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Henry leaped at William. His hands were tied behind his back, but he launched himself with enough power to slam his shoulder into William’s chest and knock him to the ground and away from Jennifer. William’s head hit the cave wall with the hollow thud of a skull crumpling. Tristan could hope.
Philippe instantly ducked behind Jennifer, keeping the gun pressed to her temple.
Tristan wanted to take out Philippe and check on Henry and William, but he didn’t have time. He shot the guard on the right. His dad and Curt shot at the same time and took out the guard on the left. Both of the guards went down and didn’t move.
Tristan drew in a steadying breath. They needed to disable Philippe and rescue Jennifer, then find the detonator to the bomb.
“Let her go,” he demanded of Philippe.
“And allow you to shoot me?” Philippe asked. “No thank you, sir.”
He yanked Jennifer down to a crouch beside him, ripped William’s bag from his shoulder, and stood. “I’ve got the detonator here. Jennifer and I will back up slowly to the exit. If you don’t follow me, I’ll let her go at the cave exit and I won’t blow the cave. If I hear any sounds of pursuit, I’ll shoot her and detonate the bomb immediately.”
“Philippe, don’t,” the king commanded. “Let her go.”
“I can’t let go of my only insurance, sir. My apologies for betraying you.” He dragged Jennifer toward the door. She struggled against him. “Stop fighting me or I’ll shoot you, then Tristan and his family.” He said everything in the same respectful tone he’d always used. No sneering or mocking like William would have done.
Jennifer instantly stilled, allowing him to drag her toward the door.
“Best wishes to all of you in the next life,” Philippe said in a congenial tone.
Tristan’s heart raced and his body broke out in cold chills. His stomach threatened to turn itself inside out.
Jennifer. He met her gaze. Her deep-brown eyes looked terrified but determined. How could he rescue her with Philippe shoving his gun into her temple? Even if Tristan killed him on the first shot, his finger could reflexively pull the trigger and kill Jenn.
Please help, he begged heaven above.
But he hesitated too long, and the woman he loved was hauled out the door.
Chapter Thirteen
Jennifer stared into Tristan’s blue eyes. She hoped he could see how deeply she loved him and how much she didn’t want to die.
Her heart threatened to pound right out of her chest as Philippe tugged her through the door, scratching her shoulder against the doorframe.
She didn’t believe for one second that Philippe wouldn’t shoot her and push that detonator button as soon as he thought he was far enough away to survive. She couldn’t let Tristan, her dad, the king, Curt, or Aliya die.
Saying a prayer for help and strength, she screamed as loud as she could, “I love you, Big Bad Wolf!”
Philippe glanced at her as if she’d lost her mind. His grip slackened.
Jennifer dropped to the floor, ripping herself from his grasp and getting her head blessedly away from his gun. She planted her feet, launched off the rock wall, and drove her shoulder into his knees. He screeched and toppled to the ground.
“I’ll kill you,” he yowled, reaching for her.
She scrambled away and yanked her drawstring bag open, fishing around and praying desperately. Her fingers closed around the bear spray. Philippe came ever closer. She cried out in horror, yanked the spray out of the bag, and pointed it at Philippe, who was less than a foot away. She turned her own head, closed her eyes, held her breath, and held down the trigger.
A hissing sound filled the tunnel.
Philippe cursed and spluttered and screamed. A crash followed as he dodged away from her and hit the wall. She feared a retaliatory bullet. Hopefully his aim was off. Hopefully he couldn’t see from the effects of the bear spray, but they were in an enclosed space.
Scuttling backward away from him, she threw the empty canister in his direction.
“You must die now, Miss Shule,” Philippe said in a ragged voice, coughing.
She heard footsteps and then a gun discharge. She ducked and waited for the agony of the bullet ripping through her body.
A body slammed into the wall and slid to the floor. An instant later, arms wrapped around her and lifted her into the air.
