The Mercenary Queen Strikes Back (Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Nova couldn’t make sense of it no matter how hard she tried, so she just let it go. She made her way back home.

By the time Nova finally set foot in Blake Villa, after all that had gone down, it was already 9:30 PM.

As soon as Nova stepped inside, Maxwell was waiting right by the door.

“Everything’s sorted out. Why are you only just getting home?” he said, frowning.

“Where have you been? It’s so late. Mom and Dad almost went out searching for you,” he added.

After the Frostwave Bar incident, Maxwell and the others had to head to the police station to give their statements, which burned through a ton of time.

Nova should’ve made it home long before they did.

But when Maxwell had waited this long and still hadn’t seen her show up, it was no wonder he was getting worked up.

His tone wasn’t caring–there was way more blame in it than anything else.

Gone was that usual chill big brother vibe he’d always had around his little sister.

Nova had gotten used to this by now. With one hand casually shoved in her pocket, she answered in a laid- back tone, “The night was pretty nice, so I just stayed out a little longer.”

Maxwell was still skeptical, but when he thought back to the way Nova had handled herself at Frostwave Bar tonight and all those secrets lurking beneath her calm exterior, he swallowed his questions.

“Next time, I don’t care what kind of trouble you’re getting into out there–you gotta be home before nine. That’s the Blake family’s curfew,” Maxwell said.

“Alright, Max. Nova’s just come back. Give her a break, will you?” Fiona chimed in, gentle but firm.

She rolled over in her wheelchair, balancing a steaming bowl of chicken soup in her hands.

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Fiona pressed the perfectly heated bowl of soup into Nova’s hands, nagging, “Your dad and I only set the nine o’clock curfew because we worry about you guys being out late. It’s just that it’s not always safe for girls out at night.

“Nova, your brother is sharp–tongued sometimes, but he’s only looking out for you. Both he and Hannah trained in self–defense, but you haven’t learned a thing.

“Tomorrow, I’ll talk to your dad, and maybe we’ll get a martial arts coach to come over and show really defend yourself.”

you

how to

Charles had already gone upstairs to rest as soon as he heard Nova was home–he had to be at the office bright and early tomorrow.

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Chapter 16

Fiona kept talking, not noticing the look on Nova’s face.

As Nova took the bowl of chicken soup from her, she stared at the rich broth, lost in thought for a moment. Nova suddenly remembered a kid from her past.

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Back when she was just a little girl herself, she’d picked up a child in some rundown slums, right in the middle of a war zone. That was already ten years ago.

Back then, Nova was completely alone. But through all those nights crashing on the street, she and that kid only had each other to lean on.

They became the closest thing to family, keeping each other strong and pushing through with the vow to survive, no matter what came their way.

But fate never bothers with people struggling just to survive in the gutters.

The kid fell ill. He died due to the lack of medicine that cost just a few dollars.

Just before he passed away, he clung to her hand, his eyes full of innocence and sincerity, and softly said his little wish, “Nova, am I not gonna make it? If there’s a next life, I wanna be your real brother.

“I really wish we could have chicken soup together. You know, the kind only kids with real moms and dads get.

“I’m sorry, Nova. I can’t stay with you anymore. But you’ll find your parents someday, and you’ll get to drink all the chicken soup you want.”

Just as that kid had hoped, Nova had finally found her parents.

She held the bowl of chicken soup her mom had given her, the warmth seeping into her palm. The soup was rich and fragrant.

Now, she could have chicken soup whenever she wanted–she could wave her hand and get anything this world had to offer.

But no matter how much she had, nothing could ever bring that kid back.

“Nova, what’s on your mind? Have your soup while it’s still hot. It’s better that way,” Fiona gently prompted, snapping her out of her reverie.

“OK,” Nova murmured in reply.

Just this once, she quietly finished every last drop of her warm chicken soup, just like a well–behaved kid. Not a drop was wasted.

Maxwell took in the whole scene, quietly watching her.

He couldn’t help but wonder, ‘What’s going on in her head right now? Could it be… she’s thinking about her past?‘

Nova was just about to head upstairs when Maxwell stopped her. “Hold up. Do you even know tomorrow’s

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Chapter 16

Zane’s birthday?

