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Inside Juliana was gasping as everything fell neatly into place, but she ed to keep it fro?”

He snorted “Hardly Give credit where credit is due I could not order the phone coh, or yours to him I could not control the postal service, email and internet in Zakhar Only he could And when Andre insisted—in defiance of his father—on serving with his unit when they went to Afghanistan, the king consoled hio to you in America” His expression turned introspective for a moment “Too bad Andre did not die in combat as I hoped he would”

He shook that divergent thought off “No, Juliana, Ineeded to do, and he did it All of it But I knew Every step of the way, I knew”

He sht the ly “And the ive, could you? It drove you away from Andre as it was intended to do”

She closed her eyes briefly as guilt washed through her, re her from Andrepermanently Then she opened her eyes as Niko continued

“But I had to be sure you would stay away I could not let you ive him heirs, heirs that would supplant Zax and me in the line of succession So I had to make sure Andre would not pursue you when you did not return to Zakhar as he expected”

Even though she’d already been cold with terror, a chill ran through her as she grasped hisstory in the press?”

He laughed once more, and this time Juliana heard the insanity he’d kept hidden all this time “Brilliant, was it not? I bribed thatyour lover And I confirmed it Confidentially, of course, but I kneas fairly safe in doing so The press shield laws in your country meant the reporter would keep his sources confidential Zakhar’s laws are different, but” He shrugged

The barrel of the gunat Juliana’s heart “That is how Ithat would have e would have been coh for hi a lover other than hio He suffered,” Niko said, taking a perverse pleasure in the fact “Oh, how he suffered”

The insane light in his eyes faded for a htfully “It could have killed Andre’s love for you, made him more amenable to his father’s constant pressure to et heirs But the tereat to resist” Then he sain, and Juliana couldn’t prevent the shiver that coursed through her “But I was counting on the curse of the Marianescus And I was right”

“Not a curse, Niko,” said a stern voice froth”

Niko jerked as if he’d been shot He swung around to face Andre, who’d stepped out froeway between his bedroo at Juliana But before she could escape Niko grabbed her around the waist and pulled her tight against his body, the gun pressed against her temple

“Not one step closer,” he warned

“Or what?” Andre demanded “Or you will shoot her?” He shook his head “You will shoot her anyway That was your intention the un” He took a step toward them, then another

Niko turned the pistol so it was facing Andre, and Juliana knew this hat Andre had intended, to get the gun away fro hier didn’t make it any easier for her And besides, Niko was still holding her captive

“I will shoot you,” Niko threatened “Then her”

Andre shook his head again “I think not If you shoot me, you will never inherit the throne And that is what this has all been about You were very clever to try to throw suspicion on your brother—as my heir he had the best motive But that will not work this time Zax is already in custody”

“I do not believe you”

Andre smiled coldly “Damon and Lukas will swear to it So if I die here you will not escape” He paused a second “You have tried three times to kill me, yes? Not just the helicopter, but the assassination attempts—supposedly by traditionalists like Zax—that was your doing”