Chapter 198

Alexander Blackwood felt a knot of unease tighten in his stomach. He never expected Evelyn Carter to succeed where seasoned chemists with decades of experience had failed. All he could hope for now was that she could buy them more time.

"The contaminated mixture contains sodium and a compound resembling rubidium," she murmured, her fingers deftly adjusting the equipment. "But rubidium is volatile—exposure to air or water triggers an explosion."

She exhaled sharply, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "This is unlike anything I've encountered before. I need more time to analyze it."

The men around her exchanged skeptical glances, their distrust palpable. Some of their gazes lingered too long on her figure, making her skin crawl.

Evelyn clenched her jaw. She needed to prove herself—fast.

Scooping a small portion of the powder, she sealed it in a vial, then added a stabilizing agent before heating it. Her movements were precise, almost clinical.

Then, she dropped the treated powder into water.

The men flinched, bracing for an explosion that never came.

Alexander's eyes widened in disbelief.

Donovan Sharpe let out a booming laugh, clapping his hands. "No wonder you're from Solterra! You fixed it in minutes!"

Evelyn shot Alexander a nervous glance. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, his expression unreadable.

Swallowing hard, she forced a cautious tone. "I've neutralized the water reaction, but this substance is still lethally toxic. One breath could kill you."

The bald drug lord sauntered toward her, and she instinctively stepped back. He smirked, patting her cheek with rough fingers. "Pretty thing, if you can purify all two tons of this, I'll not only let you go—I'll pay you handsomely. Or, if you'd rather stay…" His grin turned predatory.

Evelyn forced a stiff nod. "Thank you."

Then—gunfire erupted outside.

Her pulse skyrocketed. The men scrambled for their weapons, shouting orders.

Alexander shoved a pistol into her hands, his voice low and urgent. "If anyone threatens you, shoot. No hesitation."

Her fingers trembled around the grip. "Is Liam here? Did Aldenria send forces?"

He pulled her toward the exit. "It might be him—but it's definitely not Aldenrian military."

Her stomach dropped. Had Liam come alone? Had he walked into a death trap?

Outside, smoke choked the air. Bullets whizzed past, the relentless gunfire deafening.

Donovan and his men charged into the fray.

One of them barked at Alexander, "Where's your weapon?"

"Who's attacking?" Alexander demanded.

"Mercenaries."

A smirk tugged at his lips. So, Liam had hired outside forces.

Alexander was almost impressed by the lengths his brother would go for Evelyn.

He dragged her to a nearby shack, shoving her into a cramped closet. "Stay alive, Cassandra," he ordered, his voice grim.

"Where are you going?" she cried.

He didn’t answer. The door slammed shut, plunging her into darkness.

Alone, Evelyn pressed a hand to her racing heart. The gunfire outside was relentless, each shot sending a fresh wave of terror through her.

She was drenched in sweat, tears pricking her eyes. How had she ended up in the middle of a warzone?

Her mind raced—was Alexander safe? Was Liam?

The battle raged on, stretching into the night.