Riley!” Lettie pulled out of Mrs. Abbott’s hand. She raced to where Riley stood at the base of the throne dais.

Ri caught hold of the child, swinging her slight frame up and onto her hip. “Mrs. Abbott isn’t going to like it if you run around like a little heathen. See, she’s frowning already.”

The little girl looked past Riley’s shoulder at the housekeeper. “Is she going to send me and Kes away?”

Riley pecked her cheek. “No, honey, but the palace, particularly the throne room, is not a place for play…not when the king and queen are coming specially to meet you.”

Lettie’s eyes lit up and Riley hugged her. “Didn’t I tell you the queen would want to see you?”

“Yes, but when is she coming?” the little girl squeaked.

Riley nodded, pointing toward the double doors off to the side of the thrones. “Any minute, those doors will open, and Ivy will walk through with the king, so you need to get down and stand straight and tall like a big girl, okay?”

Mrs. Abbott walked up with Kes in hand. “That’s right, and both of you need to show them how well you curtsy and bow.”

The trumpets blew, and the double doors opened wide, and Vander and Ivy walked into the room. Jag walked with Karis behind them.

“Are these our new guests to the palace?” Ivy asked, lifting her hand as she hurried forward.

The housekeeper took Lettie’s hand and walked with both children, holding each of their hands as Ivy approached the base of the throne steps, she and Vander meeting them halfway.

Lettie’s lips parted, and she looked a little scared before dropping into the cutest curtsy. Kes’s eyes traveled the tall length of Vander’s size. His eyes were saucers at the sheer size of the man. Mrs. Abbott cleared her throat, reminding him to bow.

Ivy and Vander exchanged a look.

“Do you like the palace so far?” Ivy asked. “Is Mrs. Abbott treating you well?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kes replied. “It’s big.”

She leaned forward with a wink. “You’re right. I still get lost sometimes, but don’t tell the king.”

“I’m standing right here, My Queen,” Vander said with a chuckle.

“I know,” she teased back. “That’s why I said it.” She motioned for pillows and then sat on the throne steps, gesturing for the children to do the same, but before they could, Damen rushed in from the outer door.

“Vander!” He walked toward them at a fast clip, his face serious. “There’s been a breach. It’s Maddox.”

“What kind of breach?” the king demanded.

Damen glanced at Jag as he moved to Vander’s side. “In the dungeon. Maddox was found unconscious. He’s alive, but just barely.”

“How?” Jag asked. “He was under heavy watch.”

Damen lifted a hand. “We’re not sure. It appears someone got to him during the guard’s shift change. I’ve had him moved to the infirmary and assigned an entire squad from my personal guard to arm the place. The four sentries involved at the time of the incident are being held for questioning.”

Vander’s eyes moved from his chief of security to his wife and then to the children before moving back to Damen. “Who else is aware of this?”

“Just those held and my personal guard,” he replied.

Vander nodded. “No one else. This reek of treason comes from inside the palace. I want whoever is responsible found. As of this moment, every member of staff is under suspicion. As far as the infirmary is concerned, no one gets in and no one gets out without my say so.” He looked at Damen. “Is that clear?”

The chief nodded.

“Good,” Vander exhaled, shifting his eyes to his brother. “Until we know more, no one leaves the palace. I’m going with Damen. I want you to escort Ivy and Riley back to our apartments. The children can accompany them as well. Use the opportunity to get to know them more.” He eyed Jag with a pointed look.

Jag nodded. “Understood.”

* * *

The children sat on pillows piled on a soft blanket on the floor. The large screen monitor above the fireplace flickered with the latest Disney film while plates of cookies, sweet fruits, and pastries kept them happy and quiet. Thank God Ivy had a thing for Disney movies since she got pregnant, and Vander just couldn’t say no. The Galaxan technology was so advanced, they now had a collection of Disney movies available for any citizen to watch.

