The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Across from Nova, two members of the special operations team were locked in a heated exchange, their bodies leaning forward as they spoke with growing intensity. At first, their words were barely audible, whispered under their breath like secretive conspirators. But gradually, their voices rose, overlapping as each tried desperately to unload every fragment of rumor they’d gathered.

“Where did you even hear that? Can you trust it? Who brags about losing a prisoner like it’s some kind of victory? Seriously, doesn’t Devil’s Isle have any shame left?” one asked, disbelief coloring his tone.

“It’s legit! No joke,” the other insisted.

“You don’t get it—I know people. Just hope we don’t bump into their search team in Trinova this time…” the second replied, voice dropping slightly as if the mere thought made him uneasy.

The transport plane held eleven passengers in total. Though the cabin was spacious enough, the tension in the air seemed to shrink the space between them all. Slowly, the attention of the others drifted toward the two men engrossed in their conversation. Most stayed silent, choosing only to listen rather than get involved.

Then, cutting through the murmurs, a soft, youthful voice chimed in from the front of the cabin, interrupting the discussion.

“Hey, what’s this Devil’s Isle you’re all talking about? It sounds kind of intriguing—I’ve seriously never heard of it before!”

It was Nova’s voice.

Perhaps it was the way she looked—so young and innocent—that allowed her to pull off the sweet schoolgirl act flawlessly. No one ever questioned her. She was all softness and sparkle, the very image of a cheerful college girl. No one connected this bubbly persona with the cold, fearless woman who had just moments ago dismantled an AK-18’s timed bomb with surgical precision.

Even recalling how icy calm she had been while disarming that deadly device, people couldn’t help but relax around her now.

No one suspected that Nova’s ignorance about Devil’s Isle was an act.

*“So she can handle an AK-18, but doesn’t even know what Devil’s Isle is? Typical—just a reckless kid trying to play tough!”* some might have thought.

*“She only pulled off that bomb thing this morning because she’s friends with the weapon’s creator. A pampered brat who’s never been knocked down by reality—she’s in for a rude awakening.”*

*“I’m really looking forward to seeing her get put in her place,”* Violet mused silently.

Violet sat quietly in a shadowed corner, watching Nova with a lifted chin and a careless air, as if nothing could rattle her. It was as though the confidence Nova had crushed earlier had been instantly resurrected—Violet radiated self-assurance once more.

Nova was undeniably the youngest member on this flight.

So when the two spec-ops men across from her responded, their tone was relaxed and protective, as if she were their little sister.

“You mean you’ve never even heard of Devil’s Isle?” the man with the square jaw asked, chuckling softly. He looked about twenty-nine, and his voice carried a gentle, teasing quality.

The other man, lean and sharp-eyed, always seemed to have the inside scoop. He was the one who had been describing Devil’s Isle and explaining how Ray Hale, the notoriously tough warden, was leading a full-scale sweep in Trinova.

Realizing Nova truly had no idea what Devil’s Isle was, he couldn’t resist puffing himself up and jumping into the conversation.

His eagerness to impress the youngest member made him practically buzz with excitement. He was itching to spin wild tales, to widen her eyes, and to show off just how much he knew.

“Devil’s Isle?” he began, voice low and serious. “It’s hands down the most terrifying prison on the planet. They lock up the worst of the worst from every corner of the globe there.”

“The stories say that anyone who even thinks about stepping out of line gets snatched by the guards, flayed alive, and gutted—no joke.”

“It’s insanely brutal.”

His vivid description painted a grim picture, making everyone in the cabin suddenly feel the weight of the prison’s fearsome reputation.

Then, glancing at Nova, he caught a flicker of fear in her eyes. A secret thrill lit up inside him.

*“Heh, look at her—bet she’s spooked. She’s already freaking out over just this little bit? No matter how cool she looked disarming that bomb, deep down, she’s just another girl—easy to scare when it matters,”* he thought, a smug smile tugging at his lips.

Brooks Woodsinger—the lean guy—puffed up and jumped in with a wink. “Don’t sweat it! Name’s Brooks Woodsinger. If we run into those Devil’s Isle guards in Trinova, I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

The square-jawed man beside him nodded and added, “I’m Aurelio Mariner, from Ravenport. Brooks and I are in this together.”

“He’s got it right,” Aurelio said confidently. “If anything goes down, you can count on us to have your back.”

With Brooks and Aurelio leading the charge, the rest of the guys joined in the camaraderie, slapping their chests, cracking jokes, and promising Nova, “Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!”

Each member of the team had their own strengths. Nova was a genius at defusing bombs, but field experience was something she probably hadn’t tasted much of.

“Don’t worry, Nova! You’ve got me too—I’m your honorary bro!” Andrew chimed in eagerly, quick to claim his place among the group.

The cabin buzzed with energy now. Even the jokers in the back joined in, laughing and shouting promises, their voices filling the space with warmth and excitement.

Nova’s eyes narrowed slightly as a sly smile played behind her sweet facade. Every word she spoke was carefully calculated. She wasn’t pretending to be the harmless schoolgirl just for fun—it was all part of a bigger plan.

Her goal was crystal clear: to squeeze every juicy detail about Devil’s Isle out of Brooks.

As the conversation drifted, Nova kept her composure. She lowered her gaze briefly before quietly steering the talk back on track, her voice soft and innocent.

“Is Devil’s Isle really as terrifying as you say?” she asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

“So… why would they even come to Trinova?”

Her tone was perfectly naive, dripping with innocence.

Brooks, completely taken in by her act, dropped his guard entirely and spilled every secret he knew without hesitation.

“Absolutely, it’s every bit as terrifying as the stories say. As for why they’re in Trinova… here’s the deal.”

His gaze swept over the group as he spoke with authority.

“Since you’re about to jump into action, you’ll need codenames of your own.”

“Your codename will be your badge on the battlefield—the name you’ll carry into every fight from here on out.”

Just like how performers use stage names.

In the shadowy underground world—whether assassin, mercenary, or secret agent—everyone had a codename. Even frontline squads in war zones picked call signs.

No one used their real names. It was the invisible line between who you were at work and who you were off duty.

“Chief, do we get to pick our own codenames?” Andrew asked eagerly, raising his hand like an excited student.

The selection officer replied, “The higher-ups reviewed how you handled the bomb situation this morning and have already assigned codenames for each of you. I’m about to read them out.”

“Of course, if you feel the codename they chose doesn’t suit you or sounds lame, you’re free to pick something better.”

Upon hearing this, the entire crew perked up.

All eleven of them—except Nova—sat up straight like obedient students, eyes fixed forward and ready for roll call, careful not to make a sound.

*“Man, what’s my codename going to be?”* they all wondered silently.

The selection officer gave Nova a subtle, meaningful glance before speaking, his voice carrying a serious weight.

“Let’s start with Nova, who had the strongest performance this morning,” he announced, respect evident in his tone.

He cleared his throat deliberately, then began, slow and precise, every word weighted with importance.

“The higher-ups said your performance was next-level, Nova—like a rising sun, destined to steal the entire spotlight. But instead of giving you a cheesy codename like ‘Sunrise’ or ‘Morning Glow,’ they wanted something that truly captured your vibe.”

“So, your codename is…”

“Bloodfarge!”

“It sounds almost exactly like Bloodforge, the infamous king of international mercenaries.”

“Bloodforge is a legend—a warrior no one dares to cross.”

“She’s a miracle—one in a thousand years. Giving you her codename is the hope that someday, you’ll rise and become a legend just like Bloodforge.”