the doorknob with her right hand.
Levi’s calloused fingers covered hers. “Careful,” he cautioned her, suddenly so close that she could feel his warmth still the goose bumps on herarm. “We don’t know what we’ll find on the other side of that door.”
Isabelle swallowed but didn’t dare turn around to meet his eyes. She’d spent too much time getting close to Levi already. Needing to put some space between them, she cautiouslycracked the door open just far enough to allow her to see inside the room.
Dom Procopio sat bound to his desk chair, a thick gag stuffed into his mouth.
Isabelle wondered if he was even still alive.
FOUR
L evi hurried to Dom Procopio’s side and pulled the gag from the former-agent’s mouth. Relief filled him as the older man gasped for breath. The deacon’s bulbous eyes rolled as he searched the room and widened when he spotted the princess.
“Your Majesty!” Dom looked as though he would have bowed if he hadn’t been tied to the chair. “They said you were dead.”
“Not as long as I have any sayin the matter.” Levi rushed to untie the stubborn knots that bound the man’s hands behind his back.
“And who are you?”
When Levi introduced himself and explained that he was an agent with Sanctuary International, the deacon’s face brightened immediately.
Isabelle joined Levi at Dom’s side, her nimble fingers making quick work of the bindings at his ankles. “Who told you I was dead?”
“It wason the news,” Dom gestured with his newly freed hand toward a small television set in the corner of the office. “I heard the explosions outside and tuned in to find out what was happening.” He leapt up as soon as Isabelle had freed his feet and switched on the television. Images of smoking vehicles filled the screen. “See for yourself.”
Though Levi didn’t want Isabelle to have to relive the attackvia the breaking news report, at the same time they both needed to know what was going on. He said a silent prayer that nothing on the screen would be too painful for her to see.
But the chaos surrounding the news broadcast provided little in the way of answers.
“All members of the royal family are at this time presumed dead,” a solemn-faced reporter announced. Levi recognized the silver-hairedman from the local Lydian television station. “Although no bodies have yet been identified, the royal motorcade was destroyed in the ambush, and there is no sign of any surviving member of the royal family.”
Levi turned and looked at Isabelle, whose eyes were riveted to the screen. Her lower lip trembled slightly and she pulled his tuxedo jacket tighter around her shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” hesaid, torn between pulling her into an embrace and maintaining an appropriate distance.
The scene on the television split, and half the screen showed an anchor in a newsroom. “Paul,” she addressed the on-the-scene reporter, “we’ve heard rumors of possible sightings of members of the royal family since the blast. There was even a report that Princess Anastasia and a member of the Royal Guard wereattacked at the marina. What do you make of these claims?”
“It’s difficult to say at this time.” Paul’s solemn expression became more intent. “The attacks came out of the blue. The scene here on the street is one of disbelief and chaos. All we can say for certain is that none of the bodies have been identified as any member of the royal family.”
“No bodies have yet been identified,” Isabellerepeated, meeting his eyes. “But they’re still assuming I’m dead. Maybe I’m not the only one who escaped.” Hope glimmered behind her unshed tears.
Levi realized that Isabelle needed to remain optimistic that her family members might have survived. If she believed them to be dead, she might be immobilized by grief. “Maybe,” he concurred. He wished the reporter could tell them who was behind theattacks, but as the footage looped back to the scenes they’d
Levi’s calloused fingers covered hers. “Careful,” he cautioned her, suddenly so close that she could feel his warmth still the goose bumps on herarm. “We don’t know what we’ll find on the other side of that door.”
Isabelle swallowed but didn’t dare turn around to meet his eyes. She’d spent too much time getting close to Levi already. Needing to put some space between them, she cautiouslycracked the door open just far enough to allow her to see inside the room.
Dom Procopio sat bound to his desk chair, a thick gag stuffed into his mouth.
Isabelle wondered if he was even still alive.
FOUR
L evi hurried to Dom Procopio’s side and pulled the gag from the former-agent’s mouth. Relief filled him as the older man gasped for breath. The deacon’s bulbous eyes rolled as he searched the room and widened when he spotted the princess.
“Your Majesty!” Dom looked as though he would have bowed if he hadn’t been tied to the chair. “They said you were dead.”
“Not as long as I have any sayin the matter.” Levi rushed to untie the stubborn knots that bound the man’s hands behind his back.
“And who are you?”
When Levi introduced himself and explained that he was an agent with Sanctuary International, the deacon’s face brightened immediately.
Isabelle joined Levi at Dom’s side, her nimble fingers making quick work of the bindings at his ankles. “Who told you I was dead?”
“It wason the news,” Dom gestured with his newly freed hand toward a small television set in the corner of the office. “I heard the explosions outside and tuned in to find out what was happening.” He leapt up as soon as Isabelle had freed his feet and switched on the television. Images of smoking vehicles filled the screen. “See for yourself.”
Though Levi didn’t want Isabelle to have to relive the attackvia the breaking news report, at the same time they both needed to know what was going on. He said a silent prayer that nothing on the screen would be too painful for her to see.
But the chaos surrounding the news broadcast provided little in the way of answers.
“All members of the royal family are at this time presumed dead,” a solemn-faced reporter announced. Levi recognized the silver-hairedman from the local Lydian television station. “Although no bodies have yet been identified, the royal motorcade was destroyed in the ambush, and there is no sign of any surviving member of the royal family.”
Levi turned and looked at Isabelle, whose eyes were riveted to the screen. Her lower lip trembled slightly and she pulled his tuxedo jacket tighter around her shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” hesaid, torn between pulling her into an embrace and maintaining an appropriate distance.
The scene on the television split, and half the screen showed an anchor in a newsroom. “Paul,” she addressed the on-the-scene reporter, “we’ve heard rumors of possible sightings of members of the royal family since the blast. There was even a report that Princess Anastasia and a member of the Royal Guard wereattacked at the marina. What do you make of these claims?”
“It’s difficult to say at this time.” Paul’s solemn expression became more intent. “The attacks came out of the blue. The scene here on the street is one of disbelief and chaos. All we can say for certain is that none of the bodies have been identified as any member of the royal family.”
“No bodies have yet been identified,” Isabellerepeated, meeting his eyes. “But they’re still assuming I’m dead. Maybe I’m not the only one who escaped.” Hope glimmered behind her unshed tears.
Levi realized that Isabelle needed to remain optimistic that her family members might have survived. If she believed them to be dead, she might be immobilized by grief. “Maybe,” he concurred. He wished the reporter could tell them who was behind theattacks, but as the footage looped back to the scenes they’d
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