Chapter 33
Lorne hadn’t figured Raven, someone so tough, would have a soft spot for a guy.
But what she said meant one thing: find her man, and she’d take the general job.
With her skills, if that guy was still kicking, she’d hunt him down. No doubt about it.
Sooner or later, she’d say yes to being a general–it was just a waiting game now.
Lorne felt like this turn of events was almost too perfect to believe.
Lorne reined in his excitement quick, turning to Raven with a spark in his eye. “Got any clues on him?”
Raven didn’t sidestep it.“Could be at Regalhold Academy,” she said, keeping her cool.
“Regalhold Academy?” Lorne’s eyebrow ticked up, wheels spinning in his head.
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Then he gave a nod. “The dean there’s military–picked and he’s retiring soon. No replacement yet. How about you step in as acting president for a few days? It’ll make things easier if you need to handle business.”
He called it “acting president,” but with her lieutenant general rank, she’d have more sway than any regular dean–maybe even the whole board.
Plus, she could walk away whenever she wanted.
Raven let out a small smile at Lorne’s slick plan.“Sounds good,” she said quietly. “Keep my name off the radar. And get me an enrollment letter for a student slot at the academy.”
Unsealing the Starcard might take some top–level help, and the acting president role would slice through the hassle.
But for finding her guy, she figured a student ID would open more doors–or at least feel less like she was sticking out.
“Master, you’re signing up as a student at Regalhold Academy?” Jonah cut in, his voice dripping with surprise.
“Got a problem with it?” Raven asked, pinning him with a steady look.
Jonah shook his head quick. “No, no issue!”
But even as he said it, his face twisted with something messy.
Three days back, he’d gotten word he’d be running basic training for Regalhold Academy’s new recruits in ten days.
Which meant one of the rookies he’d be barking at would be Raven.
That was a one–way ticket to disaster for him.
Lorne didn’t catch Jonah’s quiet freakout. He just dipped his head at Raven’s request for the letter.
“I’ll get it dropped off today if I can pull it off,” he said, calm and confident.
With that, Lorne sent Jax and the rest packing to Bastion Prison, then headed out himself.
“Beep beep!” Not even a minute after the place emptied, Hugmuinn’s arm screen blinked twice.
He glanced at it, then snapped upright, facing Raven with a dead–serious look.
“Boss, got a lead,” he said. “One of my guys saw someone at the Fuller family in Bastion. The guy might be your man.”
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16:23 Mon, Apr
Chapter 33
Raven went still for a heartbeat. “The Fuller family?”
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“Yeah, their youngest, Preston,” Hugmuinn replied, straight to the point. “Been the campus crush forever, but lately he’s giving off a different vibe–way different. Lines up with some stuff you mentioned, too.”
“Here’s his picture. Check it out,” he said.
Then he slid the phone her way.
The screen glowed with a guy about twenty–white button–up, skin so smooth it looked sculpted, features sharp and striking like some god–tier artist’s work. His whole vibe was crisp, perfect, almost unreal.
He could’ve stepped right out of a comic book as a prince.
The second Raven’s eyes landed on the photo, she flinched–like something hit her hard.
Because this guy’s brows, his eyes… they mirrored her guy from her past life in a way that knocked the air out of her.
She pulled in a deep breath, steadying herself.
Then she turned to Brynjar, voice solid.
“Figure out where the Fuller family’s at. We’re heading there now,” she ordered.
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