The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181

“Shadow operative,” Nova said with an icy calm.

Nova glanced up, her voice as cold and distant as ever.

“Any other questions?”

‘Shadow operative?‘ Yoro frowned, the term sounded sketchy as hell.

Her gut reaction was, “That’s gotta be one of those crooked jobs.

‘Seriously, what kind of job is that anyway?

Like, is she some forensic doc, or maybe some crazy special forces chick?

‘Or is she secretly with the intelligence service or something?

Eh, whatever it is, it can’t be that different from being a doctor anyway, Allison mused to herself.

‘Maybe just a little messier, like those forensic types who handle corpses all the time.

“That’s it, really. Honestly, I’m just glad you’re willing to talk to me now. Back on Red Butterfly Isle, I was starting to think you just wanted nothing to do with me,” Yoro said with a genuine smile.

Yoro’s smile was sincere.

It was the kind of smile that was graceful and refined, beautiful and open–and with just the right touch of irresistible

charm.

However, compared to her own life, scraping by in the shadows, it was like night and day.

For the first time, Nova felt a weird sense of discomfort–like she couldn’t even look Yoro in the eye, as if their worlds just didn’t match.

“Whoa, Yoro, there you are!”

Just then, a group of guys and girls hopped down the stairs beside the cruise ship’s pool, all rocking flashy designer outfits and absolutely oozing that young, privileged energy.

Like Yoro, most of them looked to be a good five to nine years older than Nova.

“So this is little Nova, huh?” one of them called out.

“Wow, she’s gorgeous! Even prettier than when she was a kid. I always said someone as sweet as Nova would just keep getting more beautiful as she grew up!” another chimed in.

“Haha, Nova, it’s me–Finn! You probably don’t remember, but I used to carry you around when you were just a baby!” Finn said with a laugh.

The whole group crowded around Nova, joking and teasing like they were all old friends.

You could tell right away from how these guys talked–they were all from families that used to be super close with the Blakes back when they were kids.

Way back then, they were the ones hanging out with Yoro, roasting grasshoppers for fun–until little Nova schooled them

about how you’re supposed to care for living things.

Every single one of them remembered Nova crystal clear, and when word got out she’d come back to the Blake family, they honestly couldn’t have been happier.

“Hey, don’t go scaring Nova!” Yoro jumped in front of her,.

She put on a mock–angry face like she was about to scold them for being too enthusiastic.

Once she’d said that, Yoro turned to Nova again, instantly switching back to that caring, big–sister–from–a–prestigious–family

vibe.

Then she began warmly introducing each person to Nova, one by one.

“This total gootball is Finn–he was your big brother when you were a kid,” Yoro said, grinning.

“And this is Chloe–she’s super gentle, and that’s Kael,” Yoro continued, introducing them one by one.

Finn, easily the most attention–grabbing of the bunch, stretched his words out playfully, “Oh, come on, Yoro! “Total goofball? That’s what you call me now? Savage!

“Seriously, Yoro, you’re outrageous!

“You’re evil!

“Nova, you’re way too much of a sweetheart to ever end up as bad as your big sis Allison!

“When we were little, everyone used to say you were born to be some kind of angel doctor–saving lives and healing anyone in trouble.

“But your big sis Yoro? Total trouble magnet. If there’s any mischief going on, you can bet she’s right at the heart of it!” Finn joked.

His words had everyone cracking up.

The vibe was perfect.

But for Nova, that lively warmth only made her own shadows feel chillier, like she was a stranger locked out in the cold.

‘So that’s what it is,‘ Nova realized, that cold truth sinking in hard.

The wall between her and them wasn’t just heaven and earth–it felt like a freaking abyss, like they were living on totally different planets.

They belonged in the light, in the world of the living. And her? She was stuck all alone in her own personal hell.

“Sorry, I’ve got something to handle. I’ll head out first,” Nova said, her voice calm and distant.

Everyone was having a blast, when Nova suddenly spoke up, her words slicing right through the good vibes.

Without looking back, she turned to leave, walking away in the opposite direction–totally detached from the cheerful crowd.

The teasing and laughter came to a halt, everyone’s smiles suddenly frozen.

Nova drifted away, but she could still catch Finn and Yoro’s voices floating over from behind.

“Nova… What’s up with her? She’s just not at all like the sweet kid we used to know,” Finn said, confused and a little uneasy.

“Chill, Finn. Let it go,” Yoro shot back.

“No, for real, the change is huge. I’m honestly kinda thrown off by how different she is…”

The cruise ship had long since left the dock, slicing through the open sea, miles away from the shore.

Up on the front deck, Nova rested her hand on the railing, letting the ocean breeze play with her long, dark hair–standing alone amidst the vast emptiness.

She gazed into the distance, her thoughts drifting to places nobody else could reach.

She had no idea how much time had slipped by.

“Beautiful lady, would you care for a glass of red wine?”

A male waiter strolled over to Nova, balancing a tray with a single glass of red wine. He gave a smooth, practiced bow, all refined courtesy.

“Thank you,” Nova replied, her tone cool and distant.

She took the glass from his tray, pausing with it just brushing her lips, elegant and composed.

But without taking a sip, she lifted her gaze–eyes calm, keen, scanning her surroundings.

She noticed the waiter, who looked just like any regular guy on the ship, slip his hand into his pocket–as if he was just reaching for a napkin.

But suddenly, he whipped out a dagger and drove it straight at her heart.

It was an assassination.

Assassination attempts like this weren’t anything new to Nova–before she ever did time, living in the underground world was her routine, seeing hits come her way was just par for the course.

But ever since she moved to Zoria and kept a low profile, these jobs barely ever showed up anymore.

Now that she was back in the game, her name lighting up people’s radar again, it was no shock some folks got stirred up- and not everyone was thrilled about her return.

Reacting on pure instinct, Nova flipped her wrist and snatched the dagger clean out of his hand.

With her free hand, she caught the waiter’s arm, spun him around, and slammed him up against the railing–her stolen blade now pressed right against his throat.

The dagger pierced his neck, and thin rivulets of blood began to trickle down his skin.

Nova’s voice was cold and sharp as steel. “Spit it out–who sent you to kill me?”

The waiter–or, really, the assassin–snickered, lips curling up in that smug, icy sneer.

“Those higher–ups are all onto you now.

“You? A mercenary, strutting around Zoria like you’re just some average Joe? Guess you don’t give a damn who gets dragged into your mess!”

Most assassins like this have had their brains scrambled–trying to get anything out of them is just a waste of time.

“Shhk!”

She could hear people moving around nearby–this was a cruise ship, after all, with folks always drifting by.

With a single motion, she slashed his throat, flipped him over the railing, and sent his body plunging into the ocean below.

The whole thing was second nature, so effortless it was clear she’d done it hundreds of times.

“Come out,” Nova called, her voice cold and sharp.

Once she was done. Nova shot a steely look into the shadows.

There were people lurking in the darkness–and more than one, that’s for sure.

‘Gotta be his backup,‘ she thought, sizing up the threat.

But when figures finally emerged from the shadows, Nova realized it wasn’t the assassin’s accomplices at all.

Instead, out came Yoro, Finn, Chloe, and Kael–the same group of old friends who’d just been hanging out with her before.

They’d come looking for her, a little worried after spotting her out on the deck all alone, letting the sea breeze whip at her for who knows how long.

What happened next was something they never saw coming.

Nova stood there, blood still dripping from her blade, her face stone cold and unreadable as if killing was nothing at all. They caught every single word the assassin spat out–calling her a mercenary like it was just another dark secret. Yoro and the others were rooted to the spot, jaws hanging open in pure terror, as if time itself had frozen.