Camille laughed suddenly. “I know exactly how you feel. I haven’t lived my life confined as you have, but sometimes it felt as though my brothers were my only companions.”

“Boys are…”

“Gross?” Camille finished.

A smile flashed across Helena’s face. “They do always seem to smell.”

“Sometimes I wondered if Alexandre and Tyson even bathed.” A fond smile settled on her lips. “Those are my brothers. We aren’t close anymore. Too much has happened. But we once were.”

“I can’t imagine ever losing my bond with Stev, Quinn, Cole, or Kass.”

“It’s… hard.” Camille glanced away.

“What’s it like?” Helena had to know. “To be marrying someone in a different kingdom?”

Camille shrugged. “I may have only accepted the betrothal today, but I never really had a choice.”

“I think it would be exciting. To venture somewhere new. But I’m second born. It’s my duty to marry a Madran who will strengthen our power here.”

“I’m glad you’ll be staying.” Camille began walking again. “I would like us to be friends.”

“That would be nice.”

“Tell me about Estevan.”

A grin spread across Helena’s face. “He likes to act as though he doesn’t care about anything, but he does. So much. Stev is the best. His one weakness is my father. The king demands things of his heir that I know Stev doesn’t agree with. He has to give the order to levy more taxes on the common folk and sometimes to reduce the import fees. Stev thinks it’s a mistake putting more money in merchant hands and less in the pockets of the poor.”

“So, the king controls him?”

“Except when it comes to me. Stev defies father to protect me from his wrath and also from the priests.”

“Priests?”

“The order is charged with enforcing traditions by making them law. They change the laws rapidly and imprison anyone who doesn’t comply until they can pay a rather large fee for their release.”

“That’s—”

“Horrible? Yes. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to board a ship to Bela and marry some man there.”

“The only Belaen man of consequence without a wife is Edmund.” She snickered.

Helena scrunched up her face. “I don’t care about that. I think I could be happy with a common man. As long as he was kind.”

Camille opened her mouth to respond, but as they passed a purple flowering tree and breathed in its lavender scent, a scuffling sound came from around the corner followed by a soft groan.

“Someone’s hurt.” Helena picked up speed.

“Uh, that’s not what it sounded like.” Camille smirked as she tried and failed to catch up.

Helena rounded the corner and when the bushes no longer concealed the two other people present, she froze, her face going hot.