Chapter Text

Chapter 1

Slumped in defeat, the youngest Nightingale took a breath as she reads the note her best friend had left her before cursing out loud as she continued to walk towards her mothers office. The backpack on her feels ten times heavier now after reading the note.

Violet Sorrengail is being forced to join the Riders Quadrant, today.

She had prayed that she would be granted mercy and her mother changed her mind. Though knowing the General Lilith Sorrengail, Alia knew it was a meek prayer.

Muttering curses to herself as she curses everything in existence before stopping in front of her mothers door, pushing the fact her best friend is being forced to actually join the quadrant today to the back of her mind for now.

She walks into the office where her eyes find both her siblings and mother standing in front of her desk, their backs towards Alia.

“Hello my beautiful family.” Alia spoke up, her voice a melody to anyones and held a lot of amusement. “Preparing for my funeral already?”

The twins turned to her and laughed while her mother faced her with a “really?” facial expression. Noma and Samm rushed towards their youngest sibling, throwing her in a massive embrace.She could feel both their arms tighten around her as she gripped back just as hard.

Alia was nowhere near short but she wasn’t as tall as the twins either.

Noma is just hitting the six foot five mark while his twin, Samm is hitting the six foot two mark but even Alia was just barely hitting her sister Samm’s height at a measly five foot eleven. But truthfully if anyone were to look at the 3 together, they would all assume they’re twins.

Only difference being their heights, all have matching black hair and the silver eyes the Nightingales possess.

“Please if anything we should be preparing funerals for the other cade-” Noma started off, his silver eyes shining before Samm nudged him with her elbow causing him to flinch before punching her arm.

“Don’t say that dumbass, Alia’s not gonna go off on a rampage like you did so no funerals will be getting arranged.” Samm spoke confidently before glaring at her younger sister. “Right, A?” She said with a stern tone.

Alia snickered and held up her hands, backing away from her sister slightly.

“I make no promises, sister.” She said before Samm huffed and punched her in the arm too, ignoring her sister's indigent exclaim as she slings her arm over her shoulders.

Noma shrugged and walked back to the desk, leaning against it while their mother continued to watch in amusement at her 3 children bickering.

Once Alia made eye contact with her mother, she felt her eyes begin to brim with tears. Samm joined her twins side, leaning against his shoulder as she brushes her choppy short bob from her eyes. Both of them quietly talk to each other as they allow their mother and Alia time to themselves since they’ll be taking her to conscription.

While possessing the height they had gotten from their late father, it’s clear they look strikingly similar to their mother. Both have the shiny silver eyes that gleam with strength should you ever make eye contact.

While Noma’s hair is short, it still falls over his forehead in black waves. His build is relatively massive as you can tell he has years of training. Broad shoulders and arms and legs to match, his dragon mark goes from the top of his right shoulder to his wrist, the dagger of his green dragon flicking off and covering his hand.

Samm has a short choppy bob that stops just before the base of her neck, though it’s normally in a half up half down style to ensure her waves don’t get in the way. Her build is also strong and she is known to be as fast as she is lethal. She is more on the leaner side but you can tell her strength lies in her legs. Strangely, the same as her twin, her red dragon mark starts from the top of her left shoulder and at the end, the clubtail rests on her hand.

Safe to say, the twins have grown a name for themselves. After Graduating from Basgiath College, they were both assigned to the same post. From there, stories of the Terror Twins reign in from different corners of the continent. As fierce as they are with a blade, on the back of their dragons or even alone with their signets, they are a force to be reckoned with.

No one dares split them up as they hold not only the best defense but the best offense together as well.

If you include their best friend, Mira Sorrengail, then well shit you’re in for hell.

Her mother stood there for a second, or longer Alia felt like it was, before she softened at the sight of Alia and pulled Alia into an embrace.

“My sweet girl, why the solemn look upon your face?” Wren softly spoke as she held on tight to her daughter. The last child she sends to the Quadrant. So safe to say, Wren is also feeling a moment of despair at no longer seeing her daughter till she finishes threshing for a moment and the end of the first year.

Alia pulled back as she wiped her eyes free of any fallen tears that might’ve escaped. She was the exact same height as her mother so she just looked into her eyes that mirror her own.

Wren Nightingale was in fact a splitting image of all her children combined. She was striking to gaze upon, her long black hair pulled into a fishtail braid that ends right at the top of her bottom. She, like her twins, were both muscular in a sense that made her look strong and built to be what she was right now.

A dragon rider.

Not just any dragon rider, but the youngest to ever be chosen as General. Wren had climbed the ranks faster than anyone. People who didn’t know her personally see Wren or General Nightingale as a fearsome and ruthless individual. If anyone were to face her, you would pity them instantly.

With her strategic mind, her signet to manipulate gravity and her dangerous blue daggertail combined, she is the strongest anyone has ever seen in a while.

But in the presence of her family, anyone could tell that her children soften her to the core. She was an extremely loving mother who feels absolutely blessed to have her 3 children with her. With that comes the protectiveness she will go lengths to achieve when it comes to them aswell.

After all, a mothers fury is not one to be reckoned with.

Though no surprise to anyone that the Nightingales are over-achievers or simply blessed.

“I’m not sad, Mom. I’m just, it’s gonna take me a while to not get used to the fact I won’t be able to see you for a while.” Alia mutters, her mothers hands still resting on her shoulders. She will never admit to her mother that she is just terrified this may be the last time she will see her. See her family.

Those doubts creeping into her mind from the door she swore to close.

Wren smiles softly at her daughter once again, she could read her children like the back of her hand. “This isn’t the last time you will see us, Alia. Don’t try to deny you’re not thinking like that either, I can see it in your eyes, my sweet one.”

As Alia was about to cut her off but stopped and huffed, brushing a stray strand of her hair from her face.

“You have always been my most sensitive child and most empathetic, but I have no doubt in my body that we won’t see each other again.” Wren spoke, her voice holding confidence and fondness.”You are after all, not only a Nightingale but one of a kind.”

Alia sniffled a little bit before Wren moved back to stand in front of the desk where she moved to pick up two sheaths and turned back to Alia who walked closer, the twins paying attention once again to their youngest sister.

“I had this commissioned for you so it could join your collection you will be taking with you.” Wren spoke up and grinned before presenting it to Alia. Alia grabbed the two sheaths and saw that it was two short-swords, identical to the other. Alia gapped at it and held in a squeal as she unsheathed both of them.

Both had black handles that compliment the iron. The difference on each one though, one has a small green dragon by the hilt and the other has a red dragon by the hilt. At the base of the hilts on both, is a blue dragon gem. She twirled both of them, amazed at the beauty of the swords and how good they feel.

“I designed it-” Samm spoke up with a smug smile.

“And I tested them for you, only the best for our baby sis-” Noma cut in with the exact same smug smile.

“-You’re welcome.” The twins spoke in unison, not an unordinary occurrence but still earnt a pointed look from their mother.

“They’re amazing! Thank you guys, so much.” Alia spoke up feeling herself nearly choke up with emotion before it quickly turned as the twins grabbed her into another hold. She wrestled out of their hold while Wren now leaned up against the desk, wishing she could somehow get this moment painted.

Alia quickly hooked the sheaths onto her black rider's gear, courtesy of her mother. In total now, she had 2 short-swords, 10 daggers littered on her body and two discreet pins that are tucked in her black vambraces.

She doesn’t have a dragon yet but the Nightingales always get prepped with the right gear and weapons before crossing the Parapet.

Having a mother as General definitely has its perks.

Unless you’re Lilith of course, Alia reminded herself bitterly.

“Now, your pack is all good to go?” Samm said as she examined her sister, they’re nearing the time they’re supposed to leave so might as well try to leave early to catch up with the Sorrengails.

Alia nodded. She of course only packed the essentials and nothing more.

“You’re wearing the right corset? The one I got you” Noma spoke as he narrowed in on her gear.

Alia nodded once again. The corset that was given was special as Noma requested one to be made with his dragon's scales. Alia noted that it might’ve been Mira’s idea but Noma will always take credit.

“Your shoes are the new ones we got you right?” Samm fretted as she crouched down, examining the shoes.

Alia huffed and nodded. She was painfully aware that even though most families she’s observed weren’t as dotting as her’s, she was also grateful to have such a close family like hers. So she allowed them as this will be the last time she is to be dotted on.

Though Alia, like her family, is no push-over. She had trained with the best of the best, worked on herself for years and read hundreds of books, gaining years of knowledge. She knows she can handle whatever comes her way with grace.

“Brilliant! Then I suppose we shall be on our way then, Mother. We’re gonna try and catch up with the Sorrengails.” Noma spoke up, grinning at his mother who nodded.

“And pray that Mira managed to talk some sense into her mom about Vi. We’ll see you later mum, love you!” Samm spoke up. Both twins kissed Wren on the cheeks who bid her twins farewell. Samm and Noma let Alia have one more farewell before they depart.

Alia rushed forward and sweeped Wren into a hold that caused Wren to choke out a laugh.

“Alia, please, do not hug me like this is the last time we will see each other. You’ll make me worry more than anything.” Wren exclaimed as they pulled away from the embrace. Alia swallowed and nodded.

“I know it’s just-” Alia started, about to list her doubts that creeped into her mind pulling her into a dark corner she knew she should avoid. That dark corner in her mind, holds a doorway where she is used to shoving those doubts or memories far through.

In her head there is a chance she won’t make it to the end of the year. Either it be by someone's blade or dragon back, she was afraid. She saw when her father passed, her family fell apart for a while.

She doesn’t want to be the reason that happens again.

“No.” Wren sternly spoke, looking Alia in the eyes with determination and proudness clouding her eyes.

”You will not allow yourself to think less. You will be, no doubt in my mind or your siblings, absolutely okay. You’ve worked too hard on yourself to let yourself fall back into that path Alia. Do not let yourself, do you understand?” Wren spoke, getting softer as she ended her sentence.

Alia knew what she meant.

Before when her father passed, she allowed herself on that path and was there for a while. Digging a hole before she struggled to get back out of it.

She won’t let it take her again.

Shoving those doubts and any negative emotion she felt in the span of five minutes, through the door in her mind and deadbolt locking it so it may never return.

Alia met her mothers gaze with Determination gleaming. “I won't, Mom, do not worry.” She spoke, her voice stronger.

Wren held her gaze for a moment, looking to see if she could spot what she would hate to see. When she found none, she nodded with a smile before placing a kiss on Alia's forehead.

“I love you, my sweet girl. I will see you at Threshing.” Wren said, knowing her daughter will make it that far. “And let Violet know, I send my love as well. I will rip into Lilith later tonight.”

Alia heard the teasing tone but knew from the way her shoulders were still tense, she most likely would rip into her closest friend.

“I love you too Mom! Bye now, I’ll go catch up with Samm and Noma now. Take care of yourself too, please.” Alia spoke back as she walked to the door, waving bye to her Mom before shutting the door.

Samm and Noma nodded at her before they stood on either side of her, linking their arms.

“Now let’s go and find the Sorrengails.”

Walking the compound to find their friends, where they found the sisters linked arm and arm together near the exit. Alia instantly brightened at the sight of her dearest friend, who looked ready to throttle Mira, who in turn threw her head back in laughter at whatever she said.

Alia quickened her pace, dragging the now complaining twins with her.

“Gosh, it’s like you’d rather be with Violet-” Samm begrudgingly said as they gained distance on the Sorrengails who have yet to notice their presence.

“-Than your own siblings. Feeling the love sis.” Noma finishes off as his little sister continues to drag them forward. As much as they’re playing it off, they allow their younger sister to drag them.

Mira spots them from the corner of her eyes and grins before walking towards the 3 siblings, steering Violet towards them too.

“My favorite trio! Was beginning to think you’d leave us behind.” Mira Sorrengail spoke up and that’s when Violet turned to them. Her eyes that were showing worry and frustration sparked up at the sight of the siblings before she grinned and rushed forward.

Alia followed suit, leaving her siblings behind her before Violet basically jumped on her taller friend. Clinging to her like her life depends on it. Though with the way this day is going, it most likely will be.

Alia towers over Violet Sorrengail’s five foot four frame. Violet doesn’t have the years Alia has on training so she was able to wrap Violet in a strong hug before pulling back and looking down at her best friend with a small smile. Due to her height, Violet’s feet dangle in the air before Alia places her down on the ground.

Ignoring the older riders who greeted each other and began to speak while letting the two have a catch up.

The two have always been seen together.

The only times they weren’t is when they were home or Alia was away for training.

Growing up the two developed a bond that was strong and everyone could see that. They were each other's anchor to the world around them. Their friendship went beyond that, almost like soulmates. What one is thinking, the other catches on immediately. The loyalty between them could never be broken.

They held each other to earth and it was a bond so rare to find.

Which in extension shows. Alia was the fierce, ruthless protective friend and Violet was the calming, understanding friend. They were different but complemented each other so well.

Alia pulled back and cupped Violet’s face in her hands, examining her favorite person. Checking if she was good to go starting from the boots to her outfit then to her pack.

“Are you okay? Did your mother change her mind?” Alia fretted before settling on Violet’s hazel eyes that gleamed up at Alia with fondness. At the mention of her mother, it quickly turns to frustration.

“No, Mira tried to change it but looks like I’ll be joining you this year.” Violet weakly replied before shrugging and smiling. “At least this way you won’t be without me.”

Alia snickered but grabbed her hand, turning towards the older siblings who watched with smiles.

“And you won’t be without me, never.” She spoke confidently. The two walked forward, hand in hand, towards the crowded courtyard.

“I swear whenever Vi appears, we become like strangers” Noma mutters to Mira and Samm who watch the two make their way through the Courtyard, Alia already knowing the way. The 3 walk behind them and it’s quite comical to see heads turning their way.

Gaping at the fact that the Terror Twins are there alongside the Hero of Strythmore.

“I know, no matter how many times it happens I still feel like that as well” Mira spoke but said it in good nature as she knew the 2 girls were good for eachother.

Especially after observing the two, she couldn’t bring herself to make another comment at the way Alia softens while Violet continues to ramble, her eyes showing a specific fondness that is reserved for Violet only.

Something that doesn’t get missed when Violet shows that exact softness with Alia.

All three siblings have a feeling but never make a comment on it.

“Well, let’s get going then. No need to get jealous over our own siblings.” Samm said and continued to follow the 2 youngest.

Noma and Mira complain that they weren’t jealous while Samm snickers.

The three quickly catch up and begin spewing more information at the two.

“Find Dain Aetos.” Mira spoke up as she walked beside Violet, the twins joining their sisters on the right side.

Both the younger of the 5 perk up at his name. Though Violet holds back a smile at the name while Alia smirks at her, knowing Violet’s mind is probably thinking of Dain at this second.

“We’ve been out of the quadrant for 3 years now but from what we hear, he’s doing well and he’ll keep you safe-” Mira says before Samm snickers and speaks up, noticing the look on Violet's face.

“Don’t smile like that, shorty” Samm speaks and Alia barks out a laugh when Mira shakes her finger in Violet's face. “He’ll be a second year.”

“Don’t mess around with second years. If you want to get laid, and you both should-” Mira lifts a brow while Samm grins at her brother who gags at hearing that. “Often considering you never know what the day brings, then screw around in your own year. Nothing is worse than cadets gossiping that you’ve slept your way to safety.” Mira finishes off.

“So I’m free to take any of the first years I want to bed.” Violet confirms before letting a small grin on her face. Everyone but Alia not missing the way her eyes quickly darted to Alia who continued to hum while paying attention to Mira’s advice.

“Just not second or third years?” Violet said and Mira nodded her head.

“Exactly” Mira confirms before Noma glares at his youngest sister.

“Doesn’t mean you follow her advice. I don’t want to hear any stories from you or anyone else about your late night escapades.” Noma spoke up, keeping his eyes on Alia who rolled her eyes before flipping him off.

“You won’t because I won’t tell you anything dipshit.” Alia said and Mira barked out a laugh while Violet giggled. “I’ll do what, or rather who, I please thank you very much.”

Before Noma could lean across to smack her on the head, Samm elbowed him as they continued to walk. “Let her be, this is a whole experience they gotta do on their own.”

Though Samm leaned down to Alia’s ear and whispered “But definitely see if you can get a second or third year to rub that salt in Noma’s face.”

Alia laughed at her sister before nodding.

They cross the gates leaving the fortress and join the chaos that is beyond.

The atmosphere is buzzing but tense as Mira now takes lead, guiding them toward the southern turret. The twins walked behind them, keeping an eye on everyone.

Alia noticed Violet glanced towards where the scribes are near the central tunnel that leads to the archives below.

Alia grips her hand tighter in worry and Violet looks up at her before giving a small smile. Alia’s eyes showing a tinge of worry and sadness for her best friend. She wanted to be a scribe but that was taken from her.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Violet mumbled back before subconsciously leaning more towards Alia who welcomed her closeness. The pair are still following Mira.

They join the line for the riders and observe around them. Mira and the twins chatting back and forth while looking around.

High above, crossing the river bottomed valley that divides the main college from the even higher, looming citadel of the Riders Quadrant on the southern ridgeline, is the parapet.

The one thing that separates rider candidates from the cadets over the next few hours.

“And to think I’ve been preparing for the scribes written exam all these years,” Violet’s voice drips heavy in sarcasm. “I should’ve been playing on a balance beam.”

Alia snickers while the twins smack Violet on the back of the head softly though earning a yelp. Alia snaps her head around to them, as she narrows her eyes at the twins who raise their hands in unison to apologize.

“Don’t let the wind sway your steps.” Mira speaks up. In front of them as Alia spots is two candidates ahead of them. They’re having a moment so Alia looks away as she can definitely feel what they’re feeling at the sight of the women sobbing.

“Keep your eyes on the stones ahead of you and don’t look down.” Samm spoke, her voice dropping into her neutral tone as she assessed everyone but still giving instructions. Mira and her both showing worry while Noma nods.

“Arms out for balance. If the pack slips, drop it. Better it falls than you.” Mira continued.

“Maybe we should let the ones behind us go forward.” Violet whispers as her grip on Alia’s hand gets tighter. Alia can handle it as she knows her best friend is only feeling more nervous.

“No, the longer you wait on those steps-” Mira motions towards the tower “ The greater your fear has a chance to grow for either of you. Cross it before that terror owns you.”

Her eyes dart from Violet to Alia, who is steely with determination. She observes that the youngest Nightingale is ready but her worries that show in her eyes aren’t for her, but for Violet.

Mira glances back at Violet. “Focus.” She snaps and Violet whips her head towards Mira.

“This might sound harsh, to both of you-” Noma speaks up “but don’t seek friendships there. Forge alliances.”

“Noma’s right, while having friends is good, having a strong alliance is even better.” Mira said and Samm nodded, glancing between the two. One her sister and the other, she considers her even as a sister.

“Keep your head clear as well. Try not to focus on anything other than the task at hand.” Samm said and the youngest of them all take in their advice, nodding along.

That’s when Alia clocks a tall muscular blond man with the woman that was crying over him. He’s carrying an even bigger rucksack. Violet whispers something to Mira and Samm who both curse.

That’s when Alia spots the shimmering mark on the top of his wrist.

He’s a marked one or as Mira called him, a separatist.

Pushing down the negative feelings she tunes back into their conversation, noticing she had zoned out while staring at the blond man.

“-Most of the marked kids who carry rebellion relics are from Tyrrendor, of course, but there are a few whose parents turned traitors from the other provinces-” The blood drains from Mira’s face and then Samm and Noma exchange a dark look.

“Stay the hell away from Xaden Riorson.” Mira declares looking at Violet while saying so.

Alia perks up at the name but not in a good way. She felt her mind go on a frenzy as she narrowed her eyes. The twins immediately knew what was going through her mind.

Xaden Riorson.

His father is the one that has caused her pain for all these years.

Fen Riorson is the one who killed Rhys Nightingale, their late father.

The twins and Violet immediately glanced towards Alia, who’s eyes darkened considerably at the mention of the last name. She is not one to hold grudges but hearing the Riorson name will immediately put her in a state of frenzied anger.

Though she is one to not blame Xaden, after all it was his father that did it and not him.

But she can’t help but think when the news came back from the lines during that time, hearing her mom’s shattering scream and seeing her family break apart for the following months. Her father was gone.

She came back to the conversation when she felt a hand cup her cheek and guide her face till she’s looking in her favorite hazel eyes.

“Are you with me?” Violet whispers, the older siblings watching Alia. Her silver eyes were a dark storm and her posture went rigid. But once Violet whispered those words, Alia’s eyes lightened considerably and she relaxed.

“Always.” Alia mutters, giving Violet a smile while she nods in confirmation at seeing Alia calm down.

Alia turned out after that, hearing bits and pieces of what Mira was informing Violet while the twins nodded in agreement and added their own every now and then.

“-once you get across the parapet -because you will make it across-find Dain. He will put you both in his squad and hopefully away from Riorson.” Mira finished as she adjusted and tightened Violet’s straps, forcing her to let go of Alia’s hand for the first time since they joined.

Alia turned to her siblings who were both giving her a proud but weary smile.

“You will make it across because if you don’t, Malek himself won’t be able to keep me from dragging you back to the living before throwing you off myself.” Noma muttered though that earned a laugh from Alia who now feels all tension released from her body.

“Next” They heard and Alia and her siblings walked up first.

“Now you, I am definitely not surprised to see.” Captain Fitzgibbon speaks up, sending a nod to the twins who grin back.”Good to see you, Alia.”

“Good to see you too Capitan!” She speaks and signs her name. She notices the rider in front of her look down at the name before choking on air. He glances up and pales but looks in admiration.

“You’re Noma and Samm Nightingale!” He exclaims, getting excited. Captain raised an eyebrow at the rider while the twins snicker though relish in the attention.

Egotistical, Alia thinks to herself.

“Yes that is us-” Samm said before gesturing to me.

“And this is our sister, Alia Nightingale.” Noma finished off, his voice coming across as stern. The type you’d hear in a Leader.

“You both, you’re called the Terror Twins! The stories we’ve heard in your battles, I can’t believe it.” The rider stammers.

“The amount of medals and order’s you were given for your work in such a short time, is unheard of!”

“We know kiddo, we know.” Noma said before snickering while Samm nudges him, sending a polite smile towards the rider. “Thank you, anyway we better say farewell to our sister. Captain”

Captain Fitzgibbon nods with a smile before looking at Alia. “Not to play favorites but can’t wait to see what you’re able to do, Alia. See you across.”

Alia smiles and nods politely before they all walk forward stopping at the doorway and wait for Violet and Mira.

“Next.” They hear and they both walk up, only to see Captain Fitzgibbon who’s eyebrows raise once he sees Violet.

“Violet Sorrengail?”

Violet breaths in before nodding and stepping forward, signing her name down on the line on the roll.

“But I thought you were meant for the Scribes Quadrant.” He speaks up softly.

“General Sorrengail chose otherwise.” Mira supplies.

Alia examines his eyes, as she has known the man for a while now, noting how they turn into sadness. “Pity, you had so much promise.”

“By the gods.” He exclaimed “You’re Mira Sorrengail?”

Alia snickered as she can already feel the hero worship from where she is standing. Mira nods.

“I am, and this is Violet Sorrengail, my sister. She will be a first year student.” She proudly states while Violet smiles weakly, her hand swinging out on her right. Alia notices and hides a grin as that means she wants Alia to take her right side again.

“If she survives the parapet, wind might just blow her off.” Someone behind Violet and Mira snicker.

Alia feels herself tense and before she can rush forward and possibly dig her dagger into their throat, the twins grab her arm on each side that will keep her in place.

Alia’s eyes narrow in anger before she breathes out at Noma and Samm’s stern gazes.

“Yeah,yeah no seriously maiming before I even climb the steps.” She mutters. Samm hums but keeps her arm locked with her sisters while Noma chuckles. Tuning back into the conversation in front of them after the guy calls her the hero of Strythmore and the Captain sends them on their way.

Violet and Mira turn to the siblings as they meet up at the door.

Samm and Noma grip their sister in a tight hug.

“We know you’ll be fine, you’re fucking you.” Samm muttered before pulling back and examining her sister for the last time.

“Don’t be too reckless and don’t die on us.” Noma spoke up, proudness showing in his eyes.

“I love you, sis.” They both said and grinned at Alia, who in turn nodded.

“I love you guys. Take care of each other and Mom please.” Alia muttered and they all nodded before they turned to Violet and Mira.

“And you little one, kick ass and don’t leave us alone with your sister.” Noma teasingly said as Mira smacked his arm passing him to get to me. “We’d hate to deal with her alone.”

“Take care of Alia too please, you two will need each other more than ever now.” Samm spoke before they gripped Violet in a similar hug whispering I love you.

Seeing the two youngest of both families leave to join the quadrant can make things alot more tense and emotional when saying goodbye.

Alia turned to Mira who smiled softly at her before hugging her tight. Alia could already feel her anxiety at the thought of Violet joining the Rider’s Quadrant.

Something they both share.

Mira pulls back quickly before gripping Alia’s hands on her own.

“Please take care of Violet. I know it’s a lot to ask of bu-'' Mira whispers but Alia stops her.

“You don’t even have to ask, I’ll protect her with everything I have in me Mir. Don’t worry.” Alia spoke and Mira breathed in deeply before nodding and laughing.

“In that case, thank you. I love you and try not to cause too much chaos alright? Actually nevermind, I hope you do.” Mira winks and Alia laugh out loud before waving bye to all three.

The three of them walk away together, twins on either side of Mira, ignoring the looks they’re getting from others.

Violet turns to Alia, looking up at the girl who is already staring down at her and takes a deep breath.

“Ready to get this over and done with?” She mutters to Alia in a shaky voice. Alia stares into Violet's eyes before grinning.

“We were born ready for this Violet, let’s do this.” She speaks confidently, hoping to instill some of that confidence in Violet. Who, happily, notices the gleam appear in her eyes before she nods and matches Alia’s smile.

“Let’s.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Cadets

Both Alia and Violet turn towards the tower in front of them, noticing a woman staring at them in the dim lighting.

“Tough to live up to that,” the woman says. Alia nearly chuckled before Violet let out another breath.

“It is,” Violet agrees, gripping the straps of her rucksack and heading into the darkness. Alia glances around them before following suit. Her eyes adjust quickly to the dim light coming in through the equidistant windows along the curved staircase.

“Sorrengail and Nightingale as in…?” the woman asks, looking over her shoulder as they begin to climb the hundreds of stairs that lead to their possible deaths.

“Yep.” Violet mutters as Alia speaks up, falling in step right behind Violet.

“The very one.”

There’s no stone railing though Alia climbs the steps with ease while Violet’s hand rests on the wall. Alia glances around them while also keeping her eye on Violet’s back.

“The general’s right?” the blond guy ahead of them asks.

“The same one,” Alia answers for the both of them, offering him a small smile. His eyes brighten at her response, looking past Violet briefly to stare at Alia for a moment.

“Wow. Nice leathers, too.” He smiles back.

“Thanks. They’re courtesy of our siblings.” Violet spoke up looking back at the boy.

“I wonder how many candidates have fallen off the edge of the steps and died before they even reach the parapet,” the woman says, glancing down the center of the staircase as we climb higher.

“Two last year.”Violet tilts her head when she glances back. “Well, three if you count the girl one of the guys landed on.”

Alia snickered, not at the deaths but at the bluntness in Violet’s tone. Violet snapped her head around to Alia, hearing the sound before narrowing her eyes playfully while Alia sent a grin back her way.

The woman’s brown eyes flare, but she turns back around and keeps climbing. “How many steps are there?” she asks.

“Two hundred and fifty,” Violet answers, and we all climb in silence for another five minutes.

She’s basically a walking book full of knowledge, Alia proudly states in her mind as she practically skips up the steps. She thanks her training as she doesn’t feel her stamina decrease by one bit.

“Not too bad,” she says with a bright smile as we near the top and the line comes to a halt. “I’m Rhiannon Matthias, by the way.”

“Dylan,” the blond guy responds with an enthusiastic wave.

“Violet.” Violet states, giving them a tense smile.

“Alia.” Alia replies immediately after that while she nudges Violet’s hand softly, Violet nudging her back.

Their siblings' advice went right out the window to avoid making friends but Alia couldn’t bring herself to deny this new friendship or if there will be one. The two were fairly easy going and Alia could immediately tell Violet felt the same.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this day.” Dylan shifts his pack on his back. “Can you believe we actually get to do this? It’s a dream come true.”

Alia chuckles but nods as well. Even though there is that slight dread, she’s always wanted to follow in her parents and siblings footsteps. Not because of a family name but because she felt drawn to this.

“I can’t fucking wait.” Rhiannon’s smile widens. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to ride a dragon?”

Violet tenses up briefly as she makes eye contact with Alia.

Definitely not Violet, Alia thinks to herself as she holds Violet’s conflicted gaze for a moment more before she turns back to look up at Dylan.

“Do your parents approve?” Dylan asks. “Because my mom’s been begging me to change my mind for months. I keep telling her that I’ll have better chances for advancement as a rider, but she wanted me to enter the Healer Quadrant.”

“Mine always knew I wanted this, so they’ve been pretty supportive. Besides, they have my twin to dote on. Raegan’s already living her dream, married and expecting a baby.” Rhiannon glances back at Violet and Alia. “What about you two? Let me guess. With a name like your lot, I bet you were the first to volunteer this year.”

“I was more like volun-told.” Violet dead panned back to her.

“Yeah I volunteered as soon as I could” Alia spoke up, her voice cheerful.

“Gotcha.”

“And riders do get way better perks than other officers,” Violet says to Dylan as the line moves upward again. The snickering candidate behind us catches up, sweating and red.

It takes all of Alia’s willpower not to drop kick him back down the steps, not forgetting what he said earlier about Violet.

“Better pay, more leniency with the uniform policy,” Alia adds in, her thoughts going immediately to her siblings and mom when mentioning this.

“And the right to call yourself a supreme badass,” Rhiannon adds.

“That too,” Violet agreed. “Pretty sure they issue you an ego with your flight leathers.”

Alia snickers, remembering how proud the trio looked when people were basically kissing their feet as they left. Definitely get issued with an ego though she believes the trio already had one before they even signed up for the Quadrant.

“Plus, I’ve heard that riders are allowed to marry sooner than the other quadrants,” Dylan adds.

“True. Right after graduation.” Alia speaks up as she quickly glances behind her to see the candidate still huffing and puffing. “I think it has something to do with wanting to continue bloodlines.” Most successful riders are legacies.

“Or because we tend to die sooner than the other quadrants,” Rhiannon muses.

“I’m not dying,” Dylan says with way more confidence as he tugs a necklace from under his tunic to reveal a ring dangling from the chain. “She said it would be bad luck to propose before I left, so we’re waiting until graduation.” He kisses the ring and tucks the chain back under his collar. “The next three years are going to be long ones, but they’ll be worth it.”

Alia discreetly glances at Violet who is already staring at the girl. Violet freezes at her silver eyes meeting her own before turning back around, leaving Alia confused but smiles nonetheless at the now fidgety Sorrengail.

“You might make it across the parapet,” the guy behind us sneers. “This one here is a breeze away from the bottom of the ravine.”

The urge Alia had before to suddenly turn around and deliver that kick, grew stronger as well as her lack of patience from the one-brain-cell unit.

“Shut up and focus on yourself,” Rhiannon snaps, her feet clicking against the stone as we climb.

The top comes into sight, the doorway full of muddled light. Alia could immediately spot the clouds that her siblings briefly mentioned, making it harder to cross the parapet.

No pressure.

“Let me see your boots,” Violet muttered to Rhiannon in front of us, so the jerk behind Alia couldn't hear what she said.

Her brow puckers, and confusion fills her brown eyes, but she shows Violet the soles. Alia’s heart drops at the sight of the smoothness of those soles, her eyes darting to Violet who furrows her eyebrows in concern. Alia could already see the gears turning in Violet's brain as they moved up.

The line pauses again.

“What size are your feet?” Violet asks and already Alia knows what she’s gonna do, internally groaning at her soft-hearted friend.

“What?” Rhiannon blinks at Violet, her eyes darting down to Alia.

“Your feet. What size are they?”

“Eight,” she answers, two lines forming between her brows.

“I'm a seven,” Violet says quickly. “It will hurt like hell, but I want you to take my left boot. Trade with me.”

No you’re a 100, Alia wants to mutter but keeps that thought to herself.

Alia knows she’s suggesting that because she always keeps her dagger in her right boot. Alia quickly steps up to take place next to them before looking at Violet with a stern gaze, who ignores her.

As much as Alia would love to make friends, doing it at the cost of potentially losing your life, rules out any friend making situations. But she can’t help. She knows if she tried to take over, Violet would immediately curse her out and refuse.

She will have to put faith in Violet for this one but can’t help but admire the girl.

“I’m sorry?” She looks at Violet like she’s lost her mind. Alia growled in her head before facing the front, crossing her arms.

“These are rider boots. They’ll grip the stone better. Your toes will be scrunched and generally miserable, but at least you’ll have a shot at not falling off if that rain hits.”

Rhiannon glances toward the open door—and the darkening sky—then back to Violet. “You’re willing to trade a boot?”

“Just until we get on the other side.” Violet mutters back as Alia looks through the open door. Two candidates are already walking across the parapet, their arms stretched out wide. “But we have to be quick. It’s almost our turn.”

Rhiannon purses her lips in debate for a second, then agrees, and they swap left boots. Alia glances at them nervously, begging them to hurry as their line looks like it’s about to start moving again.

They barely finish lacing up before the line moves again, Alia now placing herself behind Rhiannon and in front of Violet since she signed before her.

Alia felt Violet stumble into her back, not even moving Alia an inch but did force Violet to move into the light and out in the open. Confused, the girl turned to Violet to check if she’s okay before noticing the dipshit behind her sneering at Violet.

“Let’s go. Some of us have things to do on the other side.” His voice nearly sends Alia into a murderous frenzy as she clocks that he must’ve pushed Violet. Before she could even retort in reply, Violet grips her hand. Alia looks down at Violet, as she shakes her head.

“He’s not worth it at this moment, let’s just focus on what’s in front of us okay?” She mutters before Alia sighs and sends the candidate behind Violet the darkest glare she could muster. His eyes widened a fraction before sneering back at her.

Turning around, she notes as she looks around.

The top of the turret is bare, the crenelations of stone rising and falling along the circular structure at the height of Violet's chest and doing nothing to obscure the view. The ravine and river below looks very far but Alia expected nothing less. This is a trial.

Every trial in the quadrant—including this one—is designed to test a cadet’s ability to ride. If someone can’t manage to walk the windy length of the slim stone bridge, then they sure as hell can’t keep their balance and fight on the back of a dragon.

Alia glances behind her, worryingly, as she notices Violet had gone a tad bit paler than she already was before they got up here. Alia wanted nothing more than to grip her hand and say it’s alright.

But she refuses to do so as it will not only make Violet look weak to others who dare glance but let everyone know she’s Alia’s weakness.

They both walk the edge behind Rhiannon and Dylan, Alia walking more confidently as she felt a surge of adrenaline rush her bones. She was always taking risks or being reckless, so yes the thoughts of her doubts were strong mere hours ago but as she’s finally here, she feels like she can do anything.

She was one trial away from becoming a Cadet.

She will cross and come back to her family.

Three riders wait at the entrance, which is nothing more than a gaping hole in the wall of the turret. One with ripped-off sleeves records names as candidates step out onto the treacherous crossing. Another, who’s shaved all his hair with the exception of a strip down the top center, instructs Dylan as he moves into position, patting his chest like the ring hidden there will bring him luck.

The third turns in their direction and Alia feels her eyes draw to him.

He’s tall, with windblown black hair and dark brows. The line of his jaw is strong and covered by warm tawny skin and dark stubble, and when he folds his arms across his torso, the muscles in his chest and arms ripple, moving in a way that makes me swallow. And his eyes… His eyes are the shade of gold-flecked onyx. The contrast is startling, jaw-dropping even—everything about him is. His features are so harsh that they look carved, and yet they’re astonishingly perfect, like an artist worked a lifetime sculpting him, and at least a year of that was spent on his mouth.

He’s the most exquisite man I’ve ever seen.

And living in the war college means Alia has seen a lot of men.

Alia glances behind her only to see Violet also roaming her eyes over the same man she was just admiring. Grinning to herself, she turns back to stare once again.

Even the diagonal scar that bisects his left eyebrow and marks the top corner of his cheek only makes him hotter.

“You know, Vi. Rules be damned, I want that man whenever and wherever. The thoughts clouding my mind will make Noma want to jump off the parapet.” Alia says as she glances at Violet who just laughs at her, nodding in agreement.

“Looks like we’re breaking rules this year.” Violet spoke up, sending a wink Alia's way as the girl gasped mockingly.

“Violet? Breaking rules? Never thought I’d see the day.” Alia snips back as Violet punches her arm softly, smiling at the laughing Nightingale.

“See you three on the other side!” Dylan says over his shoulder with an excited grin before stepping onto the parapet, his arms spread wide. Alia laughs before waving back to him.

“See you, lover boy.” She shouts with a grin.

“Ready for the next one, Riorson?” the rider with the ripped sleeves says.

That alone, makes the grin drop from her face and her head snap towards the rider with ripped sleeves, she almost gave herself whiplash. She followed his line of sight and saw he was looking at the very same man she was admiring before.

Xaden fucking Riorson.

All thoughts of potentially bedding him out the window.

“Are you ready for this, Sorrengail and Nightingale?” Rhiannon asks, moving forward.

The black-haired rider snaps his gaze towards Violet who when hearing the name stepped out from behind Alia, turning fully towards us. A rebellion relic, curving in dips and swirls, starts at his bare left wrist, then disappears under his black uniform to appear again at his collar, where it stretches and swirls up his neck, stopping at his jawline.

“Oh shit,” Alia hears Violet whisper beside her and his eyes narrow, as if he can hear her over the howl of wind that rips around us.

“Sorrengail?” He steps toward Violet, getting dangerously closer than what Alia would like. She was still frozen as her mind rages through different emotions. She snaps out of it when Violet briefly brushes her hand against Alia’s, trying to seek comfort.

Alia wipes her face clean, keeping it emotionless as she steps forward, hovering a little bit in front of Violet to keep distance though that’s when Riorson snaps his attention her way, eye brows deepening.

“Nightingale.” No tone of question in that, no doubt seeing her silver eyes and connecting the dot. He was tall but so was Alia so she wasn’t stuck looking upwards at him like Violet is. His eyes hold an impassive emotion as he stares into the silver depths that hold a raging storm before he looks back towards Violet.

She didn’t even reach his collarbones. If this wasn’t Riorson in front of her, she would have laughed at the sight of Violet having to look up.

Violet nodded once at his unanswered question and that’s when Alia noted his eyes. The shining onyx of his eyes transforms to cold, unadulterated hatred.

She could feel the waves of hatred roll over this man.

“Violet? Alia?” Rhiannon asks, moving forward.

“You’re General Sorrengail’s youngest.” His voice is deep and accusatory as he keeps his eyes on Violet. Alia felt the need to take the attention off of Violet though, she knows she can hold her own but still keeps her body rigid in front of her should anything happen.

“You’re Fen Riorson’s son,” Violet counters, the certainty of this revelation settling in.

That’s when Violet nudged Alia’s hand from behind her, noticing immediately that Alia had tensed even more, if that was possible, at the mention of his fathers name. Xaden glanced towards Alia before going back to Violet.

He seems to be focused a lot on Violet and that is enough to make Alia go paranoid at the fear he might instantly catapult Violet off the Parapet or just off her right in front of everyone.

Xaden sucks in a deep breath, and the muscle in his jaw flexes once. Twice. “Your mother captured my father and oversaw his execution.”

Rage is the final emotion that settles in Alia’s mind as she darkly glares at the man in front of her, him quickly looking at her noting the change in expression. His face shifted for a second before he glanced back at Violet.

“Your father killed my older brother. Seems like we’re even.”

“Hardly.” His glaring gaze strokes over Violet like he’s memorizing every detail or looking for any weakness that she might hold, while still not looking at Alia directly. “Your sister is a rider. Guess that explains the leathers.”

“Guess so.” Violet holds his stare.

Alia, will commit every crime possible if he even dares lay a hand on Violet. She will be damned if he hurts her before she even touches the parapet. She won’t lose another loved one.

His hands clenched into fists, and he tenses.

Alia notices the change and immediately tenses her hand, shifting it down to the long dagger that rests on her hip. She feels Violet tense up at the change in both Xaden and Alia before they’re graciously saved from committing a crime scene in front of everyone by Rhiannon.

“You all right?” Rhiannon asks, her gaze jumping between Xaden, Alia and Violet.

He glances at us, his eyes now darting between me and Violet. “You’re friends?”

“We met on the stairs,” Violet says, squaring her shoulders. Alia continues to keep her hand near her hip, ready to strike if needed.

He looks down, noting their mismatched shoes, and arches a brow. His hands relax. “Interesting.”

“Are you going to kill me?” Violet asks, lifting her chin as she now stands beside me and not behind me. Alia curses Violet out in her mind for asking such a blunt question at the wrong time. Maybe not when we are a step away from a cliff.

His gaze clashes with Violet as the sky opens and rain falls in a deluge, soaking our hair, our leathers, and the stones around us in seconds.

Alia almost felt comfort, the rain always was her favorite.

A scream rends the air, and Rhiannon and Violet both jerk their attention to the parapet just in time to see Dylan slip.

Alia does not look away from the threat in front of her though, he continues to look at Violet before shifting his gaze to Alia. The hatred that was in his eyes dialed down a few notches compared to when looking at Violet. He was studying her, almost.

Alia could feel her eyes still holding that raging storm as she continued to hold her dark gaze on the man, their eyes not slipping from each-other for a second.

“Nightingale, the youngest…” He trailed off as his eyes never leave hers, his voice not holding any disdain like it did with Violet. Instead, it was indifference and monotone.

“Obviously.” She responds back, her tone cold. The coldness of her tone almost jolts Violet from the scene in front of her, not liking the tone she desperately hates to hear from Alia. But Violet releases a gasp that allows Alia to break contact with the man and look at the scene.

“Pull yourself up, Dylan!” Rhiannon shouts. Alia notices Dylan losing his grip faster than ever.

“Oh gods!” Violet’s hand flies to cover her mouth, but he loses his grip on the water-slick stone and falls, disappearing from view. The wind and rain steal any sound his body might make in the valley below.

Alia felt her heart squeeze but her face still emotionless before glancing at Violet who looked onwards in shock. Alia quickly grips Violet’s hand to bring her back to the present, whose gaze meets Alia.

Fear and horror clouds those eyes as Alia assesses her quickly. Squeezing her hand once again, Violet sobers slightly before turning back to Riorson. Violet letting go of her hand and Alia immediately wanting to grip it again to not ground Violet but herself as she still feels that rage in her mind causing a turmoil.

Riorson who noticed the gesture Alia did.

Xaden never takes his eyes from Violet, watching silently with a look even Alia can’t interpret.

“Why would I waste my energy killing you when the parapet will do it for me?” A wicked smile curves his lips as he stares Violet down. That hatred rolled back into his eyes when he looked at Violet.

“Your turn.” He says as he glances at Alia.

Alia breathed in deeply as Riorson made his way back to the previous spot he was in before. Though he stares at Violet with a hatred so heavy it could burn into the side of her face. She felt fidgety all of a sudden as his gaze locked onto Violet.

Alia sighed at the demise Dylan met just moments before. Another name in a graveyard. As sad and disheartening it is, this is exactly why the trio warned them not to make friends. Anyone could leave you just as quickly as Dylan did.

But Malek be damned if he tried to take her or Violet.

Rhiannon grips both sides of the opening in the turret, then looks over her shoulder at us, Alia being next in line after her and Violet just a bit behind me. “I’ll wait for you both on the other side,” she shouts over the storm. The fear in her eyes were evident.

“I’ll see you on the other side.”Violet nods and even manages a grimace of a smile.

Alia sent a confident smile, well at least she hoped it was. “See you across, Rhiannon!”

She steps out onto the parapet and begins walking.

Alia turns to the rider at the edge, knowing it’s her turn now. Shoving that rage behind the door and any negative feeling she might have, she feels the familiar pulse of adrenaline once again.

She will get across.

She will make it for the sake of her family and Violet.

“Name?” the rider at the edge asks as his partner holds a cloak over the scroll in a pointless attempt to keep the paper dry.

“Alia Nightingale” Alia speaks, her voice ten times lighter than when it was before when speaking with Riorson. She could now feel his gaze on her.

Great, a looker.

“Nightingale?” The rider looks up, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “As in General Nightingale and the Terror Twins?”

