Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

رفيق

Rafeeq

A word for a friend in Arabic, someone you can depend on. 

_____

Aretia

Violet Sorrengail

The sound of the tendons in my ankle snapping are never enjoyable, admittedly. Its nearly the same as a twig snapping, except for the rush of pain that envelops me like an old friend.

I stumble, and hit the ground hard, skinning the palms of my hands in the process. I’ve been running for a few days now, and my pack is far too heavy. I’d never make it as a rider if I can’t even handle my pack, I think bitterly. My entire family consists of riders, except for my father.

He was a scribe until the day he died, which was only last week. He was never the same after Brennan died- a rider as well. I haven’t seen my sister Mira in a year, since she joined the Rider’s Quadrant to follow in the esteemed General Lillith Sorrengail’s footsteps.

Some would call her my mother. I hardly know her as such. She hasn’t so much as looked at me in months. So, I left. I grabbed only the essentials- food, water, a change of clothes, and an assortment of necessary books. I have with me a book on Tyrrish history, in Tyrrish of course, my book of poisons, and the last remaining piece of my father that the General didn’t burn- The Fables of the Barren. Okay, admittedly that one is a little sentimental.

That brings us back to the present, me with a sprained ankle somewhere on the outskirts of Tyrrendor. My father was Tyrrish, so I thought I might go and see it for myself before the whispers of war I keep over-hearing from the stairwell I hide under near the General’s office make it impossible to visit.

I probably should have known better than to go off hiking alone, but if my map reading skills are as strong as I think they are then I’m less than a day’s hike from Aretia, the Tyrrish capital city.

I don’t necessarily have a plan for once I arrive, except maybe finding a government building and applying for asylum under a false name. I briefly wonder if anyone in Navarre would notice me taking my father's surname of “Daxton,” before deciding it’s probably too risky.

Of course, that would require my mother noticing that I’m gone. Although, by now my closest friend Dain may have alerted her. I feel a little bad about leaving him behind, but honestly I’m only holding him back from his goals. He’ll be a rider like the rest of them, and I am set to be a scribe. Well, was at any rate. I wonder if Tyrrendor has a Scribe Quadrant.

Grunting, I grab a wrap from my bag and begin the painstaking process of setting my ankle. At this point it’s more tedious than anything else. I’ve been putting my body back together ever since I learned to walk.

Deep breaths. I envision my pain going into the little box in my mind, and then close it and push it into its little corner as I push myself back into a standing position.

Testing my left foot lightly, I find that it holds my weight with only slight pain now. I grit my teeth and continue on, putting one foot in front of the other, albeit with a slight limp.

Normally, I am incredibly observant. I blame the pain turning the edges of my vision to red, and the black spots forming behind my eyes on not noticing the man sitting down near the break in the trees until it's too late.

“Shit” I swear under my breath as I see him, and fail to notice the rock that trips me yet again.

“Woah there, are you okay?” He asks, while rushing up to catch me before I can hit the ground.

I blink the spots from my eyes as I meet his, onyx black with gold flecks. Entrancing, if I’m being honest with myself.

“I’m fine!” I say, pushing off of him and grabbing hold of the small dagger in the pocket of my loose-fitting scribe pants, bringing it out just in case this unfairly gorgeous man means me harm.

“Hey, pointing a knife is a pretty violent way of thanking someone. What are you even doing here? No one ever comes up here.” As I draw back from him, I take in his full appearance.

He’s tall, over 6’ for sure. Broad shoulders, muscles, tawny brown skin, curly black hair that falls to his ears, and a jawline that could cut glass. He looks to be about seventeen or eighteen, and built for battle.

Right, he asked me a question. “Running away from my problems, what about you?”

He laughs lightly, before responding “The same, honestly.” He sounds a little defeated.

“How about you put down that butter knife and we have a conversation, oh strange violent woman of the woods.”

He nods his head back to the place he was sitting on the cliffside that looks over Aretia. My grip tightens on the blade still in my hand, but I nod anyway. This could be stupid, considering he could easily toss me off this cliff. Yet, despite him being get-you-in-trouble level hot, I can’t seem to not trust his intentions.

I decide to sit down next to him. The view is beautiful, honestly. “Fine, but one move towards me and this knife is going in your eye.”

He actually laughs then, as though the mere idea of me causing him harm is hilarious. “Duly noted.”

“It’s peaceful up here.” I venture.

“Yeah, this is my favorite place in Tyrrendor honestly. Though I have no idea why I’m admitting this to some random stranger that just appeared from the woods.” He looks at me again, raising an eyebrow in my direction.

“My name is Violet. I left my home a few days ago and was hoping to make a new life for myself here.” I wait for his introduction expectantly.

“Xaden, at your service. I might be able to help you out with that, actually. And where was home?” He responds as though speaking to someone else is a chore, but I do appreciate the effort.

“Navarre” I wince. Tensions have been growing between Tyrrendor and Navarre recently, if the whisperings I’ve heard are accurate.

“Well, that isn’t necessarily ideal but we have taken in a few Navarrians recently. I can bring you to the assembly to make your case in the morning, if you want.”

“Really? Thank you. Do you know of any cheap hotels in town I can stay at? I don’t have any money but I can wash dishes or something.”

He takes in my appearance then, slowly from top to bottom. From the blood staining the silver tips of my otherwise brown hair, to the bruises on my face and the cuts on my hands. Then his eyes trail down to my swelling wrapped left ankle, and his eyes narrow. “How old are you, Violet? And did you walk here from Navarre!?”

“I’m sixteen, and technically I walked from near the Athebyne outpost. I had to get away from my family.” It's not technically a lie, I went with the General to check on the cadets doing a training exercise at Athebyne, and slipped away once she forgot about me. It was easy, really.

Xaden sighs, long-sufferingly, then gets up. Pushing his hands against his thighs and rising way too gracefully for someone his size, he reaches out a hand to me. “I know a place, can you walk? We should get going before the sun fully sets.”

I blink at his outstretched hand, and don’t take it. I get up slowly, stumbling slightly on my sprained ankle.

He quickly reaches out to stabilize me before I go tumbling off this cliffside, and he looks into my eyes with an intensity I don’t quite understand. The haze over my vision has come back. I blink, trying to clear the black spots. “Um, I think so. Could you maybe help me though? I don’t know how long this walk is going to be, and I’ve been walking for three days at least.”

He raises his eyebrows yet again, but says nothing. He sidles up next to me, putting an arm around my shoulders to support me. It’s a touch awkward, considering I barely reach his shoulders, and he could probably rest his elbow on mine, but I lean into him slightly and sling my left arm around his waist for more support.

I don’t protest when he slings my bag over his shoulders. “Damn, this thing is heavy. You carried this for how long?”

I don’t answer.

We begin to make the journey slowly, and after a minute he speaks again. “We’re going to Riorson house. It’s where the government assembly meets, and where we have a mender employed that can help fix you up. There’s also a ton of spare rooms, and I’m sure I can talk the man of the house into lending you a room seeing as you appear to be a runaway from some kind of abuse case.” It’s a statement, but he says the last bit like a question.

“And just how do you plan to talk him into that?” I ask, ignoring his unasked question and refusing to confirm or deny his statement.

“Easily enough, considering the fact that he’s my father.”

Well shit, I’m essentially cuddled into the side of Xaden fucking Riorson, son of the freaking Duke of Tyrrendor. More importantly, the son of the man who according to field reports murdered my older brother in cold blood.

Not to mention the possible plans to secede from Navarre. Also, I’m the daughter of the general hell bent on making sure he pays for his crimes.

These people absolutely cannot figure out my identity under any circumstances. Whether I want to enact revenge for Brennan or not, I do still need asylum.

We don’t talk the rest of the walk back to the … fortress? Palace? I’m not quite sure how to describe Riorson House honestly. There’s a reason it’s never been breached during its hundreds of years. I’ve just decided to take the name “Violet Daxton” when we enter the massive house, and Xaden leads me into the healer’s wing.

“Sit down on this cot, and I’ll go find the mender. Captain Aisereigh is never too far from here.” He’s just finished helping me onto the raised cot, when I hear a voice that shouldn’t exist anymore.

“Violet?!”

“Brennan?!”

Chapter Text

الهوى
Al Hawā

The beginning stage of love, where one likes and feels attracted to another.

_____

Aretia

Violet Sorrengail 

My brother died last year, Fen Riorson killed him. Nevertheless, a ghost stands in front of me in Rider’s black, looking nearly as healthy as I last saw him, if not a little pale.

“You’re supposed to be dead.” I say to the wraith in the shape of my older brother.

“And you’re supposed to be in Navarre, what the fuck happened Vi?”

“What the fuck happened? You died! You died Brennan, and nothing was the same! You died, Mira left, dad died, and mom hates me!”

If it’s possible, he gets even paler. “Dad’s dead?”

Xaden interrupts then, reminding us that he’s still standing next to me. “I take it that means you’re Violet Sorrengail, then.” He says the name with a fair bit of venom.

“Actually, if she’s staying here it should be Aisereigh.”

“Oh hell no, I’m not even going to entertain that idea until you start talking. You’ve already been dead for a year, I am not afraid to kill you again!” I grab the knife out of my pocket again, throwing it at him and nicking his ear, before it sinks into the wall behind him.

I hear Xaden let out a sigh, before grabbing my arms and holding them against the bed. “Okay Violence, we can’t have you murdering one of our only menders whether or not he’s legally dead already.”

“My name is Violet. Brennan, start talking.”

He raises his left hand in a gesture of surrender, the right going up to touch the cut on his ear. I feel a small glimmer of pride at the drop of blood that comes away on his hand.

“As lethal as ever I see, sis. I faked my death for a good reason, I promise. Can I please explain while I mend you, though?

“Fine. Let go of me, Riorson. I won’t kill him.” I whisper the “yet” under my breath, and Xaden slowly lets go, bringing a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

He takes a step back as Brennan takes a step forward, tentatively reaching out his left hand to check me for injuries.

“What hurts, Vi?”

“Everything. Always.” I say stubbornly.

“Fine. What hurts especially badly right now? I can see your hands and the swelling on your ankle.”

“My left knee almost went out when I tripped earlier, and my right shoulder has been out since yesterday when I ran into a coyote that took the last of my water.”

Brennan winces, then begins mending the tendons around my knee. The pain is all-consuming and blinding for a minute, then it subsides back down to normal.

“Xaden, can you send someone for some food and water please?”

”I’m not hungry, I ate dinner. But thank you.”

Xaden nods, before disappearing and leaving us alone. Not before sending me a withering warning glare, which I meet with a glare of my own.

“What you probably read was mostly true. I did nearly die that day. Naolin burned out saving my life. But it wasn’t Fen Riorson that did it. I was stabbed by a venin. Navarre has been lying to everyone for years about them.”

I’m about to protest about the venin being fairy tales, but he silences me with a look only an older brother can give. My older brother, who is alive.

”When I woke up, Naolin was dead on top of me, and his dragon was defending his body. Fen Riorson was fighting another venin nearby, and came to check on me.

The wards failed, Violet. We were on the edge of this small little border town, fairytales were real, and the love of my life was dead because mom couldn’t be bothered to tell us the fucking truth and sent me on a suicide mission anyway.”

I have never heard my brother swear before.

“So, when Fen offered me a place in his army, a place to actually fight the real enemy, I knew I had to. My only regret has been leaving you and Mira to fend for yourselves, but you had dad and I always planned to come back for you Violet.”

“Dad died last week. The doctors said that his heart failed. Its been having issues ever since-” I stop myself before I tell him that it started after he, the golden favorite child of the family, was killed in an attack on the border. An attack I was told was one of Tyrrish aggression on Navarre.

“I missed you Brennan. I don’t forgive you, and I’m pissed off at you, but I am glad you’re alive.”

Brennan blinks, and then Xaden has returned. This time, there’s a smaller version of him standing next to him as well as another huge man his age.

“Bohdi, Garrick, meet Violet Aisereigh. Brennan’s sister. Violence, meet my cousin Bohdi and the dipshit that is Garrick.”

“Oh shit, welcome to the revolution Violet!” Garrick says, pumping his rather large fist in the air.

“I didn’t know you had a sister Aisereigh, you’ve been holding out on us!” The mini Xaden says.

“Revolution?” I question, unamused and arching a brow at the sixteen year old.

Xaden elbows his rambunctious cousin, before saying “Well, if you’re pro Navarre spilling its secrets about venin to the public and protecting those of us outside of the wards, then yes technically this could be considered revolutionary.” He rolls his eyes.

“Right. Fairy tales are real, my dead brother is alive, your dad didn’t kill him, and this isn’t all a hallucination from lack of water?” I question my own sanity, licking my dry lips.

“Right, sorry.” Garrick hands me a glass of water, which I sniff for poison before draining in one go.

“Okay, I think that’s enough new for today. Let’s get her to the room next to mine now that she’s mended. In the morning I’ll vouch for her and we can go from there.” Brennan decides.

My head is spinning enough that I don’t fight him as he brings me down the hall to an adjacent wing, close enough to the healer’s that he can be there within seconds if an emergency arises.

Brennan leaves me in the rather spacious room, with its own attached bathroom, as he goes to scrounge up some clothes for me.

Xaden sets my bag down next to my new bed. I didn’t realize he followed us.

“Okay, I’ll leave you to it now. I’ll come get you and Brennan in the morning and we can get you asylum, then you’ll unfortunately be required to attend the school here, so you can start that on Monday.”

“You say that like school is a bad thing.” I scoff.

“School itself isn’t that bad, but I have a lot of other duties on top of that, which makes things slightly more stressful.” He shrugs.

“I get the feeling from the weight of your pack that you’ll be a quick study though.”

“You could say that.” I decide to say it in Tyrrish. We’ve been speaking the common language up until now, but I’m delirious enough to want to show off to the unfairly attractive representation of Dunne in front of me.

His gaze heats slightly, and he responds back in Tyrrish “So, she speaks the language of the land. Impressive for a brainwashed Navarrian.”

I roll my eyes at him, then begin to unpack my bag in a silent dismissal. “See you in the morning Violence.”

The shoe I threw at his head on his way out may have done nothing to dissuade the nickname, but it did bring me satisfaction. “It’s Violet!” I shout at his back.

Brennan drops off a couple sets of clothes that should fit me well enough, before leaving me for the night.

Tomorrow will definitely be eventful.

***

Xaden Riorson

I can’t say I was expecting to meet a Sorrengail sibling at my favorite secret hilltop overlooking Aretia, but I can’t say I regret it as I dodge the shoe she didn’t actually aim at me.

I know from that knife she threw at Aisereigh earlier that if she had wanted to hit me, she would have.

I’m still thinking about the gorgeous spitfire when Garrick and Bohdi meet back up with me on the way to father’s office.

“So, the little sister’s hot, right?” Garrick says, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

A wave of -something- washes over me, and I push against his chest lightly. “Fuck off Tavis.”

“That’s as much of a yes as we’ll get out of this broody fucker.” Bohdi snorts.

“She could still be a spy for her mother.” I reason, although she would admittedly be an attractive spy.

“After that reaction to Brennan? I don’t know Xaye” Garrick shrugs.

“Well, if Brennan is vouching for her then she’ll be joining classes on Monday. We’ll see what she knows then.” Bohdi reasons.

Then, I’m knocking on my father’s door to update him on how our collection of Sorrengails is growing. At this rate, we’ll have all of the siblings within the year.

Of course, that depends on how the succession that dad is planning later this year goes. We have about six months until then, but who knows.

I’m staring out the window next to him as I tell the story, watching a dragon fly out past the hatching grounds in the distance.

“And what’s your opinion of her, son? You’ve always been a good judge of character.”

“She’s wicked smart, a bit frail, and violent enough to have already stated if she had plans to bring us down. It sounds like her mother neglects her, her sister is away at Basgiath, and everyone else she loves is dead or presumed so. I honestly think she could be an asset to us if she chooses to help.”

“Okay, I trust your judgment. If you’re wrong though, I’m making her your responsibility.”

I sigh, looking at him again. We look the same, except that he’s older and his eyes are the color of whiskey. His beard is going gray at the edges, and his hair is beginning to get small pepperings in it as well. He wears the years with grace, however.

That new line between his eyes adds another couple of years, and his shoulders never seem to lose their tension anymore.

“Whatever you say, father. She’ll prove herself one way or another soon enough.” I shrug.

As I leave his office, I nearly miss him say “I love you, son.”

That stops me in my tracks, as we don’t usually speak so plainly about our emotions.

“I love you too dad. And remember, we have at least six more months to remind each other, and if all goes well a lifetime afterwards.”

“And I hope you’re right, but forgive me if I say it more often the next few months. Just in case.” He smiles in a way that isn’t reassuring.

I just nod, and step out of his office.

***

The Next Morning

Aretia

Violet Sorrengail 

The assembly meeting went easily- so easily in fact that I doubt anyone present besides Xaden and his father know that our last name isn’t actually Aisereigh.

When I voice my suspicions in the hallway afterwards, after making sure we were alone, Brennan confirms.

“It’s imperative that no one knows who our mother is, trust me. She doesn’t exactly have a fanclub around here.”

“Noted.”

Then he leads me to the dining hall, which is surprisingly full.

“How many people live here?”

“I’m actually not sure, Fen keeps taking in refugees from Tyrrendor and Poromiel, since the venin keep attacking their villages. There seems to be new faces every week.

“And Navarre is just leaving them to die?” I ask, furious, as we make our way through the breakfast line.

“Yeah, Tyrrendor is trying to help but without a luminary to make the weapons that kill the venin or wards to keep them out there is very little we can do. I would tell you more, but that’s classified intelligence and I really can’t tell you much more than that.”

I groan and roll my eyes. I’ve always hated secrets, especially classified ones.

“I take it you can’t tell me when Tyrrendor plans to secede from Navarre then?” I ask as we walk over to a table with some familiar faces, and some new ones.

I take some satisfaction in his dropping jaw, and the cough Xaden lets out. I haven’t exactly forgiven Brennan for the fact that I grieved him and burned his things.

“How in Malek’s name do you know about that!” He demands.

“It’s easy to get information when nobody cares enough about you to know where you are. I used to listen to some of mom’s meetings. Clearly not enough though, if I didn’t know about the venin.”

“Okay, well that may or may not be a plan and I can’t confirm anything about that. I think that’s above even my security clearance, Vi. Seriously, don’t talk like that you’ll scare the people housed here.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll drop it for the time being. Now introduce me to your friends!”

“Well, technically these are Xaden’s friends. I have work to do and I figured you’d rather hang out with people your own age as opposed to the brother you glare at every five seconds.”

“You were dead yesterday.”

“Right, I’m going to leave you all to it. Best of luck.” He practically runs. If he had a tail, it would be tucked between his legs.

“Coward.” I mutter under my breath, before turning to greet Xaden, Bohdi, Garrick, a tall blonde guy who looks to be my age that has his arm around a slightly younger and blonder girl, and a woman who appears to be Xaden’s age with a short bob and a glare that could cut glass. She’s sitting next to Garrick, with just enough distance between them that I can’t tell whether or not they’re a couple.

“Hello beautiful, this is Imogen, my fearsome sister Sloane, and my name is Liam. I hear you’ve already met the other three meatheads.” The blonde guy introduces. He’s cute, but not nearly toxic enough to be my type.

I smile despite myself, as Sloane rolls her eyes at her brother and Imogen continues glaring. “Nice to meet you Liam, I’m Violet Aisereigh.” I set my tray down at the empty place next to him, across from Xaden, and reach out my hand to shake his before sitting down.

“I never thanked you for yesterday, Xaden. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I hadn’t stumbled into you.”

“Don’t mention it. Seriously, don’t. My reputation isn’t exactly ‘nice guy that helps strangers in distress’.” He grumbles out, voice low and nearly threatening.

There’s something about that which should really be a red flag and scream ‘danger,’ but I lean in anyway and say “Or what? Are you going to threaten me if I damage your reputation as a standoffish brute?” My grin could be considered evil by some.

“Maybe.” He says, leaning in slightly too.

“Gonna threaten me with a knife?” I say deceptively sweetly, twirling the butter knife as I butter my toast.

“No Violence, knives are more your thing. I could threaten to get you kicked out of here, though. Then you’ll never get to hear our version of world history.” His lips quirk into a smirk on one side of his face, and I can’t decide whether I want to smack him or kiss him.

“Dang, going straight for the kill today. If you do that, I’m sure I know some Navarrian secrets that would scare a few people around here.”

“Does anyone else feel like they’re interrupting something?” Liam breaks the tension between Xaden and I, and we both sit back up having unconsciously leaned in over our trays.

“I kinda feel like this is a private moment, honestly.” Sloane agrees.

“I can’t tell whether they want to fuck or fight.” Garrick tags on.

“Oh shut the fuck up” Xaden punches Garrick on the shoulder, but conveniently denies nothing.

Imogen cracks a smile when she looks at Garrick, and rolls her eyes at something Bohdi says from further down the table.

Breakfast is otherwise uneventful.

***

Class the next day is interesting, I have quite a lot to catch up on. Navarre’s side of things is drastically different, and despite having trained my entire life for the scribes under Colonel Markham himself, I feel as though I don’t actually know anything at all.

The days pass by quickly, as I’m kept busy with physical training, history, science, and terrorizing Brennan as often as possible.

I learn that Xaden and Garrick are 17 and 18, respectively, although Xaden’s birthday is in a few short months. They’re also some of the best fighters in the class. Liam is also pretty good, but he’s clearly had less training since he’s only 15. I only just turned 16 though, so Liam is in my grade. 

They teach us how to fight in case we come into contact with a venin, since we’re outside of the wards.

I enjoy sparring with Sloane, as we’re pretty evenly matched. Liam is also fun to spar with, but he beats me within seconds every time.

Sparring with Imogen nearly sends me to Brennan when she dislocated my shoulder, but I’m too prideful to go and get mended again. I haven’t forgiven him yet, and the anger is too fresh.

