I bit my lower lip, settling back into the seat. We had a long flight in store, and no idea where we were going. My stomach twisted into a tighter and tighter knot as we continued our journey.
After hours of flying, Alex’s phone chimed. My heart skipped a beat as he dug it from his pocket.
I didn’t know what it meant, but I prepared myself for bad news. “What is it?”
“Looks like she’s stopped. Or at least slowed significantly,” Alex answered, narrowing his eyes at his screen.
“Where?” was the only word I could croak out.
Alex wrinkled his nose. “Some tiny speck of a country close to Russia.”
“Can you be more specific, babe? I’d like to do a little recon.”
“Uhhh, hold on.” Alex tapped on his screen a few times before he puckered his lips. “Belvaria.”
“Belvaria,” Ava murmured as she typed it into her phone. “Uh, Belvaria is an Eastern European constitutional monarchy located at the crossroads of Eastern and Central Europe, bordered by Drakovia, Morscana, and Eldoria. Known for its rich history, royal traditions, and a complex political landscape, Belvaria is a nation where modernity and heritage coexist.
“Its capital city, Lyonestra, is renowned for its ornate architecture, vibrant cultural scene, and its historic palace, which serves as the official residence of the royal family?—"
The communication system in the plane dinged before the pilot spoke. “It appears the other plane landed in Lyonestra.We’re requesting permission to land there as soon as we’re in Belvarian airspace.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, my mind spiraling out of control. “What is she doing in Belvaria?”
“That’s a good question, Doc,” Ava answered. “Hopefully, we’ll have the answer in less than an hour.”
I slouched down, settling into my seat for what would befartoo long of a wait for my taste. I bit into my thumbnail until I finally felt us descending.
I glanced out the window at the landscape below and the buildings of what I assumed to be Lyonestra in the distance.
We raced toward them as the pilots told us to buckle in for our landing.
My knee bobbed up and down until the wheels smacked against the ground, bouncing before we finally touched down and slowed.
I unbuckled my seat belt. “Please tell me you are still able to follow her phone here and find her.”
“Yeah, I should be able to,” Alex said. “We need to call for a car or something so we can follow her.”
As the engines wound down, I leapt from my seat, ready to race into the world of Belvaria.
The flight attendant scurried to open the door for us, but we never made it out of the plane. Before we could take a step, a loud thud echoed through the plane as boots pounded up the steps. My stomach turned as I caught the glint of sunlight off polished rifles. The officers moved with precision, their faces unreadable as their dark uniforms blended into the shadows of the cabin.
“Hands up,” they said, their accents almost sounding Russian or at least Eastern European.
“Whoa,” Alex said, raising his hands in the air, “what’s going on here?”
“That’s the question we have for you, Mr. Stone. Now, on your knees, hands behind your head. You are all under arrest.”
I dropped to my knees, my hands shaking as I laced them behind my head. What had we walked into? Were we trespassing, or was this something worse? My mind spun with possibilities, each one darker than the last. And Nattie—was she in on this? Or was she in even more trouble than I realized?
CHAPTER 14
NATASHA
The plane’s wheels bounced off the runway below us as a mix of emotions swirled within me. My excitement to be in my home country was tempered by the loss of my new ally–a man I was quickly developing feelings for.
Leaving Kyle unconscious on that beach had been like a knife to my gut, and I still hadn’t recovered from it.
My eyes narrowed at my sister who stared at her phone, one leg casually draped over the arm of the chair, her leather boot swinging in the air.
