Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 317

Chapter 317

But just then, Lucas said, “You didn’t want me!”

He kept a straight face; his little face was soft and angelic, but his expression was as frosty as Sebastian’s.

After saying that, he reached out his tiny hands to Stella, reaching for a cuddle.

His eyes were shining bright.

He was so cute that it could melt anyone’s heart.

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Stella scooped Lucas up in her arms. With a soft plop, the little guy buried his face in her neck, all pouty and miserable.

Carlos looked like he’d been hit by a thunderbolt.

His blood ran cold.

He slumped down, completely drained of strength.

“You guys handle the rest,” Stella said lazily, glancing down at Caleb and the others below. They nodded respectfully, and nobody batted an eye at their respect for a girl like her.

Not just Caleb, even the others felt their knees go weak, as if they might drop to their knees and worship her when Stella looked their way.

The carbon fiber drone buzzed around Stella as a well–behaved puppy, its cold, gleaming body circling her nonstop. Gone was the icy attitude it had when it first burst in. Now it was acting like her shadow, desperate to stick close.

Sebastian was left speechless.

Sebastian couldn’t help but think, ‘What an eyesore.’

Stella said, “As for you guys…”

She lazily lifted her eyes to the cold machines hovering in the air. The moment she spoke, all the drones lit up their left- wing blue indicator lights in unison, saluting her. Even in broad daylight, the sight was absolutely jaw–dropping.

“All of you, go back,” Stella said, her tone calm and indifferent. After she finished, Lucas, who’d been all pouty, suddenly perked up and waved at the drones.

Goodbye.

The lead puppy–like drone circled Stella three times, clearly not wanting to leave, before shooting up into the sky with a whoosh.

It led the rest of the drones away.

“What about me, Stella?” Suddenly, a robotic voice piped up from behind them.

Stella sighed helplessly.

Turns out, she really had forgotten about Scrappy.

They all turned to see Scrappy’s big cartoon eyes morph into watery, fried–egg shapes, the wavy edges rippling with animated tears. “Stella, did you forget about Scrappy?”

With that, the robot flopped dramatically onto the ground, throwing a full–on tantrum. “Stella, don’t leave Scrappy behind!

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Take me home!”

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As if that wasn’t enough, Scrappy suddenly sat cross–legged and started singing in a goofy voice, “Stella, are you hungry? If you’re hungry, just tell Scrappy.”

Everyone else was speechless.

Stella looked down at Scrappy, her face blank, as if she was seriously considering something.

“Please don’t. Stella, you can’t just take out Scrappy’s chip, okay? Scrappy, still sitting on the ground, slowly hugged his chest with both hands, giving her a mischievous look.

Stella was left speechless.

‘Busted, Stella thought.

She gave him a mischievous little smile..

Scrappy sang as stealing a glance at Stella, “It’s me, Scrappy. I’m suffering here. Oh, Stella. How could you be so heartless?” He looked at Stella with teary eyes.

Stella let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Shut up!”

Scrappy jumped up and squeezed himself right next to Stella. “Of course, Stella! Scrappy always does what you say, totally different from that brute who just goes ‘Ah‘ all the time!”

He struck a dramatic Bruce Lee pose, just like Big Ben had done earlier.

All the while, he shook his head with exaggerated disgust.

Stella sighed helplessly.

‘Wow, Scrappy really knows how to suck up to me and put others down,‘ Stella thought.

“Excuse me, did you guys forget about me?” Just as things were getting lively, a sarcastic voice called out from behind.

They all turned to look.

The fake Lillian looked utterly speechless. He thought, ‘Seriously does anyone here even know how to show an assassin a little respect?

I’m kind of a big deal in the business, you know!‘

Stella looked at the fake Lillian, her eyes half–lidded, as if she was sizing him up.

The fake Lillian felt silent.

‘What’s with that look?‘ Lillian wondered.

Sebastian pulled his squishy little Lucas into his arms. After a moment, he put his hand over Lucas’s eyes.

Lucas opened his eyes wide.

Stella casually walked up to the fake Lillian, not bothered in the slightest. Before he could say a word, there was a loud snap, and his eyes went wide with fear.

He collapsed backward, stiff as a board.

Everyone just stared in shock as Stella calmly clapped her hands totally unfazed after twisting his neck.

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“Turns out I really did forget,” Stella said, unfazed.

Everyone stood there, left speechless.

Sometimes, forgetting is way more blissful than remembering.

***

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On an island, a bonfire was blazing brightly.

“So bored…” Geezer was hugging a skeleton he’d swiped from the National Museum of Yaloria, and he’d even gone so far as to fit it with Queen Francesca’s fake teeth.

Beside him, Razorstrike was swinging his giant hammer with a deadpan look, so bored he was flattening gold bars into thin sheets just to kill time.

Geezer just nodded.

Serpentina was lazily teasing her chubby peregrine falcon. “Stella is heading to the International Herbal Medicine Conference.” The moment she said it, the other four instantly snapped their heads around to stare at her, eyes burning with excitement.

ViperShade’s eyes sparkled. “The International Herbal Medicine Conference, huh? Shouldn’t we hook Stella up

real resources?”

Professor Cipher closed his encyclopedia and nodded. “I think that’s a good idea.”

Everyone shot each other a look, then sprang into action.

with some

They pinned a map of Clusia to a coconut tree. Blindfolded, Serpentina snatched a silver acupuncture needle from ViperShade and, with a dramatic flourish, sent it whizzing through the air.

Geezer, clutching his skeleton, leaned in eagerly, “Where?”

He was practically bouncing with excitement.

Razorstrike hefted his giant hammer with one arm and plucked the needle out with the other.

“Jaffina!” Razorstrike replied.

The five of them exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing

They giggled inwardly.

