Renee laughed with her best friend and for the first time that day felt light of heart. The sunshine calmed her frayed nerves. This might be the beginning of letting go, finally, to her parents and the pressure to be like them. She had confidence now that she’d stand up to them and tell them Marco was the one.

She and Kristin meandered through the garden maze and talked about Renee’s dream wedding. The light summer breeze kept it from being too warm or hot and sticky with humidity. Here the air was dry.

They turned the corner of the hedge maze and ice raced down her spine as two men in masks grabbed them. Renee screamed, but Kristin went into self-defense mode and knocked down the man holding her. If only she’d taken that class more seriously. Renee struggled but whoever held her arms had a firm grip.

She glanced to her side where Kristin and her attacker were, and she saw Henri's face under the mask. The man holding her squeezed tighter, but she tugged against him anyhow, though she was stuck.

In school, the best way to diffuse a situation was to talk. She swallowed and asked, "What's going on, Henri?"

Kristin kneed Henri in his man parts, stepped back out of reach and met her gaze. If she stayed, it would be Renee's fault. "Run Kristin. Get Marco."

Kristin gave a curt nod and ran full force toward the castle. Henri stood, grabbing his crotch. The man holding her yanked her arms back and she squealed. "How does she know you?"

Henri whipped off the black mask and stared at it and her before shoving it in his back pocket. "I served her and the prince at the South Castle. She must know I can't allow her to marry the prince."

Her heart beat wildly, but as a teacher, she remembered if you continued to humanize yourself, you found a way to crack even the hardened nuts. "Henri, I knew you didn't like me from the second we met, but you don't have to kidnap me. I don't mind agreeing to disagree with lots of people."

Her captor dragged her backward, her heels in the gravel path. "Your death will be the symbol that no foreign rulers should come to this land."

"I'm not a ruler." She stared at Henri again. "And Marco calls himself the spare of the spare, and the longer Antonio is married, the further down the line he goes."

Henri's pensive expression gave her hope. He opened his mouth to say something, but the man behind her squeezed her harder and said, "Don’t talk to our hostage, Henri."

Henri patted his stomach like he felt sick. He then stared above her head. "David, my sister said Renee was kind. You swore this demonstration wouldn't cause her pain during her death."

Her skin prickled. Her death? No. She tugged her arms again. "Marco will find me."

"He will try." David spoke menacingly.

A buzz whizzed past her ear. David released her and his hand went to his neck. "What the..."

She turned and saw blood spurting from his neck. She backed away, realizing David was shot, but she walked into the white-faced Henri who didn't at all try to touch her. David thumped to the ground. Her pulse felt like it went 100 MPH, but she tried to remain calm. She turned and said, "Henri, if you let me go, Marco will forgive you."

Again, Henri didn't touch her, but he clutched his stomach and said, "David..."

Right. She interrupted and stepped in his way so he stared in her eyes. "It's your decision now, Henri, and you're not a murderer."

He nodded and curled his shoulders inward while he ran in the opposite direction. "Fine. Go. Get out."

"Renee!" Marco's voice called in the distance. She ran toward his voice and didn't stop until she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders.

Her worst nightmare had played out and, somehow, she’d survived. Her body shivered, but she held Marco as tight as she could. "They were kidnapping me. Someone shot the one named David and Henri let me go."

"I shot him," Marco said while holding her.

All of her body went stiff. Part of her wanted to hug him and the other part was terrified. What if he’d missed? Then she pulled him in for another hug. "But I was standing right there."

"I had a clear shot." He cradled her head.

The second David let her arms go and went slack behind her replayed in her mind. As she backed out of the hug, she glanced up. "Marco, how did you know?"

He reached for her hand and she felt a jolt rush through her. "I've been investigating Henri and Anise since yesterday." She inhaled but wasn't quite sure the exhale came out while he said, "I knew he went to a few meetings of the anarchists, but I hoped he'd choose a different path."

"Anarchists?" No government. "They don't believe in any government power and David Sirov was one of their leaders. He intended to murder you, on video."

Right. She patted her neckline and checked she was fine, everywhere. "I gathered it was going to be a show." Her arms might be bruised, but otherwise, she was fine. David was the one in the maze, dead. Her heartbeat began to normalize and she gained control. "Where are they now?"

"They move around so I’m not sure." Marco crossed his arms and stared ahead of him. She turned and saw that he paid attention to the news vans and reporters outside the black gate with gold trim. "Henri has hopefully gone to his group. I have my people tracking him."

She took a deep breath and realized this was it. If she was to be princess, she had to be strong and manage. Kristin was doing a phenomenal job and Renee needed to fully embrace her new role. She lifted her chin. "I'm thankful you are here."

Marco tried to take her hand and turn toward the castle, but she tugged it back without letting go. He said, "Let's get you inside, out of shot from the cameras that are surrounding the gate."

"No." She waved toward the news crew. "Let's go talk to the reporters."

His leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." She faced the direction of the gate.

He squeezed her hand and walked beside her. "Why?"

"I want to send a message that I'm not afraid." She met his gaze. Earlier she'd almost left him, and he shouldn't have to chase her to get her to stay. She'd have to learn to fight her battles and take those self-defense classes Kristin clearly practiced.

His walk became stiffer as they neared the gate. "You don't have to. We can go inside."

"I want to, Marco." She hugged his arm to her chest.

He motioned for the guards to open the gates. She stared ahead of them and into the video cameras and people with microphones in their hands. Marco's hold was like an anchor as she stepped into the limelight. "Hi. As you’ve probably heard, I just survived an attempted kidnapping from anarchists who intended to murder me."

The bright lights of cameras burned her eyes but she was conscious of keeping a confident expression on her face. One of the reporter’s voices was above the others. "Burn you alive or so the group said."

"Well that's a lovely visual." She looked at Marco, who stayed at her side, then spoke to the cameras again. "I wanted to assure everyone that I'm fine. The anarchists haven’t won."

Another reporter, this time a male voice, asked, "Were you afraid? Reports said last time you were in danger that you almost left our kingdom."

Which was why she had to be different now. She lifted her chin. "I was afraid, but now I trust that Marco will always keep me safe. He’s my hero."

There was a smattering of applause. A female voice yelled, "And when is the royal wedding?"

She took Marco’s hand, happy to answer that question. "We are having a quiet celebration tomorrow."

He took a step toward the gate and she followed. He waved and she did the same while he said, "Good afternoon, everyone." They walked through the gates arm in arm. "See, that was easy," he teased.

Off in the distance palace guards clustered in the maze and she assumed they were retrieving David’s body. "Are you sure you're okay?" He had shot someone to protect her. She motioned toward the guards. "I don't want you in any trouble."

"It’s my job, and my pleasure, to protect you." He helped her up the stairs of the veranda that led into the castle. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." She waited for the doors to open. "Now I just need to tell my mother and father to leave if they don't want to be happy for me."

They walked into the empty ballroom and Marco swung her around for a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." Her heart felt lighter. Nothing else mattered but this. They were in love. She had to remember this feeling and hold onto it when faced with adversity.