Page 28 of Royal Guard

Emerik was sitting with his arms primly crossed, his back ramrod straight even in sleep. He’d tried to stop me going into her room. To protect her from me? Or to protect the assassin? He’d claimed he hadn’t heard anything. Because he was in his sixties and his hearing wasn’t as sharp as mine? Or had he heard the same sounds I had and flat-out lied? Afterwards, he’d looked guilty as hell. Because he’d messed up? Or because he was in league with her attacker?

Then there was Jakov.Everythingpointed to him.He was new to the job. His parents were from a country that was still Lakovia’s enemy, even if the fighting had stopped. The same country the lead assassin seemed to come from. He could have been placed as a sleeper agent. Or someone could have turned him, or blackmailed him into helping them.

I sighed. It could be either of them. The only way to know was to test them.

Just outside Phoenix, I pulled into a gas station and roused everyone. “Use the restroom, grab a drink,” I told them. “We’re heading for Tucson.”

Jakov just nodded politely but Emerik spoke up. “How long will that be?”

“Two hours, maybe a little less.”

He hurried off in the direction of the restrooms. A few moments later, he was back.Just long enough for him to pull out a secret cell phone and tell the assassins where we’re heading.

I reached the off-ramp for Tucson before I announced, “Changed my mind. We’ll head on to Benson and stop there. Less people, less chance the Princess will be recognized. It’s only another hour.”

Emerik’s face fell. “Are you sure, Mr. Buchanan? Why not just stick to the plan?”

Yeah,I thought, furious,because your buddies are waiting for us in Tucson, aren’t they?

“Mr. Buchanan knows this country better than us,” the Princess told him. Benson will be fine.”

I saw Emerik look forlornly at the lights of Tucson as we sped past. And he got more and more agitated as we drove on. Soon he was checking his watch every few minutes and I could see sweat gleaming on his forehead. My chest tightened. I was sure, now.Yeah, you need to call and tell them where we’re reallyheading, don’t you?

As we drove on, I could see him constantly watching Caroline and Jakov. When it looked like both of them were dozing, he reached into his pocket. I stared in amazement. He was so desperate, he was going to try to send a message right there, from the back seat. But then Jakov stirred and Emerik quickly pulled his hand back.

We pulled into Benson just after dawn. I found a diner and we all trooped inside. I could feel my heart pounding.This is it.

Right on cue, Emerik said, “I need to use the restroom.” And he was gone, almost running towards the door.

I told the others I’d be back in a minute and marched towards the restroom, the anger building with each step. That son of a bitch. The Princess had trusted him for years, since she was a child. And he’d betrayed her in the worst way possible.

I silently opened the restroom door. Four stalls. One occupied. I couldn’t hear him talking to anyone, so he must be texting. I took a step back, gathered myself and smashed my boot against the door. It flew open, crashing against the wall. And there sat Emerik, with—

What?!

With a syringe in his hand.

For a second, we just stared at each other. Then I grabbed him by the throat, lifted him into the air and slammed him against the wall. “You’re ajunkie?”I yelled. “That’show they got to you? They got you hooked, then they blackmailed you?”

“What?”he croaked. “Who?!”

“The assassins! You ran in here to tell them wherewe were! Just like you called them to tell them we were going to Tucson!”

The confusion in his eyes turned to shock, then anger. “You think I’d betray her?” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I’mdiabetic!” He said it as if it was some huge confession. “No one knows.”

I blinked. And replayed the last few hours in my head.

Me rousing him in Phoenix. Him running off to the restroom to check his glucose levels in secret. Asking how long until we got to Tucson. Figuring that he could inject there, in two hours. Then being trapped for an extra hour in the car, getting pale and sweaty, unable to inject without revealing his secret….

Shit!It all made sense. I released him and he dropped to the floor. “Why keep it a secret?” I demanded.

“I’m past retirement age!” he snapped. “Any physical weakness and I’d be gone, and—” He looked down at his polished shoes for a second. “And protecting her is my life,” he said quietly.

All the adrenaline drained out of me. It wasn’t him. I could hear the emotion in his voice and you can’t fake that kind of loyalty. I cursed and leaned back against the wall of the stall. Then I filled Emerik in on the leak, and how I’d narrowed it down to the two guards.

“It’s Jakov,” he said immediately. “I never trusted him.”

It made sense on paper, given Jakov’s heritage, but he didn’tfeellike a traitor.Goddammit, I’m no good at this!