Lindsay's eyes became wide and fearful when the door slid open and her stepbrother was roughly pushed inside, the one person she realized was probably her last hope of survival, or of ever being free again. Silently she watched as Ben left as quickly as he had arrived, surprised and worried that they appeared to be isolated together, and without any supervision. "Ethan?" she hissed, quickly rushing forward. "What have you done?"

"What I thought you wanted me to do!" Ethan yelled, his eyes moving frantically around the room. "Is this for real? The king actually does have a secret room within his bedchamber? How fucked up is that?"

"Ethan, shut up! That is hardly a concern now." Lindsay's eyes coldly assessed her stepbrother, not a doubt in her mind that he had screwed up her last chance to leave this place. The force that Ben had used to push Ethan into the room left her with no doubt. "How did Brian find out about you? Please tell me you weren't foolish enough to confront him!?"

Looking at his sister incredulously, Ethan lifted his hands in resignation. "What did you think I would do when I couldn't find you anywhere on the grounds? You have told me, repeatedly I might add, that the king was keeping your divorce secret, that he didn't want to flaunt his private life before the world. Why would I think that a threat of exposure wouldn't work?"

"Why? How about the simple fact that he can execute you on a whim?" Lindsay snapped, uncaring that she knew that Brian would never do that to anyone who was innocent. "I don't even need to hear the rest, Ethan. It's blatantly obvious! Now that Brian knows you had involvement in Jasmine's disappearance, whether directly or not, we are both doomed. It will be either prison or death!"

"Oh, I can answer that, my dear deceptive sister..." Ethan sneered. "You fucked up. If you'd told me the truth about everything, I would have proceeded differently. Not only have you lost the bankroll that you should have collected before returning Jasmine to him, but you have also now cost both of us our lives!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" she scoffed, her voice lowering to a degree that displayed her lack of confidence. "Brian can't have me executed. The children would never forgive him. Jasmine hasn't even met me. How could she accept Brian as her father if he killed her mother?"

Ethan rolled his eyes. "You are totally delusional! Mother? Really? We are the same. Cold, uncaring, and only seeing what benefits us. I warned you that this would backfire, that you shouldn't have opened your mouth about Jasmine until you got out of this country... but you wouldn't listen. It was all about tormenting the king. That certainly didn't last long, now did it?"

"I made a mistake, Ethan. I have carried this off for eight damn years and everything just caught up with me!" Lindsay began to pace, her mind racing, panic beginning to overtake her. "That fucking doctor has been bleeding me dry. I told you that. I think he only agreed to fake Jasmine's death in order to extort more money out of me. He's done a damn good job at it too. He ended up getting everything I had, and all that I could withdraw from Brian's credit cards. And still, he keeps asking for more!"

"He should have been killed!" Ethan snarled, blaming the doctor that he had met on a few occasions, for everything they faced now. "Maybe if you turned him over, the king would relent and only imprison us. It's the only chance we have now."

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders. "It's too late, Ethan. Brian will find the doctor without my help. Look how easily he found Jasmine! In fact, he will probably find him sooner than he realizes."

"How?" Ethan asked warily, having the feeling her answer would make everything even more hopeless.

"As a last resort to get that insane doctor off my back, I sent him one of my credit cards. It had a fifty thousand dollar credit limit on it. Brian had given it to me for emergencies when I travel. If it gets used and Brian is alerted, it will be a simple matter to extradite him. Then, he will have him..."

Ethan sat down on the closest chair, thinking if he didn't, he would soon collapse. "I guess you're right. It's over."

"It is, although there could be one last chance... a longshot of sorts." She smiled at her brother, malice in both her eyes and heart. "The children. I think Brian will give them a chance to see me, one last time. Gus will side with whatever his father decides. They are just that much alike. Gus has been groomed to be the future king. However, Jasmine is the weak link. She's never had a real mother." Lindsay laughed, desperation and hope in her eyes now. "I can play the part of the misunderstood mother that just became overwhelmed with the thoughts of twin children in this harsh environment. She must be confused and looking for where she truly belongs. I can play on that."

Ethan shook his head, admiration in his eyes. "You are one cold and manipulative bitch. It's one of the reasons I love you so much, sis. I guess prison would be better than the alternative. The best part will be watching the arrogant king forced into sparing our lives."

"Yes. That part will be sweet..." Lindsay agreed, not even close to being ready to give up, knowing while she still had breath left in her body, she would remain focused on continuing her cruel method of torture.

"Publicly?" Justin squawked. "Isn't that a little barbaric in the eyes of your people regarding a woman that they still perceive to be your wife?"

Brian shrugged indifferently. "It doesn't matter. I am damned by so many because of my father's policies and actions during his ruling. I will be conducting a public announcement sometime today that will reveal Lindsay's true status, and the crimes she has perpetrated against me. It will be done privately from my office, a video without any members of the press involved. I won't have this turning into a circus within these walls. Of course, the reporters will be hounding me and my advisors mercilessly afterward, but I will keep it away from my children as much as possible."

"It will still be hard to do, Brian. The press always seems to find a way..." Justin observed. "I still think you should take some time to process everything once Lindsay and Ethan are transported to the prison."

