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Helena stared at the king in horror.
“Nay!” She said loudly, “I refuse.”
King Constantine stared at her.
“Either you marry Sir Kameron,” he said coldly. “Or you find yourself on the next ship out of Vivek. The choice is yours.”
“But I do not love him,” Helena wailed, “I do not want him.”
The king leaned closer to her.
“My dear,” he said softly, “do you think I love Princess Elspeth? Nay I do not. But that is the consequence of being noble.”
Helena stared at the king.
“How does Sir Kameron feel about this?” She asked softly.
“He likes it no better,” King Constantine said, “but he accepts it as his duty, as should you.”
She pressed her lips together, realizing she had no choice and slowly she nodded her consent.
“Good girl,” the king said, “the wedding will take place in a week. As soon as I can procure a special license.”
He rose from the table that they had been sitting at.
“I will take my leave now milady,” he said, walking toward the door.
Helena watched as he left the room, then bit back a very unladylike oath. She closed her eyes for a moment, wondering how she was going to escape from this predicament. Then she stood up and walked toward the French doors that led out to the king’s gardens. She opened them and stood there for a moment, enjoying the warm breeze. Finally she stepped out and began to wander down the white stone pathway, admiring the beautiful blooms.
She found the maze in the middle of the garden and started to walk through it. She had just rounded a corner when she heard two male voices speaking around the next bend. She started to leave, thinking she was interrupting a private conversation, then froze when she heard what they were saying.
“We must hurry,” the first voice hissed, “the king’s formal ceremony is in a few days. He must be dead before then.”
Helena put a hand on her mouth to stifle a gasp, then stepped further into the hedge, as if that would shield her.
“Don’t worry,” the second voice said, “Elspeth will never marry King Constantine. He will be dead before the ceremony takes place.”
“We must go,” he continued, “ Elspeth will be wondering where I got off to.”
In panic, Helena looked around for a hiding place. She knew if these men saw her, if they discovered what she had heard, she would be dead.
Finally she found a tiny alcove behind one of the statues. She ran over to it and squeezed in, praying that no one would see her. The two men walked by quickly, not even noticing her hiding place, and Helena tried to see their faces. All she could see was their shirts and breeches and fearing that they would notice her movement, she stopped trying to see more.
She waited a few minutes, afraid that she would emerge and the two men would be waiting for her. Then she slowly slid out of the alcove. She left the maze, looking carefully around her to see if anyone was around. The area was clear, so she quickly left the maze and hurried toward the house. She didn’t see the man standing in the shade of an oak tree. His eyes narrowed when he saw her leave the maze soon after him and his companion had. For a moment he stood there, watching her hurry toward the manor, then fingering his dagger, he followed her.

“The king is occupied milady,” the butler told Helena when she asked to see him. “I will tell him that you asked to see him.”
“Please do so Payne,” Helena said, “tell him it is vital I speak with him immedately.”
Payne nodded and she turned, walking toward the room that had been assigned for her. She was just about to enter when a voice called her name, she turned and saw Kameron walking toward her.
“Kameron,” she said in relief, then grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room.
He looked at her in concern.
“What is it Helena?” He asked, and she began to cry.
Quickly he pulled her into his arms, as her tears wet his shirt.
“I was in the maze,” Helena said, “and I heard someone plotting to kill the king.”
Startled Kameron pulled away and stared at her.
“Are you sure?” He asked and she nodded.
“I didn’t see their faces,” she told him, “I hid so they wouldn’t see me. But they said that the king would be dead before the betrothal ceremony takes place.”
Kameron cursed, then grabbed Helena’s hand.
“We must tell King Constantine,” he said.
“I think not,” a male voice said behind them.
Kameron quickly turned, pulling Helena behind him.
A tall man with long reddish brown hair stood behind them. He held a flintlock pistol in his hand, aimed directly at Kameron’s heart.
“You see milord,” the man said, slowly walking toward them. “I can’t have you ruining my plans for the king.”
“Who are you?” Kameron asked.
“My name is Jedrus,” he said, “I was hired by Princess Elspeth’s brother, Tavaris to assassinate the king. You see, the war has been very profitable to him and he doesn’t want it to end.”
“How are you going to stop us?” Kameron asked, a challenge in his voice. “If you shoot us, the noise will bring everyone in a second.”
“You’re quite right,” Jedrus said, then raised his pistol and smacked Kameron over the head with it.
Helena screamed, as Kameron slumped over, then she knelt by his side. To her relief he was still alive, just unconscious.”
“Now milady,” Jedrus said, grabbing her arm and hauling her up. “You and I are going on a little trip.”
“What of Sir Kameron?” Helena asked frantically.
“He will be taken care of,” Jedrus said, then he began to pull her from the room.
Helena began to struggle, scratching at Jedrus’ hands, in order to get free. With a muffled oath, he slapped her across the face, stunning her.
“If you struggle again,” he breathed in her ear, “I will kill him in front of you.”
He dragged her out of the house, toward a man who had a horse saddled and waiting.
“Sir Kameron is indisposed in the lady’s bedchamber,” Jedrus said, “make sure he is well-taken care of.”
The man grinned, reveling rotten teeth. He handed the reins to Jedrus and walked back to the house.
Jedrus put Helena on the horse, and mounted behind her, then he galloped out of the yard and away from Wolfegang.

