Edmund hauled himself into the red velvet interior of the carriage and held a hand down to her. As soon as she climbed in and shut the door, they lurched forward, rumbling down the road.

“Father knows I’ve been in the city without my mask, doesn’t he?” she asked.

Edmund nodded, fixing her with a stare. “Quinn had to convince them all you weren’t abducted, so he didn’t interrogate the Madran citizens.”

Helena swallowed. To the king, interrogation was much more than simply asking questions.

Edmund continued. “He showed them the clothing you’d left in the latrine, including the mask.”

“What…” She sucked in a breath. “You mentioned Quinn’s punishment.”

He shifted his eyes to his hands. “He’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“The king sent him to Gaule.”

“But he was supposed to stay until my ball. He was supposed to be there! His assignment to Gaule didn’t start until next month.”

“Helena.” Edmund lowered his voice. “I don’t think you understand the gravity of this situation. The priests—”

“Forget the priests.”

“I wish.” He ran a hand over the top of his head. “I’ve never understood how Madra could have three sources of power. The king, the merchant council, and the priesthood. Yet, the only one with true power is the priesthood. You’ve broken one of their longest standing laws. A Madran princess cannot appear as any commoner. She is above them, at least in the priesthood’s eyes. You are too sacred to be revealed.”

“It’s bull.”

“It’s law.”

“Argh!” She slammed her fist into the side of the carriage as it bumped, sending her tumbling sideways.

“Helena—”

“Don’t ‘Helena’ me, Edmund. You’re not even from here. I’ll bet your Belaen queen never has to deal with such horsecrap.”

“No, she just had to deal with a curse that controlled her entire life. Every leader has their own form of shackles.”

“I’m not a leader.” She leaned back against the wall. “I’m a princess who wears pretty dresses and knows which fork goes with the right dish.”

Disappointment flashed across his face. “You underestimate me, Helena. I know you are much more than that.”

She met his gaze. How much did he know of her mother’s training? All of it, probably. He seemed to know everything.

As if sensing her discomfort with the secrets she carried, Edmund veered away from the subject. “You may never lead an army to war, Len, but I’ve seen you entrance grown men and women who even I struggle to charm. That has its own kind of power.”

“If you’re talking about Dell, he just thinks I’m Stev’s mistress.” She snorted as the reality of that statement hung between them. “What would he do if he knew who I was, and that you were Stev’s true mistress?” A laugh bubbled up from her chest.