The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 180

Chapter 180

Nova kicked the dead crocodile away like she was swatting a bug, utterly unfazed by the monster’s size.

Her actions were swift and clean–not a trace of hesitation or wasted motion.

Turning to face the others, she said, “There’s a swamp nearby. We need to get out of here, now.”

Eric, Mavis, and Vivian circled the area, eyes sharp for anything else lurking nearby.

Besides the crocodile that tried to ambush Yoro, another monster was hiding in the long grass.

Working together, the three finished it off with swift teamwork.

They still gripped their daggers tightly as they headed over, every move alert and ready for trouble.

“Crocodiles tend to live in swamps, which means we’re probably really close to one,” Eric said, his words crisp and unwavering.

“This place is dangerous enough already. If we get any nearer to the swamp, we could end up surrounded by dozens, maybe even hundreds, of those crocodiles.”

“We should listen to Nova. Everyone, we need to get out of here–fast.”

Eric explained crisply, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

The sudden arrival of the crocodiles combined with how cleanly Nova took one out sent a fresh wave of panic through

everyone.

“Ahh!”

The crowd broke into uncontrollable screams, a mix of pure terror and disbelief filling the air.

“Wh–why are there crocodiles here? Can those things really eat people?” one of the actresses shrieked in her loudest voice.

Yoro couldn’t tear her eyes away from Nova. She is too shocked to hold it.

“Nova… you…” Yoro choked out, totally rattled.

She’d always thought Nova had just gone from that cute, chubby kid into someone cold and distant.

That shift was already wild enough.

But seriously, how was it possible–the same little girl who used to babble in her tiny voice about loving all living things was now someone who could slice through monsters like it was nothing?

How did she go from that soft little kid to someone who can wipe out living things without even flinching?

And that knife move–seriously, how did she get so precise? Just one stab and that giant crocodile was dead!

“Evacuate?

“No! Absolutely not! There’s no way we’re leaving!”

The director–who looked like he was pregnant for seven months along–was practically screaming his head off.

“We came all this way. We’re not leaving–not until we’ve uncovered whatever terrible secrets are hiding on this island where nobody ever makes it out alive!”

This show was his last hope–for him and the people bankrolling him.

If this went south, he was done for either way–so of course he refused to leave, not without a fight.

“You guys can keep filming if you want. I’m out of here!”

The actress who was terrified of snakes stood hugging herself, trembling uncontrollably.

Her lips were ghostly pale, and after seeing those ferocious crocodiles, there was no way she’d stick around.

She stomped off in a panic, heading straight back the way she came.

“I’m heading out too. It’s just a reality show–I’m not putting my neck on the line for this,” Patrick muttered, stepping up.

“Same here…” someone else chimed in, looking just as freaked out.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Another voice urged, panic bubbling over.

Once the first star made a move, the rest weren’t far behind–everyone scrambled after them, desperate not to get left behind.

Darren only knew Nova from the stories Yoro used to tell him.

Now, watching Yoro just standing there, stunned ever since she watched Nova take down that crocodile with one clean move, he couldn’t help but see how rattled she was.

He realized it was the sheer shock of seeing Nova turn out so different from the sweet kid she used to remember.

With a sigh, Darren stepped close, gave Yoro’s shoulder a reassuring pat, trying to bring her back to the present.

“Come on, let’s go,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.

“Hey!

“Seriously, are you all just bailing? Going to tear up your contracts? You ready to cough up a huge fine?”

The director was yelling from behind, but nobody gave him a second glance. With danger this close, nobody was dumb enough to stick around and risk it.

But even he started to shiver as the shadows crept around, giving him a nasty chill.

Wobbling his belly, afraid of getting left behind, he rushed to catch up with everyone else.

“Hey, wait up–don’t leave me behind!”

“Fine, let’s just scrap ‘Thriller: Unpopulated Isle‘ and call it ‘Cruise Adventure‘ instead…”

In the end, the whole Red Butterfly Island adventure was awkwardly turned into ‘Cruise Adventure‘, with the director forcing the celebrities to circle the island a few times by boat.

And that was how the show wrapped up.

But it’s worth mentioning that Eric, Mavis, and Vivian never forgot why they were really here.

While on the cruise, the three of them chatted with all sorts of celebrities, subtly probing each one for any sign they might be the fugitive–but not a single person raised any red flags.

Yoro never came over to ask Nova anything, just kept her distance the whole time.

It was like nothing had ever happened.

Three days after they returned to Ravenport, Counselor Flynn told Nova and her crew to hang tight until the next fugitive hunt got underway–so they got a whole week off to kick back and recharge.

Meanwhile, the influential Powell family was throwing a lavish party on a luxury cruise, sending out invitations to all their old–money friends under the guise of catching up.

They were hoping to reconnect with families they’d drifted apart from over the years, all while enjoying the journey out on the open sea.

Fiona Blake and Charles Blake were both planning to attend.

But Hannah Blake and Maxwell Blake couldn’t make it–Saint Laurel Royal Academy was in the middle of comprehensive exams, so they were stuck on campus.

