The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85

“Exactly! If we just bring in the most elite international assassins or mercenaries…” Claire’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed, the idea dawning on her like a revelation.

“Then nobody would stand a chance against us, right?” she added eagerly, a triumphant grin spreading across her face.

Claire slapped her palm against her forehead, as if she had just unlocked a secret portal to an entirely new realm of possibilities. For students like them, the world of assassins and mercenaries was something that existed only in sensational headlines or thrilling stories—not in their everyday reality.

That’s precisely why Maxwell, Hannah, Zane, and Claire had always kept their distance from the secret masters lurking on campus. They treated those hidden figures with a mixture of respect and wariness, never daring to get too close.

Had it not been for Nova’s sudden return, they might never have encountered any of those mysterious power players at all.

“Zane, you’re the president of the Taekwondo club, and honestly…” Claire began, her tone dripping with a mix of admiration and challenge.

“Some of the guys in our Free Combat Club get a bit cocky when they pick up a few skills, but they don’t think things through the way you do!” she continued, throwing a pointed jab at Nova.

Claire’s words were clearly meant to undermine Nova, while simultaneously elevating Zane from their rival club. She flashed him a big thumbs-up, as if to say, “You’ve got this.”

From start to finish, Claire’s whole speech was designed to make Nova seem reckless and foolish.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s just hire someone already!” Maxwell blurted out, unable to contain his excitement.

Inside, Maxwell couldn’t help but feel a flicker of irritation at the way Claire and Zane bantered, but he also recognized this was probably the smartest move they could make.

“But how do we even begin to hire someone like that?” Hannah’s voice took on a more serious tone as she joined the discussion, her brows furrowed in concern.

Zane glanced at Nova, silently begging for some encouragement, but Nova simply returned a cold, piercing glare. Honestly, she almost pitied them. Were they truly that naive? Or just completely oblivious? For a moment, she hesitated to shatter their fragile illusions.

“With the kind of international influence you all have? There’s no way you could hire anyone,” Nova said bluntly, her voice sharp as ice.

Her words cut through the group’s silence just as they were lost in thought. It wasn’t just because she was the top mercenary herself—she was right there among them.

Maxwell and Zane lacked the clout necessary to even get a glance from any of the world’s top hundred mercenaries, let alone convince one to work for them.

And Damien Thorn—the deadliest assassin alive—was an entirely different beast.

If they tried to hire Damien, they’d be risking their lives. There was a very real chance he’d decide to eliminate them instead.

In the end, they were just teenagers.

This was supposed to be the time for goofing off, falling in love, and dreaming about romance—not grappling with the dark, dangerous realities of the world.

They had been looking at life through rose-tinted glasses, convinced everything was far simpler than it truly was.

“Nova, seriously, what the hell are you trying to say?” Claire snapped, her irritation bubbling to the surface.

“So you’re telling us we’re not big enough to hire anyone? That we’re just nobodies?”

“Who do you think we’ve been working so hard for all this time? It’s not for ourselves!”

“If it weren’t for Hannah, I’d honestly let you deal with this on your own!” Claire shot back, seizing the opportunity to vent her anger, refusing to miss a chance to lash out at Nova.

Zane scowled, biting back his own frustration. From the moment Nova had appeared, she had this uncanny ability to steal all his attention.

No matter what happened, she kept him on edge—teasing him one moment, cutting him down the next.

“Does she actually hate me or something?” Zane muttered under his breath, a mix of annoyance and confusion swirling inside him.

Was she so dead set against him that she couldn’t stand to hear a single good idea, just waiting to dismiss him the second he spoke?

“Damn it!” Zane snapped, his frustration boiling over. “Just wait—I swear, you’ll be mine, no matter what!” he vowed fiercely to himself.

Maxwell and Hannah exchanged puzzled glances, both turning their gaze toward Nova, trying to decipher her reaction.

They guessed Nova simply couldn’t stand Zane, and no matter how good his ideas were, she would never give them a chance.

“Nova’s right. You guys don’t have the pull to hire the big names,” Felix said quietly but firmly.

Felix wasn’t a major player—just an assassin from a minor squad—but he was still an insider in this shadowy world.

As he listened to the conversation, Felix grew increasingly uncomfortable until he finally spoke up, wanting to clear the air.

At that moment, Isaac, the resident computer expert, fired up his laptop and pulled up the Crimson Web.

“Run?” Nova repeated, as if the idea was completely foreign—and honestly, a little amusing.

She shot Felix a confident, almost teasing smile.

“I’ve made it this far without ever running away. That’s just not my style,” she said, her voice steady with calm confidence.

“You guys should find somewhere safe to hide,” she told them firmly, making it clear this wasn’t a suggestion.

Then, without hesitation, Nova took two purposeful steps forward, her tone crisp and resolute.

“I’ll handle them myself—right here,” she declared, cool and unshaken.

Zane, Maxwell, Hannah, and Claire barely had time to react or ask what was happening before Nova’s figure flickered and vanished in an instant.

She was already racing toward the entrance of The Greenwood at full speed.

Outside The Greenwood, two mercenaries pressed themselves close against the wall, muscles taut and senses sharp, listening intently for any sign of movement inside.

They were poised and ready, every fiber of their being prepared to strike at the perfect moment to carry out their deadly mission.

Suddenly, a woman emerged from behind the door, bold and unflinching.

Her footsteps were so quiet and deliberate that the two mercenaries nearly jumped in surprise.

Instinctively, their guns whipped up—one aimed left, the other right—muzzles locked on Nova’s forehead, fingers twitching on the triggers.

Bang! Bang!

Two shots rang out in rapid succession.

Even with gun barrels mere inches from her head, Nova didn’t flinch or show a hint of fear. She stood there, composed and unshaken.

Instead, she remained impossibly cool, her hands flashing out to grasp both gun barrels aimed at her, effortlessly pushing them upward.

The mercenaries fired again, but Nova deftly redirected their shots into the sky, the bullets whizzing harmlessly overhead.