“The very same ones.” Alia mutters, almost bored at hearing that from everyone at this point. She just wants to cross this damn thing and get the day over and done with. As much as she should find the fact daunting that everyone keeps bringing up her family in comparison, she doesn’t. She knows she will make a name for herself. Even if she has the occasional doubt and negative thoughts, she will.

Alia observes the parapet in front of her, seeing the railing where she can hold onto as she steps up.

Ahead of her, Rhiannon is making her way across, her hands out for balance. She’s probably a fourth of the way, her figure becoming blurrier the farther she walks into the rain.

“Well damn, let’s see what you’re made of then Nightingale” the other rider asks, angling the cloak as another gust of wind blows into us.

Alia felt a smirk fall on her lips before responding. “And you shall.”

Alia takes the first step onto the Parapet, vaguely hearing Violet behind her saying her name to the rider listing our names down. She turns slightly before Violet’s gaze meets her, almost automatically.

“I’ll see you across there Vi” She states before Violet nods, determination clouding her features. As Alia goes to turn towards the Parapet, she meets Xaden’s hard eyes. She rolls her own before facing forward and walking as if it’s normal.

But, even so with the wind and the rain, it’s making it a bit more difficult than she would like. Even if her balance is great and she can walk this perfectly fine, the doubts she deeply tried to shove behind the door make it’s way up.

She glances before her, already noting she made quite the distance but her glance was for Violet.

Already she sees Violet heeding the trios advice with her arms out and looking up, refusing to look down at her boots but keeping her eyes on the stones in front. Alia swallows her anxiety for the girl before turning back around and continuing to stride across the parapet with a bit of ease.

The strong gusts of winds do limit her a little bit as she takes a small break before continuing. She resists the urge to keep glancing behind her to check on Violet, putting her absolute faith that she will make it across.

Of course she will, it’s Violet.

Alia almost put her mind to peace before she heard the familiar voice of her favorite person shout.

“Shit!” Violet shouted.

Alia whipped around, considerably a bit of distance away from Violet as she made quite the progress, nearing the end. Alia felt her heart drop to her stomach as Violet flailed her arms to steady herself before dropping to hold onto the parapet.

She almost wants to hurl.

She keeps her eye on Violet while trekking backwards, slowly. She only feels relief once she notices Violet doesn’t fall so turns back around, continuing forward. She notices Rhiannon made it to the end and Alia sighs in relief as she begins to run forward instead of trekking slowly. She knows she shouldn't doubt Violet but in this case with the harsh weather and her having one proper boot, she can only worry that something might happen to her.

Just as she hit the end of the parapet, she turned at the sound of a scream piercing the howling wind. But she could see Violet so she relaxed and stepped forward as she noticed the riders.

“Name?” the rider drawls out, as if they’re the least interesting thing she’s seen today.She pushes the chin-length, fire-red strands of her hair behind her ear with one hand and holds the roll with the other, looking at Alia expectantly. The three silver four-point stars embroidered on the shoulder of her cloak tell me she’s a third-year.

“Alia Nightingale,” Alia responds before the rider perks up slightly at the sound of her last name.

“Well, it’s good to see another Nightingale here.” She speaks up before nodding her head as she writes down Alia’s name.

“Welcome to the riders quadrant, cadet.”

Alia nodded and moved to the side slightly, nervously fidgeting as she glanced towards the parapet, waiting for Violet. But for probably the tenth time today, she lost count, her heart drops again at the sight of her best-friend almost running towards the end of the parapet, fear shown on her face with that giant asshole only a few steps behind her with a sneer on his face.

He lunges for her rucksack behind her, just missing it as she jumps off the parapet, landing near the two riders who wait to take your name.

Alia felt her body tense as she went to move forward at seeing the look on that asshole's face but stopped herself.

Violet spins around, ripping a dagger for the sheath of her ribs just as the asshole skids to a halt above her, still on the parapet. Her speed is definitely one thing that Alia knew would be her strongest suit even before her training started. She’s small but fast. It’s clear he wants to murder the little Sorrengail but Alia almost snickers at the scene.

Violet has the dagger tip right against his balls.

“I think. I’ll be safe. For right. Now,” Violet managed between ragged breaths, her body clearly shaking though her hand holds steady.

“Will you?” Asshole vibrates with rage, his thick blond brows slashing down over arctic blue eyes, every line of his monstrous frame leaning my way. But he doesn’t take another step.

Good because the second he does, Alia is helping her best friend throw someone off the Parapet. She cursed herself out, thinking back to the steps where she should’ve dropped kick the bastard off.

“It is unlawful for a rider to cause another harm. While in a quadrant formation or in the supervisory. Presence of a superior-ranking cadet,” Violet recites from the Codex, causing laughter to bubble up from Alia’s throat. The sound of her laugh give’s Violet even more confidence as she continues onwards.

“As it will diminish the efficiency of the wing. And given the crowd behind us, I think it’s clear to argue that it’s a formation. Article Three, Section—”

“I don’t give a shit!” He moves, but Violet holds her ground against the beast and her dagger slices through the first layer of his breeches.

“I suggest you reconsider.” Violet adjusted her stance just in case he didn't. “I might slip.”

That’s when Alia slowly edges her way forward, keeping her eyes on him but making her way behind Violet, a few steps away just in case.

“Name?” the rider next to Violet drawls, Violet glancing in her direction for a millisecond.

She pushes the chin-length, fire-red strands of her hair behind her ear with one hand and holds the roll with the other, watching the scene play out. “You’re pretty small for a rider, but it looks like you made it.”

“Violet Sorrengail,” Violet replies, but a hundred percent of her focus is on Jack again. The rain drips off the lowered ridge of his brow. “And before you ask, yes, I’m that Sorrengail.”

“Not surprised, with that maneuver,” the woman says, holding a pen like Mom uses over the roll.

Alia nods proudly.

“And what’s your name?” she asks again. Pretty sure she’s asking the asshole at this stage so Alia leans in a bit closer, keen to know the name of the person she’s going to break in half.

“Jack. Barlowe.” There’s nothing but pure malice in his features, promising retribution.

That caused Alia to glance down at Violet for a split second, noticing her shiver.

“Well, Jack,” the male rider on Violet’s right says slowly, scratching the trim lines of his dark goatee. He’s not wearing a cloak, and the rain soaks into the bevy of patches stitched into a worn leather jacket. “Cadet Sorrengail has you by the actual balls here, in more ways than one. She’s right. Regs state that there’s nothing but respect among riders at formation. You want to kill her, you’ll have to do it in the sparring ring or on your own time. That is, if she decides to let you off the parapet. Because technically, you’re not on the grounds yet, so you are not a cadet. She is.”

“And if I decide to snap her neck the second I step down?” Jack growls, and the look in his eyes says he’ll do it.

“Then you get to meet the dragons early,” the redhead answers, her tone bland. “We don’t wait for trials around here. We just execute.”

“What’s it going to be, Sorrengail?” the male rider asks. “You going to have Jack here start as a eunuch?”

Alia holds herself back from saying, do it. Encouraging her to de-ball someone would not improve her chances of mercy from Jack. She could tell that he is going to be a problem.

“Are you going to follow the rules?” Violet asks Jack.

“Guess I don’t have a choice.” A corner of his mouth tilts into a sneer, and his posture relaxes as he raises his hands, palms out.

Violet lowers her dagger but keeps it palmed and ready as she moves sideways, toward the redhead keeping roll.

Jack steps down into the courtyard, his shoulder knocking Violet’s as he walks by, pausing to lean in close to whisper something to her. That causes the hairs on her neck to raise as he briskly walks away towards the celebrating cadets in the courtyard, ignoring Alia’s dark gaze before they snap back to Violet.

Her eyes never leave Violet who turns to face those silver eyes, relaxing as she notices Alia watching her. As Violet went to take a step towards her, her step faltered a little bit on the left side. To anyone, it would’ve been missed but not Alia who immediately walked towards the girl.

She must’ve hurt her knee or foot, her mind makes the conclusion.

The taller one of the two quickly takes Violet’s left side, not wanting to draw attention to that, Alia allows Violet to lean against her. She releases a breath as she steadies herself, Violet giving her hand a squeeze to say thanks.

“I think you made an enemy there,” the redhead says, casually shifting the lethal crossbow she wears strapped along her shoulder. She glances at Violet over the scroll with a shrewd look in her hazel eyes as she looks her up and down. “I’d watch your back with that one if I were you.”

Violet nods but Alia feels herself stiffen and tries not to retort back to that.

Violet looks up at Alia with relief in her eyes. “I made it.” She mutters.

Alia couldn’t help but grin at that before gripping her hand in hers.

“You made it Vi, never doubted you.” Alia softly spoke, her eyes watching Violet closely who’s eyes shone with happiness, despite feeling like she was going to fall.

“And you’re with me, right?” Violet weakly says, her tone soft but her eyes are hard as she scans the Nightingales facial expression. Looking for anything that might suggest otherwise.

That has a hidden meaning and only something the two can decipher. Being with her through the year they will both endure will surely raise challenges, such as Jack-ass and the Riorson issue. Not to mention getting the Sorrengail ready to survive the year.That alone would make anyone want to abandon her to save themselves.

But never Alia Nightingale.

Her silver eyes harden at determination and a promise that causes Violet’s lip to twitch upwards before she even hears the Nightingale utter the word.

“Always.”

And that’s a promise Alia Nightingale didn’t even need to confirm with Violet as she is ready for anything that will come their way.

The next candidate approaches from the parapet as someone grips Violet's shoulders from behind and spins her as Alia spins with her. Alia’s hand snapping up to the dagger she keeps on her side and Violet’s hand holding one, as it also follows suit before they both pause halfway, noticing it’s Rhiannon.

“We made it!” She grins, giving Violet’s shoulders a squeeze while grinning at Alia who feels herself relax at the sight of the girl before beaming back.

“We made it,” Violet meekly says before sighing and leaning against Alia again. Alia compared to Violet was a brick wall, so even as she puts most of her weight into the lean it still doesn’t move Alia from her spot or leans away from her.

“I can’t thank you enough. There were at least three times I would have fallen off if you hadn’t helped me. You were right—those soles were slick as shit. Have you seen the people around here? I swear I just saw a second-year with pink streaks in her hair, and one guy has dragon scales tattooed up his entire biceps.”

“Conformity is for the infantry,” Violet says as Rhiannon loops her arm through Violet’s right arm. Alia sticks to Violet’s left and they allow their new friend to tug them forward.

She heard Violet let out a soft hiss and can feel her slightly limping, against her. Her breath catches in her throat at hearing that and before she can suggest to sit down, so she can check her, Rhiannon speaks up.

“Speaking of which,” she says, glancing down. “We need to trade boots. There’s a bench—”

Her silver eyes glance up from Violet, spotting a familiar person barreling their way towards them. Hiding a smile that’s threatening to grace her lips, she glances at Violet again.

The tall figure in a pristine black uniform steps out of the crowd, charging toward us with more pace, and though Rhiannon manages to dodge while Alia slightly steps away, Violet stumbles into him at the lack of support.

“Violet?” Dain fucking Aetos speaks up in shock while gripping onto Violet’s arms. Alia noted the relief in Violet’s face the second they make eye contact with each other and another emotion that briefly passes.

That one almost looks like…adoration.

Alia suddenly wants to pull back Violet at the look.

She studies the Aeto’s in front of her as they both continue to stare at each other.

He is definitely taller and can tell the training has been good for him. He’s filling out at the arms, which she appreciates for a few seconds before snapping back to present. Still slightly off to the side, she moves closer to Violet, just in arms reach as she noticed Violet suddenly looking a bit ill.

If it’s because of Dain in front of her or the whole situation, Alia can’t help but nearly snicker at that look on her face.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he barks, the shock in his eyes transforming to something foreign, something deadly that causes Alia to tense up a little bit more before fully gripping Violet’s left arm.

Little shit, if you say anything rude to her I will ensure you’re bald by mor-, her thoughts ramble on but cut off at Violet’s voice.

“Dain. It’s good to see you.” Violet speaks softly before her knee, knew it, finally gives out causing Alia to loop her arm through Violets while Dain goes to the other side.

“Damn it, Violet,” he mutters, looping his arm through her right one.

That’s when he fully glances at Alia, his eyes narrowing but still a small smile graces his lips.

“Good to see you again though Alia. I hope this wasn’t your idea to bring her here” He mutters as they help Violet away from the crowd and into an alcove in the wall that’s close to the first defensive turret of the Citadel. Nice and shady, they both help Violet sit on the wooden bench before Dain grabs her rucksack.

“Suck it Dain, you know I wouldn’t dare.” Alia snaps back, her tone a bit harsher than what she would like but him initiating that it was her idea Violet was here causes her to snap. She allows Violet to grip her hand as she stands in front of her while Dain sits on her otherside.

“I’m going to be sick.” Violet mutters, causing Alia to cringe slightly, rubbing her thumb in circles on her hand, a sign of comfort. Violet squeezing back slightly.

“Head between your knees,” Dain orders in a harsh tone the girls aren’t used to. He rubs circles on Violet's lower back as she breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth. “It’s the adrenaline. Give it a minute and it’ll pass.” We hear approaching footsteps on the gravel. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Rhiannon. I’m Violet and Alia’s…friend.”

Alia sends the girl a smile which she gladly returns before they turn back to Dain.

“Listen to me, Rhiannon. Violet is fine,” he commands. “And if anyone asks, then you tell them exactly what I said, that it’s just the adrenaline working out of her system. Understand?”

“It’s no one’s business what’s going on with Violet,” she retorts, her tone just as sharp as his. “So I wouldn’t say shit. Especially not when she’s the reason I made it across the parapet.”

“You’d better mean that,” he warns, the bite in his voice at odds with the ceaseless, comforting circles he makes on my back.

“Dain.” Alia warns, her voice holding an edge at the rudeness of the boy. He briefly looks at her before narrowing back to Rhiannon.

“I could ask you just who the hell you are,” she retorts.

“He’s one of our oldest friends.” Violet speaks up as Alia notices her hand stopped trembling but now she’s leaning forward to untie. Alia smacks her hand away and drops to the ground, untying Violet’s laces for her.

“Oh,” Rhiannon answers.

“And a second-year rider, cadet,” Dain growls.

“And about to adorn a lovely black eye if you don’t stop being a fucking dick, Aetos. She’s just worried.” Alia snaps at her friend, looking up at him intime to see him falter at her tone. He sighed before nodding and glanced at Violet again, who was looking at Alia with a soft smile.

Or grimace, Alia can’t be sure.

“No one can see you here, Vi, so take your time,” Dain says softly.

“Because puking my guts up after surviving the parapet and the asshole who wanted to throw me off it would be considered weak.” Violet snips back as she rises slowly, sitting upright.

“Exactly,” he answers. “Are you hurt?” His gaze rakes over her with a desperate edge, like he needs to see every inch for himself. That alone causes Alia wanting to follow through with giving him that black eye.

“My knee is sore,” She admits in a whisper, because it’s Dain. Dain, whom they’ve known since we were no older than six. Dain, whose father is one of Violet's mothers most trusted advisers. Dain, who has always been there for the two but mostly Violet in time of need.

He takes Violet’s chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning her face left and right for his inspection. “That’s all? You’re sure?” His hands run down her sides and pause at her ribs. “Are you wearing daggers?”

Alia takes off her boot and that causes a sigh of relief to leave Violet’s lips as the Nightingale turns to Rhiannon who is studying the scene before looking down at her own boot, beginning to untie it.

“Three at my ribs and one in my boot.” Violet says and Alia sighs in relief that she has a few.

“Huh.” He drops his hands and looks at her like he’s never seen her before. But as quick as that came, it’s gone as Alia noted.

“Get your boots switched. You two look ridiculous. Vi, Alia do you trust this one?” He nods toward Rhiannon.

Alia just looks up at Violet, whatever she says she will go with. But she can’t help but observe the girl that is now passing her Violet’s boot when she passes her own back to her. Rhiannon hasn’t given her any tension the whole time they’ve interacted besides the surprise spin.

Alia meets Dain’s eyes and nods.

Violet followed suit, nodding her head too.

“All right.” He stands and turns toward us both.“I’m Dain Aetos, and I’m the leader for Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing.”

Both Violet’s and Alia’s brows go up in surprise at that.

“Wow look at you, big boy now.” Alia jokes before Dain gives her a deadpan look, though amusement in his eyes as he notices Alia has relaxed now that Vi is looking better than before.

“Parapet should be over in the next couple of hours, depending on how fast the candidates cross or fall. You two go find the redhead with the roll—she’s usually carrying a crossbow—and tell her that Dain Aetos put you, Alia Nightingale and Violet Sorrengail into his squad. If she questions you, tell her she owes me from saving her ass at Threshing last year. I’ll bring Violet back to the courtyard shortly.”

Rhiannon glances at Violet who nods. Alia furrows her eyebrows too, not liking that she’ll be leaving Violet though Violet can see the inner turmoil before grabbing the taller girls hand. Alia looks down and sees Violet giving her a smile.

She relaxes before nodding too.

“Go before someone sees us,” Dain barks at Rhiannon before he claps a hand on Alia's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.

“I did mean what I said, it’s good to see you again, A” He mutters before turning his attention back to Violet.

Alia and Rhiannon vanish from their sight, looking for the redhead he mentioned. But Alia can’t help but fidget without having the Sorrengail near her.

Rhiannon notices and glances at the girl. “You looked ready to throttle Aetos back there, I was hoping to see it happen.” She cheekily adds in. Alia laughs before looking slightly down, as Rhiannon wasn’t as short as Violet but still a few inches below Alia.

“He was being a dick, he’s not normally like that so sorry about him” She responds before noticing Rhiannon raising a brow. They came closer to the red-head that matched the description Dain gave them.

“That’s not what I was referring to…but alright.” Rhiannon says back, her lips pulling up a smile as Alia looks at her confused. Before she could ask her to elaborate, Rhi turns to the red-head and begins talking to her.

Alia lets her handle it, even though she’s surrounded by people on a daily basis, she’s always kept to herself. She tends to only be engaged in conversation with those she’s close with, so she continues to zone out.

Though as she glances around at different cadets in the courtyard and admires the massive place. It could easily fit thousands of riders. Shaped like an angular teardrop, the rounded end is formed by a giant outer wall at least ten feet thick. Along the sides are stone halls. The imposing rotunda linking the two buildings also serves as the entrance to the gathering hall, commons, and library behind it. She turns in the courtyard to face the outer wall. There’s a stone dais on the right side of the parapet, occupied by two uniformed men she recognizes as the commandant and executive commandant, both in full military dress, their medals winking in the sunlight.

Rhiannon ends up guiding Alia away from the red-haired where we bump into someone, accidentally. A girl who has jet-black hair that’s as short as Dain’s turns towards us with a small smile on her face.

“Hello, I’m Rhiannon. Sorry for bumping you.” The friendly girl says as the one with jet-black hair grins up at the two.

“I’m Alia, sorry about that, guess the excitement got to this one.” She says teasingly causing Rhi to bump her shoulder which earnt a laugh from the taller girl.

“No stress, I’m Tara!” Tara speaks up, her voice cheerful. Alia immediately notices Rhi taking more interest and they begin to talk while the Nightingale zones out for a moment.

She’s here, she made it.

Now time to make it through the year, she says in her head.

Though as she looks around again, she instantly spots her favorite Sorrengail making a bee-line for them. Seeing her instantly relaxes her nerves and as Violet joins them, she grips Alia’s hand in greeting as she gives her a small smile.

Already Alia can tell she looks tense. Furrowing her eyebrows as Violet keeps her eyes locked on Alia, she shakes her head as if to say “later” before turning to Rhi and Tara.

“There you are!” Rhiannon’s smile is genuine and full of relief. “We were worried. Is everything…” She lifts her eyebrows which cause me to look down at Violet again, hoping

“I’m good to go.” Violet nods and turns toward the other woman as Rhiannon introduces her. Her name is Tara, and she’s from the Morraine province to the north, along the coast of the Emerald Sea. She has that same air of confidence Mira does, and her eyes dance with excitement as she and Rhiannon talk about how they’ve both obsessed over dragons since childhood. Alia and Violet pay attention but only enough to recall details if we need to form an alliance.

That’s when Alia turns to Violet, who is already gazing up at the girl.

“You seem more tense, what happened back there?” Alia mutters to her softly as she rubs small circles on Violet’s hand, they’re still gripping each other in comfort. Violet immediately bristles at the question before huffing, turning slightly more towards the taller girl.

“Dain was trying to get me to run away.” She said back and watched how Alia’s eyes flared. “He got rid of you two as a way to get me out of here but, as much as I hate being here, does he really think I can’t survive here?”

The taller girl can see the frustration and anger edge it’s way in those hazel eyes she adores. Not blaming Violet either, the Nightingale so badly wants to beat Aetos up.

“He basically said this place is going to tear me to shreds. Why does he doubt me so much!? Is he right to assume I won’t” She seethed but in sadness near the end. Before she could continue her spiel into how much trash Dain spoke to her, the taller girl knew that whatever else Dain said must have been bad or at least discouraging for the girl.

Alia grips her shoulders softly before looking down at Violet, who cuts off mid sentence and stares back up at her, hazel clashing with silver.

“Fuck what Dain said. You’re here Violet, you made it. No one helped you across that parapet, you did that. If anyone can make it through this, you’re one of them. Don’t let him discourage you or even tear down what confidence you built up from crossing that. You’re a cadet now, Vi. Don’t forget that. You’re here now.” Alia rambled on as she finished off, clearly becoming heated at the fact Dain made Vi doubt herself for even a second.

Violet’s eyes hold a different amount of emotions as she stares up at the taller girl before settling on one. Content, from what Alia can spot.

“I-Thank you, Alia. You never once doubted me, maybe worried or fretted but never doubt.” Violet said softly as she sent a smile her way, causing Alia to admire it before she grinned back.

“Never.” Alia said before they both joined in on Tara and Rhi’s conversation.

An hour passes, then another, according to the Basgiath bells, which we can hear from here. Then the last of the cadets walks into the courtyard, followed by the three riders from the other turret.

Xaden is among them. It’s not just his height that makes him stand out in this crowd but the way the other riders all seem to move around him, like he’s a shark and they’re all fish giving him a wide berth. For a second, Alia and Violet can’t help but wonder what his signet is, the unique power from the bond with his dragon, and if that’s why even the third-years seem to scurry out of his way as he strides up to the dais with lethal grace. There are ten of them in total up there now, and from the way Commandant Panchek moves to the front, facing us—

“I think we’re about to start,” Violet says to us, and they both turn to face the dais. Everyone does.

“Three hundred and one of you have survived the parapet to become cadets today,” Commandant Panchek starts with a politician’s smile, gesturing to us. The guy has always talked with his hands. “Good job. Sixty-seven did not.”

Damn, that's more than average. Alia felt Vi gripped her hand again before slightly leaning into the taller girl's right side.

“I’ve heard this position is just a stepping stone for him,” Tara whispers. “He wants Sorrengail’s, then General Melgren’s or General Nightingale’s job”

The commanding general of all Navarre’s forces and his spear, Nightingale.

“General Melgren’s?” Rhiannon whispers from my other side.

“He’ll never get it,” Violet says quietly as the commandant welcomes us to the Riders Quadrant. “Melgren’s dragon gives him the signet ability to see a battle’s outcome before it happens. There’s no beating that, and you can’t be assassinated if you know it’s coming.”

“Not to mention, General Nightingales signet alone makes her a formidable opponent on the field which easily gives our side an advantage. No one can beat her when she leads in.” Rhi whispered as Alia smiled softly at that.

“As the Codex says, now you begin the true crucible!” Panchek shouts, his voice carrying over the five hundreds of us in the courtyard. “You will be tested by your superiors, hunted by your peers, and guided by your instincts. If you survive to Threshing, and if you are chosen, you will be riders. Then we’ll see how many of you make it to graduation.”

The Nightingale straightens up at that. She will make it she know she will, but the thought of possibly not being bonded either does linger in her mind.

“Your instructors will teach you,” Panchek promises, his hand sweeping to the line of professors standing at the doors to the academic wing. “It’s up to you how well you learn.” He swings his pointer finger at us. “Discipline falls to your units, and your wingleader is the last word. If I have to get involved…” A slow, sinister smile spreads across his face. “You don’t want me involved.

Alia scoffs to herself, he’s a softy at heart.

“With that said, I’ll leave you to your wingleaders. My best advice? Don’t die.” He walks off the dais with the executive commandant, leaving only the riders on the stone stage.

A brunette woman with wide shoulders and a scarred sneer stalks forward, the silver spikes on the shoulders of her uniform flashing in the sunlight. “I’m Nyra, the senior wingleader of the quadrant and the head of the First Wing. Section leaders and squad leaders, take your positions now.”

Alia is jostled as someone walks by, pushing between Rhiannon and her. Others follow suit until there are about fifty people in front of us, spaced out in formation.

“Sections and squads,” Violet whispers to Rhiannon, in case she didn’t grow up in a military family. “Three squads in each section and three sections in each of the four wings.”

“Thank you,” Rhiannon answers as Alia nods her head in confirmation.

Dain stands in the section for Second Wing, facing us but averting his eyes. Alia felt her eyes narrow at her friend, hoping when he does make eye contact he sees how pissed she is from what Violet told her.

“First Squad! Claw Section! First Wing!” Nyra calls out.

A man closer to the dais raises his hand.

“Cadets, when your name is called, take up formation behind your squad leader,” Nyra instructs.

The redhead with the crossbow and roll steps forward and begins calling names. One by one, cadets move from the crowd to the formation, and Alia can tell Violet is to keep count, making snap judgments based off clothing and arrogance. It looks like each squad will have about fifteen or sixteen people in it.

Jack-ass is called into the Flame Section of the First Wing.

Tara is called into the Tail Section, and soon they start on Second Wing.

Violet lets loose a thankful sigh when the wingleader steps forward and Alia can only assume it’s because Xaden didn’t step forward.

Alia, Rhiannon and Violet are both called to Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing. We get into formation quickly, lining up in a square.

A quick glance tells her that we have a squad leader—Dain, who isn’t looking at us yet—a female executive squad leader, four riders who look like they might be second- or third-years, and nine first-years. One of the riders with two stars on her uniform and half-shaved, half-pink hair has a rebellion relic that winds around her forearm, from her wrist to above her elbow, where it disappears under her uniform.

We’re silent as the rest of the wings are called. The sun is out in full now, compared to the rain they faced hours before.

When the order sounds, we all turn to face the dais. She almost seems bored as she gazes around but then she felt Violet twitch a little so she looks down at the girl, finding her gazing slightly to the right. When she follows her line of sight, she spots Xaden Riorson.

Just looking at him causes her to tense as he stares back at Violet with a cold look, almost like he’s plotting her death right there. This alone makes the dark gaze fall on Alia’s face when Violet lifts her chin in his direction.

Xaden briefly glances at Alia, his eyes once again dialing down on the hatred before he cocks an eyebrow. Then he says something to the Second Wing’s wingleader, and then every wingleader joins in on what’s obviously a heated discussion.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Rhiannon whispers.

“Quiet,” Dain hisses.

She could feel Violet stiffening up at that as Alia allows her dark gaze to connect with Dain he glanced back. He blanches at the look before facing forward again. She almost allows a smug look to grace her face before her attention is diverted once again to the Wingleaders.

Finally, the wingleaders turn around to face us, and the slight tilt to Xaden’s lips makes Alia instantly suspicious .

“Dain Aetos, you and your squad will switch with Aura Beinhaven’s,” Nyra orders.

Wait. What? Who is Aura Beinhaven?

Dain nods, then turns to us. “Follow me.” He says it once, then strides through formation, leaving us to scurry after him. We pass another squad on the way from…from…

Alia nearly cursed out loud as she realized where they were going.

We’re moving to the Fourth Wing. Xaden’s wing.

It takes a minute, maybe two, and we take our place in the new formation. Violet stares up at Xaden with her brows furrowed while Alia sighs, loudly at this change.

It’s clear his main target is Violet as he meets her stare and now that we’re under his change of command, he can do whatever he likes.

Nyra looks at Xaden as she finishes assignments, and he nods, stepping forward and finally breaking our staring contest.

“You’re all cadets now.” Xaden’s voice carries out over the courtyard, stronger than the others. “Take a look at your squad. These are the only people guaranteed by Codex not to kill you. But just because they can’t end your life doesn’t mean others won’t. You want a dragon? Earn one.”

Most of the others cheer, but both Alia and Violet keep their mouth shut.

Sixty-seven people fell or died in some other way today. Sixty-seven just like Dylan, whose parents would either collect their bodies or watch them be buried at the foot of the mountain under a simple stone.

Xaden’s eyes briefly brush over Alia’s and Violets before looking away again. “And I bet you feel pretty badass right now, don’t you, first-years?”

More cheers.

“You feel invincible after the parapet, don’t you?” Xaden shouts. “You think you’re untouchable! You’re on the way to becoming the elite! The few! The chosen!”

Another round of cheers goes up with each declaration, louder and louder.

No. That’s not just cheering, it’s the sound of wings beating the air into submission. That causes Alia to look up and spot the riot coming towards them, letting a smile grace her face.

“Oh gods, they’re beautiful,” Rhiannon whispers at Violets side as they come into view, Alia agreeing.

She had spent her life around dragons, but always from a distance. They don’t tolerate humans they haven’t chosen. But these eight? They’re flying straight for us—at speed.

Just when they think they’re about to fly overhead, they pitch vertically, whip the air with their huge semitranslucent wings, and stop, the gusts of wing-made wind so powerful that everyone nearly staggers backward as they land on the outer semicircular wall. Their chest scales ripple with movement, and their razor-sharp talons dig into the edge of the wall on either side. The edge of the fortress is a damned perch.

The Nightingale stares up at them in awe, her eyes drawn to the navy-blue one like her mom’s dragon, Feli but this one was slightly smaller than her mom’s. Familiarity pings her as she continues to gaze up the blue but shakes it off once the navy-blue’s golden eyes pause on her for a moment, causing her to look away and look at the scene they’re in.

A few cadets scream.

Guess everyone wants to be a dragon rider until they’re actually twenty feet away from one.

Steam blasts her face as the navy-blue one directly in front of them exhales through its wide nostrils. Its glistening blue horns rise above its head in an elegant, lethal sweep, and its wings flare momentarily before tucking in, the tip of their top joint crowned by a single fierce talon. Their tails are just as fatal, but she can’t see them at this angle or even tell which breed of dragon each is without that clue.

All are deadly.

“We’re going to have to bring the masons in again,” Dain mutters as chunks of rock crumble under the dragons’ grips, crashing to the courtyard in boulders the size of my torso.

There are three dragons in various shades of red–like Lyrie, Samm’s dragon, two shades of green—like Jasp, Noma’s dragon—one brown, one orange, and the enormous navy one ahead of me. They’re all massive, overshadowing the structure of the citadel as they narrow their golden eyes at us in absolute judgment.

If they didn’t need us puny humans to develop signet abilities from bonding and weave the protective wards they power around Navarre, I’m pretty sure they’d eat us all and be done. But they like protecting the Vale—the valley behind Basgiath the dragons call home—from merciless gryphons and we like living, so here we are in the most unlikely of partnerships.

Alia can tell Violet is feeling a lot more tense now after being fully in front of these dragons so she tightens her grip on her hand.

A cadet bolts out of Third Wing, screaming as he makes a run for the stone keep behind us. We all turn to look as he sprints for the giant arched door at the center.

A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.

Once bonded, riders can’t live without their dragons, but most dragons can live just fine after us. It’s why they choose carefully, so they’re not humiliated by picking a coward, not that a dragon would ever admit to making a mistake.

The red dragon on the left opens its vast mouth, revealing teeth so big it shook Violet. That jaw could crush any of us if it wanted, like a grape. Fire erupts along its tongue, then shoots outward in a macabre blaze toward the fleeing cadet.

He’s a pile of ash on the gravel before he can even make it to the shadow of the keep.

Sixty-eight dead.

Heat from the flames blasts the side of Alia’s face as she jerks her attention forward. If anyone else runs and is likewise executed, she definitely doesn't want to see it. More screaming sounds around the pair but Alia wipes her face clear of any emotion and keeps her mouth shut.

There are two more gusts of heat, one to my left and then another to my right.

Make that seventy.

The navy dragon seems to tilt its head at the pair in front of them, studying them almost as it’s eyes narrow. Alia doesn’t back away this time from gazing but continues to look as that familiarity seems to get stronger the longer she looks at the dragon. She just can’t be sure of why it’s familiar to her. Then the dragon fully focuses on Violet next to the taller girl.

She glances to her right and sees Violet force her shoulders back and lift her chin.

Oh my god, Alia laughed in her head at the sight of it.

The dragon blinks, which might be a sign of approval, or boredom, and looks away.

“Anyone else feel like changing their mind?” Xaden shouts, scanning the remaining rows of cadets with the same shrewd gaze of the navy-blue dragon behind him. “No? Excellent. Roughly half of you will be dead by this time next summer.” The formation is silent except for a few untimely sobs from her left. “A third of you again the year after that, and the same your last year. No one cares who your mommy or daddy is here. Even King Tauri’s second son died during his Threshing. So tell me again: Do you feel invincible now that you’ve made it into the Riders Quadrant? Untouchable? Elite?”

No one cheers.

Another blast of heat rushes—this time directly in the girls direction. But it’s not flames…just steam, and it blows back Rhiannon’s braids as the dragons finish their simultaneous exhale. The breeches on the first-year ahead of me darken, the color spreading down his legs.

They want us scared. Mission accomplished.

“Because you’re not untouchable or special to them.” Xaden points toward the navy dragon and leans forward slightly, like he’s letting us in on a secret as Violet and him lock eyes. “To them, you’re just the prey.”

Alia stiffens up at that comment before narrowing her gaze towards Xaden again, not liking that comment he made when he locked onto Violet.

She won’t be a prey, but you will. Alia thinks darkly to herself, already plotting ways to keep Violet Sorrengail safe.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

“Elena Sosa, Brayden Blackburn.” Captain Fitzgibbons reads from the death roll, flanked by two other scribes on the dais as we stand in silent formation in the courtyard, squinting into the early sun.

This morning, they were all in black uniforms. After Parapet, they got their standard summer-weight uniforms, but not their flight leathers. It doesn't make sense to give out the heavier combat uniforms when some of them won't be here for Threshing in October.

She was standing upright and staring straight ahead but anyone who knows her could tell she has zoned out and not paying much attention. Violet and Dain are already giving her side looks at the zoned-out girl.

Quite a habit of hers, to be fair.

She had spent the night sleeping very tensely, her mind racing with thoughts, causing her to be quite restless at this stage. She hoped the caffeine she had earlier would kick in.

“Jace Sutherland.” Captain Fitzgibbons continues to read, and the scribes next to him shift their weight. “Dougal Luperco.”

She knew somewhere earlier on that list, that Dylan’s name had popped up which made the girl chew her lip before she started to zone out. Not paying attention to her surroundings. She did fidget a little bit when adjusting her daggers along side her corset, that glimmers slightly as the sun beams down on them.

She found that out after staring at Violet’s for a while.

Speaking of Violet, she hopes that she’s ready for the day as she just remembered they have sparring later on. After re-wrapping her knee this morning, she instructed the Sorrengail to avoid putting too much weight on it, completely forgetting about Sparring.

Fuck.

There are a hundred and fifty-six of us on the first floor of the dormitory building, our beds positioned in four neat rows in the open space. Private rooms are like flight leathers—you don’t get one until you survive Threshing.

“Simone Casteneda.” Captain Fitzgibbons closes the scroll. “We commend their souls to Malek.” The god of death.

Alia blinks as she now glances around freely, taking note of how some cadets look in despair while others have blank expressions. This might be a daily occurrence so might as well get used to it.

There’s no formal conclusion to the formation, no last moment of silence. The names on the scroll leave the dais with the scribes, and the quiet is broken as the squad leaders all turn and begin to address their squads.

“Hopefully you all ate breakfast because you’re not going to get another chance before lunch,” Dain says, his eyes briefly passing over her’s before meeting Violet’s direction for the span of a heartbeat before he glances away, feigning indifference.

“He’s good at pretending he doesn’t know you two,” Rhiannon whispers at Violet’s side which Alia caught, her eyes nearly rolling when she heard that.

“He is,” She replies just as softly while Alia snickers softly as she spots a smile creep its way onto Violet’s face.

“Second- and third-years, I’m assuming you know where to go,” Dain continues as the scribes wind their way around the edge of the courtyard to her right, headed back to their quadrant. Violet glances their way for a split second while Alia spots it, noting the emotion that passes over her face before vanishing.

There’s a matter of agreement from the senior cadets ahead of us. As first-years, we’re in the back two rows of the little square that makes up Second Squad.

“First-years, at least one of you should have memorized your academic schedule when it was handed out yesterday.” Dain’s voice booms over us, and it’s hard to reconcile this stern-faced, serious leader with the funny, grinning guy we’ve always known. “Stick together. I expect you all to be alive when we meet this afternoon in the sparring gym.”

Alia allows a smile to slip onto her face for a moment. She’s always enjoyed sparring and found that was her favourite pastime when she trained. The adrenalin and rush she gets from it, makes her feel alive.

We only have the gym twice a week. Then we face more obstacles and trials like the Gauntlet, the terrifying vertical obstacle course they told us we’ll have to master when the leaves turn colours in two months. Though Alia knew she would pass that as well, her mother trained her on a similar course.

If we can complete the final Gauntlet, we’ll walk through the natural box canyon above it that leads to the flight field for Presentation, where this year’s dragons willing to bond will get their first look at the remaining cadets. Two days after that, Threshing will occur in the valley beneath the citadel.

Alia glances down at Violet, noticing her looking around at the other cadets in their squad. She nudges her hand causing Violet to snap her gaze up at the girl who lifted an eyebrow in question. Violet just shrugged and looked towards Dain again.

“And if we’re not?” the smart-ass first-year behind them asks.

Alia doesn’t bother to look back nor does Violet, but Rhiannon does, rolling her eyes as she turns back forward.

“Then I won’t have to be concerned with learning your name since it will be read off tomorrow morning,” Dain answers with a shrug.

A second year ahead of her snorts a laugh, the movement jangling two small hoop earrings in her left lobe, but the pink-haired one stays silent.

“Sawyer?” Dain looks at the first-year to her left.

“I’ll get them there.” The tall, wiry cadet whose light complexion is covered with a smattering of freckles answers with a tight nod. His freckled jaw ticks. He’s one of the repeats—a cadet who didn’t bond during Threshing and now has to start the entire year over.

“Get going,” Dain orders, and the squad breaks apart around the same time the others do, transforming the courtyard from an orderly formation to a crowd of chatting cadets. The second and third years walk off in another direction, including Dain.

“We have about twenty minutes to get to class,” Sawyer shouts at us first-years. “Fourth floor, second room on the left in the academic wing. Get your shit and don’t be late.” He doesn’t bother waiting to confirm we’ve heard him before he heads off toward the dormitory.

“That has to be hard,” Rhiannon says as we follow the crowd toward the dorms. “Being set back and having to do this all over again.”

“Better than being dead,” the smart-ass says as he passes us on the right, his dark-brown hair flopping against the brown skin of his forehead with every step the shorter cadet takes. His name is Ridoc, if she remembered correctly from the brief introductions we went through before dinner last night.

“You’re not wrong about that,” Alia muttered through her lips as she focused on getting to the dorm to get her stuff, so she could get to class on time to settle before it started.Having a habit of always wanting to be early so she can settle in before anything starts.

“That’s true,” Violet replies as we head into the bottleneck that’s formed at the door.

“I overheard a third-year student say when a first-year survives Threshing unbonded, the quadrant lets them repeat the year and try again if they want,” Rhiannon adds.

She takes a breath at that, her eyes darting to Sawyer who vanishes up the stairs. To go through this twice, gotta take courage.

A bird whistles to the left, and she looks over the crowd as does Violet.

Dain.

She’s still a little pissed with Dain at how he tried to convince Violet to leave yesterday so she narrowed her eyes. Normally when he does that, it’s for them to meet with him but she will leave Violet to go ahead and see what he wants.

The call sounds again, and they narrow it down to somewhere near the door to the rotunda. He’s standing at the top of the wide staircase, and the second the duo lock onto him, he motions toward the door with a subtle nod while looking at Violet.

Yeah, only want to speak with her.

“I’ll be—” Violet starts saying to both the girls.

“Go see what he wants, we’ll grab your stuff for you Vi,” Alia responds as she glances down at her. Violet sends a smile of gratitude up at her.

“You don’t mind?”

“Your bunk is next to mine, Violet. It’s not a hassle so we can grab it. Go!” Rhi speaks up and gives her a conspiratorial smile before she shoulder bumps her.

“Thank you!” Violet smiles quickly, then wades across the crowd, Alia keeping her eyes locked on her retreating form only looking away once she disappears through the doors.

However, when she looks away, Rhi is looking at her with a smug look on her face and brows raised.

“Now I know you might want to injure our squad leader after he pulled Vi from you again, but..." Rhiannon starts, with a teasing tone in her voice before Alia narrows her eyes at the girl.

“Shut up, Matthias” She mutters, her cheeks suddenly feeling warm and walks past the girl, who laughs before jogging to catch up with the Nightingale’s long strides.

Violet’s POV

I inhale sharply. It resembles the images I've seen in the Archives, but no drawing or art form can truly capture the overwhelming nature of this space, and how every detail is exquisite. The rotunda could be the most beautiful architectural piece not just in the citadel, but in all of Basgiath.

The room is three stories tall, from its polished marble floors to the domed glass ceiling that lets in the soft morning light. To the left, there are two massive arched doors leading to the academic wing, mirrored on the right side, which leads to the dorms. Up a half dozen steps, there are four doorways in front of me, opening into the gathering hall.

Equally spaced around the rotunda, shimmering in their various colours of red, green, brown, orange, blue, and black, stand six daunting marble pillars carved into dragons, as if they’d come crashing down from the ceiling above.

There’s enough room between the snarling mouths at the base of each to fit at least four squads in the centre, but it’s empty right now.

I pass by the first dragon, chiselled from dark red marble, and a hand grips my elbow, pulling me back behind the pillar where there’s a gap between the claw and the wall.

“It’s just me.” Dain’s voice is low and quiet as he turns me to face him. Tension radiates from every line of his frame.

“I figured since you were the one bird calling me.” I grin, shaking my head. He’s been using that signal since we were kids living near the Krovlan border while all our parents were stationed there with the Southern Wing.

His brow furrows as his gaze scans over me, no doubt looking for new injuries. “We only have a few minutes before this place is packed. How is your knee?”

“It hurts, but I’ll live. Alia helped me wrap it again this morning before we came down.” I’ve had far worse injuries and we both know it, but there’s no use telling him to relax when he’s not going to even if I use Alia’s name to soften the blow.

“No one tried to screw with you last night?” Concern creases on his forehead, and I fold my arms to keep from smoothing the lines with my fingers. His worry sits on my chest like a stone.

“Would it be so bad if they did?” I tease, forcing my smile to widen. As soon as those words left my lips, my mind crossed over to Alia.

Damnit, not now.

He drops his arms to his sides and sighs so hard, the sound echoes in the rotunda. “You know that’s not what I mean, Violet.”

"No one tried to kill me last night, Dain, or even hurt me," I said as I leaned back against the wall to take some weight off my knee. "I'm pretty sure we were all too tired and relieved to be alive to start slaughtering one another. Plus, I could tell that if anyone had stepped near my bunk, Alia would have woken me up. She was quite tired this morning, which means she was either awake or restless."

The barracks fell quiet pretty quickly after lights out. There was something to be said for the emotional exhaustion of the day.

“Yeah, yeah. Your bodyguard.” Dain laughed before turning serious again. “And you ate, right? I know they usher you out of the dorms fast when the bells chime for six.”

“I ate with the rest of the first-years, and before you even think about lecturing me, like I said Alia helped me rewrap my knee under my covers and she had my hair braided before the bells sounded. I’ve been keeping scribe hours for years, Dain. They’re up an hour earlier. It makes me want to volunteer for breakfast duty.”

He glances at the tight, silver-tipped braid I’ve pinned into a bun against the darker hair near the crown of my head. “You should cut it.”

“Don’t start with me.” I shake my head. Thinking back to the compliments I gets from Alia when it’s down.

“There’s a reason women keep it short here, Vi. Cut it short like Alia’s. The second someone gets ahold of your hair in the sparring ring—”

“My hair is the least of my concerns in the sparring ring,” I retort.

His eyes widen. “I’m just trying to keep you safe. You’re lucky I didn’t shove you into Captain Fitzgibbons’s hands this morning and beg him to take you out of here.”