Xaden takes one look at me and marches me to my brother. “Why exactly don’t you want that mended, Violence?”

“I live to annoy my brother, but I still don’t necessarily want to see that asshole. We burned his things. We grieved him! Excuse me for not just getting over that no matter how high and mighty his reasoning was.”

“Fine, but you’ve got to stop getting your ass handed to you on the mats. If anyone finds out your identity or you run into a venin, the consequences will be disastrous. I’ll train you a couple times a week from now on, that way you don’t need to see him that often. But only if you agree to go get mended when you do need it.”

“Why in Malek’s name would you do that?”

“I’m not going to lie and say that my help is necessarily virtuous, Violence.”

I look up at him then, and really look at him. We’ve stopped in the middle of the hallway, and the look he’s giving me would bring a lesser woman to her knees.

“What’s this I hear about a fiancée?” I question him. I’m still a good listener, and I hear the gossip around Riorson House.

He shrugs then. “The betrothal contract doesn’t kick in until I’m 20, and even then I think we both have theories that we only have six months left anyway.”

“Hmm.” I is all I respond with.

“Hmm?” He mocks me questioningly.

“Fine, you can train me after dinner a few nights a week. We’ll see what happens after that.” I shrug, before we start walking towards the healer’s wing again.

It’s only a few days later that we start making out in between sparring sessions.

Might as well make the most of these six months, if they’re possibly our last ones.

***

That’s how Brennan finds us a few weeks later, Xaden pressing me against a wall of the otherwise empty training room, my legs wrapped around him while his hands are holding up my ass.

“Really Riorson? My fucking sister!”

We break apart and before Xaden can defend himself I’m screaming at my brother.

“You lost the right to defend my honor when you fucking died Brennan. Excuse me while I make the most of the next few months!”

“If we only have a few months left, do you really want to spend them hating me?” He asks in a somewhat broken tone.

Something in that statement cracks my chest right open, and I start crying as I sink to the ground.

Xaden and Brennan both move to sit next to me, and I cry into Xaden’s chest while Brennan pats me on the back.

“Go make up with your sister Brennan, but I’m still going to date her.”

“I’ll kill you for that later Riorson.”

“Like hell you will!”

***

We don’t bother keeping our relationship a secret after that. It isn’t necessarily anything serious, but we are enjoying each other’s company while we can.

I’m sitting at the lunch table with Garrick, Imogen, Bodhi, Liam, and Sloane (who I’ve learned only live here during the school year and go back to their parents estates during the summers), with Xaden’s arm around me when the table suddenly goes quiet.

“Anything you’d like to inform me about Xaden?” Fen Riorson asks from behind us.

We both jump a little, then turn around to face him.

“Not necessarily. Anything you want to tell me about next month?” Xaden prompts.

“Not necessarily.” Fen responds.

Fantastic, this is a standoff.

“Duke Riorson! Thank you again for your vote to allow me asylum here. Amongst other things, which my brother has informed me that you’ve done for him. I suppose I should also thank you for the opportunity to meet your son, since I am dating him, although we haven’t technically defined anything.” I say, standing up to shake his hand.

He blinks at me for a moment, before chuckling to himself and shaking my outstretched hand.

“Tell you what Violet, meet me in my office tonight. I have information that might interest you. Bring my son if you must.”

“Yes, sir.” Is all I say.

Once Fen leaves, Xaden whispers in my ear “that was pretty hot.”

“Well, you being a wimp in front of your father about us was slightly less hot, but hopefully you’ll make up for that later.”I say at full volume while leveling a glare at him.

He puts his hands up in surrender as Imogen lets out a choked laugh, and Garrick starts patting her on the back. I almost think she’s choking too, until she says “damn Aisereigh, you’ve got some balls.”

The rest of the table breaks out into laughter at that, too.

***

I start playing chess with Xaden’s father a few nights per week, and he starts telling me a bit about the plans for secession.

I am honest when he asks if I’m serious about his son. “I’ll decide after we survive the secession.”

“We have a plan for that. I was actually wondering if you have any ideas, since you’re the closest to a direct source to Navarrian intel we’ve had in a year. I wasn’t sure if we could trust you before, but Xaden hasn’t been wrong about someone since his mother left us.”

“I can tell you that Navarre won’t take the bait, and will most likely try to destroy Tyrrendor if and when you do this. I know enough to know that this is actually a power play to try and get Navarre to help those of us outside of the wards, and I know enough that they will try to burn Aretia to the ground when you do. All we can do is prepare for the worst case scenario.”

Fen sits back in his chair, considering the chess board in front of him as though his next move won’t result in a checkmate from my knight or my rook, whichever piece he decides to move.

“Did you know that Aretia is made up of mostly clay and limestone?” He chooses to move his queen.

I use my rook to take his queen, setting me up to checkmate his king.

“That would mean that there’s caves and possibly mines all around us. And this fortress of yours is made of stone.”

“Yes.” He manages to move his bishop in a way that blocks my rook, so I use my own bishop to take it.

“You plan to have us hide in the caves then? What if we’re captured by Navarre?”

“Then you will be captured, but alive. I know my son. I know his friends. They are going to try to fight instead of hide. I am trusting that you care enough about Xaden to convince him to hide with you. I need my son to live.” He moves his other bishop in front of my queen, in a move that can only be suicidal for his king.

I take the bishop. “Checkmate.” I say, but it’s clear he allowed this checkmate to happen.

There’s a moment of heavy silence between us.

“I can’t promise to convince him of anything, but I do promise to try. I want us to live too.”

“That’s all I can ask.”

Chapter Text

وفي عينه, وجدت الجنة

And in his eyes, I found paradise.

_____

Aretia

Violet Sorrengail

It’s only a month later when it happens. Xaden and I knew it was going to, so I woke up in his bed that morning.

I spent hours the previous night begging him to go with everyone else and hide in the cave system, but he wants to face it head on.

We just held on to each other all night, waiting for dragon fire.

In the morning, Liam and Sloane’s mom knocks on Xaden’s door.

She quirks an eyebrow up at me when I answer the door in Xaden’s oversized shirt, but shrugs and says “Well that makes finding you easier, Violet. Here, I drew protection ruins for all 108 of the children. Now, get going to the caves before I find out that I wasted my time on them!”

Xaden thanks her, then pulls her into a hug. “Thank you Mrs. Mairi. I know your husband being on the other side of this has been hard, but I appreciate everything you’ve done regardless.”

She stifles a sniffle, then grabs onto his shoulders and looks him in the eye. “I can’t just let innocent people die. Now go! We both know Liam isn’t leaving until you do, and I won’t let my children be buried because you’re too prideful to hide.”

He looks to me as though I’m going to support this boneheaded decision of his to stay and fight. “I’m not hiding unless you are, so if I die it’s on your conscience too.” I shrug.

“Fine, we’ll go. Let’s get ready.”

Mrs. Mairi mouthes a thank you at me as she closes the door.

We’re dressed quickly. I change into a new pair of pants but leave on Xaden’s shirt, and shoulder the same pack I arrived with. I packed days ago, and stocked up on food and water last night.

We made it to the caves with everyone else, but the city was burned to the ground.

I spotted Aimsir, my mother’s brown dragon, in the sky breathing flames upon Aretia. The city that cared for me when she didn’t. I can’t help but cry.

They found us two days later, and rounded up all 108 of us before marching us to Navarre.

They held us captive for a few days, before forcing us to witness the murder of everyone else’s parents by mine.

I blended in with the others, until they lined us up to be burned by the dragons.

Xaden made his deal yesterday, and I’m holding his hand now as my mother walks up to the dias where she’s going to carve into his back 108 times.

She still hasn’t noticed me.

“Come on up, and take responsibility for them Riorson.”

I squeeze his hand, and kiss him one last time before he goes up.

“Oh save the theatrics with your little girlfriend- Violet?!”

“General Sorrengail. If only we could meet again under better circumstances.”

“I thought you were dead!” She practically growls at me.

“Makes sense, how long did it take before you realized I was missing?”

“Dain mentioned he hadn’t seen you in a few weeks around five months ago.”

I scoff, and I can tell Xaden wants to say something but I glare at him before he can make this worse for himself.

Bodhi and Garrick, the only others that knew my identity, move to flank me while everyone else looks confused despite their fear.

“Wow, why am I not surprised that you forgot I went with you to Athebyne six months ago, mother.” I say the word with as much vitriol as I can muster.

She nearly flinches, then motions for me to move next to her. “Well, come over here Violet. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“I think not. These people are my family now. If they burn, I’m burning with them.”

I see something pass over her face then, usually a mask of cold indifference. I can’t tell if it’s acceptance or regret.

“Fine then. If you stand with the traitors, then you are one as well.”

I watch as my own mother carves 108 scars into Xaden Riorson’s back.

I stand tall, Mrs. Mairi’s runestone in my hand as General Melgren’s dragon Codagh breathes fire on us all, and marks us as traitors.

Colonel Aetos and a few other faces I recognize as Navarrian soldiers and riders are present when they force us back into cells, and again days later when they inform us we’ll be fostered in different families until we join the Rider’s Quadrant at Basgiath when we turn 20. It’s annoying that Xaden and I are going to be separated an additional year because I was born the day after the cutoff, but I’ll need the time to prepare myself.

A week of imprisonment later, and Xaden’s back is infected. He hasn’t spoken more than a handful of words in days except to try and defend some children when a guard was too rough.

It's just Liam, him, and I left, two days later.

I’m a little surprised when Duke Lindell shows up and says he’s here to take the remaining kids, and simply go with him.

I suppose my mother has truly given up on me. Not that I consider her as such anymore.

***

Tirvaine Province

Violet Sorrengail

It takes four months for Xaden’s back to heal.

It takes another before we decide we might as well consider ourselves an official couple, and another two before the first coded message from Brennan arrives.

Aretia is rebuilding. The assembly is mostly alive, and Riorson house still stands.

Duke Lindell teaches us combat, and drills us on “correct” Navarrian history within an inch of our lives. We cannot tell anyone about the Venin under any circumstances, or we all face the consequences. 

We take etiquette classes, and I finally see the royal side of my boyfriend. He should be a duke himself now, after all.

Duke and Duchess Lindell dislike that Xaden and I are together, and try to keep us apart whenever possible.

We have gotten quite good at sneaking around.

On the roof one night, under the stars, I almost say it. “What if I think I’m in love with you?”

Xaden tenses, the weight of everything he’s lost and everything he’s promised others heavy on his shoulders. “What if I told you to wait until after your threshing to tell me?”

“Xaden… that’s in almost four years.”

“I don’t know if I can survive us being apart, the possibility of you dying, if we say it before then.”

I remain quiet for a moment, taking in the view of the night sky.

“After threshing.”

“After threshing.”

It becomes our consistent promise to each other.

***

The next year passes incredibly slowly, and incredibly fast at the same time.

We hatch a plan to smuggle weapons out of Basgiath to help the Poromish once Xaden and the rest of his year bond dragons.

“I know Navarre thinks that the dragons won’t bond us, but Codagh could have killed us that day and he marked us instead. I don’t think that’s meaningless.” I say, gesturing to the swirling rebellion relic that goes up my left arm, from fingertips to the top of my shoulder.

Xaden’s is even bigger, spreading all the way up to his jaw on his right side. Liam’s is about the same size as mine, but doesn’t go onto his hand.

“I think you’re right, Vi. I made that deal with your mother so that we would have a chance of death instead of the certainty of it. If the dragons smite me at presentation then I’ll accept that, but not before.”

Liam agrees wholeheartedly.

***

Xaden is nearly twenty now, and I feel the time slipping away like the ticking of a bomb in more ways than one.

“Not only am I going to lose you to the Rider’s Quadrant for two years come July, but you’re going to be automatically betrothed to that fucking wench on your birthday next week.”

Xaden is 19 and I am 18.

“I have tried to talk sense into the Assembly but they won’t budge since we need that luminary to make the alloy daggers. There’s only one way I can see out of it at this point, but I don’t know how you’ll react.”

“Are you about to suggest what I think you are, Riorson?”

“You can say no, we haven’t even technically said those three words yet, and we’ve only been together for about two years.”

“Xaden.”

“Violet, if we get married I can’t be betrothed anymore.”

It takes me all of a few seconds to decide.

I crash my lips onto his.

“No one at Basgiath can know. Riders aren’t allowed to get married until after graduation, and you’ll probably be my superior officer once I finally get in there.” I say in a rush.

“Just the marked ones.” He replies.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

We sneak away that night, to a temple of Dunne nearby.

I notice oddly that the priestesses all have fully silver hair no matter their age, as well as tattoos on their foreheads.

If I wasn’t about to get married at 18 to essentially my high school boyfriend in one of the rashest decisions of my life, I would have asked a few more questions. Hopefully I remember to come back and ask them about their hair again later.

“Are you sure?” The woman asks us, looking at me and then Xaden very seriously. I understand, considering how young we are.

“Absolutely.” I respond at the same time as him.

Then, she ties our hands together and has us read vows tying our lives together forevermore in the names of Dunne, Malek, and Loial.

We kiss when she tells us to, and I swear my soul sings.

“We never discussed who’s taking who’s last name.” Xaden says once we finally break apart for air. “If I ever get the title back it’s tied to mine, but we can take yours.” 

“Well, I haven’t been very proud of the Sorrengail name in a few years.” I shrug, then smile up at him.

“Violet Riorson, I quite like the sound of that.”

We broke a table that night.

Two months later he left for the Rider’s Quadrant, leaving Liam and I alone together for the next two years.

I did my best to fill in as his adoptive sister, since Sloane got fostered elsewhere. Liam does his best to act like my brother, and soon enough we’re inseparable.

I can’t help but worry about Xaden and the others at the death factory that is Basgiath War College.

But if anyone can survive, its Xaden and Garrick. I should be more worried about myself, honestly.

Xaden taught me how to fight, and I practice with Liam every day. But my joints are still fragile, and can snap without warning sometimes. Even the best of my efforts can result in a sprain or a dislocation, even if it's not as often anymore.

I can’t help but be full of pride when we receive a coded message that Xaden, Garrick, Soleil, and Eya all bonded dragons.

I also got an incredibly pissed coded missive from Brennan once he received word about Xaden and I’s marriage.

I’m sure if he could have made the paper yell he would have.

Liam and I don’t hear much for the rest of the year, but we do our best to trust in the others abilities and prepare ourselves for the Rider’s Quadrant.

Second year comes with letter writing privileges, and Xaden and I write to each other a lot and often. We can’t say much though, since everything we write will be read by at least three people to check for cyphers and codes, let alone a slipup like “dearest wife.”

Regardless, I know that all of the marked ones are alive and weilding signets, even if Xaden refuses to tell me what they are. I also know that my old friend Dain is doing well for himself, and even managed to get a classified signet that Xaden theorizes is somewhat intinsic.

The asshole won’t tell me his signet either, he says he wants to show me himself. I can’t help but wonder if he’s having issues controlling it or something. 

Thinking of signets always makes me miss my sister, Mira. I can’t help but feel a bit like how Brennan must have felt when he chose to fake his death instead of continue lying to us.

I also can’t help but wonder what she’s been told about me.

Conscription day finally comes, and it feels like its been both a lifetime and no time.

Liam braids my hair into a crown, like he tells me he used to do for Sloane.

He makes sure my clothes are tight enough, and Duchess Lindell makes sure we have boots with enough tread for the parapet. I think we’ve secretly grown on her over the years, despite her rough and cold treatment of us.

My pack is manageable, similarly packed to my first day in Aretia all those years ago but much more manageable after years of strength training.

“Liam, I promise I have enough knives on me.”

“You can never have enough for Parapet, Vi. What if some crazy person tries to avenge Navarre before you’re even across?”

“The same could be said for you, Liam but I don’t see fourteen knives strapped to your chest!” I cross my arms and puff out my own chest in indignation.

“Come on Vi, you know I prefer swords. Knives are more your thing.”

“And yet you only have one sword. What happens if you get disarmed?”

“Fine, I will take three daggers with me. But you have to agree to wear gloves and long sleeves until we’re across the parapet.” He levels with me.

“I don’t see how covering my relic will help prevent people from targeting me, especially considering the fact that the last name I’ll be giving them is Sorrengail, and I’m five foot nothing and 120 pounds soaking wet-  but fine.”

We make it to the end of the line at Basgiath, and I marvel at the sheer amount of volunteers for this death factory.

I glance longingly towards the Scribe Quadrant for a moment, before taking a deep breath and steeling myself for this next step.

I will not die today.

Liam and I get separated when a group of Infantry candidates get rowdy while saying their goodbyes to their friends and families, and then I hear my mother’s voice for the first time in nearly three years. The last time I saw her, she was carving up my husband’s back and sending 108 children to the slaughter.

“Violet.”

“General Sorrengail.” I turn to face her.

She looks at me appraisingly. “You’ve always been the strongest of us Sorrengails. I have faith that you’ll survive.”

“Ah yes, the death sentance Xaden had to beg you for.”

To her credit, my mother doesn’t so much as flinch.

“Had I known that you were alive, and in that crowd that day, I would have done a lot of things differently.”

“What does Mira know?” I ask instead of acknowledging that statement.

“Very little. The story around Basgiath is that you were abducted by the Tyrrish and we thought you were dead. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time and wound up marked with a rebellion relic, and you’ve been in hiding ever since in preparation for the Rider’s Quadrant.”

“Why are you even here? Besides the fact that you’re stationed at Basgiath, obviously.”

“I’m here to escort my daughter to register her name for the Rider’s Quadrant. Every Sorrengail is a rider, after all.”

I’m silent for a moment, as a decide whether or not telling her this part of me is worth the satisfaction I’ll get from it. Ultimately, I decide she’s damn good at keeping secrets.

“Then you should know that despite what I’m about to tell everyone, my real last name is Riorson.”

I watch her eye twitch for a moment, and know that I’ve won this round. I almost ask her why she left me to be fostered, but decide I probably don’t want that answer.

Finally, I see Liam’s blonde hair fighting through the crowd to get to me.

“There you are, Vi! You can’t go wandering off before we even cross the Parapet!”

It takes him a beat to notice my mother standing across from me.

“Oh. General Sorrengail, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Liam attempts to be pleasant, to his credit. The dimples really help his case.

“I’m escorting Candidate Violet Sorrengail to the roll station, then taking my leave. If you know what’s good for her, you’ll stay back a few paces Mairi.”

Liam appraises her for a moment, before looking me in the eyes. He must find what he’s looking for there, because he says “With all due respect General, I’ve been watching out for Violet for a few years now; and I think she can decide what’s best for herself.” He looks at me expectantly.

“Stay close Liam, she can escort me if she wants but I’m not leaving you behind, you’ve become as essential to me as my own shadow over the years.”

The General must take that as her cue to start walking, and she takes us all the way through to the front of the line. “You did well covering your relic, Violet. I recommend keeping that hidden for as long as possible. Being a Sorrengail and a Marked One will not make things easy on you. Especially considering your condition.” She says the last word with extreme distaste.

She leaves me at the roll table, and walks away as the stares follow her. “That was General Sorrengail!”

“I wonder what she’s doing here”

“I hear her daughter got kidnapped by those traitorous Tyrs and wound up marked accidentally, I wonder if that’s her”

“Really? I heard she was a traitor and ran”

The whispers get progressively louder.

“Vi, I take it back. You can rock that relic whenever you want. Fuck her, honestly.” Liam leans over to whisper to me.

“Name?” The man with the scroll asks, not bothering to look up at me.

“Violet Sorrengail”

The whispers go silent, before breaking out into a dull roar.

Chapter Text

خليل

Khaleel

An intimate friend, someone whose presence makes you happy. 

_____

Basgiath War College

Xaden Riorson

My shadows are practically spilling out of me in nervous energy. So many of us are about to cross the parapet, including my wife.

I still can’t believe she agreed to that at eighteen, but I love her more than I care to admit before her threshing.

“This line of thought implies doubt in your mate. Stop it.”

Sgaeyl doesn’t have to tell me twice, but I lock down my shields some anyway. She can still get in, but I have enough to worry about right now. Bodhi and Imogen are around somewhere behind me, and I know Soleil and Eya are off doing third year duties somewhere.

Garrick is next to me on parapet duty, taking the names of the hopeful and the stupid before they either cross or fall to their deaths.

Let’s just hope that Violence, Liam, and the others are more coordinated than the last few candidates.

“You ready for this next one Riorson?” Garrick asks, breaking me out of my thoughts. I don’t fully hear him however, because the next thing I hear is a woman saying “You ready for this Sorrengail?”

My heart nearly stops when I see her. We make eye contact, and have to decide in a split second whether we’re pretending to hate each other or not.

Instead of saying anything that could give something away, I just nod at her.

She smirks at me, and nods back.

“I’ve been ready to cross this parapet for a couple of years now, Rhiannon.”

I have to fight to keep the smile off my face, and Garrick elbows me to get me to pay attention.

“Name” I say, in a dull monotone.

“Dylan” he says, then turns to Violet, Liam, and the woman with braids and mohogany skin that must be Rhiannon, and continues with “See you three on the other side!”

Violet flinches when he falls. Another blonde candidate pushes his way up onto the stairs, yelling at my Violence and Liam in a way that can only mean he has a death wish. I have to restrain my shadows from physically pushing him back a few paces.

Liam pushes him back instead, and doesn’t let him get behind Violet.

I look down at her, and take her in. I haven’t seen her in two years.

I can’t help but notice the mismatched boots she and Rhiannon both sport.

“Sorrengail. You’re general Sorrengail’s youngest.”

“And you’re Fen Riorson’s son.”

Neither of us can contain a short chuckle.

“You two friends?” I ask.

“We met on the stairs.” Rhiannon says, seemingly defending Violet. I have to admit I’m impressed with her ability to make friends so quickly, if not wishing she had waited about ten more minutes.

Rhiannon squeezes Violet’s hand, and then she’s off after giving her full name to Garrick.

