The Mercenary Queen Strikes Back (Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

AG 76

Zane was known for his icy demeanor, the most aloof heartthrob of Saint Laurel Royal Academy.

But right now, with every move, Nova was colder and more arrogant than Zane ever was.

Her words hit like a bomb, instantly stirring up a frenzy among the girls nearby.

A girl said, “Oh my god! She actually turned down Zane’s invitation.”

Another girl added, “Every girl here would kill to be Zane’s date, and she just rejected him? Has she lost her mind or something?”

Sophia clutched her chest, gaping at Nova like she’d just seen a ghost. “Nova, no way. You really said no to Zane?”

It felt like Nova had just done something world–shattering.

Nova’s gaze turned icy, her eyes unreadable.

In all his years, Zane had never once been turned down by a girl before.

And it wasn’t some pampered rich heiress who snubbed him—it was a country girl who’d spent over ten years toughing it out on her own, away from home.

Zane stared at Nova, his gaze so intense that it could’ve set her on fire.

He snapped, “You’re the first girl who’s ever turned me down. Why’d you say no to me? Or is there something else going on? Tell me, Nova, are you just playing hard to get?”

Zane was convinced Nova was just playing games–pretending she didn’t care, only to reel him in later once he was hooked.

For Zane, the idea that she might reject him for any other reason was simply unthinkable.

“Damn it. This playful chick,‘ Zane fumed inwardly.

Nova’s gaze turned icy, cold enough to freeze anyone on the spot.

Anyone familiar with Bloodforge knew–when Nova looked like that, things were about to get explosive.

With a cold and cocky tone, Nova fired back at Zane, “You’re not worthy.”

With that, Nova spun on her heel, not even bothering to acknowledge anyone, and strode away.

She had zero interest in sticking around for any more of Zane’s lame games.

“Wait, spell it out. What do you mean by I’m not worthy?” Zane demanded, his eyes almost spitting fire.

He’d never come across a girl as gutsy as Nova before.

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Zane was the golden boy everyone adored, the cold–hearted heartthrob who never spared a glance for any of the girls around him.

He was absolutely furious. He stepped forward, ready to grab Nova and force her to stay.

Before Zane could even get close to Nova’s shoulder, a hand suddenly appeared from the side, intercepting him in a split second.

Maxwell–the other legendary heartthrob at Saint Laurel Royal Academy–showed up in a flash, his vibe just as powerful as Zane’s

Maxwell locked his hand around Zane’s wrist, grip firm and unyielding, stopping him cold.

Their eyes met–Maxwell stone–cold, Zane blazing with fury–neither backing down an inch.

Maxwell suddenly appeared, giving Nova a long, protective look.

Then he locked eyes with Zane, his tone pure steel. “Zane, even if she just got back to the Blake family, she’s my sister. So with me here, you’re not touching her.”

Both of Saint Laurel Royal Academy’s top legends were right here, facing off in the middle of everything.

One was the powerhouse who founded the Taekwondo Club, while the other started the Free Combat Club- these guys basically ran the school’s fight scene.

And now, the two were having a showdown all because of Nova.

The crowd absolutely lost it, screaming and shouting so loud it almost shook the whole place. This showdown was just too intense.

Ever since Nova came back, this was the very first time Maxwell had openly acknowledged her as his sister.

And for the first time, he was treating her like family–standing up for her in front of everyone, just like he always did for Hannah.

Nova glanced up, her eyes shimmering.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, an unfamiliar warmth flooded through her, wrapping her up from head to

toe.

‘Could it be… what it feels like to be protected by a brother?‘ Nova thought.

Zane pulled his hand back, instantly reverting to his usual icy, untouchable self.

His eyes ablaze, Zane locked eyes with Maxwell, then spat out a challenge. “One month from now, at the Duel Tournament, let’s see if you and your Club can still act so protective of your precious little sister.”

With that, Zane spun around and walked off, every step radiating icy arrogance.

Saint Laurel Royal Academy’s Duel Tournament was exclusive, epic, and all–out legendary.

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Where most schools focused strictly on academics, Saint Laurel set itself apart by putting equal emphasis on sports, self–defense, and serious martial arts training.

That was why when the annual Duel Tournament rolled around, it wasn’t just a school event–it was a high- stakes showdown, testing every student’s skills in Taekwondo, free combat, and every combat art they’d trained in all year.

It was kind of like how regular schools had language contests or math competitions–but here at Saint Laurel, it was all about martial arts and self–defense.

Obviously, this was the Free Combat Club and the Taekwondo Club throwing down right out in the open–a head–to–head fight for school supremacy.

Once Zane left, some girls from the crowd immediately rushed after him, caught up in his cold allure.

As for Emily–the one who’d been stirring things up by showing off Voskundi–she’d already vanished from the scene before anyone even noticed.

Sophia literally rushed up to Nova, almost skipping over in her excitement.

She completely dropped her previous fangirl vibe and just stood there, totally dazed, blurting out, “Oh my god, Nova, you’re insane.

“Seriously, I’ve never seen any girl actually make Zane look so defeated in front of the whole school. You’re a legend.

“I’m a big fan of you from now on. Nova, you’re amazing.”

Sophia squaled and leapt for Nova, going for a ridiculous hug.

But Nova just coolly held her back by the forehead, effortlessly blocking her, leaving Sophia stuck there flailing hopelessly in the air.

Still keeping Sophia at arm’s length, Nova tossed a casual thanks Maxwell’s way. “Thanks.”

Though she didn’t need rescuing or anything–she could totally handle this herself.

“You’re my sister. You don’t need to thank me for anything,” Maxwell said, his brows knitting together.

His tone was much gentler than it used to be. Still, there was a hint of distance lingering in his words.

Maxwell paused, hesitated for a beat, but finally turned to Nova and said, “If you ever run into trouble at school and can’t handle it, just come find me.” With that, he turned and walked away.

Sophia leaned in, nosy as ever, and whispered, “Wait, you and your brother aren’t super close, are you?”

She said it without thinking, and then immediately winced, realizing it sounded way harsh.

After all, no one actually wanted people to point out that their family wasn’t close.

So Sophia rushed to explain herself, “No, Nova, that’s totally not what I meant, I swear…

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Chapter 18

“Seriously, don’t even worry about it. Relationships take some time to grow, you know?

“And hey, your brother just went all hero mode for you earlier. That’s so cool.”

Nova couldn’t care less. With all the crap she’d been through, just finding her family was already more than she ever hoped for.

But Maxwell backing her up like that was something she never saw coming.

Nova’s eyes narrowed for a moment, thoughtful.

Suddenly, her phone dinged. It was a text message notification.

Nova pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocked it, and tapped the screen to check her messages.

It was a text from Ghost–Hammer, her most trusted subordinate.

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Last time, she logged onto the Bloodblade Mercenary Corps site and got in touch with Ghost–Hammer–the one who’d always had her back before she ended up in prison.

She’d slipped him her number just to make sure they could always keep in contact.

She guessed that Ghost–Hammer finally made it back from some hellish battlefield, finished his mission in one piece, and caught sight of her message.

Nova’s lips curled into a sly little smile.

With Sophia right there and eyes glued to her, Nova just checked the message. She couldn’t have cared less who saw it.

On the screen, Ghost–Hammer had messaged back.

Ghost–Hammer: [Boss, is that really you? Where the hell have you been for the last six months?]

Ghost–Hammer: [Most of that batch of new recruits from half a year ago are dead, and the rest are wrecked for life. We’ve got fewer than ten left standing. Aside from that, everything with the Bloodblade Mercenary Corps is doing well.]

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