"I'm not going to change my mind, Justin. I can't, or I stand to lose face. I don't think I have to tell you that I have executed other criminals for far less. If I'm lax regarding my ex-wife, I will look like a weak-minded fool. I won't allow that to happen!" Brian answered with gritted teeth, rage swelling again at what Lindsay had caused with her vindictive actions. There was no way out now. His only concern was the reaction from his children, not only now, but in the years to come.

Justin nodded, realistically knowing there was no other option, but he kept thinking about the children, Jasmine especially. How would they respond over time? "I've taken enough of your time. I know you have things to do."

"When this is over, I am going to seclude us for a day... if not longer. I want to spend some time with you." Brian forced himself not to dwell on that particular idea. He knew that if he did, in the meantime, he'd go crazy. He wanted him so much. Not only wanted him but craved him in such an elemental way. He wanted this man at his mercy, unable to look at anything or anyone but him. "Get some rest now, Justin. I'm going to go at you like you've never imagined. I just need time to do it."

Provocatively, Justin ran his tongue over his lips, smiling at the man that he knew could always turn predatory in an instant. "I'll look forward to that, Your Highness." Standing to his feet, Justin moved toward the door, the teasing now gone, and now concern openly visible on his face. "I'm going to spend some time with my mom since she's leaving in the next few days; however, if you need anything, I'm here for you."

When Brian simply smiled and nodded in response, Justin turned the handle on the door, and slipped out of his office, a soft smile on his lips. He was totally in love with the primitive king. If he hadn't realized it before, he truly did now. His words were more than true. He was here for the beautiful desert ruler. Unless something changed and Brian sent him away, which he hoped he never did, he would always be here for him.

Brian stepped into the tower room, his heart uncharacteristically heavy, aching over what he needed to tell the child that he had only just met. Once he walked further into the room, he was amazed by what he saw. Michael and Jasmine were sitting at the table playing a board game. If he wasn't mistaken, it was Monopoly. Where did Michael find that? He knew it hadn't been in this room previously. Brian assumed it had to have been from his room.

Clearing his throat, he smiled warmly at each of them, his eyes softening the most when they rested on his beautiful child, relieved when she didn't immediately tense up from his presence, but instead, she grinned at him. "I would ask you to join us, Your Highness, but I'm whipping Michael badly. I don't want to risk it."

He burst out with unexpected laughter, the last thing he would have thought could possibly occur at the start of this particular visit. Brian leaned forward, speaking in a mock whisper, wanting both of them to hear you. "I'll tell you a secret, Jasmine... it's been years since I've played. I don't think I would stand a chance."

Jasmine pursed her lips, nodding in response. "Hmm, that's good to know. It's not every day that a kid can beat a king at something."

Michael laughed, looking back and forth between them. Damn if she wasn't her father's daughter. He was completely flabbergasted and had been since Justin had introduced them. He about jumped when she demanded an answer from the king. Wow, he continued to think to himself. She was going to have this household standing at attention once she was really comfortable. He couldn't wait to see it.

"Where's Justin?" she asked abruptly. Casting accusing eyes at the king, she forcefully stated, "He was about to play with us before he got called away."

"I'm sorry, Jasmine. I needed him." Brian sat down at the table, staring anxiously at his child, uncertain how to approach her now. "Michael, could you give us some time alone? There is something I need to discuss with my daughter."

Jasmine's eyes widened, at once thinking she was in trouble for speaking her mind. "Uhhh, I'm sorry if I was rude. I am very bad at holding back."

Michael grunted as he stood to his feet. "You come upon that naturally, princess."

Brian was set to reprimand Michael but paused to look at how Jasmine responded to Michael's slip of the tongue. He wasn't certain if it had been meant as an endearment, or if it was a proper address. Either would be fine, but he wasn't certain Jasmine was ready to hear that. "If you could call down to the stables and have Gus sent up; I need to speak with him too."

"Okay, shall I have him go to his rooms?" Michael asked, totally lost at how he would handle that, now that he was here with Jasmine, and they hadn't met as of yet.

"Yes, that will be fine, Michael. Thank you for everything. You have been tremendously helpful."

"Think nothing of it, Your Highness. I love Gus." He smiled warmly at Jasmine, unable to believe the turn of events that brought her home, Lindsay's treachery never ceasing to amaze him. "I know I will feel the same about your daughter as well."

Jasmine looked down with a slight blush on her face. She didn't know what to think about these people. The king was nothing like she would have expected, and the people that surrounded him were so kind and attentive. She didn't know life could be like this. "Umm, could you bring my brother here instead?"

Both men looked at Jasmine, neither of them expecting the request. The king spoke up to ask, "Are you sure? I don't want to rush you into anything."

"I'm positive. I didn't think I was ready, but waiting isn't going to make me more ready."

Brian shook his head, unable to fathom how his daughter was so mature at such a young age. He realized Gus was the same, and in a way, he regretted that. At this age they needed to be having fun, experiencing all that he could provide for them. He couldn't help wondering if they could somehow change that. One thing was for certain. Brian knew he was going to try. "Okay then, Michael. Have Gus brought to the tower room. It's time for the twins to officially meet."

TBC