His mind raced, searching for options. Did he wait for the shooter, knowing Cassie could be bleeding to death in the grass a few meters away? Should he spray the last of his bullets into the bushes in the hope he hit the assassin even knowing that if he failed, he and Cassie would both die?

The possibilities swirled through his mind. In the distance, the hum of a golf cart broke through the silence. Help was coming. Would it arrive in time? Or was it already too late?

A footstep against the dirt was followed by another.

Levi’s heartbeat quickened, his anticipation overshadowing the throbbing in his shoulder and the tightness centered in his thigh. He didn’t move, willing the shooter to continue toward him, praying the intruder wouldn’t shoot him again.

In his mind, he visualized how many steps it would take for the shooter to expose himself. Four? Maybe five?

A countdown started in his head. Another step. One. Then another. Two.

The muscles in Levi’s arms tightened in anticipation of springing into action.

A gunshot rang out. It took a split second for Levi to realize that it had come from Cassie’s direction. Hope leapt within him.

He pushed to a stand, but his right leg buckled as he squeezed the trigger.

The shooter took aim and shot. Levi fell back to the ground, a bullet impacting the dirt inches from him.

He rolled and aimed, but this time, he took the split second necessary to anticipate his adversary. He squeezed off another shot, a second gun firing almost in unison with his.

Levi didn’t know whose bullet hit the mark, but the shooter’s arm jerked back when he took a hit in the shoulder. Despite the injury, the man raised his gun again.

Before he could take aim, Levi fired two more shots, and the man in front of him dropped to the ground.

* * *

“Levi!” Cassie pushed herself up just as a hand grabbed her from behind.

“Your Highness, we have to get you to safety.”

Cassie looked at the guard who held her arm. “I need to make sure Levi is okay.”

A second guard moved past her, shielding her from Levi and the attacker who lay on the ground. “I’ll check on them. You get her to the palace.”

The man holding her arm tugged on Cassie, leaving her no choice but to follow or fall down.

Cassie took a few backward steps, her concern for Levi giving her a new resolve. “Let go of me. I can walk on my own.”

“Your Highness, the king insisted we bring you to safety.”

Cassie stepped behind a tree. “I’ll wait here, but I’m not leaving until I know if Levi is okay.” She motioned to the shooter. “And I want your assurance that the man over there isn’t going to harm anyone else.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The guard didn’t leave her side, but he called out to his partner. “What’s the status on those two?”