A death that wasn’t what it seemed ... A kidnapping that isn’t what it seems ... Time is running out.<br><br>The morning after his wedding night, Prince Marcelo thought he’d be embarking on a journey to his own personal fairytale happily ever after with his husband Efren, the crown prince of Zioneven. But when news arrives indicating his sister’s death wasn’t as accidental as previously thought, that journey becomes fraught with danger.<br><br>Enmeshed in political intrigue, death, and a kidnapping that might not be what it seems, will Efren untangle the web of misleading clues in time to save the na?ve young man he’s already come to admire? Or will Marcelo dig deep to discover a previously untapped inner strength and determination to facilitate his own survival?

The Best-Laid Plans

This was assuming the man would alight from his seat on the bench on the same side that the voice had come from, the side where Marcelo’s feet were, the left side if facing forward. If so, then Marcelo was well positioned for that maneuver.


Marcelo closed his eyes to concentrate, again practicing the mechanics of the actions in his mind. He’d have to aim for the neck, up and under the man’s chin. The softer parts of the driver’s torso would be protected by the side of the wagon. He had a much smaller target to aim for this time and no time at all to zero in with care.


The wagon slowed and curved again, and something—bushes?—scraped along the side by Marcelo’s head as the wagon jarred to a stop. The man would have to alight on the other side, as Marcelo had hoped.


Chapter 23