The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven)

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Half an hour later, the Bastion military base was buzzing with a quiet, serious vibe.

Jonah gave a salute to the Bastion higher-ups who'd shown up to meet him.

Then an old guy, straight from the bigwig meeting room at Vyrdenia's central command, climbed down from the fighter jet.

The old man had that heavy, been-in-charge-forever feel-sharp, distant, like you'd think twice before looking him in the

eye.

This was Lorne Drakon, the head honcho of Vyrdenia's three generals.

Jonah stepped up.

He gaving a respectful nod and reported, "Sir, that whole mess with Lieutenant General Valor and Dane Grayson? It's taken care of."

Lorne tipped his head slightly, but he didn't seem eager to jet off just yet.

He let out a little sigh. "I've asked Lieutenant General Valor twice to take that fourth General spot in Vyrdenia. She shot me down both times. I thought this summit might change her mind-let the big shots talk her into it.

"But then the Grayson Group mess blew up. I'm gonna give her one last chance. If she says no again, I'll be too embarrassed to even show up around here."

Jonah didn't have much to say to that.

He'd had this small, nagging worry about what Margaret mentioned–something

about the Jennings family stirring up trouble for Raven.

Now? He figured he'd been worrying it way too much.

A weird mix of thoughts crossed his face as he glanced at Lorne.

Every soldier dreamed of landing that General spot. He'd dangled it in front of her twice, and she didn't bite. Now he was going back for a third try.

Jonah smirked to himself, thinking, "She's not into it-how about tossing it my way instead?'

A word from the three generals, and he'd fly himself there to take the spot-Just kidding, of course.

This whole thing was making Jonah a bit jealous-Raven got handed stuff she didn't even want, repeatedly, while others couldn't catch a break.

"What made her so special and I'm not?" Jonah muttered, keeping it to himself.

"I heard the Grayson family's taking on Raven tomorrow at five?" Lorne said. "Grab some guys. We're heading over to see what's up."

Jonah kept his mouth shut, but inside, he was smirking.

They called it a "surprise," but everyone knew it was a face-off with Raven.

the General was ready to have Raven's back against some minor Bastion family. That showed how much he thought

really wanted her in that

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22.32 PM, 11 Apr

Chapter 19

had just tried throwing the Jennings family's lieutenant

43%

Raven three times

he remembered right, Dane's dad-Brigadier General Rex Grayson- took leave yesterday to

poke his nose into tomorrow's

to picture it. He just sent the guy a quick, silent

+68

Ruth rolled up to

hopped out of the car, and her

said on the

It was unsealed in

and might be tied to some hush-hush details. I'll need more time to nail

sharpened a bit. She kept her voice

I was poking around about the Starcard, I caught a lead on that guy you told me

skipped a beat, just for a

on the phone tightened,

on the border wars, hopping

to chase him down.

a single hint

life came rushing back. That man-drop-dead

king-melted every

sulky, saying he didn't like her, then

how to flirt just to see her

to her every chance he got, but then pull back, giving her

of her "sweetheart" before the reborn hit

a little

more seriously than

get?"

phone. "Our people picked up a trace of him at

a quick

Academy... Guess she'd have to swing

plan in,

and Dane are pulling together every bit of muscle they can scrape up.

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22:32 Fri, 11 Apr

Chapter 19

afternoon at Cloudridge."

*.43%

468

military, Hugmuinn added, "Looks like he's