Page 35 of The Impulsive Princess and the Soldier

Kiera’s heart thudded out of control. This man had orchestrated Drake’s kidnapping to get to her? Had Sarah inadvertently helped him? Was that why she was sorry?

The man held up a cell phone. She couldn’t see the screen clearly.

“Tell the princess that my men will kill you if she doesn’t comply,” the man said into the phone.

“Kiera?” Drake’s voice. “Don’t go with him! Let them kill me!” Then he cried out in pain.

“No!” Kiera screamed, her heart racing out of control. She rushed across the room, Mason at her side.

“You stay back,” the man commanded Mason, dropping the cell phone on a nearby table and yanking the long knife out again, pressing it against Sarah’s throat.

Mason and Kiera both stopped.

“Princess, you come to me,” he commanded. “Or both of your friends die.”

“If you hurt Drake again or cut Sarah, you’ll be the one who dies,” Kiera said, grateful her voice was steady when she was absolutely terrified of what this man could and would do to Drake and Sarah.

Kiera could navigate heights with nothing but a thin wall or tightrope under her. She didn’t balk at swinging through the air at dangerous heights with or without a safety net. In all of those cases, she was in control of her fate. Yet, standing here on solid ground, with her brave protector at her side, Kiera had no control over the situation. The thought was dizzying and enervating. She took a step forward, determined to get that knife somehow and use it on the man.

“I have all the power here,” he roared, pushing the knife against Sarah’s neck. Sarah flinched.

“On the contrary,” Mason said, pulling a gun out and aiming it at the man. “Your men are dead or incapacitated. If you kill the boy or Sarah, you’ll die instantly.”

The man only stared at them. “The princess is coming with me,” he insisted, “or they both die.”

“No,” Mason commanded.

“Yes,” Kiera stated firmly. This was the only way she could have control over the situation and save Sarah and Drake. By putting herself in this man’s power and relying on her skills to get out of it.

She glanced back at Mason. His blue eyes were full of angst.

“Yes.” She faced the man again. “You’re going to have your men release Drake and let him go free.” Drake was a tough and resourceful kid. Him offering to die for her had touched her deeply. She prayed if he got free, he could get to safety. “When he is free, I’ll trade Sarah and you can take me with you.”

“No, Kiera,” Mason said from behind her.

“Deal.” The man spoke into the phone. “Let him go and put him out on the street.” He smiled, looking over her possessively. “I knew you’d offer yourself for them. Ever the benevolent princess.”

Kiera’s stomach rolled over at his look.

“You promised you wouldn’t hurt her,” Sarah whimpered. “You promised me.”

“Oh, I won’t.” The man grinned. “She’s going to be a massive paycheck for me. No, I won’t hurt the beautiful princess.” He licked his lips.

Kiera was going to be sick, but she was strong and she knew how to fight. She’d been in tough situations before and trusted herself to get out. On the other hand, she knew schemes, and to get this far, the guy with the knife had to be super competent. She could only pray that the slightest opening would appear for her outwit or overcome this jerk. She wouldn’t let Sarah be hurt and she couldn’t say goodbye forever to Mason.

ChapterFourteen

Mason had never felt sohelpless. Even when four of William Rindlesbacher’s men had ganged up on him and thrashed him outside this very house or he’d taken a knife to the back from a serial killer for Princess Aliya, he’d at least been able to fight. It felt like his hands were tied right now. In the worst possible moment.

“Set your weapons down,” the kidnapper commanded Mason and Mueller. “Don’t cut the boy loose yet,” he said into the phone in Kiera’s hands.

Mason wanted to take the shot and end this.

“Please,” Kiera whispered to him.

He had the shot. Frustration filled him. The man would die, but he could easily cut Sarah’s throat, and with Drake not free … they’d kill the boy as soon as they knew their leader was dead.

“Set it down, now!” The man turned the knife just a centimeter. Sarah cried out as the sharp knife cut her skin and blood ran down her neck, staining her shirt.

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