She’s nearly halfway through by the time Violet and I can break eye contact, and we have so much left to say to each other.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Is all she says.

“I’m stuck here until everyone is across, so it may actually be a few hours.” Is my intelligent response.

It feels like my soul is crossing the parapet without me, and my shadows follow her involuntarily. I try to keep them in close to the parapet, so no one notices my leaking appendages.

I force myself to turn away from her, and am faced with Liam, essentially my brother.

“Relax, bro. We’ve got this.” He grabs my shoulder for a second, and then he’s off after Violet.

I don’t check to see if Garrick wrote down their names.

Violet almost slips once, but she crosses and envelopes Rhiannon in a hug.

This fucking rain isn’t helping matters. She nearly slipped right off at one point due to that stupid too-big riding boot she swapped with the girl.

When Liam is nearly across, the blonde psychopath appears in front of Garrick.

I try not to use my second signet in large crowds due to the headache it will cause, but I let my shields down just long enough to see the murder that was already evident in his eyes.

“My name is Jack Barlowe, and I’m going to be a wingleader one day so you better remember that!”

Then he’s off, but he pauses a quarter of the way through to push off the unlucky candidate that was behind him.

Then, he starts running after Liam.

“You’re next Mauri, traitors shouldn’t get a chance to live!”

I have to physically control my shadows, but Liam is already across before Jack can catch up.

And then, the beautiful, furious face of my wife appears. Holding a knife to Jack’s balls.

“You aren’t a cadet yet Barlowe, I can gut you where you stand with no consequences.”

I hear Mavis say “Well she’s got you by the balls here, literally. Your call Sorrengail, what’s it gonna be?”

“Are you gonna follow the rules?” She starts spouting off that part of the codex that states cadets can’t kill each other in formation, and Jack glances down at the knife pressed against his balls and nods.

She should just stab him where he stands, but Violet unfortunately still has a conscience. Its a flaw I don’t possess anymore, as admirable as it is on her.

“You should keep an eye on him, your mate seems to have made an enemy already.”

“She’s a marked Sorrengail as well as my wife, I’m going to have to watch the entire Quadrant for her.”

The rest of Conscription Day is going to feel like an eternity now.

***

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Having dealt with Jack, I high five Rhiannon while Liam lectures me about being able to take care of himself.

I decided Rhi was cool after I took off my glove and rolled up my sleeve in line and she didn’t even blink twice at my relic. She hasn’t treated Liam any differently either.

Then, I saw those smooth soled horseback riding boots and just knew that I had to do something.

“Thanks for the boot, Violet! I would have died at least three separate times without it!”

“Let’s go get these swapped back out.” I laugh, grateful for the friendly face amongst this sea of hatred in front of me.

Liam is still ranting about making unnecessary enemies on day one when I hear a voice I haven’t heard since I was sixteen.

“Violet, is that you?”

Dain looks handsome as ever, and has filled out nicely.

He still has nothing on whatever in Malek’s name happened to my husband in the last two years, but he’s certainly a catch for someone. I can’t help but entertain the thought that he’d be Sloane’s type, actually.

“Dain!” I exclaim, my voice a little choked up. “I hear you were the one to finally report me missing way back when. Thank you for caring.”

“Vi… what the hell happened to you? You just up and vanished nearly five years ago, and then I hear stories that you wound up in Tyrrendor and got Marked? And you’ve got muscles now?”

I chuckle at the last part.

“Yeah, a lot happened. I ran away from home at sixteen, wound up on the wrong side of the wards, got taken in by a family in Tyrrendor, which is where I was when the Duke petitioned for secession, and wound up rounded up and marked with the Tyrrish children of Separatist's, since I was hiding with them at the time. Had a few years to train for the quadrant, and now I’m here. Surprise?”

Some of that history is quite obviously embellished, but thats what aligns most with the gossip mom was spreading and I might as well assimilate as much as possible. For now. 

“Damn, Vi. I don’t even know what to say to that.”

“Well, tell me about you- how have you been the last five years?”

“I looked for you for as long as I could, but no one would tell me what happened after the Rebellion. After that, I doubled down on my training for the Riders Quadrant. Joined, bonded a badass red Swordtail named Cath, and became a squad leader.”

“Not too shabby, Aetos.” I say.

“What the fuck are you doing here Vi, you aren’t a rider!”

”I’m sorry, who are you?” Liam cuts in, while Rhiannon chimes in her agreement.

“Dain Aetos, Violet’s childhood best friend, and a second year rider cadets. Who the hell are you two?”

“Liam Mairi, Violet’s foster brother, at your service. And for your information oh so noble squad leader, all Marked Ones are conscripted into Basgiath, we don’t get a choice in the matter.” He moves to stand in front of me, crossing his arms.

“The name’s Rhiannon Mattias, and Violet just saved my life. As far as I’m concerned, we’re best friends for life now.”

Rhi and I have successfully switched back our footwear now.

“Fine, Mattias, please go to that woman with the red hair taking roll and tell her that Squad Leader Aetos is requesting all three of you in his squad. If she gives you shit for it, remind her she owes me for Threshing last year.”

She nods, then heads over to follow orders.

Liam grumbles to himself, and I have to ask “Won’t your father be upset that you’re adding two Marked Ones to your squad?”

“If he asks me I’ll just say I wanted to keep an eye on the enemy or something.” He pauses for a moment. “It’s good to see you again, Vi. I hope we can talk some more about what happened soon. I’ve missed you.” Then he walks away to do squad leader things, and I see Bodhi and Imogen. They walk up to Liam and I, and while we aren’t supposed to be in groups larger than three there’s no one looking to notice us in this madness.

“Bodhi!” I practically squeal and go to hug him while Liam pulls Imogen in for a noogie, which looks absolutely ridiculous on the older woman. She swats his hand away but Bodhi squeezes me back, quietly saying “hey there cousin” in my ear.

“I’m sure Xaden will find you soon but we wanted to tell you about the meeting we’re having in Xaden’s room sometime this week. Probably tonight, since most everyone will be too busy celebrating to notice we’re missing.” Bodhi says.

“Sounds good to me, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m practically excited.”

“Just don’t run from the dragons in formation and we’ll see you tonight.” Imogen says seriously. Her hair is even shorter on one side now and dyed pink.

“Love the hair Im, you rock that look.”

She smirks, and just says “Thanks Vi. You don’t look like you’re one missed meal away from evaporating anymore. Good job.”

I snort, and then Rhiannon is back with her new friend Tara in tow.

“Time to get ready for formation you lot.” Bodhi says.

“Yes sir Executive Officer Durran.” I mockingly solute, then step away to find our squad.

We’re in Second Wing, and I breathe a sigh of relief when Barlowe isn’t called into our squad.

I don’t bother to learn most of the names of my squadmates, but Tynan is already annoying me and Ridoc and Sawyer are hard to ignore.

I start explaining the basics of military formations to Rhiannon, and then the speeches start. Commandant Panchek rambles on about how 301 of us made it across, and 67 died. “As the Codex says, now you begin the true crucible!” Panchek shouts, his voice carrying over the five hundred of us that I estimate are in this 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.”

Then, he begins to summon our squads into our wings in formation.

I spot Xaden, an easy enough feat considering the way the others move around him. They give him a wide berth, like he’s a shark and they’re all fish. He beelines for the dais and hops onto it with a lethal grace I can only envy.

I make eye contact with him, and he flashes a quick grin at me that anyone else would consider a threat, then turns to the other Wing Leaders on the stage and says something that seemingly starts chaos. After a moment, things calm down and then “Second Wing, Fourth Squad, Tail Section. You will trade places with Aura Banehaven’s squad!”

I fight back a smile as I figure out what my husband just did. Sneaky bastard. I can’t help but wonder what his signet power is, especially considering how the others seem to hold him in such a lethal regard.

As we settle into our new position in Fourth Wing, Second Squad, Flame Section, Xaden starts his own speech.

“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 I keep my mouth shut.
Xaden’s eyes find mine, and my stomach does a flip before he looks away. His glance felt both reassuring and like a warning. 

“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.
“Oh gods, they’re beautiful,” Rhiannon whispers at my side as they come into view-a riot of dragons.
Then, just when I think they’re about to fly over us, they pitch and land on the wall in front of us, cracking a few stones in the process.

A large navy blue daggertail lands in front of me, and I know without a doubt that this is Sgaeyl, Xaden’s bonded dragon.

She sniffs me, and looks me in the eye. I bow my head in recognition and submission, but refuse to back down. I will not be afraid of her.

I will not die today.

She lets out a stream of hot air from her nose, and lifts her head slightly in what I can only hope is approval.

Then cadets start running, and nothing prepares me for the scent of sulfur when the dragons incinerate them.

”Anyone else feel like changing their mind?” Xaden shouts, scanning the remaining rows of cadets with the same shrewd gaze of Sgaeyl 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 my 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-this time directly at my face-and every muscle in my body clenches, preparing for incineration. But it’s not flames, just steam, and it blows back Rhiannon’s braids as the dragons finish their simultaneous exhale. The pants 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 we lock eyes. “To them, you’re just the prey.”

I probably wasn’t supposed to find that speech hot, but damn if the new scar on Xaden’s brow and seeing him in a leadership position being all charismatic isn’t doing things to me.

Chapter Text

انتبه لنفسك

انت نفسي، انتبهي لي على 

“Take care of yourself.”

“You are myself, take care of me.”

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Sneaking out of the cadet barracks that night with Liam is almost too easy. We tell Rhi that we’re going to meet up with an old friend, and leave her to party with Tara, Ridoc, and Sawyer.

Sneaking into the third year floor is slightly more difficult, but no one is paying much attention tonight. Finding Xaden’s room would be difficult, except it only makes sense that they made him walk the farthest out of all the wingleaders. His room is at the very end of the hall, and Garrick is waiting outside of it.

“There you two are, I got nervous when Luperco beat you here.”

“Sorry, had to give our new friends the slip. Then Aetos caught us leaving and only let us go when I promised to talk to him tomorrow.” I roll my eyes as Garrick chuckles. 

“Maybe don’t tell Xaden that, we need our squad leaders and he’s had two years to build up his jealous assholery.”

“Well, can we go in or do we need a secret code oh Mr. Bouncer?”

Garrick moves to the side and opens the door, revealing a room full of five of the other first year Marked Ones, Imogen, Bodhi, and now Garrick, Liam, and I. My eyes lock with Xaden’s, and he pauses mid-sentence.

“Next Wednesday under the- Violence!”

I don’t even remember walking over to him, but suddenly we’ve crossed the distance between us and his mouth is claiming mine. It feels like my soul lights on fire. Like a piece of myself has been missing for the last two years, and I just found it again. I feel myself warming from head to toe, as I throw my arms around him.

“Alright lovebirds, break it up there are children present!” Bodhi calls out, and when I extract myself from Xaden’s grip and look over he’s covering Liam’s eyes like a toddler.

“Dude I was fostered with them, together. This is tame. Gods, you should have seen after they snuck off and got married. There’s not enough bleach in the world to cleanse my eyeballs of that.” Liam rolls his eyes and elbows Bodhi in the gut, but in a way that you can tell he’s joking.

“Excuse me, married?!” Luperco asks, although the other first years also look confused.

“Isn’t that not allowed?” The girl asks, whose name I don’t know yet.

“What command doesn’t know won’t hurt them.” Xaden shrugs, and I laugh and relax into his hold on me. I’m not letting him go for a while yet tonight. I have far too many questions.

“This is mainly just a check in, our meeting with everyone is in a week, after challenges start. Everyone will go in groups of two or three to the assigned spot that Bodhi or Imogen will inform you about the day of. Any immediate concerns?” Xaden asks, suddenly much more personable than in formation.

“Will someone try to kill us on assessment day?” One asks.

“We’re Marked. Until you prove yourself untouchable or deadly, someone will always be trying to kill you. I suggest you prepare for it and stay ready, you never know when you have to be ready to defend yourself or someone else.”

I have definitely missed a lot in the last two years, I realize.

“Okay, everyone is dismissed. Try to get some sleep before assessment day tomorrow. Stay vigilant.”

Everyone except Liam and I leave.

“Liam, my brother, I have missed you more than you can know. And we will catch up in the morning. Please leave, I have things to discuss with my wife.” Xaden dismisses him, and he just laughs before saluting with two fingers and walking out of the door backwards, locking it behind himself.

I’m immediately kissing him again, but I pull away to begin my interrogation. “So, how many times have you been attacked?”

Xaden groans, sitting down on the bed, with me on his lap.

“This year, none. First year? Countless. They learned pretty quickly that I couldn’t be taken down in challenges or one on one, though. But I wasn’t safe until I developed my signet.”

“Which is?” I bat my eyelashes at him sweetly, but he knows that I’m annoyed and mean it with pure malice.

He doesn’t answer immediately, but slowly the room goes fully dark. I feel something brush against my cheek lightly, soft and warm.

“I’m a shadow wielder.”

My eyes, which I closed without realizing, snap open in shock.

“Xaden! That’s an insanely rare signet power!”

“And powerful” he brags to me. “I can use them to move things, block out vision, listen, and any number of things. They’re a part of me.” As he speaks, a couple tendrils of shadow are seeping off of him, as though he’s so powerful his body can’t contain it all.

I reach out a finger and brush against one. “They’re beautiful.” I whisper, and he shudders.

“Now, tell me about this new scar.” I say, tracing it as it bisects his brow bone.

“Sgaeyl’s threshing present, along with her relic.”

“Can I see?”

“If you wanted my shirt off Violence, all you had to do was ask.” He smirks at me, with a shit eating grin I want to kiss off of his stupidly attractive face.

“Okay, Xaden please take your shirt off before I rip it off of your body.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Then he turns around, and on top of the 108 raised scars that span across his entire back is a relic tattoo in the image of his gorgeous blue daggertail.

I kiss her head on his back, then begin the slow process of kissing every single scar on his back. Just like I did when they were still healing and hurting. I’m not even close to halfway done when Xaden flips over, forcing my mouth up to meet his.

It’s probably bad form to sleep with the Wingleader on your first day, but if I have to keep my hands to myself for one more moment I am going to spontaneously combust.

He trails kisses from my neck to my stomach, and my body lights on fire.

“Gods, I’ve missed you.” I gasp out between breaths, as his lips trace a damning path towards my thighs.

“Which ones are you calling out for Violet? Because it's just you and I in this room, and I don’t share.” He says it while looking up at me from between my legs.

“You’re far too overdressed by the way.” He says while making quick work of my pants and shirt. Impressive considering they’re all leather.

Then, he starts eating me out, and all of my thoughts cease to exist. If I could stay suspended in this moment forever I would, except that it’s been two years since I’ve had sex and if I don’t have him now, I just might kill him.

“Xaden! I need-“

“I know what you need, love. And I’m going to give it to you. But first, I need to savor the moment.” I didn’t know it was possible to be so pleased and so frustrated at the same time, but damn if this man hasn’t managed it.

Just as I’m about to reach release, he stops. I whine, and reach for him, but he’s already traveling the distance back up my body to capture my lips in another kiss. Finally, blissfully, we come together as one. Not before he asks me for consent verbally, though.

“Words, Violence.”

“If you don’t fuck me right now Riorson I will make your life a living hell.”

He chuckles, and then there’s that familiar delicious stretch that fills me so completely I can’t even think.

It’s a good thing we made it to the bed this time, we really shouldn’t break anything on my first day in the Quadrant.

“Fuck, Vi-“

He makes sure I finish first, allowing me to ride out my high while pumping into me at a rate that could cause me to burst into flames until he follows me over that peak.

We just lay together for a time, tangled up in a mess of limbs and clothes strewn everywhere with reckless abandon.

“I should go back to the cadet dorms soon.”

“I know. But I don’t want you to. Stay? Just for a little while? I’ll sneak you back in before dawn.”

“Fine, but if we get caught you’re the one explaining it.” I allow.

“Deal, Violence.”

I succumb to sleep then, and I wake up to Xaden shaking me gently.

“Vi, it’s time to sneak you back to the dorms. I have my own bathroom, if you want to use that instead of the communal ones.”

That wakes me up, and I kiss him quickly before I beeline for his bathroom and turn on the shower.

“If you join me we’ll never make it in time, so you better stay out there lover boy. I only need ten minutes.”

True to my word, ten minutes later I’m freshly showered and taking down my hair from the mess Xaden made of it last night. I wrapped all my joints, too- since it’s assessment day. 

“Here, let me.”

“You have always loved my hair.” I giggle.

He takes his time taking out the pins individually and combing his fingers through it. “I can’t believe I didn’t get my hands on this hair last night. An extreme oversight on my part.”

“You always were touching my hair even back in Aretia. Now stop that, I need to put it back in its braid.” I knock his hands away gently, and braid it into one long braid then wrap it around the crown of my head, securing it with the pins Xaden is holding for me.

“Now let’s go, we can’t have anyone catching us and I am not sneaking back in on my own.”

Xaden uses his fancy new shadow powers to check around corners and make sure we aren’t seen, then gives me one last peck on the lips when he’s sure no one is coming.

“Hiding this from everyone is going to be painful, but at least I know you’re worth it.” He says, and I give him one last hug before pulling away, and I somehow know that this is one of our last nights like this for a while.

I sneak back into my untouched bed, and under the covers as though I was there the whole night. It doesn’t take long before Dain is at the door telling us to get a move on before we miss breakfast.

It's a good thing I’ve kept scribe hours since I was twelve. I might even sign up for breakfast duty.

“Damn Vi how are you already up and ready? What time did you even get back last night?” Rhiannon asks me.

“Too damn late, Bodhi kept us out regaling us about his first year war stories until I threatened to knock his ass out. And Vi’s always been a ridiculously early riser no matter what. I’ve never understood it.” Liam covers for me.

I look at him and smile in silent thanks, and we make our way to breakfast and then battle brief.

Basgiath is going to keep us incredibly busy, if nothing else.

Chapter Text

صاحب

Sahib

A word for a friend, someone who’s concerned for your wellbeing

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Breakfast was certainly interesting. The cadets not in my squad don’t seem to know what to make of me.

Many are staring daggers my way, and Barlowe tried to trip me on the way into the cafeteria.

I stepped around him though.

“Vi, why does the entire Quadrant seem to hate the fact that you exist?” Rhi asks as we sit down at our squad’s table. Imogen is sitting near the end with another blonde third year woman, and another second year I don’t remember yet. Liam is seated to my left, Rhi to my right, and Sawyer and Ridoc are across from us.

The rest of the squad took one look at Liam and I’s relics and sat at the far end of the table or another one entirely. Pricks.

Liam laughs, and Sawyer and Ridoc look up from their conversation about which member of senior leadership is the hottest to hear my answer.

“I mean, take your pic Rhi. I’m the smallest cadet here, the daughter of the esteemed commanding general of Basgiath, and I’m Marked, among other things. Even some of the other Marked Ones don’t quite know what to think about me, but I was standing right next to them when my own mother murdered their parents in front of us. Staying alive is going to be a hell of a chore this year.”

“I cannot say I envy you, Sorrengail.” Sawyer says. I frown slightly at the use of my maiden name, but hope it comes off as not liking sympathy.

“That’s enough about my problems, now Ridoc which commander were you ogling?”

“That thick piece of ass in charge of Second Wing is pretty appealing, but then there’s that tall dark drink of water that is our Wingleader.”

I feel the tiniest bubble of jealousy rise up before I remember that Xaden is mine in practically every sense of the word, and definitely not gay, before I find myself agreeing. “Oh I have to agree with you on that, Gamlyn. He is get-you-in-trouble-and-you-like-it level hot.”

“Sorry, who are we ogling?” Liam asks, having been in conversation with Sawyer.

“The Wingleader.” I smirk in response.

“You’re bold Vi” Liam quirks an eyebrow at me.

“Oh I don’t know Mairi, they kept locking eyes in formation yesterday- I think the feeling might be mutual” Rhiannon jests with a twinkle in her eyes.

“While fraternizing is frowned upon I certainly can’t say I’m opposed.” I laugh.

“Wait, did you all know each other before the Secession?” Sawyer probes, while we all start getting up to make our way to battle brief.

“You could say that.” Liam responds cryptically.

”I ran away from home and the Riorson’s took me in, so yes we did.” I respond- a much shorter version of the story I told Dain yesterday.

We’re rounding the bend towards the classroom when I hear an unmistakable bird call- one I haven’t heard in years and makes me instantly nostalgic.

“Liam, Rhi, don’t wait up. I’m gonna go see what Dain wants.

“Nah, I think I’ll wait right here. Marked Ones go nowhere alone, remember sis?” Liam squints at me.

Rhi decides to wait with him, and the rest of the squad goes on ahead to grab seats in the room that’s sure to be overflowing for the next few weeks.

I stroll over to a dark shadowy corner, which actually brings me comfort considering I know Xaden will be able to hear everything Dain says to me.

“How can I help you, Squad Leader Aetos?” I ask, but I say the title teasingly.

“I just wanted to see how you’re doing. I know it can’t be easy being you and being here. If this were any other set of circumstances, I’d be begging to sneak you into the Scribe Quadrant now.”

“While I think I appreciate the gesture, I would much prefer it if you had some faith in me. I know you’ve patched me up alongside Brennan since we were in diapers, but Dain so much has happened these last few years. I’m not quite as breakable as you remember, and I certainly can’t act like it. Plus, the second I try to escape I damn not only the other Marked Ones but Xaden to death. He took responsibility for us, I can’t just leave like that.” Not that I would even want to leave at this point, I’ve had four years to warm up to the idea of being a Rider, and at this point my options are either fly or die.

Dain looks exacerbated, running a hand through his perfect-to-standard hair and messing it up a little, before reaching out a hand to my shoulder.

I think his signet only works with skin to skin contact, but I can’t be sure so I take a small step away from him.

“We’ve both changed so much, Vi. I had hoped we could still be friends though. I’ll try to have some faith in you, but you have to have some in me too.” He steps in closer to me again. 

