Christmas Conspiracy

by Robin Perini

  The duke leaned back, completely comfortable in the disturbing surroundings.

  “Why did you bring Hayden here? This is no place for a child.”

  “The boy?” the duke asked, expansively. “Why, this is his new home.”

  Kat stilled, staring around in shock. “You’re making him stay here?”

  “I see I finally have your attention, my dear.” The duke flicked an imaginary piece of lint from his crisp pants.

  “Yes, Princess Katherine. He stays here.” He leaned forward, his eyes cold, yet triumphant. “Now, this is the plan. You will accompany me to the palace. You will sign the adoption papers to become the king’s heir. Then you will marry me immediately. When I claim the throne, you will rule by my side as my queen, or you will disappear.”

  “But my son—”

  “Remains here as collateral.”

  At her attempted protest, the duke slashed his whip off the wall. “The next lash is for him.”

  Kat froze in place, her arms around a terrified Hayden.

  “Understand this, Princess. There is no negotiation. If you do not do as I say, your son dies. Your daughter follows once I find her.” The duke rose. “And make no mistake, I will find her.”

  Kat hugged Hayden closer. “Please don’t make him stay here.”

  “Would you prefer I kill him now? That’s his other option.”

  She felt the blood drain from her face. She swayed, ready to break, then, with monumental effort, pulled herself together.

  She couldn’t fall apart. She had to be strong. Do whatever it took to survive. The guard had been sympathetic. She would find other allies in Bellevaux. She would get Hayden out of here. Her son would not die.

  The duke stared at her. “You’re too quiet. Whatever desperate plot you’re concocting, forget it. It won’t work.”

  “I just want to be near my son.”

  The duke’s eyes gleamed. “Not until you’ve done as I command.”

  “Can’t he stay somewhere in the palace? Away from everyone?” Kat forced herself to walk across the room and look at the monster with pleading eyes. “Please.”

  “No. You will have other children living there. Legitimate children. My children.”

  “O-of course.” Kat forced herself not to gag at the idea of letting this man touch her. She focused on Logan’s instructions. Say anything. “But I need to know if I do what you say, Hayden will be safe. Since we are to be married, I want to trust you.”

  The duke’s face softened a bit. “You are a fighter, like a mother bear…and you’re very beautiful. Those are two traits befitting a queen.” He touched her cheek. “Never let it be said I don’t listen to reason. Once we are married, we’ll talk again.”

  He smiled when he said it, but Katherine knew better. Hayden wouldn’t ever be free of this prison. He would be used to keep her in line, and at the duke’s mercy.

  Her future husband opened the door and called in the old guard. “Pierre.”

  The duke held out his hand. “You will come with me now, Katherine. I have someone I wish you to meet.”

  Hayden clung to her. Kat knelt down and kissed his hair. “Mommy will be back. I promise.”

  “If you behave,” the duke said, “that may be the truth.” He turned to the old guard. “Take the boy from her.”

  Pierre stood in front of Kat and Hayden. As he did so, he slipped a small metal shiv into her palm. Her gaze flashed to his face, but the man kept his eyes lowered. Kat’s heart pounded as she bent her wrist to ease the blade beneath the shirtsleeve cuff. She prayed it wouldn’t slip out onto the floor. The man’s life would be forfeit.

  Pierre stepped aside so she could pass, and he held Hayden’s shoulders firmly. Tears rolled down her son’s cheeks, and Kat fought against the burning behind her eyes. She glanced back. The guard whispered in Hayden’s ear and her son nodded. He waved at Kat and she swallowed deeply. How could she leave him here?

  She met the duke’s cruel gaze. How could she not?

  Unless…she let the knife edge into her palm.

  A groan sounded. Kat paused and peered into a cell. A pile of rags in the corner moved. Oh, my God. It was a man.

  “Unlock this door,” the duke said to Antoine.

  He fit the key in and pulled open the iron. Sarbonne led her inside, but stayed near the entrance.

  “This piece of trash has now outlived his usefulness.” The duke stopped. “Except for an introduction and a warning.” The duke tapped his whip against his hand. “Don’t worry. He’s chained and too broken to give us any problems.”

