Chapter 39
A
Amber didn’t waste any more time with small talk. She flashed a quick grin and dove right in.
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Then she said, “This outfit’s something my brother grabbed from the military. Rumor has it, a legend designed it–a young one not even twenty who shot up to general.”
The second she finished, a gasp rolled through the crowd.
Someone spoke up, acting clueless, “A general before twenty? You talking about THAT guy? The one who might be the military’s fourth in command?”
Amber blinked, thrown off. “Hold up, you actually know him?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“Holy-” someone blurted.
Her response pretty much confirmed it, and the room let out a collective gasp, mouths hanging open.
The person who designed that outfit was THE military legend!
While everyone stood there, stunned, staring at Amber, Raven and Hailey walked into the banquet hall.
It didn’t take long for a classmate to spot Raven.
He blurted, “Hey, check it out! Her outfit’s just like Amber’s!”
Everyone turned to look at Raven at once.
Then they stopped cold.
It wasn’t just close. Anyone could see it was the same exact design–same shape, same style.
Only Raven’s looked like the upgraded version.
Amber’s eyes locked onto Raven, her expression darkening fast.
She’d just bragged about how unique her outfit was, and now this nobody shows up in something way too similar–nicer material, too. It felt like a punch
in the gut.
“Hold on,” someone muttered. “Doesn’t she look like that Raven girl who got sent to Bastion Prison a few years ago?”
Another voice jumped in, confident, “Oh man, it is her!”
The first guy frowned. “She’s out of Bastion already? But… shouldn’t a reformed convict like her be banned from a party like this?”
Amber’s lips twitched, a flash of scorn in her eyes as she looked Raven up and down.
But then she put on a smile and strolled over to Raven.
“Hey, Raven,” she said, her voice oozing fake kindness. “Out of jail already? Why didn’t you let me know?”
Her eyes softened into a pitying look as she scanned Raven.
Then she added, “I heard things have been tough at home. If you’d told me, I’d have bought you a good meal. No need to sneak in here and graze off the table.”
She even tossed in, “That outfit–it’s just something you picked up from Bastion Prison because you had nothing else, right?”
Then, acting generous, she said, “Come on, I’ve got some nice clothes saved up. Way better than that thing you’re wearing.”
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Chapter 39
Raven glanced at Amber’s outfit, taking it in. Then she let out a quiet, sharp laugh.
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“Here’s the deal,” she said, her tone steady and cutting. “Under Vyrdenia law, any civilian caught wearing a military uniform gets at least three years in prison. So, Amber–how long you planning to sit behind bars?”
The big hall fell in silence.
The second Raven’s words hit, the room went completely still, like the air got sucked out.
Almost no one there knew Vyrdenia had a law like that.
But not knowing didn’t stop them from putting it together.
It added up–Vyrdenia wouldn’t play around with something like that.
One guy snapped out of it, scrambling for his phone to check.
A few seconds later, he gasped.
He shouted, “Holy crap, it’s legit! Some guy got hit with three years last year for the same thing!”
The crowd gasped in unison.
Then, slowly, they turned toward Amber, her shocked face now showing a flicker of fear.
Feeling their eyes on her, Amber finally shook off her stupor.
Amber took a deep breath, forcing herself to settle down. She stared at Raven, her eyes full of hurt and frustration.
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“Raven,” she started, “I know you’ve never liked me, not since middle school. But even if you can’t stand me, you don’t have to wish I’d end up in prison like you did!”
She kept going, “That law you mentioned–it’s probably for people faking military status, tricking folks while dressed up. I’m just wearing something my brother gave me–how’s that a crime?”
Raven didn’t flinch. “Your brother gave it to you? What’s his name?”
Amber stiffened at Raven’s steady tone, a jolt of panic hitting her.
She stammered, “My brother’s a colonel in the military. His info’s‘ classified–sorry, I can’t give you his name!”
Raven gave a small nod. “A colonel named Jennings, stationed at Bastion. Shouldn’t be tough to check.”
Amber’s pulse spiked at Raven’s words, panic surging even more.
Her eyes filled with tears almost instantly, like Raven’s calm words had shaken her to her bones.
At the same time, she shot a quick, sneaky glance at her friend.
Luca, her friend, picked up the hint and stepped up, glaring at Raven with cold contempt.
“So,” Luca said, her voice cutting, “you’re saying Amber could go to jail for wearing military stuff. What about you? If it’s such a big deal, why are you wearing it?”
As Luca’s question hit, every eye in the room swung back to Raven.
Yeah–Raven’s outfit was pretty much Amber’s, just a slicker version.
If she knew civilians couldn’t wear this stuff, she shouldn’t be wearing it herself, either.
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Chapter 39
Under their puzzled stares, Raven’s lips curled into a slow, easy smirk, her quiet voice carrying a hint of unshakable confidence.
“Who said I’m not military?” she answered.
The crowd blinked, thrown off balance.
Her words lingered, leaving them confused.
Luca felt like Raven had just made a fool of her. Before anyone could figure it out, she snapped back.
“That’s nonsense!” she barked. “Don’t think I don’t know you just got out of Bastion Prison two days ago. How could you be military?”
Raven raised an eyebrow. “Who says you can’t join the military from behind bars?”
Luca’s face turned to ice.
“Liar,” she growled through clenched teeth, “you’re not fooling anyone-”
“Smack!”
Before she could finish, a loud smack cut through the air.
“Ahh!” Luca yelped as the hit knocked her back, sending her stumbling hard.
“Thud!”
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She flew about ten feet before hitting the floor, eyes rolling back as she blacked out.
“Bloody hell!” someone exclaimed.
The crowd stared at Raven, who casually pulled her hand back, and sucked in sharp breaths.
That was a serious hit!
Right then, Amber’s view of Raven changed.
Raven wasn’t the same pushover from middle school who’d let her pull out handfuls of hair without a word. Not anymore.
Amber shook it off quickly.
She hurried to Luca’s side in a frenzy.
“Luca, you okay?” she asked, her voice shaky.
When shaking her didn’t help, Amber snapped her head up to Raven.
“Raven,” she said, “Luca just asked you a couple questions–how could you smack her like that?”
Raven locked eyes with her, cool as ever. “You should be glad you’ve kept up your delicate little angel act and didn’t mouth off at me. Otherwise, you’d be the one down there right now.”
Amber stopped cold, Raven’s dead–calm tone hitting her hard.
This Raven? She wasn’t the same anymore.
Different enough to freak her out.
Raven was done with Amber, then turned her head a bit, her steady gaze sliding over the crowd.
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Chapter 39
“Next,” she said, her voice low and solid, “I don’t want to hear one insult aimed at me. Clear?”
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