Chapter 31
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“Ahem… Raven, listen, Brigadier General Grayson’s getting old, and, uh, he’s not all there anymore. I’ll say sorry for him,” Lorne said, rubbing the back of his neck with an awkward grin.
Then he even added. “And to make it real clear I’m totally against that stupid idea he had, I’m giving you a promotion.”
“As of today, you’re the military’s fourth general!” he announced, his voice loud and firm.
The place burst into chatters.
The moment Lorne’s words landed, it was like a shockwave hit everyone right in the head.
For a second, they thought they’d heard wrong.
The fourth general? Their minds buzzed with disbelief.
Vyrdenia’s three current full–on generals were legends–people who’d fought hard and spilled blood for the country’s pride.
And in all of Vyrdenia’s history, no one had ever made general before fifty.
But here was Lorne, handing the title to a girl barely past her teens.
He wasn’t kidding–he was really doing this.
Next to Raven, Eddie just gaped at her, his jaw hanging loose.
He’d come from Regalhold to “lend a hand,” full of himself and ready to play hero.
He’d thought he was the hotshot riding in to save the day–that’s how he pictured it.
Yeah, Valhalla master, lieutenant general, whatever, he’d sucked it up and dealt with it.
But now they‘ were saying she was shooting up to a general rank he could only dream of? His head couldn’t handle it.
Someone like that needing his help–he almost cracked up at the thought.
And since he got here, he hadn’t done a thing.
Besides shouting like a fool at the start, telling Raven to run, he’d just stood there, quiet and useless.
He’d always been top dog among his buddies, wearing that pride like a medal.
But right then, he felt tiny. Worthless.
Next to Raven’s age and what she’d done, he–a guy who came to “help“-felt like a joke.
If he’d known he was walking into this, he’d have told his grandpa to forget it, even if it meant getting chewed out.
Vivian, who’d been scheming about calling her lieutenant general uncle, stopped cold, stunned.
She hadn’t really seen the badge Raven tossed in Rex’s face earlier–assumed Raven was maybe a major general, tops, given how young she looked.
But now Lorne was saying Raven was a general, just like that.
Vyrdenia’s fourth military general, just the four words made her mind spin.
That was someone the Jennings family would throw a whole welcome bash for–big dinner, fancy setup, the whole deal.
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16:22 Mon,
Chapter 31
And she’d written Raven off as some nobody from a nowhere town. The ridiculousness of it slammed into her.
Looking back at how she’d acted, she felt like a total idiot.
Vivian always thought she had it all figured out. Yet now, she realized she’d played herself–she let out a quiet sigh.
Meanwhile, Rex blinked out of his daze, shaking his head.
Lorne’s words hit him like a slap across his grizzled face.
He’d just suggested bumping Raven down to colonel, and Lorne shot back by making her Vyrdenia’s fourth general.
This was a straight–up insult, and he stewed silently.
Then, stiff as a plank, Rex turned and glared at Raven, his resentment practically oozing out.
A nineteen–year–old snagging a general’s spot was already too much, as far as he was concerned.
To hit the military’s top tier at that age? He couldn’t swallow it.
She was in a position he’d never even let himself imagine, and it burned him up inside.
He wouldn’t let her take that general spot–he promised himself that.
Right now, as just a lieutenant general, she could still drop to major general.
But if she locked in that top rank, unless she pulled some treason–level stunt or messed up big, no one could touch her.
Rex didn’t give a damn about Lorne’s earlier threat. Throwing all caution out the window, he leaned forward, his face dead serious, and begged Lorne to listen.
He rushed out, words tumbling over each other before Lorne could shut him down. “Look, every general in Vyrdenia represents the military–and, the whole country.
“If foreign powers hear we’ve stuck a nineteen–year–old girl in that role, they’ll think our military’s a laughingstock. It could turn the nation upside down. Please, sir, don’t play games with something this huge!”
Lorne stared him down, his sharp eyes boring into Rex’s face.
That look wasn’t just annoyed–it was past that.
If he could, Lorne would’ve stitched Rex’s big mouth shut, hacked him up, and fed him to the wolves.
Without Rex screwing everything up today, this would’ve gone smoothly–perfect timing, all lined up. He’d had at least a decent shot at her saying yes.
But now, thanks to this clown, that chance was toast, and Lorne was mad at himself for letting it slip.
He knew how stubborn Raven could be. Once she said no, that was that–no changing her mind today, no matter what he tried.
This was his third go at asking her, too.
You know the saying–third time’s the charm, or you’re out. He felt that hard.
After this, getting Raven on board would be like squeezing blood from a stone.
As long as Raven didn’t take that general spot, she could ditch the military whenever she felt like it.
Lorne took a few deep breaths, barely holding back from jumping at Rex.
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16:23 Mon,
Chapter 31
Then, out of the blue, he whipped around to a soldier behind him, his voice like iron.
“Starting now, Rex is knocked down from general to colonel. No promotions for five years!” he snapped, every word heavy with command.
Rex’s fists balled up slow and tight as Lorne’s harsh call sank in.
The veins on his knuckles stood out from the pressure.
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He fired back, his voice trembling with feeling, “Sir, I get that I’m nothing to you, but I’ve been in the military for years–no shiny medals, sure, but I’ve put in the time!
“I deserve to know why you’re going all out for Raven!”
Lorne’s glare sharpened, like it could cut right through Rex.
“Going all out for her? Rex, sounds like Vyrdenia’s been too comfy lately, and you’ve forgotten how the military runs!” he shot back, his tone cold as steel.
“With the way you’ve been talking back to me and Lieutenant General Valor, I could’ve had you handled by the rules already!” he added, his words biting and firm.
Rex felt the frost in Lorne’s voice, and his heart stuttered.
But that deep resentment wouldn’t let go–he clenched his jaw and stared right back at Lorne.
“I’ll take whatever the military throws at me,” he said, low and steady, “but I still want to know–what’s a kid not even twenty got that makes her right for general?”
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