“And you’re lucky Alia hasn’t gotten her hands on you for that, she was quite pissed, to say the least,” I grumbled back before shaking my head while Dain narrowed his eyes down at me.

We’re wasting time, and there’s one piece of information I need from Dain. “Why was our squad moved from Second Wing to Fourth yesterday?”

He stiffens and looks away.

“Tell me.” I need to know if I’m reading into a situation that doesn’t exist.

“Fuck,” he mutters, ripping his hand over his hair. “Xaden Riorson wants you dead. Unsure about Alia at this stage as he only keeps his eyes on you. It’s common knowledge among the leadership cadre after yesterday.”

Nope. Not overreacting.

“He moved the squad so he has a direct line to me. So he can do whatever he wants and no one will question a thing. I’m his revenge against my mother.”

And Alia. He noticed how furious she was, so having both of us under his line of command, he could do whatever he wanted while also making Alia unable to retaliate.

Wren Nightingale might have been the one to lead the attacks back then against the Rebellion, but she was also quite vocal about not killing their parents. She never liked the fact, though I believe it was due to them being completely heartless about leaving their kids behind. Plus, she didn’t outright kill the leaders or whoever was a part of it, but she did track them down and capture them.

Even if the main leader was the cause of Rhys' demise.

But as a General, she is more compassionate compared to the others.

My heart doesn’t even jump at the confirmation of what I already knew. “That’s what I thought. I just needed to be sure my imagination wasn’t running away with me.”

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Dain steps forward and cups my face, his thumb stroking over my cheekbone in a soothing motion.

A motion that takes my mind to my best friend whose hands are softer and gentler-

Damnit.

“There’s not much you can do.” I push off the wall, stepping out of his reach. “I have to get to class.” Already, a few voices are echoing in the rotunda as cadets pass through.

His jaw works for a second, and the lines are back between his eyebrows. “Just do your best to keep a low profile, especially when we’re in Battle Brief. Not like the colours in your hair don’t give you away, but that’s the one class the entire quadrant takes. I’ll see if one of the second-years can stand guard—”

“No one is going to assassinate me during history.” I roll my eyes. “Academics are the one place I don’t have to worry. What is Xaden going to do? Pull me out of class and run me through with a sword in the middle of the hallway? Or do you honestly think he’ll stab me in the middle of Battle Brief?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s fucking ruthless, Violet. Why do you think his dragon chose him?”

“The navy blue one who landed behind the dais yesterday?” My stomach twists. The way those golden eyes assessed me and Alia…

Dain nods. “Sgaeyl is a Blue Daggertail, and she’s…vicious.” He swallows. “Don’t get me wrong. Cath is a nasty piece of work when he gets riled—all Red Swordtails are—but even most dragons steer clear of Sgaeyl.”

I stare at Dain, at the scar that defines his jaw and the hard set of his eyes that are familiar and yet not.

“What?” he asks. The voices around us grow louder, and more footsteps are coming and going.

“You bonded a dragon. You have powers I don’t even know about. You open doors with magic. You’re a squad leader.” I say the sentences slowly, hoping they’ll sink in, and that I’ll truly grasp how much he’s changed. “It’s just hard to wrap my head around you still being…Dain.”

“I’m still me.” His posture softens, and he lifts the short sleeve of his tunic, revealing the relic of a red dragon on his shoulder. “I just have this now. As for the powers, Cath channels a pretty significant amount of magic compared to some of the other dragons, but I’m nowhere near adept at it yet. I haven’t changed that much. As for lesser magic powered through the bond of my relic, I can do the typical stuff like open doors, crank up my speed, and power ink pens instead of using those inconvenient quills.”

“What’s your signet power?” Every rider can do lesser magic once their dragon begins channelling power to them, but the signet is the unique ability that stands out, the strongest skill that results from each unique bond between dragon and rider.

Some riders have the same signets. Fire wielding, ice wielding, and water wielding are just a few of the most common signet powers, all useful in battle.

Then there are the signets that make a rider extraordinary.

My mother can wield the power of storms.

Wren can manipulate gravity to her will.

Melgren can see the outcome of battles.

And the twins, Samm has spatial manipulation while Noma has blood manipulation.

Hence their nicknames, I remember fondly the two I grew up around to consider them siblings.

I can’t help but wonder again what Xaden’s signet is—and if he’ll use it to kill me when I least expect it.

“I can read a person’s recent memories,” Dain admits quietly. “Not like an inntinnsic reads minds or anything—I have to put my hands on the person, so I’m not a security risk. But my signet’s not common knowledge. I think they’ll use me in intelligence.” He points to the compass patch beneath his Fourth Wing one on his shoulder. Wearing that sigil indicates that a signet is too classified. I just didn’t notice it yesterday.

“No way.” I smile, taking a calming breath as I remember Xaden’s uniform didn’t have any patches on it.

He nods, an excited smile shaping his mouth. “I’m still learning, and of course, I’m better at it the closer I am to Cath, but yeah. I just put my hands on someone’s temples, and I can see what they saw. It’s…incredible.”

That signet will more than set Dain apart. It will make him one of the most valuable interrogation tools we have. “And you say you haven’t changed,” I half tease.

“This place can warp almost everything about a person, Vi. It cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever you are at your core. They want it that way. They want it to sever your previous bonds so your loyalty is to your wing. It’s one of the many reasons that first-years aren’t allowed to correspond with their family and friends, otherwise, you know I would have written to you and maybe Alia, if she even responded. But a year doesn’t change that I still think of you as my best friend. I’m still Dain, and this time next year, you will still be Violet. We will still be us.”

“If I’m still alive,” I joke as the bells ring. “I have to get to class.”

“Yeah, and I’m going to be late to the flight field.” He motions toward the edge of the pillar. “Look, Riorson is still a ringleader. He’ll be after you, but he’ll find a way to do it within the rules of the Codex, at least when people are watching. I was…” His cheeks flush. “Really good friends with Amber Mavis—the current leader for Third Wing—last year, and I’m telling you, the Codex is sacred to them. Now, you go first. I’ll see you in the sparring gym.” He smiles reassuringly.

“I’ll see you.” I smile back and turn on my heel, walking around the base of the massive pillar into the semi-crowded rotunda. There are a couple dozen cadets in here, walking from one building to another, and it takes a second to get my bearings.

I spot the academic doors between the orange-and-black pillars and start that way, blending into the crowd.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a chill races down my spine as I cross the centre of the rotunda, then my steps halt. Cadets move around me, but my eyes are drawn upward, toward the top of the steps that lead to the gathering hall.

Oh shit.

Xaden Riorson is watching me with narrowed eyes, the sleeves of his uniform rolled up his massive arms that remain folded across his chest, the warning in his relic-covered arm on full display as a third-year next to him says something that he blatantly ignores.

My heart jumps and lodges in my throat. There’s maybe twenty feet between us. My fingers twitch, ready to grab one of the blades sheathed at my ribs. Is this where he’ll do it? In the middle of the rotunda? The marble floor is grey, so it shouldn’t be that hard for the staff to get the blood out.

His head tilts, and he studies me with those impossibly dark eyes like he’s deciding where I’m most vulnerable.

I should run, right? But at least I can see him coming if I hold this position.

His attention shifts, glancing to my right, and he lifts a single brow at me.

My stomach pitches as Dain emerges from behind the pillar.

“What are you—” Dain starts as he reaches me, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Top of the steps. Fourth door,” I hiss, interrupting him.

Dain’s gaze snaps up as the crowd thins out around us, and he mutters a curse, not-so-subtly stepping closer to me. Fewer people mean fewer witnesses, but I’m not foolish enough to think Xaden won’t kill me in front of the whole quadrant if he wants.

“I already knew your parents are tight,” Xaden calls out, a cruel smile tilting his lips. “But do you two have to be so fucking obvious?”

The few cadets who are still in the rotunda turn to look at us.

“Let me guess,” Xaden continues, glancing between Dain and me. “Childhood friends? First loves, even? And anyone else coming from out behind that pillar?”

God, I wish Alia was here right now. My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my damn chest.

“He can’t hurt you without cause, right?” I whisper. “Without cause and calling a quorum of wing leaders because you’re a squad leader. Article Four, Section Three.”

“Correct,” Dain answers, not bothering to lower his voice. “But you’re not.”

“I expected you to do a better job of hiding where your affections lie, Aetos.” Xaden moves, walking down the steps.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Run, Violet,” Dain orders me. “Now.”

I bolt away, trying to put distance between us and get closer to Alia.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

Alia’s POV

“Welcome to your first Battle Brief,” Professor Devera says from the recessed floor of the enormous lecture hall later in the morning, a bright purple Flame Section patch on her shoulder matching her short hair perfectly.

I’m sitting next to Violet and a random first year on my left, while Rhiannon is on Violet’s right side making her sit in the middle of us. The rest of our squad dispersed around us and I catch sight of Ridoc whispering to Sawyer who sits on his right.

“In the past, riders have seldom been called into service before graduation,” Professor Devera continues, her mouth tensing as she paces slowly in front of a twenty-foot-high map of the Continent mounted to the back wall that’s intricately labelled with our defensive outposts along our borders. Dozens of mage lights illuminate the space, more than making up for the lack of windows and reflecting off the longsword she keeps strapped to her back.

I appreciate the sword and wonder if I should get one. Though I do like the feeling of dual-wielding my short swords.

“And if they were, they were always third-years who’d spent time shadowing forward wings, but we expect you to graduate with the full knowledge of what we’re up against. It’s not about just knowing where every wing is stationed, either.” She takes her time, making eye contact with every first-year she sees. The rank on her shoulder says captain, but I know she’ll be a major before she leaves her rotation teaching here, given the medals pinned on her chest. “You need to understand the politics of our enemies, the strategies of defending our outposts from constant attack, and have a thorough knowledge of both recent and current battles. If you cannot grasp these basic topics, then you have no business on the back of a dragon.” She arches a black brow a few shades darker than her deep-brown skin.

“No pressure,” Rhiannon mutters at Violet’s side, furiously taking notes as I spot from the corner of my eye causing me to grin.

“We’ll be fine,” Violet promised her in a whisper. “Third-years have only been sent to midland posts as reinforcements, never the front.”

I nod my head in agreement even if they don’t look at me. I take the time to observe the class and spot the boy sitting next to me, staring. Facing his way, I raise an eyebrow at him in question when he continues to stare before he sends me a grin and faces forward.

Damn, he’s pretty. I think to myself before I face the front again, feeling a weird sensation sweep over me for a second as if I’m being watched.

“This is the only class you will have every day because it’s the only class that will matter if you’re called into service early.” Professor Devera’s gaze sweeps from left to right and pauses on our area, knowing she’s looking right at Violet.

Her eyes flare wide for a heartbeat, but she gives Violet an approving smile and nod before moving on. “Because this class is taught every day and relies on the most current information, you will also answer to Professor Markham, who deserves nothing but your utmost respect.”

She waves the scribe forward, and he moves to stand next to her, the cream color of his uniform contrasting with her stark black one. He leans in when she whispers something to him, and his thick eyebrows fly high as he whips his head in our direction.

Of course they would be surprised, no one expected Violet to be in this quadrant.

There’s no approving smile when the colonel’s weary eyes find Violet’s, only a sigh.

I feel a nudge on my left side and glance back at the boy who was staring at me before. His blue eyes now glimmering with amusement as he leans in closer to me.

“I’m Liam Mairi,” He whispers before continuing “I saw your short swords back on conscription day and wanted to say how nice they looked.”

I snickered before I felt a nudge from my right side, quickly glancing at Vi to see her giving me a stern look before looking forward again. I smile before facing Liam.

“I’m Alia Nightingale and thanks. They were a gift.” I whisper back to him softly, not missing the way his eyes flare for a second before his grin widens. That’s when I felt that same sensation from earlier sweep over me but instead of vanishing it’s still lingering on me.

“Well nice to meet you Alia.” Liam whispers back before facing forward and leaning away from me, his grin still wide on his face. I instead take the time to quickly admire him.

He has blonde hair that looks soft and tumbles in waves on his head. His blue eyes were the nicest touch and he’s a little tan but can definitely tell he spent time in the sun. Even when sitting he does look tall though my eyes draw down to his arms that are exposing themselves in short sleeves. That’s when I finally take note of the mark on his arm, swirling upwards.

He’s a marked one.

That feeling is still lingering on me and it’s beginning to annoy me but before I can look around the room to see where it’s coming from, Violet nudges my side once again and I snap forward. I can feel her glare on the side of my face but instead of facing her, I feel a smile creep up on my face before she gives me another nudge, this time softer.

I can already hear her scolding me to pay attention.

“First topic of the day.” Professor Devera moves toward the map and flicks her hand, bringing a mage light directly over the eastern border with the Poromiel province of Braevick. “The Eastern Wing experienced an attack last night near the village of Chakir by a drift of Braevi gryphons and riders.”

I let out a breath at that information. The twins already informed me that we would learn about different reports but still hearing it, makes me closer to my goal.

“Naturally, some information is redacted for security purposes, but what we can tell you is that the wards faltered along the top of the Esben Mountains.” Professor Devera pulls her hands apart and the light expands, illuminating the mountains that form our border with Braevick. “Allowing the drift not only to enter Navarrian territory but for their riders to channel and wield sometime around midnight.”

That causes a murmur to rise from the cadets, especially the first-years. Dragons aren’t the only animals capable of channeling powers to their riders. Gryphons from Poromiel also share the ability, but dragons are the only ones capable of powering the wards that make all other magic but their own impossible within our borders. They’re the reason Navarre’s borders are somewhat circular—their power radiates from the Vale and can only extend so far, even with squads stationed at every outpost. Without those wards, we’re fucked. It would be open season on Navarrian villages when the raiding parties from Poromiel inevitably descend. Those greedy assholes are never content with the resources they have. They always want ours, too, and until they learn to be content with our trade agreements, we have no chance of ending conscription in Navarre. No chance of experiencing peace.

But if we’re not on high alert, then they must have gotten the wards rewoven, or at least stabilized.

“Thirty-seven civilians were killed in the attack in the hour before a squad from the Eastern Wing could arrive, but the riders and dragons managed to repel the drift,” Professor Devera finishes, folding her arms over her chest. “Based on that information, what questions would you ask?” She holds up a finger. “I only want answers from first-years to start.”

And this is when I tune out again, my mind focused on the map but I have no questions coming to mind at the moment except one. But before I can ask a question like that, I slightly slump down as I notice Professor Devera’s eyes lock onto me for a moment before looking around again.

“Come on, first-years, show me you have more than just good balance. Show me you have the critical-thinking skills to be here,” Professor Devera demands. “It’s more important than ever that you’re ready for what’s beyond our borders.”

“Is this the first time the wards have faltered?” a first-year a couple of rows ahead asks.

Professors Devera and Markham share a look before she turns toward the cadet. “No.”

The room becomes silent as everyone takes that information in.

The girl clears her throat. “And how…often are they faltering?”

Professor Markham’s shrewd eyes narrow on her. “That’s above your pay grade, cadet.” He turns his attention to our section. “Next relevant question to the attack we’re discussing?”

“How many casualties did the wing suffer?” a first-year down the row to our right asks.

“One injured dragon. One dead rider.”

Another murmur rises from the hall. Well that’s no shock at all, being in the Riders Quadrant doesn’t immediately grant you invincibility even when you get a dragon.

“Why would you ask that particular question?” Professor Devera asks the cadet.

“To know how many reinforcements they’ll need,” he answers.

Professor Devera nods, turning toward Pryor, the meekest first-year in our squad, who has his hand up, but he lowers it quickly, scrunching his dark eyebrows. “Did you want to ask a question?”

“Yes.” He nods, sending a few locks of black hair into his eyes, then shakes his head. “No. Never mind.”

“So decisive,” Luca—the catty first-year in our squad I’ll do just about anything to avoid—mocks from next to him, tilting her head as cadets laugh around them. A corner of her mouth tilts up into a smirk, and she flips her long brown hair over her shoulder in a move that’s anything but casual.

I roll my eyes at her response. She seems like a liability I’d like to avoid.

“He’s in our squad,” Aurelie—at least I think that’s her name—chastises, her no-nonsense black eyes narrowing on Luca. “Show some loyalty.”

“Please. No dragon is bonding to a guy who can’t even decide if he wants to ask a question. And did you see him at breakfast this morning? He held the entire line up because he couldn’t choose between bacon or sausage.” Luca rolls her kohl-rimmed eyes.

“If Fourth Wing is done picking at one another?” Professor Devera asks, lifting a brow.

“Ask what altitude the village is at,” I hear Violet whisper to Rhiannon.

“What?” Her brow furrows.

“Just ask,” She replies. I raise my eyebrow at Violet’s response. I know she’s trying to keep a low profile but it’s a bit late now.

“What altitude is the village at?” Rhiannon asks.

Professor Devera’s eyebrows rise as she turns to Rhiannon. “Markham?”

“A little less than ten thousand feet,” he answers. “Why?”

Rhiannon darts a dose of side-eye at me and clears her throat. “Just seems a little high for a planned attack with gryphons.”

“It is a little high for a planned attack,” Devera says. “Why don’t you tell me why that’s bothersome, Cadet Sorrengail? And maybe you’d like to ask your own questions from here on out.” She levels a stare on Violet that has her squirming in her seat.

I choke back a laugh at that especially when Violet glared at me to shut up. I smile at her before facing forward and locking eyes with Violet before gesturing towards the professor with a wave of my hand.

Every head in the room turns in our direction.

“Gryphons aren’t as strong at that altitude, and neither is their ability to channel,” She says. “It’s an illogical place for them to attack unless they knew the wards would fail, especially since the village looks to be about what…an hour’s flight from the nearest outpost?”

I feel the corner of my mouth twitch upwards at that, when she glances at the map again before locking back onto Professor Devera.

“That is Chakir right there, isn’t it?”

“It is.” A corner of Professor Devera’s mouth lifts into a smirk. “Keep going with that line of thought.”

“Didn’t you say it took an hour for the squad of riders to arrive?” She responds back, her eyes narrowing

“I did.” She looks at her with expectation.

“Then they were already on their way,” She blurted out. I glanced at Violet when there was a rumble of laughter, seeing her cheeks heat up caused me to softly smile at her.

“Yeah, because that makes sense.” Jack turns around in his seat from the front row and openly laughs at her. “General Melgren knows the outcome of a battle before it happens, but even he doesn’t know when it will happen, dumbass.”

I keep my eyes on Violet, almost feeling her embarrassment raise even more as she looks around before locking with me. I stare for a few seconds before I give her an encouraging smile and nod at her to keep going.

I look away and look down at Barlowe, who has that stupid smirk on his face that I want to smack off.

“Fuck off, Barlowe,” Rhiannon snaps.

“I’m not the one who thinks precognition is a thing,” he retorts with a sneer. “Gods help us if that one ever gets on the back of a dragon.”

That causes a laugh to sound around the classroom that has me getting pissed off before I lock onto a few first years near him that were laughing. When they spot me glaring, then stop and face the front though keep glancing at me.

“Why do you think that, Violet—” Professor Markham winces. “Cadet Sorrengail?”

“Because there’s no logical way they get there within an hour of the attack unless they were already on their way,” Violet argues, shooting a glare at Jack. “It would take at least half that long to light the beacons in the range and call for help, and no full squad is sitting around just waiting to be needed. More than half those riders would have been asleep, which means they were already on their way.”

“And why would they already be on their way?” Professor Devera prods and the look on her face must’ve encouraged Violet to continue because she sits up straighter this time in her seat.

“Because they somehow knew the wards were breaking.” She responds and lifts her chin. I smirk down at Barlowe because Violet immediately cracked it, all she needed was encouragement.

“That’s the most—” Jack starts.

“She’s right,” Professor Devera interrupts, and a hush falls over the room. “One of the dragons in the wing sensed the faltering ward, and the wing flew. Had they not, the casualties would have been far higher and the destruction of the village much worse.”

I keep my eyes locked on Barlowe who glares back up at Violet before looking at me. I smirk and flip him off causing Liam on my left to laugh softly and Violet to slap my hand down softly as she noticed how more angered he got.

“Second- and third-years, take over,” Professor Devera orders. “Let’s see if you can be a little more respectful to your fellow cadets.” She arches a brow at Jack as questions begin to fire off from the riders behind us.

How many riders were deployed to the site?

What killed the lone fatality?

How long did it take to clear the village of the gryphons?

Were any left alive for questioning?

I zone out, my question still lingering in my head as these ones get answered. If this was about an attack on the village then surely someone would be smart enough to ask-

“What was the condition of the village?” a deep voice asks from the back of the lecture hall.

There goes the question I wanted to ask, fuck.

“Riorson?” Markham asks, shielding his eyes from the mage lights as he looks toward the top of the hall.

“The village,” Xaden restates. “Professor Devera said the damage would have been worse, but what was the actual condition? Was it burned? Destroyed? They wouldn’t demolish it if they were trying to establish a foothold, so the condition of the village matters when trying to determine a motive for the attack.”

Professor Devera smiles in approval. “The buildings they’d already gone through were burned, and the rest were being looted when the wing arrived.”

“They were looking for something,” Xaden says with complete conviction. “And it wasn’t riches. That’s not a gem mining district. Which begs the question, what do we have that they want so badly?”

“Exactly. That’s the question.” Professor Devera glances around the room. “And that right there is why Riorson is a wingleader. You need more than strength and courage to be a good rider.”

“So what’s the answer?” a first-year to the left asks.

“We don’t know,” Professor Devera answers with a shrug. “It’s just another piece in the puzzle of why our constant bids for peace are rejected by the kingdom of Poromiel. What were they looking for? Why that village? Were they responsible for the collapse of the ward, or was it already faltering? Tomorrow, next week, next month, there will be another attack, and maybe we’ll get another clue. Go to history if you’re looking for answers. Those wars have already been dissected and examined. Battle Brief is for fluid situations. In this class, we want you to learn which questions to ask so all of you have a chance at coming home alive.”

The class goes a bit quieter before she dismisses us. I huff and stand up to stretch my bones before waving bye to Liam who goes down the other way.

Violet turns to me as we’re nearing the door and she has that glare on her face that makes her look adorable.

“You need to start paying attention in class, I swear I lost count of how many times I had to nudge you back to focus.” She scolded and I snickered as Rhiannon, who stood behind Violet, mouths “shame” before Violet smacked my arm forcing me to look down at her again.

“See! That’s what I mean.” She mumbles before we follow the crowd out towards the door.

“Yes Mother, I will pay more attention,” I reply and laugh as she goes to smack me again, but I dodge it and dash out the door towards Ridoc and Sawyer.

“Alia Nightingale!” I hear Violet shout from behind me causing me to laugh at the tone in her voice.

…

“You seriously knew every answer in history and apparently every right question to ask in Battle Brief,” Rhiannon says, shaking her head as we stand on the sidelines of the sparring mat after lunch, watching Ridoc and Aurelie circle each other in their fighting leathers.

I stand next to Violet, leaning on her shoulder while Rhi stands on her right side.

They’re evenly matched in size. Ridoc is on the smaller side, and Aurelie is built just like Mira, which doesn’t surprise me because she’s a legacy on her father’s side. “You’re not even going to have to study for tests, are you?”

I snorted at that before opening my mouth.

“She’s basically a walking library, her knowledge is amazing,” I remark while grinning down at Vi who smiles softly back at me before facing Ridoc and Aurelie again.

“I was trained to be a scribe.” She shrugged humbly. This allowed me to glance around quickly, locking eyes onto Liam who stands next to a taller brunette chatting away. I look away before he spots me staring and find myself staring at a pink-haired girl.

Instantly, I feel her glare even though it’s aimed at Vi, she switches to me when I notice. I furrowed my eyebrows at that expression, noticing the rage underneath it. Before I could narrow my eyes, I felt Violet twitch slightly and that’s when I faced another direction I found myself staring at Jack who was also sending daggers Violet’s way.

For fuck sake, this college is full of annoying pricks.

“Guess that means you’re not worried about academics,” I heard Rhi speak up and I look towards the girl. She’s chosen a vest like myself, where it cuts off at the shoulders but mine goes high up my neck.

“Stop circling each other like you’re dance partners and attack!” Professor Emetterio orders from across the mat, where Dain watches Aurelie and Ridoc’s match with our squad executive leader, Cianna.

I laughed as Ridoc shot me a disbelieving look at Professor Emetterio’s comment before facing Aurelie again.

“I’m worried about this,” Violet speaks up and I snap my head down to her, my arm that was leaning on her now dropping down as I observe the girl. I could tell she was a bit nervous this morning but now? Times that by ten as I could already tell she was sweating not just due to the warm room.

“Really?” She shoots Vi a skeptical look. Her braids are twisted into a small bun at the nape of her neck. “I figured as a Sorrengail, you’d be a hand-to-hand threat.”

“Not exactly, Al did help me a little bit though” Vi replies back to Rhi shakingly as we turn our attention back to the match in front of us. I fold my arms across my chest and I start to hum to myself to take my mind off the fact Vi is gonna have to fight today.

I should’ve prepared her more.

I could see Rhi look at me from the corner of my eye. “How bout you?”

“Academics, not really. This? I’m alright I suppose.” I shrug at her question and that causes Vi to snort before she speaks up.

“Please, Alia is natural when it comes to this. If she could keep up with her siblings, then I don’t know who can get her here.” She says while smirking at me when I roll my eyes.

“Exaggeration but alright, fine I’m more than alright” I mumble, feeling my cheeks heat up as I nudge Violet who lets out a soft laugh at me while Rhi just stares at me with wide eyes before shaking her head and facing forward.

Ridoc launches toward Aurelie, but she ducks, sweeping out her leg and tripping him. He staggers but doesn’t go down. He pivots quickly, palming a dagger in his hand.

“No blades today!” Professor Emetterio bellows from beside the mat, “We’re just assessing!”

Ridoc grumbles and sheathes his knife just in time to deflect a right hook from Aurelie.

“The brunette packs a punch,” Rhiannon says with an appreciative smile before glancing our way while I nod, admiring her form.

“What about you?” I hear Violet ask as Ridoc lands a jab to Aurelie’s ribs. I cringe as that looked like a solid punch.

“Shit!” He shakes his head and backs up a step. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Aurelie holds her ribs but lifts her chin. “Who said you hurt me?”

“Pulling your punches does her a disservice,” Dain says, folding his arms. “The Cygnis on the northeast border aren’t going to give her any quarter because she’s a woman if she falls from her dragon behind enemy lines, Ridoc. They’ll kill her just the same.”

“Let’s go!” Aurelie shouts, beckoning Ridoc by curling her fingers. It’s obvious that most cadets have trained their whole lives to enter the quadrant, especially Aurelie, who slips a jab from Ridoc and twists to land a quick tap to his kidneys.

Damn, that was a nice move.

“I mean…damn,” Rhiannon mutters, giving Aurelie another look before turning back to us. “I’m pretty good on the mat. My village is on the Cygnisen border, so we all learned to defend ourselves fairly young. Physics and math aren’t problems, either. But history?” She shakes her head. “That class might be the death of me.”

“They don’t kill you for failing history,” Violet spoke up as Ridoc charged Aurelie, taking her to the mat with enough force to make me wince. “I’m probably going to die on these mats.”

“I’ll kill them before they can.” I snap as I look down at Violet, my tone sharp and cold but I am also ignoring the way Rhi looks at me. Violet let out a sigh before shaking her head.

“You can’t do that Al, you’ll get in trouble even more so because I know you would actually kill. No, I gotta do this stuff on my own.” She mumbles back before looking towards Ridoc and Aurelie again.

I huff and cross my arms but dare not say anything else and focus on the fight aswell.

She hooks her legs around his and somehow leverages him over until she’s the one on top, landing punch after punch to the side of his face. Blood spatters the mat.

“I could probably offer some tips to survive combat training,” Sawyer says from Rhiannon’s other side, running his hand over a day’s growth of brown stubble that doesn’t quite cover his freckles. “History isn’t my strongest subject, though.”

I let out a low whistle when I spot the tooth flying.

“Enough!” Professor Emetterio shouts.

Aurelie rolls off Ridoc and stands, touching her fingers to her split lip and examining the blood, then offers her hand to help him up.

He takes it.

“Cianna, take Aurelie to the healers. No reason to lose a tooth during assessment,” Emetterio orders.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Rhiannon says, locking her brown eyes with Violet and I. “Let’s help each other out. We’ll help you with hand-to-hand if you help us with history. Sound like a deal, Sawyer and Al?”

“Absolutely.” Sawyer speaks up, his smile beaming.

“Alright.” I mutter

“Deal.” Violet says though I see her swallow back the nerves as she looks around before looking at Rhi again “But I think I’m getting the better end of that.”

“You haven’t seen me try to memorize dates,” Rhiannon jokes and I let out a laugh at that.

A couple of mats over, someone shrieks, and we all turn to look. Jack Barlowe has another first-year in a headlock. The other guy is smaller than Jack but still a bit bigger than Violet. I see the way the first-year Jack has in a headlock getting purpler by the second and feel my stomach drop as Jack tightens around his head.

“That idiot is gonna kil-” I start off as I watch the scene when Rhiannon speaks up aswell.

“That guy is such an ass—” Rhiannon starts.

The sickening crack of bones breaking sounds across the gym, and the first-year goes limp in Jack’s hold.

“Sweet Malek,” I hear Violet whisper as Jack drops the man to the ground. I let out a sigh at the sight and glance down at Violet who looked a little more paler than before as her eyes are locked on.

“What did I say?” their instructor shouts as he charges onto the mat. “You broke his damned neck!”

“How was I supposed to know his neck was that weak?” Jack argues.

I narrow my eyes at Jack as he looked absolutely smug with the kill he just did. I already remember the threat Violet mentioned to me and can feel my hands tense now at the sight of him.

“Eyes forward,” Emetterio orders, but his tone is kinder than it has been as we all look away from the dead first-year. “You don’t have to get used to it,” he tells us. “But you do have to function through it. You and you.” He points to Rhiannon and another first-year in our squad, a man with a stocky build, blue-black hair, and angular features. Shit, I can’t remember his name.

They get on the mat and I scoot closer to Violet who watches them with me.

Rhiannon makes quick work of the first-year, stunning me every time she dodges a punch and lands one of her own. She’s fast, and her hits are powerful, the kind of lethal combination that will set her apart. I feel myself smile and wonder if she would like to spar with me too.

“Do you yield?” she asks the first-year guy when she takes him to his back, her hand stopped mid-hit just above his throat.

“No!” he shouts, hooking his legs around Rhiannon’s and slamming her to her back. But she rolls and quickly gains her feet before putting him in the same position again, this time with her boot to his neck.

“I don’t know, Tynan, you might want to yield,” Dain says with a grin. “She’s handing you your ass.”

Ah, that’s right. Tynan.

“Fuck off, Aetos!” Tynan snaps, but Rhiannon presses her boot into his throat, garbling the last word. He turns a mottled shade of red.

Yeah, Tynan has more ego than common sense.

“He yields,” Emetterio calls out, and Rhiannon steps back, offering her hand.

Tynan takes it.

“You—” Emetterio points to the pink-haired second-year with the rebellion relic. “And you.” His finger swings to Violet.

Fuck.

She’s at least a head taller than Violet, and if the rest of her body is as toned as her arms then I don’t know if Violet would be able to bring her down. But I do know one thing, she’s fast when it came to her lessons. I look down at Violet who lets out a sigh and looks at me. I nod my head reassuringly and pat her on the back.

“Get her on her ass, Vi.” I mutter and she smiles before walking forward.

“You’ve got this,” Rhiannon says, tapping her shoulder as she passes her and taking her spot next to me.

I feel myself focus in on the fight that is bound to end badly, especially since this is the same girl from earlier who wouldn’t stop killing Violet with her eyes. It hasn’t even started yet and I feel tenser from before.

“Sorrengail.” The pink-haired girl looks at Violet with disgust, narrowing her pale green eyes. “You really should dye your hair if you don’t want everyone to know who your mother is. You’re the only silver-haired freak in the quadrant.”

“Never said I cared if everyone knows who my mother is.” Violet speaks up and circles the second-year on the mat. “I am proud of her service to protect our kingdom—from enemies both without and within.”

I felt a laugh bubble out of my chest at the dig when I noticed how the pink-haired clenched her jaw. Rhiannon smacked me on the chest but smirked at me when she noticed I didn’t wanna hold it in. It’s hard to when you know Violet, her sass is something entertaining to watch.

“You bitch,” she seethes. “Your mother murdered my family.”

She lunges forward and swings wildly, and Violet quickly sidesteps, spinning away with her hands up. They do that for a few more rounds, and Violet lands a few jabs. I nod my head approvingly at that as she definitely paid attention to her lessons.

She growls low in her throat as she misses Violet again, and her foot flies at her head. Violet easily ducks, but then she drops to the ground and kicks out with her other foot, which lands square in her chest, sending Violet backwards. Violet hits the mat with a thud, and she’s already above her.

What the fuck, she was there in an instant.

“You can’t use your powers in here, Imogen!” Dain shouts.

I narrow my eyes at that and felt myself step forward before I felt Rhiannon clench her hand around my arm.

“You can’t step in Al,” She whispers harshly, no doubt already spotting my facial expression. I look at her and she recoils slightly before shaking her head and dropping her hand. I let out a curse and look towards where Dain is to find him already looking ready to step in.

Good, at least I know he will have an idea to get in quick.

I look down at the fight again and notice quick movement though I notice the dagger, Imogen or whatever her name is, has sliding across Violet’s ribs but nothing happens and her smile fades.

Fuck me, bless you Mira.

Confusion mars Imogen’s face for just a second, long enough for Violet to send her fist into her cheek and roll out from under her. They both get up and start to circle again.

“What kind of armor is that?” she asks, staring at her ribs as they circle each other.

“Mine.” Violet says as she ducks and dodge as she comes at her again, but her movements are a blur.

“Imogen!” Emetterio shouts. “Do it again, and I’ll—”

Violet swerves the wrong way this time and she catches her, taking her to the floor. The mat smacks Violet’s face, and her knee digs into her back as she pulls Violet’s right arm behind her. My eyes narrow in and I take another step forward but not close enough to be on the mat.

“Yield!” she shouts.

“No!” Violet shouts and I curse out at her stubbornness but knowing her, she’s doing this to prove she isn’t weak.

She pulls her arm farther. Violet cries out and that nearly sent me over the edge. I feel Rhiannon close in near my right and feel someone brush up on my left, already knowing it’s Sawyer as we watch the scene. I cross my arms in front of me as I watch the scene though can feel myself getting uneasy by the second.

“Yield, Violet!” Dain yells.

“Yield!” Imogen demands.

I look down at Violet whose eyes lock onto mine, her breathing heavy and just the sight of her being in pain is pissing me off. But she shakes her head at me and sends me a weary smile, probably already knowing I will step in. That doesn’t stop me from relaxing as I stare into her eyes, hoping she knows to yield.

She shakes her head even when she winces at me.

Fuck, Violet.

“She yields,” Emetterio says. “That’s enough.”

That’s when I heard the unmistakable snap of a bone that resonated throughout the gym and Violet’s loud cry.

That was enough.

All I saw was red as I dashed forward, Imogen standing up and dropping Violet back to the ground causing a whimper to leave her mouth. However, when Imogen spots me sprinting to her, her eyes flare in panic and she takes a step back.

“Alia! No!” I heard Dain or Professor Emetterio shout, I don’t know and I don’t care at this fucking point. I was only a hand’s reach from her when I felt arms wrap around my waist and drag me backwards, before feeling hands wrap around my arms and hold them there.

“You fucking cunt, I’ll gut you right here.” I snarl as I lock onto Imogen. I pulled my left arm free for a split second before I felt someone latch onto it again. Her eyes narrow at me when she sends me a coy smile. “Or maybe I’ll snap every bone in your body too, squad rules be fucking damned.”

“Do it then.” She remarks before gesturing for me to come forward. I go to push whoever held me off but I cut myself off.

“Alia! No, don’t she’s not worth it.” I heard Rhiannon speak up from my right as she gripped my arm, tighter. I could easily shake them off as I noticed Sawyer holding my left but don’t know who’s got me around the waist.

“Al…” I heard a soft whimper and my head snapped down to where Violet was cradling her arm, Dain crouched next to her and shouting at Imogen who paid no attention to him, her eyes narrowed in defence at me. I felt myself stop restraining against the 3 that were holding me as I locked eyes with Violet.

“Don’t, I’m fine.” She speaks up and instantly winces when she tries to stand. But she held onto my gaze and I felt myself slowly come back to it. I can hear Rhi shouting at someone while Sawyer steps in front of me and starts saying something I don’t pay attention to. Whoever was behind me unwrapped their arms as I relaxed a little bit.

I keep my eyes locked on Violet even when Dain picks her up and takes her from the gym though before the doors close, Violet sends me a smile and shakes her head.

Fuck.

As soon as the doors close, I come back to reality as I look around and see everyone, well nearly everyone staring at me closely. I narrow my eyes at all of them before locking onto Imogen who now stands beside a taller male who resembles our Wingleader in a way and beside our Wingleader too.

Her eyes are locked onto me, I can feel the weariness and anger from her. As I finally took in a breath, I sent her a dark grin that caused her to take a step back as the other male looked at me and the person behind me before stepping in front of Imogen which blocked her from my view.

Good, she should be fucking scared.

I sent a glance towards my Wingleader who was staring at me with an eyebrow raised before looking at Rhi and Sawyer. Seeing their expressions made me falter a little bit, Rhiannon looking at me with apprehension while Sawyer stares at me in worry. Fuck, I didn't mean to lose it.

“Sorry about that.” I sheepishly say as I rub the back of my neck. “Just a bit worried, that’s all.”

Rhiannon stares at me for a second longer before letting out a laugh while Sawyer sends me a small smile.

“I was worried for a second if Vi didn’t speak up, you would’ve followed through with your words.” She says back and sends a soft punch to my arm. That was enough to slightly calm down a bit more, as I felt my body at ease as I let out a little laugh.

She’s right though, I would’ve.

“And bloody hell, what were you fed? I felt more tired holding you back than my fight on the mat.” Sawyer speaks up while rubbing his hands together and that causes a laugh to escape me.

“I agree on that,” I heard from behind me and I looked behind to find Liam sending me a cheeky grin. Ah, so he must’ve been the one to hold me back. “I almost contemplated knocking you to the ground to be fair.”

“I’d like to see you try, Mairi.” I snip back as my cheeks heated up and Liam lets out a laugh. The thought of people seeing me lose my cool now comes to mind and I clear my throat in embarrassment, looking away and towards the doors where I last saw Violet leave.

Rhiannon sends me a comforting smile. “She’s in good hands, don’t worry.”

“I’ll try.” I breathe out and still feel eyes on me but the gym goes back to how it was before. I look around and spot Xaden staring at me, no expression on his face before he turns to our Professor. They exchanged whispers as I observed and noted that Imogen was no longer in the gym anymore.

Good, I probably would’ve sent a dagger flying to her face.

Professor Emetterio looks at Xaden before looking my way.

“Alia, you’re on the mat now.” He speaks up and then looks behind me. “Mairi, you too.”

For fuck sake.

“Guess you have a chance to knock me to the ground, Mairi,” I speak up as I move towards the mat, noticing the way Xaden came closer now and Rhi and Sawyer with Ridoc, cheering me on.

“This should be fun,” He cheekily adds as he sends me a grin, both of us facing each other now on the mat.

Guess this would be a good way to release a…bit of that anger. Even though I’m still furious with how that happened right in front of me, just the reassurance Violet sent my way was enough to make me relax a little bit. I felt even more embarrassed at the way I acted in front of everyone. Now I’m on the mat, time to release that into what I love to do.

“Keep up,” I add and send a wink his way before darting forward.

Chapter Text

Sparring & Realizations

Third Point of View

The tension in the air was palpable as Alia and Liam squared off in the center of the training hall. The crowd gathered, sensing that this wouldn’t be a typical fight. Liam, with his powerful build and raw strength, stood confidently, his stance wide and his fists clenched. Alia, light on her feet and focused, met his gaze with a steely determination.

With a sudden motion, the fight began. Liam wasted no time, launching himself at Alia with the kind of speed that belied his size, throwing a flurry of punches meant to overwhelm her. His blows were heavy and fast, but Alia was just as quick, dodging and weaving with remarkable ease. Every time he thought he’d landed a hit, she was already gone, her movements fluid and precise.

Liam swung a massive right hook, but Alia dropped to a low crouch, avoiding the punch by mere inches. She used his forward momentum against him, sweeping his legs with a perfectly timed spin. Liam hit the ground with a heavy thud, but he was back on his feet almost immediately, eyes narrowing with determination.

“You’re not as slow as I thought,” he muttered, clearly impressed.

Alia didn’t respond, just shifted her weight, keeping her distance. She was testing him, analyzing his movements, looking for an opening. Liam attacked again, this time with a powerful knee aimed at her chest. But Alia was already moving, her body bending with precision to dodge the attack, and she spun around, grabbing his wrist as he came down from the strike.

Before he could react, she executed a flawless joint lock, using his arm against him and twisting him toward the ground with the force of his own momentum. The crowd gasped as Liam was sent sprawling, his back hitting the mat. The room went silent for a moment, everyone stunned by the efficiency and skill of the move.

Liam grunted, struggling to regain control. Alia was already on her feet, her eyes never leaving him. “Nice try,” she said with a smirk, “but you’re telegraphing your moves. A little less strength, a little more finesse might help.”

Liam, now more focused than ever, rolled to his feet and charged, this time more carefully. He threw a combination of jabs, hooks, and uppercuts—powerful strikes, but Alia flowed like water around each one, her movements calculated and precise. It wasn’t just her speed that kept her ahead; it was the way she read his body language, anticipating his moves before he made them.

Liam swung a punch toward her head, but Alia ducked low, dropping into a swift spinning kick that landed square on his ribcage. He staggered back, winded, but managed to recover quickly, eyes narrowing. “You’re fast, I’ll give you that,” he said, but the hint of frustration in his voice was obvious.

Alia didn’t give him a chance to regroup. In a flash, she closed the distance between them, using a series of rapid strikes to his midsection, softening him up. He blocked the first few, but the speed of her blows overwhelmed him. With a swift movement, she grabbed his arm, twisting it into an armbar that sent him sprawling once again.

Liam hit the ground hard, his breath coming in short bursts. He looked up at Alia, his face flushed with exertion and surprise. She hadn’t used brute strength at all—she had used technique, precision, and an intimate knowledge of every move he was about to make. It was as if she had anticipated him from the very start.

The crowd was on edge, watching in stunned silence as Alia stood over Liam, one foot lightly pressing into his chest to keep him down. Liam’s chest heaved with deep breaths as he stared up at her, frustration in his eyes.

“I yield,” He breathes out while still laying on the ground.

Alia offered him a mischievous grin, hands on her hips. “Not bad, but you’re going to have to be a little quicker if you want to keep up with me.” Her voice was playful, but the steel behind it was unmistakable.

Liam smirked, albeit through gritted teeth. “You’re good, I’ll give you that.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Alia replied, offering him a hand to help him up. As he took it, she yanked him up.

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. “Never fought someone like you before, it was definitely an experience I most likely won’t forget.”

The people who stopped to watch were understandably looking at Alia and Liam as the strongest in their year. Even though Liam had lost, they both moved as if they were leagues above them. It was clear though—Alia had won, not just through speed and agility, but through skill, technique, and an understanding of the fight itself.

Liam nodded in respect as Alia patted his shoulder “You definitely earned this one.” He wiped sweat from his brow, the smile now fully on his face, despite the sting of defeat.

Alia, grinning, shrugged. “Maybe next time, big guy.”

Once Liam clears off the mat and goes to the side, she turns to find her friends were already staring at her with their eyes wide with surprise and admiration.

Rhiannon was the first to reach her, hands on her hips and a wicked grin on her face. “Holy hell, Alia! You just turned Liam into a ragdoll! I thought he was gonna eat that mat for a second.” She let out a low whistle. “I know you said you were good, but damn, you’re a whole different level. Are you sure you’re not hiding a dragon in there somewhere?”

Alia smirked, wiping her brow casually. “Nah, no dragons. Just enjoy sparring I suppose” she said with a shrug, clearly enjoying the attention but not quite willing to show off too much.

Ridoc stepped forward next, his face graced with a grin and respect. “I’ve trained with a lot of people, but I’ve never seen someone break down an opponent like that. You didn’t just win—you dominated him,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Honestly a bit turned on by it.”

That earned a cackle from Alia as Sawyer elbowed him, causing Ridoc to yelp.

