Everlasting

men offered them a bribe they came to me.” He paused. “I told them to take it. Time was running out, though, and I had to get you to move fast. You had to be out of the palace by the time Naldona arrived. I was to cut all the communication lines and take over the palace the night of the reception. It wasn't until after I had made the suggestion to Stefan about transferring Marna that one of the guards came to me and told me you'd already made plans to free her during the reception.” He suddenly smiled with beguiling warmth. “It was a brilliant escape, by the way. It was as if you'd faded into the woodwork.”

Kira felt an answering smile tug at her lips. “In a manner of speaking, that was what we did… Sandor.”

“Ah, a break in the wall of your suspicion at last,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Now, if you'll just cooperate a little further and tell me how you manage to get in and out of the palace without being seen, we just might get out of here alive, sweet cousin.”

She hesitated and then said slowly, “There's a secret passage in my suite that leads under the front gate about a quarter of a mile into the woods and exits into a small cave.”

“Good! Then we may have a chance.” He cast a quick glance at Naldona. “He's still not stirring.” His hand tightened on her elbow. “You're my prisoner, understand? Most of these soldiers are men Naldona brought with him from his base and they won't take my orders. Naldona has made sure there won't be any division of loyalty in his personal aides.” He opened the door. “Try to look frightened and properly chastened, will you? It will be expected.”

“That won't be a chore,” Kira said ruefully. “My knees haven't stopped shaking since I stepped into this room.”

“I wouldn't have known it,” he said with surprising gentleness. “You're a very brave lady, Kira.”

Then, as he saw the soldier standing guard across the hall come to attention, his face set in harsh lines. He pushed her roughly out into the hall. “Straight ahead, and don't try anything stupid, bitch. It would give me great pleasure to stop any attempt at escape in the most painful way possible.”

NINE

KIRA DREW A breath of relief as the door of her suite closed behind them. The halls had been crowded with soldiers and every second she had expected to hear a shout behind them signaling that Naldona had regained consciousness and given the alarm.

“It's over here.” She ran across to the bookcase and turned the candelabra on the wall beside it. The bookcase began to open slowly.

“Interesting,” Sandor said as he joined her. “My home in Limtana has a secret passage too. Useful little additions, aren't they?” His glance traveled to the photograph of Naldona on the wall. “So that's the picture that caused all the uproar. I've never seen it before. I was out of the country when Naldona took to the hills.”

“I still can't believe what he's become.” Kira took a pen flashlight out of her pocket and flicked it on. “I thought he was so sincere.”

“So did I.” There was profound regret in Sandor's voice. “Perhaps he was at one time. Power has a habit of corrupting even the most idealistic of men.” He followed her into the passage and waited while she closed off the entrance. “So now, instead of having an absolute monarchy, we're going to have an absolute dictatorship.” His lips tightened grimly. “Until I can find a way of ousting him.”

“Can you do that?”

“I have to do it. He couldn't have grown this powerful without my help. I'm the one who created our Frankenstein and brought all this down on Tamrovia.” His eyes darkened. “But whatever happens, the monarchy is gone forever. You have to understand that. It was a dinosaur and the time had come for it to pass into oblivion.”

“I've realized that for a long time.” A tiny smile curved Kira's lips. “Did you think I'd be outraged that Stefan and I are out of jobs?”

“Not really.” He returned her smile with a warmth that startled her as he followed her down the steps. “I had an idea you were a republican at heart. It made it very difficult playing the rascally villain around you.”

“It didn't appear to cause you undue strain,” Kira said, casting him a grin over her shoulder. “You did it exceptionally well. You evidently have a certain flare for it.”

“Ouch,” he said, flinching. “I believe I've been stung. That was most uncousinly, Ki-What the hell is that?”

His voice was so intense that Kira's gaze flew to follow his into the darkness ahead. There was a bobbing light moving swiftly toward them through the passage.

Kira inhaled sharply. “Someone must have discovered the opening in the cave.”

“It's possible,” Sandor said slowly. “Naldona's forces are all over the grounds. It's either that or one of our illustrious ancestors returning to haunt the hallowed halls.”

How could he be so cool? She laughed shakily. “If it is, I'm probably safe. It's you who's just dethroned the Rubinoffs.”

“You'll be safe, anyway.” He stepped ahead of her in the passageway. “Or as safe as I can keep you. God, I hope there aren't too many of them.”

The beam was much closer now and she could see Sandor's wide shoulders tense beneath the black shirt. She was having trouble breathing. The walls were closing in on her in the narrow passage. Rats in a trap, she thought wildly. Caught like rats in a trap.

Abruptly the light ahead stopped as it splayed out to reveal Sandor blocking the passageway. There was an instant of silence that lasted at least a thousand years.

“Stand aside, Karpathan, or we'll blow you out of the way.”

Zack's voice!

Her heart zoomed to her throat and she ducked around Sandor and ran the intervening yards separating them. “Zack, it's all right! It's me.” She was in his arms, hugging him with such strength that he gasped in surprise.

Then she heard him chuckle as his arms closed around her. “Remind me to teach you battlefield etiquette sometime. One of the most explicit rules is: When threatened with being blown apart, do not make a dash and throw yourself into your adversary's arms. Very bad form.”

“Is it?” He was so big and secure and wonderfully, marvelously here. “But you weren't threatening me, you were threatening Sandor.”

“In this darkness I might have had trouble telling you apart.” He suddenly stiffened and his gaze lifted from her face to fasten on Sandor. “Don't move, Karpathan. Paulo still has you covered. Did he hurt you, Kira?”

“No, of course not. Naldona wanted to make a Romanov of me. Sandor actually saved my life.”

“Which act may prove futile if we don't postpone these explanations and get out of here,” Sandor said impatiently. “It's likely Naldona has already given the alarm and they're combing the area for miles around.”

Zack glanced down at Kira. “Was Karpathan in the conspiracy?”

“Yes, but it's not-” Kira stopped. “I trust him, Zack. We haven't time for anything else. Naldona wants my head in a basket.” She smiled with an effort. “And, as I'm not at all sure I could be as dignified as Marie Antoinette at the guillotine, I think we'd better try to avoid it.”

“We will,” Zack said quietly. He released Kira and made a motion with the flashlight in his hand. “Okay, Karpathan, we'll trust you. But if you try to lead us into a trap, I promise you that it will be your head in the basket.” He turned. “Let's go!” He took off at a brisk trot, with the rest of them following close behind.

As Kira fell into pace beside Paulo she glanced curiously at the long, snout-nosed weapon he was carrying. “What a weird-looking gun. Was that what you were going to blast us with, Paulo?”

He nodded. “It would have been quite a blast,” he said cheerfully. “It's a flamethrower.”

Her eyes widened. “You go hunting with a flamethrower?”

“No, his friends go hunting with flamethrowers.” Paulo's head jerked back to indicate Sandor. “Isn't that right, Karpathan?”

“You've run into my men in the hills,” Sandor said grimly. “I'll tear a strip off them for losing those weapons.”

“They didn't lose them. I confiscated them. They're not bad, those soldiers of yours. Very quiet, very fast, very