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“No.” She flicked on the front porch and entryway light, showing her mum bound and gagged. “Prince Tristan is fighting two thugs.” She pointed.
The guard rushed past her and into the living area.
Jennifer took her mum’s arm and escorted her back in. Tristan had the second man pinned against the wall, trading hit for hit, but Tristan was winning. Of course he was. What a guy. Her Big Bad Wolf.
She hurried her mum to the kitchen, pulled out a knife, and sliced her hands free. Then she held onto her face and yanked off the duct tape. She expected her mum to at least groan in pain, but she didn’t. She just flung her arms around Jennifer.
“Oh, my angel. You’re all right?”
“Yes, Mum. You?”
Leslie shrugged and then nodded and then shook her head. “Henry?” she croaked out.
“He’s okay. He’s with King Nolan up at the castle. Steffan was going to treat him for his injuries. Every military and police officer in the country has been dispatched to find you.”
Her mum looked at her and then burst into tears.
More guards ran into the house.
Jennifer gathered her mum close and clung to her. She could hear Tristan’s voice instructing the royal guards, but then she heard words that chilled her clear through. “Where’s Naomi?”
She looked around. The patio door was slightly ajar again. That was why the alarm never went off. Naomi knew the code, had disabled it, and then disappeared in the midst of the fighting and confusion.
Would this nightmare ever end?
Chapter Sixteen
It had been a few days and things seemed to finally be calming down in Augustine. Naomi had disappeared. Hopefully she’d be found or at least never dare show her fake face again. Her dad had stepped down as prime minister, possibly facing prison time for aiding a criminal and covering up the queen’s death. Tristan and his family were compassionate, but the courts would have to rule on that. Her mum was in intense therapy for causing the death of her best friend and the mental and physical torture she’d experienced at the Rindlesbachers’ hands. Jennifer’s family was a mess, but she had hope they could heal and move past the pain someday. At least they were alive and no longer in the Rindlesbachers’ grasp.
Jennifer clung to Tristan’s hand as they walked up the trail to their waterfall. It was chilly this September morning, but she was warm with Tristan close by. Her parents would eventually get through this pain and heal. Augustine was safe. And Tristan was incredible.
She gazed at his profile and the scars decorating his cheek.
He smiled down at her. “You like my artwork, do you?”
“I think you’re pretty much perfect, Prince Tristan.”
“Don’t I know it.” He winked and brought their clasped hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles.
She sighed, just wanting to kiss him, but she had to tease. “Oh my, Mr. Crown Prince, how overly confident you are.”
“All the better to keep you on your toes, my dear.”
“Ha! Good luck,” she teased back.
They arrived at the waterfall pool and for a few moments simply stared at the array of fall colors—orange, red, yellow, and green decorating the mountain and forest around them, mossy rock under the waterfall, and the blue water of a chilly mountain lake underneath.
“Truth or dare?” Tristan asked, his blue eyes twinkling.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to jump in the pool with me.”
Her eyes widened. Just like the first night they fell in love, but it would be freezing cold.
“Dare accepted.”
She ran for the water. Tristan kept pace with her and then they both leaped off a small ledge they knew was a deep part of the pool.
