Page 95 of Princess Claimed

“Did you say that Rasputin’s body is gone?” I ask, as if shocked. Best to play this as if Elsbeth didn’t already give us that intel. It could save Elsbeth’s job, and possibly her life, if my gut is right about Diederik.

“Where’s the princess?” Diederik leans onto the table, bending toward me. “We must get her to a secure location immediately.”

“She’s safe.” Leaning back in my seat, I cross my arms over my chest. Not a worry in the world.

“Where. Is. She?” Diederik’s words come out like bullets. He’s so wound up, he’s vibrating. “She won’t be safe until she’s at DEFTA. None of this would have happened, if she’d listened to me and held the Mariano meeting at our office in the first place.”

He might be right about that, but then we would never have met her. And I can’t even fathom that.

“I assure you,” I tell Diederik. “The princess is safe where she is.”

“Inside your not-so-secret, secret lair, I suppose.” His eyes narrow. “Once we find it, you’ll all be in prison, just like Octavia.”

Phil growls. That particular threat hits too close to home. For me too.

I don’t love how Ana has disrupted our lives, or how we’ve broken so much of our code, but the very worst side-effect of Ana being in our lives is that Freetown’s been exposed like never before.

And that risk impacts not only my brothers and me, but a few hundred others too, many with very good reasons to stay underground.

I doubt Diederik has solid evidence to put us behind bars—if he did, he’d already have tried—but I can’t risk it.

“Look.” I rise to my full height, and Diederik takes a step back. “What makes you think you can keep the princess safe at DEFTA?” I frown. “You can’t even guard a dead body. Assuming that monster is still even dead.”

Diederik’s eye twitches, and Phil drops back to the bench, looking ill. I’ve been thinking about this possibility for a while now, but clearly it just fully sunk in for my brother.

“We’ve searched every inch of the building,” Diederik says. “And my team spent hours reviewing the security footage. Rasputin is not in the building. Princess Anastasia will be safe with us.”

“How the fuck did you lose a dead body?” I ask him.

“That matter is under investigation.” Diederik’s eyes grow darker. “I suspect the cover up was an inside job, involving my assistant and a collaborator in the technology department.”

Phil kicks me under the table, but I ignore him. I trust Elsbeth a million times more than I trust Diederik. And it sounds like Diederik is trying to frame Elsbeth. Or trick me into admitting I met with her?

“Listen,” I tell Diederik. “Whether or not she goes back to DEFTA is up to the princess.”

Diederik’s body trembles with excitement, at the slight opening I’ve offered.

“We’ll talk to her,” I tell him. “If she agrees, we’ll arrange to safely deliver her.”

Phil shifts on the bench, but I don’t look at him. I have a new plan, and as soon as Diederik is gone, we can discuss it.

“The King is frantic with worry.” Diederik shakes his head. “The princess’s safety is paramount.”

I clap Diederik’s back. “On that, we can agree.”

Chapter

Thirty-Seven

Ana

“Sestra!” Joy floods me as I rush down the hall and into Selina’s open arms.

I hug her tightly, and then keep my hands on her shoulders as I lean back to take her in. I’ve always loved the lavender shade of Selina’s hair, not to mention her bright warm smile. She and her mates weren’t at the palace when I left for my assignment in America, and I haven’t seen my newly found sister in months. It seems much longer.

I hug her again. “I’ve missed you.”

“You too.” Stepping back from me, she smiles. “You’ve changed, Ana. You seem…I don’t know. Stronger? Happier?”

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