Prince Incognito (12 page)

“Let’s go, then. But I won’t knowingly allow you to endanger yourself.” Alec helped her onto her horse and kissed her hand. “You mean too much to me.”

In spite of her reservations about what they might find ahead of them, Lily smiled at his gesture as Alec climbed onto the
gelding and led them northward again.

Alec kept his eyes on the stars, their only compass in a sea of sand. He reminded himself that it was only Monday morning. Lillian’s parents would have to make excellent time sailing their yacht to have arrived at David’s pier already. More likely they’d make port some time that afternoon, assuming they were headed that direction at all.

One thing
was certain: he wasn’t about to let Lillian inside her uncle’s compound until her parents arrived there. Granted, it didn’t sound as though her parents were very protective of her, but if their strongest motivation was selfishness, they’d keep Lily relatively safe because of her connection to them. From what he’d seen of her uncle David, he wasn’t nearly so cautious.

As they traveled north
toward the Mediterranean coast, the empty sand became pocked with sparse bushes and rocks, which grew thicker the farther they traveled. By morning, the ground was littered with scrubby grass, and the landscape edged with rugged boulders.

They stopped to drink shortly after the sun rose, and Alec surveyed the surrounding landscape through the binoculars he’d bought from the Bedouin merchant.

“See anything?” Lily asked as she replaced the cap on a canteen.

“Your uncle’s compound is visible to the north. We’ve got to be within twenty kilometers, maybe less. We’ll have to find cover before we go much farther, or his sentries will spot us. And we need to find a place to leave the horses before we proceed on foot.”

Lily nodded solemnly. “What about water? We’re running
low.”

“We’ll come up with something.” Alec replaced the binoculars in their case. “From here, I think we should veer toward the east. The vegetation looks denser in that direction.”

“Trees have to have water, right?”

“Somewhere.”

By midmorning the desert heat slowed their steps, and Alec was relieved to find a narrow ravine northward, becoming a deeper chasm as it spread
toward the sea.

“I suspect your uncle’s port is somewhere near the head of this,” Alec observed. “We’ll proceed cautiously. General Bardici chose the location of his fortress strategically. He’s on the highest point along the coastline. There isn’t anywhere we can go to look down on him.”

“But he can look down on us.” Lily peered up the sides of the ravine as if expecting to see soldiers
staring down at them from the edge.

Alec found a patch of grass in the shade of the canyon cliffs. “Let’s tie the horses here for now. I’m going to take a look ahead of us on foot.”

“Mind if I come with you?”

“Don’t you want to rest?”

“I’m tired, but I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep until I know where we stand.”

Alec felt the same way. Together they continued down
the rocky ravine, occasionally climbing the western ridge to get a look in the direction of the looming fortress. Finally, they reached a spot from which they could see her uncle’s port.

“No sign of your parents’ boat.” Alec observed through the binoculars, scouring what he could of the sea to make sure the yacht wasn’t approaching. “Hopefully they’ll be along today. In the meantime, we
need to rest before we make any sort of move. Let’s get back to the horses.”

As they retraced their steps, Alec kept his eyes open for any sign of water. A leafy vine trailing down the far canyon wall caught his eye, and he trotted over to where it grew, peeling back the leaves to reveal a trickle of water that pooled in the vegetation-covered sand below.

He shoveled back sand with
his hands, forming a depression deep enough to scoop water from. “It’s fresh,” he said, tasting it to be certain the seawater to the north hadn’t contaminated it. “We can get the horses and bring them here. This will be a good spot to camp for the day.”

“But it’s on the east side of the ravine. If my uncle’s men look over the west side, they’ll spot us right away.”

Alec couldn’t deny
the risk. “We can only pray they aren’t looking for us this close to the compound. And we’ll camp under the western lip of rock, just across from the water.” He wished there was a safer place to hide, but they needed to stay close to a water supply. “It’s the best option I’ve seen.”

“You’re right.” Lily drank from the tiny pool. “Okay, let’s grab the horses so we can get some rest. I’m dead
on my feet, and I’m sure you’re even more exhausted, since you didn’t get any sleep yesterday.”

Alec didn’t deny her assessment, but in some ways, he was glad to be so tired. If he hadn’t been so fatigued, he was certain he wouldn’t be able to sleep for worrying over his concerns for their safety, the safety of his family members, and all of Lydia.

