The Unshackled Queen: Never Say Never by Gilbert Soysal

“You don’t have to worry about me, I’m fine,” Bryson said in a hurried voice.

The line went dead before Hannah could answer.

She gripped the phone, the plastic slick with cold sweat.

His last, muffled voice echoed in her mind, a chilling whisper in the face of uncertainty.

Belief in him warred with a gnawing fear that things would go terribly wrong.

The leaden sky outside mirrored her mood, casting long shadows across the room.

She took a shaky breath, her gaze falling on the half-packed suitcase sprawled on the bed.

Bryson’s location remained a mystery, but at least he was alive, a faint echo in the vastness.

The Queen Elizabeth awaited.

She had to go now.

Miles away, Bryson leaned against the headboard of the rough wooden bed, the starkness of the room mirroring the turmoil within him.

He met the gaze of the intruder with a weary lift of his hand.

“Have they found us?” he rasped, his voice dry as desert sand.

“No,” came the calm reply.

Caleb, his face a mask of stoicism, set down a medical bag.

“There’s a special medical team on board but Rodrigo Wilde’s men are scouring the ship for the injured.

we just got

”

Bryson’s brow furrowed.

“The plan failed then?”

voice steady as

Lieutenant

But Mr.

Mitchell.

”

voice faltered, a flicker of guilt crossing

“It was my fault.

paid the price for my

could have gotten

”

as Caleb administered a shot, the sting of pain

see our faces,” he said, his

“Newfort awaits.

must be sweating

won’t

”

we should find another place to hide for

use more time

”

“No,” Bryson countered.

time, only delay

His gaze, sharp as

in our name, Caleb, sullying our name

blind eye to this festering wound