Sawyer shook his head at Ridoc before looking back at Alia who picks up her water skin and takes a big gulp. “Okay, I’ll admit it,” he said with a chuckle. “That armbar you slapped on Liam? Cleanest thing I’ve seen all day.” He tilted his head and gave her a teasing look. “Didn’t think you had it in you to be that brutal. Might need to rethink how I train now. You’re clearly the one running this show.”

Alia raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip as she drops her water skin on the bench. “Oh, so now you’re considering stepping up your game, huh?” She laughed, clearly enjoying the playful jab. “Guess I’ll have to teach you a thing or two next time.”

Ridoc smirked, clearly impressed. “I don’t know, Sawyer. I think Alia’s already leagues ahead of you.” He shot a wink at her. “Not even sure you could handle her at full speed. I’d pay good money to see that.”

Sawyer shot Ridoc a look, rolling his eyes but grinning. “I’ll take my chances,” he said with a wink toward Alia. “But you’ve got some serious moves. I’ve got a feeling next time, I’ll have to be ready for a few surprises.”

Alia shrugged with a mischievous smile. “What can I say? I like to keep things interesting.”

Rhiannon raised an eyebrow at that, clearly amused. “Interesting, huh? Alia, you’re just showing off at this point.”

Alia grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. “Well, someone has to. Might as well be me.”

The group shared a laugh, their playful teasing punctuating the camaraderie between them. Each of them had seen a side of Alia they hadn’t fully expected, but one thing was clear—she is definitely a force to be reckoned with. And as they surrounded her with congratulatory remarks, they couldn’t help but realize that they were all now a little bit more aware of just how dangerous—and how skilled—Alia truly was.

As Liam wiped the sweat from his forehead, still processing the shock of being taken down so decisively by Alia, the group—Xaden, Bodhi, Imogen, and Garrick—stood in silence for a moment, exchanging looks.

Bodhi was the first to break the silence, grinning widely. “I mean, I always knew a Nightingale was tough, but damn, Liam, you got absolutely wrecked. That was like watching a pro fight a rookie.”

Garrick chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, that was brutal. You looked like you didn’t even know what hit you.”

Liam, still sitting on the bench, let out a deep breath. “I didn’t. I was genuinely shocked at how fast she was moving that it threw me off from the start”

Imogen tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she watched Alia from across the room, a flicker of something darker passing over her features. “She is a Nightingale after all, she definitely isn’t human”

Bodhi, still grinning, added, “Regardless, it was a good match but she definitely wiped the floor with you.”

Garrick smirked. “Yeah, she was a damn nightmare for you, Liam. Never thought I’d see someone take you down so fast.”

Liam let out a frustrated laugh. “Tell me about it. I’ve faced plenty of fighters heck even Xaden, but this? I don’t know how she does it.”

Xaden, who had been watching Alia with a more serious expression, finally spoke up. “It’s more than just technique, though.She’s... calculated. The way she controlled the entire fight—it wasn’t just instinct. That was someone who’s been trained to think steps ahead.”

Imogen’s eyes narrowed further, her jaw tightening. “Wouldn’t be surprised if it was her mother and those siblings of her training her personally”

Xaden nodded. “No doubt. This isn’t just a random sparring session or street fighting. This is someone who’s been taught how to break down an opponent, who’s been taught how to anticipate their every move. Taught to kill. It’s not just her speed—there’s strategy behind it.”

Bodhi leaned in, his grin fading into something more thoughtful. “So I guess this is gonna be a problem huh?”

Garrick crossed his arms. “Looks like it. But that wasn’t the only thing I noticed. She’s... protective.You saw how she looked when Imogen snapped that Sorrengails arm. She was ready to break the rule on their first day.”

Imogen’s eyes flared with anger as the memory resurfaced. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “And I still don’t regret doing that,” she snapped, her voice sharp and cold. “But the fact that Nightingale got so worked up over it…I’m placing her in the same boat as Sorrengail”

Bodhi raised an eyebrow at Imogen’s tone. “Whoa, Imogen, take it easy. You know she was just looking out for her friend, right?”

Imogen scoffed, her voice tinged with bitterness. “I don’t care about her loyalty. I care about the fact that she’s here at all. Her mother is just as responsible as Sorrengails,” Her gaze burned with intensity, focusing on Alia, who was laughing with her friends on the other side of the room. “She’s dangerous, and she will be a threat to our plans”

Xaden’s eyes flicked to Alia as well, his expression unreadable. “She is a threat. But we can’t just act on impulse here. It’s clear she’s skilled, and she’s got connections. If she’s willing to fight like that for Violet, imagine what she’d do if she catches onto us because we acted out.”

Garrick rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “I agree with Xaden on this one. We can’t be reckless.”

Before Imogen can snap back, Xaden gives her a pointed look. “I’m not saying we forget about her, Imogen. But you need to be careful. We need to be careful. And remember—she’s not the only one with connections.”
The group fell into a heavy silence, the tension palpable. Imogen’s anger simmered, but she knew that Xaden’s words held weight.

Liam, still catching his breath, glanced over at the group and then at Alia, who was clearly enjoying herself with her friends. “I’ve got to say, Alia’s a lot more than we thought. She’s not just skilled—she’s a lot more dangerous than we realized.”

Xaden’s eyes hardened. “And that’s why we need to keep an eye on her. She’s dangerous. Not just for her skill, but for what she’s willing to protect. She’s got a whole network of people who’ll back her up if we make a move. Her mother, General Nightingale—she’s basically Melgren's right hand. And don’t forget her siblings, the Terror Twins. They’ve got a reputation for being lethal. Alia’s clearly been trained by them, and that means she’s not someone we can afford to underestimate.”

Imogen’s voice was low and full of venom. “I’ll keep an eye on her, all right. And when the time’s right, I’ll make sure she doesn’t cause us any more trouble.”

Xaden turned to her sharply, his voice firm. “No, leave her to me. We need to be careful how we handle this. One wrong move, and we could end up with more than just a fight on our hands.”

The group stood in tense silence, their thoughts heavy with the realization that Alia wasn’t just a threat. Her skill, her connection to Violet, her training under one of the deadliest generals and the notorious Terror Twins—all of it made her a formidable force. And now, with Violet Sorrengail at the center of it all, they would have to figure out how to move forward without pushing Alia into a corner she would be ready to fight her way out of.

Alia's POV

I push open the doors to the Healers Quadrant and stride in. As soon as Sparring’s were over, I darted over here to check in on Violet without so much as a goodbye to the others, my worry increasing ten-fold.

My eyes are fixed on Violet, sitting on one of the beds, her posture stiff. She looks exhausted, her body tense with pain, and though she’s trying to play it off, I can see how much she’s hurting. I can feel the weight of the situation pressing on my chest. This was my fault. If I’d stepped in sooner—she wouldn’t be like this.

I swallow hard, trying to push away the anger rising inside me. It’s not just anger—it’s something much deeper. Fear, frustration, and this protective instinct that has always flared whenever I think about how Violet ended up hurt. I hate seeing her this way, but I also can’t help but feel like it’s a failure on my part. If I had been faster…maybe I could’ve stopped it.

Dain walks past me, giving me a quick, unreadable glance before heading out of the room, and I don’t miss the flicker of concern in his eyes. Which leaves us and a few other cadets in there, no doubt from Sparring too.

I know I should be focusing on Violet, but part of me is still thinking about the mess Imogen caused. I shake the thought from my mind, forcing my attention back to her. She’s sitting up but there’s something about her stillness that screams vulnerability. The Violet I know doesn’t sit quietly. And it hits me harder than I thought it would.

I take a cautious step closer, keeping my voice steady, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Violet,” I murmur, brushing a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering just a little longer than they should. “How are you feeling?”

She blinks up at me, her usually sharp, fiery gaze clouded with a layer of exhaustion. Her lips twitch, but the usual spark in her eyes is muted. “I’ll be fine,” she whispers, “Just a little sore, arm is fine now since it was healed by Nolan. Nothing I can’t handle.”

I bite back the frustration bubbling up inside me. “You’re not fine.” My voice cracks slightly, betraying the emotions I’m struggling to keep hidden. “Your arm was snapped in half, Violet. You could’ve been seriously injured more than just that.”

I see the way she winces at my words, but she’s always been stubborn, even in pain. She tries to push through it, always does. “I didn’t want to back down and show weakness to everyone in there,” she says softly. “It was a sparring match, Alia.”

I close my eyes briefly, feeling the tension in my chest tighten. “It doesn’t matter. You’re not invincible, Violet. I can’t stand seeing you get hurt, not like this.”

She watches me for a moment, and I can’t tell if it’s the pain in her eyes or the weight of my words that makes her pause. For a brief second, I think she might say something—something that will shift the air between us—but instead, she just sighs, lowering her gaze. “I’ll be okay. Just… don’t worry about it too much.”

I reach out, taking her hand in mine a little more firmly than I intend. “I can’t help it,” I say softly, my heart hammering. “I will worry and will continue to aslong as we’re both here.”

Her eyes flick up to meet mine, her gaze steady and searching. “I can take care of myself, you know that Al.”

There’s a flicker of something in her expression—something deeper than just her usual stubbornness. A vulnerability I don’t often see from her. And in that moment, it hits me. The connection between us runs so much deeper than I’ve ever allowed myself to admit. She’s always been my anchor, my constant. And somewhere along the way, I became something more to her, too.

I lean in, my voice lowering. “I know you can but at the same time I will protect you, Violet. I don’t care what it takes. If anyone hurts you again, they’ll regret it. I’m not just going to stand by.”

Her fingers tighten around mine, and I feel a subtle shift in the air, something charged and unspoken. There’s a long moment of silence, the kind that feels too big for the space we’re in. I try to look away, but I can’t. Her eyes are locked on mine, and I wonder if she feels it too—the pull, the way everything between us feels so right, yet so unspoken.

“I trust you,” she whispers, her voice softer than before. “But please, don’t do anything reckless. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I nod, trying to smile, but my chest feels too tight for it to be convincing. “I promise I won’t do anything stupid. But Pinky is going to regret it. No one hurts you and gets away with it.”

She nods slowly, but there’s a shift in her expression. The usual fire that fuels her is there, but it’s tempered by something else. Something softer. “I’m sorry for putting you through this,” she says quietly. The words hang heavy between us, and I know she means it.

Before I can respond, Violet’s lips quirk into a small, teasing smile. “Pushing that aside, how did your sparring match with go? No broken bones, I hope?”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes me, a little lighter than it should be and Violet lets a grin grace her face that I admire before responding. “Oh, I wiped the floor with Liam. He didn’t even see it coming.”

She raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “No way. You beat Liam that easily?”

I grin. “Yep. Zero issues. He had no idea who he was dealing with.”

Violet shakes her head, her lips curling into a small but genuine smile. “I should’ve known. You always come out on top.”

I give her a wink. “What can I say? I’m pretty unbeatable.”

“Yeah, right,” she mutters, her smile turning teasing as she looks at me. “You’ll never be able to take me down.”

“Oh, I think I could manage,” I reply, voice playful. “Though, I’d prefer we not get into that kind of sparring match.”

Her expression softens again, and there’s something warm in her eyes—something unspoken that lingers between us. It’s like we both know it, but neither of us is willing to say it aloud yet. The connection, the way she’s always been my anchor and I as her’s.

There’s a long pause, a beat of silence where everything between us feels just a little too raw, too honest. But then, she breaks the moment, her voice light. “Well, if you’re so unbeatable, maybe you can help me out with training. I could use a sparring partner that actually knows what she’s doing.”

I chuckle softly, the tension easing between us, the air feeling much more lighter. “You don’t even have to ask, I’ll get you prepped and the others will most likely join too so you can all learn under me.” I throw a wink towards her causing her to laugh as she leans against my side.

Violet rolls her eyes playfully. “As long as you’re not too smug about it, we’ll be fine.”

“I’m always smug,” I tease, giving her a sly grin.

She smirks back, her eyes dancing with that spark I’ve always adored. “I’ll manage. Just don’t get too cocky, alright?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I reply, my voice light but my heart a little heavier with the weight of everything unsaid.

For a moment, we just sit there, the mood now much lighter after that conversation but underneath it all, there’s something deeper. Something neither of us has yet admitted, but something we both feel. Something that, maybe, we’ll have the courage to say someday.

But for now, I’ll keep my promise: I’ll protect her. No matter what. And somehow, that feels enough.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Journals & New Friend

By the time we make it to the barracks, it’s nearly full as I walk practically glued to Violet’s left side. My body feels slightly heavy from today and I know it’s because I’m just wanting nothing more than to jump onto my bed and sleep.

After Nolon and Winifred, who both came out after Vi and I had a chat and gave me suffocating hugs, they had dismissed Violet so we were on our way back.

I can tell besides the chat we had, there was something else on her mind but I’ll give her time before probing.

“You’re here!” Rhiannon jumps off her bed, already dressed in her sleeping shorts and top, relief in her eyes and smile as she sees us.

“We’re here,” Violet assures her. “I’m already down one shirt, but I’m here.”

“You can get another at central issue tomorrow.” She looks like she might hug Vi as I slump down in the bed that’s next to Vi’s but glances at her sling and backs up a step, sitting on the edge of her bunk as Vi does the same with hers, facing her but angling her body so she’s in the middle of both of us and facing forward “How bad is it?”

“It’s going to hurt for the next few days, but I’ll be fine as long as I keep it immobilized. I’ll be all healed up before we start on-mat challenges.”

I narrow my eyes at her and she avoids my stare, already feeling the heat of it. I thought she said Nolon had healed it.

“We can help you get ready,” she promises. “I’d rather you didn’t die when it gets real and leave us behind.” A corner of her mouth lifts in a wry smile and I shoot her a grateful glance when she glances my way too.

“I’ll try my best not to.” Violet grins back and shoots me a look too. “And I’ll help you with history.” She leans slightly back onto her pillow but pauses for a second before pulling whatever out she felt.

I lean forward, interested in what it is and how it even got there.

“We’ll be unstoppable,” Rhiannon declares, her gaze tracking Tara, the dark-haired, curvy girl from Morraine, as she walks past our bunks. I focus my attention back on Violet as her hand stops underneath the pillow.

She pulls out a journal and finds a note on top of it. Violet then glances towards me and I immediately shift over to her bed, sitting next to her as I grab the note and open it while ignoring her pointed glare.

Violet,
I stayed long enough to read the rolls this morning, and you aren’t on them, thank gods. I can’t stay. I’m needed back with my wing, and even if I could stay, they wouldn’t let me see you anyway. I bribed a scribe to sneak this into your bunk. I hope you know how proud I am to be your sister and Alia’s un-official sister. Brennan wrote this for me the summer before I entered the quadrant. It saved me, and it can save you both, too. I added my own bits of hard-earned wisdom here and there, but mostly it’s his, and I know he’d want you both to have it. He’d want you both to live.
Love,
Mira.

PS: The twins would like to mention how they’re both proud of you and love both you and Alia

PSS: Sorry we don’t have something similar sis, but you’re smart so you’ll figure it out with Vi here ;-) love the twins.

She swallows and I can feel the emotions reeling inside her so I allow her to lean against me as she keeps the note but looks down at the journal, tracing the edges of it.

When we lost Brennan, the blow was…heavy. The twins were closer to him than I was as he practically raised them both and from the reports my mother was giving me after the months they heard, they were merciless when it came to the battlefield. The General inside of her loved it but as a mother? She never wants to see her own blood become consumed by so much rage ever again.

Violet and Mira were understandably heartbroken and General Sorrengail? Never was the same.

“What is it?” Rhiannon asks.

“It’s my brother’s.” The words barely make it past her lips as she opens the cover. Their mother burned everything he owned after he died, as tradition dictates. “The book of Brennan,” She reads along with the first page and then flip to the second.

Mira,
You’re a Sorrengail, so you will survive. Perhaps not as spectacularly as I have, but we all can’t live up to my standards, can we? All kidding aside, this is everything I’ve learned. Keep it safe. Keep it hidden. You have to live, because Violet is watching. You can’t let her see you fall.
Brennan.

I observe Violet after scanning the first page and can see her eyes getting watery. I subtly lean against her and she allows it, sinking deeper against me too.

“It’s just his journal,” She mutters out, her tone heavy with emotion. “He died five years ago.”

“Oh, that’s…” Rhiannon leans in, her eyes heavy with sympathy. “We don’t always burn everything, either. Sometimes it’s nice to have something, you know?”

“Yeah,” She whispered.

Rhiannon sits back on her bed, opening her history book, and Violet falls back into Brennan’s history, starting on the third page.

You survived Parapet. Good. Be observant the next few days, and don’t do anything to draw attention to yourself. I’ve sketched a map that shows you not only where the classrooms are but where the instructors meet, too. I know you’re nervous about challenges, but you shouldn’t be, not with that right hook of yours. The matches might seem random, but they’re not. What the instructors don’t tell you is that they decide challenges the week before, Mira. Any cadet can request a challenge, yes, but instructors will assign your matches based on weeding out the weakest. That means once the real hand-to-hand starts, the instructors already know who you’ll be up against that day. Here’s the secret—if you know where to look and can get out without being seen, you’ll know who you’re fighting so you can prepare.

Violet sucks in a breath while glancing towards me as I struggle to hide a grin. Knowing who we’d get next will give Violet a huge advantage.

She sends me a small smile with a gleam in her eyes that has me nodding with approval.

She’ll be fine, and that’s all that matters to me. But then, she suddenly snaps the book shut, and I feel her gaze shift to me—a subtle nervousness creeping in.

“What’s wrong?” I murmur instantly, lowering my voice so Rhiannon doesn’t hear. The look on Violet’s face made me sit up straighter, and I can see the tension in her eyes as she glances around. Then, she leans in closer, her breath shaky.

“Dain...” she breathes out, her voice barely a whisper. She locks eyes with me, "He brought up the plan to get me out of the Riders Quadrant again."

I held the urge to roll my eyes.

Of course he would attempt to get her to leave again.

“I of course denied the help but seriously, he’s beginning to get on my nerves about it.” Violet huffed before glancing back up at me, waiting for my answer.

What I want to respond with? I’ll most likely get a scolding so I hold my tongue.

“I can understand why he would want to but at the same time, he needs to back off since you’re wanting to be here too,” I reply back keeping my tone even as I watch her reaction closely. “If he keeps insisting, I’ll have a few words with that blonde twa-”

Violet lets out a quiet laugh, her eyes twinkling and all nervousness and tension disappearing from her body. I let a grin grace my features before she sighs.

“Thank you…for everything, Al” She whispers, reaching across and gripping my hand before giving it a squeeze.

“Anytime, Vi” I mutter back, allowing my hand to tighten on hers.

Challenges are starting back up next week, so between our downtime and classes, I've been using that to my advantage to help train Violet. Can't say she's improved yet, but she’s definitely building muscle and speed when she's on the mat with Rhiannon and me. Not only that, but Liam has also found his way into my sparring sessions—especially when I'm in the gym past curfew.

Now is a perfect example.

“C’mon, Mairi, I thought I told you to keep up with me,” I tease, standing over Liam as he lies flat on his back. I can’t help but grin, hands on my hips, dressed in nothing but a pair of tights and a sports bra. The heat of the gym makes anything more unbearable.

“Not my fault you can freakishly evade every single one of my attacks.” He groans dramatically before I laugh.

“Fine, fine. We can stop at that.” I step over to the side where our shirts and water pouches are discarded before grabbing the pouches, tossing one of them toward him.

It’s become a bit of a routine now. Instead of focusing on weapons or hitting the weights, we’ve been sparring, and I can't deny that it’s... refreshing. I’ve always trained with my squad, and I enjoy it, but there’s something about sparring with Liam that pushes me. He adapts quickly, and I love that challenge. He’s gotten the upper hand on me a few times, and even I was thrown off when he first took me down with a clean slam.

“I nearly had you at the slam, though,” he mutters, sitting up and taking a long drink from his water bottle.

“You definitely did,” I admit, giving him a small nod of respect. “Consider me impressed once again.”

He smirks, the goofy grin that’s been growing on me spreading across his face. I can’t help but smile back.

Sitting across from each other now, we just catch our breath, enjoying the quiet moment between rounds. It’s easy, too easy, to let the silence hang between us—comfortable.

“You know,” I say, breaking the silence as I swipe a hand through my sweaty hair, “it’s kind of ridiculous how quickly you’ve become the most challenging part of my training.”

Liam raises an eyebrow, giving me a sidelong glance. “Guess I’m just special like that,” he jokes, his grin turning a bit teasing.

I laugh, but there's something more in the way we look at each other now, something unspoken. The kind of thing that only comes from spending hours together, pushing each other, and learning not just what the other can do but how far we can go. It feels natural, this camaraderie. It doesn’t hurt that it’s not just about the physical aspect either, but the way we’ve gotten to know each other through these quiet moments between rounds.

“I won’t lie and say that I don’t enjoy these sparring sessions but I definitely do and making a friend in the progress too? Bonus.” He says with a sincere smile plastered on his face and I match it.

It’s strange. Before this, I wouldn't have called myself someone who needed a workout buddy, let alone someone who actually enjoys the sparring sessions with someone else, but with Liam? It’s different. I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but there's something about the way he challenges me, how we’ve both started to push each other in new ways.

So to say I don’t consider him a friend already within these past few nights, regardless of his mark that I know alot of people will look at first, I would also being lying to myself.

“I’ll admit it,” I finally say, meeting his eyes. “It’s definitely been a pleasure getting to know you, Liam.”

His expression softens, a quiet understanding passing between us, and I know, without saying it, that this bond is growing—faster than I expected.

He chuckles lightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll try not to let it go to my head that you like me.”

I smile, shaking my head, but there’s something deeper in me, something that feels like it’s opening up a little more every time we meet like this. It’s not just the challenge anymore. It’s this growing connection, this... friendship, and I can’t help but feel thankful for it.

I wouldn’t say it out loud, but I can’t remember the last time I had someone to spar with who didn’t just meet me on the mat but also made me laugh between rounds.

“So, I have a random question...” Liam spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence. I raised an eyebrow, giving him a sideways glance before leaning back on my palms.

“And I might have a random answer.” I teased, my voice light, which earned me a soft grin from him. But then his expression shifted, growing serious.

“Don’t you, I don’t know, feel any resentment toward me? Being a marked one?” His voice was steady, though I could hear the curiosity in it as his blue eyes met mine.

The question didn’t freeze the comfortable silence, though, as I’d expected. Instead, I offered him a small smile.

“I don’t judge people based on their past or the actions of their families,” I said, my voice carrying more weight than I intended. Liam’s eyes widened, clearly surprised by my answer.

“Even when you lost—” He caught himself, but I knew exactly where he was going with that. I sighed and glanced up at the ceiling, my gaze drifting to the mage lights that illuminated the gym.

My Dad.

I returned my focus to Liam, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me. He leaned forward slightly, as though I was about to share a secret.

“Loss is a part of life, Liam,” I said, my voice calm and steady. “We can’t change what’s happened, no matter how much we wish we could. But the pain of it... the pain doesn’t have to define us. It’s what we choose to do with it, how we grow from it, that truly shapes who we become. So no, I don’t resent you—or any of you, for that matter. We were barely adults when it all happened.”

Even as I spoke, my thoughts turned to our Wingleader. Riorson—a name that haunts my darkest memories. No matter how much I tried to push it down, I couldn’t escape the flicker of fury that rose whenever I thought of the man who had caused a turmoil of grief over my family for years.

So maybe there is a point where I do judge—especially considering that Riorson is clearly after Violet.

There was a pause before Liam spoke again, his voice quiet but sincere.

“Thanks,” he said, his eyes softening. “It is nice to hear someone here doesn’t exactly hate us all.”

I gave him a slight nod, offering him the same small smile I’d given earlier.

“No need to thank me, Liam. Everyone’s got their own battles to fight.”

The soft click of the gym door catches my attention. I freeze, then glance at Liam, who seems to be doing the same thing. Before either of us can react, a shadow slips across the floor.

I barely catch the movement before a figure emerges from the darkness near the doorway—Xaden.

He stands there, just outside the soft glow of the gym lights, his dark figure almost blending into the shadows. There’s no sound from him, no footfalls, like he’s just... appeared. It’s unsettling, how silently he moves. His gaze lands on us, his eyes sharp and dark. He doesn’t say anything at first, just watches for a moment.

Then he speaks up. “It’s past curfew,” Xaden says, his voice steady and calm. "You two should get to bed.”

Liam doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even seem surprised, which annoys me more than I’d like to admit. I, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to fling my bottle his way and hit target in his jewels.

Liam lets out a sigh, stretching his arms and standing up with me following his movement. “Yeah, yeah, I’m on my way.” His tone is easy, like it’s no big deal.

I stay quiet, a flicker of annoyance stirring in me. Why? Other than the fact that I was enjoying the relaxing atmosphere I had with Liam, of course it had to be disturbed by the Wingleader.

Xaden’s eyes turn to me for a moment and stares while I stare back, refusing to back down from eye contact before I see something flicker in his eyes. Then he turns back to Liam and gives Liam a brief nod, then turns to leave, disappearing just as silently as he came.

I still feel a bit tense just from that short-moment interaction.

Liam stretches, grabbing his water pouch and wiping his brow. “I’m gonna hit the showers,” he tells me casually. “Go ahead without me. I'll see you later, Alia”

I nod, though I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the whole thing. I want to be annoyed at Xaden for just showing up like that, but I know that’s just how things are around here. I can’t quite shake the feeling that Xaden is watching, even when he’s not in the room.

Maybe I’m finally going paranoid.

"See ya later, Mairi." I wave off with a quick nod as I leave the room, making my way toward the barracks. The air is crisp and cooling, the kind of night that makes you want to take your time, so I do just that, walking leisurely as I head back.

But as I slip into the barracks and approach my bunk, something catches my eye—something that sets my nerves on edge.

Where the hell is Violet?

I feel a surge of frustration pulse through me, but before I can start grumbling to the gods about it, I notice a folded piece of paper resting on my pillow. I raise an eyebrow, seeing the letter “V” written across the top. I drop my water pouch on the bed and grab the note, unfolding it with a mix of curiosity and mild annoyance.

Al,
Before you get annoyed with me (I know you are, don’t lie), I just went down to the river to grab a few berries we were talking about. I’ll be back before you know it! And if I’m not, then come down.
- Vi

I exhale sharply, rolling my eyes, knowing she’s right. Of course, I’m annoyed, but I’m not about to let it slide. I grab my cloak, wrapping it around myself for warmth, and set off toward the river. I know exactly where she’s headed—the tree we had discussed earlier. The night’s still young, and I’m not particularly tired after the sparring, so I figure I’ll go retrieve Violet and get those berries she promised.

At least, that is the plan.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Shadows & Warnings

As I walk, I think about the amusing side of it all. Poisoning cadets—while not ideal, definitely not something we should shy away from, especially in the Riders Quadrant. Violet had brought a book on poisons, after all, and I had full confidence in her ability to utilize whatever means necessary in our spars. I know who we’d be challenging soon enough, and those kinds of preparations come in handy.

I just know the Twins will absolutely love this once I tell them.

The corridor is quiet as I make my way out, moonlight filtering in through cracks in the stone, casting long shadows. I’m almost at the archway that leads outside when I freeze. I hear voices—low, hushed tones, but enough to make me stop in my tracks.

What the—

I creep toward the arch, stepping as quietly as I can, staying close to the wall. I peer around the corner, and my heart drops. At least over a dozen figures are gathered beneath the very tree I know Violet went to. My stomach tightens.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, leaning back against the stone wall to gather my thoughts. My pulse quickens, a new wave of concern washing over me. I can barely make out their shapes in the darkness, their silhouettes blurred by the tree’s shadow. But there’s no mistaking that something feels off.

I crouch down low, keeping myself as hidden as possible. Slowly, I move back toward the stairs that lead down to the yard, all the while keeping my eye on the figures. Once I reach the bottom, I slip into the cover of the bushes and trees, careful to remain as silent as possible.

The rustling of the leaves is quiet, but I’m close enough now to hear their voices clearly. I stop behind a thicket, taking a deep breath as I try to focus on what’s being said. Their words are muffled at first, then sharpen, becoming distinct as the tension in my chest grows.

I lean in closer, straining my ears, just in time to catch the end of the conversation one of them had spoke up,

"---when do we get to kill Violet Sorrengail and Alia Nightingale."

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and my body goes rigid.

They’re talking about Violet.

My hands unconsciously lower down to my thighs where I have a dagger strapped on each side. Though I stay exactly where I am.

“Yeah, Xaden. When do we get to finally have our revenge on Sorrengail and Nightingale?”

My muscles tense even more than they should’ve and as I’m crouched low behind the thicket, I’m well aware of the light cascading on me but for some reason, I feel much safer hiding in plain sight.

That voice, Pinky from the match against Vi. I felt my eyes narrow at the words.

“I told you already, the youngest Sorrengail is mine, and I’ll handle her when the time is right.”

Handle? I hold in my anger at the words. Like fucking hell is he gonna handle Violet.

“Nightingale is mine to handle too if she causes too much of an issue.”

What the fuck?

“Didn’t you already learn that lesson, Imogen?” Someone else speaks up though I haven’t heard this voice before. “What I hear, Aetos has you scrubbing dinner dishes for the next month for using your powers on the mat and you’re lucky Nightingale hasn’t done anything since.”

I resort to the urge to snort while finally settling down behind this knowing for a fact none of them are able to see me since it wasn’t raised. But where the fuck is Violet cause I would’ve seen her on my way here if she had left already.

“Her mother is responsible for the execution of my mom and sister. I should have done more than just snap her shoulder.” Pinky or well Imogen spat back. “AND Nightingale. Her mother is the exact same so I’ll put her into the ground aswell.”

I felt amusement shudder through my body aswell as the rage.

“Their mothers are responsible for the capture of nearly all our parents,” Another voice counters. “Not the daughters. Punishing children for the sins of their parents is the Navarrian way, not the Tyrrish.”

Can’t exactly blame him for that small blow.

“So we get conscripted because of what our parents did years ago and shoved into this death sentence of a college—” Imogen starts.

“In case you didn’t notice, Sorrengail’s in the same death sentence of a college,” Unknown Voice 2 retorts. “Seems like she’s already suffering the same fate.”

“Don’t forget her brother was Brennan Sorrengail and Nightingales father, Rhys Nightingale’s,” Xaden adds. “They have just as much reason to hate us as we do them.” There’s a quick pause before Xaden speaks up again.

“And I’m not going to tell you again. They’re mine to handle. Anyone feel like arguing?”

Silence reigns.

“Good. Then get back to bed and go in threes.” As he finishes, I hear shuffling as they all clear out from the area and obviously go back towards the dorms.

I don’t move an inch as I still feel like some lingering there so I just look up and observe the river in front of me, twirling a dagger I took out.

Handle us?

Hearing this made me think back to the conversation I had with Liam earlier and I stopped my twirling.He hadn’t shown any anger or resentment towards me, even when we first met. I doubt that my experience with Liam is gonna be the same with the others should I ever cross paths with them.

I hear a thud behind me and I go to peak but then I hear a bit of a scuffle before hearing Xaden’s voice again.

“Fucking Sorrengail.”

I close my eyes and hold back a curse. Of course she is still around here. Which means she heard everything. My whole body tenses up and I resist the urge to jump from behind here and commit my first murder.

“How did you know?” I hear Violet snap back at him, a bit indignant that causes the corner of my mouth to lift.

Love sassy Violet.

“Let me guess, you could smell my perfume. Isn’t that what always gives the heroine away in books?”

I hear Xaden scoff. “I command shadows, but sure, it was your perfume that gave you away.”

My eyes widen at that and I resist the urge to gasp.

No wonder he’s so high in the ranks, that signet is as rare as my family's. That causes a chill to run down my spine as I tune back into the conversation after hearing Violet gasp.

“Your signet is a shadow wielder?” She replies, her tone holding awe in it.

“What, Aetos hasn’t warned you not to get caught alone in the dark with me yet?”

Of course that twa–

“Is this how you plan to handle me?” Violet’s words almost make me jump from behind here—not to murder Xaden, but her. Really going for a forward approach, are we? I think to myself before dragging a hand down my face.

Realisation struck me and I quickly look where I’m sitting but Zihnal has blessed me and seems like I’m still draped in the moonlight from above and no shadow around me other than the trees I was considering hiding behind.

“Eavesdropping, were we?” Xaden replies. “Now I might actually have to kill you.”

“Then go ahead and get it over with.” Violet replies and I definitely pinch myself to not follow through with what I was thinking about earlier. Bloody hell, Violet. I hear what sounds like someone unsheathing their dagger, the night silent so that cut through easily.

“That stance is really the best defense you can muster? No wonder Imogen nearly ripped your arm off.” Xaden responds back, amusement clear in his tone.

“I’m more dangerous than you think,” Violet spits back.

“So I see. I’m quaking in my boots.” The amusement turned to mocking and I roll my eyes at this conversation.

If I had felt any sort of danger, I would’ve already leaped from here and dragged Violet back to the room—but not before burying my dagger in his jewels.

But no, there’s no danger in his tone, nor any indication that things are about to get violent.

I hear a scuffle before a thunk like a dagger being thrown into a solid surface, so I risk being caught and peek through to see Xaden and Violet standing only a few feet apart, with Xaden’s back to the tree and Violet standing with her hand on her hip.

Damn, she’s beautiful in the moonlight.

“You missed.” He speaks back to Violet, standing with his arms crossed while staring directly at my best friend.

“Did I?” She retrots before reaching for her last two blades. “Why don’t you back up a couple of steps and test that theory?”

His face switches but that’s gone as fast as a blink of an eye and I eye him wearily from where I’m crouched. He backs up towards the tree, still keeping eye contact with Violet and stops as soon as his ears brush against the hilt of her daggers.

“Tell me again that I missed,” Violet threatens and I let a smirk raise on my lips as she takes the dagger in her right by the tip.

“Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?” An appreciative smile curves his lips as shadows dance up the trunk of the oak, taking the form of fingers. They pluck the daggers from the tree and bring them to Xaden’s waiting hands.

My eyes widen at the display of power and now I don’t ignore the shiver going down my back. He is definitely powerful and absolutely lethal that even I can’t shake the small amount of fear that slid in.

“You should show that little trick to Jack Barlowe,” Xaden says, turning his palms upward and offering Violet her daggers.

“I’m sorry?” Violet responds and even I’m a little confused at the comment but continue watching them.

Gods, I feel like a stalker right now.

He moves closer, and Violet lifts her blade.

“The neck-snapping first-year who’s very publicly vowed to slaughter you,” Xaden clarifies but he’s moving as they’re now face to face. I can’t see what he’s doing but him being this close to Violet raises the hair on my neck and I unsheath two of my daggers before crouching low enough to adjust my positioning.

“He’d probably think twice about plotting your murder if you threw a few daggers at his head.”

“Because the honor of my murder belongs to you?” Violet challenges. “You wanted me dead long before your little club chose my tree to meet under, so I imagine you’ve all but buried me in your mind by now.”

He glances down between them before lifting them back up to make eye contact again. “Do you plan on telling anyone about my little club?”

“No,” Violet speaks up but this time her tone is softer. I narrow my eyes at that and observe her face. She’s not terrified, a bit scared I can tell but definitely not terrified. In fact she looks oddly–

My face drops.

She finds him attractive, what the fuck?

“Why not?” He tilts his head to the side as he speaks and I’m only able to see the left side of his head now. “It’s illegal for the children of separatist officers to assemble in—”

“Groups larger than three. I’m well aware. I’ve lived at Basgiath longer than you.” Violet speaks.

“And you’re not going to run off to Mommy, or your precious little Dain, or maybe even Nightingale and tell them we’ve been assembling?” He asks her, and I wait eagerly for Violet’s answer.

“You were helping them. I don’t see why that should be punished.” She says, and I feel a small bit of relief. “I’m not going to tell.”

As much as they want to get their revenge on us, I wouldn’t want that for them. Their lives had already been chosen for them—I don’t want to see it ripped away just because they were meeting.

“Interesting,” Xaden says softly. “We’ll see if you keep your word, and if you do, then unfortunately, it looks like I owe you a favor.” Then he steps away, turns, and walks off, heading back toward the staircase in the cliff that leads up to the citadel.

I let out a small sigh of relief as he leaves, but I can still feel the rage eating at my bones.

“You’re not going to handle me?” Violet calls after him.

“Not tonight!” he tosses over his shoulder.

“What are you waiting for?”

I definitely sigh out loud. Is she wanting to die?

“It’s no fun if you expect it,” he answers, striding into the darkness. “Now, get back to bed before your wingleader realizes you’re out after curfew.”

“What?” Violet shouts. “You’re my wingleader!”

I wait a few more seconds, making sure Xaden is at least out of hearing range, before looking back at Violet. I see a smile tugging at her lips as she adjusts her bag, still staring at the spot where Xaden would’ve left.

I feel my stomach flip, but not in a good way.

I stand up from where I’m crouched and walk around the thicket I was hiding behind, moving toward Violet, who’s still staring at the archway, her expression thoughtful but distracted.

“Are you really smiling after hearing how he wants to handle you?” I ask, my voice steady but sharp. Violet jumps at my words, spinning around with wide eyes and a hand pressed to her chest. I give her a deadpan look, crossing my arms and watching her closely.

A slight sheen coats her face, no doubt from the warm evening air, and I notice her cheeks have flushed a tad bit red. The moonlight catches her just right, making her look... even more beautiful up close.

“W-when did you get here?” She huffs, recovering quickly, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips as she looks up at me. She’s ignoring my question entirely. Interesting.

“Oh, you know,” I say, throwing my arm around her shoulder casually and guiding her toward the archway. “When they asked if they could get their revenge on you and me.”

“What?!” she exclaims, her eyes widening in shock. She looks up at me again, disbelief written all over her face. “You’ve been here listening the whole time since that?”

“Yes, Vi.” I glance down at her with an eyebrow raised, answering her question before she even asks. “And no, he wouldn’t have sensed me. I was in the light, not the shadows, so I doubt he was able to detect me. Otherwise, he would’ve pulled me up when he got you.”

“I–” She starts, her eyes narrowing as she looks up at me, clutching her bag tightly. “You stalker.” There’s amusement in her tone, though, despite the accusation, and I can’t help but scoff.

“Oh, shut up. You’re the one who told me to come here.” I reply, and now that we’re past the archway, heading back toward the barracks, I add, “So, are you okay though?”

I feel her tense a bit under my arm as we walk, but she shrugs a moment later.

“Not really surprised they have it out for me—us—but hearing them all feel the same way? I can’t just brush that off.” She mutters, staring straight ahead as we continue down the corridor. I glance down at her, and there’s a heaviness in her posture that wasn’t there before.

“Can’t really blame them for that resentment either,” I say, my voice steady, even though a small bitterness curls inside me. “Our parents played a part in... eliminating theirs and forcing them to join what's basically a death sentence to those who can't handle it. Anyone would feel the way they do.” I speak with conviction, the truth of it ringing in my chest. Hearing the Sorrengail name to them would be like hearing the Riorson name for me.

I hear her sigh beside me.

“I suppose so...” She trails off, and I glance at her again. Her expression is distant, clearly still thinking about what happened tonight—or maybe about everything that was said before I arrived.

“So...” I break the silence before we reach the entrance to the barracks, where we’ll have to be quieter. “What was that look you had after Riorsen left?” I try to sound casual, but I inwardly cringe when it doesn’t come out quite right.

Violet chokes on air, and I look down at her, noticing her face is red again. A grin slips easily onto my face as she looks up at me, clearly flustered.

“I-I have no idea what you me—” She stammers before stopping when she sees the look on my face. I’m staring down at her, already knowing she’s going to try and lie.

“Shut up.” She mutters, shoving me softly. I roll my eyes, but her grin is still there, and I can’t help but smile at her playfulness.

When we get back to the barracks, though, I pull back, suddenly remembering something.

“I actually forgot something in the sparring gym, so I’m gonna go back and grab it and come back, alright?” I say. She spins toward me, concern crossing her face.

“Will you be fine going? I can join.” She offers, but I hold up my hand to stop her and flash her a grateful smile.

“I’ll be good to go by myself, I won’t be long.” I say, and begin walking backward, giving her a wave. “Make sure you hide those berries too.”

“Alright, see you soon!” She whispers, giving me a blinding smile before walking through the barracks entrance.

The smile slips from my face as soon as she’s out of view. I finally confront the anger that’s been swirling in my guts. I turn, walking faster toward where I hope I’ll find what I’m looking for.

Xaden.

Xaden POV

The moonlight bathed the campus in a cold, ethereal glow, casting long shadows along the stone paths as I walked back toward the dorms. My conversation with Violet still lingered in my mind, her words and that strange, inexplicable pull I felt toward her.

I didn’t notice her at first, my mind racing. But then, the air shifted—faintly, but unmistakably. Someone was watching me.

From around the corner, Alia stepped into the moonlight, her presence immediate, almost suffocating as she stands only a few feet away from where I stand. Her silver eyes gleamed in the dim light, sharp as blades, and her body held a controlled tension that radiated danger. Her short black hair framed her face, sharp angles and high cheekbones only adding to her lethal beauty. She was striking—like a perfect storm captured in human form. But beneath the beauty, there was something else. A power, a rawness, like she could strike at any moment without hesitation. She was a tempest, poised and ready to unravel everything in her path.

I stopped walking, eyeing her with a mixture of curiosity and caution. There was no mistaking it—this wasn’t a casual encounter. Alia had something to say, and she wasn’t going to waste any time.

“You think you can handle Violet?” she asked, her voice smooth, almost bored, but the fury in her silver eyes was unmistakable. Controlled. Dangerous. The words hung between us, charged with the promise of something more. And of course, I should’ve expected this. I knew she was either there or Sorrengail had told her, but I was leaning more toward her somehow being there and I hadn’t detected her.

Shit, so now two people know about the meetings.

I leaned back against a nearby stone pillar, crossing my arms with a lazy smirk, pretending I wasn’t paying attention to the way her gaze cut through me. “I’m your Wingleader,” I said, my voice cool, but with a thread of amusement. “I can handle whatever I need to. Including Sorrengail.”

Alia’s lips tightened, a small flicker of something dark flaring behind her eyes. The calm mask she wore was almost perfect, but I could feel the fury seeping through. And yet, despite the anger simmering just beneath her surface, she remained poised, almost too composed for someone with so much rage bottled inside.

Her next words were quiet, a deadly whisper that sent a shiver down my spine. “Touch her and I'll ensure there's not a single one of you marked ones left by sunrise.”

There was a finality to her words, a promise of consequences that made the air around us feel charged with an almost electric tension. She was serious. And despite the amusement in my tone, I could feel the weight of it. Alia wasn’t just another cadet.

I raised an eyebrow, leaning in just slightly as if I hadn’t quite caught the gravity of the threat. “You are a feisty one, aren’t you?”

Her lips curled into a cold smile—one that didn’t quite reach her eyes, but held a glint of something darker, something more menacing. She stepped a little closer her posture still smooth, but there was an undeniable edge to her now, a lethal grace that made it clear she wasn’t backing down.

“Only when it comes to what is mine, Riorson,” she said, her voice low, the coldness of it making the temperature around us drop even further. I raised an eyebrow at that claim.What is hers?

For a moment, I could only watch her, feeling the intensity of the words settle over me like a weight. She wasn’t afraid of me, not even in the slightest.

I let out a soft sigh, before matching her gaze with an unwavering look and keeping my tone leveled this time. “You forget yourself, Cadet Nightingale. What makes you think you can give threats like that to your Wingleader?”

Her silver eyes locked onto mine, the intensity in them never wavering. “I just need to make you understand that if you hurt her, I’ll make you regret it.”

There it was again—the underlying depth in her voice. It wasn’t just about her anger at me. This was personal. There was something more—something raw and protective. Alia wasn’t playing around. And I couldn’t help but respect that.

She took a step back then, her expression softening just slightly, though the fire in her eyes still burned bright. “You’ve been warned, Wingleader.” Her voice was light now, almost teasing, as if the threat had been made and now she was done.

I watched her turn, the movement fluid and controlled, her black hair swaying slightly as she moved. She was a dangerous, beautiful puzzle—and as much as I tried to ignore it, there was something about her that pulled me in.

She glanced back over her shoulder, a sly smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “And don’t worry, I won’t speak of what I witnessed tonight to anyone else either. Goodnight, Wingleader.”

And with that, she disappeared around the corner again, no doubt going back to the barracks, her presence lingering in the stillness like the echo of a storm on the horizon.

I stood there for a moment, watching the space where she had been, feeling the quiet buzz of tension that remained. My heart was still racing, not from fear, but from something else. The way she held herself, the way she moved, the sheer intensity of her... it was enough to make anyone second-guess their position.

