Page 24 of The Last Strike

She visibly swallowed but didn’t turn back. “I don’t mean trouble, but he’s the only one who can help me,” she said, looking out the window into the darkness.

James seemed to watch her for a moment and then stepped into the aisle. He motioned for one of his men to keep an eye on her, then walked to the back of the plane.

“Asher, what do you want to do?” James asked quietly.

“What did the man call her inside the palace? He said something, but we didn’t catch it on audio,”Samuel interjected.

“He said, ‘Going somewhere, Princess?’” James repeated, pausing. “I didn’t think anything of it because of the way he said the title—with a tone of disgust. I thought he was mocking her because she was in the cells. Asher, do you recognize her?”

“No, I’ve never seen her before,” he said. “King Khalil has four daughters, though. Put her on the phone,” Asher said. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t know how he could possibly help this woman, but the pit of his stomach churned, urging him to find out what she was hiding.

“The connection is linked. Call my phone and Asher will be able to communicate if he wants to,”Samuel said.

“Copy,” James said, walking back to her.

He sat down opposite her, his weapon in hand, his finger on the trigger.

“It’s your lucky day,” James said, his voice void of emotion. He tapped on his phone and passed it to her. The call rang through the speakers.

Samuel must’ve answered it, but Asher spoke. “King Asher speaking,” he said.

“Your Majesty, I’m on a plane with your guards. They helped me escape the Royal Palace in Adani,” she said.

“Who am I speaking with?” Asher asked.

She hesitated, then drew a long breath and hesitantly said, “Princess Theodora.”

Asher would’ve dropped the phone if he’d been holding it. He leaned forward, staring at the woman who had been a girl the last time he’d seen her.

No, it couldn’t be.

“Asher? I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I mean you no harm. Please believe me. I am on your side.” Her voice quivered.

Asher’s mind was reeling, but James’s was not. He held his weapon to her temple.

Asher looked back to her. She seemed the right age. And she was in the right palace.

But why would King Khalil lock up his own daughter?

Asher

“If this is your father’s ploy, I swear to God I will have them throw you out of the plane,” Asher said, his voice as cold as an iceberg.

“Please, my father didn’t send me,” she said so quickly Asher struggled to understand her. “They were shooting at me. They didn’t care if I died! Please! They will kill me if I am sent back ... if you don’t kill me first. But I’d rather die by your hand than his.”

“You have thirty seconds to convince me you can be trusted, otherwise he’ll pull the trigger,” Asher said.

Her eyes darted around, seeming surprised that he could see her. Then she looked at James and squeezed her eyes shut.

“My father wanted me to marry Tristan, from the Kingdom of Arinia, heir to the throne. He thought it would be good forbusiness,” she clarified. “I refused, and begged him not to arrange the marriage. When he did anyway, I refused again—I was in love with my boyfriend of three years. My father was outraged when I refused him, so he kidnapped Alex and me two nights ago. Adani soldiers dragged us back to the palace around midnight. They took us to the cells ...” She choked on her words. She leaned forward as if she couldn’t breathe and then went to stand, like she needed to pace. In her obvious distress, she’d forgotten about the weapon at her temple. She promptly sat down as the metal pressed into her forehead.

“My father killed him, and worse than that, he made sure I was watching. He said that’s what happens to people who aren’t loyal to Adani.” Her eyes set and her teeth clenched. “I will do everything I can to help you. I want my father to hurt like I am hurting. I want his heart to bleed and I want him to know what it feels like to lose what you love most in the world. For my father, what he loves most is power.”

Asher leaned back in his chair. It was convincing, and he didn’t put it past King Khalil to commit such a vile act—even against his own daughter—but Asher had to find some way to verify what she was telling him. He had to know if she really was an ally or an enemy. He would not allow King Khalil to use his daughter as a weapon against Santina.

“Asher, I’ve muted you. What do you want James to do?”Samuel asked.

“Cuff her and lower his weapon. Keep an eye on her. We need to verify her story and work out what to do moving forward,” Asher said. “If she really is Princess Theodora, and she’s being honest, she could be very useful.”

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