess behind the mask. It was time to be a warrior.
Feet still bare, she padded across the cold stone floor to let Dell into the room. He practically fell in as she opened the door.
“Hey.” She caught him around the waist. “You shouldn’t be standing.”
“You were gone when I woke. One of the servants told me where I’d find you.”
A smile tried to break free, but she held it back. “Lady Amalie wants to see us.”
“I’m coming.”
“Dell…”
“I can’t stay in bed anymore. I’m okay.”
She studied him for a moment and narrowed her eyes. “Fine. Wait here for a second.” She shifted him so he could use the doorframe for support and went to retrieve
her boots. Dry mud still covered them, but they’d have to do.
After pulling them on, she ducked under Dell’s arm and let him lean on her to walk down the hall. As a few servants eyed them, Dell leaned in to whisper. “Does this place give you the creeps?”
“A bit,” she admitted. It was as if ghosts of a brutal past roamed the halls. Lord Leroy and his eldest daughter were long dead, but their influence must have lived on.
“I heard a few maids talking when they thought I was asleep. Lady Amalie fought to recover this estate after the queen seized it.”
“She fought the queen?”
“Her father was a traitor, and the crown has rights to a traitor’s lands, but…”
“But Amalie was no traitor,” she finished for him. How could the queen take everything from the woman her son loved? “Do you think she knew about Tyson and Amalie?”
Dell shook his head. “I hope she didn’t. If she did… that’s just wrong.” He was quiet for a moment. “They say Amalie’s hard. She disappears for days at a time and no one other than a few trusted people know where she goes.”
Helena swallowed, not relishing the thought of meeting the woman. Then she thought of Tyson. The man with a boyish charm and infectious joy. How could he love someone with ice in their heart?
The same way Dell could have feelings for Helena, she supposed.
They reached the dining hall where Edmund and Tyson sat at a long table. Tyson jumped up when he saw them and ran forward to help Dell.
“I told him he should have stayed in bed.” Helena shook her head as Dell stumbled and latched on to Tyson’s arm.
Tyson didn’t respond as he’d gone still. Helena followed his line of sight to a woman standing in the doorway. An elegant deep green gown hung from her slim frame. Golden laces ran the length of her sides from bodice to skirt.
Chestnut hair spread around her shoulders in ringlets, framing a heart-shaped face. Wide dark eyes sat in contrast to her pale skin. Her chest rose as if she prepared herself for something difficult before stepping farther into the room.
“Edmund.” Her pink lips pulled into a tentative smile as she walked past Tyson without so much as a glance.
Edmund rose and stepped around the table to hold his arms out. “Amalie.” He grinned. “Beautiful as ever.”
She stepped into his hug. “It’s been too long.”
He chuckled. “I don’t make a habit of entering Gaule if I don’t have to and seeing as you no longer visit us in Bela…”
She pulled away and flattened her palms against her stomach. The smile that had been there before was no longer visible. “I have too much to do here. I can’t just leave.”
Tyson grunted as he helped Dell down into a chair. “If you don’t leave, where were you when we arrived?”
Amalie turned a scowl on him. “That is none of your concern, Prince.” She said the title as if it were a weapon before facing Dell. “Is this the man Maiya healed? He shouldn’t be out of bed.”
“That’s what I said,” Helena muttered. She thought no one had heard her until Amalie fixed her with a suspicious glare. “Edmund, Tyson, what trouble have you brought to my door? Cameron said something about a princess.”
Edmund rubbed the back of his neck. “Amalie, meet Helena of Madra.”
Amalie only raised an eyebrow at that. “The dead princess? She looks very much alive to me.” Amalie crossed her arms, moving on from Helena and scanning the rest of the faces there. “I know you have only come to my door because you had no other choice, but while you are here, I have rules.”
“Rules.” Tyson scoffed.
She narrowed her eyes. “First, this is no longer my father’s house. The people here will be treated with respect, even the ones who served my father or sister. I have worked very hard to cultivate loyalty. I come from a family of traitors, but that is in the past.”
Edmund nodded. “We wouldn’t dream of pissing you off.”
Amalie almost cracked a smile. Almost. “Elegant, Edmund, as ever.”
“That was only one rule.” Helena sat beside Dell.
“You’re a smart one, aren’t you, Princess?”
Dell tried to sit up straighter before slumping back. “You ask for respect and then give none.”
Amalie pushed her hair over one shoulder, regarding him. “Rule number two, you stay out of my way. I don’t want to see anything from you or hear anything. My people will take care of you, but I have sensitive goings on at this estate, and I will not have you butting your heads in where you’re not wanted.”
“What has happened to you, Amalie?” Edmund shook his head, sadness in his gaze.