I’d always known that Nightingale was a threat. Her last name alone told me she was someone to watch. But after the sparring session, after seeing her in action and watching her over the past few days, I knew she’d be a problem. She was a force of nature—dangerous, intelligent, and unyielding.

That wasn’t the last I’d see of her. I had no doubt about that. And the thought of what might come next made something stir deep inside me.

As if on cue, I felt Sgaeyl’s presence in my mind, her voice warm with amusement. “You’re not usually this... distracted, Xaden. She’s quite something, isn’t she?”

I smirked, brushing the lingering thoughts of Alia away as best I could. “She’s a problem. A dangerous one.”

Sgaeyl’s soft chuckle filled my mind, her amusement clear. “Oh, I don’t think she’s a problem at all. She’s exactly what you need, and you’ve known this for a while now.”

The deal with General Sorrengail pulsed in my head. Nightingale is definitely going to make it easier to ensure that promise is kept.

I shook my head, though I knew she could feel the truth of it, the flicker of something new inside me. “You’re imagining things,” I muttered, but it didn’t stop the truth from slipping under my skin.

“We’ll see,” Sgaeyl replied, the teasing tone ever-present. “But don’t be surprised if they become a lot more than you bargained for. I’m curious to see how this plays out.”

I couldn’t stop the quiet laugh that escaped me as I started walking again, my mind already back on its path—yet somehow, I knew I wouldn’t be able to shake Alia from my thoughts so easily.

And somehow, I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Gossip & Dragons

I wait for Violet to finish getting ready, already feeling like I’m half asleep. We both noticed Rhiannon isn’t in her bed again—seems like that's been the case for the past few days—and I couldn’t help but envy her.

I really need to get laid.

“You know,” I start, a playful note creeping into my voice, “I never thought I’d be salty about not getting laid yet.”

I glance at Violet, who freezes mid-step toward me, her face a mix of disbelief and amusement.

“Seriously, Al?” She deadpans, but I can hear the smirk in her voice. “We’re training for war, and you’re salty about not getting laid?”

“Oh, come on, I can multitask,” I huff, standing up and stretching before walking toward the door. “Besides I was joking, it's too much effort to get to know someone,"

Violet rolls her eyes at me, but there’s that spark of amusement in her gaze. “You could take your pick, and anyone would be lining up to get in your bed.”

“True, but none of them are the one I want,” I say casually like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. This catches Violet’s attention, and she looks up at me, clearly curious.

“Then who—” She starts to ask, but I shove open the door, cutting her off.

Dain is standing there, waiting, and his eyes flicker to Violet with that puppy-dog look of his. I try not to roll my eyes.

“Morning!” He greets us enthusiastically, his gaze lingering on Violet just a little too long for my liking.

“You don’t have to escort me to duty every morning, you know,” Violet says, her tone amused but also a little exasperated as we fall into step with him.

“It’s the only time I get to see both of you when I’m not your squad leader,” Dain argues, a grin plastered on his face as we walk down the empty hallway. “Trust me it’s worth getting up an hour early, though I still can’t figure out why you’d choose breakfast duty over every other assignment”

He then shoots a look towards me “And I still don’t get why you’d choose the dinner shift when Violet’s right here, working the morning one.”

“I’m a night owl,” I explain with a shrug. “At least I can hit the gym right after.” His eyes flick to me briefly, no doubt wondering why I’m not glued to Violet’s side, but truth be told, I’ve been getting a lot closer with Liam lately, enjoying his company. We’ve been training together, and sometimes I end up sitting with him during breakfast while Violet finishes up.

Liam’s caught onto some of the moves I’ve been drilling into him so even now, I find myself getting my ass beat by him on some days.

Key word, some.

“You shouldn’t be out of your bed after curfew, that’s breaking—” Dain starts to lecture, but I catch a movement out of the corner of my eye, and suddenly, Dain’s blocking Violet’s path when the door to our right slams open with Rhiannon coming out.

I fight to stifle a laugh.

“Rhiannon?” Dain says, voice sharp with disbelief.

“Sorry!” Rhiannon says quickly, her eyes widening when she sees me. She knows I’m fighting a grin, but it’s hard not to.

“Nice to finally see you again, Rhi,” I smirk, leaning against the wall casually.

“I wondered where you were this morning,” Violet says, stepping out from behind Dain, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Before anyone can respond, Tara steps out from behind the door and gives us a wink.

“Well, good morning to you, Tara,” I say, barely holding back my laugh as she adjusts her shirt and waves at Violet.

“It’s a great morning, huh?” Tara responds before walking down the hallway, clearly in no rush, as if she owns the place.

I can’t help it—I burst out laughing, causing Rhiannon to swat my arm.

“We have a curfew for a reason, cadet,” Dain lectures again, but his tone is tired now like he’s over this.

I groan dramatically. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” I glance at Dain, who raises an eyebrow at me, and then turns back to Rhiannon. What a buzzkill.

“And you know no one is supposed to be in the private dorms until after Threshing,” he continues, but it doesn’t seem to faze Rhi.

“Maybe we were just up early,” Rhiannon responds sweetly, batting her lashes at him. “Like you are right now.” Then to prove her point even further, she glances between him and Violet.

I hold the urge to roll my eyes.

Dain sighs and rubs his temples. “Just… get back to your dorms and pretend you were there all night, will you?”

“Absolutely,” Rhiannon agrees cheerfully, grabbing my hand and giving Violet a quick squeeze. “I’m going to steal Alia now.”

I shoot Violet a grin as Rhiannon drags me away. “I’ll see you later, yeah?”

Violet grins back, nodding and waving me off as we part ways.

Once we’re a little farther down the hall, I glance at Rhiannon with a mischievous grin. “So, uh… good morning, huh?”

Rhiannon flips her braids over her shoulder, a sly smirk on her lips. “Oh, it was definitely a good morning.”

I let out a loud laugh, drawing a few surprised looks from other cadets

As we walk down the hallway toward the dorms, the quiet settles in between us. I can hear my own footsteps echoing slightly in the stillness, but Rhiannon's voice breaks the silence, light and teasing as usual.

“So, Al,” she says, glancing over at me with a sly smile. “Anyone caught your eye yet?”

I raise an eyebrow, glancing over at her with a little smirk. “What, you want the gossip now? My love life is something precious alright” 

“Please, as if you have one,” she replies with a roll of her eyes, but the teasing tone doesn't leave her voice. “But seriously, we’re surrounded by men and women. It’s about time someone caught your attention, right?”

I snort, shaking my head. “You think just anyone could catch my attention? I mean, sure, I’m looking , but it’s not like it’s my main priority.”

Rhiannon smirks, clearly not buying it. “You’ve got options, Al. I know you’ve got someone in mind.”

I pause for a second, glancing at her as I walk. She’s just baiting me, I know it, but something about the way she says it gets me thinking. “Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be coy with me,” she says, bumping my shoulder playfully. “Anyone worth mentioning?”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t hide the slight smirk that pulls at my lips. “I don’t know, Rhi. It’s complicated. You know how it is.”

Rhiannon narrows her eyes at me, clearly not satisfied with that answer. “Complicated? What, with the army of people throwing themselves at you, you’ve got complications?” Her voice is light, but there’s something in her eyes like she’s waiting for me to admit something.

She’s not wrong on that either. Ever since we started here, people have been either too friendly with me or even just straight up asking. And each time, I’ve denied them not even giving a reason.

I huff, feeling the weight of her stare. “It’s not like that. Not for me anyway, I don’t wanna hook up with a stranger right off the bat,” I glance at her out of the corner of my eye, wondering if she even understands. Like sure I’ll happily take someone to bed but I at least want to know them for a while.

She stops in her tracks, holding up a hand. “Okay, okay, so you're not just after a hookup. Fair enough.” She pauses, the grin sliding off her face as she becomes a little more serious. “But really, anyone you’re actually interested in?”

I freeze. It’s like she’s reading my mind. Over these past few weeks, us three have gotten a lot closer than I would like to admit. She somehow fits perfectly in our little group we made and honestly, it feels like we’ve known each other for a while now which should be considered dangerous considering where we are.

Though the words are there, ready to spill out, but I can’t seem to say them. I clear my throat, shifting my weight. “I guess... maybe. But, it’s not like—”

“Is it Violet?” she interrupts her voice casual but with an edge of curiosity.

My heart stutters, and I freeze completely. I glance at her, trying to keep my expression neutral, but I know she can see the shift in me. I try to laugh it off, but the sound is strangled.

“What?” I force out, trying to sound casual. “Violet? Vi? My Violet? Nah, I don’t know what you mean.”

Rhiannon smirks at me, crossing her arms. “You don’t have to lie, Al. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it.” She leans in slightly, her voice dropping a little. “So, is there something going on between you two?”

The question hangs in the air, heavy and unexpected. I feel my chest tighten, like the air’s been sucked out of the hallway, and for a moment, I can’t say anything. It’s like she’s hit a nerve I didn’t know I had. 

I swallow hard. “I... I don’t know, Rhi.” My voice is quieter than usual, betraying the unease bubbling up inside me. “It’s not something I’ve thought about. Not like that.”

Rhiannon watches me closely, the playful teasing gone from her eyes. She tilts her head, studying me, clearly trying to read between the lines. “Uh-huh. Sure, Al. You’re telling me you haven’t noticed the way she looks at you?”

I open my mouth to respond, but the words don’t come. I have noticed. I’ve noticed more than I’m willing to admit, but I can’t bring myself to say it out loud. And it does destroy a small part of me each time that I haven’t done anything to express those feelings.

“I—” I start, then cut myself off, rubbing the back of my neck. “Is it really that obvious? Regardless, I don’t know,” I say it like I’m dismissing the whole thing, but Rhiannon doesn’t let up.

“You don’t have to think about it, but I’m telling you, Al...” She’s quiet for a beat, before the teasing glint returns to her eyes. “You two would be pretty damn cute together.”

I shoot her a look, but the words hit harder than I expect. Cute? Us ? I suddenly feel exposed in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

“Maybe you’re reading too much into it,” I mutter, but even to my own ears, it sounds like I’m trying to convince myself more than anything.

Rhiannon just grins, but there’s a softness to it now. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just seeing what’s been right in front of you this whole time.”

I can feel the heat rise to my face, and I’m grateful for the cool air of the hallway as we keep walking. “You’re such a pain,” I mutter, but deep down, I know she’s right. Maybe I’ve been avoiding the obvious.

“Well, someone had to say it,” Rhiannon says with a wink. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when it all finally comes to light”

I glance at her, shaking my head, but I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. No need to rub it in.”

“Just remember,” she calls back over her shoulder as we turn the corner to the barracks, Rhi leaving me out here while I lean against the door, “I’m here if you do want to speak more on it, Al”

I know, deep down, I’m not sure if I’m ready to face the reality Rhiannon’s brought to the surface. Of course, I’ve noticed the glances—the touches, the way her eyes brighten when they meet mine like we’re the only ones in the room. And I can’t pretend I don’t feel it too. I’m just as drawn to her, just as caught up in the way she makes everything seem a little more... electric. 

But it’s easier to bury those feelings, to mask them behind the comfort of our friendship, the bond we’ve had for years. Yet now, with everything happening between us while we’re here, it’s impossible to ignore. I can’t stop thinking about it, about her.

I let out a groan and drag a hand down my face, slumping against the door even more.

“I’m so fucked.” I whispered to myself.

“Keep the temperaments of each specific breed in mind when you decide which dragons to approach and which to run from at Threshing,” Professor Kaori says, his serious, dark eyes slashing toward his nose as he studies the new recruits for a beat, then he changes the projection he’s conjured from a Green Daggertail to a Red Scorpiontail.

My eyes stay glued to the illusions he’s creating in the class room today.

I’m sat next to Ridoc who is inbetween Violet and I and Liam somehow found his seat to my left. This is probably the one class other than sparring that Violet can trust to leave me alone in.

The Red Scorpiontail in the center of our circled tables is a fraction of its actual size, six feet tall at most, but it’s an exact replica of the actual firebreather waiting in the Vale for Threshing.

“Red Scorpiontails, like Ghrian here, are the quickest to temper,” Professor Kaori continues, his perfectly trimmed mustache curving as he smiles at the illusion like he’s the dragon himself. 

We all take notes. “So if you offend him, you’re—” 

“Lunch,” Ridoc says from my right, and the class laughs. I hold in a snicker as I cross my arms over my chest, leaning against the seat a bit more.

“Precisely,” Professor Kaori responds.

“So what’s the best way to approach a Red Scorpiontail?” He glances around the room.

You don’t, I think to myself and I find my thoughts drifting to Samm’s dragon, Lyriie. When they visited us the first time around with their dragons, Samm’s dragon was brooding in the back and Samm just laughed it off saying she’s not a people person.

“You don’t,” Rhiannon muttered. “They prefer that you approach from the left and from the front, if possible,” a woman from one of the other squads answers. 

“Excellent.” Professor Kaori nods. “For this Threshing, there are three Red Scorpiontails willing to bond.”

The image changes in front of us to a different dragon. “How many dragons are there in total?” Rhiannon asks. 

“A hundred for this year,” Professor Kaori answers, changing the image again. “But some might change their minds during Presentation in about two months, depending on what they see.” 

I raise an eyebrow at that, seems like fewer are bonding each year.

“That’s thirty-seven fewer than last year,” Vi spoke up from beside Ridoc and I glanced her way from the corner of my eye.

Professor Kaori’s dark eyebrows rise. “Yes, Cadet Sorrengail, it is, and twenty-six fewer than the year before that.”

Interesting…I focus back in front of me.

“Will they tell you why they won’t bond?” another first-year asks. 

“No, jackass,” Jack scoffs, his icy-blue gaze narrowing on the cadet. “Dragons only talk to their bonded riders, just like they only give their full name to their bonded rider. You should know that by now.”

I hold back a retort to tell him to fuck off. Narrowing my eyes down at Jack who sits not too far below us, his presence only increases the annoyance in me.

Professor Kaori sends Jack a look that shuts the first-year’s mouth but doesn't stop him from sneering at the other cadet. 

“They don't share their reasons,” our instructor says. “And anyone who respects their life won’t ask a question they’re not willing to answer.” 

“Do the numbers affect the wards?” Aurelie asks from where she sits behind us, tapping her quill against the edge of her desk. 

Professor Kaori’s jaw ticks twice. “We’re not sure. The number of bonded dragons has never affected the integrity of Navarre’s wards before, but I’m not about to lie to you and say that we’re not seeing increased breaches when you know from Battle Brief that we are.” 

The wards are slipping faster than ever, and I feel a knot tighten in my gut every time Professor Devera begins the daily Battle Brief. It's unclear whether our defences are weakening or if our enemies are simply growing stronger, but either way, the need for every cadet in this room is more critical than ever. Even my role has become more urgent.

The image changes to Sgaeyl, the navy-blue dragon bonded to Xaden and I lean forward finding myself captivated by her. Even when seeing her in person on our first day, she was stunning to look at.

“You won’t have to worry about how to approach blue dragons since there are none willing to bond this Threshing, but you should be able to recognize Sgaeyl if you see her,” Professor Kaori says. 

“So you can fucking run,” Ridoc drawls from beside me and I laugh at that, agreeing with his words though.

“She’s a Blue Daggertail, the rarest of the blues, and yes, if you see her without her bonded rider, you should…definitely find somewhere else to be. Ruthless does not begin to describe her, nor does she abide by what we assume to be what the dragons consider law. She even bonded the relative of one of her previous riders, which you all know is typically forbidden, but Sgaeyl does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. In fact, if you see any of the blues, don’t approach them. Just…” 

“Run,” Ridoc repeats, raking his hand through his floppy brown hair while draping an arm behind me on the back of my seat. I feel Liam’s gaze looking towards me before focusing back on our Professor.

“Run,” Professor Kaori agrees with a smile, the mustache above his top lip quivering slightly. “There are a handful of other blues in active service, but you’ll find them all along the Esben Mountains in the east, where the fighting is most intense. They’re all intimidating, but Sgaeyl is the most powerful of them all.”

I furrow my brows at that and felt myself tense up even more. And of course he has one of the rarest signets to be dated.

“What about the black dragon?” the first-year next to Jack asks. “There’s one here, right?” 

Jack’s face lights up. “I want that one.” 

“Not that it’s going to matter.” Professor Kaori flicks his wrist and Sgaeyl disappears, and a massive black dragon takes her place. Even the illusion is bigger, making me crane my neck slightly to see its head. “But just to appease your curiosity, since this is the only time you’ll ever see him, here is the only other black besides General Melgren’s.” 

“He’s huge,” Rhiannon says. “And is that a clubtail?” 

“No. A morningstartail. He has the same bludgeoning power of a clubtail, but those spikes will eviscerate a person just as well as a daggertail.” 

“Best of both worlds,” Jack calls out. “He looks like a killing machine.” 

“He is,” Professor Kaori answers. “And honestly, I haven’t seen him in the last five years, so this image is more than a little outdated. But since we have him up here, what can you tell me about black dragons?”

“They’re the smartest and most discerning,” Aurelie calls out. 

“They’re the rarest,” Vi adds in. “There hasn’t been one born in the last… century.” 

“Correct.” Professor Kaori spins the illusion again, and we’re all met with a pair of glaring yellow eyes. 

“They’re also the most cunning. There’s no such thing as outsmarting a black dragon. This one is a little over a hundred, which makes him about middle-aged. He’s revered as a battle dragon among their kind, and if not for him, we probably would have lost during the Tyrrish rebellion. Add to it that he’s a morningstartail, and he’s one of the deadliest dragons in Navarre.” 

“I bet he powers one hell of a signet. How do you approach him?” Jack asks, leaning forward in his seat.

“You don’t.” I speak up from where I’m sitting, my eyes still latched onto the projectile in front of us before looking down at Jack. “And if you do, I hope he burns the fuc-” My sentence cuts off as Liam slaps a hand over my mouth, silencing it but my gaze is still looking down at Jack who looks ready to throw a dagger my way.

Ridoc is silently laughing from beside me and I ignore Professor Kaori’s and Vi’s, obviously, disappointed gazes.

“Thank you, Cadet Nightingale” Professor Kaori answers. “But to answer your question, he hasn’t agreed to bond since his previous and only rider was killed during the uprising, and the only way you’d ever be near him is if you’re in the Vale, which you won’t be, because you’d be incinerated before you ever got through the gorge.”

Liam’s hand drops from my mouth and I send him a light glare while he just grins at me before leaning towards me.

“Please try not to threaten people.” He whispered, his breath just tickling my cheek.

“That wasn’t a threat, it was a fact.” I stated before looking towards Professor Kaori. He huffs out a laugh before nudging my side and facing forward again.

“Someone should ask him again,” Jack urges. And I fought the urge to roll my eyes and even felt Ridoc poke my shoulder, to keep me at bay.

“Now, there is only one other black dragon, which is in service—” 

“General Melgren’s,” Sawyer says.“Codagh, right?” 

“Yes.” Professor Kaori nods. “The eldest of their den and a swordtail.” 

“But just for curiosity’s sake.” Jack’s glacial-blue gaze doesn’t stray from the illusion of the unbonded black dragon still being projected. “What signet ability would this guy gift his rider?” 

Professor Kaori closes his fist, and the illusion disappears. “There’s no telling. Signets are the result of the unique chemistry between rider and dragon and usually say more about the rider than the dragon. The stronger the bond and the more powerful the dragon, the stronger the signet.” 

“Fine. What was his previous rider’s?” Jack asks. “Naolin’s signet was siphoning.” Professor Kaori’s shoulders fall. “He could absorb power from various sources, other dragons, other riders, and then use it or redistribute it.” 

“Badass.” Ridoc’s tone has more than a little hero worship. “He was,” Professor Kaori agrees. 

“What kills someone with that kind of signet?” Jack asks, crossing his arms over his thick chest. 

Professor Kaori glances at our direction for a heartbeat before looking away. “He attempted to use that power to revive a fallen rider—which didn’t work, because there’s no signet capable of resurrection—and depleted himself in the process. To use a phrase you’ll become accustomed to after Threshing, he burned out and died next to that rider.”

Brennan.

I felt my heart clench and looked towards Vi for a second before facing forward again.

“Now there is one other breed out there that you definitely won’t see during threshing ever nor bond with anyone,” Professor Kaori speaks up, with a resigned tone. As if he doesn’t want to continue but has too.

“To be quite honest with you as I can only tell you, not give you an image. No human alive has seen them in decades and probably centuries so the information we have on them is limited.” He starts off and the class goes silent. “I only inform you of this because the ones who did see the silverbreeds, are the ones who don’t make it back here alive. They’re an incredibly powerful breed and to be quite frank, the most vicious out of all of them if the information we have is still correct. So if you somehow manage to come across one…” He trails off and I heard Ridoc gulp beside me.

“We’re dead.” He speaks up and Professor Kaori nods, solemnly.

The bells ring, signaling the hour is up, and we all begin to gather our things. I walk down with Liam and Ridoc before pausing at the door when I see Rhi’s concerned expression looking past me. I turn and spot Vi already looking at me before nodding her head towards the door.

I quickly judge what she’s going to do, glancing between her and Professor Kaori before sighing and nodding her way. She’s going to ask about Brennan and know she wants to do it alone, I turn back and walk with Liam and Ridoc towards lunch.

“Why the hell do you look so green, Vi,” I speak up from beside her as we watch Rhiannon beat the crap out of her opponent. I’m loving every second of it and didn’t want to miss a second but the second I looked towards Vi, she looked ready to puke probably from nerves.

“Cause my match is today and I followed through with, you know what.” She whispered to me and I hold back a snicker at the nervous energy she was protruding.

“You’ll be fine and it will work,” I stated back with a confident grin and she just sighed before nodding. Dain joins us in watching as he comes up on Vi’s right side.

“She makes it look so easy,” Vi says to Dain as we both look back towards the mat, watching Rhi’s match again. I hold back the cheers I so desperately want to shout.

“He’s going to try to kill you,” Dain spoke up and I froze, both Vi and I snapping our gaze towards Dain.

“What?” Vi said and we both followed his gaze. Two mats over, Xaden Riorson stands looking as bored as he normally does whenever we find him and Dain is just glaring daggers his way. I just stare at Xaden’s face, not really saying anything as my mind flashes back to the night I threatened him.

As if he heard that thought, he glances towards me and locks eyes on me for a second before raising an eyebrow and looking away again, though now I can see one of his friends who had been standing next to him glance my way too before throwing a wink.

Little shit.

“Your opponent,” Dain says softly. “I overheard him and a few friends. They think you’re a liability to the wing thanks to that Barlowe kid.” His gaze shifts to Oren Seifart who’s staring right at Violet. His stare gives me chills but I noticed he looks a tad bit pale, then he glances my way.

I send him a cheeky grin that confused him for a second before looking away and towards Vi.

“I’m going to be fine,” She spoke up, the confidence in her tone and I fully support it.

The Second Wing first-year passes out, and Rhiannon rises victorious as we clap and I let out a whistle while grinning her way. Then she leans over her opponent and removes the dagger at his side. 

“Looks like this is mine now. Enjoy your nap.” She pats him on the head, which makes us laugh. 

“Not sure why you’re laughing, Sorrengail,” a sneering voice calls out from behind us and I roll my eyes, turning same time as Vi and Dain towards the source.

We see Jack standing with his feet apart against the wood-planked wall about ten feet away, wearing a smile that can only be described as evil.

“Fuck off, Barlowe.” Violet says before flipping him off. I just narrow my eyes at the piece of shit, fighting the urge to pull out my daggers and fling it his way, towards his throat.

“I honestly hope you win today’s challenge.” His eyes dance with a sadistic glee that makes me tense even a little bit more.

“It would be a shame for someone else to kill you before I get the chance. But I wouldn’t be surprised. Violets are such delicate… fragile things, you know.” I narrowed my eyes at that and before I could even take a step forward, Violet does the unthinkable.

She unsheathes both daggers from her ribs and flicks them in his direction in one smooth movement. They land right on mark, one nearly nicking his ear and the other an inch beneath his balls. Fear widens his eyes.

I’m shocked and look away from Jack’s face where he went white towards Violet. Who, for the love of gods, shamelessly grins and wiggle her fingers in a wave. God that was hot.

I couldn’t hold it in and laugh very loudly at that, my laugh echoing which only seemed to aggravate Jack even more.

“Violet,” Dain hisses as Jack manoeuvres around Vi’s blades, stepping away from the wall.

“You’ll pay for that.” Jack points at Violet and stalks off, but the rise and fall of his shoulders is a little choppy.

I held in a snicker when Dain’s eyes turned to me, while Violet went ahead and retrieved her blades from the wall.

“What? It was funny, don’t get your panties in a twist.” I snarked to Dain and before he could go off on me, Vi had already come back so I watched his gaze snap to her.

“What the hell was that?” he seethes. “I told you to lay low when it comes to him, and you…” He shakes his head at her. “You just piss him off even more?” 

“Laying low wasn’t getting me anywhere,” Violet replies with a shrug as Rhiannon’s opponent is carried off the mat and Rhi joins us, crossing her arms over her chest. “He needs to realize I’m not a liability.”

I snicker again, though the sound quickly dies under the weight of Dain’s glare. He’s like a wall of annoyance, narrowing his eyes at me with that same disapproving stare. I roll my eyes dramatically, doing my best to ignore the tension building between us.

“Relax, squad leader. It was harmless…” I trail off, but then something catches my eye. Violet’s focus shifts to the side, and I can see it—her gaze locked on someone. I follow the line of her sight and immediately spot Xaden. There’s that annoying, almost smug little smile on his face that I’ve come to expect from him. But it's the look on Violet’s face that gets me.

What the fuck was that look?

“Badass.” Rhiannon says as she raises her brows at Vi, who tears her eyes away from Xaden and focuses back on us.“I thought Jack was going to shit himself.”

Her lips twitch but my gaze is still locked on her, trying to figure out what that look was. But then it dawns on me and my muscles tense. The time where we was caught by Xaden after their meeting, he had mentioned something along the lines of throwing the daggers towards Jack, to prove she isn’t one to mess with.

Vi followed through with what he mentioned…

I felt a cool prickle of unease before it was gone in the blink of an eye, but my eyes were already snapping toward Xaden. His face is as unreadable as ever, the perfect mask of indifference, but his eyes—those damn eyes—are locked on me. The intensity of his gaze makes my muscles tighten even more than they should, and I fight the urge to flip him off, like that’ll get some sort of reaction out of him. But I know better. Instead, I look away, turning my attention back to the conversation, though his presence continues to hang in the air like a silent challenge.

Before I can dwell on it too long, Professor Emetterio’s voice slices through the tension, drawing my focus.

“Sorrengail.” Professor Emetterio glances at his notebook and raises one bushy black brow before continuing. “Seifert.” 

“Kick his ass Vi,” I whispered the words of encouragement before she steps onto the mat. She sends me her best smile despite this being one of her first matches back. But she had told me her plans right from the start and I honestly felt a little proud of her for coming up with the poison idea.

She’s definitely improved on the mat as a fighter but this will give her more leverage against opponents twice her size and years of training they had compared to the mere months she did.

I felt Rhi brush up against my side before she leaned into whisper.  “Bet you thought that was hot what Vi did, didn’t you.”

I couldn’t contain the flush that raised on my face and pushed her away from my face as she cackled, her laugh drawing attention from Dain and others around. Fuck.

“Fuck you, Matthias” I mumbled back but kept my eyes on the fight.

“Nah, but I bet you’d want to with Violet, huh?” Rhi teased, her snicker bubbling up as I spun around, narrowing my eyes—though the lightness in them betrayed me.

“I’ll throw you off the parapet, Rhi, I swear,” I shot back, giving her a shove as she continued to giggle, the sound echoing throughout the room we’re in.

“You love me too much,” she quipped, casually slinging her arm around my waist. I rolled my eyes, but didn’t push her away. The embarrassment had faded, replaced by the thrill of the match.

By the end of it, Violet had won her first sparring match, and I couldn’t hold back my excitement, even as Rhi kept teasing me mercilessly.

I will actually throw her off the parapet one of these days, I swear.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Broken Bones & More Threats





Alia’s POV

I stretch my arms, trying to ease the ache that clings to them from this morning’s training. It’s the kind of pain I’m used to—training every day makes it inevitable—but even I can’t escape the days when the ache seems unrelenting. I continue my walk toward the sparring gym, lost in thought and fully aware that I’m probably late to class.

Oh well.

I’d gone to the healer’s quadrant to grab more wraps and dressing. I’d run out, and Winifred was more than happy to help me—so long as I promised not to end up back there for a while. I’d cheekily agreed, though I couldn’t promise not to send someone else to her. I had barely darted out of there before she swatted at me again.

It's hard to believe it's already been a few weeks. Time seems to have flown by. With everything we've learned in the battle briefs—about dragons, tactics, and our studies—sparring has been the one time we've truly been able to train and apply what we've picked up so we’ve been using our spare time doing exactly that.

Vi’s improved a lot with her training and her other activities that have been securing her wins even against other cadets that have demolished the mat. She finds new ways to create poisons that can weaken her opponent in a matter of hours.

As I make my way through the halls, I hear heavy footsteps approaching from ahead. Confused, I glance up and spot Ridoc sprinting toward me, panic etched on his face. He comes to an abrupt halt in front of me before leaning forward, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

“Woah, what’s got you sprinting through the halls, Gamlyn?” I can’t help the snicker that escapes as I watch him struggle to recover.

“You’re so h-hard to find, damn,” he mutters, finally looking up at me again. “Our wingleader is challenging Vi—”

Before he can even finish, I’m already sprinting past him, not bothering to wait for the rest of the sentence. The sudden rush of panic and anger floods me all at once. I know I told that bastard to not touch Vi. So how the hell did this happen? My rage is almost blinding as I reach the gym doors, wrenching them open with a force that makes them slam against the walls. A few heads turn in my direction, but I don’t care.

I lock eyes with Xaden immediately. His dark gaze is already on me, his forearm pressing against Violet’s throat as he practically moulds his body to hers, trapping her beneath him on the ground. The sight sends a surge of fury through me, and I barely hold back a snarl. Both of their eyes snap to me—Vi’s widening in surprise, while Xaden sports a smug, almost arrogant grin.

I stalk forward, eyes trained on both of them, hands instinctively twitching toward my daggers. But before I can get any closer, an arm wraps around my waist, yanking me back from the mat.

“Nope,” Liam’s voice comes from my left, calm but firm. His iron grip has me pinned, and I know there’s no point in fighting it even if I could get out. I deflate a little, though my eyes stay locked on Vi. She gives me a small smile before turning back to face Xaden, who’s continuing to provoke her.

“Let me go, Mairi, or I’m digging a dagger in your kidney,” I say, my voice calm and controlled, though the fury still simmers beneath the surface. I can feel Liam pulling me away to the corner of the room, far from the match and near the wall where we usually stand.

“Ouch, Mairi?” he says, his voice soft but amused as he steps in front of me, blocking my view. I look up at him, meeting his blue eyes, and see that teasing grin of his. I’m well aware of the proximity between us, if I were to lean a little bit forward I would be in the nook of his neck.

Along with the weeks that have dragged on, I found myself spending more and more time with the taller blonde he knows exactly what I’m feeling at the moment.

“Why’d you drag me away?” I scowl. “Surely this match wasn’t approved—”

“It was,” he interrupts smoothly, raising an eyebrow. “That’s exactly why I dragged you away before you do something dumb and get yourself in trouble.”

I open my mouth to argue but stop myself. He’s right, as much as I hate to admit it. I roll my eyes and finally relax, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, my frustration still simmering beneath the surface.

At least for now, I tell myself, I’ll just have to wait.

“Well, how’s it going?” I ask, my voice strained as I keep my eyes fixed on the mat. Watching Violet get slammed into the ground makes the tension in my chest tighten all over again. But Liam’s calming presence next to me, his arm barely brushing mine, helps keep me grounded.

"Other than Xaden throwing her around like a ragdoll? Not too bad. She’s holding up longer than others if that comforts you." Liam shrugs, but I can feel my jaw tighten as I hold in a deep breath, trying to stay composed.

“He seems to be enjoying this more than anyone else,” I muttered darkly as I narrowed in on both of them. Vi looks breathless as he lets her get up before dashing towards her again and it takes nearly every bone in my body to stop the urge to grab a dagger and fling it towards his head.

"Stop stressing about it," he adds with a slight chuckle. "Violet held her own."

"I know she can," I mutter, my eyes narrowing when Xaden glances in my direction, a subtle smirk on his face that’s all too intentional. The bastard. 

My muscles tense even more than they should as his gaze flickers back to Violet, who’s struggling to get back up. They exchange a few heated words and then Xaden walks off, while Rhi comes up beside Vi. Dain followed close behind as well, looking worried.

"It’s him I don’t trust," I say, my voice sharp, final. Liam sighs beside me, his hand nudging my shoulder in a soft, almost exasperated motion.

"Well, at least today’s your day to spar." He tries to lighten the mood, but I can hear the faint smirk in his voice. Damn it, I completely forgot today was my match. "Take whatever frustrations or anger you’ve got out on your fight."

And of course, as if the gods themselves are listening, Professor Emetterio’s next words make my pulse quicken with excitement, while Liam mutters a curse under his breath.

"Alia, Imogen. You’re up."

"You’ve got to be fucking kidding me," Liam groans, dragging a hand down his face.

I don’t even hold back the grin that stretches across my face. Weeks ago, I put through a challenge against her specifically for this moment—to get her on the mat. And now, with the adrenaline flooding my veins, I feel the anger bubbling to the surface, ready to explode.

I felt a cold prickle again before my eyes darted over to where Xaden is now standing, his gaze already locked on me and I sent him a tiny smirk while tilting my head.

“Hurt my own, I hurt yours” I promised silently in my head before looking away from him.

I stride forward, my eyes immediately locking onto Pinky, who’s already near the mat, standing beside a tall brute from Xaden’s gang. Her narrow, angry eyes meet mine, and I smile—except it's anything but friendly.

Suddenly, Vi is in front of me, her concerned eyes searching mine, and the rest of the squad gathers around. Her hands reach out to grab my arms but they pause midway before she retracts them.

"I didn’t see your match, shit, I’m sorry Al. Just... be careful."

Her voice is hushed, but I catch the worry in it. I grin down at her, reassuring her while brushing a stray hair from her eyes as she’s huffing from her spar with Xaden. Her eyes look up at me before her brows furrow at the sight of my grin.

"Don’t worry, Vi. This is exactly why I requested it."

I step forward, and her gasp mixes with the snickers of the rest of the team. My gaze shifts briefly to Xaden, now standing with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. I smirk back at him before turning my focus back to Pinky.

This is gonna be fun.

"No signets definitely, weapons?" Professor Emetterio asks loudly, enough for us both to hear as we stand on the mat, facing each other.

"Only if Pinky needs them," I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I can see the anger flash across her face as I speak, and I can’t hide the amusement building inside me.

I’ve been waiting for this match.

She sneers at me, her words cutting like blades. “You’re just like your damn mother. Cold, heartless, and empty.” Her voice trembles with fury, but there’s a satisfaction in it like she knows exactly where to strike. “Just like her, you’re nothing.”

“And you’re something?” I snipe back, sending a cheeky grin and not even taking offence to what she said. “You’re nothing more than a dog to a bone.” I finished and flicked my eyes over to the brute that was standing to the side, making sure Pinky saw where I was looking.

Of course, I’ve noticed how she sends puppy eyes his way every time they’re in the same room. Now that might sound stalkerish…which is it since I’m always watching Xaden and his friends or whatever after that night.

Her eyes narrow even more before she juts forward at speed, aiming for my face.

I quickly blocked the strike and twirled around her next attack, before aiming a sharp kick to her stomach. It landed and she heaved before stepping back up a bit, looking ready to throw a dagger my way. She darted forward again but I met her head-on, grabbing both her arms before turning around and using my body to carry her momentum and slamming her onto the mat.

Hard, that I made sure of.

I looked down at her as she blinked and sent her a mocking grin. “This is disappointing.”

She practically growled at me before getting up at a speed that even threw me off a little bit before I jumped back, just missing the dagger that she had aimed at my thigh.

“NO SIGNETS!” I heard Dain roar from somewhere behind me and I raised an eyebrow at Pinky who was vibrating with rage.

“Surely you can try harder than that.” I sarcastically spat at her, putting my hand on my hip. “It’s getting insulting now.”

“I’ll put you in the healer's wing like I did to Sorrengail.” She growled and I felt my muscles tense up at that, my mind going haywire for a second before I replaced my amused mask with the cold one. I relaxed my body and stared her down while she just glares at me.

“Ah shit, she looks ready to murder her.” I heard Ridoc speak up from behind me and Liam sighed out loud.

“Yeah, yeah. Keep talking,” I drawl out, my voice a little too tight for comfort. "All bark no bite, right doggy?”

Imogen’s face twists, red with anger. She charges first and I hold in a smirk, her fist flying at my face like a wild animal. The hit is sloppy and desperate, but I let her think she’s going to land it. Just as her punch gets too close for comfort, I twist to the side, catching her arm and throwing her into the mat with a simple, fluid movement.

She bounces back to her feet and pulls another dagger from her thigh, eyes wide with rage, but I can see the desperation in her now.

“C’mon, where’s all that smack talk you were giving Vi?” I taunt, my voice dripping with mockery. I wanna get her riled up as I know that will either get her to break or to come at me stronger.

Imogen grits her teeth and comes at me again, faster this time, throwing a series of punches that I don’t even bother to block. I just move—swift, precise, letting her tire herself out while I stay barely a step ahead. Each swing is so far from hitting me, it’s sad. But her anger’s building and I can see it in her eyes.

She’s furious.

“You’re a fucking joke,” I sneer, watching her lunge at me again, her face red with rage. “Makes me wonder how you got to second year when all you do is throw a tantrum on the mats.”

Her eyes flash with hatred as she tries to land another punch. I dodge it so easily I almost feel bad for her.

Till I remembered the exact reason why I wanted her on this mat with me and that made my face twist in a a sickening grin.

I’m getting bored now.

In a split second, my fist shoots out, hitting her square in the ribs. The sound of the impact is sickening, I even heard from behind me a few gasps but I don’t flinch. I watch as she gasps, clutching her side, stumbling back, but I’m already on her, moving faster than she can react. I twist her left arm behind her back, pushing her to the mat once more, harder this time.

Both of her daggers had dropped when I landed that punch to her ribs so they slightly grazed the side of my leg as I shoved her into the mat and leaned towards her head.

“Oh shit.” I heard Liam speak up and Ridoc laugh before a loud smack echo the gym.

“Is that all you’ve got?” I mutter under my breath, my face just inches from her ear, a smirk playing on my lips even though my whole body is trembling with the need to destroy her.

If she didn’t bring up Vi, I would’ve kept this cleaner.

Imogen grits her teeth, pushing herself up again, but she’s too slow. I catch her before she can regain her footing and shove her back down. She’s panting now, her face twisted in frustration, but it’s not enough. I can see the fear creeping into her eyes now, the realization that I've got her.

“Get the fuck off of me or I’ll rip your hand off.” She growled but I don’t care. I adjusted slightly so my knee is now digging into the side of her ribs where I know it hurts the most and she cried out.

“Yield,” I stated coldly. She’s now heaving and trying to get out from under me, bucking me off but failing. “I said fucking yield, pinky.”

“Fuck you and Sorrengail.” She breathed out before turning her head slightly more to the right and side eyeing me, her gaze slightly hazy and full of rage that would chill someone to the bone but I can see the frustration inside of them. “I’ll snap Sorrengail right in front of you agai-”

Alright, fuck this.

I yank her right arm, the one I’m not holding, outwards from the security of her body and grip it while still holding her down. I heard shouts and commotion around me, some telling her to yield and others telling her to get back up.

“Wrong answer.” I spit back, my tone full of venom.

I snap her right arm right in half, bending it so it almost hits her shoulder, causing her to scream out in pain that would’ve rattled my bones if I wasn’t the one acting on it. I held back a grin at her and dropped her back onto the mat as if she were a ragdoll while standing up when she cradled her arm to her body.

“Enough!” Professor Emetterio calls, his voice cutting through the silence like a sharp blade.

I stand there for a moment, staring down at her. She’s gasping, clutching her arm and the brute is instantly beside her inspecting it before looking up at me with a slight tinge of horror and anger in his eyes.

“Alia wins,” Professor Emetterio announces, but I barely register the words.

I turn away from Imogen, but not before pausing. I turn back towards Pinky and the brute who is getting ready to take her to the healer's quadrant no doubt.

When she looks at me, I see terror flash in her eyes. I crouch down to her level, face to face. The guy with her opens his mouth, but I raise a hand, never glancing his way.

“Touch Violet again and it’s your spine I’m snapping next” I whisper coldly, my words slicing through the air, sharp and deliberate but only loud enough for them two to hear. The fear in her eyes fills me with a twisted satisfaction. “That’s a promise, Imogen.”

I don’t wait for a response. Without hesitation, I snatch the dagger from the floor, the cool metal sending a sharp thrill through my fingertips. I feel the weight of it in my hand, steady and sure, as if it’s a part of me now. Standing, I meet the eyes of my friends—Rhi’s small, approving smile, Ridoc and Sawyer both giving me enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Liam, however, is watching me, his brow arched in silent curiosity. I offer a nonchalant shrug, trying to mask the adrenaline coursing through me. Then, with one final glance, I set my sights on my target.

Vi.

She meets my gaze, her wide eyes a mixture of awe and concern as if she’s trying to figure out what’s going through my mind. Without a word, I step toward her, standing shoulder to shoulder, and feel her warmth immediately. I squeeze her hand, my fingers tightening around hers as if grounding myself, trying to steady the storm inside me.

“I told you not to worry about it, Al,” Violet whispers, her voice carrying that gentle concern that always tugs at my heart. I glance down at her, a small frown tugging at the corner of my mouth.

“I know,” I reply, my voice steady, full of the confidence I know she needs to hear. “But this... this is for me. This is to send a message. From me.”

The words come out so easily even though they were half true, and before I can give her another reassuring smile, my gaze shifts across the room. My eyes lock onto another set of them—Xaden.

His posture is even more rigid than usual. I can see the gears turning in his head, the way his mind races as he studies me, trying to figure out what I’m playing at. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t move, but I can feel his confusion radiating from him.

I hold his gaze, a cold smile playing at my lips, and let him stew in his uncertainty. It’s rare to see the wingleader caught off guard. I savour the moment.

But before I can relish it any longer, Vi smacks me hard on the arm.

“Stop antagonizing him,” she mutters, and I stifle a sigh, shifting my attention back to her.

“Just enjoying the show, Vi,” I tease, but she gives me that familiar look—one where she's about to scold me and laugh at the same time.

She raises an eyebrow at my face, and her expression softens as if she’s seen through me. “Don’t be a brat.”

I snicker, my voice dripping with mischief. “You haven’t seen me be one, Vi. Don’t test me.”

She rolls her eyes, and I can’t help but laugh, especially when I see her face flush slightly. She pushes me away, her hand light but firm.

“Shut up, Al.” Her voice is playful, but there’s a softness underneath it that makes my heart skip a beat.

I laugh again, ruffling my hair, immediately regretting the action. The messiness reminds me how badly I need to trim it, but there’s no time for that now. I catch sight of Rhi and Ridoc bouncing toward us, their energy contagious, while Sawyer gets ready for his match. Liam hangs back, watching the whole scene unfold.

Ridoc is the first to speak, a grin already spreading across his face. “I’ve probably said this a million times, but that—” He stops in front of me, whistling low, eyes gleaming with admiration. “—was hot.”

Vi and Rhi both burst into laughter, and I can’t help but flash Ridoc a wide grin. “Of course, happy to be your entertainment, Gamlyn.”

“No, really!” Ridoc sputters, gesturing to the room with exaggerated flair. “Everyone here literally stopped to watch your match. Like, mid-fight. All eyes were on you.”

Vi shrugs, rolling her eyes with a casual grace. “They do that all the time,” she says, glancing at me with a knowing smirk. “It’s no surprise at this point.”

Rhi’s eyes flick back and forth between us, her gaze curious yet almost too knowing. “Fair point,” she murmurs, the glint in her eyes matching the mischievous twist of her lips. “But no one’s ever actually seen you snap like that before,” she adds, her tone trailing off as she assesses me with something close to satisfaction. “That sent a message to anyone who thinks they can mess with Vi. Hell, even Seifert looked ready to run. I’m surprised you haven’t, after what—”

Her words freeze in the air as she suddenly goes silent, her eyes flickering over to Vi, who’s standing at my side with her usual calm demeanour. But I know better. I see the faint tension in her shoulders and the way her jaw tightens ever so slightly like she’s bracing for something.

