Page 85 of Arrows and Gems
“He doesn’t. But he keeps an eye on the younger boys sometimes when they want to explore the woods.” Cap checked the blade one more time and put the knife back in its sheath. “They watch for animals and try to shoot one, and he makes sure they don’t accidentally shoot each other.”
“So he babysits?”
His mouth tugged up. “More or less.”
Pulling out an arrow, he returned to sharpening. Helena flattened her last ball of dough and grabbed the bag of flour to start another batch. “I’ve seen the others leave in groups, but you usually hunt on your own, don’t you?”
“Yes.” He moved on to the next arrow. “It was my escape, before. I simply maintained the habit.”
Cap finished the arrows and held out his hand. Helena’s eyebrows pulled together. Picking up a ball of dough, she set it in his palm.
His lips twitched as his hazel eyes danced. “Thank you. But I don’t think I can sharpen this.”
She tilted her head. “Then what are—No.” Her handdropped protectively to her quiver. “I’m not giving these to you. You might not give them back.”
“I promise to return them when I’m finished.”
“And if you never finish?” she shot back.
Instead of replying, he set down the dough and the whetstone. Keeping his eyes trained on hers, he unbuckled one of his belts and offered it to her.
Helena grinned and reached for it, but he pulled it back. “A trade. Mine for yours.”
“What if I refuse?” Lunging forward, she snagged the belt just below his hand. He jerked it backward, but that only pulled her closer. She braced her hand against his chest. “Maybe I’ll just take it.”
His smile spread. “Now who’s the thief?”
She strained against him, trying to bring the quiver toward her. He simply lifted it higher, forcing her to pull down.
So she wrapped both hands around it and sagged sideways.
Cap’s free hand darted out and caught her waist before she slid off the log, but to her disappointment, the quiver didn’t budge.
“Not a very good thief, are you?” he chuckled.
Scowling up at him, she released her hold on the belt and crossed her arms. “Fine. I’ll take the trade.”
She was hiding a smile, though. A chuckle was progress.
His fingers dug into her side as he hauled her back upright. Up close, his smile was even better. And his eyes were as warm as his arm.
Helena blew a stray hair out of her face. “Smiles look good on you, Cap.”
“Stop flirting, you two.” Rouge’s voice was dry. “You both have work you should be doing.”
Helena scrunched her mouth in protest. “I’m not—”
Cap’s arm burned into her waist. She glanced back at himand cleared her throat. “We were simply having a disagreement.”
“And did you resolve it?” Rouge asked with a skeptical eyebrow.
As Helena straightened, Cap’s arm fell away. He picked up the whetstone and rolled it between his fingers, looking at it instead of Helena.
Conscious of their audience, she lifted her chin and pulled out her arrows. Offering them to him, she said loftily, “Since you insist, I will allow you to sharpen these for me.”
He looked at the arrows, then met her eyes. “Are we not trading quivers?”
Whispers that she shouldn’t trust anyone with her precious arrows filled her mind, but she ignored them. Cap had never lied to her. And she’d never been betrayed as much as her wounded feelings had claimed. Papa had been trying to protect both her and the kingdom from her curse. Tobias had been clearly uninterested from the beginning; heavens, she’d pushed him to court Liesl!
