The Killer Queen ( Noella Briony ) novel Chapter 177

Lyra glared at Palmer with a mix of disbelief and indignation. “Who is she? Do you really have a fiancée already?”

Palmer looked up, meeting Lyra’s incredulous eyes. “And you are?”

Lyra’s jaw dropped. He had forgotten her? This couldn’t be happening!

“Look, if this lady is strong-arming you, just give me the word, and I'll help you to...”

Palmer immediately raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his face a picture of desperate pleading. “Noella, I swear I don’t know her!”

Noella gave a nonchalant nod. “Am I strong-arming you?”

“Only in my dreams. When would my fiancée like to strong-arm me? And with what?”

A blush crept onto Noella's cheeks as she stared at Palmer, confused. “Have you lost your mind? If she’s here for you, you deal with it.”

“I’ll need my fiancée here to watch.”

Grabbing Noella’s hand, Palmer looked up at Lyra. “Are you with Westwood Mercenary Corps?”

Only the mercenaries from Westwood were known to sport camo gear in this area, and judging by this woman’s attire and the dagger at her waist, she was likely one of them.

Lyra nodded vigorously, hoping against hope that Palmer would remember her. “Yes, I’m Lyra from Westwood Mercenary Corps. I saved you once, remember?”

Mentioning that supposed act of heroism only made Palmer’s expression all the more enigmatic.

For a brief moment long ago, he had indeed thought it was Lyra who had saved him. But after seeing her handle a gun, he realized she was nothing but a glory-thief. The true savior had a grace with firearms that was simply unforgettable.

Palmer drew his own sidearm from his waist, clicked off the safety, and handed it to Noella.

“What’s this for?” she asked, puzzled.

“There’s a bird in that tree I’d like. Care to shoot it down for me?”

His gaze was fixed on a tree behind Lyra, where several of Xavier’s prized Emerald Birds, with their lustrous green feathers perfect for courtly attire in days long gone, perched among the leaves. A hairpin made of those feathers would look stunning in his girl’s hair.

He was tired of seeing Noella wear the trinket from other men; he wanted her adorned with gifts solely from him.

Noella glanced at Palmer, then raised the gun, aiming past Lyra. Before Lyra could even grasp what was happening, the shot rang out, and the bird plummeted to the ground.

Xavier felt like his heart was bleeding money. “That bird cost me a fortune! Palmer, you and I are done!”

Lyra screamed. “She shot at me!”

Did this woman not fear retribution within the confines of Lockhart Prison?

Palmer looked at Lyra with icy eyes. “The person who saved me had far superior aim than you.”

That very shot had ended a drug lord’s reign and snatched him from death’s grip. Not even the entire Westwood Mercenary Corps could boast a marksman of that caliber.

“You’ve lied to me, and I don’t care. I never trusted you. But if you disrespect my fiancée, I will get rid of the entire Westwood Mercenary Corps.”

It dawned on Lyra that Palmer had known all along she wasn’t his savior.

How did he find out? And this woman, how was she such an excellent shot? Why hadn’t she heard of a woman with such skill in Lockhart Prison?

Lyra brushed her hair behind her ear and turned to Xavier. “People can just shoot guns on your turf, Xavier? Seems like they don’t take you seriously.”