I narrow my eyes at Rhi, catching onto the end of her sentence. “What happened with Seifert?” I demand, my voice a little sharper than I intended. My gaze snaps to Vi, whose expression is somewhat tired but caught off-guard.

Ridoc mutters a low “shit” under his breath, and I hear Rhi let out a nervous laugh, but I don’t take my eyes off of Vi. Something isn’t right.

“Vi,” I repeat, my voice softer now, trying to coax the truth from her. She meets my gaze, offering a nervous smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

“It’s nothing,” she says quickly, but I can hear the strain in her voice. “He just… pushed me into the wall this morning before formation. Nothing serious, really.”

I don’t believe her for a second especially when I saw her favouring her right shoulder this whole morning. I feel the familiar heat of anger surge through my chest as I glance around, instinctively looking for Seifert, but before I can spot him, I feel Vi’s hand on my arm. She’s trying to calm me, to stop me from making a scene, but it only makes my frustration flare.

“I’m fine! I swear.” Her voice is a little high which immediately tells me she’s trying to convince me but also herself.

I hesitate for a moment, looking down at her, and I feel a pang of guilt for pushing her. I don’t want to make her feel cornered, but damn it, she’s not telling me stuff. I can see it in the way she avoids my eyes, the slight twitch of her fingers as she nervously plays with a braid that’s come undone on her shoulder.

“What else happened?” I ask again, my voice now steady but laced with concern. I turn to Rhi, who’s now shifting uncomfortably. She exchanges a nervous look with Ridoc, who’s trying to hide a grin behind his hand.

“Well… erm…” Rhi hesitates, biting her lip. “We promised we wouldn’t tell you.”

Ridoc, who’s clearly getting uncomfortable under my scrutiny, lets out a nervous chuckle before he finally caves. “Fuck it, fine. Someone put crushed flowers—violets, specifically—on Violet’s bed last week. They cleaned it up before you saw it. But… well, there you go.”

Rhi’s eyes widen as she smacks Ridoc in the chest, muttering something about snitching under her breath before she turns back to me with an apologetic smile.

“We’ll… we’ll let you two talk,” Rhi says quickly, her voice almost pleading as she grabs Ridoc by the ear and starts dragging him away, ignoring his yelps of protest. “Her face scared me, okay?!”

Ridoc’s voice is muffled as Rhi yanks him out of earshot. “I’ll show you something scary, you snitch.”

I’m left standing there, the weight of their words sinking into me. Violet… crushed violets on her bed? Someone’s been messing with her right under my nose, and I had no idea. My hands ball into fists at my sides as I look down at Vi, my heart pounding in my chest.

Her face is unreadable, but I can feel the tension radiating off her. She’s trying so hard to keep it together, but it’s clear she’s been carrying something heavy on her own, and it makes my chest tighten in a way that’s hard to describe.

“Vi…” I say softly, my voice thick with tension, as I move to stand directly in front of her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I see her flinch, just for a second, but it’s enough. Her eyes flick up to meet mine, and for the briefest moment, there’s something vulnerable there.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” she says quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t want to drag you into it. You’ve got enough on your plate already with training the others and keeping up in class.”

I feel my chest tighten at her words. But I can’t just stand by and let her carry this on her own. I reach out, gently cupping her cheek, and she leans into my touch like she’s been waiting for it all along.

“Vi,” I say again, softer now, my thumb brushing over her skin. “I don’t care about any of that. I care about you. I don’t want to be kept in the dark. I want to help you otherwise I’d quite literally go on a rampage if anything happens without me knowing.”

Her eyes shimmer for a moment, but she blinks, quickly looking down at her hands, fiddling with the loose strands of her braid.

“I know you can handle yourself,” I continue, my voice softer, pleading, “but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.”

She looks up at me then, her eyes meeting mine with that same determination that I’ve always admired. 

“I wanted to handle it myself,” she admits, the words coming out almost as a confession. “I can’t let them know that I rely on you, which is the truth but I don’t want them to drag you into it.”

I swallow hard, trying to push down the mix of emotions that rise in my chest. I want to hold her, to tell her everything will be okay, but I know that’s not enough. She needs more than just my words. She needs my strength, my presence. And damn it, I’ll give it to her, even if she doesn’t ask for it.

“Vi…” I whisper again, my voice breaking slightly. “You don’t have to. You never have to, we’re best friends right so we ride this out together.”

She sighs but nods. “Fine, I’ll tell you if something else happens but promise me you won’t interfere with anything new that happens okay?”

I sighed and dropped my hand before nodding. “I promise I won’t interfere with anything new.”

She gives me a smile before wrapping her arms around my neck and my arms instinctively find themselves around her waist as she hugs me.

“Thank you.” She muttered against my ear and I held back a shiver.

“Anytime, Vi.” I reply back but my eyes narrow at the sight of Seifert in the corner with Tynan, laughing about something. The fury that’s been simmering in me needs a release and I know exactly what to do about that.

She said nothing new but not about anything that’s happened.

Third POV

The hall is quiet, the only sound being the faint echo of Oren’s footsteps against the cold floor. The air is cooler now, a welcome change from the suffocating heat of the day, but the weight on his chest feels even heavier than the humidity. 

He needs a shower. Just a shower, he tells himself, his mind drifting back to the tasks of the day and the mess of his emotions. He’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t notice the presence in the corridor until it’s too late.

Just as he reaches for the door to the showers, a voice—low, smooth, but with an unmistakable edge—catches him off guard.

“Your sister is a sweet thing isn't she, Seifert.”

Oren freezes. His blood runs cold, and his hand instinctively pulls away from the door. He doesn’t need to look to know who it is. He knows the voice, the tone, the weight behind the words.

He turns slowly, dread pooling in his stomach.

Alia stands in the shadows, barely visible but still exuding an unmistakable presence. Her arms are crossed, her posture casual, but there’s nothing casual about the intensity in her eyes. The dim light casts shadows across her face, but it only sharpens the danger that radiates from her. She doesn't need to say much to make it clear: she’s in control.

“Imagine my surprise when I found out she has a brother.” She says casually but her eyes say a lot more than what she’s saying. “She’s beautiful too, I must admit. And a fragile thing.”

Oren’s pulse spikes. His heart hammers in his chest, and for a second, his anger flares again. But the fire in his gut is smothered almost immediately by the weight of her gaze, a gaze so cold it feels like it’s reaching inside him, freezing everything in its path.

He doesn’t speak. He can’t.

He’s not stupid, he knows how close Alia and Violet are especially since it’s no surprise after today's display in the sparring room. So after what he had done this morning, meeting Alia in the corridor alone is the last place he wants to be.

Alia steps forward, slow and deliberate. Her footsteps echo in the silent corridor, each one sending a deeper chill down his spine. She moves toward him with a grace that is almost predatory, and though she’s not physically touching him, he feels the air around him grow heavy, suffocating.

Her eyes never leave him, but there’s no mocking smile this time—only a dangerous stillness, a promise that she means every word that might come next.

She stops just a few feet away from him, close enough that he can feel the tension in the air between them, thick and suffocating.

And then, without a word, she reaches up and tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her movements fluid, almost serene— dangerously serene. Oren’s breath catches, his mind reeling, but his feet feel like they’ve been rooted to the ground, unable to move.

Alia’s gaze sharpens, and she tilts her head slightly as if taking in his fear, savouring it. She doesn’t need to speak for him to understand what’s coming next.

Her eyes narrow ever so slightly, and Oren feels a chill creep up his spine, his throat tightening in fear.

Then, after a long, suffocating silence, she speaks—her voice a soft, deadly whisper, “Heard what happened this morning.”

The words feel like they’ve been carved into his skin. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. There’s a lump in his throat, fear crawling up his spine as the weight of what she’s saying presses down on him.

She takes another step closer, and he flinches, his breath ragged. Her presence is overwhelming, and consuming. She doesn’t need to raise her voice, doesn’t need to shout. Everything about her—her calm, her control—makes the air feel thick with threat.

Alia lowers her voice even further, just above a whisper. “If you ever touch her again, Seifert… if you ever lay a hand on Violet again, I will make sure you regret it.”

She pauses, her eyes cold as ice. “And trust me… you wouldn’t want me to go there.”

The fear that churns in Oren’s stomach is like a physical weight now, a force pressing down on him with every passing second. He wants to move, to get away, but his body refuses to obey. Alia’s gaze holds him in place like a vice, every part of him caught in the silent promise of pain she’s threatening.

After a long moment, she doesn’t say anything more. Her eyes hold his for just a second longer, letting the threat hang in the air like a noose tightening around his neck. Then, without another word, she turns and walks away, her footsteps fading into the distance.

“Goodnight Seifert.” She shouts back, all coldness in her tone gone but she doesn’t turn to give him another glance as she disappears around the corner.

Oren stands frozen for a long moment after she’s gone, his heart still racing in his chest. The silence feels deafening now, like it’s pressing down on him, suffocating him with the weight of her warning.

The door to the showers feels miles away now, and though his body still aches for the relief of a hot shower, all he can feel is the cold grip of fear creeping down his spine, the image of Alia’s cold, calculating gaze burning in his mind.

He knows this—he knows that if he ever crosses her again, if he ever dares to hurt Sorrengail like that, Alia won’t hesitate.

And the terror that grips him now, the fear in his gut, tells him that he’s already too far gone to escape the consequences.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Gauntlet and Unease

“Well, fuck me sideways and throw me off the cliff,” I muttered, staring at the deathtrap of a course ahead of us. The trail stretched high, climbing in five brutal switchbacks, each 180-degree turn more treacherous than the last, leading up to the top of the bluff that separated the citadel from the flight field and the Vale.

After all the training I’d been through, this wasn’t exactly uncharted territory. The obstacles themselves didn’t send a shiver down my spine. It was the drop that got to me. One wrong move, one mistake, and it could be over in an instant.

“Gladly, if you’ll do the same for me,” Ridoc muttered beside me, his eyes wide as they tracked the course. I huffed a laugh and nudged him lightly, the familiar warmth of Vi’s hand gripping the back of my belt as she stood behind me.

“Well, that’s…” Rhiannon’s voice faltered behind me, and I didn’t need to look to know her expression mirrored mine.

“Amazing,” Aurelie sighed from behind us. My eyes widened at her words, and I turned around to face her, only to see Rhi and Vi sharing the same look of disbelief.

“You think that hellscape looks amazing?” Rhi asked, her voice thick with shock. Aurelie only grinned, unapologetically amused.

Crazy fuck.

“I’ve been waiting for years to do this!” Aurelie exclaimed, rubbing her hands together with a gleam in her eyes. She shifted eagerly from foot to foot. “My dad—he was a rider until he retired last year—used to set up obstacle courses like this all the time for us to practice. And my brother Chase says it’s the best part of being here before Threshing. It’s a real adrenaline rush.”

I turned back to face the obstacle course, eyes scanning it as I made mental notes of how to tackle each challenge.

“He’s with the Southern Wing, right?” Vi asked, her voice steady as she studied the course with me.

“Yep. Mostly desk duty now, given all the action near the Krovlan Border,” Aurelie replied, her tone shifting to something more serious. “He said to watch out for those giant posts sticking out from the cliff. They spin, and if you’re not quick enough, you could get crushed between them.”

Rhiannon let out a low sigh. “Oh, good. I was wondering when it would start getting hard.” I caught myself smiling at her dry humor and nodded in acknowledgment.

“Don’t worry,” I said, offering what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “As long as you stay in the moment, you’ll be fine. Don’t worry about what’s coming next. Just focus on the obstacle in front of you.”

Rhi returned my smile, her expression a little lighter. “Thanks, and you too, Aurelie,” she added.

I turned to find Vi already looking up at me. Without thinking, I reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. She returned a soft smile, her grip tightening just a fraction. 

“I’m good, just nervous,” she muttered, her eyes showing a flicker of unease. 

I nodded in understanding, trying to push past my own nerves. “You’re fast, and you think on your feet. You’ll be fine,” I reassured her, hoping it was enough to ease some of her anxiety. Though I couldn’t completely shake off my own apprehension, I let go of her hand and turned to Ridoc, who was already speaking up with his usual dry tone.

“Still not sure why they call it the Gauntlet.” He says and blows into his hands, the morning being chill. Luckily I did a quick warm up before I came out so I’m not too cold at the moment but can tell it’s affecting a few in my squad.

“To ensure dragons keep coming to Threshing by weeding out the weaklings.” Tynan sneers from Ridoc’s otherside before casting a look over his shoulder towards where Vi is. I raise an eyebrow at that and angle my body so I’m facing Ridoc and him now.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I snap.

“Knock it the fuck off.” Ridoc snaps at the same time I do and even I’m a little surprised at that, giving him a quick glance before glaring back at Tynan who looks at both of us.

“Whats your problem?” Tynan says as he shoves a piece of his hair from his eyes and pivots to face both of us now that we’re facing him but it’s not working since Ridoc is twice as wide and a bit taller than him. So he looks at me with that grimace on his face.

One push is all it will take, I can make it look like an accident.

“My problem? You think because you made friends with Barlowe and Siefert that you have the right to be a dick to your own squadmate?” Ridoc challenges and that makes me raise my eyebrows even more. No wonder he’s been a dick lately even more than normal.

“Exactly. Squadmate.” Tynan gestures toward the obstacle course. “ Our times aren’t just ranked individually, Ridoc. We’re scored as a squad, too, which is how the order for Presentation is decided. Do you really think any dragon wants to bond a cadet who walks in after every other squad in the processional?”  

“They’re not timing us for Presentation today, asshole.” Ridoc takes a step forward.

“Stop.” Sawyer shuffles between the two, shoving Tynan’s chest hard enough to make him stagger back into the girl behind him. “Take it from someone who made it through Presentation last year: your time doesn’t mean anything. The last cadet to walk in last year bonded just fine, and some of the cadets in the first squad onto the field were passed over.”

“Little bitter about that, aren’t you?” Tynan smirks.

“Malek, let me push that fucker off and save us all the migraine,” I muttered into Ridoc’s back since he was shoved into me when Sawyear stepped up. Ridoc huffed out a laughed at that and I felt Vi smack my arm, hard.

Oop, I guess I said that a bit too loud.

Sawyer ignores the barb. “Besides, it’s not called the Gauntlet because it weeds out cadets.”

“It’s called the Gauntlet because this is the cliff that guards the Vale,” Professor Emetterio says, walking up behind our squad, his shaved head glinting in the growing sunlight. “Plus, actual gauntlets—armored gloves made of metal—are slippery as hell, and the name stuck about twenty years ago.” 

He cocks a brow at Tynan and Sawyer. “Are you two done arguing? Because all ten of you have exactly an hour to get to the top before it’s another squad’s chance to practice, and from what I’ve seen of your agility on the mat, you’re going to need every second.”

There’s a grumble of assent in our little group.

“As you know, hand-to-hand challenges are on hold for the next two and a half weeks before Presentation so you can focus here.” Professor Emetterio flips a page on the little notebook he carries. “Sawyer, you’re going to show them how it’s done, since you already have the lay of the land. Then Alia, Pryor, Trina, Tynan, Rhiannon, Ridoc, Violet, Aurelie, and Luca.” 

A smile curves the harsh line of his mouth as he finishes calling out every name in our squad, and we file into order. “You’re the only squad to remain intact since Parapet. That’s incredible. Your squad leader must be very proud. Wait here for a second.” He walks past us, waving at someone high up on the cliff.

“Aetos is especially proud of Sorrengail.” Tynan speaks up from behind me once our instructor is out of hearing range and I whip around, angling my head around Pryor who ducked at the rage on my face.

“Tynan if you don’t shut the fuck up, I will throw you off this cliff-side.” I snapped, and Tynan had the nerve to look genuinely shocked, his eyes wide for a moment before that smug sneer I couldn’t stand crept back onto his face. It only deepened when Vi spoke up from the back, her voice sharp and full of fire.

As I moved to step forward, I felt Sawyer’s hand clamp down on my arm, holding me back. His grip was firm, grounding me, and I could tell he wasn’t about to let me do something I’d regret.

“Look, if you want to talk shit about me, that’s one thing, but leave Dain out of it.” Vi snapped and I can hear the anger in her tone.

“Tynan,” Sawyer warns, shaking his head.

“Like it doesn’t bother any of you that our squad leader is fucking one of us?” Tynan throws out his hands.

“I’m not—” Vi started, but pauses to take a deep breath. “Honestly, it’s none of your godsdamned business who I’m sleeping with, Tynan.”

I glanced back at Vi, her fist clenched and face twisted in frustration. She looked beautiful, even when she was angry. I quickly turned away, the warmth in my chest lingering longer than I wanted to admit.

“It is if it means you get preferential treatment!” Luca adds in from the back. I rolled my eyes at that comment already twitching to get her on the mat, squad rules be damned.

“Just because no one wants to fuck you Luca.” I shouted back, never turning my eyes from the back of Sawyer. He has nice shoulders…

“For fuck’s sake,” Rhiannon mumbled out loud. “Luca, Tynan, shut up. They’re not sleeping together. They’ve been friends since they were kids, Alia included, or do you not know enough about our own leadership to know his dad is her mom’s aide?”

Tynan’s voice sounding surprised “Really?”

“Really.” Both Vi and I muttered, my tone sounding done with this whole conversation and with two of my squadmates.

“Shit. I’m…sorry. Barlowe said—”

“And that’s your first mistake,” Ridoc interjects. “Listening to that sadistic ass is going to get you killed. And you’re lucky Aetos isn’t here or Alia isn’t throwing you off the cliff-side.”

“Still considering it.” I muttered and Sawyer turned his head to give me a grin but shook his head.

“Here we go!” Professor Emetterio walks to the head of our line. “You’ll get your time at the top of the course, if you make it, but remember, you’ll still have nine practice sessions before we rank you for Presentation in two and a half weeks, which will determine if the dragons find you worthy at Threshing.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to let first-years start practicing this thing right after Parapet?” Rhiannon asks. “You know, to give us a little more time so we don’t die?”

“No,” Professor Emetterio replies. “The timing is part of the challenge. Any words of wisdom, Sawyer?”

Sawyer blows out a slow breath, his gaze following the treacherous course. “There are ropes every six feet that run from the top of the sheer cliffside to the bottom,” he says. “So if you start to fall, reach out and grab a rope. It’ll cost you thirty seconds, but death costs you more.”

“Peachy.” I spoke up, sarcasm dressing my tone and I heard Pryor snicker behind me.

“I mean, there’s a perfectly good set of steps over there.” Ridoc speaks up and points to the steep staircase carved into the cliff beside the wide switchbacks of the Gauntlet.

“Stairs are for reaching the flight field on the top of the ridgeline after Presentation,” Professor Emetterio says, then lifts his hands toward the course and flicks his wrist, pointing at various obstacles.

The fifteen-foot log at the start of the uphill climb begins to spin. The pillars on the third ascent shake. The giant wheel at the first switchback starts its counterclockwise rotation, and those little posts Aurelie mentioned? They all twist in opposite directions.

“Every one of the five ascents on this course is designed to mimic the challenges you’ll face in battle.” Professor Emetterio turns to look at us, his face just as stern as it is during our usual combat training. “From the balance you must keep on the back of your dragon, to the strength you’ll need to hold your seat during maneuvers, to”—he gestures upward, toward the last obstacle that looks like a ninety-degree ramp from this angle—“the stamina you’ll need to fight on the ground, then still be able to mount your dragon at a second’s notice.”

I hummed while looking at the course. I thank Zihnal that I had that dummy course at home to train on because all my balance came from pretty much running that constantly.

“What if we can’t make it up?” Luca asks from my right, securing her long hair in a loose braid, her usual haughtiness not so in-your-face today. “What’s the alternative route?”

“There’s no alternative. If you don’t make it, you can’t get to Presentation, can you? Take your position, Sawyer,” Professor Emetterio orders, and Sawyer moves to the beginning of the course. “After he makes it past the final obstacle, so everyone can learn from this cadet completing the course, the rest of you will start every sixty seconds. And…go!”

Sawyer is off like a shot. He easily runs the fifteen feet across the single log spinning parallel with the cliff face and then the raised pillars, but it takes him three rotations inside the wheel before he jumps through the lone opening, but other than that, I don’t see a single misstep in the first ascent. Not. One.

He turns and rushes toward a series of giant hanging balls that makes up the second ascent, jumping and hugging one after another. His feet back on the ground, he turns again and heads up the third ascent, which is divided into two sections. The first part has giant metal rods hanging parallel to the cliff wall, and he easily swings arm over arm, using his body’s weight and momentum to swing the bar forward and reach the next bar hanging half a foot higher than the previous as he climbs the side of the cliff. From the last bar, he jumps onto a series of shaking pillars that make up the second half of this ascent before finally leaping back onto the gravel path.

By the time he reaches the fourth ascent, the spinning logs Aurelie’s brother warned us about, Sawyer’s made it all look like child’s play, and I start to feel a bubble of hope that maybe the course isn’t as difficult as it looks from the ground.

But then he faces a giant chimney formation rising high above him at a twenty-degree angle and pauses.

“You got this!” Rhiannon yells from behind me.

As though he heard, he sprints toward the leaning chimney and flings himself upward, grabbing onto the sides by forming an X with his body, then starts hopping up the conduit until he reaches the end and drops down in front of the final obstacle, a massive ramp that reaches up to the top of the cliff’s edge at a nearly vertical climb.

My breath catches in my throat as Sawyer sprints toward the ramp, using his speed and momentum to carry him two-thirds of the way up the ramp. Just before he starts to fall, he reaches up with one arm and grasps the lip of the ramp and hauls himself over the edge.

Everyone cheers him on in our squad as we watched him get to the end, him waving back at us.

“Perfect technique!” Professor Emetterio calls out. “That’s exactly what you should all be doing.”

“Perfect, and yet he was still passed over at Threshing,” Luca snarks. “Guess the dragons have some sense of taste.”

“Give it a rest, Luca,” Rhi says and I look back at her.

“I hope you fall off.” I snark and she just blinks at me when I turn back around at Vi’s disapproving look. Definitely don’t want to piss Vi off before the course.

“Alia!” Professor Emetterio’s voice rings out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the air. A grin spreads across my face as I push off the ground and sprint forward. The world blurs around me as I glide over the logs, my feet barely grazing them before I’m already through, the seconds ticking away in a flash. My team’s cheers echo in the distance, but all I hear is the rush of air and the steady rhythm of my own breath.

The pillars loom ahead, but I don’t hesitate. With a smooth leap, I clear the gap and land with practiced precision, my muscles already anticipating the next move. The turning wheel comes into view, its massive iron frame twisting before me like a living thing. I scan it, my gaze darting to find the opening—a perfect window in the rotating chaos. My body moves before my mind can even catch up, and I dive through, the timing as flawless as if Zihnal himself were guiding my every step.

I don’t stop. Not for a second.

The giant hanging balls are up next, their bulky shapes swinging wildly in the air. With a surge of energy, I launch myself forward, arms outstretched to wrap around the nearest one. The strain of my reach tugs at my muscles, but I ignore the burn, swinging onto the next with practiced grace. The ascent is dizzying, each leap pushing me higher, and before I know it, I’m on the final stretch—my feet slam into the ground with a satisfying thud.

I don’t pause.

The third ascent looms, but I barely notice it. I’m already sprinting, my legs moving in a blur of strength and speed. The first metal rod is in front of me, and I grab it without a second thought, the cold, unyielding surface biting into my palms. The momentum carries me forward, and I catch the next rod, swinging my body through the air as if I were born to do this. The feeling of wind rushing past me is intoxicating, a heady mix of adrenaline and accomplishment. I’m at the end before I even realize it, landing on the shaking pillars below.

The gravel beneath my feet feels oddly solid, grounding me for just a moment before I charge forward again, my body still thrumming with the energy of the course.

The spinning logs are next—just like Aurelie warned. They’re unpredictable, their surfaces slick and shifting underfoot, but I’m ready. The moment I step onto them, it feels like my body and the course are one—fluid, unstoppable. Each movement is precise, a step in the rhythm of chaos. I surge forward, ignoring the beads of sweat now dripping down my neck, the fire in my veins pushing me on. I can hear in the distance Pyror’s heavy footfalls sound behind me as he starts, but I don’t look back. Not now.

I clear the logs with a single, graceful leap and approach the final obstacle: the towering chimney formation. I can feel the weight of it before I even reach it—the familiar, looming mass of rock that had once given me trouble during practice. The memory of my struggles flashes through my mind, but I don’t let it slow me down. With a sharp exhale, I focus, and in a blur of motion I scale the chimney with ease.

The ground drops away as I leap to the final challenge. Sawyer’s grinning face is already waiting for me, his eyes alight with excitement as he beams down at me. I laugh, breathless, and do a few quick warm-up jumps, shaking off any lingering tension. I take off in a burst of speed, the final stretch in sight up the ramp. My feet begin to slip—just slightly—on the smooth surface, but I push through it, reaching the top with everything I’ve got.

With one last desperate leap, I extend my right hand as far as I can, fingers grazing the edge. I grip it tightly, heart hammering in my chest, and with a final surge of strength, I pull myself up and over the edge. I roll onto my back, the cool gravel beneath me a welcome relief, my breath coming in heavy gasps. I hear Vi’s victorious scream in the distance, and the sound makes my grin stretch wider than I thought possible.

“Fuck yeah!” Sawyer shouts, pulling me to my feet before I can even catch my breath. His arms wrap around me in a tight hug, and I groan, pretending to be annoyed. “You were—damn, I think you were faster than me!”

“I shouldn’t have eaten so much bread this morning,” I mutter, still laughing as I try to catch my breath. Sawyer rolls his eyes at my half-hearted complaint, but I can tell he’s impressed.

We both turn to watch the rest of our squad. Pyror and Trina are still climbing, pushing themselves up the final stretch with determination.

“We’re a damn good squad this year,” Sawyer says, his voice thoughtful. “I reckon we’re all going to crush this course and maybe even set the fastest time.”

“You can say that again.” I give him a sidelong grin, and we both share a look of quiet satisfaction. The adrenaline is still humming through my veins, and I can’t help but feel like we’re on the brink of something great.

The next two days go by in a blur, the weight of what happened on that course crushing down on us. Everyone feels it, you can tell just by looking at our squad. The run for everyone had been a trailing effort but Aurelie was the only one who didn’t.

I closed my eyes for a moment, took a slow, steadying breath, and then opened them again.

“You’re sure about this?” Dain's voice broke through the silence, directed not at me but at Vi, his hands gently gripping her shoulders. His brow furrowed, concern etched in every line of his face as he briefly looked at me, then returned his focus to Vi.

“If her parents aren’t coming to bury her body, then I should be the one to handle her things. I’m the last person she saw,” Vi explains, adjusting the backpack on her shoulder from beside me. Her eyes flickered toward mine for a brief moment, a silent reassurance. We had talked about this, and I understood. She needed to do this on her own.

Every Basgiath parent has the same option when their cadet is killed. They can retrieve the body and personal effects for burial or burning or the school will put their body under a stone and burn their effects themselves. Aurelie’s parents have chosen door number two.

“And you don’t want me to go with you or Alia?” he asks, palming her neck.

Vi shook her head, her expression resolute.“I know where the burn pit is and I’ll be fine, Al.”

I merely hummed in response, the conversation already settled in my mind. I knew why she needed to go alone. She had to confront it herself.

Dain muttered a curse under his breath, guilt twisting his features. “I should have been there.”

“You couldn’t have done anything, Dain,” Vi says softly, she reached up to cover his hand, their fingers intertwining with quiet intimacy. I shifted my gaze away from them, staring absently at the wall, my throat tight.

“None of us could have. She didn’t even have time to reach for the rope,” I heard Vi whisper and felt my heart clench at the tone. There was a painful pause, a crack in her composure that I could feel deep in my chest. It was as if all the breath left her in that moment, and I couldn’t help but remember the sound of her breaking down in my arms after we returned to the dorms, the rawness in her grief. I hadn’t been able to say anything then—just held her while she cried.

She’d pulled herself together after that, barely acknowledging it as she said she needed a shower.

“I never got the chance to ask you if you made it all the way up,” he says as he gazes down at Vi. 

Vi shakes her head. “I got caught at the chimney formation and had to use a rope to get back down. I’m too short to span the distance, but I’m not thinking about that tonight. I’ll figure something out before the official timed Gauntlet on Presentation day.”

Dain’s eyes softened, but he gave a nod.“All right. Let me know if you need me.”

Vi didn’t respond with words but with a slight nod before turning to leave, her footsteps echoing down the hall. Dain and I stood side by side, watching her go, a heavy silence falling between us.

When Vi was out of sight, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, the weight of everything pressing down on me. I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself.

Then, Dain’s hand landed gently on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to find his gaze searching mine—no words, just a quiet understanding. But it was enough to make the air thicker than it already was and I swallowed.

"What's on your mind, Al?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it carried the weight of years of unspoken understanding between us. It wasn’t the kind of concern that felt like pity, but the quiet kind that made you feel seen in a way no one else could. 

It was the same way he'd always been, there when I needed him, whether I admitted it or not. But tonight, it felt different. There was a certain kind of weight in his words, like he sensed the storm swirling inside me.

I swallowed, the knot in my chest tightening, trying to hold everything in. “Everything, if I’m being honest... but mostly...” My voice trailed off, faltering as I tried to put it into words. It had been gnawing at me for weeks now, a feeling I couldn’t shake. “It’s this... this weight. The one that never quite leaves, you know? The one where you always wonder if you could’ve done more, been better...”

Dain didn’t answer right away, but I saw it in his eyes—he understood, more than anyone else ever could. After a long pause, his voice was low, steady, but there was a truth in it that made the air around us feel heavier. “No, it doesn’t go away. Not completely.”

I exhaled sharply, feeling the frustration simmer beneath my skin. “I know it’s something I’ve got to get used to,” I muttered, my gaze locking with his, searching for any sign of reassurance. “But if it’s Vi, or my friends, or you? I don’t know if I can... that’s what I’m afraid of.”

The silence between us stretched, the words hanging in the air, thick with everything I didn’t say. Dain just stared at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I wondered if I’d gone too far, shared too much. But then, without a word, he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me in a quiet embrace.

It wasn’t the first time he’d done something like this—offered me comfort when I least expected it—but it felt different this time. Dain had always been there for me, in the background, a steady presence. We weren’t best friends, not the kind of people who shared every thought or secret, but we understood each other in ways others couldn’t. Our relationship had always been more of a quiet understanding. He was there when things got rough, when I needed help, and I’d always had his back when he needed it, too. There was no need for grand gestures or deep words; we simply existed in the spaces where the world didn’t feel like it was falling apart.

Growing up, he was always closer to Vi—she had a way of pulling people in, a magnetic force—but Dain never left me behind. He wasn’t the older brother type, nor was I the little sister. We were just... people who found comfort in each other’s presence when things got too heavy.

As I leaned into his embrace, the weight on my chest loosened just a fraction. His arms were solid, unwavering, and for a moment, I let myself surrender to the quiet, letting go of everything that had been building up inside me. He didn’t need to say anything more—he didn’t have to. In that brief space between us, it was enough to just be there, together, no questions asked.

We weren’t the closest, but in this moment, it was everything.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: Admitting and The Challenge

We’d just wrapped up our ninth training session with the Gauntlet. I like to think that with each run, my time gets faster, and I’m able to stay more relaxed through it all. Vi, though—she’s been more determined to conquer the chimney. I’ve been offering advice here and there, even though she’s never asked for it, but she insists she has a plan. So, I trust her.

It’s late now, well past curfew, and tomorrow is Presentation Day. But here I am, in the sparring gym with Liam. We hadn’t sparred in a while; Gauntlet training took over all our focus. But sparring with Liam—well, that’s always been my favorite time with him.

I grappled Liam’s legs, yanking them high, and he lost his balance, falling back onto the mat. I scrambled effortlessly onto his body, straddling him around the hips, before grabbing both of his wrists with one hand, pinning them above his head. I pressed the dagger lightly against his throat, its edge cold and sharp.

“Yield, would you?” I asked sweetly, locking my gaze onto his blue eyes as I leaned closer, giving him a cheeky grin.

He let out a breathless laugh, sweat trickling down the side of his face. He looked up at me, still struggling, but with a playful glint in his eyes.

“I like this position, though. Don’t you?” he muttered, his lips curling into that mischievous grin I couldn’t seem to resist.

I scrunched my face in mock disgust, then leapt off him, ignoring his laughter as it rang in the room. I shielded my face with my hair as I moved away from him, knowing full well that it wasn’t just the sparring that had me heated.

“Dude, please,” I muttered, shaking my head as I grabbed a towel from the side of the mat. Sweat clung to my skin as I wiped my face and sat down, hoping to cool off a bit.

Liam stopped laughing and sat up from where he had been sprawled out on the mat, ruffling his damp hair. I tried to look away, but my eyes betrayed me, lingering on the way his tank top clung to his broad shoulders, the way the sweat made his skin glisten. Damn hormones.

I swallowed hard, trying to clear my throat before tossing a towel in his direction.

“Favorite hobby when you’re not running yourself ragged?” I asked, my voice a little less steady than I intended. It wasn’t the first time we’d asked random questions between training sessions. It had become our little bonding ritual.

“Other than this?” He shrugged, stretching before walking over to sit beside me. Our shoulders brushed, and I caught the faintest hint of a smile as he reached for his water pouch. He took a long drink before rummaging through his bag, pulling out a small piece of wood that was only half-whittled.

“Wooden figures,” he said, glancing at me as he settled back against the wall. “I’ve been doing it since I was fostered. It’s kind of a comfort now, something to do when I need a bit of normalcy in my life.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Is that a dagger?” I asked, my voice softer as I leaned closer to inspect the rough edges of the carving.

He nodded, his eyes glimmering with pride. “Haven’t finished it yet. It’s part of a set. Once it's done... I'll show you.”

I smiled, an instinctive warmth flooding my chest. “Please do. I feel like I see you whittle all the time, but I never see the finished product.”

He chuckled and tucked the unfinished piece back into his bag before looking at me. “Best thing you’ve ever baked?”

I laughed at the sudden change in topic. My thoughts instantly wandered back to the last time I’d baked something—a cake I made for Vi’s 18th birthday.

“Probably a cake I made for Vi,” I said, grinning at the memory. “It was a vanilla cake with fresh strawberries and cream. She loved it and that was probably the first time something I made was demanded alot more afterwards.”

Liam sighed, his gaze distant for a moment. “That sounds amazing.”

My lips twitched at his tone. “Once we hit second year, I’ll make one for the whole group.”

He gave me a sly grin. “Guarantee you, I’d probably marry you if it tastes as good as it sounds.”

I snorted and playfully shoved him. “Alright, calm down.”

His laughter died down, and after a beat of silence, I turned to him and asked my next question.

“What’s your biggest dream?” I muttered, genuinely curious.

For a second, I noticed a shift in him, something more profound in his gaze. He tensed, then relaxed again, but I felt a shift in the air between us.

“To go home,” he said softly, his voice carrying a weight I hadn’t expected, one that made the air feel heavier. “I miss Sloane... my younger sister. She’s the one person who always kept me grounded. And Xaden—he’s like a brother to me. I don’t think I’ll ever truly feel like I’m home again until I’m with them. Until we’re all together, where it feels like we belong.”

His words hung in the air, and the usual banter between us quieted for a moment. I swallowed hard, trying to piece together the emotions in his voice, the vulnerability behind his words. He met my gaze, and for the first time, I felt like I was seeing something deeper than just the playful, confident Liam I knew.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice quieter than usual. “I get that.”

The air between us grew quieter, more comfortable, as the weight of the moment settled in. I rested my head against Liam’s shoulder, feeling the tension leave his body as I did. Then I felt his head lean lightly against the top of mine, the unspoken gesture grounding me.

“What’s your biggest fear, Al?” His voice broke through the calm, softer than usual, and I froze at the question.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My mind rushed to a dark place I’d been trying to avoid. “Abandonment,” I whispered, the word feeling heavier than I expected.

I felt Liam shift next to me, his hand gently resting on my knee. His touch was warm and steady.

“For me,” I continued, my voice barely above a whisper, “it’s not death. It’s the thought of leaving people behind. Of not being there when they need me... or worse, them leaving and me never being able to make things right. It’s the fear of not being enough to keep myself and others alive.”

The words felt like they were tearing through me as I said them, raw and unfiltered. I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat refusing to disappear. “What scares me most, though... is the idea of being left behind. Alone in more ways than it should be.”

There was a long pause, and for a moment, I thought maybe I’d said too much. But then, Liam’s hand gave my knee a reassuring squeeze. His voice, quiet but steady, broke the silence.

“I get that,” he said softly, his words carrying the weight of his fears.

I shifted slightly, meeting his gaze. He was looking ahead, but there was something in his eyes that told me he understood, something raw and real. We shared this space of vulnerability, two people who had felt the sting of loneliness in different ways.

Liam leaned his shoulder against mine, a simple, comforting gesture, and for the first time, the weight of all our fears didn’t feel so crushing. “But I’m here,” he said quietly, almost like a promise. “We’re here. You’re not alone in this.”

I felt a knot in my chest loosen, the tension melting away with the simple truth in his words.

“And I’m here now for you,” I muttered before catching the glimpse in his eyes of the appreciation of those words. I leaned my head back on his shoulder and felt him place his ontop of mine again.  The room goes silent as we both just sit there, taking in the comfort of each other's presence. This was what I needed with one of my dearest friends, a moment with him before tomorrow’s challenge.

Because tomorrow wasn’t just Presentation Day—it was the day everything could change.

“Doria Merrill,” Captain Fitzgibbons’ voice booms from the dais, clear and unyielding. The sun sits low, just behind a curtain of clouds, but I can still see every sharp detail of his features, the way his uniform fits perfectly, and the way his eyes scan the formation. We grow tighter with every cadet who falls.

It’s Presentation Day, and in order to reach the flight field, we have to climb the Gauntlet first. Everything about the Riders Quadrant is built to separate the strong from the weak, and today, it’s no different.

“Kamryn Dyre.” The Captain continues, voice steady.

I feel a hand twitch beside me. Vi. I glance at her, catching the grimace on her face before she looks down again. I do the same, eyes fixed on the ground, trying to push away the dread creeping up my spine.

“Arvel Pelipa.”

Imogen and Quinn—second-years—suck in sharp breaths ahead of me. It’s not just the first-years at risk today. We’re all likely to die; we’re just the most expendable.

“Michel Iverem.” The Captain finishes, his voice grim. “We commend their souls to Malek.” And with that, the formation breaks apart.

“Second- and third-years, unless you're on Gauntlet duty, head to class. First-years, show us what you've got.” Dain steps forward, a forced smile plastered across his face. He looks at us as if it’s a routine, as if we aren’t about to march into a gauntlet of death.

“Good luck today.” Imogen gives Vi a sickly-sweet smile, tucking a stray strand of pink hair behind her ear. “Hopefully you won’t fall... short.”

I snort, watching her face flash with alarm when her gaze flicks to me. I wave at her, leaning casually on Vi’s right shoulder, letting my presence be known.

Vi stares after Imogen for a moment, whose gaze hardens with silent loathing, before she smiles back at Imogen. “See you later.” Her tone is confident, and I can’t help the swell of pride that rises in my chest.

Imogen’s face twists in a brief moment of fury, but she turns and walks off, joined by Quinn and Cianna, our executive officer. The blonde’s shoulder-length curls bounce with every step.

“Best of luck.” Heaton, the thickest third-year in our squad, with red flames streaked into their hair, taps his heart over their patches and gives us a genuine—but flat-lipped—smile before heading to class.

I blinked at him.

“I didn’t realize Heaton actually knew how to speak.” Ridoc's eyebrows furrow in disbelief. I snicker again and glance at him.

“I was literally just thinking that,” I mutter under my breath. Ridoc meets my eyes, and we exchange an unspoken “Right?” before turning our attention back to the group.

In the past few weeks, we’ve all grown stronger, physically and mentally. Our team feels more like a unit now. When I’m not with Vi or Liam, I’m with Rhi or Ridoc and Sawyer, the two inseparable jokers who’ve become a light to our days.

“Maybe Heaton figures we should at least get a ‘hi’ before we’re roasted alive,” Rhiannon quips, her voice full of dry humor, and I snort.

“Back into formation,” Dain commands, voice sharp.

“Are you coming with us?” Vi asks as we shuffle back into our positions, standing tall.

Dain nods without looking at her. There’s something about his posture—something stiff, something unresolved, and that tells me all I need to know.

We fall into two neat lines of four, the same as the other squads. It’s a familiar routine.

“Awkward,” Rhiannon whispers from the front, where she’s standing just ahead of Vi, who’s beside me. I feel Ridoc’s presence at my back, his slight tension matching mine. “He seems kind of pissed at you.”

Vi sighs, her gaze sweeping forward before flicking back to Rhi, and then she looks at me. “He wants something I can’t give him.”

I narrow my eyes at her words, the subtle shift in her tone catching me off guard. She meets my gaze again before snorting and rolling her eyes. “Not like that, you two.”

“Alright, good,” I mutter, relief flooding through me. Rhi kicks me in the shin with her heel from in front of me, and I don’t even flinch. But I still give her a narrowed look as her shoulders shake with barely contained laughter.

“I wouldn’t care if it was like that,” Rhi murmurs under her breath, her eyes flicking to Dain as we march along. “He’s hot. He has that whole ‘boy-next-door-who-can-still-kick-your-ass’ vibe going for him.”

“Okay, ew.” I scrunch my face up at that, and Ridoc taps my arm, dragging my attention away from Rhi’s antics.

“We’re the biggest squad,” Ridoc points out as the squads to our left—First Wing—begin filing out through the western gate. I follow his gaze. He’s right.

“What are we down to?” Tynan asks from behind.

“Hundred and eighty?” Heaton calls, looking back.

“Hundred and seventy-one,” Dain answers, his tone grim as Second Wing begins to move, led by their wingleader.

“For a hundred dragons? But what will we…” Trina trails off, her nerves getting the better of her.

“Stop letting fear leach into your voice,” Luca snaps from behind Rhiannon. “If the dragons think you’re a coward, you’ll be nothing but a name tomorrow.”

“She says,” Ridoc deadpans, “inducing more fear.”

“Shut up,” Luca fires back. “You know it’s true.”

“Just portray confidence, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Vi’s voice cuts through the tension, calm and steady. She leans forward so the rest of the squad can’t hear. “We’ve got this.”

Trina nods, swallowing hard. “Thanks.”

I scan the other squads, wishing I could spot Liam, but before I can get lost in the crowd, I catch a glimpse of that familiar blond hair. He’s standing back in the Tail Section. As if he sensed me looking, Liam catches my eye and flashes that wide grin of his, waving.

I chuckle, waving back, before Vi speaks, her voice light but knowing.

“Nervous, Rhi? Al?”

I feel the excitement stirring in me as the tension from the morning starts to fade. This is the Gauntlet, the test of all tests. And as much as it's a death trap, there's an exhilaration in the air, one I can never resist. I made sure to eat light this morning; don't want to give myself a stitch somehow.

“For you?” Rhi asks, voice full of confidence. “Not at all. We’ve got this.”

“Heck yeah, we do.” I chime in, my excitement noticeable to others. I lean against Rhi’s shoulders, hands resting on her shoulders, feeling the buzz of anticipation ripple through me.

“Oh, I meant about the history test tomorrow,” Vi teases, winking at me as I gasp in mock horror. “There’s nothing going on today to panic about.”

“Now that you mention it, the Treaty of Arif might just be the death of me,” Rhi grins, and I can’t help but laugh.

“I just need to remember where I left my book,” I mumble, but it holds some truth to it.

Rhi kicks me again, laughing, and Vi just shakes her head, grinning.

“Ahh, the agreement between Navarre and Krovla for mutually shared airspace for both dragons and gryphons over the narrow strip of the Esben Mountains,” she recalls, nodding. “Sumerton to Draithus.”

“Gods, I love that about you.” I grin, leaning back away from Rhi as Vi sends me a warm smile.

“Your memory is terrifying,” Rhi adds, glancing at Vi.

“Fourth Wing!” Xaden’s voice echoes from somewhere ahead. “Move out!”

We file out, Flame Section first, then Claw, and finally, Tail. There’s a bit of a bottleneck at the gate, but once we’re through, we step into the dim mage-lit tunnel leading to the Gauntlet. Shadows cling to the rocky floor beneath our boots.

Dain falls back, walking between Rhiannon and Vi, giving me a small nod before turning forward again. “Change your mind?” he murmurs, too quietly for anyone else to hear.

I feel a strange sense of comfort. As irritating as it is, Dain’s persistence means he’s still looking out for Vi, and part of me knows he could pull her out of this if she ever changed her mind.

“No.” Vi speaks, her voice unwavering as she holds her head high.