*****

Inside the Maybach, Stella sneezed.

She opened her eyes.

She felt a chill run down her back.

Sebastian and Lucas both looked up at her in perfect sync. The two of them were practically mirror images, and all that gloom that had haunted their eyes for years had finally faded away. Sebastian looked even more like some untouchable, ascetic prince.

“Stella!” The moment Stella woke up, Scrappy buckled into the passenger seat and couldn’t wait to start running his mouth.

“Zip it,” John cut in.

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John didn’t even hesitate. He hit the button and the soundproof partition slid up.

Blackie poked his little head out from Stella’s hair, but before he could even react, a slender, icy hand grabbed him right by his weak spot and yanked him out.

Blackie was speechless.

He just hung there in midair, limp as a noodle.

Sebastian kept his face totally blank as he gave Blackie a casual shake, then, in his usual unhurried way, glanced down and said to Lucas, “Go back to sleep.”

Without missing a beat, he tied Blackie into a ridiculous little bow and dropped him right into Lucas’s pocket.

Blackie thought, ‘Are you freaking kidding me?’

Stella lazily shook her head, resting her cheek on one hand. Her phone kept buzzing, but she ignored it completely.

‘Kinda hungry,‘ Stella thought.

She turned to Lucas and asked, “Want some Cookie?”

Lucas, holding Blackie in his pocket, nodded with sparkling eyes.

Stella calmly reached behind the seat, grabbed a tin of Cookies, and popped it open. The sweet smell instantly filled the car.

Sebastian shot a silent look at the back seat.

The back seat was now overflowing with snacks of every color, looking totally out of place against the luxury black leather. Sebastian’s gaze shifted to Stella.

Whatever makes her happy,‘ he thought.

Lucas and Stella were digging in.

After a brief silence, Sebastian casually brushed the cookie crumbs off Stella’s clothes and said, “The military sent some people just for you. They should already be on the island.”

Stella didn’t really care, just replied, “Who?”

Sebastian paused. “You know them.”

“Hum?” Stella asked.

**

An hour later, in Sandridge Island, Stella felt silent.

Expressionless, Stella stared at the giant in front of her. He was ilt like a bear.

The room went dead silent.

Everyone’s expressions were complicated.

Lucas just blinked in shock, totally spaced out.

With his hands behind his back, the guy bellowed, each word booming, “Ms. Carter!”

Its roar thundered across the land.

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Eggie, who was chilling on top of Snowball’s head, nearly jumped out of his shell in fright.

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Stella gave Vincent a sidelong look. “What’s up with his face?” Sh casually pointed at the big guy with her pale finger.

The guy was Fabian, the very same guy who once boasted in Farmonia that he’d let Carter take three shots at him for free.

Captain of the Fourth Unit of Red Shadow.

Vincent scratched his head awkwardly. “Uh, about that…”

He just shrugged, looking helpless.

Fabian looked like he’d been trampled by a herd. His face was bruised, stamped with shoe prints, and he snorted his nosebleed right back in with a loud sniff.

Fabian spoke, and fresh blood started trickling down again, “Everyone was fighting over who got to be Ms. Carter’s bodyguard.

“See? Not a single one could take me down!” Fabian puffed up with pride.

Everyone else felt silent.

Snowball flicked the tip of its tail, lifted its big white head up nice and slow, and cocked it to the side.

Snowball stared out the big window at the lawn outside.

It was confused.

‘This is awesome!‘ Snowball thought.

Stella paused for a couple of seconds. Stella asked, “Them?

“Who else?”

Fabian looked smug. “Oh, just about a hundred or so!”

He thought, ‘Those little brats from the camp. Just trash!‘

Fabian lifted his chin, looking all cocky. “B

you didn’t know that I am the daddy!”

Vincent was speechless.

Sebastian gave Fabian a look that: said it all.

The next second, Fabian instantly turned to Sebastian and said, was wrong!”

Sebastian just glanced down, totally unfazed, and gave a slow, “Mm.”

Everyone stood there, left speechless.

Stella pressed her fingers to her forehead, her head throbbing. “Can I return him for a refund?”

Fabian was stunned.

He asked, “Why?”

Stella nonchalantly rolled up the sleeves of her white shirt, her sm arm on display, “You? Protect me?”

Fabian was stunned.

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Even with a brain barely more advanced than a paramecium, he could never shake off the trauma of their encounter experience.

Suddenly, everyone just stared in silence.

Everyone just stared up, stone–faced, as Fabian shot up the tree ke a hyperactive monkey, landing right on top of Snowball’s favorite tree.

Vincent couldn’t help but yell, “Fabian, are you for real or just brin–dead? Seriously, what’s the point of jumping up a tree?!”

If you’re that amazing, why don’t you just blast off into space?‘ Vincent thought.

“Come down,” Stella beckoned, gesturing for Fabian to get off the tree.

Fabian crouched on the branch, hesitated, then shook his head. ust don’t bring up the refund thing again, alright?”

Stella laughed.

The others were left speechless.

Sebastian, Lucas, Blackie, and Snowball all shuffled to the side. Vincent hadn’t even processed what was happening when Stella just lifted her leg and kicked the landscape tree.

There was a sharp crack. Then, the trunk that was thick enough for two or three people to wrap their arms around started tipping, and then, it crashed to the ground with a thunderous thd that made everyone’s jaws drop.

Vincent and Fabian were stunned.

Just before the tree toppled over, Fabian jumped down, only to find himself staring straight into Snowball’s beady little red

eyes.

Snowball hissed and spat at Fabian, firing off a string of sharp lite hisses.

“Mr. Gray.” Fabian looked up at Sebastian, looking all pitiful. He was desperate to learn from Stella.

Her fighting style was this crazy blend of ancient martial arts and all sorts of bizarre tricks.