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Tristan’s arms. She heard him cough from the bear spray fumes. She pulled in a breath too soon and coughed as well.
He carried her back into the cavern. Jennifer blinked her eyes open. Tristan had tears streaming down his face. She managed a smile up at him, her own eyes watery—bear spray or emotion. Who cared?
“Oh my, what strong arms you have,” she managed, coughing again.
He cracked a smile. “All the better to hold you with, my dear.”
She clung to his strength, his goodness, his safety. “Are those tears for me or the fumes of the bear spray?”
“Both.” He cradled her close, and she cuddled into him.
King Nolan was helping her dad to his feet, and Curt was cutting his restraints off. The two burly guards were definitely dead.
“William?” she asked Tristan.
“I don’t know. Knocked out or dead.” He looked at his brother. “Curt, when the fumes settle in the hallway, will you grab that detonator? We’ll hike to coverage and have Ray’s men come diffuse the bombs and deal with the dead bodies.”
“Sounds good.”
As soon as Henry’s hands were free, he wrapped his arms around the king. “I’m so terribly sorry about Anne, about hiding the truth, about all of it. I was terrified for my family’s safety, weighed down with guilt for your loss, trying to keep William from executing all his awful plans, and such a mess.”
The two men held each other and everyone held their breath, waiting for Nolan’s response. It was a lot to forgive. Jennifer loved her father, but she wished he could’ve found a different path eight months ago.
The king pulled back, his blue eyes bright. “I forgive you. We know how smart and devilish William can be, and I understand you were trying to protect Leslie and Jennifer. I know you and Leslie would never have willingly hurt Anne.”
“Thank you, Nolan,” her dad said in a thick, emotion-filled voice.
Nolan glanced down at the man slumped on the floor.
Jennifer hoped he was dead.
“Leslie was horrified of prison and I was terrified of the threats William continually made against her or Jennifer if I refused him.”
“I can imagine,” the king said. He paused and then nodded. “Let’s go find Leslie. It’s time to end this.”
Jennifer’s throat tightened at the thought of her mum, still in danger. “Naomi has her?” she asked her dad.
“Yes.”
“Any idea where?”
“No.” Her dad moved toward her.
Tristan let her feet slide to the ground. She embraced her dad, relief that they’d both survived so strong she felt weak. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement.
“Nolan!” Aliya screamed.
The king whipped around as William lifted his arm, the gleaming metal of a gun evident in his hand, and pointed straight at the king. Nolan dropped onto William, driving his elbow into the man’s hand and his body weight onto him.
William screamed in protest as the gun clattered away.
Nolan yanked him to his feet and growled, “You’re going to finally pay for a myriad of crimes. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the death penalty.”
“No,” William whimpered. “I was only trying to help the Augustine people.”
“Save it.” Nolan’s voice was like a whip. “We’ll drag him down the mountain. I’m not leaving him here and chancing him escaping.”
“Okay.” Tristan nodded to his dad.