Kameron moaned, he had a throbbing head, but luckily Jedrus’ aim was as bad as his judgement.
He tensed when he heard someone enter the room, then he pretended to still be unconscious.
A short man, with greasy blonde hair, leaned over him and Kameron moved quickly. Before the man could react, Kameron grabbed him by his arm and flipped him over, his knife to the man’s throat.
“Where did Jedrus take Lady Helena?” Kameron snarled at the man.
The man stared at him in mute fear, and he pressed the knife further into the man’s throat.
“Please don’t kill me,” the man rasped.
“Where is Lady Helena?” Kameron asked again.
“Lord Jedrus was taking her to Vivek,” the man babbled. “He was going to sell in the markets in Isas.”
Kameron looked at him in mute horror. Isas was a slave city, known for its pleasure houses. With her white skin and blonde hair, Helena would be snatched up quickly. Once she was swallowed up by the city, she would never be found.
He sheathed his knife and grabbed the man, yanking him up roughly. He opened the door, and pushed the man out in front of him.
“Payne,” he yelled, and the butler came running.
“What is it milord?” He asked, eyes widening when he saw the faint knife mark on Kameron’s captive’s neck.
Kameron pushed the man and he fell on his knees in front of the butler.
“Inform the king’s guards,” Kameron said, “this man was paid to assassinate the king.”
Payne’s eyes widened even further.
“Who would dare pay for such a thing?” He asked in an outraged tone.
Kameron scowled, his face dark with rage.
“The princess Elspeth’s brother, Tavaris,” he said coldly.
A gasp sounded behind him, and he turned to find the king and a beautiful raven haired woman he assumed to be Princess Elspeth.
She turned with a whimper and looked at a young man behind them, and for the first time Kameron faced the would be murderer of the king.
“Is this true, Tavaris?” Elspeth asked in a small voice.
He looked desperately around, realizing that he was in danger of being surrounded by the king’s men. Quickly he withdrew a pistol and shot one of the guards, and before anyone could react he fled out the door.
Kameron bit back an oath when he ran outside, just in time to see Tavaris race away on a horse.
He turned toward King Constantine.
“I’m sorry my king,” he said, “I can’t stay and interrogate the remaining assassin. Helena has been kidnaped.”
The king waved him away, and Kameron bolted quickly to the stable, and saddled his horse as fast as he could. Then he leapt into the saddle and galloped, away from Wolfegang, toward Vivek.

Helena looked around in fear as Jedrus stopped in front of an inn. He quickly dismounted and dragged her off the horse.
“Don’t think that screaming will bring you aid,” he said quietly as he pushed her forward. “In this place screams of any kind go unnoticed.”
Helena stumbled as Jedrus pushed her through the door, into the common room of the inn. Quickly she righted herself then gave him a black glare as he dragged her forward.
“I need lodging,” he told the innkeeper, who gave Helena an insolent leer.
“One room or two?” The innkeeper asked, the innuendo thick in his words.
“One,” Jedrus told him, then he gave Helena a look that made her take a step backward and shiver with revulsion.
The innkeeper started up the stairs and Jedrus took Helena by the arm.
Frantically she looked around for someone to help her, but saw no one.
Impatiently Jedrus yanked her forward, and dragged her up the stairs, after the innkeeper.
After one last leer in Helena’s direction, the innkeeper left them alone, and she faced Jedrus fearfully.
“Where are you taking me?” She asked, hoping to distract him from his evil intent.
“You milady,” he said, smiling ferally. “Will be on a ship bound to Isas soon.”
He leered at her, then grabbed her wrist, dragging her against his body.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, “it would be a shame to let go of such beauty without sampling it first.”
He ground his mouth against hers roughly, forcing his tongue between her lips and Helena gagged with repulsion. She brought her hand up and began to claw him with it. As he moved back to avoid her fingernails, she brought her knee up, catching him in the groin.
He groaned with pain and freed her, quickly Helena turned around and ran for the door, clawing anxiously at the lock. Just as she managed to undo it, she felt hands around her waist, and Jedrus roughly pulled her away from the door.
Helena swung at him, but he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back until she cried out in pain. He pushed her further into the room and she kicked out at him, causing him to curse and release her.
Snarling with anger, Jedrus slapped her hard across the face and Helena fell to the floor, striking her head.
She tried to rise, but felt her arms and legs felt like lead. A loud buzzing filled her ears, and blackness circled her, as she lost consciousness.

