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.

against some minor Bastion family. That showed how much he thought of

in that dream gig everyone else was

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Chapter 19

had just tried throwing the Jennings family's lieutenant general

43%

begged Raven three times to take the

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

poke his

picture it. He just

+68

rolled up to Grayson Memorial

of the car, and her phone buzzed.

asked for," Hugmuinn said on the line. "Only one Starcard in Vyrdenia's history ever

was unsealed in

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

sharpened a bit. She kept her voice quiet. "Track that location down

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

heart skipped a beat, just for a split second,

phone

the last five years on the border wars, hopping between

to chase him down.

not a single

came rushing back.

like a king-melted every sharp edge

all cocky and sulky, saying he didn't like her,

flirt just

every chance he got, but then pull back, giving her room, worried she'd get tired

of her "sweetheart" before the reborn

little warmth slipping

a breath and looked more seriously than ever, asking, “What

get?"

somewhere in Vyrdenia, Hugmuinn said over the phone. "Our people picked up

just a

Academy... Guess she'd have

locked that plan in, Hugmuinn's

and Dane are pulling together every bit of muscle they can scrape up. They're gunning

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Chapter 19

afternoon at Cloudridge."

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military, Hugmuinn added, "Looks like he's got no clue who you are. He's heading to the Grayson