The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 845

Callahan studied Payton intently. Truth be told, when he first laid eyes on the man, he never would have guessed this was the martial arts expert who had taught Leilani self-defense.

But hearing Payton speak now, it was clear he had been quite the formidable figure before his accident.

How had Leilani crossed paths with someone like him? And how had they built such a profound connection in such a short amount of time?

Questions swirled in Callahan's mind, but he knew this wasn't the time to ask them.

Seeming to sense Callahan's unvoiced surprise, Payton nodded calmly, completely unfazed by the dissonance between his current reality—a man blind and missing both legs—and the wild tales of his youth.

"It was many years ago. After all this time, the terrain has likely become even more treacherous than it was back then."

Refocusing on the mission, Callahan pushed his curiosity aside and outlined the strategy he and Leilani had discussed on the flight.

"Leilani and I analyzed the data. The topography suggests that the only viable route to our destination is an ancient, long-abandoned riverbed. We plan to set out from there tomorrow and trace the riverbed deeper into the jungle."

"The only issue is that the riverbed has been dried up for centuries. The landscape has undoubtedly shifted over time, so we're anticipating the path won't be an easy trek."

They hadn't even considered alternative routes. The sheer density of the vegetation elsewhere made any other path logistical suicide. The risks were far too high; stumbling into a nest of venomous snakes, toxic insects, or large predators in the thick brush would be a death sentence.

Leilani stared at him, her gaze dropping involuntarily to his amputated legs and unseeing eyes, her voice laced with absolute disapproval.

"That is incredibly dangerous! How could your body possibly withstand that level of physical strain?"

She had assumed Payton was only here to provide logistical support and guidance from the safety of the base camp. If she had known this was his actual plan, she never would have agreed to let him come.

Even though he looked slightly healthier today, his physical limitations made it impossible for him to endure the brutal, high-intensity conditions of a primordial rainforest.

"Payton, absolutely not. I won't allow you to come with us."