The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven)

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Rex stood there, totally frozen, his jaw practically on the floor.

He'd been so worked up and thrown off that he'd completely forgotten about that Vyrdenia law protecting military higher-ups.

Now Raven was in the clear, and he had nothing to pin on her.

A second later, he looked at her again, this time with a cautious edge.

'This woman's playing chess while I'm stuck on checkers,' he thought.

Raven didn't even blink at his stare and turned to Lorne instead.

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"General," she said, cool as ever, "Dane tried-and almost managed-to kill a six- year-old. Jax showed up with a crew to take down a military general. Up to you how to handle it."

Rex snapped out of his daze at her sharp tone.

His chest tightened in an instant.

Scared the General might decide right then and there, he jumped in quick.

"General," he rushed out, panic clear, "Dane and Jax messed up, no doubt, but it's not as awful as she's making it out to be. Nobody died because of them-please, let my last family off!"

Raven's eyes went colder at that.

"It's exactly because they've got a military general like you in their corner that they pull this stuff!" she fired back, her voice hard.

"If every bigwig's family ran loose like this, Vyrdenia wouldn't need an enemy attack-we'd fall apart from our own military circus!" she added, sounding all high and mighty.

Rex wanted to throttle her after that self-righteous rant.

He'd say something, she'd hit back twice as hard.

He'd never felt so cornered.

"Sir..." he tried again.

Rex opened his mouth to keep going, but Lorne shut him down with a raised hand before he could get it out.

"The Grayson family's in the wrong," Lorne said, low and steady. "If I let this go just because you're pleading, what do I do when the next military hotshot tries the same thing?"

Then he turned to the soldiers behind him.

"Guards," he ordered, voice booming with authority, "take Dane, Jax, and this young woman. Lock them up in Bastion Prison. The courts can figure it

out!"

Rex's heart dropped like a rock.

Dane and Jax went rigid, their faces draining of color.

Vivian's expression turned to pure, wild panic.

If this hit the courts, once that 'attempted murder of a military general'

charge landed, it would be death or life without parole at best.

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Chapter 30

move, she threw all caution aside and shouted at

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a lieutenant general! I just had a small clash with her-she broke both my hands! You can't do

to me!"

not fazed at all. "Drake? I

it one more

with

he said, "If you're still not satisfied, we

General Valor handle

and

sir," he said, dipping his

Raven a glare, his eyes

voice thick, "Lieutenant General Valor's not

stepped out-she said even

she talked to you

Tom'

zero respect for you!"

added, "With that attitude, she's gonna

down with losses we can't even

getting at?" "Lieutenant General Valor's too young," Rex said, his tone weighty. "I'll give her props-she's done plenty for the country-but she's raw, way too

years ago? Guys who've been in the trenches forever, hearing some kid not even twenty snagged lieutenant general?" he

bled for this nation their whole lives, and they're still below a punk who's barely an adult. You know

serious, "To keep those old soldiers from losing heart, and to give Lieutenant General Valor some time to cool off, drop that cockiness and

she's at least thirty before even talking about

will fall

let out a sharp, cold laugh at Rex's preachy

she tilted her head, her icy eyes settling

think I'm not up for this job, no point in bothering with

FRIEND. If the military figured she didn't belong, she wasn't about to keep putting her life on the line for it,

even sweat unseal that Starcard if she

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Chapter 30

Raven said it, a strange quiet blanketed

the Valhalla crew-gawked at her like she'd gone

what he'd just

military? She

she out of her

if Lorne took Rex's advice, she'd still be a colonel

military would die for and never touch-and she acted like it was

quitting flat-out? Rex couldn't

already climbed this far; no way she'd

keeping her rank. Rex's look at Raven filled with sarcasm and

can't roll without

exhaled a sigh of relief. If Lorne could be shaken by a

trick to flex on him? She was just screwing herself. Her ego would sink

regret

that crossed his mind, Lorne spun his head around

a glare.