Page 70 of Trapped with the Undercover Prince

Her gaze has lost the sharp edge of panic. “Yes.” She sighed and eased out of his embrace. “You’re better than drugs.”

He leaned down to whisper, “Only for you.”

They arrived at the queen’s sitting room and were immediately ushered inside by Jean Paul. She was not alone. Nicolas was still with her, too.

“Zar,” his mother asked. “Why is everyone in the queen mother’s suite celebrating?”

This was an excellent opening, except explaining who Anna really was in front of all these people she didn’t know didn’t feel right. It was a family matter, and right now was for matters of state and the safety of Lerasia’s citizens.

“Anna and Grandmother discovered a lead on Anna’s grandmother’s identity.”

“Ah, yes, she did say that Anna’s grandmother had been in the resistance.” She waved it away, as he knew she would to get to why she’d called him here.

“It’s been suggested that it would be easier to protect everyone if we all stayed in one place.”

“That’s probably true, if protection were our goal. It’s not. Our goal is to catch the terrorists, and for that, we need to present a target they will attempt to take down.”

“The danger, Your Highness, is too great,” Nicolas said. “There is danger, too, to the public. If the terrorists attempt to kill you in a restaurant, others might be killed as well.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Zar said coldly. “How many people died in the two train bombings? Too many. How many people did I and my team save? Not enough.” He nodded at Jean Paul. “That is why we must act quickly to catch them, to do it in a way that will mitigate the loss of life, before they injure and kill more of our citizens.”

He met the eyes of everyone there, including his mother. “We must do this, and we will do this, but in a way that reduces the risk to the public.”

“Your Highness has never been this reckless before,” Nicolas said.

“Reckless would be to put no thought into how we catch them. Reckless would be to do it alone. Reckless might even be involved if I planned to hit back in revenge, but that’s not what I’m doing.”

“What is your plan?” Nicolas asked.

“I think someone close to the royal family is feeding information to the wrong person or group. We need to investigate every single person who has some access to the royal family and our schedules. Look into their movements over the last few weeks and check their communications.”

“That will take some time,” Nicolas said. “But I think you’re right. As much as it pains me to say, it has to be someone close.”

“Does that satisfy you, gentlemen?” the queen asked.

Nods from all of them. They stood, thanked Zar and the queen, and left.

The queen stood, her back stiff and straight, her face pinched.

“Mother?” he asked. “Are you all right?”

“I’m disgusted that the person behind this is someone we know and trust,” she said. “It is a betrayal of the worst kind. I have a great many questions for the person responsible.”

“Just remember, torture was outlawed a couple of centuries ago.”

She snorted. “No promises.”

Jean Paul had moved across the room to talk to someone on the phone. He approached them now. “Excuse me, Your Majesty, Your Highness, that was the hospital. They’re asking for Dr. Anna. Luke has taken a turn for the worse.” He extended the phone toward Anna.

She took it and asked what was happening.

While she was busy, Zar signaled for Jean Paul to come closer. “It looks like we’ll be going out. Can you find us a car that doesn’t come with a bomb attached?”

Jean Paul nodded and offered Zar a crooked smile. “There’s a question I never thought I’d hear.”

Zar clapped him on the back. “Not one I ever expected to pose.”

“Sir, about Dr. Anna...” Jean Paul’s voice trailed off.

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