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Nothing.
Banging her head against the door, she prayed harder for help and then she heard it … footsteps coming from behind her, from the garden.
“No!” she screamed out.
He was coming. He was coming.
She turned as he reached the edge of the garden path, the knife in his left hand, blood staining his abdomen and his right forearm. His face was twisted in grotesque anger.
“Help!” she screamed, turning back to the door and pounding on it. “Help! Please!”
“You won’t escape me again,” he yelled.
The door suddenly swung inward, and two guards stood there. Arianna scrambled inside and right between them. The two large men were a shelter she needed desperately at this moment.
For half a beat, both guards stared down at her.
“Miss Gunnell?” Sergeant Mueller questioned. “Are you all right?”
“No!” she screamed. “The Gifted Genius! The murderer!”
They still stared at her, not comprehending what she was saying.
She turned and pointed, cowering between them as she peeked back out the open door.
The man was gone.
“Please!” She grabbed at Sergeant Mueller’s arm. “The Gifted Genius is in the garden. He had a knife. He tried to kill me.”
Was she making any sense?
“Go to the command center,” Sergeant Mueller instructed. “We’ll find him.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded to her, and they both took off out the door.
Arianna had no problem complying with his commands. She slammed the door closed and ran in her bare feet down the hall, past the kitchens, and toward the office for the royal guards. She slammed into someone exiting the office and cried out in surprise.
“Ari?” The man was tall and strong, with brown-sugar eyes and a devastatingly handsome face. “Are you well?”
“Brad!” Instead of punching him like she might have originally, she flung herself against him and held on for dear life. Shudders ran through her body as the horror of what might have happened hit her full force. Tears slid down her face, hot moisture against the chill of her skin. “Oh, Brad. You’re here.”
Brad was warm, solid, safe, familiar, and yet even at this moment somehow thrilling. Like the excitement of home on a Christmas morning with a pile of lovely presents waiting to be opened.
His scent was still the same. He was happy, carefree childhood memories. Even with him being gone for eight years, she still felt like she knew and trusted him. Trusted him to protect her, but would he leave her with no goodbye or forwarding address again?
What did that matter at this moment? She’d barely escaped a violent ending minutes ago.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, but not for nearly long enough. Easing back, he looked down at her. She clung to his lower back and thankfully he didn’t release her completely.
“Ari? What is wrong?”
“Oh, Brad.” She studied his golden-brown eyes and wished he would never let her go, but he’d more than let her go eight years ago. He’d ditched her. She was too traumatized by her struggle with death, and the sense of rightness that Brad brought to her, to be properly upset at him right now. “The Gifted Genius … he lured me out to the garden and then he …” She sniffled and forced it out. “Tried to stab me to death.”
Brad blinked at her, confusion and disbelief filling his gaze. “TheGifted Genius? Here? After you?”
“Yes.” She bobbed her head.
