I snorted softly. “Well, I’m sorry to say, I did not inherit that trait from her.”
“I won’t hold it against you,” she said with a wink.
“Did you know who I was, then? When Devil brought me here?”
“I suspected, but you should know that he had you glamoured when you showed up. Your eyes and face were a bit different, or else many of us would have known you were Lyric and Henry’s. You are their spitting image.”
“That bastard,” I grumbled, even though I knew it had likely been for my benefit and safety. As we got closer to Aliena’s cottage, which seemed to be an impromptu gathering spot for the Hollow’s residents, I heard raised voices. One was clearly a woman in some type of distress, while the others were male. When we came through the trees, I stopped dead in my tracks, heart pounding out an erratic rhythm when I saw the source of the female voice.
“Helena…” I breathed, panic rising in my throat.
She was here, in the Arden, wearing only a brocade dressing gown, crying, and clinging to Will’s arm while he gently tried to pry her off. His head was still glamoured to look like an ass, and the sight of the beautiful young woman plastering herself on him was violently unsettling at best. Nearby stood Jon and Devil, talking quietly.
“May!” cried Will when he saw me. “Thank the Son!” Everyone stopped talking and turned to look at me. The expression on their faces told me that whatever glamour Devil had placed was now gone, and the bear-man dropped to one knee.
“Your Highness,” he murmured.
Devil scowled at him. “Get up. We have bigger things to worry about than bowing and scraping.” Jon stood and winked at me, which made me smile in spite of the tension.
“What is she doing here?” I asked, jerking my chin at Helena.
“She was found wandering in the woods last night, searching for Will,” sighed Devil, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I suspect…that she’s been love-spelled.”
“Love-spelled?” Will asked sharply.
“Do you really think she would be fawning over you under her own power, you idiot?” Devil snarled, but I exchanged a look with Will, my stomach twisting.
“She’sbeenlove-spelled,” I breathed. “Since before the tournament. That’s why she was suddenly in love with you, Will! It’s the only thing that makes sense!
His face twisted with horror. “I…I think you could be right…”
“What are you talking about?” Devil asked. As succinctly as we could, Will and I took turns explaining that he and Helena had known each other since they were children, and how she had never shown an ounce of interest in him until the night before the Prince’s Tournament. Devil listened carefully, a muscle working in his jaw. When we finished, he waved his hand and Will’s head returned to normal in a flash of light. Helena finally lifted her face and let out a strangled cry, throwing her arms around his neck. He gingerly patted her back, but his eyes locked onto me over her head, so Devil moved to stand between us, using his wings to block our line of sight.
“We have a problem,” he muttered. “Someone in your city has access to the Arden’s magyk.”
My eyes widened. “Who? And how?”
“I do not know…but unfortunately, I must tell Oberon. And those two must return home as quickly as possible, before your Prince sends his entire damn army into the forest for her.” I looked past his wing to see Will trying patiently to listen to Helena as she prattled on about something, smiling up at him like a besotted schoolgirl. I stepped around Devil and approached them, but she immediately pinned me with a burning glare.
“You’rethe girl from the tournament,” she said haughtily. “Are you here to try and take him from me?”
“He doesn’t belong to you,” I grumbled.
“You will address me as—”
“Hush!” Will snarled, and she fell silent, looking like he’d struck her. “May is my…friend, and she’s just trying to help us both get home.”
“Good,” Helena huffed, tossing her long, blonde hair. “The sooner I get away from all thesefreaks, the sooner we can begin planning our wedding.”
Will just cringed and patted her hand, which had a death grip on his upper arm.
“Helena,” I said firmly, “does anyone in your family know where you are?”
“Of course not! Do you think they’d let me come into the Arden alone? I saw Will sneaking out of the Keep and I had to follow him, just to make sure…you know. Of course, I didn’t expect any ofthis…” She waved her hand at the rest of us, then gave a wistful sigh. “I’d go anywhere for him.”
I glanced at Devil, who was now standing beside me, fighting back his laughter.
“But your father will surely notice that you’re gone,” I said. “Where will he look first?”