I smile at her determination, then turn my attention to Ridoc, deciding to give them a little privacy.

“How ya feeling, Ridoc?” I ask.

His eyes meet mine, wide and full of excitement. He grins.

“Other than wanting to puke my guts out? Definitely more excited to see the dragons.”

His grin is infectious, and my heart warms at the sight of our team, strong and ready. We’re all in this together, and there’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll make it through.

“So, are we drinking after this or what?” I whisper, nudging his side.

He laughs, clapping me on the shoulder. “You didn’t even need to ask.”

We finally the end and sunlight hits my face and I couldn't stop another smile gracing my face at the feeling. My breath catches every time I see this view. The valley stretches endlessly below, wildflowers dotting the landscape in vibrant colors. The Gauntlet rises before us, its jagged obstacles carved into the face of the cliff, the top hidden in the clouds.

I can’t help but follow the obstacles higher and higher, my gaze tracing the path up to the ridgeline where the flight field awaits. Normally, only riders are allowed there—except for today, for Presentation.

After Dain leaves, Vi looks back at me, and our eyes meet. I reach forward and take her hand in mine, my voice soft but steady.

“You with me?”

Her hazel eyes lock onto mine, shining with unspoken promise. She squeezes my hand, her voice steady and unwavering.

“Always.”

My heart nearly burst from my chest as I dashed forward, accidentally shoving Ridoc aside. He shouted something, but I barely registered it. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around Vi’s waist. She froze for a second, wheezing as though I’d squeezed the air from her lungs. Then, her arms wrapped around my neck, and I spun her around, laughing.

“You fucking maniac!” I shouted gleefully, placing her back on the ground and cupping her face in my hands, grinning down at her. “That idea was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. And fuck, I’m so proud of you.”

She looked up at me, her face flushed from the sun, and I could have sworn the world stopped for just a second. Her smile was blinding.

And for a moment, I felt my heart stutter.

Before she could say anything, Rhiannon launched herself at Vi, pulling me into the hug as well. Ridoc smacked the back of my head playfully, then wrapped his arms around us, squeezing us into a tight celebration.

“She can’t do that!” someone shouted from behind.

“Yeah, well, she just did!” Ridoc tossed over his shoulder without missing a beat. I turned, flipping a middle finger in that direction, before turning back to the scene in front of me. My heart warmed as I saw the relief and exhaustion on Vi’s face.

“You made it!” Rhiannon’s voice cracked with emotion as she cupped Vi’s face in her hands. I stood just behind them, Ridoc close by. “You made it!”

“Luck,” Vi muttered, drawing in a sharp breath. “And adrenaline.”

“Cheating!”

I groaned out loud. That voice… Amber fucking Mavis.

We all turned in unison, and I adjusted my stance, standing protectively behind Vi. Rhi and Ridoc moved in, forming a wall of support around her. Amber’s fury was almost comical, but I couldn’t stop myself from smirking as she marched straight up to our Wingleader, who looked completely indifferent.

“Back the hell up, Mavis,” Garrick growled, his swords gleaming in the sunlight as he stepped between Amber and Xaden, blocking her path.

“The cheater clearly used foreign materials—twice!” Amber yelled. “This can’t be tolerated! We live by the rules, or we die by them!”

Ridoc and I exchanged a look, and we rolled our eyes in perfect sync.

“I don’t take kindly to calling anyone in my section a cheater,” Garrick warned, his voice low and steady. “And my Wingleader will handle any rule-breaking in his own wing.”

With a final look at Amber, Garrick moved aside, and we were met with her icy blue glare.

I stared her down, feeling the heat of her contempt for Vi. My fingers twitched over the daggers I’d brought with me, even though I knew there was no real reason to draw them. I’d have worn my short swords, but I hadn’t used them in so long.

“Sorrengail?” Xaden’s voice broke through my thoughts, his eyebrow arched in challenge as he poised a pen over the book. He glanced at Vi, then shifted his gaze to me for just a moment before returning to Vi.

“I expect the thirty-second penalty for using the rope,” she replied, her tone even and confident.

I glanced down, my eyes widening in concern as I noticed the blood dripping from her hands. Cursing silently for not bringing wraps, I promised myself I’d help her as soon as this was over.

“And the knife?” Amber’s voice dripped with accusation. “She’s disqualified.”

When Xaden didn’t answer immediately, she turned that seething glare on him. “Surely she’s out! You can’t tolerate lawlessness in your own wing, Riorson!”

But Xaden didn’t even blink. His gaze remained locked on Vi, who was staring back at him, her posture tense but unwavering.

“A rider may only bring to the quadrant the items they can carry—” Vi started, her voice steady.

“Are you quoting the Codex–?” Amber barked, her voice sharp.

“Let her finish, Mavis,” I cut in coldly, my eyes narrowing to slits. Amber flinched slightly but snarled in response.

“—and they shall not be separated from those items no matter what they may be,” Vi continued, her voice firm. “For once, carried across the parapet, they are considered part of their person. Article Three, Section Six, Addendum B.”

Amber’s eyes widened in realization, and I couldn’t stop the triumphant smirk that stretched across my face when Vi locked eyes with her.

“That addendum was written to make thievery an executionable offense,” Amber spat.

“Correct,” Vi nodded, glancing between her and Xaden. “But in doing so, it gave any item carried across the parapet the status of being part of the rider.” She unsheathed the battered, chipped blade she’d carried across. “This isn’t a challenge blade. It’s one I carried across, and therefore, it’s considered part of me.”

I caught Xaden’s eyes flickering toward me for a brief moment, and I saw the faintest twitch of his lips. I clenched my fists, suddenly aware of how inexplicably attractive that tiny, almost imperceptible gesture was. I quickly looked away, focusing instead on the side of Vi’s face, her skin flushed and glistening with sweat.

“The right way isn’t the only way,” Vi said, her voice resolute.

I furrowed my brows in confusion. I’d never heard her say that before.

My heart gave an uncomfortable lurch as I turned my gaze back to Xaden. His eyes had darkened, and the look he gave Vi was intense.

I froze, then turned back to Vi, noticing that she hadn’t backed down from Xaden’s gaze. In fact, she met it head-on.

You’ve got to be kidding, I thought to myself, my mood soured in an instant.

“She has you, Amber,” Xaden said, his voice low but final.

“On a technicality!” Amber protested.

“She still has you,” he replied, turning just enough to shoot a look at her—one that would make most people run for cover.

“You think like a scribe,” Amber snarled as she faced Vi.

“I know.” Vi nodded, a sly grin creeping onto her face.

Mavis stormed off, and I watched her retreat, the air thick with her defeat. I turned to Vi, noticing the silence that had fallen over Ridoc and Rhi. Even I knew better than to butt into a conversation like that so it's why I wasn't ripping into Mavis.

“Sorrengail,” Xaden’s voice cut through the stillness, and both Vi and I snapped our gazes toward him. His eyes dropped pointedly to her hands.

“You’re leaking.”

My stomach tightened at the sight of her bloodstained palms. Xaden’s gaze didn’t waver as he ordered, “Do something about it.” Then, his eyes shifted to me, locking with mine.

I nodded sharply, my chest tightening with something I couldn’t quite place. Vi shifted closer to me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, drawing her in as we turned away. She looked up at me, grinning like she’d won a war, and I couldn’t help but beam back.

“Have I ever told you I love it when you shut people down?” I said, my voice light with affection.

Rhi snorted as she joined us, holding the wraps for Vi. I thanked Amari before sending her a look full of thanks. Vi chuckled, shaking her head.

“None I can recall,” she replied with a playful look, holding her hands out to Rhi before sitting down on the ground. I joined her, our shoulders brushing. “But I wouldn’t mind getting more compliments.”

Her smug smile was the kind that made my heart skip, and I rolled my eyes fondly.

“I’ll make note of that,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips. Vi’s soft laugh was a welcome sound, and even Rhi couldn’t stifle her snicker.

And only one thought came to mind at the end of the day when our team finished, we all made it.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Presentation and Confessions

There's a slight chill to the air even with the sun beaming down on us and it’s not from the wind that rushes our way. There's 169 of us by the time the morning is done and while we didn’t place that high even with my scoring, we still placed 10th which was a bonus itself.

Liam had placed first in Gauntlet with me coming second and literally being only 1 second away from his record. As happy as I am for my favourite blonde, I have a feeling I won’t be hearing the end of it when we meet back up.

So now we’re standing waiting for our squad's turn to go through the box canyon in the training field where the dragons await to judge us and if we’re even worthy of being here. Even from where I’m standing, they’re intimidating and beautiful to gaze at. Though that isn’t enough to believe this could be my very last day on earth if I do the wrong thing.

I brushed aside the nerves that came forth and plastered a grin on my face whenever my friends looked my way.

“Let’s go, second squad, you’re up next.” Garrick says, beckoning us with a wave that makes the relic on his bare forearm gleam. I had learnt his name after asking Liam about him when I had the fortunate opportunity of snapping Pinkys arm.

I still note that he is a brute in my head.

I follow Rhi and Vi, being right at the back of the squad. Had been trying to keep Vi’s mind off the presentation today though now that we’re in front of it, it’s now redundant.

“Into formation,” Garrick orders, his tone all business, which doesn’t surprise me given that his leadership style is more mission first, niceties last. The right side of his uniform has a neat line of patches proclaiming him Flame’s section leader as well as more than five patches advertising his skill with a multitude of weapons.

Garrick’s hazel eyes skim over us. “Hopefully Aetos has done his job, so you know that it’s a straight walk down the meadow. I’d recommend staying at least seven feet apart—”

“In case one of us gets torched,” Ridoc mutters from ahead and I snort, ignoring the look Rhi threw over her shoulder.

“Correct, Ridoc. Cluster if you want, just know if a dragon finds disfavor with one of you, it’s likely to burn the whole lot to weed one out,” Garrick warns, holding our gazes for a beat. “Also, remember you’re not here to approach them, and if you do, you won’t be making it back to the dormitory tonight.”

“Can I ask a question?” Luca says from the front row.

Garrick nods, but the ticking of his jaw says he’s annoyed. I smirk from where I’m standing, crossing my arms over my chest as Luca just seems to have that effect on everyone. Whilst doing so, I noted that Garrick had looked directly at me for a second before turning back to Luca.

Now that made me raise an eyebrow.

“Third Squad, Tail Section of Fourth Wing already went through, and I talked to some of the cadets…”

“That’s not a question.” He lifts his brows.

Yep, he’s annoyed.

“Right. It’s just that they said there’s a feathertail?” Her voice pitches upward.

“A f-feathertail?” Tynan sputters from directly in front of us in the back. “Who the hell would ever want to bond a feathertail?”

Vi had tilted her head and Rhi shook hers while I just sighed out loud and pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Professor Kaori never told us there would be a feathertail,” Sawyer says. “I know because I memorized every single dragon he showed us. All hundred of them.”

“Well, guess there’s a hundred and one now,” Garrick replies, looking at us as if we’re children he’d like to be rid of before glancing back over his shoulder at the entrance to the valley. “Relax. Feathertails don’t bond. I can’t even remember the last time one has been seen outside the Vale. It’s probably just curious. You’re up. Stay on the path. You walk up, you wait for the entire squad, you walk back down. It really doesn’t get any easier than this from here on out, kids, so if you can’t follow those simple instructions, then you deserve whatever happens in there.” He turns and heads over to a path before the canyon wall where the dragons are perched.

We follow, breaking away from the crowd of first-years. My mind goes blank as I fall into the habit of just blocking out anything. Just make sure I follow Rhi and Vi.

“They’re all yours,” Garrick says to the quadrant’s senior wingleader, a woman I’ve seen a few times in Battle Brief murmuring to Xaden. Her uniform still has her signature spikes on the shoulders, but this time they’re gold and look sharp as hell—like she wanted to throw in a little extra badass today.

She nods and dismisses him. “Single file.”

We all shuffle into a line. I’m placed in front of Vi while Rhi is at her back and Tynan just ahead of me. Which is something I’d consider good as he’s been pissing me off lately so any chance to make him seem weaker in front of the dragons, I’ll take it.

“Talk,” the senior wingleader says, folding her arms across her chest.

“Nice day for a Presentation,” Ridoc jokes.

“Not to me.” The senior wingleader narrows her gaze on Ridoc, then motions to the line of cadets before her. “Talk to your nearby squadmates while you’re on the path, as it will help the dragons get a sense of who you are and how well you play with others. There’s a correlation between bonded cadets and level of chatter.”

“Feel free to look at the dragons, especially if they’re showing off their tails, but I would abstain from eye contact if you value your life. If you come across a scorch mark, just make sure nothing’s currently on fire before continuing along.” She pauses long enough for that bit of advice to sink in, then adds, “See you after your stroll.”

With a sweep of her hand, the senior wingleader steps to the side, revealing the dirt path that leads through the center of the valley, and up ahead, sitting so perfectly still that they might be gargoyles, are the hundred and one dragons who have decided to bond this year.

The line starts, and we give one another the suggested seven feet before following.

The gravel beneath me crunches and sounds alot louder than they should be considering everyone is still not talking. I let out a sigh before I turned towards Vi who is behind me, casually.

“I’m hungry.”

Vi let out a disbelieving laugh at that while Rhi just rolled her eyes at me fondly.

“Really, Al? Now of all times.” Vi replied, trying to be stern but I can hear the amusement.

“What? A girl gotta eat.” I said back.

The air is cool, the kind of cold that creeps in without you noticing until suddenly you do. The stars are bright tonight, scattered across the sky like they’ve been flung there by careless hands. I sit beneath the old oak tree, back pressed against the bark, needing the stillness. After everything that happened after losing two from our squad,  I needed space to breathe.

There had been a moment during Presentation too that nearly made my heart leap from my chest. Two green dragons had gotten a bit too close to Vi, sniffing her and giving me the worst possible outcome during it. It wasn’t until one of the smaller green dragons came close to me aswell, sniffing my waist.

The corsets we were given would definitely be the reason for that outcome.

Violet is beside me, her knees hugged tightly to her chest, her fingers restlessly weaving through the grass. Not picking it. Just touching , like if she keeps moving, maybe the thoughts won’t catch up. She’s quiet, but not in the way she usually is. This is a silence edged with something sharp.

I can feel it. The tension in her shoulders. The way she’s curling in on herself like she’s trying to disappear. I don’t say anything at first. I just let it settle. Let her sit with it.

Then softly, I break the silence. “Hey. What’s on your mind?”

Her breath hitches, and for a moment, I think she’s going to stay silent. But then her voice comes, quieter than I’ve ever heard it.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for this, Al.” She doesn’t look at me. Just keeps her eyes on the dirt. “What if I’m not good enough? What if I don’t come back with a dragon, or at all?”

The words hit me like a gut punch. Not because they’re surprising, but because I know exactly what they mean. What they cost her to say out loud. I don’t let the ache show, though. I just breathe and move a little closer.

“You are good enough,” I say gently. “You’ve always been good enough.”

She lets out a shaky laugh, bitter and low. “You don’t get it. Everyone else fits here. You, Rhiannon, the others... I feel like I’m faking it. Like everyone’s waiting for me to fall apart. And what if they’re right?”

She finally looks at me, and I swear for a second I see something in her eyes that almost undoes me. Not just fear. But guilt. Shame. Like she’s already convinced herself she doesn’t belong. When in truth she does, more than most we’ve encountered.

“I’m not strong, Alia,” she says. “Not really. I’m not like you. You keep going no matter what. Me? I’m barely holding it together.”

And god, how do I explain to her that I know exactly how that feels? That I’ve sat in that same darkness. That I’ve thought those same things in the quiet of night. I don’t. I can’t—not now. She doesn’t need to carry my fear too. And I refuse to burden her with those thoughts I so desperately want to speak out loud.

So instead, I reach for her hand, let my fingers brush hers and link them together before I speak.

“Violet, strength isn’t about being unbreakable. It’s about choosing to keep going, even when everything inside you wants to quit.”

She stills at that, just a little. Enough to listen.

“And you’ve got this fire that never dies out. I’ve seen it over the years either it be with me when we disagree on something or with your own family, heck anything. I see you.”

I shift so I can face her more fully, my voice low but sure. “You’re the smartest person I know. You don’t just survive, Vi. You fight. You adapt. You endure. You control. That’s real strength. That’s what makes you you .”

She’s quiet. But I can see it, her breathing deeper, slower. She’s trying to believe me. Trying to hold on to the words like they’re a lifeline.

“But what if that’s not enough?” she whispers, and I can feel how tightly she’s wound. How much it hurts just to say that. Because fuck just drag a dagger in my stomach at this point.

I don’t hesitate this time. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her in, gentle but firm. She resists for half a second before folding into me like something inside her just gave out. Her head finds my shoulder, her arms–hands wrapping around and feeling them lace together on my lower back.

“It is enough,” I murmur. “You’re enough, Violet. You always have been. And I’ll keep saying it until you believe it.”

She doesn't answer at first. But she doesn't pull away either. She just breathes, slow and trembling, her body warm against mine as the cold night presses in around us.

“You really think I can do this?” she asks eventually, voice barely audible.

I rest my cheek against her hair, letting the moment hold us. “I don’t think it. I know it. You’re going to walk out there and show them exactly who you are. And then you’re going to come back—with a dragon and with more than you ever thought you were capable of.”

Violet exhales, her breath catching before she tightens her hold on me still burying her face in my shoulder.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

I let out a small laugh. “You’d survive. But I’m really glad we don’t have to find out.”

She laughs, quiet and cracked but it’s real. There’s more lightness in her tone. More than there was before.

“I’m glad you’re here, Alia.”

I tilt my head before planting a small kiss to the crown of her head, feeling her tense for a second before she melts even further in my arms. “Always. No matter what tomorrow brings… I’m with you.”

The silence that falls between us now is different. Still, yes. But full. Not empty. It’s nice to have this small moment between us as with the chaos inside our barracks, we never have a moment alone unlike now.

And maybe we don’t have the answers. Maybe the fear never fully goes away. It keeps it’s grip on us until we succumb to it or move with it. But at this moment, I know one thing.

She’s not alone.

Not while I’m here.

She shifts in my hold, and I feel her body move until she's facing me. I adjust, leaning back against the tree to make us both more comfortable, ensuring she doesn't cramp up from the way we're holding each other. Her breath dances across the side of my face, and that small sensation sends an unexpected jolt through me.

“Al…” she murmurs, her voice soft but serious, “Can I ask you something, and trust that you won’t throw me into the river?”

I glance at her, surprised by the weight in her tone. Her eyes are earnest, and I almost laugh but hold it back, settling for a snort instead.

“Sure,” I reply, my voice teasing, “though I can't promise your safety if the question is a bad one.”

She rolls her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching upward in that familiar, fond way. Then, with a playful but mock-serious glance, she adds, “If you do, I’m telling Samm.”

That gets me, and I look at her incredulously. But before I can say anything, she presses her hand to my mouth, silencing me. I raise an eyebrow, wondering how she managed to keep me quiet like that.

“Lick my hand, and I’ll steal your favorite dagger,” she warns with a wicked grin, “then give it to Dain.”

I roll my eyes, resigned, but nod in agreement. I’m not sure if I would even try to lick her hand, Vi’s not the type to let you off that easily but the playful scolding is enough to keep me quiet.

She seems to pause for a moment, her hand still over my mouth, as she gathers her thoughts. When she speaks again, her voice drops into something quieter, more uncertain.

“You and Liam…” she starts, awkwardly glancing away. I raise an eyebrow, caught off guard, but she doesn’t meet my eyes. “Are you two… a thing?”

The sudden shift in tone leaves me speechless for a moment, and the air between us grows heavier. Vi fidgets a bit, glancing at me again, her face a mix of curiosity and something else.

“I mean, I see how you two are always together when you're not hanging out with me or, you know, us,” she corrects herself quickly, cheeks reddening. “So, I thought maybe... you were, like, seeing each other? If you are, that's cool, but I just wanted to know if it was heading that way, or if not, that’s fine too just—”

I can’t help it. The awkwardness, her flustered rambling, it all hits me at once, and I burst out laughing, still holding her close. Her hand muffles the sound, but the laughter spills out despite her. She freezes, her body going tense, and I feel it in the way my arms tighten around her, instinctively trying to hold her in place.

Vi stares at me, her expression shifting from cute, awkward flush to pure annoyance.

“You know what?” she mutters, voice full of mock indignation. “Forget I asked, you ass.”

Before she can pull away, I quickly grab her wrist still covering my mouth and gently pull it down.

“No—no, wait. I’m sorry, Vi,” I say, my tone still laced with amusement, but now there’s a note of genuine apology. I see the annoyance in her face, and it feels like a jab to the gut. I didn’t mean to make light of it.

She huffs, still glaring at me, her right hand now in mine, her left resting on my shoulder. I’m suddenly very aware of how close she is, how if she shifted her left leg just a little, she’d be straddling me. The thought sends a shiver down my spine.

“No, we’re not a thing, alright?” I say softly, smiling at her to soften the moment. I want to make it clear, and my voice is sincere now, the teasing gone. “Liam’s just a friend I made here. And honestly, the reason I spend so much time with him is that he doesn’t see me as some sort of devil-offspring from my mother and he's not too bad company.”

I watch her closely, waiting for her to react.

She doesn’t say anything at first, but the tension between us begins to ease. Finally, she looks away, as if trying to hide the relief that flickers in her eyes, but I catch it anyway.

“Good,” she mutters, a faint blush still on her cheeks.

I watch her closely, the word echoing in my chest like a stone dropped in still water. Her eyes flicker away, suddenly unable to meet mine and I can’t tell if she regrets saying it, or if she’s terrified I’ll ask why.

But I’ll ask it anyway because if I don’t, I have a feeling I’ll regret not questioning it.

Surprise Violet POV:

“Good?” Al asks, and there’s something in her voice that makes my stomach flip. Not teasing. Not smug. Just soft. Curious. Like she actually cares what that word meant to me.

And I hate that I don’t know how to answer.

Because I hadn’t meant to say it out loud. And now it’s hanging there between us, exposed and fragile, like a thread that could snap if I pull too hard.

I open my mouth then shut it. Because what do I even say?

That I’ve been holding onto feelings I didn’t understand, didn’t want to understand, because this is the one place I can’t afford to fall apart? That I’ve been trying to draw lines between us for months only to keep smudging them every time she laughs or looks at me like I’m her world as I do to her?

So instead I shrug, aiming for nonchalant and landing somewhere around pathetic.

“I mean, you and Liam just… spend a lot of time together,” I say. “So if there was something there, I was trying to be okay with it.”

She says my name. Just that. No demand, no judgment. Just… Vi.

And gods, it’s enough to make me want to curl in against her and stay there.

I feel her hand slide gently into mine. No pressure. Just the warmth of her fingers brushing against mine like she’s reminding me she’s still here, that I can say the thing I’ve been too scared to.

So I do.

“I didn’t want to ruin what we have,” I murmur. “But not saying anything… kind of feels like I’m doing that anyway.”

There’s a pause. My heart is beating loud in my ears, and I risk a glance at her. She’s already watching me—eyes soft, expression unreadable but her eyes are telling me everything. And that’s enough to keep going.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while, you know,” My voice shaky at the realization of what is spilling out but I can’t stop, now when those eyes are piercing right into me.

“I care about you,” I whispered, voice catching in the quiet. “More than just... a friend. And I didn’t know how to say it, because I was scared, but I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel this. Not with you. Not anymore.”

I finish, gazing into those eyes I’ve always found myself searching for in crowds of others. How she makes me feel like home and a nervous wreck all at once, I still don’t understand.. How the sight of her smile directed at me can make my impulsive thoughts crack through and kiss her. 

“I get it,” she says finally. “I’ve been quiet about it too.”

My breath hitches. “So… it’s not just me?”

She shakes her head slowly. “No. Not just you.”

And then her voice drops, almost like she’s afraid to let the words out but doesn’t want to hold them in anymore.

“There’s this moment, every single day, when I find myself waiting for you. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, or where I am. The second you walk into a room, it’s like the world breathes again. Your presence it’s like a weight lifted off my chest. Even the sound of your voice catches me, makes me stop everything just to listen. That’s not something casual, Vi. That’s... it’s everything to me.”

I don’t know what to say. I’m scared that if I speak, I’ll cry. Or say the wrong thing and send this beautiful, terrifying honesty spiraling away. Hearing those words fall from her lips makes my heart instantly swell, in a good way. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me and while I’m good with words, with her? Never can put them in as she’s doing right now.

"I care about you too," Alia whispers, her voice soft but full of warmth. "Not just as a friend. Not in the way I convinced myself I could keep it. It’s more than that—something I can’t quite find the words for yet. And I’m not asking for anything right now, but I need you to know. You’ve become something more to me than I ever expected… something I can’t imagine my life without."

My throat is tight. The air feels heavy and charged, but not in a bad way.

“Okay,” I whisper. “Thank you for saying it.”

She leans in—our lips only centimeters apart, just enough that our foreheads nearly brush. And we sit like that for a while, breathing in sync, the world narrowing down to this small space we’ve carved out between us.

“I don’t want anything to change,” I say but even my heart tells me that I do. I want everything to change.

“It doesn’t have to,” she replies. “We can stay here. Just like this. As long as you need.”

And that’s the thing with Alia. She never asks me to be more than I can. But gods, she makes me want to be.

Eventually, we untangle from each other and start walking back.

The night air is crisp, the stars above us a silent witness to the quiet between us. As we walk back, side by side, the weight of our conversation still lingers, but it’s a different kind of weight now—lighter, warmer, like the space between us has shifted without either of us saying a word.

But I can’t help it. The question burns on my tongue, something I need to ask before I lose my nerve.

I stop, turning to face her. She doesn't stop right away, her steps tapering off before she turns to look at me with that familiar, gentle curiosity in her eyes. It's that look she gives me when she’s trying to figure me out, and it's always made me feel like I could say anything and she’d listen.

And now, I think I need her to listen.

“So... how do you really feel about me?” The words slip out before I can stop them, quieter than I meant them to be. Even though Alia had said those words that made my heart nearly leap from my chest, I want to know more.

She freezes.

I hold my breath, waiting for the awkwardness, the avoidance. I’ve always been able to handle it and that's to push it down, ignore it, because that’s how I’ve had to keep things with her. Safe. Simple.

But tonight is different. Her eyes meet mine, and they’re not full of hesitation. Not entirely.

“I could tell you now,” she says, her voice soft but steady, like she's making a decision as she steps closer and I have to tilt my head up to keep my eyes locked with hers as we stand only a breath away from each other.

“I could tell you everything, about the way you’ve been in my thoughts more times than I’ve counted, about how it’s been harder every day to keep pretending I don’t care in that way.”

My pulse skips, and I swear I stop breathing. She’s not hiding. She’s not pulling away.

Her hands slide to my waist, and she pulls me gently against her. Close enough to feel her heartbeat sync with mine. And gods, I nearly melt. We’ve stood like this before, in different contexts, but now every inch between us is electric. My hands find her shoulders without thinking, grounding myself.

“But I want to do it right,” she continues, and I can feel the weight of the words before they even leave her lips. “I want to tell you when it’s real. When we both come back, standing on the other side of this, with dragons of our own...”

I don’t interrupt, because I get it. I get her.

"After Threshing," she says, her voice soft but full of promise. "When we’re both here—alive, together. That's when I’ll tell you. When I don’t have to hide anymore."

I feel it then like something we’ve both been holding back for too long is finally coming to the surface. The truth, spoken in pieces.

She pulls me closer, wrapping her arms around my waist and  I swear I could fall apart right here in her arms.  Her fingers brush up and down on my back, like she’s waiting for me to pull away. But I don’t. I press closer, because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

Her eyes meet mine again, and this time, there’s no barrier. No walls between us. Just quiet understanding. The kind that only comes after miles of silence, after knowing someone so deeply they feel like home.

“You promise?” I ask, the words barely a whisper, but I need to hear them.

She smiles. Not her usual teasing smile, but a soft, unguarded one—like she’s letting me see something I’m not supposed to.

“I promise, Violet,” she says, and the way she says my name, not Vi, makes me want to hear it even more now. Like it’s more than just a promise. 

We stand there for a moment, the world still going around us. No rush, no need for more words. We both know what we’re holding onto now, what’s changed between us. It’s not some grand declaration. It's just this, this quiet understanding that’s more than enough.

She unwraps herself from me and I feel cold again, not being in her arms. But she stands on my left and I can feel her body heat just from that, and it’s enough for now.

I feel her fingers shift against mine, like she's waiting for me to decide if I’m ready to hold on. And I do. I curl my fingers around hers, softly, but with a sense of certainty I didn't have just an hour ago.

The warmth between us is real, and it’s enough. More than enough.

We walk the rest of the way back in silence, but it’s a peaceful silence. A silence full of possibility, full of the promise she just made to me.

And while tomorrow holds uncertainty if I even bond a dragon, I won’t shake the anticipation I have building up to hear those words from Alia.

I’m fucked.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: Men & Death








I groan and let my head thunk, again , against the cold stonewall of the Rotunda. Regret surges through me like fire, as both Ridoc and Liam erupt into laughter, practically wheezing like children who just overheard a scandal in the dining hall.

“You’re both unbelievable,” I mutter, refusing to look at them as I glare at the floor.

“No,” Ridoc wheezes, barely able to stand upright as he leans against Liam for support and because he ate too much during breakfast, “ you’re unbelievable. You slept with her in your arms and didn’t even kiss her? What kind of emotional slow-burn bullshit is that?”

After last night, Vi had come to me before bed. After everything we'd said out by the old oak, there was still a weight in her eyes, the fear of what Threshing might bring. So I held her. Just wrapped her in my arms, whispered whatever words would soothe her, and for the first time since arriving here… I actually slept. Fully. Deeply. Peacefully.

Naturally, that hadn’t gone unnoticed by dummy one and dummy two. Hence why I’m now cornered in the Rotunda and forced to explain why I looked like I wasn’t dragged from my bed, for once.

Rude.

Liam snorts beside him, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m not judging. I think it’s romantic. Kinda tragic, kinda swoony, very Alia.”

“I will throw you both over the banister,” I say flatly, finally turning to shoot them a withering side-eye.

Liam just grins wider. “Worth it.”

“If I knew you two were going to act like gossiping cadets on tea duty, I wouldn’t have told you anything,” I mutter, flopping down onto the bench behind me. My forehead drops into my palm. “Actually, no—I definitely wouldn’t have told you.”

Ridoc finally composes himself enough to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye. “Nah, you had to tell us. It’s a rite of passage. You have your emotional awakening, we give you absolute hell for it, and then we all move on.”

Liam nods solemnly beside him. “It’s tradition.”

I let out a long-suffering sigh, even as a small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. Gods, they’re insufferable but they’re my insufferable. The weeks that had gone by as I slowly became closer with Ridoc and Liam, they somehow also became best-of-friends. Which, unfortunately for me, meant I was now blessed with twice the chaos and exactly zero peace.

“I swear, you two are the worst.”

“So aside from the snuggle, did you admit your feelings to her?” Liam spoke up and immediately I felt my face heat at the intensity from his gaze and now Ridoc’s questioning one.

Liam raises his eyebrows.I shift uncomfortably, the smile fading a little—but not in a bad way. It softens. “I… didn’t say it exactly.”

Ridoc groans, dragging a hand down his face like I’ve just personally offended him. “ Oh my gods. You emotional wreck. Just say it already!”

Liam nudges him with an elbow. “Hey, ease up. She did say something, didn’t you?”

I nod, the tips of my ears burning. “Yeah. I said things that meant it. She knew what I meant. I think.”

Ridoc throws his hands up like he’s about to combust. “You think? What is this, emotional charades? You cuddle her all night, whisper sweet nothings, and then you think she knows?”

“She knows,” I say, more firmly this time, even if I’m still half-hiding behind my hand. “It got a bit personal. We… talked. A lot and I promised I would explain it more after Threshing to her.”

There’s a beat of silence. A rare one.

Then Liam smiles—not the teasing one, but the real one, the one that’s always been a little too understanding for someone our age. “Good. She needed to hear it. And you needed to say it, however you said it.”

Ridoc nods too, less dramatic now. “About time, really. You two have been doing that ‘don’t touch me—unless I’m dying, or sad, or bleeding’ dance for months.”

I roll my eyes again, but the weight in my chest has lifted. Just a little. “Thanks, I think.”

Liam claps a hand on my shoulder. “You’re welcome. Now let’s hope one of you doesn’t die during Threshing. That would really ruin the romantic arc.”

Ridoc laughs again as I shove him away from me, my lips twitching upwards. “Okay. Now I’m throwing you both over the banister.”

Liam snorts, unfazed. “You’d miss us too much.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ridoc mutters, still rubbing his ribs. “My kidneys are bruised from laughing. That’s friendship abuse.”

I rolled my eyes before standing up and stretching slightly. I had made sure I was geared up so that meant bringing out my short-swords and chucking on my vambraces. I haven’t worn them since the Parapet and having them on me now, gives me comfort about today.

“Ya know, you look slightly intimidating.” Ridoc says as he observes me from head to toe. I snickered at that and raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never seen you littered with weapons before.”

“Please, today’s threshing. Anything can go sideways at this point.” I muttered the last part and Liam gave me a nod at the words.

“She’s not wrong, as much as it’s us focusing on getting bonded there are gonna be those who just hunt down cadets.” Liam trailed off and I noticed the look in his eyes as he glanced down at his relic swirling on his arm. I narrowed my eyes at that as I know exactly what he means. Being a marked one will definitely put a target on his back, one I would happily counter if anyone touches him.

“No one will touch you.” I firmly said and Liam locked eyes with me. We stared at each other for a heartbeat longer than necessary, words unspoken passing between us.

Liam gave me a small, grateful smile—just a tug at the corner of his mouth, but I saw the glint of real appreciation in his eyes. “I know,” he said quietly. “Not with you around.”

I didn’t say anything back because he just knows. I already had a plan to make sure my friends were safe, is it a good plan? Not really still working out how I’m gonna be in multiple places. Will I abandon the plan? Fuck no. So I just reached over and squeezed his shoulder once before pulling away and fastening my vambrace tighter, letting the cold bite of metal ground me.

Ridoc coughed loudly behind us, clearly trying to break the tension. “Okay, well now that we’ve had our touching ‘no one dies today’ moment, can we all agree not to die today?”

“Nope.” Liam chirped up again, his tone lighter.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” I replied dryly.

“I dunno,” Ridoc shrugged dramatically, walking backward toward the corridor that led to the field where we’re all meant to be meeting. “Like you said anything can happen, but I bet Alia would be the first to go if anything. Making enemies with that gorgeous eyes of yours.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re the first to go if you keep talking.”

Liam chuckled as we started moving, all three of us falling into step like we always did. The halls around us were beginning to buzz with nervous tension, cadets checking gear, murmuring anxieties, seniors offering last-minute advice or ominous “you’ll either live or you won’t” shrugs.

Threshing.

The air felt thicker.

I kept my hands loose at my sides, fingers brushing the hilt of one daggers while my other palm skimmed the leather strap over my shoulder. I could feel the weight of everything pressing in expectation, fear, hope but I wasn’t going to crumble.

Not today.

“So,” Ridoc said suddenly, his voice cutting through the charged silence, “if Vi doesn’t kiss you before the sun goes down, are you finally going to grow a spine and just grab her?”

I nearly tripped on air.

Liam barked a laugh. “Gods, Ridoc—”

“Don’t gods me,” he pointed between the two of us. “There’s been pining and longing stares and touches for months. I’ve got grey hair from this slow burn.”

I slapped the back of his head as we turned the corner. “You’re impossible.”

He grinned like he wore the label with pride. “Impossibly charming.”

“Impossibly annoying,” Liam muttered, earning a dramatic gasp from Ridoc.

The three of us fell into a familiar rhythm of banter, snark, concern hiding under humor. But even as I laughed with them, my mind drifted back to her. Violet.

What if this was the last day I got to look at her? What if I didn’t get the chance to—

I shoved the thought down. Hard.

Not today.

I was going to make it through Threshing.

And so was she.

Even if I had to carve a bloody path to make it happen.

We reach the flight field, and the sheer number of first-years packed into the open space is enough to make the ground hum with nerves. Hundreds of cadets—some pacing, some stretching, others trying and failing to hide the tremor in their hands. The sun is out for once, warm and golden against my skin, and for a rare fleeting moment, it feels like something good might actually happen today.

Liam gives us a quick hug, wishing us luck before walking towards his own squad. So now, Ridoc and I stroll toward our squad, the familiar weight of my gear grounding me with every step. He’s muttering something under his breath about odds and how sick he suddenly feels, but I barely catch any of it.

Because I feel it.

Those eyes that I’ve been trying to ignore for months on end. But the sensation of being watched, focused on with the kind of intensity that prickles down your spine and the type that is hard to ignore every single time.

I slow slightly, letting my gaze shift to the treeline when I can feel it.

And there he is.

Leaning against the trunk of one of the towering pines, arms crossed, one boot propped casually against the bark like he doesn’t have a care in the world. But those onyx eyes are locked on me, sharp as blades and burning with something I can’t name.

Xaden Riorson.

He doesn’t move, doesn’t blink—just watches, the unreadable weight of his stare pinning me in place for a breath too long.

I lift my chin. Not in challenge. Not in greeting.

Just acknowledgement.

Ever since that night, he’s been keeping an eye on me. I’m not stupid, I sense when someone is trailing me after I finish my shift in the kitchen or after my late-night sparring sessions. And any encounter I have with Xaden, has been nothing but simple. So after weeks no–months, it’s just been full of mysteries on why he continues to do so.

I glance away first when I come near Rhi and Vi, both who are too busy chatting away to realize I’ve come up behind them. Ridoc trailed off to the side to vomit, shame, with Sawyer quickly checking on him.

I wrap my arms around both Vi and Rhiannon, both of them jumping slightly as I grin at both of them.

“How we feeling?” I spoke up before sneaking a quick glance at Vi, who had immediately wrapped her arm around my hips but this time, it felt more electric. Her eyes were already on me, smiling softly as if she's in a daze and I’m suddenly glad Rhi was here because I would’ve needed someone to stop me from kissing her if I stared any longer.

Rhi went to speak up, throwing an arm around my neck before Professor Kaori speaks up.

“Remember to listen here,” Professor Kaori says from in front of the 147 of us here, tapping his chest. “If a dragon has already selected you, they’ll be calling.” He thumps his chest again. “So pay attention to not just your surroundings but your feelings, and go with them.” He grimaces. “And if your feelings are telling you to go in the other direction…listen to that, too.”

“Which one are you going for?” Rhiannon asks quietly at Vi and I. I tilted my head slightly and I considered what I know about dragons. A green would be lovely as I know they value loyalty above anything else or possibly a brown too.

As I mentally sifted through the two dragon breeds I’d be more than content to bond with, an unexpected wave of disgust coiled low in my stomach.

I frowned, confused. Since when did I feel disgust toward any dragon breed?

The feeling gnawed at me, bitter and wrong, until something in my periphery snagged my attention. I glanced to my right, Liam stood with his squad, casual to the untrained eye. But I know him better than that. The way he kept flicking his gaze to his right before snapping it back toward the professor up front? Tense.

I followed his line of sight and immediately spotted the cause.

A cluster of First Wing cadets, probably about 12 of them standing just a bit too still. Staring just a bit too hard. The tension radiating from their formation was enough to chill the air between us. And two of them were familiar. I’d seen them harass Liam during class, always too subtle to call out but too frequent to be a coincidence. I’d caught them tailing us before, lurking just long enough to stir unease.

And now?

They were grinning at him.

The type of grin that promises blood.

A cold fury swept through me, sharp and immediate, like a blade drawn too fast. That protectiveness I usually kept buried beneath smirks and sarcasm flared like wildfire.

Liam must have felt my eyes on him because he looked over. We locked gazes. I flicked mine toward the group stalking him like prey, making sure he knew I’d seen. His eyes widened slightly in warning before he schooled his features back into that unreadable blank slate he wears too well. Then barely there, a shake of his head.

No. Don’t.

Like hell I’m leaving you alone now.

I narrowed my eyes, making sure he saw just how serious I was. His lips twitched with exasperation before he looked forward again, and I couldn’t stop the sharp smirk tugging at my mouth.

He should’ve known better than to try and brush me off.

A sudden squeeze around my waist startled me. I blinked, snapping back to the present to find Vi tucked against my side. Rhiannon stood just in front of us, eyebrows raised with a look that screamed, welcome back to reality . I must’ve missed whatever conversation just happened.

I gave them both a sheepish grin.

Rhi rolled her eyes, but the affection behind it was obvious as she gave me a light shove. “You’re hopeless.”

Vi giggled beside me. I dropped my arm from Rhi’s shoulders, but kept the one around Vi, grounding myself in her warmth. I wasn’t done with her yet. Not when we’d be pulled apart any minute.

“If you go in groups, you’re more likely to be incinerated than bonded,” Professor Kaori argues with someone near the center of the valley. “The scribes have run the statistics. You’re better off on your own.”

“And what if we aren’t chosen by dinner?” a man with a short beard to my left asks.

I feel Vi tense up besides me before I glanced down at her to see her staring straight. I followed her line of sight and spot Jack Barlowe, grinning darkly towards her before his eyes shifted to me. I narrowed my eyes back at him though he just sent a mocking salute, Tynan and Oren Seifert laughing.

Alright, guess I’ll be leaving a blood trail.

As soon as I thought that, I felt a sense of pride. I furrowed my eyebrows at the feeling before it vanished as quick as it came.

Now this is confusing.

“If you’re not chosen by nightfall, there’s a problem,” Professor Kaori responds, his thick mustache turned down at the ends. “You’ll be brought out by a professor or senior leadership, so don’t give up and think we’ve forgotten about you.” He checks his pocket watch. “Remember to spread out and use every foot of this valley to your advantage. It’s nine, which means they should be flying in any minute now. The only other words I have for you are ‘good luck.'” He nods, sweeping his gaze over the crowd of us with such intensity that I know he’ll be able to re-create this moment in a projection.

Then he leaves, marching up the hill to our right and disappearing into the trees.

My pulse thrums in my ears. This is it. This is the moment. I’ll either walk out of this valley bonded… or I won’t walk out at all.

Rhiannon pulls Vi into a tight hug, their armor clinking softly with the pressure. “Be careful.”

“You too,” Vi says, and they exchange a look like a promise.

I barely have time to blink before Rhi turns to me and yanks me into a rib-crushing hug. “Try not to get yourself killed or injured,” she mutters, muffled against my shoulder.

“No promises,” I murmur back, tightening my grip for a moment longer before letting go.

Then Ridoc’s arms are around me. “Don’t die,” he says gruffly, trying not to sound like he means it as much as he does. But I can tell by the way his arms tighten around me, he definitely means in and I can’t help but squeeze back just as hard.

“That’s the plan,” I whisper. “You better not either.”

“I’m too pretty to die.” He flashes me a cocky grin before giving Vi a bear hug aswell and whispering in her ear. Then he’s off stalking towards Rhi and I turn around to spot Liam who was walking past.

I lock eyes with him before giving a nod.

I told them they won’t touch you and I will take that to the fucking grave.

He smiles softly before nodding and turning away.

Then it’s just Vi and me.

I turn toward her, heart hammering now that there’s nothing left between us but breath and time. The rest of our squad is already scattering like leaves in the wind, drawn by instinct and adrenaline into the valley’s embrace.

“Vi—” I start, but falter. Because her eyes are already on me.

“Alia…” she whispers, and her voice is hoarse like she’s trying not to cry. Or scream.

I grab her hand and squeeze it once, firm and sure, grounding her. Grounding me . “You find your dragon,” I say softly. “I don’t care if it takes hours or until sunset—you keep going. You don’t wait for me. You don’t look for me. And if you need me, I'll only be a few paces behind you or if not, I'll find you. Got it?”

Vi shakes her head. “I’m not just going to leave you out there—”

“Yes, you are ,” I cut in, stepping closer. Our foreheads nearly touch. “Because I can handle myself. But I won’t survive if I think for a second that you’re out there hesitating for me.”

Her breath hitches.

“Vi…” I swallow hard. “Just promise me you’ll make it out.”

Her lips tremble. “You too, you got another promise to follow up with after today.”

My heart threatens to beat out my chest and I couldn’t help but smile as I take her in. Her hair is in a crown and wisps of her hair fly around but her eyes are telling me a million things right now. I lean in and press my lips to her forehead. “I promise, Violet.”

Then I pull away before I can lose my nerve and run—not aimlessly, but with purpose. With instinct. Toward the rise of the valley’s eastern slope, away from her, even as every cell in my body screams to turn back.

Let the dragons come. Let the world burn. I’ll survive it.

