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

threw all caution aside

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uncle Drake's a lieutenant general! I just had a small clash with

to me!"

barely glanced her way, not fazed at all. "Drake? I know him. So

it

face twisted with even

icy, and he said, "If you're

General Valor handle

changed, and

your call, sir," he said, dipping

shot Raven a glare, his

he added, voice thick, "Lieutenant General Valor's not exactly

her yourself before you stepped out-she said even you wouldn't

you came out from behind that tree, she talked to you rudely, no rank or nothing," he said, hammering

even threw 'peeping Tom' at you, her superior!"

zero respect

the end, he added, "With that attitude, she's gonna mess up bad

down with losses we can't

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

been in the trenches forever, hearing some kid not even twenty snagged lieutenant

and they're still below a punk who's barely an adult. You know how much that killed their faith in

losing heart, and to give Lieutenant General Valor some time

colonel for now. Wait till she's at least thirty before

military will

Raven let out a sharp, cold laugh

she tilted her head, her icy eyes settling

"since so many think I'm not up for this job, no point in bothering with a

only stuck around guarding Vyrdenia because of a promise to A FRIEND. If the military figured she

unseal that

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Chapter 30

moment Raven said it, a

Valhalla crew-gawked at her like she'd

what

the military? She

her mind?' he

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

die for and never touch-and she acted

Rex couldn't

already climbed this far; no

keeping her rank.

can't roll without her,'

be shaken by a cheap move like

was just screwing herself. Her ego would sink her sooner or later-Rex was sure

regret this,"

his mind, Lorne spun his head

a glare.