  The pitiful being stirred again, forcing himself to move. His hair looked dark, but then Kat recognized the filth and blood caked in his hair and realized he was a blond. Ice-blue eyes stared back at her, and her heart started beating wildly in her chest.

  He had her eyes. It couldn’t be.

  He lifted his swollen chin. They’d broken his nose, and maybe his cheekbones, but obviously not his spirit. Admiration, coupled with horror, welled within her.

  Kat heard a noise in the doorway, and glanced behind her. Both Antoine’s and Pierre’s eyes were full of pity.

  The duke circled the man, whip in hand, but kept at a distance. “This, my dear Katherine, is what is left of mighty Prince Stefan of Bellevaux. Your half brother.”

  “Oh, my God,” she whispered.

  “The world believes he’s dead,” the duke said, laying a lash across Stefan’s back. “They’ll soon be right.”

  Stefan grasped the bars to his left and struggled to stand himself upright on one leg. Kat stared in disbelief at the signs of brutality and viciousness his body bore.

  “Remember this day, Katherine. Stefan disappointed me. I don’t deal well with disappointment.” He sent the whip cracking across her brother’s chest and laughed at Kat’s cry of distress.

  Fury swept through her. Sarbonne was showing her what was to be her fate, and that of her son. It would not come to pass.

  Kat met her half brother’s gaze and held her hand off to the side, revealing the tip of the knife in her sleeve. His eyes widened and then she saw a smile upturn his lips.

  “You think this is funny?” the duke roared in anger, lashing him again.

  “No,” Stefan whispered, his voice husky. “I think you’re funny, Roland. I think you’re a joke.”

  The duke’s face turned red. Kat paled until she realized what her brother was doing. Risking his life to distract the duke, waiting for her to kill him. With a silent prayer, she let the knife fall into her hands. Terrified, she raised her fist, ready to stab the duke.

  A gasp from the hallway had the duke whirling to face her. He blocked her strike with his whip, then backhanded her across the room. The knife slid across the floor.

  “I warned you.” The duke unfurled the whip in his hands. “You will not disobey me again.”

  The lash came down, stinging across her arm, and she cried out at the pain. Antoine shoved Sarbonne away. He fell back on the ground and before he could rise, Stefan tackled him.

  Kat watched in disbelief as her brother grabbed the duke by the throat, and with one motion, encircled the leather lash around Sarbonne’s neck and pulled tight.

  “No!” The duke clawed at Stefan’s hold, kicking and fighting to be free. His hand found the knife and he started to swing.

  One second later, he was dead.

  Chapter Eleven

  Stefan rolled over on his back, breathing hard. The duke’s lifeless body lay on the floor beside him. Pierre and Antoine, the guard who had helped them, stood in the doorway.

  Shocked and relieved, Kat lay curled on the dirty stones, her body still aching from the lash. She met Stefan’s pain-filled gaze.

  “The guards may still kill us,” her brother warned.

  “No, they won’t,” Pierre said. “They will be either rejoicing or running. The king will not let this attempted coup pass unpunished.”

  “Thank you,” Kat said to Antoine as he helped her up. �
�You risked a lot for me. You saved my life.”

  Fading fear and restored dignity shone in the battered guard’s eyes. “Will you and the prince now save our country? The duke did not work alone.”

  Kat faltered, then looked at her brother. He stared back at her, in silent inquiry, then when she hesitated, he closed his eyes and lay there on the stones, quiet.

  “I will do what I can to help,” she answered, then turned to Pierre. “Let my son out. Let all of the duke’s prisoners out.”

  He bowed to her, with obvious deference. “Yes, Princess Katherine.”

  She stared after him as the guards hurried to open the other man’s cell, stunned at the way they were acting toward her.

  “Will you be all right, Stefan? I must get my son.”

  “Go to him,” he said with a sad smile. “I’m not going anywhere…not under my own power at least.”

  Kat ran to Hayden’s cell.

  Pierre came closer, supporting a battered, bleeding man who introduced himself as Logan’s partner, Daniel. His horrific bruises and wounds did little to quell his determination to stand erect, but Kat didn’t know how the man did it. Every part of his body had been slashed or beaten.