Kameron reined in near the edge of Vivek, his gaze taking in the bustling city in dismay. He had no idea where Jedrus could’ve taken Helena, no idea where even to start.
Finally he kicked his horse into a gallop and rode toward the seafront. Hopefully he could find out which ships were bound for Isas.
Helena slowly regained consciousness and realized that her hands and feet were tied. Sometime after she had blacked out, Jedrus had placed her on the bed and bound her. But strangely he hadn’t violated her, even though it would’ve been easy with her unable to fight.
Slowly she tested her bounds, but he had tied her well and she was unable to move. Suddenly the door to the room opened up and Jedrus came in. He smiled when he saw her glaring at him and he nonchalantly placed the tray of food her was carrying on a table.
“So you’ve finally awakened,” he said, coming over to the bed and reaching a hand out to caress her hair.
He laughed harshly when she cringed away from him.
“Don’t worry,” he said coldly, “I don’t intend to ravish you. I prefer my woman warm and willing.”
“Let me go,” Helena said, “my husband left me a wealthy widow and I can pay you twice what you would earn from my sale.”
Jedrus laughed again and moved away from the bed, toward the table.
“My dear lady,” he said, picking up a carafe of wine and pouring it into a cup. “How dense do you think I am? As soon as you were free, you would run back to the king. Then all the gold in the world wouldn’t save me.”
He brought one of the cups to the bed, then set it on the table. He unsheathed his dagger, and swiftly cut her bounds, then picked up the cup, handing it to her.
“Oh don’t worry milady,” he said mockingly, when she hesitated to take the cup. “It isn’t poisoned.”
She took the cup and drank it thirstily After she had drained it, he took it back and set it on the table. Suddenly the room began to spin and Helena realized in horror that he had spoken the truth. He hadn’t poisoned the wine, he had drugged it, then she blacked out.

Kameron had discovered that only two ships were leaving for Isas. One of them was departing tonight, and after he had bribed a crew member Kameron had learned that a man matching description had purchased passage.
Now he waited in a small tavern by the dock.
“Milord,” the crew member he had bribed came hurrying in. “Milord the man that you asked me to watch for has arrived.”
“Does he have a woman with him?” Kameron asked, as he stood up and hurried toward the door.
“Yes milord,” the sailor said, “but I think she might be injured or unconscious, because he carried her onto the ship.”
Kameron felt rage and something else that he didn’t dare identify when he thought of Helena being hurt and he quickened his steps toward the ship.
When he reached it, he hurried on board and unsheathed his sword, holding it against the captain’s throat.
“Which cabin is your passengers in?” He asked in a low voice.
The captain quickly told Kameron what he wanted to know, and he sheathed his sword.
He quickly hurried down the stairs to where the cabins were and kicked open the door of the cabin Jedrus occupied.
Jedrus whirled around, paling slightly when he saw who had entered the cabin.
Kameron kicked the door close and unsheathed his sword. He glanced at Helena quickly to insure she was all right, then felt the rage build again when he saw the dark bruise on her forehead.
Jedrus unsheathed his sword, and the two men circled each other warily. Finally Jedrus charged and swung his sword at Kameron who deftly brought his sword up to block it. The sound of steel against steel rang through the cabin as Jedrus and Kameron fought. Kameron managed to back Jedrus up against a wall and kicked the sword out of his hand. Then he quickly unsheathed his dagger and thrust it through Jedrus’ heart.
Jedrus gurgled and fell to his knees, blood running out of his mouth. Then he slumped over onto the cabin floor, dead.
Kameron quickly sheathed his dagger and sword, then went over to the bed, where Helena laid.
Gently he picked her up and carried her out of the cabin onto the deck. For a moment he eyed the crew, daring them to challenge him and they backed away allowing him to leave the ship.
Kameron realized that the ship that was to take Helena into banishment wasn’t far away. But instead he walked to his horse with her in his arms.
“Let me hold her milord,” a voice said behind him, “until you can mount your horse.”
Kameron turned and found the sailor who had helped before standing there and he wordlessly handed him Helena. After he mounted the horse and the sailor had handed Helena to him. He flipped the man another gold coin, then kicked his horse into a gallop, back toward Wolfegang.