The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Margaret jumped up, her voice cutting through the air. "Hold it right there!"

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She turned to General Yardley, softening a bit. "General Yardley, we screwed up, and we're sorry. Let us go, please-I'll hand over the Henderson family heirloom. It's all yours!"

Raven quirked an eyebrow, throwing up a hand to freeze everyone in place.

She hadn't even started hunting for it, and now Margaret was just tossing it her way like a gift.

Well, that saved her a whole lot of hassle.

The Henderson family members stood there, stunned, their eyes popping out at Margaret's offer.

A few of them yelled at once, "Margaret, don't do it!"

One guy stepped up, his voice shaky with panic. "That's the heart of our family! We can't just give it up!"

Another jumped in, his face red and worked up. “Grandpa said before he passed- if one of us can tame that thing, we could get the whole Vyrdenia under control! Margaret, I'd rather sit in a cell than watch that dream die for good!"

Margaret's face tightened, her voice dropping.

"You all know what Bastion Prison's like," she said, "These old bones aren't walking out of there. What? You want me dead?"

She kept going, steady and sure. "Anyway, that thing's been collecting dust with us for years, and nobody's cracked it. Maybe General Yardley can actually put it to use!"

Before anyone could argue back, Margaret leaned toward Jonah.

She picked her words carefully. "General Yardley, can my son go get it?"

Jonah's eyes flicked to Raven.

Raven gave Malcolm a quick look, her tone calm. "Go ahead."

The guy holding Malcolm let him loose.

Malcolm took off toward the Henderson family's safe room, finally free.

Five minutes later, he was back.

He held a small, gleaming white platinum box-about two fingers wide-like it was something holy.

He stopped in front of General Yardley, staring at the box with a pang of regret.

"This thing's been ours forever, but nobody's ever gotten it under control. If people knew about it, it'd just bring trouble," he said, his voice shaky.

voice dropped low, almost to himself. "I hope Mom's right-that General Yardley

didn't say a word, just glanced at

stepped up

checked out the platinum box, then flipped it open with a

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Chapter 17

shot through

second the box opened up,

no time, their breathing

full of greed

a red crystal card, sitting

a sharp, blazing flame symbol smack in the

warriors who pushed their bodies

powerhouses who fought with Starcards and

Vyrdenia, maybe ten Starborne existed, if

was a force of nature, a living

raised a Starborne? Vyrdenia piled on the perks, setting them up

why the old Mr. Henderson swore-if someone could handle this Starcard, the family would

firm, her eyes glued to the prize she'd

up a little, but her face stayed stone-cold

wasn't just any Starborne-she already had four Starcards in

fire card was the final piece of the Universal Five, the game-changer Vyrdenia

the thrill buzzing in her chest and

it touched her

corner of the card, zeroing in on an old, gnarled

at that "lock" for

let out a quiet sigh, muttering

had seen it coming-collecting the Universal Five wasn't going to

some catch, the Hendersons wouldn't

to the Henderson bunch, her voice

Starcard's got a seal on it. Did the ancestors ever say anything

frowned, looking

and got the picture

over the

to give it to

sealed, much less

open.

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22:32 FA, 17 AY5#/

Chapter 17

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look gripping the tard like it belonged