“Exactly, we’ve both changed so much. How do I know I can still trust you? You’re all second-year-rider squad-leader classified-signet-patch now. What is your signet anyway? If you’re still the Dain I used to fall out of trees with, then you’ll trust me with that.”

He looks gobsmacked for a moment, and I think that maybe he won’t tell me. Then, he sighs and rubs a hand down his face, grabbing his chin. “This quadrant cuts the bullshit away from you, but I’m still me.” He pauses for a moment, considering something. “I can read recent memories, but it only works when I touch someone’s face so I’m not a security risk and therefore allowed to live.”

“That’s… terrifyingly impressive actually. Look at you, all grown up and powerful.”

Dain blushes at my compliment, but I’m just trying to unsettle him. I cannot let this man touch my face under any circumstance, or the entire revolution including Aretia’a rebuilding process is screwed.

“Dain, I appreciate your concern- truly, but I need you to trust me to handle myself and only step in when absolutely necessary. I can’t have you coddling and protecting me all year, it won’t help me grow into the Rider I need to become.”

“Okay, I’ll try Vi. Truce?” He sticks out his hand for me to shake. My right hand is currently gloved, since I usually run cold, so I decide to shake it.

“Truce. Now we need to get to class before people start making up rumors about a first year and her squad leader being late together.”

“Okay, you leave first though.”

I nod, and step out from behind the pillar shielding us from view. The hallway is nearly empty now, except for Rhiannon and Liam waiting for me, and Garrick and Xaden talking on the stairs the level above us. I can tell from Xaden’s tense posture that he’s been listening to our conversation.

I stop short, and Dain steps out from behind the pillar himself as another group of cadets round the corner.

“I already knew your parents were 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 there turn to look at us.

“Let me guess,” Xaden continues, glancing between Dain and me. “Childhood friends? First loves, even?”

What the fuck is my husband playing at here?

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

Shit, I think this might be a touch of jealousy mixed with Xaden’s infamous plotting.

“Go Dain, I’ll handle this.”

“Excuse me?”

“Remember the conversation we just had thirty seconds ago about letting me fight my own battles? This is one of them, now scram.” I probably shouldn’t be ordering around my squad leader, but I would prefer Dain alive at this moment.

Dain sighs again, then turns and heads towards the classroom.

Xaden and Garrick walk up to me, an annoyed glimmer in Xaden’s eye still.

“Really Wingleader Riorson? Must you insinuate that I have an inappropriate relationship with my Squad Leader?”

“Grown up and powerful?” He hisses at me lowly, so only Garrick and I can hear.

I roll my eyes. “Riorson, haven’t you learned yet that flattery tends to get you places?” I mutter just loud enough for Liam and Rhi to hear as well.

The muscle in Xaden’s jaw that tells me he’s annoyed twitches, and it takes everything in me not to reach out and smooth the crease between his brows.

“Get to class cadet, and perhaps avoid fraternizing with members of leadership.”

“Sir yes, sir” I salute mockingly, winking at him as I step back towards Liam and Rhiannon, and we shuffle off towards class.

Sitting down, Rhi brings up the subject of Xaden and I again.

“Something between you and Riorson you want to tell me about? That was way too intense to be anything else.” She whispers to me.

“I’ll tell you more later, maybe. There might be some history there.” I wink.

It’s only a matter of time before my squadmates start noticing the tension between us, so I might as well allude to an old flame.

“You could say that again” Liam scoffs, slinging his arm around my shoulder and choosing to go with my newly chosen rumor.

Great, now there’s going to be rumors about Dain and I in the present and Xaden and I in the past. This could get messy, especially with my husband’s jealous streak. Although, he brought the Dain rumors on himself. His goal was probably to throw people off of our scent, but I’ll still be throwing something at him later for that one.

Professor Devera starts class then, a large map marked with red pins behind her as she stands at the podium on the right side of the room. There’s an empty one to the left.

The classroom is standing room only, and I notice that its the third years who stand in the back of the room.

“Settle down, cadets. This is your most important class, and also the only class you will have every day. If you wind up called to the front lines early, Battle Brief is the only one that matters.

Then, Colonel Markham strolls in from a door on the other side of the room, which must lead to the Scribe Quadrant somehow.

“Thank you Professor Devera. My name is Colonel Markham, and I am the head scribe. We’ll be teaching this class in tandem, as the scribes are who receive the information from the front lines directly.”

“Thank you Colonel, cadets you will treat him with the same respect as any rider, without the scribes and fresh intelligence, we would be ineffective.”

“This class is also important because 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.” I notice the captain rank pinned to her chest then, the same as on Brennan’s uniform when I last saw him.

Colonel Markham notices me then, and meets my eyes with a cold indifference that sends a chill down my spine.

He was there, I remember now, when I requested to be marked alongside the other Marked Ones and kissed Xaden. In fact, I’m pretty sure Devera was there too but I can’t remember for certain and she hasn’t been glaring at me. Interesting.

He glances briefly between Xaden and I appraisingly, then clicks his tongue and moves on.

“The Eastern Wing experienced an attack last night near the village of Chakir by a drift of Braevi gryphons and riders.” He states, as the room breaks out in shocked gasps.

“The wards faltered along the Esben Mountains, and 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.”

Right, we have to pretend to be just as clueless as the Navarrians despite the fact that this was very obviously a venin attack.

Wait, am I Navarrian still? I think the Tyrrish get citizenship through marriage, but I table that thought for now as I listen to the other first years ask unrelated and unnecessary questions.

I nudge Rhi, and whisper to her to ask about the altitude of the village. I feel the need to maintain a low profile in this class, but want to draw some attention to the unlikeliness of this intel being accurate. These cadets need to learn to think critically.

She does, and Markham responds “And why is that important, cadet Sorrengail?”

Well shit. Every head turns to me, but I refuse to be embarrassed. My silver hair and rebellion relic are on full display today, and I take care to cross my left arm over my right in front of me, just to make sure everyone can see it clearly.

“Because altitude affects a griffin’s ability to channel, they’re weakened at higher altitudes which makes Breavick 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 glance at the map to be sure I’m not making a fool of myself. “That is Chakir right there, isn’t it?”

I haven’t studied for the scribe exams in a few years, but I’m rewarded with a smile as Devera says “That’s correct. Continue with that line of thought, cadet.”

“That also means that the Riders knew that the wards were faltering.”

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

“Fuck off, Barlowe.” Rhi defends me, and I feel a flicker of warmth for her.

“I’m not the one who thinks precognition is a thing,” he retorts with a sneer.

“Why do you think that, cadet Sorrengail?” Markham says my name as though it pains him to admit I’m still as smart as the day I ran away.

“Because there’s no logical way they get there within an hour of the attack unless they were already on their way,” I argue, shooting a glare at Jack. Fuck him and his laughter. I might be smaller than he is, but I’m a hell of a lot smarter. “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, which also means that they knew the wards were faltering.” I finish.

Professor Devera smiles, while Markham frowns, and she interrupts Jack’s retort. “She’s right, one of the dragons sensed the wards faltering and intercepted the attack, which reduced the overall casualties.”

“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.

I take note of what the others are asking, specifically the Marked Ones. We need enough information to be useful without drawing attention to why we want it.

Then, Xaden asks a fucking brilliant question about the condition of the village and what the gryphon riders were looking for. We both know it's the alloy blades that power the wards and kill the venin, but it will be interesting to see what leadership says.

“And that is why Riorson is a Wingleader. Take notes if you ever want to be considered for his job one day.” Markham responds in a clear tactic to distract and deflect.

“So what’s the answer?” Someone asks from the left of me.

“There’s the million dollar question, we don’t know. It’s just another piece of the puzzle as we try for peace between us and Poromiel.” Devera shrugs.

I wonder if she actually knows or not.

***

History passes by easily, as I thankfully still remember everything from my scribe training. 

Physics is much more painful, though. I never got around to studying it before I ran away.

“You’re not even going to have to study for tests, are you?” Ridoc groans, as Rhiannon says “You seriously knew every answer in history and apparently every right question to ask in Battle Brief.”

“Well, if Ridoc lays off the jokes a touch maybe the rest of us could focus more.” I shrug like I’m serious, but there’s laughter in my eyes as Ridoc pretends to fall over as though I’ve mortally wounded him before making his way over to the mat for his match.

“Vi was trained to be a scribe before everything, and she’s wicked smart. Classes are gonna be a breeze for her.” Liam compliments.

“And I’m sure being a Sorrengail and Liam here’s sister means you know how to fight. Is this just a walk in the park for you?” Sawyer jests, rolling his eyes.

“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.

“Actually, I only started physically training after I moved to Aretia, so I’m sure I could use some pointers. Physics is also going to suck for me, since I never learned it before I left Navarre. What about you guys?”

“Hey! No blades today, we’re just assessing!” Emitterio yells at the cadet whose name I’ve learned is Aurelie, as Ridoc lands a punch to her stomach before apologizing.

“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.”

Rhi winces as Aurelie lands a solid blow to Ridoc’s face, ending the match.

“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.”

“I think we may be able to work something out then. I’ll help you all out in history and math if you help me with hand-to-hand and physics.” I offer.

“Can I get in on this deal too?” Sawyer asks.

“Sure, sounds like a deal to me.” We shake on it, and then Emiterrio is calling Rhiannon and Tynan to the mat. Before they get there however, Jack is breaking the neck of his opponent.

“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.

You’re dead, Sorrengail, and I’m going to be the one to kill you. His promise from yesterday, when I was holding a knife to his balls on the parapet, slithers through my memory.

“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.”

Rhiannon beats Tynan easily, obliterating his pride in the process. And then, its time for Imogen and I to go the mat.

The last time we sparred, she dislocated my shoulder. I would prefer that not to happen this time.

“Cardulo.” I nod at her.

“Sorrengail.” She nods at me, but she says my name with enough spite that I can tell the fact we never discussed my real last name is an issue for her.

Imogen has never pulled her punches for me, and I can tell this is about to be the same as our previous matches. Except that this time, I’ve been training with Xaden and Liam.

We circle each other for a moment, and then Imogen loses her patience and goes in for a strike to my ribs.

I dodge out of her range, watching as she overextends her left arm when her hit fails to connect. I grab her shoulder before she can react, and use her momentum to flip her onto the mat.

She doesn’t stay down long though, and is up before I can go in for the kill.

I’ve always been fast, but the signet power she’s pretending to have is super speed so we’re actually quite matched in that department.

She lands a rough blow to the arm she knows is weaker, and I take a second to thank myself for remembering to put my wraps back on in Xaden’s bathroom this morning.

I dodge her next hit, and she growls low in her throat as she misses me again, and her foot flies at my head. I easily duck, but then she drops to the ground and kicks out with her other foot, which lands square in my chest, sending me backward. I hit the mat with a thud, and she’s already above me, so damn fast.

“You could have told me the truth you know.” She growls into my ear while she pins me down on the mat.

I bring my knee up into her chest, and use her shock to flip us over so that I’m on top now and reply “I was under orders not to tell anyone. I would have told you all eventually, but everything just happened so damn fast.” I have my arm across her throat, trying to get her to listen to me, but I watch as her face twists further into her rage and she uses her superior strength to twist my arm and force me to release my grip.

She brings her other arm to smack me across the ear, momentarily deafening me and causing me to reel back off of her.

She gets up, and we circle again as we both recover.

“Stop toying with each other and finish this already!” I hear someone, maybe Tynan shout.

We both look at each other and roll our eyes before obliging, and suddenly we’re moving faster than most cadets could probably keep up.

Imogen blocks my kick and grabs my leg before pulling me down to the ground and following me, putting her elbow in my back and pulling my arm behind me in a way I am all too familiar with.

“Yield!” She says over me, and I know that I’m caught.

I refuse, and she twists my arm until I almost feel that familiar pop in my shoulder. Before she can finish it off though, I reel my head back and crash my skull into her face.

“Fuck!” She swears, releasing my now aching arm and grabbing her nose.

Then she kicks me in the chest again in a way that I’m pretty sure bruises some ribs, and lands on top of me with a knife to my throat.

“Fine, I yield.” I spit at her loudly.
“And I’m sorry, Im. Truly. If I could go back and change literally anything it would be lying to you guys back in Tyrrendor.” I say it quietly, just to her.

She nods, before getting off of me and offering a hand up, sheathing her blade.

“Hey! What did I say about no weapons!” Emiterrio calls out, exasperated at everyone’s lack of regard for the rules today.

I know better than to take the hand of even someone I trust after a match, but I take it anyway as I feel something shift between us.

“Next time we spar we should both use blades, we’ll see who yields then.” I say after she’s pulled me back up to standing.
She lets out a laugh before smacking me on the back. “You’re alright for a Sorrengail, I guess.”

I chuckle before going back to join my friends who all look shocked at our exchange.

“Um Vi I’m not sure how much help you really need on the mat, but I will definitely still take that help in history.” Sawyer says.

“Hey, I still lost. I clearly need some more training- the enemy isn’t exactly going to follow our arbitrary rules out there.” I shrug, and we all file out to head to shower before dinner.

I’m just thinking that I might actually enjoy my time at Basgiath, when a group of cadets corners Liam and I on the way to dinner that night.

Chapter Text

قرين

Qareen

Someone who’s inseparable from you, you know how they think (and vice versa)

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

My shoulder and ribs still hurt like hell, and Liam and I are cornered before we know it.

Its a group of cadets that despise us for our relics, and one that thinks I’m the weakness that needs to be weeded out of this quadrant.

“I’m gonna enjoy killing you, Sorrengail.” The tall and lanky brunette cracks his knuckles, but I have a dagger sunk into his shoulder before he can move to react.

“Fucking hell!” He screams, holding onto his arm where I just severed part of his rotator cuff.

“You might wanna see a healer about that, Might need surgery.” I shrug, before all hell breaks loose and its a five against two dogfight.

Liam won his match within seconds earlier, and I only yielded due to some illegal moves from Imogen- so unfortunately they’ve figured out not to try and take us on one-on-one.

I’ve just landed a solid left hook with my good arm, wincing as I feel my wrist protest despite knowing for a fact that I used proper form, when Liam kicks a broad chested redhead in the abdomen and then punches the next assailant- a 5’7” muscular guy with oily black hair- directly in the face when suddenly I’m blasted back by magic.

I recover quickly, drawing my next dagger while I hear Liam draw his sword, when I look up and see the cause of the blast.

Standing in front of me, hitting the last assailant in the head with the back of a dagger so he falls unconscious, is none other than First Lieutenant Mira Sorrengail.

“You’re definitely not supposed to be here.” I say dumbfounded, my mouth falling open in shock.

“I could say the same about you, little sis.”

{this would have been a killer chapter end but alas, way too short}

I’m pulling Mira up to Xaden’s room before I even know that I’m doing it.

“Where are you taking me Vi- first years don’t get their own rooms until they bond.”

“The wingleader owes me a favor.” Is all I say, and Liam nods in confirmation.

“What are you doing here, Mira?” I prod, although I’m actually incredibly happy to see her. If anyone sees her here she could get a demerit. 

“I’ll tell you once we’re behind the sound shield I’m assuming we’re headed for.” She ventures.

I don’t answer, and just pull her by the arm up to the third floor dorms hoping Xaden added me to the wards on his bedroom door like he said he would last night.

I look around, but everyone else is already at dinner. Then I fling open Xaden’s bedroom door and walk through, as easily as if there weren’t any wards. Liam and Mira bounce right off, though.
I smile despite myself, and then pull them both in.

“Do I want to know why you’re allowed through your Wingleader’s wards, Violet.” Mira raises an eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest in front of her.

“You would probably flip out if you figured out which Wingleader’s room this was, so I don’t think we’re quite there yet in storytelling landia.”

“Well let’s see here. You were just attacked in the hallway by a group of sleazeballs, you and your little friend here both have Rebellion Relics, you have muscles now, oh and you disappeared almost five years ago without a trace! I have a guess but if I say it I’ll only be more pissed off.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest, then sets a hard glare on me that would work if wasn’t so used to Xaden’s brooding ass.

“Tell me Violet, why do I only find out my only other sibling is alive after five years from the gossip at Sumerton! I know mom was never amazing to you, but what the actual fuck? You’re Marked and in the Rider’s Quadrant of all places?”

After that rant, I can only imagine how pissed she’ll be once she eventually finds out about Brennan.

I sigh, then move to sit on Xaden’s bed. I take out my necklace I keep tucked in my shirt, with my emerald and gold wedding ring attached to it, and start fiddling with it nervously. I haven’t fidgeted like this in years.

“So much has happened since I last saw you, Mira. First off, I’m happy to see you. Second, you might wanna sit down for this.” I pat the spot next to me on the bed, but she looks at her surroundings and chooses an armchair across from me instead. Liam continues standing in the corner, pretending not to listen to us. I’d tell him to get lost, but I don’t want my foster brother to go off alone just yet after that attack.

“Okay, I’m sat. Spill.”

“It all started after we lost Brennan. You were off in the Rider’s Quadrant, dad’s heart was failing, and mom never cared enough to pay attention to me. After dad died too, I just couldn’t take being alone anymore- so I ran. I wasn’t planning to be away forever, but some shit happened.

I was sixteen, and lost in the woods when Xaden found me and took me in. At first, I accepted because I was plotting revenge for Brennan, but then I learned that Fen didn’t actually kill him.” I hesitate for a second, briefly debating telling her the whole truth, before ultimately deciding it’s Brennan’s secret to share. He better come clean soon, though.

“He and Naolin were sent on a suicide mission to the border, Mira- the wards failed and they were both lost in an attack. It wasn’t Tyrrendor who did it though, they were helping fight against the invaders.” I’m trying to lie as little as possible, never actually saying that he’s dead.

Liam is watching me much closer now.

“So, with that knowledge I wound up applying for asylum from a neglectful household and changed my name so no one knew who I was. Tyrrendor took me in and cared for me when it felt like no one else in the world did.”

Mira is staring at me now, looking like she wants to interrupt- but I cut her off.

“That was honestly the best six months of my life. I had a fling with a hot guy, met my brother Liam here, and attended school.” I try to lighten the mood a bit.
Mira almost cracks a smile, to her credit.
Liam has started whittling something in the corner, as he does often when he’s bored or wants to pretend he isn’t paying attention.

“And then Tyrrendor seceeded from Navarre. It was chaos Mira, they rounded all of us kids up like cattle and forced us to watch as mom executed their parents. Mom only realized I was there when she went to start on her deal with Xaden, but at that point those other kids were my family- not her. So I got marked with everyone else, and mom abandoned me to be fostered with Liam and Xaden until my 20th birthday when I finally conscripted into the Rider’s Quadrant.”

“You have to understand Mira, I was sixteen and hurting and everything happened so damn fast.” I plead, struggling to meet her eyes.

“They didn’t let you contact anyone while you were being fostered?”

“No, we were barely allowed out of the estate.” I reply.

“This is a lot of information to process, Vi.”

The room is silent for one heartbeat.

Two.

“I’m glad you’re alive, though.” She says, finally.

I break out into tears, and get up to hug my big sister. I swear I hear her crying too.

“This is Xaden Riorson’s room, isn’t it?” She says finally.

“Maybe.”

“Do I want to know what’s going on between the two of you? Don’t think I didn’t notice that engagement ring you’re hiding down your shirt.” She levels an accusatory glare at me.

“You probably don’t want to know.” I laugh wetly, a sob nearly coming out instead as my cheeks redden.

“I can’t stay much longer, I only took leave for the day and I said I was visiting a friend at another outpost. I think I believe you, though. I don’t know what that changes about my opinions on anything, but you’re still my little sister whether you got kidnapped for four years or not.”

“I love you, Mira. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Me too, now here- I brought you a couple of gifts. I know Riders are only supposed to have what they crossed the Parapet with, but Riders also aren’t supposed to be conscripted, so I feel like between the three of us we can keep these a secret, okay?” She winks at me, then pulls away to reach into her rucksack.

“Here, this is a book that Brennan wrote for me to survive the Quadrant. I never thought I would need to pass it down to you, but it saved my ass at least twice.” I blink at her, numbly accepting the book as she pulls something else out of her bag.

“And I had this made for you, it’s made of Teine’s scales shrunk down so it will protect you like armor. Go ahead and put it on, before you’re attacked on your way back down to dinner.” She commands.

She looks at Liam to turn around, and he raises his arms up before complying, and I take off my shirt and let my big sister lace me into my new corset.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you back then, Violet. You deserved better. But don’t you dare disappear on me again. I won’t be able to bear being an only child again.” She says with a finality after she finishes lacing me up. I’m slipping my shirt back on over my head, when I hear the door open.

“As touching as this scene is, you’re all late for dinner. Also, what the fuck is an active Leuitenant doing in my bedroom?” Xaden pretends to be pissed, but I can see the hesitancy in his eyes. He’s smart enough to figure out who she is.

I stand up and go to him, reaching to my tiptoes to push piece of his wavy hair out of his eyes. “I was just telling Mira about how we actually lost Brennan, and how I got caught up in the Apostasy. We needed somewhere private to talk, and you owe me for starting the rumor mill about Dain and I!” I huff, poking him in the chest with a finger.

He lets out a short chuckle at that, and I know that Mira needs to make her escape before dinner is over.

“I really don’t want to know about that relationship status do I?” She looks at us with disdain.

“No, you really don’t.” I laugh, moving to rest my head on his chest for a brief moment before moving to hug my sister goodbye yet again.

“You better write to me second year, Violet, or so help me I will find you and kill you just to bring you back to life and kill you again.”

“I will Mira, I promise. Although I can’t help but point out that a ouija board would also be effective.” 

She snorts, and smacks my arm before moving to exit the room.

I made it to dinner that night with minutes to spare.

***

A week later, and Liam and I snuck out to the Meeting of the Marked Ones a little early, so I could pick some fonilee berries beforehand.

The Book of Brennan has been incredibly useful, and I feel deeply guilty for not telling Mira that Brennan’s alive. But hey, you can only rock the boat so much.

