Chapter 512
Ivy’s sudden aggression didn’t startle Shermaine. The moment Ivy had studied her closely, Shermaine had sensed the suspicion.
No wonder Judy trusted her so much. Ivy truly was a sharp and perceptive woman. The moment Shermaine stepped in, Ivy sensed something strange.
That was why Shermaine had chosen Ivy’s villa to infiltrate–posing as a maid and biding her time.
“No one sent me,” Shermaine answered calmly.
Ivy sneered, “Playing stubborn?”
Shermaine smiled, “Just honest.”
Suddenly, the dagger slashed.
But Shermaine was faster. A needle pricked Ivy’s arm, striking a nerve. Pain flared, Ivy’s grip failed, and the blade clattered to the floor.
Yet Ivy didn’t retreat. Instead, she fought through the pain, launching into a fierce exchange of blows. She was skilled, one of the few who could match Shermaine.
The room was a trove of weapons. Ivy shoved a painting aside, revealing hidden firearms.
Shermaine, anticipating that the sound of gunfire would attract attention, instantly flicked needles again. Ivy could only dodge and abandon the guns. Panting, she stared. “You’re Boa Hanks.”
Shermaine raised an eyebrow, confirmation enough.
Ivy’s mind raced. ‘Judy’s most wanted, right here in my home. And she knows my routines, my layout. How long has she been watching me?’
Dread coiled in her gut. Yet beneath it, something darker thrilled. Rising from nothing to where she was now, Ivy rarely met someone who could match her. Now, at last, she had found a real challenge, and it thrilled her.
Ivy had been holding back earlier, but now, she was serious. “I never expected you to show up in my home,” she said, pulling a whip from beneath the table. “How about a real fight?”
The whip cracked through the air, its electrified tip leaving a scorched mark on the wall. Ivy’s skill was undeniable. The strikes came dangerously close to Shermaine.
But Shermaine hadn’t come to fight. She had planned to eliminate Ivy after using her, but now, she reconsidered. In the Kingdom of Xyperia, Ivy was the first opponent who matched her in both wit and combat.
Dodging another lash, Shermaine said, “Sorry, but we’ll have to save the fight for another time.”
Without hesitation, she produced a small glass vial, inside which a crimson insect writhed. The moment she uncorked it, the insect darted toward Ivy.
Ivy’s face paled. She swung her whip, but the insect was too fast, vanishing before her eyes.
She looked around frantically. Then, suddenly, a sharp sting pierced her neck. Heat flooded her veins, and weakness followed. Ivy collapsed, her vision blurring before darkness took her. When her eyes fluttered open again, they were glazed and vacant.
Shermaine approached as the insect emerged from Ivy’s skin, its red eyes pulsing eerily before returning to the vial.
This insect was a Control Soul Insect, a kind of mutant native to the Kingdom of Xyperia. It could control a host’s nervous system upon biting it.
Shermaine had learned to command the Control Soul Insect from the royal family’s ancient texts. After arriving in Summerbank, she had tasked Joshua with procuring one.
Now, with Ivy under its thrall, Shermaine ordered, “Go freshen up. You have a meeting with Judy.”
Obediently, Ivy rose and headed to the bathroom.
A shadow flickered outside the third–floor window. Then, Joshua slipped inside. In one fluid motion, he pulled Shermaine against him, pressing her into the couch as his lips found hers.