Page 7 of Arrows and Gems
Helena froze in the act of reaching out to hug her friend. Axel and Katy had claimed that Michael’s marriage was improving. She should have realized it would lead to this. But somehow, she hadn’t.
Michael and his wife were having a baby, and he was happy.
He was happy without Helena. Just like everyone else.
Her brother’s hand settled on her shoulder, but she shook it off and turned away, striding quickly toward the nearest exit. He’d married his childhood sweetheart, despite all the reasons that should have prevented it. She didn’t want to admit that she wanted or needed comfort, and especially not from him.
She was fine on her own.
Slipping through the servants unloading the carriages, Helena stormed her way around the outside of the castle. The cool evening air brushed against her skin, but she was too irritated to feel the chill.
“Princess Helena!”
She walked faster, annoyed that the young nobleman had found her again. She would rather put up with Katy’s scowls or a lecture from her parents than deal with Luther just now.
The thump of his boots against the cobblestones reached her ears as he pushed himself into a jog to catch up with her. “Go away, Luther,” she ground out, not looking at him as he settled into step next to her. “I’m not in the mood.”
Ignoring her comment, he said, “I’m glad we get our walk together after all. It would have driven me to distraction if I had to wait another day to speak with you.”
Covering his pushiness with a mask of tender excitement made it no less annoying. She just wanted a bow in her hand so she could release her tension into a dozen bullseyes. “This is not a walk together. This is you intruding on my time and space.”
Mother would throw a fit if Luther tattled. But if Helena didn’t strengthen her anger, her frustration would brim over in tears. Definitely not an option with Luther strolling next to her.
“Intruding?” he protested. She ignored whatever fake expression he was feeding her in the dim light. “I realize the last few months have been stressful for you, and you are understandably distressed by seeing Tobias cozied up with your friend. But why should your anger extend to me?”
“You saw a different welcoming committee than I did if you think he was cozied up to her,” Helena retorted, rolling her eyes.
Luther’s hand wrapped around hers, dragging her to a stop. Spinning, she jerked free and backed away, but he followed. “Princess, I love you,” he declared. “If you would admit to your own feelings and agree to marry me, we could put this nonsense with your brother’s friend behind us.”
She knew he didn’t mean Michael, but the words still grated against her wounds. Michael’s wife carried their child. He would never leave her now.
And Helena would always be alone, even after she submitted to her political marriage.
“Nonsense?” she growled, taking an angry step forward as she blinked back the traitorous burning in her eyes. “If you want nonsense, then I’ll—”
Stepping forward to meet her, he set a hand on her waist. “Oh, Princess, the council will be so pleased,” he murmured as his head tipped toward her.
She startled, but his hand slid around to her back. Locked in place, she twisted her face away, shuddering when his lips landed on her cheek. She planted both hands on his chest and shoved him away.
He had the audacity to look hurt as he stumbled backward. “What are you doing? It is appropriate for a betrothed—”
“We arenotbetrothed!” Helena’s fingers curled into claws, but she restrained herself from striking out at him. The stray thought danced through her mind that perhaps she now understood how Michael had felt. “Did you think that if you kissed me, I would fall in love with you? As if!”
“Princess, if you would only let me—”
“No!” She sliced her hand through the air. “You can say nothing that I wish to hear. I find you insufferable, and I haveonly endured your presence because it was expected of me.”
“You’ll marry Tobias, then?” he sneered.
Helena let the fire in her eyes pin him in place. “I have no desire to marry you, Tobias, or any other nobleman in this kingdom.”
“And the council?” he replied with a raised eyebrow. “They have ordered you to marry by the end of the year.”
She resisted the urge to stamp her foot like a small child. Shewastrying to act more like the twenty-five, almost twenty-six-year-old princess that she was. “That is not your concern, Luther.”
He opened his mouth, but another voice interrupted him. “Is everything all right, Your Highness?”
The desire to tattle on Luther swelled her chest, but she held it back. Papa, Axel, even Katy’s and Liesl’s ex-guard cousin – any of them would gladly deal out an appropriate punishment for his behavior.
