Cara's Twelve by Chantel Seabrook

toward the edge of the lake that lay behind the Viceroy's estate.
    “Maeve's already doing better,” she said, as she paused to look out over the rippling blue water. “The physician believes that most of her more serious injuries will be healed by the time we leave for Crowthorne. She should be able to make the journey without too much pain.”
    Helfrich looked at her in surprise. “You plan on her travelling with us then?”
    “At least until we reach Crowthorne. I trust Tomias, but we're still too close to the city of Annul, and Maeve can't remain in quarantine forever. The further we are from the palace, the less likely she will be recognized.”
    “And what does Maeve say about it?”
    “She's still too drugged and in too much pain to make any decisions for herself.”
    “But it will be her choice?” he said, lifting an eyebrow. “To find sanctuary or to continue on with us?”
    Cara searched his face. He was reprimanding her, she could tell.  
    “Of course, but I need to think for her now,” she responded defensively.
    Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned away from him and pouted. She knew it was childish, but she hated being criticized, especially by him.
    Helfrich picked up a stone and skipped it across the glassy water.
    His silence unnerved her.
    Struggling against her frustration and her need to know if Maeve's words were true, she broke the silence. “I don't trust Edmund.”
    “Has he done something?”
    Cara shrugged, picked up a rock and threw it, trying to duplicate his actions.
    The stone sunk on the first jump.
    “If he's threatened you or hurt you…”
    “No,” she lied, shaking her head. “I just think we need to be careful with him. The same with Theo and Arwel. They haven't done anything wrong, but there seems to be something off kilter with all three of them.”
    Helfrich nodded and skipped another rock across the lake. “I've noticed it too. I'll keep an eye on them”
    She nodded.
    What else was there to say?
    Silence stretched between them again. She fisted her hands and tried to control her growing annoyance. She wanted him to talk, to ease the growing tension, but he just kept staring out at the waters with a patient expression that annoyed her.
    “Would you say something!” she shouted in frustration, picking up a large rock and propelling it into the water. This time the rock skipped twice before sinking.
    His eyebrows rose in surprise and he lifted his hands as if in surrender.
    “Sorry.” She threw her hands up in the air. “By the blood of Annul, I swear I'm losing my mind.”
    He tilted his head and studied her. “Why don't you tell me what you really want to say. It's obvious that it isn't just Edmund and Maeve that are troubling you.”
    She let out a long breath and considered her words. There was no easy way to ask the question, so she finally just blurted it out, “Am I expected to have sex with all of you?”
    Helfrich's mouth dropped open in shock and he stared at her in disbelief before he finally tilted his head back and convulsed in laughter.
    Her face went hot in embarrassment at his response.
    He stopped, stared at her, and then started howling again.
    She picked up a rock and threatened to throw it at him.
    “All right,” he said through a fit of laughter. “I'll stop, I've stopped. Don't hurt me.”
    “I shouldn't have asked you,” she sniffed. Dropping the rock, she turned on her heels and stomped angrily up the hill towards the house.
    “Wait,” he called out, quickening his steps to catch up with her. “Hold on.” He grabbed her arm to stop her. “Sorry, I was just taken by surprise.”
    She turned and stared daggers at him.
    “Who put the idea in your head?” he asked, but she could tell he was still trying to suppress his laughter.
    She looked at him and blinked back tears of embarrassment. “Maeve said something about it during the ride here. She was drugged and speaking incoherently. But——”
    “You wanted to verify if