“He’s having a party out on the school grounds tomorrow night. Pretty much everyone’s going.

“After class tomorrow, make sure you go grab yourself a proper outfit.”

Zane was one of the three school heartthrobs at Saint Laurel Royal Academy and the founder of the Taekwondo club.

Strictly speaking, he was Maxwell’s main rival at school.

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But Saint Laurel Royal Academy was its own universe–every student there came from families loaded with cash or serious clout.

If someone were willing to throw down enough money for a birthday party on campus, all teachers and students would show up.

These parties were usually held at night. The scale was practically that of a royal ball.

Even if the Free Combat Club and the Taekwondo club never got along, Maxwell would still attend Zane’s birthday party.

“Alright,” Nova murmured, giving a small nod before heading upstairs.

*****

The next day, everyone at Saint Laurel Royal Academy was swept up in excitement.

Zane’s birthday party wasn’t just some simple party–this was a big deal that had everyone talking.

Every year, countless students at Saint Laurel Royal Academy would end up finding romance at these parties, leaving their single days behind for good.

For the girls, there was always the wild hope of being noticed by Zane, one of the academy’s three living legends, and being chosen as his date on the dance floor that night.

That was the kind of honor no amount of money could ever buy.

So, right from early morning, all the girls were caught up in the excitement of getting dolled up.

“Nova, what do you think of my makeup today? Does it look natural? I don’t look old or anything, right? Do you think this is too much for Zane’s birthday party?” Whenever class let out, Nova would inevitably hear Sophia’s noisy chatter echoing through the halls.

“It’s good,” Nova replied.

“Okay, then I’m just going like this. But Nova, why aren’t you stressing about your look for tonight? Seriously, no outfit, no makeup–aren’t you at all nervous about Zane’s party?” Sophia kept pressing.

Nova tossed her hair aside with a lazy smirk. “I don’t care.”

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Sophia’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? You seriously don’t care? Are you actually gonna show up at the party like this?”

Nova raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with that?”

Sophia let out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes. “Girl, everyone is losing their minds trying to look as flashy as possible. Nobody wants to fade into the background tonight.

“Seriously, don’t you dream of being picked by Zane and getting crowned as his lucky date for the party? That’s basically the fantasy of every girl in school right now.”

Nova honestly couldn’t have cared less. It wasn’t even on her mind, not even for a second.

As soon as the final bell rang, Nova made a beeline for Frostwave Bar. Right on cue, Victor handed over a fat stack of the freshest underworld info from the past half year.

It was a heavy folder, sealed up tight. The thing was about as thick as a textbook.

******

At 6 PM, at Saint Laurel Royal Academy, every girl was glammed up and dressed to kill, like they’d vanish into the crowd if they didn’t stand out enough.

In the whole venue, Nova was the only one not glammed up–just her regular clothes, not a hint of makeup. While everyone else fought for attention in dazzling outfits, she was quietly posted at the dessert table, calmly flipping through the latest intel.

She looked serene and almost ethereal, beautiful in a way that drew all eyes even though she wasn’t trying.

‘Damn, I never would’ve guessed so much crazy stuff had gone down in the underworld while I was stuck on Devil’s Isle for half a year,‘ Nova mused, a half–smile playing on her lips.

Nova arched her brows, skimming page after page, her eyes flying across the words and soaking in every detail at warp speed.

Just then, someone called out from nearby, “Nova, for real? Did you seriously not get dressed at all?”

Not far off, Sophia–dressed up like she was about to walk a runway–was leading her whole crew of girls, all dolled up, straight towards her.

As soon as Sophia laid eyes on Nova, she was so shocked that she just gaped, totally at a loss for words.

Sophia stared for a moment, then spotted the folder in Nova’s hands and hurried over, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. “Whatcha looking at?”

Nova smoothly tucked away the folder, making it look totally casual.

“Nothing,” she replied coolly.

“Sophia, is this… the Blake family’s newly returned heiress?” one of the girls standing with Sophia asked, arching an eyebrow as she shot Nova a critical glance.

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Honestly, no matter what she wore or whether she bothered with makeup, Nova was hands–down the most jaw–dropping girl at the party.

