Page 40 of Arrows and Gems
“Margit.” Le Capuchon’s voice was gentle this time. If shehadn’t been annoyed by his previous disdain, she might have been touched. “Are you in some kind of trouble? Why don’t you want to go home?”
For a moment, the compassion in his voice had her opening her mouth to spill the whole depressing story. Michael, the council’s decree, Tobias and Liesl, Luther—
But then her mind caught up. “I don’t see why it matters to you. Once my ankle is healed, I’ll no longer be your concern. Unless you’re planning to keep me captive?” She raised a questioning eyebrow.
Jean-haut laughed. “Expecting Cap to not worry is like expecting the sun to not shine. He can’t help it.”
“I won’t worry when I push you into the lake in the middle of winter,” Le Capuchon said calmly.
“Only because you know I can—”
The short man broke off with another glance at Helena. Patting his horse’s neck, he continued, “You would be concerned if it were anyone else. Exceptmaybeyour worst enemy, but I’m not sure about that.”
He was hiding something. But Helena was more interested in knowing Le Capuchon’s expression; one of his shoulders twitched in response to his friend’s ribbing. Was he embarrassed that he was known for caring? Was it suppressed laughter at the banter?
She grinned. Only one way to find out.
Nudging Farrell forward again, she leaned dangerously in the saddle and swiped at his hood.
He spun and stepped away when her fingertips brushed the back of his head. “Must you do that?” A note of irritation colored his voice.
Despite her failure to snag his hood, Helena smiled in smug satisfaction. She so enjoyed making him lose his cool.
But then she started to slide sideways and clamped her legsaround the horse to hold on.
Farrell leaped forward with a snort. Releasing a gasp of pain, Helena reached for his neck. Her ankle throbbed from banging against his side; hitting the ground would be worse.
But she couldn’t stop her hips from falling.
“Whoa!”
The startled exclamation was muffled as her brain locked out unnecessary input. The horse surging forward. Her injured ankle bouncing painfully over the saddle. Her hands slipping.
The merciless ground rushing up to meet her... until it wasn’t.
An arm wrapped around her waist while her back connected with something solid. Another arm hooked her right knee. She was still moving backward, and then she was falling again.
A grunt of pain sounded behind her as she landed on something softer than the ground. After a moment to catch her breath, she twisted to look over her shoulder. “We really must stop meeting like this, Cap.”
He just dropped his forehead on her shoulder and groaned.
CHAPTER 17
Helena
Their new camp had a beautiful view. Le Capuchon kept to forested parts of the mountains to better hide their home, but the trees were thin enough here to see the valley below.
Helena stood outside her tent, watching the sun as it peeked over the horizon. It cast an array of reds and oranges across the clouds, filling her heart with its majesty. She’d missed sunrises while wandering through the middle of the mountain range.
Below her, the side of the mountain stretched out. To her left, she could see a rocky outcropping, its gray stone tinged pink in the morning light. It was barren of trees, but the leftover snow glittered.
“If you’re up, you may as well be busy.”
Allowing herself a small smile, Helena turned to face her tent mate. “Good morning, Rouge. Sleep well?”
“No such thing,” the redhead grumbled. She brushed some loose hairs from her face and scowled at the sun. “If mornings were meant to be enjoyed, they wouldn’t start until noon.”
Smirking, Helena set her cane on the ground and began hobbling along next to Rouge. “You sound like a pampered noblewoman. But you know how to cook, so you can’t be.”
