The Killer Queen ( Noella Briony ) novel Chapter 196

On the fifth floor, Palmer stood with his back to a sawed-off concrete pillar, where one false step meant a perilous tumble into the abyss below.

"Vocalist, you've got five minutes to make up your mind. Are you in or out?" sneered a member of the Westwood Mercenaries, their faces twisted with the anticipation of imminent victory on seeing Palmer’s lonely figure.

Lyra's heart pounded as she watched Palmer, trapped by a window on the fifth floor, isolated and alone.

Palmer was the picture of calm. There seemed to be a fresh cut across his handsome face so a streak of blood was trailing down his resolute cheek. That had made his gaze even more piercing and severe—a gaze that also carried coldness and malice.

Even now, cornered, he exuded that irresistible air of royalty.

If only Vocalist would agree to join them, he would be hers to command.

"You lot?" Palmer chuckled dismissively while methodically removing his watch and cufflinks and treating them like precious treasures as he stowed them away.

After securing his valuables, he rolled up his sleeves to reveal muscular forearms. His gun might be empty, but the thought they could easily capture him was pure fantasy.

Lyra grew anxious, "Just say yes, Vocalist, and we won't harm you today! We've got the Abyssal Organization blocked; they can't get to you!"

Palmer glanced at them with contempt, sending shivers down the spines of everyone present.

"Now men from Westwood Mercenary Corps are causing a ruckus, and the Shadow Dragon Society's got a death wish too? Or are you saying Yates and Arthur don't care for their lives anymore?"

The leader, clad in a military coat and chomping on a cigar, retorted, "Once you're dead, Yates and the old man will be safe."

Palmer shook his head and said with a mournful voice, "I was just planning to clean up the Shadow Dragon Society, but now it seems I'll have to take care of the Gruber family too."

Despite his loneliness, his icy gaze still made everyone hesitant to underestimate him.

"Take him out now!" Those mercenaries yelled.

Lyra shouted, "Just agree, Vocalist, and come back with us to the border. The Westwood Mercenaries will protect you!"

Then a cool, indifferent voice echoed from above.

"Who gave you that right? The Westwood Mercenary Corps?"

In shock, Lyra's head snapped up, just in time to see Noella leap from the sixth floor, landing gracefully and catching steadily by Palmer.

"Why are you here?" Palmer asked.

Nonchalantly, Noella handed Palmer a gun, "Heard your crew was held up, thought I'd see if you needed a hand."

'If you needed a hand', and that was the reason she came herself?

Palmer knew Noella must have been worried. A surge of untimely joy warmed his heart, prompting a smile he couldn't suppress.

Lyra, seeing the smile on Palmer's face—was dumbfounded. His smile was reserved for Noella, and that idea made her feel a surge of sour jealousy.

She glared at Noella venomously, "So, you're here too. Saves me the trouble of hunting you down. You really think the two of you can escape from us?"

Noella's contemptuous gaze made Lyra seem insignificant, like nothing more than a mayfly.

"Escape? That word doesn't exist in my dictionary."

Noella clapped her hands, and suddenly a thunderous explosion erupted from one of the buildings, which collapsed in a cloud of dust.

"Oops, my bad. Hit the wrong button. There are explosives in this building too, seems I armed the one next door."

"You laid explosives here? Aren't you afraid of getting caught?"

Noella shrugged, "Since you guys are bold enough to dig up public roads, what's stopping me?"

Besides, those explosives were leftovers from a bar they'd dismantled, planted by Thorpe. If anyone got in trouble with the authorities, it'd fall on Cerulean Whale, not them.

Suddenly, Noella aimed her sniper rifle at the leader of the Westwood Mercenaries and pulled the trigger.