Lucio stood near a long, thick wooden table his ancestors had all used in the war room for planning what happened in the country. Today he, his brothers, Antonio and Marco, and the lead general all discussed Amy's report. She’d put together a more thorough list and helped them narrow their scope significantly.

General Babik put the faces of the six most likely anarchists in the country and one older gentleman—Amy’s contact. Turned out he was one of the men's father.

Marco patted Lucio's shoulder. "Lucio, we're getting a picture here of who is behind this at the top. Your fiancée is clearly intelligent."

Without her keen analysis, they'd be a week behind on this trail. Lucio, with pride, hit the print button for the older man's photo. "I'll ask her if Neill was the one she met in London."

Antonio nodded, arms crossed at his chest as he stared at the center of the table where the electronic visuals were displayed. "Marco, will you ask Evie why Neill went to visit her?"

Lucio wanted to protest that Evie couldn’t be involved but Sophia had lived in their castle practically for years and she’d led a smaller government overthrow to win back her own neighboring crown.

If Evie had been approached, it meant the faction might have seen him in Scotland, and then again in London, where he was with Amy. Lucio met Antonio’s gaze from across the room and gave a slight nod. "I met with Evie in Scotland so that I could move forward with Amy. I don't think she is part of the anarchist plot, but Marco would have clearer insight."

Marco moved the father's picture to the side and focused on the five 20-to-30-something males likely responsible for recent crimes. "Thanks. If Neill, the man who probably visited Amy, was the one who visited both sisters and took the report to his son, Edvard," Lucio tapped a photo of a man who had cold blue eyes and white skin that looked like he never saw the sun. "We have a clear chain of events. Edvard and his group were near the school, in the financial district and in the vicinity of the old guard house before they occurred."

Again, Amy's words swarmed in his head that his family would be the next target and his father, mother, brothers, their wives and now Amy were all in danger. Ice raced up his spine. "I don't like that he's been so close to the castle today."

Antonio's hands fell to his sides in fists. "We'll stop him before he gets to anyone."

Kristin and Renee had both been targets in previous plots. Lucio's stomach knotted that someone might do the same to Amy too. She’d promised not to leave the castle, but then again during Sophia's failed rebellion, no one had been safe in these walls. Lucio kept his sentence short, but he couldn't lose Amy, not now, not ever. "An ally in the palace?"

Marco shrugged and circled the table. "We purged the palace of all traitors after what happened with Sophia."

Lucio recalled various FBI scenarios where the crime was committed by someone you trusted. Nobody could ever truly be trusted. "Blackmail gets to anyone, even good people. Remember Renee’s maid Anise who helped her brother, though reluctant."

Antonio gestured to the pictures of the men. "Babik is handling security at all doors. We'll tell our parents to stay out of sight and keep Babik close while we gather the rest of the evidence."

Marco glanced at the door. "We should go."

Lucio scowled, knowing he wasn't the only one worried though Antonio never said—as elder brother he had to consider all actions while he and Marco could move. Lucio turned to leave the meeting now that they’d narrowed in on the six suspects. The best thing he could do was keep Amy at his side. "You're right. I promised Amy we'd have the night alone, before Mother takes her for wedding details all day tomorrow."

Antonio chuckled as the three of them walked into the hallway. "Mother did that to all of us. Good luck and I hope your Amy stays sane. She seems nice."

Nice was too tame a word for Amy. She was better than simply nice, but he couldn't quite figure out the word he'd use to describe her. "She's better than I imagined. Please thank your IT department, Antonio."

"I'll offer an extra bonus for all the good work." Antonio gently slapped him on his back.

The three of them walked up to the family suite of rooms, but Kristin and Renee's laughter echoed in the hall. Both men stopped and Lucio shrugged, "Sounds like your wife is in the library with Marco's."

"Later, Lucio." Marco opened the door.

Lucio continued down the hall though he heard his family's laughter in the distance. Despite all the drama, it was good that everyone could still laugh, especially now that Kristin and Renee joined their ranks. Amy’s under her breath witty comments would only add more joy in his own life. Once he found Amy, he'd settle in and relax for the evening, knowing security had everything under control. He opened their bedroom door and walked in. However, their suite had no lights on. "Amy? Where are you?"

Silence greeted his ears and apprehension chilled him. He sensed that she wasn't here, but he checked the balcony, bathroom and closet to be sure. Every second he spent searching his rooms, his pulse began to race, but she was nowhere.

He returned to the main hall and heard the laughter. He sucked in his breath, popped his head into the library but saw no sign of Amy. His sisters-in-law had his mother holding her stomach while she laughed. He asked, "Sorry to bother—have you seen Amy?"

"No," Kristin answered. "Is she missing?"

Until he knew for sure, he'd not alarm his family. She might have spent more time with her sister though the tingling in his spine warned it was more. He avoided a direct answer to his sister-in-law. "I'm going to see Evie."