* * *

When Lily next opened
her eyes, she saw that night had fallen. Instantly alert, she sat up and found Alec snoozing on the other side of the horses, his handsome face looking weary in the moonlight, the scars from the attack in Sardis healing over, obscured by the stubble of three days’ worth of beard.

The horses slept as well, no doubt glad for the shade and relatively plentiful supply of grass in the wadi. Moving
silently back toward the place where she’d slept, she settled in again, but this time, sleep evaded her. She had too much on her mind.

The brief glimpse she’d gotten of her uncle’s compound the day before had sent fear rocketing straight to her heart. Was she crazy for volunteering to face her uncle again? Memories of the rough way he’d handled her the last time ricocheted through her mind,
and she felt the tender spot under her jaw where he’d rammed his gun.

Her uncle had to be stopped. Ever since she and Alec had pieced together the family connection, she’d become increasingly convinced her uncle planned to take over the Lydian government—and might already be well on his way to overtaking it, for all she knew.

Going inside his compound was the best way she could think
of to gain information about what he was up to. If she could pass what she learned on to Alec, maybe they could put her uncle’s plans to an end. But the thought of leaving Alec behind in the desert tore at her heart. She felt safe when she was with him. Safe and, for the first time she could remember, loved.

Her heart pinched at the thought of leaving him. Would they ever be reunited? Even
if they managed to thwart her uncle’s plans and return Alec’s family to their rightful throne, surely Alec wouldn’t want her around after that. Surely he’d want to rid himself of any reminder of the Bardici family, after all the trouble her uncle had caused him.

As emotion welled in her dry throat, Lily decided she needed a drink, and headed in the direction of the trickling waterfall.

No sooner had she finished drinking than she heard a distinct sound behind her, the all-too-familiar sound of a cocking gun.

“Don’t move.” It was Alec’s voice.

Lillian froze.

Was Alec pointing a gun at her?

ELEVEN

A
blast struck the ground only a couple of feet to her left, and Lily let out a quick scream as she leapt back.

Alec’s arms wrapped around her instantly. “I got him. You’re safe now.”

Confused, Lily looked at the splattered spot where Alec’s bullet had hit the sand, and saw the twitching tail of a snake writhing in the darkness.

“Cobra.” Alec identified
the deceased reptile. “The distance they can strike is equal to the height of their head above the ground.”

“He could have bitten me?”

“Still could, even dead.” Alec’s protective grasp tightened around her. “I didn’t see which way the head flew.”

Lily clung to him and whimpered. “I didn’t even see him.”

“They like to hang out under rocks, in the shade. They’re not usually
active at night, but the sun just went down a little while ago, so it’s still warm out. He was probably just coming home for the night when he saw you stealing his water. Didn’t look too happy about it.”

“How did you see him?”

“I’m trained to spot these things. I saw you head for the water and thought maybe I should follow you.”

“I’m glad you did.” Cautiously they picked their
way back toward the sleeping horses. “And I’m glad you brought your gun. Is that the one you got from the Bedouins who attacked you?”

“Yes. I also took his phone, but I turned it off right away to conserve the battery. Now that we’ve found water and we’re settled in to camp, I thought I might use the satellite internet access to learn what I can about the situation in Lydia.”

“Mind
if I read over your shoulder?”

He still had his arms around her, and pulled her close. “Please do.”

The affection in his voice sent a ripple of warmth through her, chasing away the cold fear she’d felt when she’d realized how close she’d come to being bitten by the poisonous snake. Once again, Alec had protected her. How would she get along inside her uncle’s compound without him?

* * *

Alec powered the phone on, relieved to see it still had plenty of battery life remaining, and quickly found articles relating to the events in Lydia. His sister Isabelle had escaped the attacks, traveled to New York City and spent the day meeting with the United Nations, who’d dispatched a team to Lydia following her testimony.

“Good job, Isabelle.” He cheered his sister
on when he read what she’d been up to. God had been with her—and perhaps she could make inroads toward restoring the Royal House of Lydia to the throne. But he couldn’t help wondering what had become of the rest of his family. He scrolled through the search results again. “There’s no word on Anastasia or my parents. But it does note that the American ambassador, Stephanos Valli, has stepped down from
his post.”

“Valli?” Lily stiffened behind him, and Alec recalled her earlier mention of the name.

