The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 153

Chapter 153

Monde was leading the pack, letting out a wild roar.

The group scattered in all directions, like frightened chicks caught in a storm.

Eighteen took off, each sprinting their own way, but Nova Blake was alone–she could only pick one and give chase.

With luck, a handful of them might actually make it out alive.

Besides, splitting up would bump up his own odds of survival. That was Monde’s idea from the start, and he didn’t hesitate to act on it.

Still, he had seriously underestimated Nova Blake’s strength.

Nova’s voice echoed, laced with mockery, “Did you really think running off in all directions would let you escape alive?”

From behind, the girl’s voice grew clearer with every step she took toward them.

Before anyone even noticed, the moon overhead slipped behind a heavy bank of clouds, making it feel like even the sky was grieving.

The whole world felt steeped in darkness, the gloom pressing in from all sides.

Ordinary mercenaries hated having to fight in the dark–it was the worst kind of battleground for them.

Mercenaries and assassins were worlds apart when it came to their trades.

Assassins handled jobs solo, moving like ghosts and killing without a trace; mercenaries fought out in the open, with guns blazing and direct confrontations.

Assassins flourished in the shadows, giving mercs a clear disadvantage whenever the lights went out.

But Nova Blake was on a whole other level.

She’d pushed herself through 1,999 rounds of anti–dark training–just so she could fight anywhere, anytime, without missing a beat. Obsession? Maybe. But to Nova, it was survival.

Her eyes pierced the gloom, picking up every detail in the darkness like it was broad daylight. She saw more in the shadows than most did in the sun.

Nova watched as the eighteen men tried fleeing in every direction. Unhurried, she dropped her machine gun to the ground, almost like she was bored with their antics. ‘Why rush? This is just getting interesting,‘ Nova mused to herself.

She was absolutely unfazed by their desperate attempt to scatter, confident that not one of them could shake her off–not when she was hunting.

She didn’t even bother with the machine gun.

Nova flipped her wrists, and two Swiss Army knives sprang open in her hands like magic.

One in each hand, ready to strike.

It was quite a distance from the canyon’s edge down to the forest below.

No matter which way the eighteen men scattered, they all had to make it down to the trees.

The darkness was infinite–an overwhelming, suffocating gloom that pressed in from every direction.

Nova’s silhouette flitted through the shadows, phantom–like and impossible to pin down.

As the mercenaries tried to make for the forest, her figure flashed between them, too quick and too silent to spot until it was

too late.

“Shhk!”

It was the razor–sharp hiss of steel, slicing through the night–and the last mercenary’s neck gave a wet, grisly snap as the blade tore through flesh.

“Thud!”

As that mercenary hit the ground, Nova was already on the move, sweeping ahead like a predator zeroing in on her next

prey.

Of the eight mercenaries who’d just split up and rushed for cover, Nova darted right through the center of their ragtag escape–faster than a leopard, her Swiss Army knives flashing in both hands as she carved a path straight through their midst.

Eight more went down, dead before they could even cry out.

Up against Nova’s raw fury, they never stood a chance–there wasn’t even time to fight back.

“Ahh–no, please! Don’t kill me!

“Boss, I messed up–please, I’m sorry!

“It was Monde! He made me do it! The guys from the Corps–They said we had to take out Ghost–Hammer, that he was a

traitor…”

One of the mercenaries up ahead was running like his life depended on it–he looked more like a terrified animal than a human being.

Any trace of macho bravado? Gone. All that was left was desperation and fear.

He was running for his life, begging for mercy with every breath.

Nova’s voice cut through the darkness, cold and deadly: “But you still did it.

“In the Bloodblade Mercenary Corps, there’s one rule–nobody touches my people without my say–so.

“Or did you all forget?

“Then go beg for forgiveness in hell!”

Her cold, echoing voice trailed after them, sending shivers down the spines of the mercenaries ahead.

In the blink of an eye, death swept in.

Nova snapped her wrists and hurled both Swiss Army knives through the darkness–each blade hit dead center in the forehead of a fleeing merc, one left, one right.

Both dropped instantly, dead before they hit the ground.

Nova had already racked up eleven kills.

Only seven were left standing.

Eighteen sprinted off in every direction, scrambling from the canyon ridge down to the shadowy forest–barely even a

hundred yards.

And in the blink of an eye, eleven dropped before they’d made it halfway.

When Monde and the remaining six mercs clocked the body count, shock nearly made their eyes roll back in their heads.

