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

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lieutenant general! I just had a small

to me!"

glanced her way, not fazed at all.

gave it one

with

icy, and he said, "If you're still not

General Valor handle

and he

sir," he said,

Raven a glare, his eyes full of resentment

sir," he added, voice thick, "Lieutenant General Valor's

stepped out-she said even you wouldn't be able to change

to you rudely, no rank or nothing," he said, hammering it

Tom' at you, her superior!" Rex

she's got zero respect for you!" he

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

the military down with losses we can't even

brow creased, and he said steady, "What're you 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,

Guys who've been in the trenches forever, hearing some kid not even

their whole lives, and they're still below a punk who's barely an adult.

soldiers from losing heart, and to give Lieutenant General Valor some time to cool off, drop that

she's at least thirty before even talking

military will fall

a sharp, cold laugh at Rex's

her head, her icy eyes

think I'm not up for this job, no point in bothering with a demotion-just let

around guarding Vyrdenia because of a promise to A FRIEND. If the military figured she didn't belong, she wasn't about

wouldn't even sweat unseal that

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Chapter 30

Raven said it, a

crew-gawked at her like

couldn't believe what

She

her mind?'

took Rex's advice, she'd

military would die for and never touch-and

Rex couldn't

on", Rex muttered to himself, "she's already climbed this far; no way

into keeping her rank. Rex's look at

really thinks Vyrdenia's military can't roll without

If Lorne could be shaken by a

flex on him? She was just screwing herself. Her ego would sink her sooner or later-Rex was sure of

regret

his mind, Lorne spun his head around and fixed

a glare.