She lifted her chin. “I object to being used by anyone, Mr. Naldona. I think you'll find it's more bother than it's worth to try to force me to do anything.”
“You're very brave,” Naldona said silkily. “Perhaps you think that because your brother indulged your little pranks, we will do the same? We will use you as we please. I think a princess might do as well as a king under the circumstances, don't you, Sandor?”
“You know what I think,” Karpathan said curtly. “It's the height of madness. You can't get away with that kind of barbarism today. We're not in czarist Russia and she's not a Romanov.”
“But an example is needed to make the world take us seriously.” Naldona's dark eyes were burning feverishly in his hollow-cheeked face.
“That was Idi Amin's philosophy and I can't see that he earned any great amount of respect or admiration,” Karpathan said dryly. “Butchery seldom earns you anything but an eventual one-way ticket out of power.”
Butchery. Romanovs. Kira felt the blood freeze in her veins. They were talking about assassination. “Murder,” she whispered.
“Justice,” Naldona corrected.
She shook her head. “Stefan may have been guilty of oppression and of allowing certain inequities, but he wasn't a murderer.”
“Autocrats like your brother murder hope and initiative among the people,” Naldona snapped. “It can amount to the same thing.”
“An action like the one you're contemplating would foster sympathy and support for Stefan from countries outside Tamrovia,” Karpathan said. “We don't want that.”
“Not if it's handled correctly.” Naldona shrugged. “A mob is the easiest thing in the world to arouse if one knows how to go about it. Then we'd only be guilty of not being able to protect her from the righteous wrath of the people.”
“No,” Karpathan said flatly.
Kira felt a surge of relief that made her knees weak.
Naldona's eyes narrowed on Karpathan's face. “You forget you're no longer in control here, Sandor. You've proved very helpful, but don't push me.”
Karpathan's expression was inscrutable as he met Naldona's gaze. Then he glanced away. “It's not worth quarreling about. Do as you wish.”
Murder her he meant, Kira thought with sick horror. So casual. Her death wasn't worth bothering about. “You're both monsters.”
Naldona's smile was almost cheerful. “It's all in the perspective. To some, we'll be known as the saviors of our country.” He started across the room toward the door. “She'll have to be transferred from the palace to a more accessible spot. It mustn't look as if we have any direct connection with this. It will just be a spontaneous outpouring of national feeling. I'll call the guard.”
“You do that,” Karpathan murmured lazily. He was moving around the desk toward Naldona with the swift, silent stealth of a panther.
“I'm glad you're being reasonable,” Naldona was saying as he reached for the knob of the door. “We have to stand together on all things, Sandor. Once you've thought about it, I'm sure-”
Karpathan's karate chop to the back of Naldona's neck dropped him like a stone. Kira watched numbly as he fell heavily to the Aubusson carpet. It was no more astounding than anything else that had happened since she had opened the door of her suite to find the hall crowded with soldiers.
“Don't just stand there,” Karpathan said harshly as he took her elbow and pushed her toward the door. “He's not dead and he won't be unconscious indefinitely. Do you like the idea of being torn apart by a mob? Naldona has the rhetorical skill of a fallen angel, if you remember.”
“I remember.” She shook her head to clear it. “But why should I trust you any more than I do him? It's clear you're in this plot as deeply as your friend here.”
“He's not my friend. There was a time when I thought he might become one, but…” Karpathan shrugged. “Water under the bridge. He doesn't want the same things I do for Tamrovia and we've come to a parting of the ways. I assure you that you're far safer with me than with him.”
“Really? You played Judas to Stefan, and I haven't the slightest doubt you masterminded this revolution.”
He bowed mockingly. “Thank you for your faith in my intellectual capability. I did mastermind it, as a matter of fact.” His glance was suddenly razor sharp. “As for playing Judas, I'd do it again if I thought it was necessary. I did think there was a chance I'd be able to manipulate Stefan into effecting radical enough changes so that all this might not have had to become a reality. Unfortunately, it was taking too long for Naldona to tolerate.” His face became somber. “Naldona's not the man I thought he was. If I let him take control now, it would mean a reign of terror.”
“Why would he want-”
“Look, we don't have time for this. I'd very much like to get you out of here with your skin intact, but unless we hurry, it might not be possible.” His eyes glittered fiercely. “Yes, I'm a revolutionary and I'm going to do everything in my power to make this country a republic. However, I'm neither a warmonger nor a Marxist, and Naldona is both, as I've only recently discovered.” As he met her still suspicious gaze the fierceness faded and weariness replaced it. “Kira, I like you. I've always liked you. I've even tried to help you whenever possible. Who do you think persuaded Stefan to give Marna quarters in the palace instead of imprisoning her?”
“Yet you were going to have her transferred to the prison. Stefan told me you'd convinced him to do it, the night we escaped.”
He shook his head. “I knew you'd come back to help her escape. Her guards were in my pay. When Damon's men offered them a bribe they came to me.” He paused. “I told them to take it. Time was running out, though, and I had to get you to move fast. You had to be out of the palace by the time Naldona arrived. I was to cut all the communication lines and take over the palace the night of the reception. It wasn't until after I had made the suggestion to Stefan about transferring Marna that one of the guards came to me and told me you'd already made plans to free her during the reception.” He suddenly smiled with beguiling warmth. “It was a brilliant escape, by the way. It was as if you'd faded into the woodwork.”
Kira felt an answering smile tug at her lips. “In a manner of speaking, that was what we did… Sandor.”
“Ah, a break in the wall of your suspicion at last,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Now, if you'll just cooperate a little further and tell me how you manage to get in and out of the palace without being seen, we just might get out of here alive, sweet cousin.”
She hesitated and then said slowly, “There's a secret passage in my suite that leads under the front gate about a quarter of a mile into the woods and exits into a small cave.”
“Good! Then we may have a chance.” He cast a quick glance at Naldona. “He's still not stirring.” His hand tightened on her elbow. “You're my prisoner, understand? Most of these soldiers are men Naldona brought with him from his base and they won't take my orders. Naldona has made sure there won't be any division of loyalty in his personal aides.” He opened the door. “Try to look frightened and properly chastened, will you? It will be expected.”
“That won't be a chore,” Kira said ruefully. “My knees haven't stopped shaking since I stepped into this room.”
“I wouldn't have known it,” he said with surprising gentleness. “You're a very brave lady, Kira.”