Page 147 of Arrows and Gems
Helena turned to the new speaker. A pretty brunette with an insincere smile glared thinly-veiled daggers at the Daric princess. Michael’s smile shifted into the fakest one Helena had ever seen. “Lady Charlotte. I did not realize you were back in the capital.”
“Oh, I couldn’t stay away forever, you know,” the noblewoman replied with a coy smile. “Ithasbeen a year and a half. And when I heard the idle gossip that King Raphael would be here, I couldn’t stay away.”
While Lady Charlotte stood expectantly, Michael glanced over at Rafe, who stared blandly back at him. With a suppressed sigh, he reached for the noblewoman’s hand while Arabella gripped his arm more tightly.
No reason Helena couldn’t rescue an old friend.
Stretching her mouth as wide as she could, Helena stepped up to the other woman. “Lady Charlotte, is it? So pleased to meet you. I’m Helena, daughter of King Steffan.”
The noblewoman’s expression froze as Helena stuffed her wrist in the interloper’s face. “Oh, that’s—”
“Isn’t my bracelet beautiful?” Helena stretched her other hand back to grab Rafe’s. “Rafe gave it to me three days ago.”
“In Ralnor, it’s traditional for a gentleman to gift a bracelet to his betrothed,” Michael supplied helpfully.
“Oh.” Lady Charlotte’s smile soured. “That’s…wonderful. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Beaming, Helena backed into Rafe’s chest and leaned her head against his cheek. “We’re very happy.”
The noblewoman cleared her throat. “But I heard there was a Ralnoran nobleman searching all of Daraigh for you. Is that young man to be disappointed?”
“Not a bit.” Helena’s eyes slid over to her friend. “I imagine he’ll be overjoyed, actually.”
Liesl lifted her eyebrows with a politely unconcerned smile. “Who, Tobias? I can’t imagine him caring much either way. After all, he didn’t bother to come home after you resurfaced.”
Whathadhappened while Helena was gone?
“Perhaps we should ask him,” Helena suggested casually, still watching Liesl. “Is he here?”
“It seems like a simple question,” Rafe interjected. “But perhaps it isn’t?”
Surprised, she looked up to find a troubled look on Michael’s face. “He asked me for a recommendation on a weapon-smith a week ago.”
“A weapon-smith? I didn’t know he was the type.”
Michael glanced at Lady Charlotte, then looped his arm around Arabella’s waist and led them away. “I sent him to Keenan, a highly skilled smith who made my favorite blade. And no one has seen him since.”
Helena narrowed her eyes. “But we didn’t pass him on the road from Himmelsburg.”
“No, and we haven’t found him in Hartford,” Michael replied with a frown. “Even though most of his belongings are still in his suite.”
“You think he was kidnapped?” Liesl sounded disdainful. “I suppose he might be worth a ransom.”
“His cat is still here,” Michael said quietly.
Liesl’s jaw dropped, and she stopped walking. “He left Puss?” she whispered. “But he loves that cat. He takes her everywhere.”
“We’re still looking for him,” the Daric prince promised. “He may have left of his own accord, but he’s Axel’s friend, and he was a foreign guest. We don’t take his disappearance lightly.”
But why would he have left without telling anyone? And if he didn’t, who would have taken him?
With her apology out of the way, the rest of the soirée passed pleasantly, despite her lingering concerns about Tobias’s disappearance and the crease in Liesl’s forehead. She suspected it would be some time before she was comfortable with Michael and Arabella, though, so she was relieved when she and Rafe managed to slip away.
“Do you feel better now?” He wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her to a stop outside her room.
“Yes,” she replied. She knew the bright friendship of her childhood would never be what it once was, but at least the relationship could heal. Leaning closer, she whispered, “But do you know what would make me feel even better?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “What?”