I so badly want her to be prepared for the venin as well, but that’s going to have to be a battle for later.

“Vi, why exactly do you need these specific berries from this tree?” Liam questions.

“The less you know, the less you can be implicated Mairi.”

“Fair enough. Now do you have what you need? You’re scaring me up there.”

“Oh please, I used to climb trees with Dain all the time.”

“I do hate to hear his name come out of your mouth Violence. And, from what I understand he was climbing trees while you were falling out of them.” Xaden stares up at me from the ground, where he looks at me expectantly. He holds his arms out and I giggle before jumping from the branch I’m on, letting Xaden catch me with his shadows and then his arms.

I give him a quick peck on the lips before I start squirming out of his grip and he sets me down.

“I never thought I’d say these words about you Riorson, but by Amari that was adorable.” Garrick laughs from the tree he’s leaning on to the right of us. Xaden flips him off without further comment.

The next two to appear are Bodhi and Imogen, and then the rest trickle in in groups of twos and threes.

There’s around three dozen of us in total, mostly first years. I didn’t realize how many of us there were this year, as only five of us met up in Xaden’s room that first night.

They don’t all know who I am from Aretia, but I watch the ten I’ve never spoken to before look at my Rebellion Relic, and then how I’m holding hands with the big scary Wingleader, and look at me with newfound interest.

“Welcome to the Capital Offense Club.” I joke, but only Garrick and Liam laugh.

“What? This is a way bigger group than three people.” I shrug.

Xaden sighs, using his free hand to pat me on the head- which feels demeaning enough that I smack the hand away and gently poke a knife tip into his side. Just enough that he knows it's there, not enough to draw blood.

He glances at me affectionately before plucking the knife out of my grip and spinning it in his hand, then actually starting the meeting.

“Alright, as Violent here so eloquently stated, welcome to week two at Basgiath as a Rebellion Child.” Xaden begins.

“We’ve already lost Sutherland and Luperco, so we need to take stock and discuss what’s holding us back and threatening us.” Garrick says.

I frown, as I hadn’t realized we’d lost Ivan- he was a good kid. 

“Why are we even meeting like this? Isn’t it risky for us to band together? Plus it’s your fault we’re even in this godsforsaken death college at all!”

“Actually, he’s the only reason you’re alive at all so maybe show a little respect to the man that sacrificed nearly everything for us to have a chance at life.” I speak up, not liking the scrawny first-year’s tone towards my husband.

“Like it or not, we’re going to have to stick together if you want to survive until graduation,” Imogen says, cutting off his rebuttal.

The look in Xaden’s eyes is cold and calculating.

“And if they find out we’re meeting? What then?” a first-year girl with an olive complexion asks, her eyes darting around the circle.

“We’ve done this for two years and they’ve never found out,” Xaden responds, folding his arms and leaning back against the tree, moving so his arm is around my shoulders but smoothly flipping my dagger end to end with his other hand. If I were to look up the definition of “unbothered” in the dictionary, there would just be this image of Xaden Riorson. 

“They’re not going to unless one of you tells. And if you tell, I’ll know.” The threat is obvious in his tone. “Like Garrick said, we’ve already lost two first-years to their own negligence. There are only forty-one of us in the Riders Quadrant, and we don’t want to lose any of you, but we will if you don’t help yourselves. The odds are always stacked against us, and trust me, every other Navarrian in the quadrant will look for reasons to call you a traitor or force you to fail.”

Everyone mutters assent.

“How many of you are getting your asses handed to you in hand-to-hand?” Xaden asks.

Four hands raise sheepishly, and Xaden swears, removing the arm around my shoulders to rub his hand on his face. “Shit”

“I’ll train them.” Garrick sighs.

Xaden shakes his head. “You’re our best fighter-”

“You’re our best fighter,” Bodhi cuts him off.

“Dirtiest fighter, maybe,” Imogen snarks.

Most everyone laughs, and even the first-years crack a smile.

“Fucking ruthless is more like it,” Garrick adds.

I can’t help the smile that appears on my face, as pride wells in my stomach. I’m leaning on the tree next to him now, but we aren’t touching.

“Garrick is our best fighter, but Imogen is right up there with him, and she’s a hell of a lot more patient” Xaden notes, which I snort at, “So pair yourselves off with one of them- two groups of three won’t draw attention. Now, what else is causing issues?”

I can’t do this,” a gangly first-year says, rolling his shoulders inward and lifting his slim fingers to his face.

“What do you mean?” Xaden asks, his voice taking on a hard edge.

“I can’t do this!” The smaller one shakes his head. “The death. The fighting. Any of it!” The pitch of his voice rises with every statement. “A guy had his neck snapped right in front of me on assessment day! I want to go home! Can you help me with that?”

Every head swings toward Xaden, but I keep my eyes forward. I don’t like it, but I have a feeling that I know what he’ll say.

“No.” Xaden shrugs. “You’re not going to make it. Best accept it now and not take up more of my time.”

I inhale slightly, and raise my eyebrow at him minimally. I won’t argue in front of the others, but that’s a tad harsh.

“That was a little harsh, cousin,” Bodhi calls out so I don’t have to.

“Well, I can’t exactly save everyone, especially not someone who isn’t willing to work to save themselves.”

“Damn, Xaden.” Garrick rubs the bridge of his nose. “Way to give a pep talk.”

“If they need a fucking pep talk, then we both know they’re not flying out of the quadrant on graduation day. Let’s get real. I can hold their hands and make them a bunch of bullshit empty promises about everyone making it through if that helps them sleep, but in my experience, the truth is far more valuable.”

I reach for his hand again to calm him back down, and he accepts it without acknowledgment, before turning to look the scared first year- Cody, I think- in the eyes.

“In war, people die. It’s not glorious like in the songs, either. It’s snapped necks and two-hundred-foot falls. There’s nothing romantic about scorched earth or the scent of sulfur. This”-he gestures back toward the citadel behind us-“isn’t some fable where everyone makes it out alive. It’s hard, cold, uncaring reality. Not everyone here is going to make it home. And make no mistake, we are at war every time we step foot in the quadrant.” He leans forward slightly. “So if you won’t get your shit together and fight to live, then no. You’re not going to make it.”

“Xaden’s right.” Liam tacks on, “we have to be ready to fight if we want to live. Violet and I were just cornered by a pack of bloodthirsty cadets last week trying to end us for our relics.”

Some murmurs go around, and Xaden takes a deep breath before leaning down to whisper in my ear “We’ll be talking about why you neglected to mention that little tidbit after this.”

I do my best to look apologetic and squeeze his hand again.

“Right. Now, someone give me a problem I can actually solve,” Xaden orders.

“Battle Brief,” Rosie, an average height brunette speaks up.

“That’s a tough one,” Imogen responds, turning to look at Xaden.

“You learn what they teach you,” Xaden says to Rosie, his voice taking a hard edge. “Keep what you know but recite whatever they tell you to.”

“I find it helps if you treat it like a fairy tail, the better Navarre looks at the end of the story, the higher your grade on the assignment will be.” I add. Garrick snorts.

“Anyone else?” Xaden asks. “You’d better ask now. We don’t have all night.”

“Yeah, I’ll bite. What’s the deal with the Sorrengail arm candy?” A second year calls out from the crowd, and I stiffen slightly.

“You mean the woman that had the option to desert us and stand beside her mother while she attempted to kill us and told her that if we burn she burns with us? Or do you mean my wife, because if you must know her actual last name is Riorson. If you respect me, you respect her. If you don’t respect her, I will kill you and be done with this protecting you all business. Simple.”

I lightly smack Xaden’s arm for that, he doesn’t usually act so over-protective. “The General is not my true family. Aretia- and Fen Riorson- took me in when I had no one and nothing, you all are my family now. And nothing will take that away from me this time.”

There’s silence for a beat before I continue, “And I know that you will keep the knowledge that we’re married as a closely guarded secret, because we’re really not supposed to be until after graduation and I don’t feel like dealing with even more rumors about me sleeping my way to safety when I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” I huff out with finality.

“Her mom is responsible for the capture of nearly all our parents,” Garrick starts, and I don’t know if I like where he’s going with this. He pauses for dramatic flair and folds his arms over his wide chest. “Not her. Punishing children for the sins of their parents is the Navarrian way, not the Tyrrish.”

After an uncomfortable moment of silence, someone cracks a joke, breaking the tension.

“And to think you could have married that bitch Cat.” Bodhi laughs, and Xaden makes a mock queasy gesture with his body that proves to be quite validating for me.

At least we have a mutual hatred for our exes. As the groups begins to head back for the night, I add on “You know, we should really try and set Cat up with Halden. I think they deserve each other.”

Xaden lets out a large laugh that he reserves for only myself and Liam, then his face turns deadly serious again. “What’s this Liam said about an ambush?”

I hate how beautiful he is when he’s pissed, how lethal his abilities make him as his shadows curl around his feet unwittingly. He’s like one of those poisonous flowers I’ve read about from the Cygnis forests to the east. His allure is a warning not to get too close, and I am definitely too close.

But he would never hurt me, he’s just pissed that he didn’t know I was almost hurt. I take a step in closer. 

”In my defense, that was the night Mira showed up. I got a little distracted. Besides, Liam and I had it handled. There’s a reason we follow each other around like shadows.”

“I’m having him assigned to breakfast duty with you.”

“Don’t torture Liam on my account. Besides, Dain is adamant that he wants to walk with me in the mornings to ‘rebuild our friendship’.” I make air quotes around the words with my fingers.

“Oh, now he’s definitely going with you. I don’t trust Aetos as far as I can throw him, and I see the way that he looks at you.”

“Fine, but Liam has to agree to it.”

“Fine.” Xaden seems to relax a little, now that that’s handled and we’re all alone in the woods.

“Now, are you going to take advantage of the woman all alone in the woods, or are you not the ruthless evil villain I hear so much about around here?” I flirt, looking into those gold-flecked eyes that seem to carry the weight of the world in them.

“Do you have any favorite stories you’ve heard? I might be able to make some of them come true.” He says, before using his shadows to pick me up gently, and pressing me against the same tree I was climbing earlier.

***

The next week, Liam and I are up early as we walk to breakfast duty.

“You really don’t have to do this, Liam.” I say, watching him rub the sleep from his eyes.

“How else am I going to figure out what your evil genius mind is up to?” He shrugs, before taking a sip from his water skin.

If today goes well, my opponent on the challenge board won’t be feeling too well by the time we hit the mats.

I cannot afford to look weak in front of the other cadets, and I’ll take every edge I can get.

Liam doesn’t notice when I slip the poison on Oren Seifert’s scrambled eggs.

He may notice when the stocky girl from First Wing and the tall guy from Third Wing are afflicted with strange maladies on the days they’re meant to challenge me, but it helps that the tall guys entire squad seems to come down with the same flu-like illness that day.

Come mid September, I’ve won five new challenge blades and remain undefeated aside from Imogen on Assessment Day.
If Liam has suspicions, he hasn’t voiced them.

It’s almost disappointing when Rayma Corrie doesn’t step forwards like she’s supposed to, and I almost let myself feel relieved thinking maybe I’ll just get out of challenges this week.

But no, I can’t be so lucky when my husband decides to step in.

We haven’t been able to sneak off and see each other since that night under the tree, and my blood practically sings when he steps forward to challenge me in her place.

You sure?” Professor Emetterio asks, glancing over his shoulder.

“Absolutely.” He stares into my eyes with a determination I can’t place.

My stomach does an excited flip, we haven’t sparred in over two years. I’ve also got some new tricks up my sleeve from my little study group with Sawyer, Ridoc, and Rhiannon.

Xaden walks onto the mat, and I have to fight extra hard to keep the smile off my face. I finally allow my lips to form a lopsided smirk and say, “You’re on, Riorson.” I give him the ‘come at me’ gesture, but with a dagger.

Chapter Text

العشق 

Al Ishq

An overwhelming and consuming love and affection for the beloved, a very passionate love. 

_____

Basgiath War College

Xaden Riorson

I briefly wonder what the other cadets think of us. I’m sure before they realized she was Marked, they assumed we’d hate each other on principle.

Something tells me that wouldn’t be the case in any version of our story. I haven’t been able to help feeling drawn to her ever since she stumbled onto my hillside in Aretia five years ago. These last few weeks without her, after finally being near her again, have been torturous.

Not to mention my constant worry about keeping her alive through threshing, let alone the gauntlet coming up soon.

And yet, my violent little lethal weapon hasn’t even been testing herself in challenges.

“A little out of her league, don’t you think?” Dain argues from the side of the mat, tension radiating from every word.

Violet scoffs, mumbling “If anything, I’m out of your league.” Under her breath just loud enough for me to hear, before yelling to him “Fighting my own battles, remember?”

“I hardly think it’s fair-” Dain’s voice rises.
“No one asked you to think, squad leader,” I fire back at the annoying Codex-loving prick. His shields are usually up, but when they do fall I always catch glimpses of his daydreams of my Violence.

I really need to put a stop to that.

I take off my blades, and hand them to Imogen, choosing to go hand-to-hand.

“What, you don’t think you’ll need those?”

“No. You brought enough for the both of us.” I say matter of factly, and give her my best evil grin.

She smirks back at me then, flipping her dagger in her grip, and I take that moment to charge at her.

She’s anticipating that, however, and spins around me, sweeping down lighting-fast and grabbing the dagger I forgot to pull out of my boot.

“Two can play at that game, then Riorson.” She waves it at me, before tucking her new spare blade into an empty holster in her corset.

“Oh, you’re going down now.” I say, my fingers twitching at the loss.

I’m already planning on how to give her a new set of daggers that fit her grip, which I’m commissioning in Aretia, but she can start with that one.

Garrick said it was a frivolous use of his distance-weilding signet, but I digress.

“Funny, that’s not how I remember our last sparring session going.” She quips in a way that lights me on fire.

I can hear the crowd break out into whispers at that, but what they don’t know is that I did go down that time- on her.

“Shall we give them a show then, Violence?” I smirk at her, trying to bait her into the strike this time. We’ve been circling for too long.

She goes for it then, using a kick and punch combo she must have picked up from her squadmates, and I grab her leg and pull her down to the mat as gently as I can, pulling a knife from her sheath and flicking it off to the side, towards Liam.

I should probably make this a statement to Aetos about training his squad mates better, but I selfishly don’t want him spending any more time with her. He already walks her and Liam to breakfast duty three days a week.

She blows air out between her lips aggressively then, banishing a stray piece of hair that fell out of the braid at some point off of her face.

She really does know that her hair is my weakness, because I’m still watching the little piece move when she’s kneeing me in the gut and pulling a dagger out to stab at my kidney, just like I taught her.

I catch her hand and twist it, causing her to drop the blade and add it to the pile. She’s fast and slippery though, and manages to break out of my hold and spring up to uppercut my jaw, since I’m leaning over her.

“So she does still remember how to fight. I wasn’t sure, since you haven’t been testing yourself out here.” I taunt her, going to sweep her legs out from under her.

She let’s me, but hooks her leg behind my knee so that I fall with her and uses my surprise to attempt to pin me and place yet another dagger at my throat.

I chuckle, before using my much heavier body mass to flip us over and push that same dagger back to her throat instead.

“And just how do you know that I’m not challenging myself?” She says it almost lazily, her thighs wrapped around my waist from when I flipped us over.

I use the opportunity to rid her of the three daggers she keeps sheathed along her left thigh with my other hand, but she uses the one she stole from my boot earlier to poke me gently in the ribs, right below the heart.

“While I appreciate your sense of self-preservation, please cut back on the poison and refocus on the combat training.”

Its not lost on me that we’re in an extremely compromising position, and we’ve tied.

I can tell she knows it too, especially when she moves her hips ever so slightly against me, her face taking on one of fake innocence.

“Maybe if certain Wingleaders had more time to train first-years, I would.” She says it nonchalantly.

I’m about to bite back a retort about not fanning any rumors, when Aetos interrupts us.

“I think she’s been taught enough for the day,” he barks, reminding me that we’re far from alone. No, we’re a damned spectacle.

“He always that overprotective?” I grumble, pressing up from the mat a few inches.

“Always was, yeah. He cares. You’re worse when you want to be, though.”

I mutter something unintelligible under my breath, sliding the ruby-hilted dagger she stole from me into one of her rib sheathes as slowly as I can. She shivers slightly, and I fight back my smirk. This woman is going to be the death of me, if I can help it.

“Jealousy is beneath you. She chose you as her mate, if I remember correctly.”

Sgaeyl is right of course, but I won’t feel at peace about that until we can shout our marriage from the rooftops.
Malek, I can’t wait to tell her how much I love her if she makes it to threshing and stops coddling herself.
I rise then, reaching out a hand to help her up. She refuses.

“Absolutely not, I remember that lesson quite well, thank you.”

I roll my eyes, I just wanted to feel her hand around mine for a second honestly. Gods, I’m pathetic.

“You said it.”

“Don’t you have sheep to hunt or something?”

I feel her indignation flutter through the bond, and then a sudden bone-deep urge to eviscerate a sheep, as I walk towards Imogen to retrieve the rest of my weapons. I hold back my laugh, but then I just can’t help but call out Aetos anyway.

“Squad Leader, she could use a little less protection and a little more instruction.” I glare at him as I leave, headed off to a leadership meeting.

***

Violet Riorson

I have to take a couple of deep breaths after our sparring match, that move with the dagger is always hot as hell and he knows it.

I smile when I realize he sheathed the one I stole from him.

“What the fuck, Vi?” Rhiannon’s jaw is dropped. Just how long ago was that “ancient history?”

Ridoc pipes up then, “I feel like I was interrupting something by just watching that.”

“Wait, what does she mean by ‘ancient history’?” Dain cries out incredulously.

“I don’t kiss and tell.” I shrug simply.

Notably, all the Marked Ones in the room are smirking and chuckling. We really are the worst-kept secret in this place, we keep blabbing to everyone.

I sneak into Xaden’s room that night and make him rub the knots out of my back after that show, among other more nefarious activities that nearly result in a broken armoire.

I also take the time to try and interrogate him about the others’ signets, but if this man says he’ll only tell me one. More. Thing. After threshing, I’m going to kill him before he ever admits how much he loves me.

I do take his advice seriously though, and only poison most of my challangers after that.

I still remain undefeated, he did train me after all.

It also felt really good to finally throw a knife at Jack Barlowe after he threatened me in the gym one night. The expression on Dain’s face was priceless.

He was talking some big game in class earlier that day about bonding the behemoth of a black dragon that is Tairn, whose last rider was Naolin. He’s also Sgaeyl’s mate, if I remember correctly- so that would be incredibly unfortunate. Maybe I should just kill him now.

His arrogance is enough for me to know the likelihood of that happening, however.

Soon enough, my squad mates and I are lining up in front of the gauntlet.

Liam and Aurelie have the audacity to look excited about facing that death trap.

Her falling off the course and dying doesn’t lift my spirits at all, despite Liam getting the best time of the year on his first try.

I didn’t even make it all the way up the second to last obstacle, although I do have an idea.

When I’m pulling my dagger out of the sloped wall a month later, cheering with Rhi, Ridoc, Sawyer, and Liam; I finally allow myself to believe that I might actually make it through this after all.

Xaden looks like he can’t decide whether he wants to kill me or kiss me while I use the Codex to defend against Navarre ass-kisser and Codex-lover extraordinaire Amber Mavis, when shockingly enough he allows my rule modification.

I can only hope my lucky streak lasts through Presentation.

Chapter Text

يقبرني
Ya’arburnee

Meaning: You bury me

Colloquially, I hope I die before you, because I love you too much for you to die first. Typically used from parents to their children.

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Surprising exactly no one, Liam was the fastest cadet up the Gauntlet this year. He even broke the previous record, held by Xaden from two years ago.

I wasn’t last despite my penalty, which I’ll take honestly. We’re the eleventh squad in line for Presentation now, much to Tynan’s chagrin, and there’s 169 cadets that made it past the Gauntlet. I try not to think about the fact that there’s only 100 dragons willing to bond.

“Let’s go, Second Squad, you’re up next,” Garrick says, beckoning us with a wave that makes the rebellion relic on his bared forearm gleam.

Dain and the other squad leaders were ordered to stay behind, but I see Xaden standing off to the side alone.

My heart seizes in my chest as I realize that this could very well be the last time I ever see him. But no, I don’t allow that line of thinking to continue.

I will not die today.

I will live to tell that man I love him, even if it’s the last thing I do.

I adjust the leather gloves on my hands again, a nervous habit at this point, and can’t help but actually be grateful that Liam wanted me to cover up my relic at first. These things definitely saved my hands from getting shredded by that rope today.

We all shuffle into a line, as another Wingleader leads us into the field. Rhiannon is at my back and Tynan is just ahead of me, which means I’ll be treated to his commentary the whole time, no doubt. Awesome.

I can see Liam in line behind Rhiannon, followed by Ridoc and Sawyer, then Luca. Pryor is leading the pack, somehow.

Being this close to dragons is a surreal, magnificent, and honestly terrifying experience all at once.

Then, I see the feathertail at the end of the line, and it’s gorgeous. I run into Tynan’s back, not realizing he stopped while I was busy staring.

“Who would want to bond that tiny thing? It can’t even bear a rider!” Tynan spits out. I suddenly hope that one of the green dragons eyeing our group is feeling snacky.

“It’s fucking yellow.” Luca points right at the dragon, disgust curling her lip.

“Maybe it’s a mistake,” Sawyer says quietly. “Maybe it’s a baby orange.”

“It’s full grown,” Rhiannon argues. “There’s no way the other dragons allow a baby to bond. No human alive has ever seen a baby.”

“It’s a mistake all right.” Tynan looks at the golden one and scoffs. “You should totally bond it, Sorrengail. You’re both freakishly weak. It’s a match made in heaven.”

“It looks powerful enough to burn you to death,” I counter, then draw a knife and grab him by the arm, taking him by surprise and placing my blade at the hollow of his throat. I cannot show weakness in front of the dragons. 

