Chapter 12 - THE NIGHT THE PALACE BURNED
Leo found Rovan first.
He entered the west corridor bleeding from the forehead.
Rovan aimed at him.
Leo raised his hands.
“You can shoot me later.”
Rovan didn’t lower the gun.
“Tempting.”
“Alina?”
“Marcus has her.”
Leo stared.
“You trusted the American?”
“He has a plane.”
“Fair.”
Gunfire erupted downstairs.
Darek’s loyalists had entered through the chapel tunnel.
Palace guards were splitting.
Some followed Stefan.
Others refused orders.
Alina and Marcus reached the grand staircase just as Leo appeared above them.
Alina pointed her gun at him.
He stopped.
Marcus whispered, “This feels like a family issue.”
Leo looked at his sister.
“I’m sorry.”
“Not enough.”
“I know.”
“Did you know Stefan killed them?”
“No.”
“Did you betray me tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Leo swallowed.
“Because he threatened to execute two hundred political prisoners if I didn’t.”
Alina lowered the gun slightly.
“You could have told me.”
“He watches everything.”
“Not everything.”
Leo stepped closer.
“You came back.”
She hated that tears were forming.
“This does not mean I forgive you.”
“I know.”
“You changed the motorcade route.”
“I know.”
“You will answer for that.”
“I know.”
Alina finally lowered the weapon.
“But first we stop Stefan.”
Leo nodded.
They moved toward the broadcasting room.
The coronation was scheduled for noon.
Thousands had already gathered outside the palace.
Television crews filled the square.
If they could put Project Crownfall on every screen, Stefan was finished.
Daniel had remotely prepared the files.
Marcus connected the drive.
“Upload starting.”
Twenty percent.
Thirty.
Footsteps.
Rovan locked the door.
Fifty.
Gunfire punched through it.
Darek returned fire.
Seventy.
Alina looked at Leo.
“If we survive this, you don’t become king.”
Leo laughed once.
“I was about to say the same thing to you.”
Eighty-five.
The door shattered.
Stefan’s soldiers stormed in.
Rovan was hit.
“GENERAL!”
He fell.
Alina fired.
Marcus dragged Rovan behind the console.
Ninety-two percent.
Leo took a rifle.
Ninety-seven.
A bullet destroyed the computer monitor.
Marcus shouted, “Did it upload?”
Nobody knew.
Then every screen in the palace went black.
Outside, the giant coronation displays went dark.
Stefan’s face appeared.
Live.
He stood on the palace balcony.
“My fellow citizens. Terrorists have attacked your royal family.”
Alina’s stomach dropped.
May you like
Then Stefan smiled into the camera.
“And Princess Alina is leading them.”
