Page 90 of Slippers and Thorns
Ella gestured behind them. “Awaiting you with bated breath, I’m sure.”
Michael forced a grin. “We’ll take you over.”
“No, no, I can get myself there.” Axel waved him off. “I’ll grab my sister, and let you escort your lovely wife.”
Right. His wife.
Helena had barely let up about the way Ella had failed to appear at dinner after she and Charles had finally been dragged back to the castle. She had refrained from saying anything during breakfast – though whether out of respect for Ella’s feelings or fear of the king’s wrath, he wasn’t sure – but her smug expression had set him on edge.
Not that he was particularly pleased with Ella himself after yesterday.
Surprisingly, his father hadn’t reinstated her constant guard, which suggested he was not as upset as he had been when she fled to the city several months before. Because she didn’t try to slip out unnoticed? Or because she wasn’t dressed as a peasant? Regardless, he’d certainly been stormy after his audience with her that morning.
Michael cleared his throat, triggering a cough, and offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Ella looked at it like it was a snake trying to bite her, but she carefully reached under his cloak and placed her hand upon it.
Apparently, Ella wasn’t particularly pleased with him, either.
They passed through the crowd and started down one of the hallways. Later, they would be gathering in the throne room for an “official welcome” for the delegation, but for now, the members of the delegation were being shown to their rooms, so Michael and Ella were returning to their respective quarters to divest themselves of their winter outerwear.
Appearances demanded they go together.
He felt certain they would both rather go separately.
“I notice we don’t have a tail,” Michael blithely observed.
Ella put her nose in the air. “Of course not. I didn’t do anything questionable.”
Michael simply raised an eyebrow.
“He may not have been pleased by the way I left, but your father was quite understanding of my need to get away. He simply requested that I wait long enough for my guard to exit with me next time.”
Next time?
“So, what you’re saying is, you managed to convince him you weren’t running away?” he sneered.
“I won’t deny the thought crossed my mind,” Ella bit out. The admission surprised him. “But I decided to try and fix…this. Even though I don’t see the point.”
“What’s ‘this’?” he scoffed. “Your fascination with that guard that you took off with before the others brought you back? What did you say to my father, anyway, to talk him down?”
She stopped walking and glared at him. She opened her mouth, then closed it and looked away. “I saw you yesterday,” she whispered hoarsely. “In the hedge maze.”
Michael felt the blood drain from his face. “And you told my father?”
“I told him enough.”
He was lucky he still had his head. And that Ella wasn’t telling tales of his infidelity far and wide.
“Michael, I…why?” She still wouldn’t look at him, but he could hear the devastation in her voice.
“It’s not like we didn’t have problems before she woke up,” he said quietly. He tugged lightly with the arm she held and began moving down the hall again. “And…she says she’s my true love.”
Ella stiffened. “Yes, because we should believe whatevershesays.”
“Like I should believe whateveryousay?” he retorted. “Like when you tell me there is nothing going on between you and Charles, and then you disappear forhourswith no one but him! How am I supposed to know what the two of you were doing?”
She gasped in outrage but kept her voice down. “Charlie is a good man. He would never—”