Amalie pinched her lips together as she considered him. “What has happened to me? In the three years since I rode to fight La Dame, I have seen Gaule descend into a pit of hunger and despair. I returned to my family estate, only to find it seized by the crown. It took events I will not speak of to win it back. My only goal in this life is to see all those who live on my land fed. As the nobles sit in their estates feasting, the people starve. And what does the queen do about it? She allows these same nobles to control every food shipment, every trading route. She never even leaves her palace. I’m sorry Edmund, but I have long since lost faith in queens or nobles.” She glanced sideways at Tyson. “Or princes.”
With that final word, she turned on her heel and left them all staring after her.
Tyson collapsed into a chair.
Edmund’s jaw opened and closed as if he had something to say but couldn’t quite find the words. He settled for, “Well, I’d say she’s changed.”
“I don’t know.” Dell leaned forward against the table. “I always felt the same way. I saw hunger in Madra every day. Yet the king did nothing but levy more taxes and take more food for his armies.”
Tyson buried his head in his hands. “Amalie resents that I stayed in Bela away from the problems of Gaule even though she told me to go. The last time I saw her, she called me a coward. Maybe I am.”
“Ty.” Edmund’s hand landed on his shoulder. “You fought your war. Everyone in Bela did. Peace is their reward for generations of abuse.”
Two servants entered the hall, both carrying trays. They set a bowl and a plate before each person present before leaving as silently as they’d come.
Helena regarded the food before her. Thin broth, a bread roll, and a piece of salted fish. Respect grew within her. Amalie wasn’t only a woman with high ideals, she actually walked the walk. This meal couldn’t have been any better than what the people in the village were eating.
She dipped her spoon into the bowl and brought the tasteless broth to her lips. They ate in silence.
When they were finished, Edmund helped Dell back to his room. Tyson disappeared. Helena wandered the halls of the barren estate, her mind wondering about the traitorous acts carried out within those walls.
She skimmed her hand along a wooden banister as she ascended a staircase into the upper levels of the house. She came to a crossing of hallways. Looking down one, it seemed only to be the servants’ quarters. But the other… the glow of a lantern seeped through a doorway.
Helena couldn’t stop her feet from moving that way.
Voices drifted into the hall.
“Did you find them?” Cameron. At least she thought it was the guard.
“I tried.” Amalie’s voice was much softer than it had been before. “We’re going to need to search farther out. Tuck is already out looking. We came upon a string of wagons headed for Duke Ingold’s estate. I have the boys out distributing the food right now.”
“That was lucky.” Cameron paused. “Did you have to…” He stopped as if cut off.
“No one died. We knocked out the wagoneers and left them far enough back from the road that bandits wouldn’t have found them before waking.”
Helena couldn’t wrap her mind around what she was hearing. Amalie was… stealing? For her people, but still… they could hang her for the offense.
She i
nched back along the wall and down the stairs. Her breathing didn’t even out until she was back in her room. She settled in a chair by the fire and stared into the glowing flames until a knock at the door startled her from her thoughts.
She sighed. What did they want now? Edmund and Dell both had nasty habits of barging in without knocking so it must have been Tyson, and she didn’t think she could take his morose attitude for one moment longer.
Opening the door, she reeled back as Amalie’s face came into view.
“I know it’s late.” Amalie spoke with none of the confidence she’d had before. “But may I come in?”
Helena nodded and stepped back to allow the young woman entrance.
Amalie shut the door and took no time in dropping into a chair, exhaustion tugging at the features on her face.
“I—” Helena started, but Amalie shook her head.
“I must apologize for the way I spoke earlier. Whenever Tyson shows up, I see only anger.”
Helena sat in the chair opposite her. “It’s okay.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not. But many… things are hard right now, and he only makes them more difficult.”
Helena couldn’t look at Amalie without a chorus of thief running through her mind, but her mother raised her to hide her own thoughts, so she smiled in sympathy.
“I’m sorry we had to come here.”
Amalie waved her words away. “I’m glad Maiya could help. I know she misses using her magic regularly, although my people give her plenty of opportunities. Look, I wanted to talk to you because I obviously know who you are. Not only that, I understand. Ty would like to think I’m this hard, unbreakable person now, but I still know who I am and where I’ve come from. My father and sister betrayed the king. I know it’s different for you because your father was the king when your brother betrayed him.”
Helena let the girl ramble.
“I’m sorry, you don’t need me dredging this up. What I really wanted to ask is what you plan to do about it?”
“Do?”
“I got my revenge on my father when I fought him in battle and I continue to live my vengeance every day as I run his estate while he’s buried deep in an unmarked traitor’s grave.”
