The Third Life of Helena Blackmoore

18. Meeting on Noble Street

So Helena and the twins strolled around the street. She looked at the accessories stall and noticed a big locket to save a picture. As she reached the necklace, another hand touched her hand. Helena apologized out of habit.

"I'm sorry-"

She stopped talking after seeing a familiar face. Adham stared at Helena with a deadpan look. Helena's expression was as flat as he was. This coincidence meeting got ridiculous. "What are you doing in noble shopping street?"

"Spying." Siegfried appeared behind them, smiling. He showed her the same wanted picture as the knight. Adham gave her more explanation. "There is a bounty to catch them alive or gain small information. The reward is a nice sum."

"I guess you're here for shopping, Lady Blackmoore?" Siegfried asked.

"Yeah, I got invited to the royal ball."

"Seriously?" Adham was amazed. "You are pretty lucky. I heard people fighting over the invitation. I want to go there too!"

"Why? I don't think you are the type of man who enjoys dancing and chatting."

"I just want to see the Third Prince. I'm his huge fan."

It was not new news that Prince Citrine was popular among commoners. Like Helena, he made a lot of contributions to the street. However, it was pale compared to Helena's transformation in Angles Street. She turned the slum into a habitable place for the rest of the residents. Nevertheless, his deed was still admirable. He was one of the nobles who cared about his people.

"Lady Blackmoore." Azure and Scarlett tugged her dress and hid behind her. "Do you know this man?"

"He is a mercenary who stays in the orphanage. I met him a few times and-"

"Pssst! Come here."

Adham pulled her arm. All of them hid behind the wall. Helena saw the Bald Man and Masked Man walking into an alley with a woman. From her outfit, the lady was a high-class noble. She had a similar appearance to someone, but Helena could not tell.

Adham was excited to finally get his money. "All right. Time to catch some bad guys!"

Helena gave an order to the twins. "Contact the nearest officers or knights. Now."

"How about you, Lady Helena?" Azure asked.

"Violet told us to keep an eye on you," Scarlett added.

Helena kneeled to them. "Don't worry. I won't follow them to action. I am just going to watch."

The twins nodded and ran to find help. Helena, Siegfried and Adham followed the bad guys into the alley. They observed the woman begged to the men on the ground.

"Please, please give me the password to Sirius! I can give you any amount of money you want!"

"What is Sirius?" Helena asked Adham.

"Hmm. If I am not wrong, it is a gathering building hidden in the northwest. You cannot enter the place without a password. I heard people go there to buy "Fantasy". Not sure what it is."

Helena swallowed her saliva. She knew what item it was.

"Silent, wench! You cannot even pay for your own drug!"

The Bald Man kicked the woman. She curled from the pain and sobbed. The Masked Man chuckled at the pathetic sight. "Don't hurt her. She can fetch a good price in the black market. Made her unconscious and carried her to our lair."

That woman was unconscious in one attack. The Bald Man carried her on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Helena was witnessing the despicable act while covering her mouth in shock.

"This looks bad. What are you going to do, White..."

Helena and Siegfried realized Adham had disappeared. He already stood and confronted the kidnappers. Siegfried slapped his own forehead from Adham's recklessness. Helena did not blame him. Adham had a bad habit and tended to be impulsive.

"Release the woman!"

The men turned their back. The Bald Man recognized him. "Wait, you.... You're the one who released the prisoners!"

The Masked Man held his chin. "The one who destroyed one of our lair? Huh, he is younger than I thought. I see the bullet wound has healed. Would you like another bullet in your chest this round?"

"No, thanks!"

"Whitesmithe, dodged!"

Helena's shout surprised him. Her whip passed him and moved at high precision. Her attack hit The Masked Man in his hand. The whip managed to tear his glove and gave him a bleeding injury. He hissed and dropped the weapon he held.

"I am not going to let you pull a gun!"

The Masked Man touched his head. Helena could not see his face, but he definitely felt annoyed. They made a big commotion in the middle of Noble Street. This would alarm the officers and knights around that place. The circumstance was not good for them. The Masked Man glared at her through his mask. Helena could feel his piercing gaze stabbing her heart. That man smiled and gave his last order.

"Finish him."

The Masked Man ran and left the Bald Man alone. He was confused by the situation. In that critical position, the Bald Man used the hostage as his shield.

"Move, or this woman will die!"

That man put a knife on her neck. Helena and Adham could not budge. He would kill the woman if they did not abide by his order. The Bald Man relieved and backed off slowly from them. Before he escaped from that place, a blade pierced his heart. Siegfried stabbed him from behind without a presence. The Bald Man fell to the ground and died in a pool of blood.

"Oh, man! Why did you kill him, Siegfried? We are going to lose our rewards!"

"The young lady almost died, Adham."

"Ugh, I know, but still..."

Adham was pouting since he lost his money. Several minutes later, the officers and knights came to their aid. They confirmed the corpse to be part of the kidnappers. Helena pretended she watched and not helping. Otherwise, she could get a scornful lecture from Violet.

Adham might not get cash for catching the man alive, but he got a reward for saving the lady. He somehow rejected the gift and asked for something different. He had a stupid grin on his face. Helena did not know what it was. She wondered what kind of gift he asked for the knights. Helena found it later a few days later.

That night Helena wrote new things in her notebook. The knights mistook Paradise Star for another human trafficking organization. Their members could even pass the patrolling officers and knights. Whoever behind them must be a high rank noble. The cult was more slippery than she thought. Once again, Helena hit the wall. She knew getting a clue behind her regression was difficult.

Helena now only had one choice. A dumb one.