He wasn’t sure what the king’s motivations were to put his family’s section of the royal agreement on display, but whatever it was, he hoped it didn’t backfire.

Unwilling to wait any longer, Levi hit the button to call Janessa again.

Janessa answered on the second ring. “Levi. I was about to call you.”

“What’s the latest?”

“You were right. Dimitri Breuer was going for the display from Sereno,” Janessa said. “He tried to sneak into the museum with the caterers.”

“Then he was apprehended?”

“Yes. He isn’t talking, but Jeremy and Noelle will work on tracing his funding. I’m sure someone of his reputation insisted on being paid something up front.”

Relieved that the theft had been averted, Levi lay back and watched the tiles on the hospital ceiling pass by. “I think King Alejandro can give them an idea of where to start looking.”

“King Eduard is speaking to him now.” Janessa paused, and then continued with a new sense of urgency. “I just heard there was a shooting in Sereno. Are you okay?”

A nurse approached. “Sir, you need to put your phone away. We need to take some X-rays.”

“Levi?” Janessa asked.

“Cassandra is fine. We’re waiting to find out about the guards who were injured.”

“And you?”

The nurse reached for the phone. “Sir, I must insist.”

“Sorry, Janessa. I’ve got to go.”

“Levi—”

Knowing Janessa could be every bit as forceful as the nurse currently standing by his side, Levi said, “Bullet to the leg. I’ll be fine.” Before he could say anything further, the nurse snatched his phone from his hand and hung up on Janessa. “Do you realize you just hung up on a princess?”

The nurse glanced at the phone for a brief moment as though second-guessing herself. Then she seemed to shake off any uncertainty. “If she were here, I’m sure the princess would want you to get treated as soon as possible.”

Levi’s mind immediately jumped from his friend the princess to the princess he loved. “I’m sure you’re right.”

CHAPTER 46

Levi hadn’t found a dungeon in the palace during his security analysis, but when his nurse, Ivan, pushed his wheelchair into the palace, Levi wondered if that was where he was headed. Why else would the royal family invite a known spy into their home?

His suspicions had risen steadily since learning he was being released from the hospital only hours after being treated for a bullet wound.

He had been fortunate the bullet had missed bone. The exit wound would leave a nasty scar, but from everything the doctor had said, Levi could expect a full recovery. Thankfully, the pain in his shoulder had subsided despite the nasty bruise his impact with the ground had left behind.

A butler greeted them in the main hall and escorted them to the apartment that had been his home for the past few weeks.

“Mr. Marin, your luggage has been stored in your closet. If you wish assistance in unpacking, I’m happy to take care of it.”