Page 13 of Arrows and Gems
Scarlett just grinned. “If anyone understands that you sometimes have to bend the rules, it’s an outlaw.”
Refusing to appear cowed, Helena shrugged carelessly. “If you say so.”
She expected a clearing, but they were still in a wooded area when her horse pricked his ears at a quiet whicker. They stepped past another tree, and four beautiful, well-cared-for horses, still saddled and bridled, appeared.
Helena glanced around before turning to her captor. “You just trust that your horses will be here when you return?” she asked, amused. “I would call your captain arrogant, but they seem to be where you left them.”
Scarlett made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat. “Where is that boy? I told Cap we should have brought someone else.”
A flash of movement was their only warning, but the oncoming sword halted before it reached them. Metal rang as Scarlett swept her opponent’s blade to the side. “Tucker! What are you doing?” Her annoyance had deepened to irritation. “You’re supposed to be guarding the horses.”
The teenager sheathed his sword with a huff. “I thought for sure I’d get you that time. Where are the others?” He turned curious brown eyes on Helena. “And who’s that? Did Cap rescue her from the General? Why is she still tied up?”
He reached for her, but Scarlett knocked his hand aside. “This wasn’t a rescue mission. She took a shot at Cap; we can all be thankful for her terrible aim.”
“That arrow hit exactly where I meant it to,” Helena protested, indignant. “If I’d intended to harm him, I would have.”
“You don’t have to save face,” Scarlett replied with an eye roll. “We don’t care.”
Helena opened her mouth to argue, but the woman shot her a glare. “I don’t care if you are a lady. I won’t hesitate to gag you if I tire of your mouth.”
The boy gaped at them both. “You shot at Cap? Why?”
“Don’t people normally shoot bandits who stop them on the road?” Helena replied, watching as Scarlett opened one of Helena’s saddlebags and began to dig through it. “Is this the part where you rob me of my worldly goods?”
Tilting his head, Tucker asked, “Why would we do that?”
Helena laughed. “Because you’re bandits.”
“Are we?” Scarlett said cryptically.
Instead of responding to that obvious bait, Helena leaned against a nearby tree and slowly lowered herself to the ground. She needed to rest if she wanted to escape later.
Tipping her head back, she blew some loose hairs out of her face and watched the female bandit paw through every one of her possessions. Scarlett shook out the clothes and examined each coin in Helena’s leather purse. A worn copy ofRoumaterra: The Dawn of a New Eralanded on a pile of dresses on the ground, followed by the latest volume of Stewart’s mysteries – the package had appeared in Axel’s correspondence while he was in Daraigh, so Helena had borrowed it.
When the saddlebags were empty, Tucker helped her stuff everything back in. Helena cringed at the abuse to her favorite book, but before she could protest, Scarlett and Tucker both froze. Tucker’s hand slapped his chest, and then he ran to unhook reins from branches. Scarlett drew her sword.
The faint roar of male voices and the pounding of feet reached Helena’s ears. She struggled to her knees.
“Mount up! Now!” the deep voice of Le Capuchon’s short companion panted. “They’re right on our heels!”
CHAPTER 6
Cap
In retrospect, he should have known something was wrong the moment he laid eyes on the source.
Cap’s breath rasped in his throat as he charged up the steep slope. An arrow lodged itself in a nearby tree, spurring him to move faster. He’d had close calls before, but this was the worst.
Beside him, Jean-haut’s foot slipped on a shallow bit of dirt. Digging in his feet, Cap spun and brought his bow up. He buried an arrow in the shoulder of the nearest guard while the forester scrambled back up.
“Get back to the horses,” Cap panted. He blocked out the anguished cry caused by his next arrow. “Make sure they’re ready.”
“But Cap—”
Cap’s eyes picked out his next target as he shuffled backward up the rise. Only a little farther to smoother ground. “I’ll catch up.” Smirking, he added, “I have longer legs.”
His friend scowled but took off. Cap lamed the sword arm of another guard, then sprinted the last few yards to level ground.
