Page 86 of Slippers and Thorns
Edna shook her head as Michael offered his arm to Helena. “He didn’t hear a word I said,” she muttered.
Michael ignored her, turning back to the way from which they had come. Helena seethed beside him, but at his tight head shake kept her words to herself until they cleared the maze.
“I can’t believe you listened to her!” she snarled. Quietly, thankfully, so as not to attract the attention of the old gardener or one of his two young assistants. “As if the Ralnoran magic user who amended my curse would just happen to be in Daraigh, in your gardens no less, and dressed like a pauper!”
“You looked like you believed who she was, at least at first,” he pointed out. “Besides, are you sure the magic user was Ralnoran?”
“She was at my christening,” she said as if it were obvious.
Michael rolled his eyes. “So was I, if you recall, and I’m not Ralnoran. At least, not the last time I checked.”
“We could fix that,” she teased.
“Marrying you would not make me Ralnoran, nor would it give me citizenship, since I’m the crown prince of Daraigh. If anything, it would make you Daric,” he replied easily. “However, I do not believe that this is an appropriate place for a conversation of that nature.”
She took the hint and dropped the subject. “Well, I still don’t think you should trust her. Iknowmy mother said it would be my true love.”
Michael didn’t doubt that. Queen Carina had always been a bit of a romantic and rather dramatic. Axel had to get it from somewhere, after all.
Not being in the mood for the discussion, Michael chose to keep his peace.
When they arrived at the stables, it was to find a slight uproar. Several of the other nobles who were to accompany them had already arrived, and the few women were in a tight cluster, gossiping away like a pack of hens. The grooms seemed flustered, and two of Ella’s guardsmen were mounted and heading out, while a third finished up a conversation with one of the grooms before flinging himself on a horse and charging off after the other two.
Michael flagged down a groom. “What’s going on? Why all the fuss?”
“Crown Prince Michael!” the man exclaimed, executing a hasty bow. “Just a few last-minute horses to prepare, that’s all.”
“Where are those men going in such a hurry?”
“Following Princess Arabella, Your Highness,” the man replied a bit nervously.
Michael wrinkled his brow. “I thought she was riding with us.”
The man shrugged. “She decided to leave early.”
Glancing at the woman on his arm, he supposed he couldn’t blame Ella for not wanting to accompany him. “But why didn’t her guards leave with her?”
“One of them did,” the groom answered. “They left in a bit of a rush, though; I believe the others are trying to catch up.”
“Did anyone else leave with them?” Helena asked. Based on her shrewd expression, Michael had a feeling that she had noticed the same thing he had regarding the three guardsmen flying towards the back gate.
None of them was Charles.
“No, Your Highness, not that I saw.” The groom’s eyes flicked between the two royals. “Do you need anything else, Crown Prince Michael?”
“No, that will be all. You may return to your duties,” Michael said, dismissing the man with a casual wave of his hand.
“Hmm,” Helena mused once the man had left. She tapped one finger on her chin. “Just the two of them, all by themselves, leaving in a rush…”
“Cut the act, Helena,” Michael said a bit harshly. “I know what you’re trying to imply.”
“From what I hear, she’s done it before.”
“She took one of her guards this time. It’s different.” Michael gritted his teeth and led Helena towards their horses.
“Hmm, yes,oneof her guards. And whichonewas it?” she asked in a falsely innocent tone.
“Enough!” he growled out. Not that he could actually order her around, since she was a foreign princess, not one of his nobles. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t find ways to express his displeasure with her.