Nova wasn’t exactly thrilled about going to these kinds of parties, but she didn’t have much of a choice.

Her mom, Fiona, still needed someone to look after her leg, and Aria had just rushed back to the Shadow Sanctum to handle some urgent business now that Nova was back at Blake Manor.

So Nova had no choice but to step up and go

It was a sunny Saturday.

herself.

The Powell family had moved out of Ravenport years ago, so they’d been out of touch with the Blake family for quite a while.

Like the Blake family, the Powell family had started from nothing and built their fortune from scratch.

But a few years back, their business suddenly took off.

That catapulted them straight into the capital’s elite, making them one of the top families in the city.

Since Supeki City was the capital of Zoria, being able to break into the elite circles there meant you were the absolute top dog among all the country’s rich and powerful families.

Their status was unmatched, outclassing everyone else.

Compared to the Blake family back in Ravenport, it was a gap as wide as the sky and the earth.

*****

Supeki City was the most prosperous city in Zoria—bustling, sprawling, and famous for its status as a mega metropolis.

This place was packed with influential families. For the rich from smaller towns, making it into the capital’s elite—even if they only just made the cut–was a dream they chased their whole lives.

At the dock beside the sprawling luxury cruise ship, Nova arrived with Fiona and Charles.

She tagged along with Fiona and Charles, stepping onto the scene.

“Fiona! It’s been ages! We’ve really lost touch over the years!

“How have you been?

“I heard your leg’s getting better these days?”

A refined, elegant woman who bore a strong resemblance to Yoro stood by the edge of the cruise ship.

She came over to Fiona’s wheelchair, knelt down and hugged her tightly, her voice bursting with joy.

This was Yoro’s mom, Mrs. Powell.

“I’ve been doing pretty well lately. My leg’s only gotten better because of Nova, Fiona said, her pride unmistakable.

She called to Nova, “Nova, come say hi to Mrs. Powell.”

“Oh, stop it, there’s no need to be so polite–we’re all like family here!”

“Hey, Yoro!

“Nova’s here! Allison, come and show your little sis around the ship, will you?”

Mrs. Powell called warmly to Yoro waiting up on deck, her voice ringing out with cheerful familiarity.

“Nova…” Yoro murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seeing Nova again brought that scene on Red Butterfly Isle flashing back–Nova taking down that giant croc in an instant. The shock had hit Yoro so hard, she still hadn’t quite shaken it off even now.

She forced a small, somewhat awkward smile in Nova’s direction.

“It’s such a relief having you kids together–less for us grown–ups to worry about!

“Go on, have some fun! Once everyone’s here, the ship’s setting sail!”

Mrs. Powell’s smile sparkled like starlight.

She gave Nova a gentle push on the shoulder, guiding her a couple of steps toward Allison.

Nova didn’t resist.

Soon enough, the two stepped up onto the ship together, officially joining the lively cruise scene.

This cruise liner was huge–seriously, it could fit three thousand people if it had to–and everywhere you looked, people were milling around, catching up, and making deals.

No wonder Yoro’s family had made it into the very top ranks in the capital; with all the connections they’d built, it was clear they knew exactly how to play this game.

Aside from the luxury cabins for VIP guests, the ship even featured its own “Central Park“-a lush garden boasting over 1,200 plants.

We’re talking everything from virtual balcony rooms and a mini golf course to a 140–seat theater, bars, swimming pools, karaoke lounges–seriously, the list went on.

The whole place honestly felt like a city set afloat on the sea.

The two of them wandered over to the pool, which was noticeably quieter than the rest of the ship.

“Hey, Nova, uh… let me take you to meet a few people…” Yoro said, forcing a little laugh, her voice sounding a bit awkward.

“They’re folks you met when you were a kid… not sure if you’d even recognize them now…” she continued, trying to fill the silence between them.

Yoro gave an awkward little laugh, clearly trying to brush off what had happened on Red Butterfly Isle, and mumbled her

*****

words.

She was smart, and always knew not to push her luck–probably more than anyone.

After everything went down, she didn’t press for answers or cling to the topic–she just acted like it never happened.

She really didn’t stick her nose where it didn’t belong.

For Nova, she couldn’t help but think pretty highly of Yoro because of that.

Nova spoke up first, getting straight to the point. “If you’ve got any questions, just ask me.”

Since she opened the door, Yoro–whose beauty was almost unreal, her makeup so perfect it looked airbrushed–suddenly froze, lips parting slightly but words refusing to come out.

She hesitated for a long moment, struggling to find her voice.

Finally, Yoro ventured cautiously, her tone just above a whisper:

“Nova, can I ask what you do for work these days?” Yoro asked, her voice hesitant but curious.

‘If I really think about it…‘ Yoro mused, ‘Nova was carrying a knife, struck that crocodile dead without even blinking, face totally unreadable. Isn’t that exactly the kind of calm you’d see from a surgeon in the operating room?

‘Maybe after all those twists and turns, Nova just ended up becoming a doctor?

‘Or with that cold edge in her eyes… could she have gone into law enforcement? Or maybe she’s a forensic specialist?‘

But the answer Nova gave was something Yoro could never have seen coming…