Princess in Peril Read Free

you will agree to keep moving, I will explain a bit more of who I am and what I know of this afternoon’s attack.”
    Isabelle’s mouth opened slightly as she weighed her answer. Should she move farther into the darkness with this stranger? Every warning bell inside her clamored against it. Yet really, what choicedid she have? Surely only danger waited above them. “Where are we going? What about my family? They were up there in the motorcade—”
    “We can’t do anything to help them now. You have a responsibility as a member of the royal family not to endanger yourself, correct?”
    “Yes.” Isabelle felt her shoulders droop with resignation. How many times had her parents reminded her of that fact? Every timeshe left the country—every time she’d ever tried to do anything on her own. Even her humanitarian work overseas was often hampered by her royal obligation to her own safety.
    “Then you can’t go back up. We can only go forward.” He looked down at the dim light from her cell phone. “We should save the battery. Close that—we can walk in darkness.”
    A protest rose to Isabelle’s lips, but she doubtedit would do her any good to voice her fears. Levi was right about the light. There was nothing more for it to illumine—just the stone walls of the catacomb, and they could feel their way along those well enough. Surely the light would become more urgently necessary in the future. He was wise to advise her not to waste it.
    She snapped the phone shut and the light went out, leaving them in totaldarkness again. “Explain, then. Who are you? And what just happened up there?”
    Levi cupped her elbow with one hand. In the total silence of the tunnel she could hear his other hand skimming along the wall as they moved cautiously down the cobbled floor. The blue-eyed bodyguard began his story.
    “My father works for a Christian organization called Sanctuary International. Their primary missionis to help religious refugees find asylum. Thirty-five years ago, when he was working in the Balkan region, he formed close ties with your father. Lydia is one of the few countries in the region where religious freedom is zealously defended, and your father proved to be an invaluable ally.
    “During that time, my father and mother met and were married, but they returned to the United States beforeI was born. I received dual Lydian-U.S. citizenship through my parents, and though I was raised in the United States, I often spent summers visiting my grandparents in Lydia.”
    Levi paused. “The wall curves away,” he murmured, “and I suspect it forks.”
    Before he finished speaking Isabelle had her phone out, and its tiny light illuminated the two branching tunnels gaping open in endless darkness.The bodyguard glanced between them before nodding. “This way.” He didn’t hesitate to step forward down the right-hand branch.
    “Why this way?”
    “After two more turns we will be below the Sardis Cathedral. It should be safe to exit there.”
    “How do you know the catacombs so well?” Isabelle closed her phone reluctantly, still suspicious of his motives in spite of his story.
    “I’ve been studyingthem for the past six days.”
    “Why?”
    Levi seemed to struggle with how to answer her. Once again, Isabelle’s suspicions were raised. Was he really who he said he was? Did the history he told her really happen, or was he simply making it up to placate her until the rest of his nefarious plans could be accomplished?
    His answer seemed to come in a roundabout way. “Our aid workers in the region haveformed close ties with many Christians with diverse political ties. Six days ago, an informant delivered a coded message at a Sanctuary outpost on the Albanian border. The next morning his body was found floating in the Mursia River.”
    Isabelle found that her steps had slowed as she listened closely to Levi’s explanation. “What did the coded message say?” She shivered a little as she stepped