For her.

The first few hours of this had already started to bore me. Just endless trees, mud, and my own irritated thoughts for company. Still, I kept walking.

This was where Liam had gone—where those upper-year cadets had followed him, barely seconds later. So, of course, I followed them first.

My chest tightened as Jack’s sneering face flashed in my memory, the way he'd looked at Vi like she was prey.

No. Liam first. I’d promised him, hadn’t I?

Then I’d find her. Run the entire stretch of this cursed forest if I had to. Or wring the location out of the nearest third-year dumb enough to get in my way. Honestly, not a bad plan.

I was so lost in my own rage that I didn’t see it. Didn’t feel the shift in the air until it was too late.

The moment I stepped into the clearing, my body locked up—every muscle tensed to the brink. Standing across the space was an orange. Massive. Still. Watching.

Its gaze met mine instantly.

Gods. I was going to die here—without ever kissing Violet.

But... it didn’t charge. Didn’t roar.

It just stared.

A slow, rumbling breath escaped its nostrils, curling mist around its snout. It sniffed the air once, maybe twice. Then it turned, heavy tail dragging across the ground, and walked away like I wasn’t even worth the trouble.

I stood there blinking, heart slamming against my ribs.

Oranges were dangerous. Unpredictable. Everyone knew that. But that… that wasn’t instinct. That was deliberate.

Something was off.

I kept going, deeper into the woods, pulse racing, the memory of those eyes still burning behind mine. My breath came in short, uneven bursts. No dragon had ever looked at me like that before.

Then, the pain came, sharp and sudden, exploding behind my eyes like lightning cracking stone. I gasped, stumbling forward, one hand catching on a tree trunk to steady myself. The world tilted. My vision spun.

I squeezed my eyes shut and hissed through my teeth, the ache spreading from behind my eyes to the back of my skull and down my spine. It felt like something ancient inside me was stirring, stretching for the first time in lifetimes.

And then, It snapped into place.

Just like that. A feeling more solid than breath, more intimate than blood.Not pain. Not quite. It felt like being seen. Like something had found me.

No, like something had always been waiting for me to find it.

A pulse rippled through me, cool and final, like a door had opened somewhere in the distance. Like I’d crossed a threshold I couldn’t name, into something far older than I understood.

I couldn’t explain it. I didn’t even try.

I just knew, something was out there. Waiting for me and if I focused long enough, my gaze trailed somewhere to the left of me.

There, that’s where I feel like I should be going.

The sensation vanished as fast as it came, like it didn’t want to be caught in my hands just yet. But it touched me. Reached out. Marked me, in some unspoken way.

My lungs burned with the need to breathe, but I barely noticed. Because a second later, the sound of steel colliding with steel cracked through the silence like thunder.

My head snapped toward it.

Liam.

I broke into a sprint.

Whatever strange, slow-blooming shift had just happened in my body—I didn’t care. Not now. But I felt it. I felt the difference as I ran. The way the trees seemed to blur around me, the way my feet barely touched the ground. I felt faster . Lighter. Like I could keep running forever and still never feel tired.

I didn’t stop to question it or think on it.

The trees broke suddenly into a wide clearing, and I skidded to a halt at the edge, crouching low behind the cover of twisted roots.

There, right in the center, stood Liam.

He held his longsword out, shoulders square, stance steady. But he was alone. Surrounded.

A full ring of twelve first-years closed in around him, their weapons drawn, expressions curled in cruel, self-satisfied sneers. They were laughing.

Mocking.

“…Marked bastard thinks he belongs here?” one spat, circling like a wolf. “Should’ve never made it past the parapet.”

“But that’s fine, because we’ll be ending it right here, traitor.” another jeered. 

Liam didn’t move. He just stood there. Silent. Steady.

But I saw it, the way his grip tightened. The slight tremble in his jaw.

Rage flared so hot in my chest I couldn’t see straight.

They didn’t get to talk to him like that. Not after everything he’d survived. Not after what he’d done for me.

My hand moved on instinct, drawing both shorts swords from my back and they felt warm as I held them at my sides.

I stepped into the clearing, slow and deliberate.

Twelve heads snapped toward me.

“Step away from him,” I said, my voice cold and even.

Liam’s eyes flicked to me—wide with relief, with something like panic—but I didn’t look at him.

I looked at them.

They stared back, confused for only a heartbeat, then smirking.

One of the taller boys, broad-shouldered, cocky, forgettable laughed and tilted his head. “Well, well. Another stray. How sweet.”

“I said,” I repeated, stepping closer, “step away from him.”

No one moved.

My grip on my short swords tightened. My muscles didn’t even feel strained—like my body wanted to fight. Like something inside me had been waiting .

The boy sneered. “You gonna make us, Nightingale?”

“You don’t want this,” I said flatly.

A girl with a dagger laughed, flipping it between her fingers. “Oh, I think we do.”

Liam finally spoke, his voice low but firm. “Alia—don’t.”

I didn’t look at him. Couldn’t.

They had him surrounded. They thought they could take him. They thought they could break him down like he was nothing. Like he hadn’t bled for the people around him. Like he wasn’t stronger than all of them combined.

I took another step forward, and the moment my foot hit the ground, the wind stirred. Just slightly. Almost imperceptibly. The air shifted around me, like something just out of sight had noticed.

Something that wasn’t watching, it was listening.

I didn’t know how I knew that. I just did. And gods does that scare me more than anything but the tension of anticipation that lingers keeps it held at bay.

The tall boy raised his blade. “She’s bluffing. Let’s finish this.”

The clearing held its breath.

And I smiled. Just a little. No humor in it.

“Your funeral,” I whispered, then moved.

The first idiot lunged.

Fast, sure but not fast enough.

I ducked under his swing, twisted, and drove my elbow into his ribs hard enough to crack something. He gasped, staggered my blade flashed up, stopping just short of carving a line down his chest. I let him fall back as I felt the warmth of the blood splash on my arm I had used to cut him down.

“Next,” I said coldly and ignored one of them crying out for Jason. Who I’m guessing is currently bleeding out on the ground.

Two moved at once this time, flanking me. Good. Let them try.

I spun, blades crossing as they came down. Steel clanged, the impact jarring my arms but I didn’t falter. I let the momentum pull me into a crouch, sliced low, and one of them screamed as my blade bit into his thigh. The other reeled back, off-balance.

I surged to my feet, pivoted, and kicked him square in the chest. He flew back into a tree with a sickening crack and didn’t get up. His head was twisted at an odd angle that even had me nearly squirm. Now that, was new. That tree was at least 8 feet away, there’s no way my normal kick would’ve gotten him that far.

The other one, where I had sliced into his thigh, had risen his blade against me again. Obviously trying to catch me as I stared at the body that laid in a heap at the bottom of the tree. But I turned just in time and dodged the swing of the sword before darting around him and shoving both of swords through his back, they came out on the other side.

The clearing went silent for a few moments as I pulled them back out and let him body drop on the ground in front of me, blood dripping from my swords as I looked at the body on the ground.

Three down. Nine to go.

My breathing should’ve been ragged by now—but it wasn’t. I didn’t feel tired. I felt alive . Like every part of me had caught fire. I glanced back up to everyone else and stared at each one of them.

Around me, they hesitated. Wary now.

Liam still hadn’t moved. Still surrounded. But no one dared touch him.

Smart.

The wind stirred again, stronger this time. It curled around me, lifting strands of my hair like unseen fingers. I felt it hum through my bones, pulling something up from beneath my skin.

The girl with the dagger snarled and rushed forward. I let her get close.

Then I slipped inside her guard, caught her wrist mid-swing while dropping my swords for a second, and yanked her off balance. She fell forward with a choked yelp—and I grabbed her head before twisting it sharply, creating a sickening crunch that echoed. She crumpled.

I turned on the next one as I grabbed my swords from beside her body before he could even think to react.

Another flurry of movement. Blades. Yells. I blocked, dodged, struck—and every movement was cleaner than it should’ve been. Faster. Stronger.

Something was helping me.

A presence loomed just out of reach, brushing against my spine like the heat before a lightning strike.

It felt like a storm waiting to descend.

Watching.

But not interfering.

Not yet.

I raised my blades again, stance ready, as the rest of them circled tighter.

Five down. Seven to go.

“You sure you want to keep going?” I asked, eyes cold. “Because I’m just getting started.”

A shout rang behind me, sharp and desperate.  “Alia—look out!”

Liam.

And fuck I should have seen that coming, I didn’t notice one of them had slipped around me while the other four stayed near Liam.

I spun just in time to catch a downward strike meant for my spine. My arms locked as I blocked it, teeth gritting from the force. But Liam was already there his longsword flashing in a clean arc as he took the attacker’s legs out from under him.

The cadet hit the ground hard, unmoving. And his legs not attached to his upper half.

Liam stepped beside me, panting, eyes wild. “You didn’t have to come for me.”

“Yeah?” I breathed, eyes still locked on the circling cadets. “Well, I’m here. So let’s finish it.”

His answering grin was grim and grateful. “You take the left?”

I was already moving.

I launched myself forward with a scream caught behind my teeth. Everything blurred. My blades were fire in my hands—fast, unforgiving. One cadet raised his sword too slow—I knocked it aside and drove my blade into the flat of his armor hard enough to send him sprawling before yanking it out from his body.

Another came at my side. I ducked low, let his swing whistle past my head, and slashed out with both swords in a cross-cut. His weapon clattered to the dirt. I kicked him in the stomach, heard the air leave his lungs as he flew back into another tree.

He dropped like a fly when he hit it and I saw the blood already seeping from his armor. Good, he’s dead.

The ground beneath my boots felt like it vibrated with each strike. My blades sang, moving almost faster than I could think. The wind roared louder in my ears, not natural. It twisted and danced around me, following the rhythm of my rage.

And under it all, That presence. Not looming anymore. It wrapped around me like an embrace. Not commanding. Not forcing. Just waiting. Watching. As if it had been searching for me, for this moment, for this fury , and now that it had found me it would never let go.

Another cadet tried to run. I threw one of my blades from my thigh sheath.

It pinned his sleeve to a tree with a solid thunk before he could escape. He screamed and froze, staring at the blade buried beside his arm.

I stalked forward, ripping it free as I paused in front of him. “Cowards don’t get to walk away.”

Before I slashed forward with the dagger, his throat was now gushing blood and some of it squirted out onto my front. I glanced down and cringed at how badly covered in blood I was.

I gazed around and the state of this clearing is definitely one that will need thorough cleaning. All 12 cadets that were after Liam, now laid around it. Their bodies are still warm but all traces of life, gone.

My breathing was ragged, my hands still trembling slightly around the hilts of my short swords. The storm inside me, whatever the hell that had been, was retreating now, ebbing like a tide. But not gone.

And neither was the presence I can still feel.

I turned slowly, eyes scanning for Liam.

He was already moving.

“Liam—” I barely got his name out before he crossed the space between us in four long strides and wrapped me in a hug so fierce it knocked the breath from my lungs.

I froze. Just for a second.

Then I dropped my swords, let them fall to the ground with a dull thud, and buried my face in his shoulder as his arms locked tighter around me. Bone-crushing. Steady. Warm.

“Gods, Alia,” he breathed, voice muffled by my hair. “You—you came for me.”

His heart was pounding hard enough I could feel it through his chest.

“You shouldn’t be surprised,” I murmured, not pulling away.

He huffed a shaky laugh, but his grip didn’t loosen. “They would’ve killed me, I could take on a few at a time but this many? They were going to—” His voice cracked, raw and thick. “You didn’t have to step in.”

“I wasn’t going to let them touch you.” My voice was low. Certain. “Not after everything. Not after what we’ve survived.”

He leaned back just enough to look at me, eyes shining—not from tears, not quite. But from something like disbelief. Gratitude. Something deeper. “Thank you,” he whispered. “For watching my back. For choosing me.”

Something twisted behind my ribs.

“You’ve always had mine,” I said softly. “You think I’d let you face them alone?”

A long pause.

Then Liam exhaled roughly and pulled me close again, tucking his chin over my head like he could shield me from everything, even now. Even when I’d been the one slicing through the storm.

We stood like that for a long moment. 

But then I felt something change in the air.

I didn’t notice it at first—not with Liam’s arms still wrapped around me, grounding me. But then the air felt different.

Then it landed.

A colossal red dragon slammed into the center of the clearing, wings flaring with a sound like thunder clapping too close. The force of its landing sent some of the bodies flying. My short swords rattled on the ground. Liam and I both went still, breath frozen in our chests.

The dragon’s scales shimmered like burning coals, each movement of its body radiating heat and power. It lowered its head slowly, molten eyes sweeping the field before locking directly onto us—onto Liam.

I took a step forward instinctively, one arm raised slightly in front of him.

The dragon roared again.

Every instinct inside me screamed to move. To do something. But Liam didn’t move, not a single inch and I felt dread coat my bones.

And then…he laughed.

A short, stunned, breathless sound that didn’t match the tension clawing its way up my spine. I almost wanted to punch him till he said those next words.

“Holy shit,” he whispered. “He’s mine.”

I blinked. “What?”

He turned to me, grinning so wide it looked like it might split his face in two. His eyes were wild with disbelief, awe, maybe even a bit of terror—but beneath all of that, there was something else.

Peace.

“That’s my dragon,” he said, breathless. “He chose me.”

The red dragon stepped forward, slow and powerful, and Liam did the same. Not afraid. Not hesitating. Like something in him had already known .

Then Liam turned his gaze back to me and gave me a grateful smile.

“I’ll meet you back on the flight field yeah?” He almost whispered it and I felt my heart beat faster in my chest. Our gazes stayed locked before I sent a nod with a small smile.

“See you back there, Liam.” I spoke loudly before bowing my head at the dragon who just huffed in acknowledgement. I stood there for a moment, watching as Liam ran up the dragon's leg before settling on his back. And he looks good where he sits, with his face twisting in different emotions before settling on one.

Happiness.

The giant dragon gave me one last look before taking off with one beat of his powerful wings and I just watched in awe at the scene.

Just as I went to sheath my swords, that presence from earlier surged back, clearer this time. My muscles tensed, instinct flaring, and then dread slipped down my spine like ice.

A voice echoed through me. That presence I kept feeling earlier was stronger than ever now at the sound of his voice. 

“Silver Warrior. Follow your senses. You are needed elsewhere. Then I will find you.”

I should’ve questioned it. The voice. The command. The fact that something was inside my head.

But I didn’t.

Because the moment the words faded, my body shifted forward on instinct. My pulse picked up. My feet already knew where to go.

North.

Only one name filled my mind.

Violet POV

“You’re going to have to get through me, then.” My heart thunders against my ribs as I raise my daggers, flipping one to pinch the tip so I’m ready to throw and measuring the twenty or so feet separating me from my attackers. There's Jack, Oren and Tynan but also two other first years I have no recollection on.

“I don’t really consider that a problem,” Jack snarls.

They all lift their swords, and I draw a deep breath, readying myself to fight. This isn’t the mat. There are no instructors. No yielding. Nothing to stop them slaughtering me…slaughtering us.

My mind flashed to Alia and I held in my tears. No, I will make it. I will make it back to her.

“I would strongly recommend you rethink your actions,” a voice-his voice-demands from across the field to my right.

My scalp prickles as each of our heads swivel in his direction.

Xaden is leaning against the tree, his arms folded across his chest, and behind him, watching with narrowed golden eyes, her fangs exposed, is Sgaeyl, his terrifying navy-blue daggertail.

Xaden. For the first time, the sight of him fills my chest with hope. He won’t let this happen. He might hate me, but he’s a wingleader. He can’t just watch them kill a dragon.

But I know the rules probably better than anyone else in this quadrant.

He has to. Bile rises in my throat, and I tilt my chin to quell the burning. What Xaden wants, which is always debatable, doesn’t matter here. He can only observe, not interfere.

I’m going to have an audience for my death. Fantastic.

So much for hope.

“And if we don’t want to rethink our actions?” Jack shouts.

Xaden looks toward me, and I swear I can see his jaw clench, even from this far away.

Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing. It steals your focus and aims it toward the possibilities instead of keeping it where it belongs-on the probabilities. Xaden’s words come back to me with alarming clarity, and I rip my gaze from his and concentrate on the three probabilities in front of me.

“There’s nothing you or anyone else can do, right? Wingleader?” Jack bellows.

Xaden doesn’t answer.

He doesn’t need to as a small smirk raises on his face.

Because the moment his eyes flick past Jack, toward the trees, I feel it. And then it hits me that pull, that electric charge that always coils low in my stomach when she’s near.

The feeling I get every time her eyes find mine.

Then I hear her.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” 

I whip my head around at the sound, and the breath I didn’t even know I was holding escapes my lungs all at once.

Alia steps into the clearing and I felt my heart beat faster at the intensity of her eyes. They almost look like they're shining from where I'm standing and the golden dragon beside me chuffs.

Her armor is streaked in blood. A lot of it. Too much. It stains the curve of her throat, glistens across her arms, drips slow from the blades hanging loosely at her sides. She looks like she walked through a war to get here and didn't even bother to wipe off the aftermath.

But she isn’t limping or struggling.

She looks calm. Like the violence isn’t over.

Like she wants it to keep going.

And gods, she looks beautiful.

Terrifying. But beautiful.

I can barely swallow. The blood on her should horrify me but instead, my chest aches with relief. Because she came.

She found me.

Every head turns. All five of them shuffle while keeping their eyes on her and darting back my way. Even though I should try and get the golden dragon out of here, I can’t.

I can’t look away. She looks like war in human skin. And gods, I’ve never felt safer.

“You’re all dead,” she says softly.

And then she moves.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: Finally & Bonded

"You’re all dead.” My voice soft but cuts deep into the tense air as everyone looks to me.

I move forward, quicker than anyone could respond and the entire clearing switches in response. My eyes have yet to lay upon Violet, but I don’t risk it as I definitely would become distracted.

I’m already in front of one of the first-years whose name I don’t care to remember.

His eyes widen in panic as I bring my swords down upon him, but he quickly counters and blocks before jumping back a step.

I faintly hear Barlowe roar out what seems to be a battle cry and I risk a glance towards him as him, Oren and Tynan sprint towards Violet. I narrow my eyes at that but all of a sudden Barlowe hits the ground, crying out in pain and I smirk before focusing back on the first year in front of me who dared to run towards me.

He roars a battle cry too and just as he reaches me, I dart to the side evading his swipe of the long sword he has and cut the back of his knees as I dart behind him. He stumbles and falls forward, crying in pain but just as I go to stab my swords in his back, I felt the presence again.

“Behind you!” His voice slams through my head like thunder.

I spin just in time.

The other first year is nearly on top of me, dagger raised. His eyes are wild, desperate—he thinks surprise will win him the kill.

He’s wrong.

I drop into a split, my blades flashing low. He stumbles forward, off-balance, and I twist as he trips over me, slicing his inner thigh as he falls. He yells out in pain, tumbling hard into the dirt. I’m on my feet before his body even lands.

He scrambles up, bleeding heavily, and charges again. Brave. Stupid.

I meet him halfway, steel on steel, the force of our clash vibrating up my arms. His dagger scrapes my shoulder—superficial. Doesn’t matter. Pain sharpens me.

From the corner of my eye, I see the other one—the one I dropped—still dragging himself away, trailing blood like a snared rabbit. I let him go, for now.

Because the one in front of me is still breathing.

He feints left, swings right. I parry the sword, lean inside his reach, and drive my hilt into his jaw. He staggers. I pivot and bring the edge of my sword across his chest—clean, deep. He gasps and drops.

He’s not getting back up.

I don’t bother to look at him again.

Barlowe’s cry rings out across the field, sharp and guttural.

“Kill them both and that fucking dragon!” He cries out and I glance up to see him running away. My fury hits the highest point at that but then I realize. As he's running back into the trees, I see five more cadets come running out.

Fucking coward .

They all rush further in towards Violet but I step more in front of them.

They freeze and I send them a grin, anything but friendly.

“I’ll give you one chance, leave-” I said, my voice cold and barely a whisper. I lift my sword to the cadet that is currently bleeding out on the ground. “Or join him.”

There was a moment of hesitation, I could sense radiating off of them. And that was enough for me to make my decision. I felt a cold prickle in my head before it vanished as quickly as it came.

“End them, Silver Warrior.”

I sigh out loud before walking forward. “I changed my mind, you don’t get second chances.”

I darted to the closest one, grinning at the fear that danced in his eyes. He went to lift his sword but I was faster, much faster. I swiped both swords forward as I darted to his left, at his exposed neck. I don’t even bother to stop and glance as I heard a thump hit the ground before the sound of his body following.

The last four, to their credit, don’t run.

They should’ve but they don’t.

They had spaced out around me and the one to my left looks a little green as he stares at the beheaded body behind me. He’s next.

I grip my left sword and throw it forward, towards him as if it were a dagger. He hits home and lands right in his chest where he glances down at it before crumpling to the ground.

I look at the other three and felt a sick thrill course through my body at the anger and fear radiating off of them. I felt a bubble of laughter threaten to crawl up my throat but I held it down and darted forward to the middle one, catching him off guard with my new-found speed.

With my free hand, I reached outwards with my left hand and gripped him around his throat. His eyes widen and he drops his daggers on the ground before trying to claw my hand away as I lift him off the ground, his feet dangling uselessly.

The cadet to my right darts forward as I can see from my peripheral vision but I don’t even glance his way before jabbing my short sword in his abdomen as he gets closer. He goes slack at that before I ripped it out of his body sideways, causing him to drop like a sack, and into the cadet I have in my grip, right beneath his rib cage.

He goes still for a second and I ignore the last cadet of my left as I watch the life drain from his eyes before yanking my sword out and throwing his body to the side, my eyes darting around me to ensure the others are dead.

Before I glance up at the last one. The front of his pants are now dark and I can see him shaking, trying to grip his sword. But as I take a step closer, he drops the sword and runs.

For a second that made me freeze and blink at how fast he is high-tailing out of here.

I sighed out loud, avoiding eye-contact with those onyx eyes I’ve been avoiding since I got here and walked forward to where my other sword is still in the cadets body. I yank it out and just as I’m about to throw it at the cadet running away, I hear a scream that freezes me.

I whip around and spot Tynan, lifting his sword above his head, ready to deliver a killing blow to Violet who is clutching a dagger out and bleeding. I start running forward, my mind whirling and from the corner of my eye, I spot Xaden doing the exact same thing.

But before I could even get within a few more steps, a gust of wind slammed into me from where Violet was standing. So I stop and lift my arm to cover my eyes from the dust and pressure of the wind coming at me full force before it stills.

I drop my arm and the scene in front of me grips my heart in a panic. Standing behind Violet is the enormous, black dragon. The unbonded black dragon Professor Kaori showed in class and the way it’s head lowered while barring it’s teeth, I couldn’t look away.

“Silver Warrior, move near the Wingleader before that beast roasts you aswell.”

I complied to the unknown presence that’s taken residence in my head and shuffled to my right a bit more, out of reach if the black dragon chooses to follow through.

Violet also limps to the side, nearly stumbling over Oren’s body. God, I just wanna run over and make sure she's okay.

Then at that moment, Tynan chooses to flee while screaming as the black dragon narrows his eyes at him. He opens his mouth wide a second before fire shoots across the field, blasting heat against the side of my face and incinerating everything in its path…including Tynan.

I blink at the scene before turning my eyes to where I can feel the gaze again. Xaden stares at me, his face blank, but his eyes are scanning over me.

I’m sure I’m a sight to look at, covered in blood and breathing heavily as exhaustion starts to catch up on me.

His eyes then meet mine before they flicker back to his dragon and back to me, his eyes slightly widening.

“Sgaeyl was always a gossip.”

“I can’t kill an unconscious man.” I heard Violet speak up and I glance her way, to see her staring at the giant black dragon in front of her, her head held high and brows furrowed in confusion.

I felt hope and pride bubble in me as I stare at Violet, who is obviously having some conversation with the dragon. I was about to walk forward before I felt the presence again, this time stronger than ever.

“Stay where you are.”

I furrowed my eyebrows and before I could even think of how to reply back, I felt it. The presence is getting closer as it did before I found Liam. I could see the black dragon swivel his head up towards the sky, a growl resonating from his chest before his head turned in my direction.

I froze for a second but he just huffed.

At that moment, I felt another gust of air slam into me from behind and the ground we’re standing on, shaking at the shock of it. I was facing Xaden when that happened and never in my life had I seen Xaden have a face full of...awe and shock as he stares behind me.

“Would be nice if you did too, Alia Nightingale.”

I turn and my breath catches in my throat as I stare up and up .

His silver scales shimmering like liquid moonlight under the pale sun. Each scale seemed carved from frost and starlight, catching the light with a cold, ethereal glow that made him look almost otherworldly. He looks to be the same size as the black one, maybe a bit bigger.

His wings were vast, spanning wide enough to blot out the sky if he chose to unfurl them fully, edged with faint, smoky tendrils that drifted like wisps of mist.

But what truly held me captive were his eyes. Not the deep gold or fierce amber I had seen in other dragons — no, his eyes were the purest silver, gleaming with an ancient, almost celestial wisdom. They met mine with an intensity that stirred something deep inside, as if he could see into the very core of my soul.

“You, you’re the one-” I whisper as I take a step forward, my awe being replaced with realization. I froze though and quickly sheathed my swords. He’s the one inside my head, this whole time and now that he’s finally in front of me, it clicks into place, that presence I’ve been feeling since…before I even stepped in the forest.

“That is correct, Silver Warrior.” He spoke and he sounded amused with a tinge of pride. “You were mine the second I felt you entered this world. I obviously held back till this day.”

My jaw threatens to drop at that truth.

“This whole time?” I said out loud in shock and I took note that I heard a dragon take off behind me, no doubt being Xaden as I can still hear Violet speaking with her own. “But why me?”

His head lowered till he was eye-level with me and I took a step closer, laying a hand on his snout as I stayed locked with his eyes. It’s almost as if I feel whole, as I had been missing a small piece of me and now with my hand on him, I’m whole again.

“Because you, Alia Nightingale, are destined for great things and no one on this earth can match that.” His voice resonated through my entire body and with those words, I felt warmth I’ve never felt of course throughout me.

“Will you tell me what those things are?” I whispered this time, as if scared to hear what he has to say and the name of my family came bearing down on me full-force.

“In time.” He said amused before adding on, “But know that I did not choose you for your last name but for who you are.”

“And besides, the Little One wants to speak with you before we leave.”

Before I can ask what he means, he lifts his massive head and chuffs softly, silver eyes glinting with something I can't name. He looks past me, toward the heart of the battlefield we’ve just carved open.

I turn.

And the world stops.

Violet stands at the far edge of the clearing, framed by the rising steam of scorched earth and drifting ash. Blood stains her leathers, her arm wrapped tight in torn cloth, her braid long undone — but gods, she’s still the most heartbreakingly beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

Her chin is lifted despite the tremble in her limbs. Her back is straight, even as it clearly hurts to breathe. Behind her, the enormous black dragon looms like a shadowed mountain, wings half-unfurled, guarding her like she’s something sacred. The golden hatchling is still curled beneath him, safe and sound. But it’s Violet who steals the breath from my lungs.

Her eyes find mine through the thinning smoke, wide and wet and full of something I’m afraid to name. Silver meets Hazel, and the silence around us becomes reverent, almost holy. Every sound fades, the dying groans of the battlefield, the crackle of fire, the roar of dragons above.

Gone.

Just us.

My feet move before I can stop them. One step. Two. A dozen.

She mirrors me, limping forward with stubborn grace, never once breaking our gaze.

The clearing is vast, but it feels like the shortest distance I’ve ever crossed. My heart drums with every footfall but not from fear, not from adrenaline, but from the unbearable ache of finally. Of you’re here, you’re safe, we’re alive .

When we reach the center, the space between us is charged with relief, with longing, with the things we’ve never said but always felt.

Violet opens her mouth to speak, but no words come. Just a shaky breath and a single tear tracking down her cheek through the grime and blood.

I reach for her, not her hand, but her face, cradling it and savoring the feeling as I look down at her. Her skin is warm and trembling beneath my fingers.

“You came for me,” she whispers, voice breaking like sunlight through storm clouds.

“I promised I would, I always will.” I breathe, forehead leaning into hers as I cradle her face in both my hands. “Because nothing and no-one will keep me away from you, Violet Sorrengail.”

And there, in the middle of the battlefield where Malek nearly claimed one of us, with dragons looming like gods behind us, with smoke curling in the air and blood drying on our boots, I kiss her.

Not out of desperation. Not out of relief.

It’s a kiss carved from everything I’ve been avoiding to want, fierce and aching, reverent and raw. The kind of kiss that feels like a war cry and a surrender all at once. Like exhaling after holding my breath for a thousand lifetimes.

Her hands fist in the front of my armor, dragging me closer, anchoring me to the only thing that matters. And I fall, gladly, completely into her.

The world tilts and blurs, but she is the only constant. The press of her mouth against mine, the stuttering inhale she takes as I deepen the kiss, the way her soul collides with mine like we were always meant to find each other in the fire.

And god's help me , I never want to come up for air again.

Our lips part, but we linger, breathless, foreheads still pressed together, eyes closed as if to savor the stillness between storms.

Then Violet exhales a laugh. A real one. A short, surprised burst that bubbles out like she hadn’t meant to let it escape, like joy had just taken her by the throat and refused to let go.

I pull back half an inch, just enough to see her face flushed, radiant, and absolutely wrecked in the most beautiful way. I bring my hands down to her waist, as hers find them around my neck.

“What?” I whisper, grinning like an idiot because she’s laughing and we’re alive and her lips are still so close I could kiss them again without even thinking.

She bites her bottom lip, shaking her head slightly. “I’m just…” Her eyes meet mine again, shimmering. “I’m never going to get enough of that. Of you .”

Gods .

My heart stutters, but she doesn’t stop. “And before you say anything all noble and self-sacrificing—” she lifts a hand to lightly tap my chest where my armor is bloodstained “—I still want to hear you say what you promised you would.”

My breath catches.

She means it. She wants the words. Needs them, maybe, in a way I can’t deny.

I let the silence stretch for a beat, teasing.

Then I smirk.

“You’re a menace,” I murmur.

“And you’re stalling.”

She’s not wrong.

So I lean in again, brushing my nose against hers. “I-”

Before I could even finish my sentence, I felt a gust of wind hit us from behind that nearly took us off our balance so I wrap my arms around Violet and bring her in closer to me. I felt amusement course through me before hearing my dragon.

“Enough.”

The word thunders through the bond, and I feel it vibrate in my soul . I whip my head toward the voice.

He stands a few paces behind, silver scales gleaming like forged starlight, wings flared. His silver eyes are narrowed, unimpressed but mocking.

I swear I heard a huff of amusement from behind Violet.

“This is not a time for mortal distractions,” Neart huffed. “We must go as the field awaits for the bonded, you can lay your lips upon her once we’re done tonight.”

Did I just get cockblocked by my dragon?

He chuffs at that and I narrow my eyes at the silver beast.

Violet groans and leans into my shoulder. “Great. Our dragons are already the worst kind of chaperones.”

I laugh, pressing one last kiss to her forehead. “Come on, Violet,” I tease. “Let’s go to the field.”

She snorts, grinning before reaching up and placing a kiss on the corner of my mouth and I swear my heart was about to stop.

I blink down at her as she walks backwards towards her own dragon.

“I want that promise completed tonight , Alia.” She shouts back before sending a wink and turning, limping the rest of the way to her dragon. I stare at her retreating form, my lips pulled up in a wide grin.

I watch her go, the echo of her kiss still burning on my skin, the echo of her words louder than any battle cry.

I want that promise completed tonight, Alia.

Gods, I’m in trouble.

Neart shifts up beside me, the ground trembling faintly under his enormous weight as he lowers his head to level with mine, those silver eyes glinting with smug amusement.

“You will have your night, Silver Warrior. But first—your place awaits.”

I roll my eyes fondly and turn towards him, my body starting to ache now that the adrenaline is fading. My armor’s streaked with blood, most of it not mine, and my muscles feel like they’ve been torn and rebuilt in the fire. But I feel whole in a way I never have before.

Dragons are circling overhead, their calls echoing across the open skies, the unbonded now bonded. The sky is still tinged with smoke from the fight, and charred patches of grass steam as the wind picks up. But the chaos has stilled, replaced by something new.

A reckoning.

I move toward Neart, his massive wing already lowering so I can climb up the natural ridges of his scales. He waits patiently as I settle into the cradle of muscle between his shoulders, and the moment I sit, the bond between us thrums louder than before—ancient, deep, absolute.

“Ready?” he asks, though it’s not really a question.

“Always.”

He launches into the sky in a single, powerful beat of his wings, the ground vanishing beneath us. I catch sight of the black dragon that chose Violet, already aloft, Violet a small but unmistakable figure on Tairn’s back.

She turns just enough, catches my eye.

And even from here—I feel her smile.

My heart clenches, and I grin like a fool as my dragon banks toward the others, leaving Violet and her dragon out of sight.

“My name is Neartaguscumhachtach. Son of Laochra and Armúrairgid from the guardian line, Sciatháinairgid. ” He speaks, his voice powerful in my head and though there isn’t much knowledge on Silver Breeds, I can tell already he is one to reckon with. “But you may call me Neart as I doubt you’d be able to remember my full name.”

“Neart.” I whispered out loud and clench my thighs tighter as he soars. I felt a rumble of approval.

Together, we fly toward the waiting ridge, toward whatever the future holds. And for the first time in what feels like forever, I’m not afraid of what’s coming next.

The wind rushes past me, cool and sharp, biting at the edges of my face as we climb higher—so high the world below becomes nothing but a blur of green and gray and charred black. My hair whips behind me, tangling in the wind, and for the first time in what feels like a lifetime—I laugh.

A full, breathless, free laugh.

No fear. No blood in my mouth. No weight dragging me back to the ghosts that have haunted every step.

Just sky.

Neart lets out a low rumble of approval, his massive wings slicing through the air with breathtaking grace. The strength in his body, the sheer power beneath me, isn’t frightening. It’s grounding. Reassuring. Ours.

Mine.

“I knew I chose right.” he says, amused.

“I wish we could stay up here forever.” I murmur, leaning forward slightly as we dive.

The sensation is nothing like falling—it’s flight, true flight. Not the tight turns of training courses or the limited circles of borrowed dragons. This is wild, furious freedom. The sky stretches endlessly above us, pale clouds curling like silk around Neart’s silver form as he cuts through them, unstoppable.

Below, the trees sway, the battlefield now just another smear on the horizon. But up here—up here, it’s like I’ve slipped into a different world entirely. A world untouched by war or grief or names whispered in fear. A world where the only thing that matters is the beat of silver wings and the way the sun glints off Neart’s scales like he was forged from moonlight.

For the first time in years, I don’t feel like I’m running from something.

I feel like I’m flying toward everything .

My future.

My dragon.

Her.

We’re here. Alive. Bonded. Chosen.

I felt the urge to release what I’ve been feeling these past months into the open air before we’re back on land again, back in reality. So I throw my head back and scream into the wind—not in rage or grief or pain.

But in happiness.

In relief.

Neart answers me, a thunderous roar ripping from his chest—wild and glorious.

It shatters the sky, echoes off the mountains like a war cry of the heavens themselves.

The world hears us.

Neart begins to soar normally now, just drifting in the wind and I take in the sight around us before looking down where my hands clench around the ridge on his back.

“Neart, why did you choose me?” I ask, curiosity drifting in. “I understand you said it was due to…things but a Silver Dragon hasn’t bonded in centuries. So why now?”

It’s silent for a moment and I felt his presence heavier in my mind now.

“Us silver breeds choose those who are unwavering even when burdened with the impossible.” He says, soft almost and I feel my heart clench at those words. “We choose those who don’t seek but become what we were made to bond eternity with.”

His head turns slightly and his eyes catch onto me.

“No-one else worthy since we last bonded.”

I ponder his words carefully and reflect back to when I first asked.

“You mentioned I was destined for things, when will I know what those are?” I ask and grip tighter as he goes in for a dive. Up ahead I can see the flight field in the distance and know that our time up here is cutting short.

“You will know when you are ready, Silver Warrior.”

“Why do you call me that by the way?” I huff out and felt him rumble as if it were a joke he was laughing at.

“Did you or did you not annihilate over a dozen cadets?”

I paused before narrowing my eyes. “Fair point.”

He tucks his wings in and we go down at speed that a dragon shouldn’t even be able to achieve, not one this size.

“That was rude but I will ignore it for now.” He rumbled and I snickered while holding tight. “We have to put on an entrance and Little One has already arrived, so we will cause even more chaos as the Silver Dragons have returned.”

I curse as I just realized.

Me being the first to bond a Silver Dragon, it’s gonna stir something within leadership. No record of a bond with a Silver Dragon has been recorded for decades, probably centuries and now that thought is as daunting as the dragon I’m currently on. No living precedent. Only legend.

And now I am a legend's return.

I let a smile slip before speaking up. “Let’s make this an entrance they will never forget.”

As we get closer to the flight field, a tremor rolls through the skies as Neart’s roar shatters the clouds above, ancient and unyielding. It’s a call not just of presence—but of return. Of legacy reignited.

Beneath us, I catch the moment every head tilts skyward. Riders shield their eyes. Dragons, in a rare moment of reverence, pause their movements. Even the wind seems to hush.

The other dragons answer—one by one, then all at once.

A chorus of thunder.

A flight field filled with color and scale and power and now a streak of silver, cutting through the sky like a blade of light.

I lean forward, nearly breathless, as Neart tucks into another dive, faster this time. The world blurs around us and for a moment, I feel it.

What it means to fly.

Weightless. Wild. Free.

No past weighing me down. No future clawing at my heels.

Just the wind in my hair, the cold sting of air on my skin, and the fierce, intoxicating power of the dragon beneath me.

A laugh escapes me, pure and reckless, and Neart answers with a knowing rumble.

“Careful,” he teases. “You sound like one of the unhinged breeds.”

“I’m unhinged in style,” I shoot back but the grin is still on my face.

The ground looms closer and closer, and yet there’s not a flicker of fear. Neart’s wings flare wide just in time, slowing our descent with effortless power, the gust knocking back riders near the edge of the field. Grass bends, dust kicks, and the scent of ozone and ancient magic hits the air like lightning just struck.

He lands hard, like the storm he was forged in.

I sit tall as his wings fold back, silver scales gleaming under the bruised sunset sky, every inch of him a declaration.

“We’re the 72nd to enter the field and you are now a rider, Alia Nightingale.”

We’re here.

And everything’s about to change.

Violet’s the first face I find in the crowd, already dismounted from her dragon. Her mouth is parted in awe, but her eyes—they lock onto mine and spark with something else entirely. I beam down at her as she limps a bit forward towards us.

The roar of the dragons fades. The silence after is almost louder.

And then, slowly, I swing down from Neart’s back and step forward into that silence as everyone stares my way. To my dragon. He practically preens as he takes his place beside Violet’s dragon, the other one chuffing and I spot the Golden Dragon moving to sit in between her dragon and mine.

I step forward and just pass Neart’s head.

“Go to the roll keeper and tell them my name.” He commands softly and I nod but my eyes are locked on Violet who continues towards me. My eyes flicker to her lips before meeting her eyes again and I can’t help but want to kiss them again, damn everyone watching.

“And help the Little One as well, no mortal lip-locking please.”

My cheeks blaze in warmth before I shoot a look up at Neart who just chuffs and Violet’s dragon follows suit, no doubt saying the same thing.

“Do you just hear everything I think at this point?” I muttered as I stepped more towards Violet and I felt amusement coming from him. I was able to pin-point that sometimes I will feel things as I did before we met. Like before I entered the forest, that disgust was definitely not me.

“It was me, to think you would bond a green or a bond? Insulting. And of course, everyone has a mind-link to their dragons. Now move along, Silver Warrior.”

I roll my eyes fondly before I’m finally in front of Violet.

“Hey.” She breathed out and I couldn’t stop the grin forming on my face.

“Hey beautiful.” I whisper back, leaning down slightly. Her cheeks immediately heat up and I laugh as she smacks me in the arm. But we both turn towards the dias where we see leadership. I let out a sigh and glanced towards Violet as if to say “you ready?.”

She stares up at me before determination clouds her features and we both start walking forward. 

Dusk falls, and a series of mage lights illuminates the crowd in the bleachers and on the dais. In the very center, right above where the redhead from Parapet is recording roll sits Violet’s mother, dressed in all her military finery, medals and all, lest anyone forget exactly who she is.

And to her right, is my mother. Dressed in all her military finery as well but standing proud and tall, not even bothering to hide the smile I deeply miss. I felt my heart pounding even more now as we got closer to the dias, ignoring all the whispers around us.

And Melgren, the commanding general of all Navarrian forces, has his beady eyes on mine and Violet’s dragon in open assessment.

Mum rises as we approach the roll-keeper at the base of the dais, who’s recording bonded pairs before motioning the next rider forward to maintain secrecy of a dragon’s full name.

Professor Kaori jumps off the six-foot platform to my left and stares open-mouthed behind us, his gaze sweeping over the massive black dragon and no doubt the massive silver one, memorizing every single detail.

“Is that really-” Commandant Panchek starts, hovering at the edge of the dais with more than a dozen other uniformed, high-ranking officers, all gaping. “And is that really a silver dra-”

“Don’t say it,” General Sorrengail hisses, her eyes behind us, not on us or on Violet and I felt my eyes narrow at the women I grew up knowing. “Not until they do.”

Because only a rider and the roll-keeper know a dragon’s full name. I felt Violet twitch as my arm was practically against hers and I stole a glance down at her, seeing the anger and disappointment coat her features.

I narrow my eyes even more as I stare up at Lilith. She’s the one that put her daughter in this college and now she doesn’t even believe she had bonded the black dragon. I held down a scoff at the audacity this woman has and gave Violet a little nudge.

She looks up at me and some of that anger fades as I give her a small nod.

You’re here, you bonded. You fucking did it.

We continue to gaze at each other before the cadet before us in line leaves and I gesture Violet to go forward, sending a cheeky grin her way and enjoying the way her cheeks blaze again before she steps forward in front of the roll keeper.

“Violet Sorrengail,” she says as she writes in the Book of Riders. “Nice to see that you made it.” She offers her a quick, shaky smile. “For the record, please tell me the name of the dragon who chose you.”

She lifts her head as I stare at the back of it. “Tairneanach.”

I tilt my head behind me to gaze at the black dragon who is still beside my own. They both look very menacing so I can definitely understand why this would cause a bit of tension. Two legends, one hadn’t bonded in a while and another from a breed of dragons who hadn’t bonded for who knows how long.

“Pay attention, you’re gonna miss the good part.”

Wait, I can just think what I’m saying and you’ll hear me right?

“Correct, Silver Warrior.”

A grin coats my face, shaking my head as I just realized that.

The woman grins, shaking her head as she writes down his name. “I can’t believe he bonded. Violet, he’s a legend.”

Violet then turns around and stares back where our dragons are, causing confusion to fill me as her eyes are wide in shock. “Excuse me?”

“Violet, are you all right?” the redhead asks, and everyone around us, above us, leans in.

She continues to stare behind us and her brows furrow before giving a slight nod. Before she turns back around she gives me a glance and that’s all I need to step closer to her, just a breath behind her. Her hand reaches behind her and I grip it with my one, looking over her head towards my mother who stares in concern at Violet.

“Violet?” the roll-keeper repeats. “Do you need a mender?”

“And Andarnaurram,” She whispered and I felt my stomach drop but heard Neart in the back of my mind, laughing .

Her eyes fly wide. “Both dragons?” she squawks.

She nods and I couldn’t have been anymore prouder at that.

Not only one, but she bonded two.

That’s my girl.

I look towards General Sorrengail and hide the smug grin that threatens to grace my face as Violet clenches my hand tighter.

And just as hell was about to break loose, General Melgren held up his hand to put a pause on everyone up in the dias and despite how red his face looked, his beady eyes narrowed down at me and I felt my stomach turn in.

“Cadet Nightingale, the name of your dragon please.” He demands and I step past Violet, before basically shielding her and keeping our hands interlocked. She leans against my back and I welcome the warmth.

“Don’t butcher my name.”

Please I won’t butcher it.

As I go to open my mouth to tell the roll-keeper his name, Neart speaks up once more.

“Oh and one more thing, full title please.”

I rolled my eyes but I choked on basically air and my eyes widened in shock at what he just said in my head after that sentence. 

I don’t even bother turning to send him a look, feeling amusement and satisfaction course through our bond before my eyes lock onto my mother but my words are directed to the roll keeper.

“Neartaguscumhachtach, Den Leader of Silver Breeds.”

And now all hell breaks loose.