“Call me weak in front of unbonded dragons again, and you’re going to wish I had killed you. Also, if you think that gold is yellow then maybe you’re colorblind and shouldn’t be a rider anyway.” There’s no rule about that, but I don’t care.

Liam lunges between us, breaking us apart. “Don’t ever say that about a squadmate, especially not in front of unbonded dragons. Next time, I’ll let her kill you. I just don’t want them to smell your blood on her.”

I lower the blade, and back up a pace.

“Someone should kill it before it bonds,” Tynan sputters, ”it’s just going to get its rider killed.” Then he starts walking again. I wait until he’s seven paces ahead, in hopes that one of the dragons does me the favor of roasting him.

Pryor getting incinerated finally shuts him up. If it wasn’t against the Codex, I’d have shoved him in front of the flames myself.

Thankfully, my interaction with three green dragons goes well once I realize they’re just curious about my vest. I take the opportunity to tell Rhiannon about it, since she opened up about her sister’s baby earlier.

I can’t help but think she’d do well on our side, if she just knew that the venin were actually real.

“I think I just shat myself,” Ridoc says, and my laughter only pitches higher as we move through the field.

“Honestly, I thought they were going to eat you,” Luca remarks.

“Me too,” I admit.

“I wouldn’t have blamed them,” she continues.

“You’re insufferable,” Ridoc calls back.

The dragons must have thought so, too, because seconds later our squad has left a second scorch mark behind.

We’re finally leaving the field, and the Senior Wingleader that was escorting us turns on her heel and heads back towards the entrance of the field. Then, I see Xaden standing alone off to the side by an outcropping of trees. I break from formation to walk towards him. “Where are you going, Vi?” Rhi calls after me, but I ignore her.

After surviving getting sniffed by a group of green dragons, defending the honor of a golden feathertail, and watching nearly a third of my squad get smited by dragonfire within twenty minutes- I’m suddenly livid with Xaden Riorson.

Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever been angrier at someone in my life.

Maybe that’s what possesses me to walk right up to him directly in front of what remains of my squad and start yelling at him.

“We need to talk. Now.”

There are no other cadets or leadership around to see us. There won’t be for another twenty minutes at least. They space us out for Presentation.

Xaden takes one look at me, at the pure wrath on my face, and takes a deep breath. “Okay, but perhaps we should take this somewhere else?”

“No. Me. You. Talking. Right here, right now. Actually, no. I’m going to talk and you’re going to listen. I don’t care if the rest of my squad hears this, even the asswipe in the shape of Tynan.”

“Hey!”

“Tynan, now is definitely not the time. I suddenly wish I had popcorn.” I vaguely hear Ridoc say behind me.

Xaden justs blinks at me, expectantly. But that isn’t enough. I reach up and grab him by the collar, and pull him down so that his face is level with mine for once.

“Fuck you, and fuck this after threshing rule you emotional chickenshit.”

“Oh shit.” Rhi gasps, as Liam groans “Not this again.”

But I’m looking into Xaden’s eyes. My husband’s eyes.

“I know that you are secretly terrified to lose me, and you think that this stupid rule will somehow make it easier if I die tomorrow at Threshing. Well, screw that. I know that you’ve lost nearly everyone you’ve ever loved and you think that admitting you’re in love with me will make it hurt less, but I cannot walk into that field tomorrow and risk never having actually told you. I. Love. You. I love you Xaden Riorson. And I have loved you for at least three years. And I swear to the gods, if you don’t say it back before I walk onto that field for Threshing tomorrow, and I make it out; I will-“

I don’t get to finish my sentence, which was going to be the false threat of a divorce, because suddenly Xaden is kissing me.

On the flight field, in front of my squad- where anyone could walk by and see us.

My heart soars.

He pulls away, having sufficiently shut me up. “Of course I’m in love with you Violet. Fuck whatever anyone else thinks about it, I have no idea how long I’ve been in love with you- at least since you told the General that you would burn with us. You’re right, if either one of us had died the other would have spent the rest of their life regretting never saying that. Now, we should probably separate before the next group of cadets and leadership comes down that corner in a few seconds and starts asking a whole lot of questions I’d feel way better about answering once you’re on the back of a dragon.”

He steps back then, but not before tucking a loose piece of hair behind my ear.

Slowly, his Wingleader mask slips back onto his face- but his eyes don’t leave mine for at least twenty seconds.

The next group of cadets passes us a few seconds later, true to Xaden’s word.

My rage has subsided now, but I refuse to be embarrassed.

“I assume you guys have some questions?” I turn around and face my squad.

Tynan has shut up for once, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ridoc speechless before.

Sawyer’s jaw is dropped, and Liam starts clapping slowly.

Rhiannon finally asks “So, exactly how long have you two been together?”

“Um, four years. Give or take a few months.” I reply.

“Closer to five now, depending on when we’re saying it actually started.” Xaden corrects. “If we’re starting with the first time I kissed you, almost five years. If we’re talking about when we decided we were actually serious about each other? Three and a half.”

“I personally think it was love at first argument. Didn’t she immediately threaten you with a knife?” Liam decides to lighten the mood some.

“Yeah, that happened.” I never thought I’d hear Xaden Riorson sound wistful, but I see him fighting a content look off of his face when I turn back to look at him.

Rhiannon is looking it Liam like he just grew a second head.

“What?” He starts, “I had to live with them together for three years after the Apostasy- I know things.” He defends.

“That’s… insane actually. I can’t believe you managed to keep it a secret for this long.” Sawyer says.

“What are you going to do when leadership finds out?” Rhi says, suddenly serious. I can always count on her to think about the big picture.

“Oh my gods, I call dibs on telling Dainy-poo.” Ridoc practically squeals.

I ignore him, for now, and choose to respond to Rhiannon. “Honestly, most of leadership already knows or suspects. Markham, Melgrem, Devera, Aetos, and my mother were all present when Codagh marked us, and we kissed right beforehand.”

“I do not remember any of them being there for that.” Xaden responds cautiously.

“You were delirious by that point. It's not exactly a day we talk about often.” I respond, wincing slightly at the memory.

“True. Now, can I trust the six of you to keep your mouths shut until after Threshing, or do I need to threaten you?” Xaden says it calmly, but from their faces I know that shadows are seeping off of him in a way that screams lethality. 

The entire squad reassures him, except for Tynan but Xaden looks him in the eyes with an intensity reserved for only those who cross him on the battlefield. My hand brushes back over the same dagger I threatened him with earlier, and Tynan shivers, then nods.

“Also, Gamlyn. I am the only one allowed to inform Squad Leader Aetos about this development. Am I clear?”

“Crystal, sir.” Ridoc gulps.

“Alright then Second Squad. Congratulations on surviving through Presentation. You have free time the rest of the day to prepare for Threshing in the morning. I know you probably plan to party, but I recommend a good night’s sleep if you can. Dismissed.”

We all disperse from the flight field, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I may be at risk of dying tomorrow, but I feel lighter right now than I have in years.

“For what it’s worth Xaden, I love you too.” Liam says as he walks away.

Xaden shoves him so hard on the shoulder that the brawny blonde almost falls over. I still hear him mumble it back to him, though; and I can’t help but smile.

Chapter Text

الشوق 

Al Shouq

When one deeply yearns for the beloved, even if they are only gone for a few moments

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Waking up in Xaden’s arms is always a near religious experience.

Normally, we wouldn’t have risked me staying the entire night- but over half of the first years didn’t sleep in their own beds last night.

I know for a fact that Rhi was with Tara last night, and Amari only knows whose bed Ridoc is keeping warm.

I’m sure Sawyer and Liam got up to something entertaining as well, since I told Liam not to follow me unless he wanted a repeat of that time Xaden and I forgot to lock the door to the training room and got a little too carried away, as used to happen quite often whenever Duke and Duchess Lindell left for the day.

The sun is just beginning to filter in through Xaden’s window, up high in the corner of the otherwise impenetrable stone wall, and I watch as the shadows elongate in the room.

Xaden’s signet should probably be terrifying. Honestly, Xaden should probably be terrifying to me. But I never could bring myself to be afraid of him- especially not when I look into those gold-flecked eyes that look like they’re carrying the weight of the world.

Instead, I’m terrified of losing him today.

My head is laying on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, as my left arm traces the swirling iridescent patterns of his relic without even looking, when I feel him start to wake up.

He always tries to hug me even closer to him when he first wakes up.

Instead, I lean up some so that I can stare into his eyes.

Dear Amari, I am pathetically in love with this man. It probably isn’t healthy.

But his eyes look like if drops of honey were mixed into cocoa powder so dark it’s almost black, and I move my hand from tracing the relic to cup his face- my hand brushing against the stubble he shaves every morning as I whisper “Good morning.”

He blinks a couple of times, and then gives me one of those rare smiles reserved for only a few people in this world, and suddenly there is nowhere else that I would rather be. “Good morning, Violence.”

We allow ourselves one long moment to pretend that there are no other responsibilities this morning that could threaten this little slice of peaceful domesticity.

“What I would give up to wake up to this every morning should honestly be concerning.” He says slowly, like it doesn’t actually concern him in the slightest.

“I would kill way more than one person if I thought it would actually work to allow that.” I respond with the same level of concern-none.

The likelihood that our relationship is healthy is probably low, but I can’t bring myself to care.

“Today’s the day. I don’t know whether I’m excited for you, proud of you, or fucking terrified.” Xaden admits.

“I know this is hard to hear, since you like to pretend to be an emotionless brick, but you’re allowed to be feeling all of that at the same time. I know that when it was you, I was so fucking proud of you- and so terrified that I was going to lose you forever. I just kept telling myself that I trusted you and your ability to keep yourself alive. Although, it was probably a little bit easier for me since I had distractions to keep me from obsessing over you constantly.”

“The last two years were awful without you. Yeah, sure, I was fine. I won all my challenges, classes were easy enough, and I proved myself all the way up to being Wingleader; but it just felt like a piece of myself was missing the entire time. It was like the world was in shades of gray, and I didn’t even realize I wasn’t seeing in color until you showed up at Parapet with the missing piece of my soul.”

I can’t tell if my heart melted or shattered during that confession.

“You being gone physically hurt. It was like you plucked a piece of my heart from my chest and took it with you across the Parapet.” I admit, staring deeply into his eyes, amber and blue tinted hazel against gold-flecked onyx, as he stares right back.

“After I survive tonight, we should probably try and discuss the last two years a little bit more in depth.” I say.

“I agree, but you know that I can’t tell you everything that happened yet.”

I can feel my left eye start to twitch. “Why on earth are you still keeping secrets from me? I don’t even know any of my friends fucking signets. You won’t tell me anything about the weapons drops that we literally planned together, and I thought the rule was just ‘after threshing’ you don’t get to just change that rule now!” I’m not yelling, but my tone is stern and I poke my finger into his bare chest for emphasis.
“Vi, I’m sorry, I thought you knew why.”

“Do you think that if I knew why I would keep asking?” I splay my hand across his chest now, using it to push myself up more so that I’m now sitting up in the bed. I try not to get distracted from my point by those delicious abs that I realize I never finished licking last night.

“Mental shields. Until your dragon starts channeling to you, you can’t shield from them or anyone else with mental signets. Trust me, you wouldn’t even know that someone like Dain violated your mind. It’s not just that I’m keeping you safe, I’m keeping them safe.

Garrick, Imogen, Bodhi, fuck even Brennan and everyone else back in Aretia. If leadership found out that we’re supplying Poromial with these weapons, that magic gave us half of the signets we’ve developed, it would be a death sentence for us all.” He’s also sitting up now, right hand having reached out to hold onto my shoulder while his left runs through his hair. The tone of his voice is the closest I have ever heard Xaden Riorson come to groveling.

I want to be pissed off. In another life, I’d probably have tried to break things off with him for being so damn secretive.

But, I know what's on the line. I watched as my own mother executed his entire family except for Bodhi. I watched as she carved the responsibility for all of us onto his back. Malek, I did my best to keep his wounds from getting infected in that dark cramped cell- I gave up my own drinking water to try and keep his wounds clean.

He was only seventeen. Shit, I was only sixteen.

I take a deep breath. “Fine. After I start channeling. But once I have shields- you will tell me everything. And I mean everything. We can’t keep secrets from each other- not just because of my unhealthy need to know and understand everything- but because you won’t survive shouldering this entire load alone Xaden. I love you too much to watch you continue to be the only person responsible for all 108 of us and Aretia. I know you, Xaden Riorson. You feel like its your job to keep us all alive through this death factory, save Aretia, stop the venin, save everyone stuck outside of Navarre’s wards, all while being a fucking impressive third year cadet, keeping up with homework, and leading the fucking wing. Its too much for one person to handle alone. We. Are. Married. Let me take some of that weight off of your shoulders before I have to watch it crush you.”

Xaden takes a deep breath, as though I’ve punched him in the stomach.

“You have been taking care of all of us since even before the Apostasy. Let me take care of you for once, in the ways that I can.”

Something I can’t place shifts behind his eyes, then he meets mine again.

“Okay. Once you can shield, I will tell you everything. But Vi, there are some things that I’m terrified that if I tell you- you’ll leave me. And I don’t survive that.”

I haven’t seen him this vulnerable since his father’s death. Something must really be bothering him. I know one crazy, unhealthy thing about myself; though.

“My love isn’t fickle. I may be pissed at you for whatever it is, most likely from you keeping it from me- honestly. But there is practically nothing you could do that would stop me from loving you. I mean, I suppose if you woke up tomorrow as a completely different person and tried to hurt me or something then that’s one thing- but that isn’t who you are. I know that you are lethal, and dangerous, and that your shadows could probably eviscerate me if you wanted them to- but I have never been afraid of you and I damn sure am not going to start now.”

Xaden blinks, and I see hope shine in his eyes.

“Violet Riorson, have I ever told you that I love you?”

“Not nearly often enough.”

We missed breakfast, and just barely made it to morning formation afterwards, but on the off chance that I do die today; I really needed to finish my plans with those abs.

Besides, watching Ridoc heave up his guts makes me think that skipping breakfast was the right move after all.

It's the first of October, and all of the first years are entering the bowl-shaped forested valley to the southwest of the citadel.

I can see more than one cadet praying to the gods. I make no such concessions, as I will not be dying today.

Rhiannon stands to my left, and she has a long sword strapped to her back. She’s the ethereal image of a warrior goddess.

“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.

“I don’t know.” I shrug my shoulders. At this point, Sgaeyl had already been reaching out to Xaden.

“You memorized the cards, right?” she asks, lifting her brows. “So you know what’s out there?”

“Yes. I just don’t feel connected to any of them.”

“Don’t worry about it sis, I don’t feel drawn to any of them specifically yet either- and we all know I’m going to bond.” Liam crosses his arms in front of his chest, causing the sun to glint off of the daggers I forced him to carry across the Parapet that he has strapped there. “Besides, you’ll have me by your side the whole time.”

I roll my eyes at Liam, despite the glint in his eyes telling me that this sudden show of unshakable confidence is mostly a facade. “For the last time Liam, we cannot be in groups for Threshing. Do you have a death wish?”

“Cadet Sorrengail is correct, Cadet Mairi. If you go in groups, you’re more likely to be incinerated than bonded,” Professor Kaori argues with him. “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.
Looking past him, I catch Jack Barlowe running a finger across his neck at me. So original. Then Oren and Tynan flank his sides.

So much for squad loyalty. It’s everyone for themselves today.

Kaori lets us know that if we’re still alive by then, they’ll extract us for dinner.

Comforting.

“For you?” Sawyer decides to continue our squad’s whispered conversation. “Liam always seems to have a death wish. I’m surprised you-know-who isn’t jealous.”

“Yeah, if I spent nearly as much time with my arm around her as Li here did, I don’t think I’d still have an arm- that’s one scary motherfucker.” Ridoc adds, recovered from his retching episode.

I don’t even try to deny that Xaden’s the jealous possessive type, but just the thought of him being jealous of Liam is absolutely ridiculous.

Rhi joins in then, “Between the rumors he started about Dain earlier this year and the rumors about you and golden boy here sleeping together, I’m shocked it took us this long to find out who you were actually with. Both of those boys should be dead by now” she ribs, the smile finally reaching her eyes.

It does the job of lightening our mood, as Liam and I both look at each other and start pretending to retch. “Gross guys, that’s my sister you’re talking about you know!” Liam sputters.

“Dear gods it's like someone just accused me of sleeping with Brennan. We absolutely have to stop those rumors before Sloane gets here next year.” I immediately bring up Sloane in hopes no one notices my slip up with Brennan.

Thankfully, no one does.

“Seriously though Liam, listen to Kaori. We all have to split up once we’re in the valley unless we want to be a snack for someone else in the group’s dragon. How would you feel if your dragon roasted Violet for being too close all because you wanted to stay together?” Sawyer reasons, the only one of us to have been through Threshing before.

“Fine, but find me immediately after Vi.” Liam relents, albeit his displeasure is evident on his face- the blue of his eyes darkening slightly with an iron glint of stubbornness.

Sometimes I forget that my lovable teddy-bear of a foster brother is the most lethal cadet in our year.

Then, it’s time.

“Be careful.” Rhiannon pulls me into a hug, her braids swinging over my shoulder as she tightens her arms around me.
“You too.” I squeeze her back and am immediately swept into another pair of arms.

“Don’t die,” Ridoc orders.

“See you on the other side, lil sis.” Liam assures.

“I’m older than you!” I call out, as we all spread out in opposite directions, but I’m smiling.

***

A couple of hours later, I’m starting to feel a little deflated. Maybe I won’t be bonding this year, after all.

What exactly happens if a Marked One doesn’t bond? We’re conscripted. It’s not like we can just go join the infantry if a dragon doesn’t choose us. Would I just be stuck at this death factory for the next few years, terminally doomed to repeat the first year?

I’m knocked out of my catastrophizing thoughts by the sound of a group of men coming towards me.

Quickly, I decide to climb the tree to my left. I’m suddenly incredibly grateful that I made sure to wrap every joint from my ankles to my elbows as securely as possible today, despite all of the wraps being a little stiff and bulky.

“Shouldn’t we be trying to find our own dragons instead of the stupid golden one?” Oren- the first cadet I poisoned - tries to reason with the cadet with ice-blonde hair that can only be Jack Barlowe.

“No, our dragons will still be there. They’ll probably be grateful that we took out that weakling. Dragons value strength, and that abomination is just going to get someone killed.”

“Preferably Sorrengail.” Tynan mutters. Oh Tynan, the feeling is more than mutual.

“Oh don’t worry Ty. If we find her, we’re taking her out too.”

I roll my eyes at that. They can certainly try. Underestimating me will be their downfall, if there’s anything I can do about it.

I wait for them to vacate the clearing, then slowly climb down. I saw a glint of gold in the direction they’ve headed, but I’m fast. I can get there first.

Before I start sprinting, I kiss the back of my hand and make a gesture like I’m tossing it into the sky- where I spotted Sgeayl circling earlier. They can’t interfere with Threshing, but they’ve been sent with the other Wingleaders to monitor.

Just as I round the last tree, I’m incredibly grateful that Liam forced me to start running with him last year. Until I trip, and feel my fucking ankle subloxate.

I swear, then use my momentum to roll back up to a knee. I’m suddenly kneeling down directly in front of the golden feathertail.

“Hello, gorgeous thing. There’s a group of three bloodthirsty assholes that call themselves cadets who are on their way to try and assassinate you. I know that humans can’t order around dragons, but I would highly recommend getting out of here before they get here.”

I take in the dragon’s appearance then, while it sniffs me inquisitively. It’s not too much taller than I am, for a dragon. I also note the lack of claws on its feet, and suddenly really hope that it can fly and breathe fire.

“Seriously, please get out of here.”

If dragons can snort, this little golden one just did. Fantastic, I’m going to have to defeat three cadets- all twice my size- with a fucking sprained ankle.

This is going to go well.

The trees rustle from the south, and Jack steps into the clearing, his sword swaying in his right hand. A step later, he’s flanked by Oren and Tynan, both their weapons drawn.

The golden dragon’s head snaps in their direction, a low growl rumbling in its chest.
“We’ll make it painless,” Jack promises, like that makes the murder acceptable.

“Scorch them,” I whisper-shout, my heart pounding as they draw closer. But the dragon doesn’t, and somehow, I’m certain in the marrow of my bones that it can’t. Other than its teeth, it’s defenseless against three trained warriors.

“I cannot allow you to do this.” I turn around and face them, locking the pain in my ankle into its designated box in my head.

“Oh, look!” Jack grins, pointing his sword my way. “We can take out both of the weakest links at the same time!” He looks at his friends and laughs, pausing their advance.

Each step hurts, but I make it to the center of the clearing, putting myself between Jack’s group and the golden dragon.

“Been waiting a long time for this, Sorrengail.” He walks forward slowly.

“So have I.” I say, and immediately throw one of my daggers. Not at him, though- it lands with a sickening squelch directly on target. It sticks out of Tynan’s throat, and he looks at me in shock, before falling to the ground and choking on his own blood.

He’ll be dead in a few seconds.

Oren looks surprised, but Jack just snarls and raises his sword to charge at me.

“You’re dead, Sorrengail.”

“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- and she looks pissed.

“Although, it does seem that Violence here has the situation handled.” He smirks at Tynan’s now dead body behind Barlowe.

“And if we don’t want to rethink our actions?” Jack shouts.

Xaden looks toward me, and his jaw clenches. He knows he can’t actually intervene.

“There’s nothing you can do, right? Wingleader?” Jack bellows.
Guess he knows the rules, too.

“It’s not me you should worry about today,” Xaden responds and Sgaeyl tilts her head, nothing but menace in her eyes when I glance over.

I use the distraction he’s provided me with though, and throw another one of my knives at Jack, aiming for his heart.

Unfortunately, it isn’t one of the ones I carried across the Parapet, I actually won it off of Oren, so it’s incredibly unbalanced. It hits him in the shoulder instead, but still in a vital area.