‘So this is what Bloodforge’s power looks like?‘ Monde couldn’t help but think, a chill running through his veins.

His heart felt like it was being crushed in his chest.

The rush they’d had hunting Ghost–Hammer was nothing compared to the pure torment of being hunted by Nova now.

This was complete domination–she was overpowering them in every possible way.

Monde felt like he could break down and cry right there.

Why did I ever let myself believe Bloodforge was dead?‘ Monde berated himself, regret hitting hard.

Maybe a couple of these mercs weren’t just for show–some of them actually packed some power.

As Nova was closing in–hot on their heels–a handful of mercs made a desperate attempt to fight her off.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

A few of the elite mercenaries stayed calm, rolling through the thick forest, whipping out their pistols, and opened fire on Nova without missing a beat.

It was like a jungle firefight straight out of a war zone.

Nova didn’t flinch.

Weaving away from the gunfire with a sudden leap, she dove right into the elite mercenary’s cover.

Her hand came down like a sledgehammer, smashing into the mercenary’s forehead.

The blow sent him flying backward, terror flashing in his eyes.

While he was still reeling, Nova seized him by the head and drove his eye straight into a jutting tree branch.

“Ahh!”

The elite mercenary screamed.

Nova snapped his neck without a hint of emotion.

It was all over in a flash–faster than lightning.

*****

In less than five minutes, Monde’s last five men were picked off one by one. Every last one was wiped out in a whirlwind of blood and shadow.

Eighteen scattered, bolting in all directions, but not a single one outran Nova Blake. She hunted them all down, as if none could even hope to escape her.

“Boom!”

Nova hauled the sole remaining survivor–Monde–back up onto the open ground at the top of the canyon.

Nova rested her foot lightly on Monde’s throat, her stance casual yet absolute.

Just a small shift of pressure from her boot, and his life would be snuffed out in an instant.

Monde croaked, struggling for air, “Boss, I messed up. I didn’t know you’d survived… It’s all my fault.

“If you’re gonna kill me, just get it over with–make it quick!”

Monde knew he was finished. He’d bet on the wrong team, and now, he was completely alone. Regret flooded his thoughts.

He didn’t care about surviving anymore–he just wanted a quick, clean death.

“Hand over the radio you used to contact those old bastards,” Nova said, her voice icy and unyielding.

Her words and the way she carried herself sent a chill straight to Monde’s soul.

His hands trembled as he reached into his pocket, then suddenly whipped something out.

But it wasn’t a radio–instead, he drove the blade straight at Nova’s chest in a vicious, desperate stab.

“Don’t know when to quit, do you?” Nova sneered, icy contempt dripping from her voice.

Nova’s eyes went cold, flat as stone.

She grabbed Monde’s wrist mid–stab and clamped down on his elbow, then, like it was nothing, bent his arm until it snapped -ruthless, brutal, just like cracking a dry stick.

His arm dangled grotesquely, held together by nothing but strips of muscle and skin.

“Ah…”

Monde howled, agony splitting the night.

This was one of Nova’s signature prisoner–breaking moves–ruthless, relentless, and now wielded against Monde himself.

“Speak. Or do I have to break the other arm, too?” Nova demanded, her tone chill as ice.

“It’s… it’s in my pocket… ahh…” Monde forced out between ragged breaths, sweat streaming down his face.

Nova pressed her boot down on Monde’s forehead, then snatched the radio from his pocket in one swift motion.

She hit the call button.

“Beep–beep–beep-”

After three rings, a voice crackled through the radio.

It was a deep, raspy voice–sounded like a middle–aged man.

As soon as the voice crackled through, Nova recognized him–there was no mistaking that tone.

This was Kendivin Jay, the real power behind the Bloodblade old guard–the one who called all the shots.

The radio spat out his gravelly demand:

“Monde, is it done?

“Is Ghost–Hammer dead?”

The air went dead silent for a split second.

Nova didn’t need to see their faces to know exactly what was happening on the other end–Kendivin and the rest of the Bloodblade old guard were probably huddled around a big table, all eyes glued to the radio, waiting for Monde to deliver the good news.

‘I wonder if Snowfang is in that group, Nova mused to herself.

Nova’s face went cold.

Just as the men on the other end were so startled they nearly fell out of their chairs, Nova spoke up, her voice dripping with contempt.

It is a declaration for the entire world to hear.

“This is Bloodforge. Your lapdog Monde? His life belongs to me now.

You old bastards, better start giving out your necks and wait for the end–I’ll use your blood to mark the rebirth of the Bloodblade!”