by Kyla Stone
The voices came again. Two or three of them, from somewhere down the corridor.
She didn’t know who they were. Terrorists, pirates, hired thugs, or private militia. It didn’t matter. They were ruthless killers. And they were hunting her.
Because of her father, the powerful leader of the Coalition. Because of what he’d done.
If they found her, she was dead. They would use her as a bargaining chip, a pawn to get whatever they wanted from her father. They’d torture her. Then, they’d kill her.
But she was sick of being a pawn. She’d die rather than give in. She had her own plan, if she could live that long.
She’d thought the terrorists were the deadliest threat on this ship. She was wrong.
Thunder crashed. Waves rocked the ship. The floor tilted, and she stumbled, glass fragments jabbing into her bare feet. She sucked in her breath. She had to ignore the pain, the mind-numbing fear. She had to think.
Her family was still out there, trapped somewhere on the ship. Her brother, Silas. Her mother. And Gabriel. She winced. She couldn’t think about him. Not now.
She’d done something, too. Something she couldn’t take back.
Lightning shattered the night sky through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the far side of the corridor. Rain lashed the glass. The awful rat-a-tat of gunfire exploded from somewhere above her.
The voices grew louder. They'd be on her in thirty seconds or less.
Her heart leapt into her throat. She was cornered. Trapped.
Out of time.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my awesome beta readers. Your thoughtful critiques and enthusiasm are invaluable, as always: Lauren Nikkel, Michelle Browne, Kimberley Tremblay, Jessica Burland, Sally Shupe, Lia Riccio, Jeremy Steinkraus, and Barry and Derise Marden.
To Michelle Browne for being a great developmental and line editor. And to Eliza Enriquez for catching those last little proofreading errors. You both make my words shine.
To my husband, who always helps with deadlines and plot holes and listens patiently to problems about imaginary people.
And to my kids, who I love more than anything. You both are my everything.
About the Author
Kyla Stone is an emerging author of contemporary young adult fiction and suspense/dystopian novels. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, two children, and two spoiled cats. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she loves to read, hike, draw, travel, and play games. Her favorite food is dark chocolate.
Kyla loves to hear from her readers. For news and new releases, visit her at:
www.FaceBook.com/KylaStoneBooks
www.Amazon.com/author/KylaStone
Email her at [email protected]
