Chapter 177
Lyra glared at Palmer with a mix of disbelief and indignation. “Who is she? Do you really have
a fiancée already?”
Palmer looked up, meeting Lyra’s incredulous eyes. “And you are?”
Lyra’s jaw dropped. He had forgotten her? This couldn’t be happening!
“Look, if this lady is strong–arming you, just give me the word, and I’ll help you to..”
Palmer immediately raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his face a picture of desperate pleading. “Noella, I swear I don’t know her!”
Noella gave a nonchalant nod. “Am I strong–arming you?”
“Only in my dreams. When would my fiancée like to strong–arm me? And with what?”
A blush crept onto Noella’s cheeks as she stared at Palmer, confused. “Have you lost your mind? If she’s here for you, you deal with it.”
“I’ll need my fiancée here to watch.”
Grabbing Noella’s hand, Palmer looked up at Lyra. “Are you with Westwood Mercenary Corps?”
Only the mercenaries from Westwood were known to sport camo gear in this area, and judging by this woman’s attire and the dagger at her waist, she was likely one of them.
Lyra nodded vigorously, hoping against hope that Palmer would remember her. “Yes, I’m Lyra from Westwood Mercenary Corps. I saved you once, remember?”
Mentioning that supposed act of heroism only made Palmer’s expression all the more enigmatic.
For a brief moment long ago, he had indeed thought it was Lyra who had saved him. But after seeing her handle a gun, he realized she was nothing but a glory–thief. The true savior had a grace with firearms that was simply unforgettable.
Palmer drew his own sidearm from his waist, clicked off the safety, and handed it to Noella.
“What’s this for?” she asked, puzzled.
“There’s a bird in that tree I’d like. Care to shoot it down for me?”
His gaze was fixed on a tree behind Lyra, where several of Xavier’s prized Emerald Birds, with their lustrous green feathers perfect for courtly attire in days long gone, perched among the leaves. A hairpin made of those feathers would look stunning in his girl’s hair.
He was tired of seeing Noella wear the trinket from other men; he wanted her adorned with gifts solely from him.
Noella glanced at Palmer, then raised the gun, aiming past Lyra. Before Lyra could even grasp
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what was happening, the shot rang out, and the bird plummeted to the ground.
Xavier felt like his heart was bleeding money. “That bird cost me a fortune! Palmer, you and I are done!”
Lyra screamed. “She shot at me!”
Did this woman not fear retribution within the confines of Lockhart Prison?
Palmer looked at Lyra with Icy eyes. “The person who saved me had far superior aim than you.”
That very shot had ended a drug lord’s reign and snatched him from death’s grip. Not even the entire Westwood Mercenary Corps could boast a marksman of that caliber.
“You’ve lied to me, and I don’t care. I never trusted you. But if you disrespect my fiancée, I will get rid of the entire Westwood Mercenary Corps.”
It dawned on Lyra that Palmer had known all along she wasn’t his savior.
How did he find out? And this woman, how was she such an excellent shot? Why hadn’t she heard of a woman with such skill in Lockhart Prison?
Lyra brushed her hair behind her ear and turned to Xavier. “People can just shoot guns on your turf, Xavier? Seems like they don’t take you seriously.”
Xavier met Noella’s scrutinizing gaze and itched to kick Lyra. “So what if she doesn’t take me seriously? Even if she pushes me into a ditch, I’d be thrilled!”
If this fool had ruined his efforts to impress Noella, Xavier would have no choice but to deal with Lyra and her entire mercenary crew.
Noella looked a bit nauseated by Xavier’s groveling. “I have no interest in kicking you into a
ditch.”
Lyra couldn’t believe her eyes. Everyone knew about Xavier’s temper, but this was the first time she’d seen him so amiable towards a woman.
Could it be…
A lightbulb went off in Lyra’s head, and she regarded Noella with a calculating look.
“Xavier, if she’s your relative, you better teach her the rules of surviving in Lockhart Prison, so she doesn’t end up getting beaten without knowing why.”
In fact, if it weren’t for Palmer holding Noella for so long, Lyra would have suspected that
Noella was Xavier’s mistress.
Seeing Palmer’s tenderness towards Noella, Lyra’s heart soured like a lemon, wishing she could replace her.
Noella turned to Xavier, her knuckles cracking, her face stoic. “Her mouth is worse than a sewer. I’m getting annoyed. Can I hit her?”
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Xavier instantly transformed into an epitome of obsequiousness. “Absolutely, you can hit her. Here, you can even hit me if you want!”
Palmer almost couldn’t contain his laughter at Xavier’s antics.
Noella nodded and, without hesitation, walked towards Lyra, her hand swinging out in a forceful slap.
Lyra sneered, thinking she had provoked Noella into making the first move. With her mercenary training, how could she be bested by this slip of a woman?
But Noella’s slap landed squarely on Lyra’s cheek, leaving her no chance to retaliate.
“You!”
Lyra knew she couldn’t underestimate her opponent any longer. Clutching her face, she braced for Noella’s onslaught, but the moment their fists and kicks collided, she realized she was no match for the woman before her!
Noella’s punches and sweeping kicks hit Lyra with precision, each blow targeting a vulnerable spot. In no time, Lyra was on the ground, cradling her head and shrieking.
“Stop! Please, stop!”
Noella dusted off her hands, looking down at Lyra with a hint of disappointment. “That was anticlimactic. Can’t take a hit, huh? And here I thought with all that tough talk, you’d be a bit more resilient. To think you’re with the Westwood Mercenary Corps. Seems they’ve gone soft after being around for so long.”
Xavier chimed in at once. “Noella’s right on the money. Our next move is to wipe Westwood Mercenary Corps off the map!”
Lyra looked at Xavier in terror, then at Palmer, who was gently massaging Noella’s hands. “No… please, Vocalist, save me! I’ll do anything for you!”
Palmer turned to Noella and said softly, “It’s your call, Noella. I’m with you all the way.”
Noella’s gaze on Lyra held a chilling smile, like a death bringer returning from hell itself. “How about this, you die, and I’ll spare the Westwood Mercenary Corps. Deal?”
Was this woman asking her to die? A devil in disguise!
Seeing the reluctance in Lyra’s eyes, Noella sighed. “Out here on the frontier, one life more or less doesn’t make a difference. Since you’re so nobly willing to save your entire crew, why don’t you sacrifice yourself?”/
Lyra bit back, “You’re heartless. You think a woman like you can win Vocalist’s affection?”
Palmer looked at Lyra with icy detachment. “Noella will always be my one and only! You’re foolish, unattractive, and a poor fighter. Best you disappear before you upset my fiancée any further.”
Only then did Lyra remember her face was swollen from Noella’s blows! Gritting her teeth,
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she turned and walked away, showing no signs of any intention to save her crew,
As Lyra limped away, a figure hung from the black tower spoke up. “Excuse me, I‘ hanging here! Have you all forgotten about me?”