Jack falls to his knees screaming, and Oren charges. Oren swings for my neck and I duck, unsheathing another blade and slicing him along the ribs just like I did during our challenge. My ankle isn’t going to let me kick, or even land a decent punch, so it’s up to my blades.

He recovers quickly and pivots with the sword, catching me at my stomach in a clean slice that would have eviscerated me if not for Mira’s armor.
Instead, the blade skims the scales, sliding right off me. I really need to remember to thank her again the next time I see her.

“What the hell?” Oren’s eyes fly wide, and he takes a step back in confusion.

“She’s destroyed my shoulder!” Jack cries, stumbling to his feet and distracting Oren. “I can’t move it!” He clutches the joint, and I grin.

“Kill her!” Jack orders, still clutching his shoulder as he backs away a few steps, then gets up and rushes me with his good arm- trying to catch me off guard.

I spin out of the way and dodge, but pain flares up my leg and I know I can’t move fast enough to get out of the way. So, instead, I get far too close to Jack and get inside of his reach, before stabbing him in the right side of his ribs- the opposite to the shoulder I destabilized.

Jack falls to the floor, and I use the butt of my knife to knock him out.

Then, Xaden is shouting. “Behind you!”

I pivot to see Oren’s sword held high, ready to separate my head from my shoulders, but the golden dragon snaps its jaw and Oren stumbles to the side with terror-filled eyes, as if he’s just now realized that it has teeth.

“Hey! You are not allowed to interfere!” He shouts, rolling away from the dragon.

“No, but I can narrate.” He retorts.

I smile, despite myself, and palm the last of my daggers in my corset. I frown again, I’ll have to make this one count- no throwing.

Thankfully, I don’t have to use it.

Just as Oren reaches up to two-hand his sword, preparing for a killing blow as he launches himself back at me, I catch a glimpse of movement to my right. It’s Xaden. And rules be damned, he steps forward.

I barely have a moment to yell at him to stop before he gets himself executed, when a gust of wind slams into my back, and I stumble back onto my destroyed ankle, flinging my arms out to keep my balance and grimacing at the shooting pain.

Oren’s mouth hangs open and he staggers backward, his head tilting so far back it’s nearly perpendicular to his torso. Shade envelops us both as he continues to back away. He’s gaping so much this fight I could have just caught him with a fishing lure instead of wasting my time in hand-to-hand combat.

I look up towards the shadow then. Standing with the golden one tucked under an enormous, scarred black wing is the biggest dragon I’ve ever seen in my life-the unbonded black dragon Professor Kaori showed us in class. I don’t even come close to reaching his ankle.

A growl resonates through his chest, vibrating the ground around me as it lowers its gigantic head, baring dripping teeth like a rabid dog.

Fear ripples through every cell in my body as the dragon’s hot breath blows over me.

“Step aside, Silver One,” a deep, gruff, voice orders.

I blink. Wait. What? Did he just speak to me?

“Yes. You. Move.” There’s zero room for argument in his tone, and I limp to the side, nearly stumbling over Tynan’s dead body.

The black dragon’s eyes narrow to glare at Oren and 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 a screaming Oren and what had been Tynan’s body.

I notice then that Jack’s unconscious form is nowhere to be seen.

That fucking coward must have run away.

The mountain of a black dragon turns back to me, and I realize with sudden clarity that the biggest dragon I’ve ever seen has just chosen me as its rider- the smallest human in the quadrant.

Well, they say that magic likes all things in balance.

“There’s that smartest cadet in the quadrant my mate was telling me about. What halts you? Get on.” He commands.

Then, the golden one moves out from under the shelter of the big one’s wing. It’s tiny compared to the monstrosity before me, and apparently completely defenseless with the exception of those teeth, like a playful puppy.

“I can’t just leave it,” I say. “What if Barlowe comes back?” The black dragon chuffs, and the golden stretches its wings, showing them off to me.

So it can fly. That would have been nice to know twenty minutes ago.

“Wait- can I ask what you mean by mate?” I ask out loud, although I have a sneaking suspicion, as Sgaeyl and Xaden still haven’t left.

Sgaeyl walks up to both dragons then, leaning down as though to scold the smaller golden one, before biting at the black one’s neck in a manner that can only be affectionate for dragons.

Xaden walks over to me then.

“Are you okay? That was fucking awful.” He pulls me into a hug, then evaluates me at arms length.

“I’m fine, except for the ankle I sprained and disatisfaction from Jack fucking Barlowe escaping.” I growl out.

Xaden lets out a sigh of relief. “Do you need help rewrapping it? I can imagine that riding him is going to require both feet.”

“You sir are not supposed to be here- if anyone figures out you were here at all it could get you a demotion at minimum!” I smack him on the chest to emphasize my point.

“There aren’t any rules against narration, and I figured you should know that our dragons are mates before Sgaeyl and I fly out of here in a second.”

My brain can’t even begin to fully wrap around the implications of that yet, so I let him rewrap my ankle before he flies off with Sgaeyl.

“I don’t know that a mated pair of dragons has ever selected a mated pair of riders before. This will likely prove to be insufferable.” Tairn grunts, but practically sounds interested. They do say that black dragons are the most intelligent- that can often go hand-in-hand with nosy.

I choose to ignore that comment, as while plenty of riders have married each other before there isn’t much information available about mated dragons. I suppose I’ll find out, provided I live long enough. 

“Now. Get on.” the black dragon growls, shaking the ground and trees at the edge of the field.

I swallow, and get up from the rock Xaden sat me on and walk towards this mountain of a dragon.

I immediately have no idea how I’m getting up there- there isn’t anything that even resembles a handhold, and I highly doubt that he’ll appreciate the method I used for the Gauntlet.

“You will not be stabbing me. You are a rider, are you not?”

“That seems to be up for debate at the moment.”

My heart thunders. Is he going to cook me alive for being too slow?

A low, frustrated grumble sounds in his chest, and then he shocks me to the core as he stretches forward, his front leg becoming a ramp. Dragons never supplicate for anyone, and yet here he is, bowing to make it easier for me to climb on. It’s steep but manageable.

I don’t hesitate, crawling up his front leg on my hands and knees to balance my weight and spare my ankle, but the strain on my arms has me gasping by the time I climb over his shoulder and reach his back, dodging the pointed spikes that ripple down most of his neck like a mane.
Holy shit. I’m on the back of a dragon.
“Sit.”

I see the seat-the smooth, scaly divot, just in front of his wings-and sit, bending my knees like Professor Kaori taught us. Then I grab ahold of the thick ridges of scales we call the pommel, where his neck meets his shoulders. Everything about him is bigger than any model we practiced on. My body isn’t built to stay on any dragon, let alone one of his size. There’s no way I’ll be able to stay seated. This is about to be the first and last ride of my life.

“My name is Tairneanach, son of Murtcuideam and Fiaclanfuil, descended from the cunning Dubhmadinn line.” He stands to his full height, bringing me eye level with the canopy of trees around the clearing, and I squeeze a little tighter with my thighs. “But I’m not going to assume that you’ll be able to remember that once we reach the field, so Tairn will do until I inevitably have to remind you.”

I take minor offense to that statement, but I don’t have a chance to refute it before he launches into the sky, the golden dragon following immediately after him.

Tairn has to catch me twice before he decides to hold me in place with his magic, so he can put me through a rigorous flight pattern that would have unseated a few third years.

At some point, I saw a brown dragon holding a rider in his claw while he sang a song loudly and badly.

In my bones, I know that that’s Ridoc, and I know we will absolutely have to swap Threshing stories after this.

A ferocious roar of celebration goes up among the dragons as we fly in, every head swinging our way, and I know it’s in deference to Tairn. So is the parting of the dragons at the very center of the field, making room for Tairn to land. He releases the bands holding me in my seat, then hovers over the grass for a few wing beats, and I see the golden dragon flying furiously to catch up.

How ironic. Tairn is the most celebrated dragon in the Vale, and I’m the most unlikely rider in the quadrant.

Just as I’m starting to spiral into self-doubt, Tairn interrupts me. “You are the smartest of your year. The most cunning. You defended the smallest with ferocity. And strength of courage is more important than physical strength, although you do not seem to lack that quite as much as the others seem to think.”

I smile, and then take a steadying breathe before I slide back down his leg and head towards the dias that seats the rollkeeper, Professor Kaori, as well as General Melgren and , of course, General Sorrengail.

Kaori’s jaw drops, and mom’s eyes widen. Melgren is glaring at me with cold calculation.

“Violet Sorrengail,” the woman with mousy-brown hair and kind eyes says as she writes in the Book of Riders. “Nice to see that you made it.” She offers me a quick, shaky smile. “For the record, please tell me the name of the dragon who chose you.”
I lift my chin. “Tairneanach.”

‘Pronunciation could use some work.’ Tairn’s voice rumbles through my head.

‘Hey, at least I remembered,’ I think back in his general direction, wondering if he’ll hear me across the field.

‘At least I didn’t let you fall to your death.’ He sounds utterly bored, but he definitely heard me.

The woman grins, shaking her head as she writes down his name. “I can’t believe he bonded. Violet, he’s a legend.”
I open my mouth to agree-
‘Andarnaurram.’ The sweet, high voice of the golden fills my mind. ‘Andarna for short.’
I feel the blood rush from my face, and the edges of my vision sway as I pivot on my good ankle, staring back across the field at where the golden dragon-Andarna-now stands between Tairn’s front legs. “Excuse me?”

“Violet? What’s wrong?”

When I tell her, voice shaky this time, all hell breaks loose.

Chapter Text

روحي 

Rohi

My soul, or soul mate. Using this as a term of endearment means that you’ll love them even longer than your life- eternally

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Once I recovered from my shock, I slipped away from the dias.

Why does command think they can try and tell dragons what to do? Honestly, to think we humans have any say in what they do is ridiculous. 

”Precisely. Everything will be as it should.” Tairn comments on my inner monologue, something that will definitely take some getting used to.

”You will never be alone again.“ Andarna promises, and I can’t help but smile despite recognizing how crowded its about to be in my brain.

I limp my way over to the healer’s tent- mainly to check and see if any of my friends are in there- and pass by none other than Jack Barlowe once I get inside.

Both of my daggers are still sticking out of him.

That is an issue that needs to be rectified. While I don’t particularly care for Oren’s blade sticking out of his left shoulder, the one I left in between his ribs is the one I won from Xaden.

He can’t keep that, I decide as a wave of intense possessiveness comes over me. It’s new, and I stock it up to adrenaline and dragon magic, but I absolutely will be rectifying this little situation immediately.

I walk directly up to Barlowe, skating around the poor healer trying to do her job, and watch with grim satisfaction as his face pales when he notices me.

“Ah, Jack, I see you found my missing daggers. Let me take those off of your hands. Thanks for holding onto them for me.” I smile as I yank them both from his body despite the healer yelling at me and trying to bat my hands away.

I ignore that, and wipe the blood from my blades as the healers rush to stop the bleeding.

“Threaten me, or either of my dragons again, and I won’t miss next time asshole.”

Jack doesn’t respond to that, and I let one of the healers push me to the other side of the tent.

“Violet, is that you?” I hear a familiar voice, one I haven’t heard in many years.

“Nolon! Hi, how’s Winifred?” I ask the mender who’s been fixing me up since I was a baby about his lovely wife.

“She’s great, thanks. I would ask how you are, but seeing as you’re limping and just pulled two daggers out of my least favorite patient on Threshing day, I think I can figure that one out for myself.”

I smile, despite myself, and say “I normally wouldn’t ask you to mend a sprained ankle, but considering the two dragons I just bonded and who one of them is mated to, my life is about to be in even more danger than normal. And in the Rider’s Quadrant that’s usually pretty high considering I’m a Sorrengail, a Marked One, and well- me.” I make a vague gesture about my height and joints. “I can’t not be able to run at a moment’s notice.”

“I’ll mend it, but only if you promise to tell me what in Amari’s name happened five years ago. No one seems to know the real story, whether you were kidnapped or not.” Nolan looks genuinely concerned for me, and I decide to tell him an edited version about how I ran away from home at 16 and wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I may have trusted this man to fix me up as a child, but I’ve learned to have a pretty good sense for who’s more likely to be sympathetic to the Navarrian propaganda.

He mends my ankle, and tells me to be careful because apparently I actually tore a ligament, and then I’m back on my way out of the tent and looking for my friends.

I quickly spot Ridoc and Rhiannon standing together, their dragons seemingly friendly with each other. Ridoc is standing in front of the brown swordtail and Rhi is next to the green daggertail that sniffed us during Presentation.

I smile, then my eyes keep scanning until I find Liam. Surprisingly, he and his red daggertail aren’t standing too far from Tairn and Andarna. I decide to walk over, and am happy to see along the way that Sawyer is also bonded to a red swordtail.

Seeing Tairn beside a regular sized dragon as well as Andarna really puts into perspective just how massive he is. His morningstartail does nothing to dissuade from the lethal image he presents to the world. I should probably be wondering why this impressive battle dragon chose me, but instead I feel a deep sense of pride.

Tairn chuffs beside me, as I finally reach Liam. “Li! You bonded!”

“Was it ever a question?” He jests, humoring me as he opens his arms for a hug which I accept. “You though? Not just one dragon, but two? And the most impressive battle dragon ever- sorry Deigh you know it’s true.”

I laugh before pulling away- I could tell he was about to do something brotherly and demeaning like pat me on the head or give me a noogie. My hair has already been messed up quite enough by today, thank you. “I see that Rhi, Ridoc, and Sawyer also bonded. Have you seen or heard anything about the other Marked first years?”

“Almost all of them that made it through Presentation have come back, except for Rosie and Grace. There’s still another hour before it’s over though, so hopefully. I’m just hoping Tynan doesn’t show up- although I probably shouldn’t say that about a squad mate.”

“He definitely won’t be coming back, considering I stabbed him in the throat before Tairn incinerated his body. He also did me a favor and roasted Oren, but Jack managed to both escape and bond, somehow.”

“As badass as that is, care to elaborate? I assume they came after you and you handled it?” He steps back to look at me, but other than the blood that sprayed when I stabbed Barlowe in the ribs, I am now otherwise unscathed.

“And Andarna. They wanted to murder a fucking dragon!” I growl out, even more upset now that Andarna is mine.

“How the fuck did Barlowe bond then?” Liam asks me, but I don’t know.

”He had already bonded to Baide, and decided to stick around to try and eliminate you and the Golden One. He crawled away after you turned your back. Next time, be sure the enemy is dead before you turn your back to him.” Tairn scolds me, but I had only turned to avoid being run through myself. I choose not to voice that fact though, and just say instead ”I’ll do my best.”

“Tairn says he was already bonded to Baide when he came after me, which feels like it breaks every unwritten rule about Threshing but that’s none of my business anymore I guess.”

I see Liam’s jaw tick, and he’s about to say something else when the next group of riders fly into the clearing. I smile when I realize that it’s Grace and Rosie- every single Marked One that entered it survived Threshing.

A few minutes later, I see the senior leadership dragons arriving. Sgaeyl lands next to Tairn, and seems to ignore Deigh. Then, Xaden is sliding down Sgaeyl with an ease and grace I can only envy and is walking towards us.

“I hear the golden dragon decided to bond you as well, Sgeayl says the Empyrean is going to meet in a moment. Andarna, is it?” Xaden smiles, and I watch him physically restrain himself from touching me by crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Yes, her name is Andarna. What do you mean they’re meeting?” I ask out loud, but Tairn responds for him.

“It’s up to the Empyrean to decide,” Tairn says, but there’s an edge of tension in his tone. ”Don’t leave the field. This might take a while.”
”What might- “My question dies on my tongue as the biggest dragon I’ve ever seen, even larger than Tairn, stalks toward us from the opening to the valley. Each dragon it passes walks into the center of the field and follows after, gathering dozens as it walks. “Is that…” “Codagh,” Tairn answers.

General Melgren’s dragon.

Codagh growls, low in his throat, turning his sinister yellow eyes on me.
Tairn rumbles his own growl, stepping forward so I’m between his massive claws.

Sgaeyl steps forward alongside her mate, framing Xaden in her own claws.

There’s zero doubt I’m the subject of both disgruntled snarls.

”Yep! We’re talking about you!” Andarna says as the line passes by, and she joins it with what can only be a skip in her step.

”The Empyrean will meet to decide if both bonds will be allowed to stay. Do not fret, everything will be as it should. Stay with your mate while we’re gone.” He says, then moves to follow Codagh out of the flight field once he’s flown away and the line of dragons has begun to follow.

Sgaeyl and Deigh follow after him, and then the humans are all alone in the field as the last dregs of daylight leave and the moon rises.

Suddenly, it’s chaos as everyone moves to find their friends.

“Tairn said that-“
“I heard him.” Xaden stops me, and I realize that Tairn must be able to speak to Xaden as well due to whatever mate-bond dragon magic exists. I smile, and hear my friends coming over to talk to us.

In the background, I hear Ridoc, Sawyer, and Rhi regaling Liam about their dragons. But I can’t seem to rip my eyes from Xaden’s. I don’t know why, but something about seeing him in front of me is different now. I’m about to say screw it and just kiss him in front of everyone, when Professor Kaori appears.

“Wingleader Riorson, Cadet Sorrengail. I was hoping to get a moment to discuss Tairn and Sgaeyl with you. They’re the strongest bonded pair in centuries, and it’s bound to come with some challenges and benefits that neither of you were expecting.”

My mind whirs. Mated pairs can’t be separated for long or their health diminishes, so they’re always stationed together. Always. Which means that Xaden and I will be stationed together forever. They usually try to keep spouses together too, but this just makes it that much easier.

“Thank you for your concern professor, but is there any way we could discuss this in the morning? I’m sure we would all benefit from being better rested for this conversation.” Xaden requests, and I feel a wave of gratitude wash over me. I am actually exhausted, now that he mentions it.

“Of course Wingleader, perhaps we can schedule an appointment for after lunch? I believe there should be time directly before first year flight maneuvers and third year history.”

We agree to the meeting, and he takes his leave. I’m just about to thank him, but this time we’re interrupted by Dain.

“Violet, good to see that five out of nine of us bonded, I wish it were more but that’s actually pretty good numbers.” I see his eyes dart left and right, and I can tell that if Xaden weren’t standing directly behind me that he’d ask us to move off to the side. He’s been trying to rekindle our friendship, but as much as I would love that I can’t trust him to not be reporting back to his father about me.

Finally, he must just decide to ask his question. “What the actual fuck happened out there? Because I’ve got Cath telling me that not only did Tairn choose you but so did the small one-Adarn?” His fingers grasp at his hair, panic swirling in his brown eyes.

“Andarna,” I correct him, a smile playing on my lips at the thought of the small golden dragon.

“They’re going to make you choose.” His expression hardens, and the certainty there makes me recoil.

“I’m not choosing.” I shake my head, disengaging our hands. “No human has ever chosen, and I’m not about to be the first.” And who the hell is Dain to tell me that?

“You are.” He rips his hand down his face, and his composure slips. “You have to trust me. You do trust me, right?”

Honestly, I’m not sure. This is the man who patched me up every time I fell down when we were kids, but that was so long ago. So much has happened.

“I trust that you want what you think is best for me, Dain. But I don’t think you actually know what that is anymore.”

“You have to choose Andarna- that way you can’t be sent into battle.”

I scoff, and roll my eyes at my Squad Leader. “Again, no human has ever picked their own dragon. So fuck off with that nonsense. I won’t even entertain the idea.”

Dain steps towards me then, and moves to touch me. I stiffen, but before he can close the distance a shadow pushes him back a step.

Dain looks up, surprised. Glancing back at Xaden, he looks furious. “Don’t touch women who don’t want to be touched, Aetos. And stop trying to argue with her. If you really knew her as well as you say you do, then you’d know that telling her to change her mind is like asking a brick wall to become cement. Besides, she’s right.”

“You interfered with her Threshing, didn’t you?”

My jaw drops at the pure audacity. “Excuse me?” I say, insulted.

“Is that an official accusation, Squad Leader?” Xaden says the title with vitriol.

“Yes, it is. Tairn is your dragon’s mate after all.”

“While I did witness Violet take down three cadets twice her size while already injured in order to defend Andarna from would-be-attempted dragon slayers, you should really be asking if Sgaeyl saw.”

Dain’s face loses some of its color.

“His mate told him,” I whisper in realization. Sgaeyl called for Tairn.

“She’s never been a fan of bullies,” Xaden says to me. “Although, Tairn chose you after that admirably reckless display all on his own.”

“I would do it again.” I say to him.

“Well-the-fuck aware.” He says it like he means it angrily, but I can sense the loving annoyed tone underscoring his words.

“Fuck,” Dain mutters.

“And even if I had.” Xaden moves toward Dain, towering over him. “Would you really level that accusation knowing it would have been what saved the woman you call your friend?”

A beat of damning silence passes, and I know that whatever happens next is going to make or break my withering friendship with Dain.

“There are rules… as I’m sure you know, Wingleader.” Dain says the title with the same amount of distaste that Xaden said his earlier, and levels an accusatory glare between the two of us.

“Yes, I’m sure that you and Wingleader Mavis tuck that little portion of the Codex in together at night when you go to sleep.”

Dain’s face loses whatever color it had left, as he starts sputtering. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, and even if I did it’s frowned upon- not forbidden.”

“Trust me, Aetos. I’m well aware of that fact.” Xaden smirks, then steps back to stand beside me instead of returning to his position behind me.

“Now, shouldn’t you be checking on the rest of your squad, Aetos?” The dismissal is clear, but Dain still tries to appeal to me one last time.

“It would have killed me to watch something happen to you, Vi, but the rules-”

“You’re digging your grave deeper, Dain. Just go- the dragons are coming back now anyway.”

Dain frowns, then walks away to go talk to the rest of the squad, which has wandered slightly further down the flight field.