“Your grandmother Helen—” he began.

“Valli was her first husband’s last name,” Lily confirmed. “Stephanos Valli is my half uncle, her only son from her first marriage.”

“What kind of relationship does he have with your father?”

“They never used to get along, but while
we were docked in Lydia, Uncle Steve called a few times.”

“Did you visit him while you were in Sardis?”

“No, but he came to Uncle Dave’s house one night, and the three brothers were up all night talking.”

“Plotting?”

“I suppose so.” Lily deflated. “Why didn’t I think to listen in on what they were talking about? I could have heard something. I might have found out what
was going on.”

“And then what? You’d have only left town sooner, and then I never would have met you.” Alec turned until he faced her where she sat reading over his shoulder.

She pulled back.

He leaned closer. “Don’t blame yourself for not knowing. You couldn’t have known. No one knew—in fact, from what I can gather from these articles, no one knows about your father and uncle’s
involvement. My sister uncovered Valli’s plots, but even if she suspected the connection with your uncle, I doubt anyone knows where to find him. I’ve been serving in North Africa under Bardici’s command, and had no idea he had a fortress on this side of the desert.”

Lily’s mouth set in a determined line. “That’s all the more reason why I have to get inside his compound. Alec, we’re the
only ones who know he’s out here. We can bring him down.”

Alec’s heart thumped out a fear-filled plea for her safety. “The more I think about you going in there, the less I like the idea. The place is crawling with soldiers.”

“They’re Lydian soldiers though, right? You’ve served alongside them, haven’t you?”

“Yes, but they answer to your uncle, not to me. I may be heir to the
throne, but I’m only a lieutenant in the Lydian army.” He shook his head. “Besides, you escaped into the desert with me three days ago. They’re sure to have received the picture the Bedouin texted to them yesterday, so they know I’m alive. They’ll know we were together. If you walk in there, what are you going to tell them? They’re going to demand to know where I am. If they dispatch soldiers to
check the immediate area it will only be a matter of time before I’m found.”

“What then?” Lillian’s expression hardened. “We’ll just stay hiding here in the ravine until we die of hunger or we’re
both
captured? The only way to help your family is by stopping my uncle.”

“I agree with that, I just don’t think—”

“You don’t think I can handle it?”

“It’s too dangerous, Lillian.”
He heard his voice rising, but he didn’t care. She had to understand.

“It’s not as though I’d be any safer
not
going in.”

Alec felt his hands tighten to fists, but there was nothing for him to attack, no present enemy for him to strike. A zealous desire to protect Lily rose up inside him, but there was nothing he could do to defend her. “I’m the trained soldier. I’m the one who should
be dispatched on a mission. You’re an innocent civilian.”

“I’m not innocent. I’m a Bardici. My family is treasonous, and if I don’t stand up to them, you might as well put me on trial alongside them once they’re all captured.”

“
If
they’re captured. If they win—”

“We can’t let them win.”

“Aah.” Alec let out a growl of frustration and looked up at the starlit desert sky.
He couldn’t stand the thought of Lily facing her murderous uncle. The very idea made him want to wrap his arms around her and shield her from anything and everything that could ever hurt her. She’d already paid far too high a price for her father’s ambition. All she’d wanted was her parents’ love, or the companionship of the animals she’d tried to rescue, but her parents had withheld their affection
and killed off her horses. “It’s not fair.”

“What isn’t?”

“That you should have to face them again. You’ve already risked your life. You’ve already paid too high a price.”

Hope crept onto Lily’s face. “You’re thinking of letting me go in.”

“I don’t like it, but I don’t see any way around it.”

Lily nodded. “At first light tomorrow I’ll take an empty canteen and walk
up to the door of my uncle’s fortress. I’ll tell him I took your water while you were sleeping and left you for dead in the desert.” She grinned mischievously. “It’s more or less true.”

Alec felt the corners of his mouth bend upward at the sight of her smile. “You’re not going in until your parents have arrived. And we’ll have to work out some way for you to communicate with me.” He looked
down at the phone in his hands, and powered it off. “I’ll need to save the battery.”

“Fair enough.” Her smile looked tired, but still hope-filled. “It will come out all right.”

“Will it?” Alec pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and wishing he didn’t have to let her go. But she was right—there wasn’t any other way out of their situation than to face their troubles head-on
and defeat them—even if that meant defeating her family.