Jag looked at his watch. Vander and Damen had been gone over an hour. The sun was setting over Palladia as he stood watching the pinks and oranges streak the sky above the Mirror Mountains in the distance.

“We have plenty of time before plans for the wedding and coronation have to be finalized,” Riley said, walking to stand with him. “We can go out another night.”

He turned to look at her. The glow of the sunset made her skin luminous, and her dark eyes even more mysterious and exotic. “You’re beautiful, Riley,” he replied, covering her hand with his. “I should have told you that before. I know I’ve been…” He shrugged.

“A man whore?” she cut in with a chuckle.

“Ouch.” He met her teasing laugh with a grin. “That’s harsh.”

She nodded. “Well, the truth hurts, sometimes, but I know you a little better now, so I can cut you some slack.”

“You think?” He turned so they were face to face. “How much slack? Enough that you might want to go over the wall with me?”

She balked. “Over the wall? As in sneak out?”

“I haven’t spent years growing this bad boy rep for nothing.” He stepped closer, tugging her in tightly. “I want to spend time with you, Riley. Alone. I should have told you that from the beginning instead of trying to play it slick.” His mouth curved up and he inhaled. “You’re tempted. I can smell it as clearly as I smell how much I make your panties wet.” His blue eyes darkened “What have you got to lose?”

She shivered. Lose? Not much. Still, this was so unlike her, then again Jag was unlike anyone else.

“What about Ivy? We can’t leave her here alone with those children,” she argued.

He nodded. “Okay. Let’s give it another hour. I’ll call for Mrs. Abbott to come for the kids, and then we’ll make a break for it.” When she hesitated, he brushed her lips with his. “C’mon, little mouse. Tell me you’re not up for a game of chase with the big bad cat.”

She angled his head, so his lips were perfectly positioned over hers. “Just remember what I told you about little mice and sharp teeth.” She bit his bottom lip and then pulled back, her eyes on his. “Do this right, Jag. I mean it.”

“Ooh, baby.” He grinned. “Promise?”

Adrenaline sent shivers across her skin. With a smirk, Jag turned back to watching the horizon, letting her go inside. Henley was right. Being bad felt pretty good.

Riley slid into a chair across from Ivy. “So, you three been getting to know each other?” she asked.

Ivy eyed her with a knowing look. “I could ask the same of you two,” she said as Jag reentered the room.

“Ivy’s been asking about Mama and Papa,” Lettie replied, munching on half a donut. “Mama’s been gone only a little while, but Papa’s been gone a long time.”

“Lettie—” Kes warned low. “Remember what Mama said.”

Jag scooted to the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees. “It’s okay, Kes.”

He glanced at the cookie in his hand before looking up again. “We’re not supposed to talk about Papa.”

Ivy rubbed her belly, and both kids looked at the bump with interest. “Why not, sweetheart?”

“Because,” he replied, “the nomad man came one day, and he and Papa talked for a long time. Mama wasn’t happy, but I remember Papa said something about it being the only way.”

“Only way for what?” Jag asked.

The little boy shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Jag shared a look with Ivy but didn’t press.

“Kes,” Ivy began. “I know it’s hard to remember, but if you told us more about this nomad man, maybe we can help find out why your Papa left,” Ivy prompted.

Lettie stood up with the blanket, and a shower of cookie crumbs fell from her soft cotton dress. “Really? You could find Papa?”

“Maybe,” Ivy replied. “You’d have to help us by telling us what you know. Even if you’re scared. I promise, neither you nor Kes will be in trouble. If we found this nomad man, he might know where to find your father.”

Kes hesitated, as if waiting for Jag to nod.

“It’s okay, Kes,” Jag said.

The boy lifted his eyes and they were sad and way too old for one so young. “I don’t remember a lot. Mama kept me and Lettie away.”

“She didn’t trust the nomad man, huh,” Ivy said.

Kes shook his head. “She said he was a bad man, and whenever Papa talked with him, we were not to make a peep. Mama didn’t want him to know we were there. Especially Lettie.”

