The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Jordan’s eyes flickered to the shards of broken glass, catching a fragmented reflection that made his heart seize—the hostages were none other than Nova’s own brother and sister. The shock that washed over his face was immediate and unmistakable.

As an undercover agent embedded within the SLRA, Jordan was well aware of Maxwell and Hannah’s true identities. Though they were among the top students at the agency, their skills were no match for the ruthless fugitives lurking in the shadows.

A heavy shadow fell over Jordan’s features. He had witnessed too many special forces operatives crumble, or worse, perish when their family members were caught in the crossfire. The stakes were now painfully personal.

Earlier, Nova’s flawless performance had filled Jordan with hope, making him believe the mission would unfold without a hitch. But now, a cold knot of dread tightened in his chest.

He searched Nova’s face, expecting to find panic or desperation—after all, she treasured family above all else. Instead, her expression was chillingly detached, as if she had buried every flicker of emotion deep beneath an icy veneer. She moved with the precision and ruthlessness of a machine built solely for killing.

Waylon and the others caught the change in Jordan’s demeanor instantly. Without a word, they understood the grim truth: the hostages were closely connected to Nova.

“What’s the plan now?” Waylon asked silently, his eyes locking with Jordan’s, full of urgency.

In the next heartbeat, Nova discarded her pistol into the doorway and strode into the narrow passage empty-handed, moving with such speed no one could intercept her.

Waylon’s disbelief was palpable. “Is she surrendering?” he wondered aloud, his voice barely a whisper.

All eyes fixated on Nova’s retreating figure, stunned into silence.

Jordan’s brow furrowed deeper. He had thought Nova’s calmness was unshakable, but now he realized she was simply suppressing a storm of emotions. Could she truly be just an ordinary girl?

No one noticed the fierce fire blazing in Nova’s eyes as she stepped into the passage, where two ZB53 heavy machine guns were trained directly on her.

The young man who had spoken moments before was masked in black, like the other fugitives, clearly intent on concealing his identity. He was their leader. Upon seeing Nova, a hoarse laugh escaped him.

“So, it’s you—the SLRA duel champion this year,” he sneered, eyes glinting with dark amusement. “Girl, you really shouldn’t have followed the cops here. Now, crawl over like a dog and strip.”

His voice dripped with venom as he licked his lips, a twisted desire evident. He had coveted Nova since school days, and tonight, her walking straight into his grasp felt like a dream fulfilled.

Maxwell and Hannah lay barely conscious, their struggles stifled by the cold barrels pressed against their heads. Neither had anticipated Nova’s sudden involvement, let alone her dropping her weapon to rush headlong into danger.

“Novie, run! Don’t worry about us!” Maxwell shouted, but his plea was cut short when a fugitive delivered a brutal kick to his stomach, forcing him to curl up in agony.

Hannah’s eyes widened in shock at Nova’s presence. Though she had always treated Nova harshly, tears now welled in her eyes. Yet, she screamed at Nova in a venomous tone, “Why are you here? Get lost! I don’t want to see you. You’re always in the way.”

With grace and agility, Nova dove and rolled, narrowly evading the hail of bullets. From her lower back, she drew two gleaming daggers, gripping them tightly.

In a fluid motion, her right-hand dagger drove deep into the leader’s throat.

Then, with deadly precision, she hurled two flying daggers that struck the gunmen attempting to realign their machine guns on her. Their bodies collapsed heavily to the floor.

The last two fugitives, wrists bleeding and faces pale, realized they faced a nightmare far worse than the police outside. This girl was a demon incarnate.

They scrambled to flee but were swiftly caught in Nova’s iron grip. With a brutal twist, their necks snapped instantly, lifeless.

Within moments, all five fugitives lay dead, paying the ultimate price for underestimating her.

Maxwell and Hannah watched, wide-eyed and breathless.

Gone was the wild wolf of the wilderness; tonight, Nova was a professional assassin, executing five lives with chilling efficiency as if slaughtering livestock. Blood splattered onto Maxwell and Hannah’s faces, stark evidence of her lethal skills.

As they stared, the siblings realized with a jolt—they had just witnessed a glimpse of the brutal, bloody world Nova had endured during those long years away from home. The real Nova was far more formidable than they had ever imagined.