Page 4 of Arrows and Gems
“The level of your grooming dropped off when she left.” Helena smirked. “Just like it increased after you met her at the Midwinter Ball.”
“I expected you to travel with them.”
“And you only just noticed I stayed home?” Helena scoffed. “If you expect me to believe that you aren’t in love with my friend, you’ll have to do better than that. Liesl is the only person you’re fooling.”
He lifted the glass to his mouth, but instead of taking a sip, he lowered it back to his waist. “Family can be complicated.”
“Tell me about it,” she muttered under her breath. Family had exiled her to Reineggburg. And now family kept her trapped in the capital.
Axel had offered to take her to Daraigh with them, but Papa had scowled at the suggestion. Her brother might think ten months was long enough, but Papa didn’t trust her.
He needn’t have worried; Helena had no intention of watching Michael fawn over a woman who didn’t want him. Michael knew where to find her when he finally admitted defeat.
“Looks like you’re popular today.” Tobias gestured down the hall with his glass.
Restraining a groan, Helena folded her arms across her chest. The dark-haired young man striding toward them wore his hair in a more foppish style than Tobias did. He was handsome, self-assured, and well-spoken.
And Helena despised him.
She pursed her lips. Ralnoran law allowed the council to require an heir’s marriage after their twenty-fifth birthday, but she’d missed twelve years of her life. Her body was nearly twenty-six, but she still felt like a teenager.
And if she couldn’t have the man she’d been dreaming about since she was thirteen, she saw no reason to hurry into marriage. Especially when neither of her suitors truly wanted her.
“I don’t understand why you’re playing your father’s game, Tobias,” she hissed, “but you’d better make up your mind. I’m not self-sacrificing enough to choose Luther. Even if that means the council chooses you.”
His dark eyes narrowed in on the young nobleman approaching them. As usual, he said nothing, simply swirling the liquid in his glass instead.
“Good afternoon, Princess Helena,” Luther greeted, offering her a bow that rivaled those of her overdramatic brother. “I trust you are doing well?” His eyes shifted to Tobias, and the corners of his mouth dipped toward his chiseled jaw. “Tobias.”
Helena pasted on the bright smile that irritated the stuck-up members of her court. “Hello, Luther! What are you doing at the castle?”
His expression lightened, and he stepped forward to lift her hand to his lips. Bearing in mind her mother’s lectures, Helena resisted the urge to shudder or whisk her hand out of his reach.
“How can you ask?” he effused. “I am here to see you, of course. The week which I spent at my family’s country estate was unbearably long. Was it not so for you?”
No longer than any other week since the man she thought was her true love had sent her packing.
“I thought it would never end,” she said insincerely.
She wanted to tell him that his absence had caused the time to pass more swiftly. But she was supposed to be aprincessnow.
Rather than being discouraged by her lackluster response, Luther smiled widely and offered her his arm. “May I escort you to the gardens, Princess Helena? We have so much to catch up on, and I have something that I wish to speak to you about.” His eyes darted sideways to Tobias. “Alone.”
Alone with Luther was something Helena avoided like the plague. “That’s so…thoughtful of you.” She reached for Tobias’s arm. “But Tobias and I were about to—”
“I’m sure Tobias won’t mind,” Luther cut in, eyeing the other young man. “I won’t keep you long. And he’s had you all to himself for the last week.”
Helena joined him in staring Tobias down. But after swirling his glass, Tobias offered a small nod to his rival and took a step back. After another nod to Helena, he turned and slouched off down the hall.
“Traitor,” Helena muttered under her breath. Maybe she shouldn’t have prodded him about Liesl.
Luther either didn’t hear or chose to ignore the comment. Smiling, he said, “Shall we, Princess?”
Helena stared at his arm, pinching her lips together and wondering if she could refuse him. Was it worth another lecture from Mother to simply walk away?
When she didn’t move, he reached out and grabbed her hand. “Your shyness is adorable, but we should take advantage of this opportunity. Tobias will be back before long.”
She ripped her hand from his grasp and took a step back. “No, thank you. If you don’t respect me enough to let me make my own decisions about where I go and with whom, then I have nothing to say to you.”
