When ke heard Cassian''s icy voice on the phone, he let out a huge sigh of relief.


    Thank God. Mr. Lysander is still his usual cold sell. He just acts weird around Raven. I guess I can live with that, he wondered.


    A few momentster, Cassian ended the call, his expression far from pleasant. Raven figured he probably needed to lea She smiled faintly. "If you''ve got things to take care of, go ahead."


    Noticing theck of reluctance in her eyes, Cassian felt a dull ache rise in his chest.


    It''s fine. he told himself. We''ve got plenty of time ahead of us. I''ll make sure Raven falls for me even more than she did my old life. With that thought, he felt a bit more at ease.


    Then, with absolute seriousness, he looked her in the eye and said, "Soon, no one will be able toe between us."


    Raven nodded slightly. Cassian leaned in and kissed the corner of her lips, then said, "See you tonight."


    Without sparing a single nce at anyone else, Cassian turned and stepped into his stretch Lincoln.


    It was only after Cassian''s car disappeared from view that I finally snapped out of her daze. Her gaze toward Raven had changedpletely.


    I had no idea what kind of spell Raven had cast to make Cassian so obsessed with her. What she did not realize was that hidden deep in her eyes, there was now a flicker of something she had never felt before, envy.


    The moment that jealous thought crept into I''s mind, an overwhelming wave of irritation followed.


    Her eyes suddenlynded on the gorgeous woman who had tried to throw herself at Cassian earlier, only to end up face- nting into the ground like a total fool. A sharp chill shed through I''s gaze.,


    Raven nced at I''s expression, then gently took Ruth by the arm. "Mom, let''s go."


    As the two of them headed toward the vi they had just purchased, a sudden, piercing scream echoed through the sales othice behind them.


    After checking out the location of the new vi, Raven and Ruth returned to Preston''s house.


    They packed up their things, then headed off to the new ce with Zach, who had just woken up from a nap.


    While Preston was not paying attention, Raven quietly left a bank card without a password on the coffee table in the living room, her way of thanking him for letting them stay.


    At 6 pan, Raven left the vi, headed for the hotel where the party was being held. Just as she stepped out of the front gate. a white envelope drifted to the ground at her feet.


    She nced around calmly, then her eyes sparkled with a knowing, almost yful smile. Slowly, she bent down and picked -


    The envelope was not sealed Raven gently opened it, revealing an invitation card embossed with the Vyrdenia Military''s insignia


    She scanned the signature. Loe''s name at the bottom, and a faint smile yed across her lips. Only this time, the smile held no warmth at all.


    10:57 Sat, 19 Apr w


    Raven slid the card back into the envelope and micked it into her pocket.


    An hourter, the taxi she hailed pulled up to the front entrance of the hotel.


    93%


    It was worth noting that, to avoid embarrassing Lorne, Raven had made a quick stop at the mall beforehand to buy a semi-formal dress.


    Just as she stepped out of the cab, a group of people was walking toward the hotel from a distance.


    "I heard the new general is supposedly under twenty. Can you believe that?"


    "Sounds like gossip to me. Don''t take it seriously. I mean,e on, who bes a brigadier general before they''re even twenty? That''s ridiculous. As long as General Drakon and the other two generals still have their wits about them, there''s no way they''d let some teenage kid take that position."


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