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She was in a league of her own. Her beauty was simply unreal–so breathtaking that it almost didn’t seem fair.

Emily Sinclair, Sophia’s friend, saw Nova’s face and honestly looked like she’d kill to switch places with her. “Yeah, that’s her,” Sophia said breezily

Emily chimed in, her words laced with biting sarcasm, “So you’re the legendary Blake heiress everyone’s been talking about? Heard you had it rough before all this, huh?

“And now that you’ve suddenly hit the jackpot and turned into some rich princess overnight, it must feel so weird, right? Bet you still have no idea how to actually act like one.”

Her voice was so jealous that everyone could taste it in the air.

After Emily spoke, Nova didn’t even look her way. That made Emily’s expression turn even more sour. She couldn’t help but shoot Nova a glare.

Just then, someone exclaimed, “Oh my, it’s Zane. Prince Zane.”

Another added, “He’s so hot. My prince charming. Zane, you’re literally my dream guy!”

Someone else said, “Happy birthday, Zane. Can I spend the night with you?”

An explosion of fangirl screams went off right beside Nova.

It wasn’t long before a handsome guy with an icy, brooding presence made his way over.

He had sharp features and a chill vibe, the kind of cool edge that always turned heads in a crowd.

That mysterious, aloof style–exactly the type that drove all the teenage girls wild.

He moved with easy confidence, effortlessly handsome and striking.

That was Zane Morgan, the star of tonight’s party and the center of every girl’s fantasy.

The moment Emily spotted Zane, her eyes practically glazed over–she was so stunned that she couldn’t even look away.

Her mind short–circuited; she immediately stood up straighter, chin held high, determined to come up with a way to grab Zane’s attention no matter what.

“That country bumpkin probably hasn’t even seen a real party before, let alone something this epic, Emily sneered inwardly.

Emily had heard about Nova for ages and had her pegged as some hopeless bumpkin who couldn’t dress herself to save her life and had never even set foot at a real high–society party.

“Seriously, what kind of idiot just barges into a night like this without any shame?‘ Emily scoffed mentally,

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Chapter 16

rolling her eyes.

So, seeing Zane heading their way, Emily couldn’t help herself–she had to stir things up.

She waited till Zane was right beside them before making her move, totally shameless.

She faced Nova, raising her voice so everyone could hear, dripping with sarcasm.

She spoke in Voskundi, “Nova, I heard that before you came back to the Blake family and became their heiress, you used to be someone’s mistress? Is that true?”

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Not everyone had learned Voskundi. Emily lifted her chin, puffed out her chest, and looked super pleased with herself, obviously trying to flaunt her language skills for maximum effect.

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She spent a whole summer sweating it out at her uncle’s place overseas, just to pick up a few lines in Voskundi. She just wanted to flex her language skills and act super cultured in front of everyone her age.

Of all people, she had to break out her highbrow Voskundi just for Nova. To her, that was like throwing pearls before swine.

With that thought, Emily tossed her hair and jutted out her chin, strutting around like a peacock flaunting its feathers.

But honestly, all Emily really wanted was to catch the school heartthrob’s eye–getting noticed by Zane was her ultimate goal.

She snuck a quick glance out of the corner of her eye, desperately hoping Zane was looking her way–and just then, she saw him.

Sure enough, Zane’s gaze landed right on her, making her heart skip a beat.

Instantly, she turned beet red and dropped her head, completely flustered and ashamed, too shy to meet his eyes again.

Everyone nearby gave Nova those classic pity stares, like they were all waiting to see her crash and burn.

It was obvious to them that Nova wasn’t some fancy heiress raised on private tutors and cocktail party small talk–and tonight, she was totally tripped up by the language game.

“Just look at her–standing there all lost, no clue what Emily just spat out. Does she even know that’s Voskundi?‘ the crowd thought.

All eyes were on Nova as she suddenly looked up, her gaze icy and sharp. She then parted her lips to speak.

And right then, Nova fired off a stream of flawless Voskundi–her accent smoother and more authentic than Emily’s. Honestly, it sounded like she’d lived in Voskundi her whole life.

She said, “Trust me, what you should really believe is that I could snap your neck right here and right now.”

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Chapter 17

Chapter 17