His thoughts churned as he held her tight against him. His goals had changed. He wasn’t just fighting for the safety of his family and the freedom of Lydia anymore. No, somehow, once his family was safe and Lydia’s freedom had been insured, he was going to give Lily all that her family had taken from her: her freedom and unconditional
love.

* * *

Lily clutched the empty canteen as she made her way across the desert sand, glad she hadn’t waited for the sun to rise completely before starting the trek to her uncle’s front door. Already heat had begun to rise in the desert. Combined with the cold terror inside her, it made her feel sick to her stomach.

She reminded herself that her parents’ yacht had docked near
the compound sometime during the night. From what she’d seen of it through Alec’s binoculars, her parents had already gone to see her uncle. Anyway, the yacht was being guarded by armed soldiers, and she was glad Alec had agreed with her not to try to take the boat. Her uncle’s helicopter would catch up to them before they made it out to sea, and then they’d only be in that much more trouble.

No, she knew her current strategy was the only plan that had any chance at all of working. Prayers accompanied each step as she made her way through the sand.

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she clutched the canteen a little more tightly. Even when she felt as though she didn’t have the strength to go on, she wasn’t alone. God was with her. He’d seen her through the last three days, and
when she’d been too exhausted to move, God had used Alec to carry her over the ridges of sand.

God had provided. And in the middle of the desert, when everything had seemed beyond hope, God had given her a special gift: the affection of a prince.

She’d always longed for love. Alec’s affection was more than she’d hoped for, and she wasn’t going to let him down now. He had every reason
to hate her for what her family had done to his. No, the only way she could make things right between them was by bringing her traiterous uncle to justice, and learning the truth about her parents’ involvement.

Looking up, she saw the front gates of her uncle’s compound open, and three horsemen poured through. Her heart beat hard. She wouldn’t have to knock on the doors after all. They’d
seen her approaching, and they were coming for her.

“Watch over me,” she whispered to God as the horsemen drew quickly closer. She raised her head to meet them. She had a mission to accomplish. After all, how could she possibly face Alec again unless she faced the demons in her family?

* * *

Alec trained his binoculars on the compound, dodging the scraggly branches of the tall
bushes that provided his meager cover, shielding the instrument with his hands to keep the field glasses from reflecting the sun’s light and drawing attention to his hiding place.

Granted, the men who’d ridden out to meet Lily seemed to be focused on her, but that didn’t mean there weren’t sentries scouring the surrounding countryside for him already.

Bless her heart, Lily had insisted
on taking a circuitous route to keep the men from following her footsteps back to their campground. She’d found the rockiest patches of desert to clamber across, obscuring even the faintest traces of her footprints. What little she’d left behind was already being filled in by the skittering sands driven by the desert breeze.

His location was more or less secure. Lily was the one taking all
the risks, and he kept up a continual prayer for her safety. “Grant her courage, Lord. Grant her a room with an outside view.”

Lily would need a window, preferably a window overlooking the desert, and not the inner courtyard of the compound. They’d arranged a signal. If it was safe for him to approach, she’d tie her window curtains in a knot through the window. That way, he’d know which
room she was in, and he’d only be alerted if she had information to pass along to him.

And if she wasn’t able to learn anything that would help him, she’d keep her head down and her window shades closed. Neither of them wanted to risk anything unless there was something to be gained.

For now, it was enough to see that the men who escorted her into the compound appeared to be handling
her gently. One even got off his horse so she could ride while he walked alongside. It was a good sign, and it boded well for his hopes that her family would receive her, if not with open arms, at least without chaining her up somewhere. She’d need her freedom if she was going to learn anything more about the plot against the Lydian kingdom.

* * *

Lily felt a rising sense of impatience.
In the day and a half she’d been inside her uncle’s compound, she’d had five good meals, several snacks, two showers and a bath. Her parents had even accompanied her to the yacht, where she’d claimed her own clothes and shoes, as well as the Bible from her bedside nightstand.

Now she turned the pages of the good book impatiently, reading the promises God had given his people in the generations
past, saving them from their enemies, reclaiming them when foreign nations had carried them off in exile. She read God’s promises in the book of Isaiah, and smiled at the words of Isaiah 30:21.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
She prayed God would guide her, that God would be with her as He had been
with His people throughout history.