Tears rolled harder as the phone went to voicemail. “Zain, you’re not safe,” Mila whispered. “You have to call me back.”
She hung up the phone and then called Abby. Voicemail. Panic was clawing at her. Mila had to get hold of someone, but first she had to get out of there. She hung up the phone and took a chance to turn on the light. She looked around the small room and opened all the drawers of the desk. She almost cried out in joy at the sight of an ancient telephone book. She looked up a number and dialed.
“Blossom Café, this is Zinnia.”
“Zinnia, this is Mila Thiessen, and I desperately need Anton’s phone number.”
“Sure thing, hon. But he’s actually here. I can get him for you if you need.”
“Yes, please,” Mila said as her breath came quickly.
“Are you okay, hon?” Zinnia asked quietly. “You sound as if you’re in trouble.”
“I just need Anton,” Mila said as she struggled to keep it together.
“Hold on, hon.” She heard the phone being covered by Zinnia’s hand. After what seemed a lifetime, Anton’s French-accented voice came on over the phone.
“Mila? What is it, dear?”
“They’re going to kill Zain and the royal family,” Mila blurted out before tears overtook her.
“Where are you?”
“I’m stuck in the secret room in the library. I overheard them. They’re even going to go after the women in the family, too.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. But I don’t know if they’re still in the library. I tried to call Zain, but he didn’t answer. And I tried Abby; she didn’t answer either. Help me,” Mila pleaded.
“Don’t move. I’m coming, dear. Boys, I need you.” And then the line went dead. Mila moved to the couch and kept her hand pressed against her mouth to prevent the sobs from being heard. What could boys do to help her? Anton was going to walk in on the plotters and be killed. It was going to be all her fault.
She didn’t know how long she sat there straining to hear anything. But then suddenly the door slid open. Mila shrieked but then Anton’s kindly old face peered in. “You’re safe, ma chérie. Come on out.”
Mila stood on wobbly legs and took Anton’s hand. She stepped cautiously out into the library and found it full of young men. The door to the library was closed and the key was in the lock.
“Ma chérie, these boys are here to help. Kale has gone to get Abigail. They will meet us here shortly,” Anton explained as he kept patting her hand.
Mila looked at the five young men, all in their early twenties. Two looked similar.
“Mila, meet the boys.” Anton waved his hand and the men stepped closer. The one who looked the oldest stepped forward. He had kind hazel eyes and light brown hair. “I’m Jace Davies. It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“Thank you. Who is your sibling?” Mila asked. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him.
“I believe you know my brother, Dylan.” He smiled when Mila’s eyes went round. That wasn’t who she was thinking about. Dylan was all muscled scariness. This man was broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped, and well, nice. “I get that a lot. You probably also saw my younger sister, Cassidy, at the café. Then my oldest sister, Piper, will be here tomorrow to talk about the nanotech lab.”
Mila nodded her head. “Yes, you and Cassidy have the same kind smile.”
“And we’re Porter and Parker Davies,” the twin who claimed to be Porter said. “Reagan and Riley are our sisters. Don’t hold that against us.” If Reagan and Riley took after their mother, then Porter and Parker must have taken after their father. They were tall and had muscled arms that looked as if they tossed bales of hay for fun. Instead of the red hair of their sisters, they had dark brown hair. Although it seemed most of these Davies had the same hazel eyes. Parker’s had a little more green than Porter's.
The other two boys stepped forward. They didn’t look alike and one looked a little older than the other. “Hi. I’m Colton Davies,” the man with dark, golden-brown hair who looked like a football player said. “And this is my younger brother, Landon.”
Landon stepped forward and shook her hand. His hair was lighter brown with deep red highlights. His eyes were deep green and surprisingly mature for someone so young. “What can we do to help you?”
Mila opened her mouth but let out a strangled squeak when there was a knock on the door. “It’s Abby,” came a harsh whisper as Jace went to unlock the door. Abby and Kale came barreling into the room. Abby look exhausted and pissed. “What the hell is going on? I wake up to a missed call from Mila and a demand from my father to meet him immediately. Then Kale is dragging me from bed and just about killed me when he narrowly missed hitting a horse at a hundred miles per hour to get me here.”
“That’s what we are here to find out. Mila called Anton and needs help,” Jace said calmly before turning and giving Mila an encouraging smile. “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on?”
Mila took a deep breath and felt the tears start to press against her eyelids. She started at the beginning about how she was supposed to meet Zain in the library after the farm tour. She told them about Nikki, about being fired, and about overhearing the plot against the Ali Rahmans. She told them of her narrow escape into the secret room and how she tried to call Zain, but he didn’t answer. Same with Abby, and well, here they were.
The group was quiet for a moment, but it was Abby who broke the silence. “We need to warn them. Kale, stick to Dani like glue. Tell Mom. She’ll help. Porter and Parker, you two can climb anything. I want you to grab your hunting rifles and take positions on each side of the house as high up as you can get. I want to know every movement that’s made—who comes and who goes. I’ll email you the security package I have with everyone’s photo and title. Text me every time someone is outside. Colton and Landon, raid your parents’ not-so-secret gunroom and watch Mila here. Zain loves her, and if they know that, then Mila’s in danger, too. Jace, find your brother and fill him in and then help out wherever you’re needed. I’m going to call Ariana and get her to one of the embassies in Switzerland.”
“Switzerland? Zain’s sister is in Switzerland?” Mila asked as she grabbed Abby’s arm.
“Yes. Just for this week, though. Then she’s off to another country.”
“Wait. Whoever I heard was speaking Arabic. They could be from Rahmi, Saudi Arabia, Surman, or Tahjad. I’ve heard the guards talk and it seems all the dialects from the countries are similar variants of Arabic. Right?” When Abby nodded, Mila continued. “So, if they’re after her, then they would post someone at the Rahmi embassy and which other one?” Mila asked as a plan developed.
“The United States,” Landon said.
“So she needs to go somewhere else, but who would take her in?” Parker asked.
“Germany will,” Mila smiled.
“I’m pretty sure we’re on unsteady terms with Germany right now. At least that’s what it sounds like from what you told us,” Colton said.
“But it’s not Germany who will protect her. It’s my father. My father is the German deputy ambassador in Switzerland. And as a friend of the family, she can stay there with the full protection of Germany with very few questions.”
Abby smiled. “I like it. Call your father. Can someone get hold of Gabe?”
“I’ll call him on the way to my parents,” Landon said. “Colton, you stay with Mila. I’ll be back soon.”
“We have a plan. It’s very possible Surman is behind this. Keep your eyes on the queen and your ears open at all times. Text if anything seems off. I’ll call Ariana and then go talk to my dad to get him up to speed.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN