The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 851

Callahan didn't hesitate. With a sharp gesture, he signaled Bason to reroute the team.

The new path was exponentially worse.

If the previous trail had been an endurance test of suffocating humidity, this one was a gauntlet of dense, thorny nettles. Despite everyone wearing heavy tactical gear, they still had exposed skin just to keep from overheating. It wasn’t long before a rogue branch whipped back, leaving a series of stinging, vivid red scratches across Leilani’s cheek.

Callahan noticed the angry marks instantly. His jaw tightened, and he smoothly shifted positions, maneuvering her to walk on his inside to shield her from the worst of the brush.

By the time they paused for a brief midday rest, the jungle’s oppressive heat had only thickened. Every single person was sporting some form of cut or scrape. Noticing the battered state of the crew, Leilani dug into her med-pack and pulled out a small tin of a specialized holistic ointment. She handed it to Payton and Callahan first before passing it around to the mercenaries.

"It’s a natural healing balm I made myself. Rub it on your cuts," she instructed. "It’ll prevent infection." Catching Callahan’s inquisitive glance, she added, "A lot of the thorns in this rainforest carry mild toxins. We can't afford to be careless."

Callahan shook his head—that hadn't been what he was questioning. He took the tin, but instead of tending to his own scrapes, he scooped out a dab of the salve and gently smoothed it over the angry red scratches on her cheek.

The sudden, tender gesture caught Leilani off guard, sending a rush of warmth straight to her chest.

The afternoon trek proved even more punishing. Whatever natural disaster had ravaged this section of the jungle had left massive, rotting tree trunks scattered haphazardly across their path. The team was forced to either painstakingly climb over the slick wood or take long, exhausting detours.

Inevitably, fatigue led to a misstep. One of the mercenaries accidentally crushed a concealed ant nest beneath his boot. In seconds, thousands of aggressive fire ants swarmed up his pant leg. Though the team moved fast—frantically swatting and brushing the insects away—the damage was done. Within minutes, the man broke out in a violent rash.

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