  “I can see why Logan couldn’t get over you,” Daniel said through cracked lips. “Will he be here soon?”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Logan is dead. The duke…” she choked out, barely able to say the words. It made them real.

  The light went out in Daniel’s eyes, his joy replaced with a cold anger. “Then it’s a good thing the duke is already dead.”

  Pierre unlocked Hayden’s cell, and the old guard now stood back, smiling and tugging the heavy door with him.

  The iron squeaked open. Hayden stood in the doorway, terrified, looking around her at the large men by her side. “Mommy?” he whispered, obviously wanting to run to her, but afraid to leave the room.

  “The bad man’s gone, sweetie. You’re safe.” Kat’s heart broke at the cautious expression on her precious son’s face, but she could see when her words finally hit home.

  His face lit up with joy, and his fear left him.

  He bolted toward her, arms outstretched. “Mommy!”

  She swept him into her arms and hugged him close, rocking to and fro. She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing freely. Tears of joy for what she had. Tears of sorrow for the man she’d lost. “Look at your poor little face,” she said, touching the bruise on his cheek.

  “Don’t cry, Mommy.” Hayden patted her. “Owies go away.” He looked over her shoulder expectantly. “Where’s Daddy?”

  Grief nearly overwhelmed her, but she managed a smile. “Daddy can’t be here. Something happened—”

  The main entrance to the prison door slammed open. Several men burst into the room, weapons drawn. Kat whirled around and moved in front of Hayden, protecting him from view. Two other guards turned their automatic weapons toward Kat and her son. Pierre and Antoine stepped in front of them, their guns drawn, as Daniel reached her side and pushed her behind him.

  Stefan stirred in his cell, but didn’t move from where he lay, bent and broken on the floor. Kat’s heart pounded in her chest. Who were these men? Daniel stood away from the stone wall, eyes hard as he waited. Kat felt him sway slightly and recognized in his trembling, the monumental effort it took for him to remain erect.

  The king and another man entered and stood just inside the doorway to the dungeon. The armed bodyguards fanned out around them.

  King Leopold stood, his face pale with shock, as he took in the lifeless body of the duke, then the bruised and bleeding ones of Kat, Hayden, the guards and finally Daniel.

  Leopold’s eyes widened in shock, then dismay. “Victor, my friend,” the king said to the tall man at his side. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

  Beside Kat, Pierre stiffened, anger flashing in his eyes and his knuckles whitening against the grip of his gun. Even as he stared with hatred at Victor Karofsky, Pierre reached into his pocket and pressed what looked like a pager.

  What was he doing? Was he signaling for help?

  Victor put his hand on the king’s shoulder. “I regret that I’m the one who had to tell you of the duke’s treachery, Your Majesty. I know you trusted Sarbonne.” Victor directed his bodyguards to step forward and gestured around him. “My men will take care of this mess for you and see the princess and her son safely back to the palace.”

  Kat clutched Hayden to her. The men around her closed ranks. “We are not going with him.”

  Pierre, Antoine and Daniel moved in closer, as did the few individuals remaining from the prison crew.

  “Guards, stand down,” the king ordered the men at Kat’s side.

  They didn’t respond, merely held their guns trained on Victor.

  Kat shifted from one foot to the other, surprised. She hadn’t expected their loyalty.

  The king’s face turned red. “I ordered you to stand down. I am your king.”

  “Their loyalty lies elsewhere, Father,” Stefan said. “As should yours.” He struggled to a seated position, the effort obviously causing pain.

  “Stefan?” the king’s voice trembled, his shock evident as he made his way toward his son. “It’s not possible. The duke told me he found your body.”

  “He did. He found me unconscious and half dead, then brought me here to finish the job.” Stefan tried to sit up farther and clenched his teeth so as not to cry out.

  For the first time Kat recognized the man behind the king. A father who’d found his son.

  Leopold knelt by his badly beaten son. “How did this happen?”

  “Ask your friend, Victor. It was his hit. He was working with Sarbonne all the time.”