“But I didn’t listen,” Lettie blurted, her breath hitching in her throat. “Mama said to stay quiet, but I wanted my cat. The nomad man saw me.”

Ivy exchanged looks with the others. “Did he say anything to you?”

The little girl shook her head.

Kes made a face. “I saw him. He smiled. It was mean. He licked his lips and then turned to Papa, telling him this was his lucky day. He said other stuff, but I couldn’t hear. All I know is Papa told him to leave.”

“Did your father work?” Jag asked.

Kes lifted his chin and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “He was a tracker. No one knew the mountains better than Papa. He could hike from the sand oasis to the jungle and back and never get lost.”

Lettie nodded. “And Papa could find anything that got lost.”

“Is that what the nomad man wanted from your dad? Tracking?” Jag asked.

Kes shrugged. “Mama said the man wanted Papa to help him find something. She told us never to talk about it. After that, Papa went with the nomad man. He never came back.”

Jag moved from the couch to kneel on the floor by the blanket. He sat back on his heels and reached for a pastry. Breaking it in half, he gave a piece to Kes. “Do you think you could recognize this nomad man if you met him again?”

The boy bobbed his head, chewing. “He had a gold tooth.” He pointed to one of his canines. “He wore a hood, but he took it off when he thought no one was there. He had no hair on one side, and a bite mark. Like something tried to eat his head.” With his finger, Kes drew tooth marks from his cheek and eye to the side of his skull.

Jag froze with his half of pastry still in his hand. He turned and looked at Ivy, her face pale.

“What?” Riley asked.

“Bors,” Ivy murmured. “But it can’t be.” Her mouth went dry at the name of the man who had abducted her. A man they all thought was dead.

Jag wiped his hand on a napkin and then got up. “Call Mrs. Abbott to take the children back to their quarters. I need to let Vander know.”

Ivy shook her head. “No.” She got up from the couch and motioned for Riley and Jag to follow her outside.

“We can’t babysit them, Ivy. If Bors is behind this, then you need to be moved to safety,” Jag argued.

“Bors is dead. Vander killed him in the mountains, Jag. You were there. You saw his lion tear him apart.” She paced to the railing, but then turned. “You heard Vander. This was an inside job, and it’s no coincidence that Maddox was attacked the very day those children came to the palace.”

Riley balked. “Ivy, you can’t possibly think those kids had anything to do with whatever knocked Maddox unconscious?”

“Of course not.” Ivy chewed on her lip. “But someone here recognized Kes and Lettie, and their presence at the palace scared them enough to act.”

Jag glanced at the two innocents and then shook his head. “Ivy, that’s a stretch at best.”

“Jag, it’s not a coincidence. I feel it in my gut. Whoever is at the heart of this conspiracy, this poisoning…they knew the children could out them the same as Maddox, or if not out them directly, then lead them to someone who could.” She turned on her heel to face Jag and Riley. “Like Bors.”

“But you just said Bors was dead,” Riley countered.

Jag glanced down to the courtyard and the guards posted. “Then it’s time we found out for sure. When Ivy was taken, Bors and his cohorts disguised themselves as nomads. What if it’s all linked? The mountain rogues and the nomadic factions? Vander thinks the nomads are happy and well provided for, but what if some aligned themselves with Maddox?”

He turned his gaze back to the women. “In the meantime, Ivy’s right,” he agreed. “The kids should stay put, same as you two. I’ll send a guard to bring the others. Gerri and Karis can finish helping Henley here.”

Ivy nodded and walked back inside, giving Riley a quick nod.

“Well, so much for going over the wall tonight,” Jag said with a shrug. “Duty calls.”

Riley gave him a quick smile and then moved close enough to press a kiss to his cheek. She went up on tiptoe. “Rain check?” she whispered.

He swept her close and crushed his mouth to hers, kissing her hard and fast before pulling back. “Count on it.”