His brothers both looked concerned, but neither said anything—they’d let him deal with the situation yet they’d also be ready to act. He closed the door and walked faster than he normally did down the flight to the guest suites.

If Amy had kicked her sister out of the castle because of those pictures, security would have helped her. Even if to him what she did wasn’t a big deal, though Amy obviously had angst in half of the poses, none of it should matter. He stifled the urge to call Babik. Logic dictated he check with her family. He knocked and her sister answered the door. She blinked and stared at him. "Lucio. I'm surprised to see you here."

"Is Amy here?" He gazed over her head into the yellow bedroom reserved for special guests. Her parents were with her and her fiancé. They all seemed happy and at ease together. Lucio glanced at Michael, who had dirty blond hair and was about six inches shorter, but Evie smiled at him as if he were a king.

Evie brought her gaze back to Lucio and opened the door wider. "She left to find you a while go."

Again, his spine pricked and he felt something was wrong. His shoulders went rigid. "She's not in our room."

"I'll help you look." Evie took a step into the hall dressed in a simple peasant skirt and a shawl.

"No." Lucio answered fast. If something happened to Amy, he'd find her and not put her family in danger. Instead he deflected, "You and Michael stay put in case she comes back. I'm getting the guards and the security tape. She's around somewhere."

Evie shrugged but stayed still, which was different than when he knew her years ago. The Evie he remembered exploded at the slightest provocation. "Okay. Let me and my parents know she's all right when you find her."

The last thing he needed was civilians in the way if he had to use his FBI training to rescue her. Again, his pulse raced but it also had a chill. Instincts shouldn't be ignored. He bowed politely. "I will, Evie."

He turned to go to his office, but he stopped at the next bedroom. Her American friend—Suzie. Amy had said she'd not seen her since her arrival at the palace. Perhaps she’d stopped to visit after he sent her on the tour? While he hadn’t met her, Babik had said she was settled in her room. He knocked and a moment later, a brown-haired woman in flannel pajama pants and long t-shirt came to the door. She looked nothing like the smiling woman at the bar in the picture Amy had shown him. "Just checking in with you. Did Amy come in here?"

She stared at him as if assessing him. "So, you're Lucio, Amy's prince?"

"Yes. Is she here?" He peered through the opening of the door.

Suzie's face went white. "No. I've not seen her since I arrived. Is she missing?"

He brushed her cold hands to offer assurance. "Don't worry about it. I'll find her."

She crossed her arms at her stomach. "It's a big castle. If you need help, let me know."

Amy's friend shouldn't be cold in the palace, but he kept the thought to himself. Perhaps she’d just eaten ice cream before going to bed early. There had been a bowl on her side table.

Once he said goodbye, he rushed down the stairs to his office in the lowest level, near the old dungeon. On his way down, he texted security, so when he walked into the room, he met the brown-eyed gaze of his most trusted general. "Babik, Amy is missing."

Babik's expression was unreadable, as always, but he said, "I'll get the security tapes. In two minutes, we'll follow the video feed."

"Good, thanks." Lucio's heart pounded. He should have thought of that already, but then he never should have let Amy go anywhere alone in this castle. It wasn't safe here. He knew there was a threat and he hadn’t protected her nearly enough.

The general found the files on his computer and Lucio pulled his chair closer to the monitor. "Babik, we left my suite together over an hour ago. She went to see her sister, and Evie confirmed they’d talked."

"Let's start there then." Babik rewound on screen to an hour ago on the timestamp and opened the file for the guest wing.

Lucio pressed his fist into his knee as he watched as Amy knocked on her sister's door. No one answered, so she went inside. Babik switched the camera to inside, but once Evie walked toward her, the conversation seemed polite. They fast forwarded the scene. Babik said, "Nothing exciting so far."

Amy turned and left Evie’s room, so they slowed down the tape. Lucio said, "She should have been heading back to our room."

On the tape, Amy walked down the hall and Lucio bit back a groan of frustration. Babik's gaze narrowed and he hit stop. "Wait. Loop back."

"What?" Lucio hadn't seen anything. She’d walked down the hall.

Babik watched the scene and the tape made a slight jump. "The tape is altered."

His stomach dropped. All his instincts had been right. He jumped out of his chair and let it screech on the hardwood floor. Lucio checked the time stamp and calculated it down to the second of when Amy had been taken. "Fifteen minutes ago, she was smuggled out of the palace." The five men he and his brothers had been tracking for the past few hours were checked into a hotel nearby. He went to his desk, and found his hand gun and holster. "Get the guards ready and secure Edvard. No one is taking her from me."

His brothers walked into the office and both went to their desks to get their supplies. "We came to help."

"Amy's been kidnapped."

What he couldn't say was that if he lost her, he lost his reason for living. He'd prefer banishment from his family than ever marry another. Amy was his and his alone now. He had to get her back. He had no other option.