  Leopold spun around. Victor held his gun on the monarch, then signaled the bodyguards to grab the king.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Leopold demanded.

  Kat clutched Hayden’s head to her chest and held her breath. Victor’s men appeared ruthless. Would they get out of this horrible place alive? She glanced at Pierre, the man’s face stone-still and unafraid. Were Logan’s men still out there? She trusted him.... She had to believe in his plan—even if he was no longer leading.

  “Who do you think backed Sarbonne’s coup, Father?” Stefan said, bitterly. “Your friend is an arms dealer. The rare earth metals discovered in Bellevaux feed the manufacture of high-tech weaponry. Victor wanted those rights all along. He didn’t care who gave them to him. You or the duke. Isn’t that right, Karofsky? Anyone who opposed you disappeared or died, like my brother, Maximillian.”

  The king roared in fury, tugging against the guards who held him “You killed my son?”

  “It doesn’t matter now. Sign the papers you brought.”

  “Never.”

  “You have more than one child who can die here today, Leopold,” Victor warned. “Don’t be a fool.”

  “Were you behind the court massacre?”

  “Stefan had to be eliminated.”

  “How’d that work out for you?” the prince taunted. “I’d ask for a refund from your hitman, if I were you. He missed.”

  “I won’t,” Victor said, turning the gun on Stefan.

  “Logan and I destroyed you once, Karofsky. We’ll do it again.”

  “Logan Carmichael is dead,” Victor shot back. “The only positive thing the duke accomplished. And you’re a useless cripple now.”

  “Tell that to Sarbonne,” Stefan said defiantly. “He would disagree…if he could.”

  “I disagree, too.” Logan stepped out from a secret entrance at the back of the dungeon. “Put down your weapons or die now, Karofsky.”

  Logan! Kat swayed. She couldn’t believe it. Alive! His clothes torn and bloody, but the dark black of a Kevlar vest showed through his shirt. Joy like she’d never known swept through her.

  She wanted to run to him, but he met her gaze and shook his head. Soon, he mouthed. I love you.

  Several other men in black and camouflaged clothes came up
behind Karofsky’s men. They jammed guns to their heads. “Put them down. Now!”

  Kat recognized Hunter’s voice and realized the big man beside him must be Noah.

  A third man on the landing held his weapon trained on Victor, hatred in his eyes.

  “I would suggest you not hesitate,” Logan said, his voice cold and deadly.

  Kat drank in the sight of him as his tall, strong figure took command. Her head roared with joy. Alive. She hugged Hayden tight. Her heart beat again.

  The bodyguards didn’t fight. They placed their weapons on the floor and hit their knees.

  “Cowards,” Victor cursed, holding his gun on the king. “Deke.” Victor nodded toward the man with Hunter and Noah. “This is not the way for your wife to survive. Assist me, and you will be rewarded. She will go free.”

  “I’ve heard your promises before, Victor. You’re a liar. You deal with the devil to get what you want. Now you will pay. You won’t leave this prison alive. I swear it.”

  Logan nodded at the restrained guards then eased his way toward Kat, each movement calculated, searching for an angle of attack. Kat held her breath. Hayden squirmed in her arms as Logan moved closer. Suddenly, he broke free and bolted toward Logan.

  “Daddy!”

  His happy greeting ended in a terrified cry as the arms dealer grabbed Hayden and held him to his chest, gun pressed under his chin.

  “Mommy!”

  Kat’s heart sank. “Hayden.”

  Victor turned on Logan “Move, Carmichael. Even breathe in my direction and your son is dead. That goes for all of you. Now you put your weapons down.”

  Logan froze. Kat didn’t dare look at him. Her eyes locked on to her son.

  One of the former guards shifted. Victor fired off several rounds, killing two of the men. “I said guns down. Now!”

  Hayden kicked and screamed in Victor’s arms, terrified by the gunfire so close.

  “Don’t hurt him!” Kat shouted.

  “Stop it!” Victor roared at the hysterical child. “The boy and I are leaving. The king comes with me to sign those papers.” He jammed his gun harder into Hayden’s throat. “Follow, and he dies.”