Page 109 of Arrows and Gems
A silly grin crept across her face. Cap knew what she’d said about him, but he still wanted to kiss her.
Her nose bounced off her captor’s back, bringing reality with it. She needed to focus. Try to escape now, dream about her honorable outlaw later.
The guards conversed quietly, ignoring her. Helena let herself hang limp for another moment, then jerked her shoulders sideways and lifted her feet, bringing them back down as hard as she could.
“Whoa!” her captor exclaimed, gripping her thighs more tightly. His other hand grabbed her waist. “None of that, now.”
“Should we make him walk from here?”
“No, I’ve got him.” The guard grunted. “I’d rather this than drag him by his arms.”
That was unfortunate. She’d have to work harder to change his mind.
She was still on his shoulder when they reached the garrison building. The thick wooden door creaked on its hinges as the other guard swung it open, then let it fall heavily closed behind them. It narrowly missed her head.
After walking down a short hallway, the guard knocked sharply on a door. A friendly voice called out, “Come in.”
Her captor set her down. She struggled, twisting as hard as she could, but the guards held on tight.
“Le Capuchon, we meet at last,” General Valentin said with a sad smile as he turned from the dark window. “I wish it were under different circumstances.”
Helena glared at the man whose lies were responsible for Cap’s peril. Deepening her voice, she smiled thinly and replied, “We are in agreement. I’d rather have my bow and an arrow in my hands.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Would you?” Nodding to one of the guards, he said, “Let’s see his face.”
Helena thrashed a little harder. No sense making things easy for them.
She had the satisfaction of seeing the General’s jaw drop when her hood came off and her long chestnut braid tumbled free. “A woman?” His eyes narrowed. “The woman Erwan brought to me a few months ago. The one he claimedwasn’ta member of Le Capuchon’s band.”
Helena smirked. “Sorry to disappoint.”
He shook his head. “Sending him back to Laurier after the failed raid on your camp was a hard decision, but it was clearly the right one.” He sighed heavily. “And now I shall have to punish him upon our return.”
Thinking of the pleasant guard made Helena’s heart sink. “He has nothing to do with this. He didn’t know.”
“True, who would suspect that Le Capuchon is a woman?” General Valentin mused. His eyes darted back to her. “But is he?”
Lifting her chin, she met his eyes boldly. If he was talking, he wasn’t worrying about his escaped prisoners. Let him think she was the infamous bandit for now.
Aunt Chloe would set him straight as soon as they reached the capital. Assuming Helena didn’t escape first.
His eyes dropped to her left shoulder. “No. Erwan and the others were on Le Capuchon’s heels. There was no time to bandage your wound.” Folding his hands behind his back, he gave her a knowing, fatherly smile. “Margit, wasn’t it? He must have done a fine job charming you for you to be willing to sacrifice yourself for him. Come, why don’t you tell me who he is? I will be lenient if you help me catch him.”
“As if I would betray him to someone like you,” she sneered, dropping the act. She could see in his eyes that he wouldn’t believe it now.
“Someone like me?” General Valentin looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Helena opened her mouth to reply. But even through the pounding in her head, she knew she should stay silent. She still needed to search his house, after all. “I think you know.”
His forehead wrinkled. “No, I’m afraid I don’t. I have always tried to do what’s best for Amitié. How can I know what lies Le Capuchon told you to gain your trust?”
Her head throbbed, and her anger at his audacity sent a pulse through her blood, overriding her good sense. How dare he claim that Cap would lie? “Since when is murdering the king so you can usurp his throne ‘best for the kingdom’?” she said sarcastically. “I must have missed that day in my lessons.”
“Is that what he told you?” The General’s eyebrows were almost at his hairline. “I didn’t expect that.”
“Didn’t expect him to know the truth?” Helena snapped.
General Valentin released a low whistle. “He’s better than I thought. Poor Rouge; I suppose her hopes truly were misplaced.”
