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.

almost to himself. "I hope Mom's right-that

didn't say a word, just glanced

stepped up to

then

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Chapter 17

shot through the

second the box opened up, every soldier sucked

their breathing got heavy-Jonah

lit up, full of

red crystal

designs curled around its edges, with a sharp, blazing flame symbol

had warriors who pushed

were the Starbornes-rare powerhouses who

Vyrdenia, maybe ten Starborne existed, if

a force of nature, a living

any family that raised a Starborne? Vyrdenia piled on

the old Mr. Henderson swore-if someone could handle this Starcard, the family would climb to the top of

prize she'd rushed

breathing picked up a little, but her face stayed

just any Starborne-she already had four Starcards

final piece of the Universal Five, the game-changer Vyrdenia needed to

the thrill buzzing in her chest

instant it touched her hand, her eyebrow

corner of the card, zeroing in on

at that "lock" for a beat

out a quiet sigh, muttering

the Universal Five wasn't

this Starcard didn't have some catch,

turned to the Henderson bunch, her

ancestors

looking puzzled. "What

his question and got

the other Hendersons

to give it to

was sealed, much less how

open.

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22:32 FA, 17 AY5#/

Chapter 17

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