Once the dragons settle back, Melgren makes the announcement that I’m allowed to keep both of my dragons and relief floods through me despite my annoyance that Melgren seemingly disagreed with the decision and managed to belittle me in front of the entire Quadrant.

”As it should be,” Tairn grumbles as the speeches continue. “Humans have no say in the laws of dragons.”

“Welcome to a family that knows no boundaries, no limits, and no end,” my mother finishes, and a cheer resounds around the field. “Riders, step forward.”

I look left and right in confusion, but so does every other first-year rider.

”Five steps or so,” Tairn says and Xaden nods reassuringly while stepping back a few paces towards where Sgaeyl landed.

I take the steps.

“Dragons, it is our honor as always,’”General Sorrengail calls out, who hasn’t even looked at me once tonight. “Now we celebrate!”

Heat blasts my back, and I hiss in pain as riders on both sides of me cry out. My back feels like it’s on fucking fire, and yet everyone across the field is cheering raucously, some of them racing our way.
Other riders are caught up in embraces.

”You’ll like it,” Tairn promises. ”It’s unique.”

The pain fades to a dull ache, and I glance over my shoulder. There’s a solid black…something peeking out from the vest. “I’ll like what?”

“Here, let me.” Xaden says, having walked back up to me. He slowly starts unlacing the top of my corset, and every nerve in my body ignites.

”Move aside.” Tairn says to him, and Xaden obliges so that I can look through what must be Andarna’s eyes at my relic- a large shimmering black dragon stretches across my back, each wingtip touching a shoulder blade, with a smaller shimmering golden one in the center of it.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. I’m marked by their magic as a rider now, as their rider.

”We know,” Andarna answers.

I blink, and my vision is mine again, and Xaden’s hands lace up my corset quickly, then are on my face, tipping it up toward his.

“You are remarkable.” He says it with reverence, and I am trapped in his gaze. Suddenly, it’s like the invisible thread that’s been pulling us together all night grows taut, and then he leans down and brings me into a searing, damning kiss that lights a fire in me all the way down to my toes.

On the flight field.

In front of everyone from my mother to Codagh.

Despite knowing that this might complicate the rest of the year, I couldn’t care less.

We finally break for air, and I ask “We probably shouldn’t have done that, huh?”

“Probably not, but I was going to kill the next man that looked at you so this is probably for the best.” He admits, resting a hand on the back of my neck while his other remains on my left hip. I don’t doubt him for one second.

“Good, the amount of women in this Quadrant that look like they want to eat you can officially deal with me now.” I smirk. Command still doesn’t need to know we’re married, but fraternization with leadership is only frowned upon- not forbidden.

“I’ll ward your new door tonight. Between the 41 unbonded who now know that Tairn is in play, those who will try to kill you in hopes of also killing me, and everyone that wanted to kill you already- you just became Basgiath target number one.” He says while his thumb draws a pattern on my cheek.

“Ah, so it’s a normal Wednesday then. Good thing my big, strong, terror-inducing Wingleader just announced that I’m under his protection.”

Xaden rolls his eyes at me, before continuing. “And I’m going to make sure that Liam’s in the room next to yours so that you can continue this little protection detail you seem to have going with each other.”

“Fine, but while you’re at it can you make sure that Rhi’s is nearby too? There’s too much testosterone in this place.”

He agrees with a light snort, and then we’re surrounded by my squad.

“Oooh, are mom and dad officially together now?” Ridoc says, practically bouncing up and down.

“Well, we did only ask you to keep quiet until after Threshing.” I shrug, and then Rhi is bringing me in for a hug.

I learn all of their dragon’s names, and then we head to dinner while Xaden heads off to another leadership meeting. For his sake, I hope they do it at the dinner table.

“Okay so, picture this. I’m walking through the woods, whistling a tune, when all of a sudden a large shadow blocks out the sun above me.” Ridoc starts, a piece of steak hanging off his fork as he points it into the sky to articulate his point.

“Then,” he continues after taking his bite, talking with his mouth full, “A goat comes out of nowhere and lands in front of me, looking terrified out of its mind! I don’t know who bleated louder, me or him!”

“Please swallow before you finish, Gamlyn.” Sawyer says.

“Only if you ask me the same thing tonight.” He winks, before swallowing his steak as we all groan.

“What happened after the goat landed?” I prod, intrigued. This is most definitely a unique Threshing story. Mine does not compare in the slightest.

“Well, it ran off- but then Aotrom started talking to me, but he was pretending to be Malek, the god of death. He said I needed to find and sacrifice the goat to him if I wanted to live.”

“What?!” Rhi spits out some of her drink.

“Yeah, he was making his voice all prophetic and deep.”

“So what did you do?” Liam asks.”

“Well, I tracked the thing down and killed it. Took fucking forever, and I got goat blood all over my favorite shirt!”

My eyebrows are raised practically to my hairline.

“Then, Aotrom came down and ate it right in front of me. He revealed his joke and told me to get on, but told me he’d only pick me if I did the last bit of the flight hanging from his claw and singing my favorite song.”

We all laugh for a minimum of five minutes, and I think I’m wheezing by the time I can collect myself enough to admit that I saw that last part and it was, in fact, a hilarious sight.

“I cannot believe that our class clown managed to find and bond with the prankster dragon. I don’t know whether to congratulate you or be terrified for the influence he’s going to have on your pranks now.” Rhiannon says, and I couldn’t agree more.

***

Xaden wards my door that night, but he’s too busy with leadership to stay unfortunately.

I am a bit surprised when I see Sawyer stumble out of Rhi’s room across from mine the next morning, but I know that her and Tara aren’t exclusive so I just high five her after he leaves.

Then a first year girl I don’t recognize walks out of Liam’s room, and I can’t help but tease him relentlessly after she leaves, blushing like crazy when she spots Rhi and I in the hallway.

I decide that the rest of this year might actually be pretty fun, as we head to breakfast.

Unfortunately, walking in reminds me that things are far from perfect.

Chapter Text

انتي شمسي، قمري، وكل نجومي

You are my sun, my moon, and all my stars

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

“Good morning, Ladies!” Ridoc slings his arm over mine and Rhi’s shoulders as we walk towards breakfast.  

“Hey!” Liam chuffs, moving so that his arm is on top of Ridoc’s on my shoulders on the other side. 

Ridoc gives him an appraising glare, arching an eyebrow before Rhi cuts in with “How about riders?” 

“I think I prefer riders, personally.” I agree, before we all start comparing relics. 

“I have to admit I’m disappointed that you and Li here didn’t get another matching tattoo sleeve, your other relics are honestly sick as hell.” Ridoc exclaims, and I don’t think anyone has ever admired a rebellion relic before. 

Liam chuckles then, moving to pat him on the back with the arm around me, and I manage to get free from under both of them so they’re essentially just holding each other, with Ridoc’s left arm still around Rhi as we make our way to the breakfast line. 

“Its weird being on this side of the line.” Liam acknowledges, after rushing to extract himself from Ridoc’s grip which immediately turned flirtatious upon my evacuation. 

“I know, I’m a bit worried about the unbonded cadets trying to poison us for our dragons.” I mumble, just loud enough for these two knuckleheads and Rhi to hear me. 

I don’t recognize any faces in the line though, so I go ahead and take a plate. I’m adept enough at poisons that I should be able to detect if anything is lacing our food, or at least figure out the antidote. I’ll need my protein intake if I want to keep up with my intense training regimen courtesy of Liam and Xaden. Li and I usually train with weights a couple of times a week and go on runs before dinner most days. 

We do not want to die from a venin attack we could have outrun, or fall off and die in the middle of battle due to weak inner thighs. 

“Valuable insights, but you should increase the weight training. Catching you is an annoyance we cannot afford in battle, Silver One.” Tairn quips grumpily. 

“We still haven’t seen if I can hold on when I’m not injured, oh Grumpy One.” I respond, mildly annoyed by the intrusion as I move from the end of the breakfast line towards our usual table. 

Although, I notice that the seating arrangements have changed. At other tables, those who bonded more powerful dragons are now getting deferential treatment. I smirk a little when I notice Barlowe getting iced out of his normal position of power into a group with smaller dragons who don’t bother making room for him. Oh, how the cowards have fallen. 

I don’t fail to notice that I’m one of the new cadets that people move out of the way for. This could be just as annoying as it is useful. 

I sit my tray down in my usual spot, except for the fact that Imogen and her friend Quinn are now sitting across from Liam and I. “Finally decided we’re worthy enough to sit in the same vicinity of, Im?” I ask, as the rest of the Iron Squad gawks. 

“Yeah, you guys haven’t said a word to anyone but Violet or Liam all year!” Rhiannon exclaims. 

“You lot are worth knowing now, since you bonded.” Imogen shrugs, brushing a strand of pink hair out of her eyes. She must need a trim. 

“No first years are worth remembering until after threshing, you all die way too easily before then.” Quinn agrees. 

“Makes sense.” I shrug, before sniffing a sausage link. 

“Violet, what on Earth are you doing?” Imogen quirks a pierced eyebrow at me. 

“Well, the list of reasons people want to kill me seems to only grow with every passing moment, so I’m trying to make sure that the unbonded aren’t poisoning my breakfast.” I roll my eyes, before deciding its safe enough and taking a bite as Heaton and Emory, third years from our squad, also sit down. 

Everyone else still avoids us for our rebellion relics. 

“Speaking of, you’re with me tonight for training. Can’t have the future most powerful rider in the quadrant falling off her dragon every five minutes, and I think I know a few more ways to strengthen up your joints.” Imogen says, biting into her own sausage. 

“Ugh fine, did Xaden put you up to this?” I roll my own eyes, feeling a bit of unease around that ‘future most powerful rider’ comment, but aware that it’s technically true. 

“Technically yes, your man did ask me to help you out. But your lives are now tied together in even more ways than normal, so call it self-preservation. I don’t want to hear Garrick’s whining if the two of you die suddenly.” 

“So, are you two back together or what?” I probe, and Liam perks up, also interested in the status of her and Garrick’s on-again off-again relationship. 

“None of your business, princess.” Im spits out, before turning back to Quinn to attempt to change the subject. 

“Wouldn’t it technically be Duchess?” Liam wonders aloud, and I smack him on the shoulder. 

“We are in the dining hall!” I whisper-scream at him. 

“Oh please Violet, everyone saw you and Riorson kiss on the flight field after Threshing. I doubt there’s a soul in this room that doesn’t know that you’re together.” It’s Sawyer’s turn to roll his eyes as my cheeks redden. 

“Yeah, Vi. If you didn’t want everyone to start calling you the future Duchess of Tyrrendor, you probably shouldn’t have kissed him in front of the entire Quadrant.” Rhi adds on, but she’s smiling at me. 

My blush deepens. “Tyrrendor hasn’t been a Kingdom since before Unification, and King Tauri took away the Duchy from Xaden as punishment after the Secession- gods we really need to start those history tutoring sessions back up tomorrow.” I don’t deny it, though. 

I can’t explain it, but there was no force on this planet that would have stopped me from kissing Xaden in that moment. Even now, I swear I can feel where he is in the room like some sixth sense.  

“That’s just how mated pairs are.” The golden dragon in my head says, high pitched voice startling me. 

”Andarna, humans don’t have mates. Don’t be silly.” I respond. She’s definitely younger than Tairn, and I imagine I’m her first rider since according to Navarre’s incomplete records, a feathertail has never bonded before. 

Notably, neither dragon responds to that and I decide to file it away under the tab in my brain labeled ‘later concerns and conversations to have.’

I turn discreetly to look at Xaden then, and he meets my gaze as though he can feel mine as well. He winks at me while peeling his apple with his knife. I wink back, and Garrick punches him on the shoulder lightly once he puts down the knife, bringing him back into whatever conversation I distracted him from. 

***

The next morning, Liam and I are wheeling a squeaky cart down to the archives when he stops us for a moment to fix the wheel. 

It stops making that atrocious noise immediately. “Li, have I told you that I love you yet this week?” 

“Not yet.” He smirks up from tightening whatever was loose at the bottom of the cart. 

“Good.” I lightly kick him in the shin, before taking the cart and wheeling away as fast as I can. 

“Oh come on, Vi! That was almost sweet!” He shouts as he catches up to me with his ridiculously long legs. 

“Oh please, you know me better than that.” I smirk at him, before sobering up as we enter the Archives. 

The door guard practically jumps to let me in, then frowns at Liam and I’s exposed rebellion relics. 

“Thank you for noticing that we happened to be children in Tyrrendor five years ago. Can we please do our assigned jobs now?” I level an intense glare at him, and he gulps before moving aside to let us in. 

I’m still annoyed when we get to the desk and see my old friend Jesinia, and I almost forget that the stupid scribe rules forbid her from showing emotion as I start signing how much I’ve missed her over the years. 

Liam is flirting before I can warn him not to, and she blushes like crazy. 

“You have got to catch me up on what happened the last few years! I hear you got kidnapped?” She gestures concernedly to the relic exposed on my left hand, despite the long sleeves of my new flight jacket. 

“That’s not quite what happened, but I’d love to catch you up sometime soon.” I respond, eager to reconnect with her if she’s willing to look past the relic. If I could, I’d pull her in for a hug.

If we can trust her, having a scribe as a friend of the rebellion could prove to be invaluable. I’m hoping to tell a few of my squad the truth about the venin once we can all shield- I can’t in good conscience leave them completely defenseless- even if we can’t tell everyone. Xaden will take some convincing, though. 

Also, I did really miss her. I don’t have a lot of female friends anymore, and sometimes I just miss that sisterhood. 

I give her the daily requests from Devera as she promises to try and be at the desk for reception duty in the mornings, and then I ask her for a personal request. This one shouldn’t raise any flags by requesting it. 

“Can you see if there’s any books about mated dragons? Usually they only bond to riders in the same year, so I’m trying to know what I can expect since one of my dragons has a mate bonded to a third year.” I sign, hoping for some incredibly elusive enlightenment. Shit, we really need to stop rescheduling that meeting with Kaori, but between my now insane schedule and the apparently obsessive amount of leadership meetings that keep being called, we keep having to reschedule.

“I don’t think there’s much research, but I’ll look!” She signs back, before disappearing further into the archives. 

I thought I’d be a bit nostalgic about the archives, but I just feel a distinct sadness for all the knowledge lost to the sanitization of history in the last 400 years. Maybe next time I’ll ask her for a book I know the archives won’t have, so she can start the process of questioning the sources on her own. It will be tricky to request something without implicating myself though, since all requests are logged.

Then I see Professor Markham round the corner, and my blood runs cold. 

“Ah, Cadet Sorrengail. I had hoped that you would still have some sense in you and stop hanging around sorts like Mairi and Riorson. I can see my years of training were wasted on you.” He sneers at me, and a couple of the scribe cadets behind him gasp while Liam stiffens beside me. I motion to him to stay back and stay quiet. 

“Well, Professor, my choices were made for me.” I shrug, crossing my left arm over my right in a way that ensures the relic on my hand is visible and my jacket’s sleeve rides up. 

“Yes, well, I see you’re back with that degenerate rebel. Perhaps let us know if your little boyfriend starts planning another revolution?” 

My blood turns from ice to fire, and it takes every ounce of my control to remember my training for moments like these. “Of course, Professor. But I can assure you that our loyalty is to Navarre first.” I say it without any inflection or shaking in my voice, and he seems appeased. 

“Good, I’ve always thought we should keep tabs on the… undesirables of the quadrant.” He sneers, before turning and walking away with the first-year scribes trailing behind him but looking at Liam and I with a mixture of fear and sympathy. 

“He is the undesirable one. Both of you were chosen by dragons, and he was not.” Tairn growls in my head, upset on my behalf. 

I turn to Liam, seething, and block us from Markham’s view in case he turns back around, then sign “I hate that man. I hope he gets stuck down here after hours one day and the wards suffocate him.”

“I can’t believe he just called one of the tallest riders in the quadrant ‘little’.”  He signs incredulously, and I can’t help but agree on multiple points. 

Jesinia returns with Devera’s request and exactly one book describing mated dragons, and I thank her before we head up to drop off the scrolls and then on to breakfast, tucking my request into my pack. 

***

 A few days later, I’m reading the fairly useless book in my room after another brutal round of strength training with Imogen when my scalp prickles and someone knocks on my door. 

I know who it is before I answer. 

“Hello, love.” My husband says as I open the door. “Mind if I come in?”

I smile, then move aside so he can enter my room. It’s smaller than his; with only one window, a bed, an armoire, a desk and a throwing target; but it’ll do. 

“What were you reading?” He picks up the book as I set it down on my desk, next to the Book of Brennan I left sitting out earlier. 

“A book on mated dragons, but so far it isn’t very useful. Everything I already knew, plus a couple of interesting tidbits about our four-way connection. I’m terrified for whenever Tairn and Andarna start channeling to me.” I shiver, now knowing that once they do I’ll be influenced by their emotions.

“I recommend we either find each other immediately when that happens or smoke some Chaurum, because it definitely isn’t comfortable. I did say the last two years were hell, didn’t I?” Xaden grimaces, and I’m suddenly very grateful I won’t be alone when our dragons decide to mate each other. 

I take sympathy on him and decide to change the subject. “What did you come to tell me? I haven’t seen you much since Threshing so I assume this isn’t just a conjugal visit.”  

“Sorry about that, leadership has been on my ass even more than normal since Threshing. Apparently kissing a first-year on the flight field is bad decorum, and they really hated it when I insinuated that I didn’t give a fuck.” He shrugged. 

I lightly smack him on the impossibly well-chiseled chest, before saying “We could have kept it a secret a little while longer, you know.” 

“Nah, I would have wound up murdering your dear friend Aetos and gotten myself an actual demotion for killing a squad leader.” He says it without any remorse, and I roll my eyes. 

“Oh please, he is not that into me. Besides, doesn’t he have Amber to keep him warm at night?” I lean into Xaden, as he wraps his arms around me and I look up into his eyes. 

“He does, but trust me, yes he is. Let him talk to you after flight maneuvers tomorrow and I’m sure he’ll grill you about our relationship.” 

“Fine, I’ll have to remember to wear my gloves though if I’m planning to talk to him. He hasn’t tried to touch me in months though and he’ll probably just yell at me for how many times I fall off of Tairn per day.”

“You’re still falling off? I’m going to look into something to help you with that.”

He pauses for a second, looking thoughtful, before blinking as though he was speaking to Sgaeyl and then shaking his head and continuing. “Other than that, my shadows picked up an interesting conversation that some of the unbonded were having under a tree earlier. They won’t be able to get into your room since it’s warded, but apparently they found someone to let them into your room tomorrow night to try and kill you. Gar and I were originally supposed to be - nope you don’t have shields yet- anyway I’m clearing my schedule for that night.”

I huff, disliking the lack of communication despite understanding why, and choose to ignore the lack of information. “Or, we remove the wards for the night and let them try.” I smirk, letting my eyes glint with ruthless anticipation. 

“And why in Malek’s name would we do that?” He tightens his grip on my shoulders, but moves to hold me a little further away to better look me in the eye. 

“Well, then we can see who exactly wants to kill me in leadership- since they’d need someone with higher rank to let them into my room. Then we can just kill them all, and get rid of a few of my daily problems.” I shrug. I’m normally not quite so quick to kill, but a threat against me is now a threat against Xaden and I will not hesitate to put down those who would kill him. 

I acknowledge that that’s an insanely animalistic and possessive thought to have, but choose to let it go for now. Life has gotten way too busy to worry about that, for now. 

“One condition- I wait in here with you.”

“Only if you surprise them from the shadows.” 

His evil grin matches mine, and suddenly I’m almost excited to get attacked. 

“I really don’t like this idea.” Tairn states. 

“Would you rather I keep them alive and get cornered later instead?” I reason. 

“You could let me eat them!” Andarna adds. 

“How about after Xaden and I kill them?” I appease, my heart warming that my dragons both want to protect me despite how little I get to see Andarna since she doesn’t join us for flight maneuvers. 

“Deal!” She says excitedly, and I smile. 

Xaden looks at me curiously, and I say “The last condition is that we have to feed their bodies to Andarna.” 

He chuckles briefly, then agrees wholeheartedly. 

“Now, tell me more about what happens that requires Chaurum?” 

“Hmm, how about I show you instead?” He gives me a rare smile, then picks me up so I’m sitting on my desk. 

“Oh, please do.” Then I feel my bond with Tairn and Andarna go quiet. 

***

The next day, after another grueling flight lesson where Tairn just had to put me through the paces in case we ever find ourselves in a fight with the venin or wyvern, Dain does find me. 

I let him lead me away from Rhiannon and Liam, and motion for Liam to stay back a few paces. He nods, then finds a position nearby where he can’t hear the conversation but is close enough to intervene if necessary, and starts whittling another dragon sculpture. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you can’t keep your seat, Vi!” He practically yells at me, and I can see his eyes swirling with anger. 

“Oh please Dain, half of the first-years can’t stay seated yet- and I think a few second and third-years would have trouble with some of the things Tairn is doing.” I roll my eyes, crossing my arms in front of me. 

“They aren’t falling a dozen times, Vi! And you should tell him to lighten up on you, the biggest threat out there is gryphons and they’re highly flammable, so I don’t know what he’s trying to prove by putting you through all this.” His eyes turn from rage to concern, and I suddenly feel very guilty that Dain has no idea the venin from our childhood fairytales are actually very real. 

I can’t tell him though, at least not yet. His father has him tightly controlled, if him being both alive and intinnsic is anything to go by. “A wise decision.” Tairn agrees with me. 

I blink, and then come up with the response of “Well, he is a massive battle dragon. He’s always going to be on the front lines, so this is all for my own good.”

That was apparently not the right thing to say to calm him down. “Right, because you and Riorson are going to be fighting side-by-side on the front lines like some power couple. He’s going to get you killed, Vi!”

“Oh so this conversation is about Xaden, now?”

“Of course it is! Not only is he dangerous, his signet is going to get him sent directly to the front lines! And now, you’ll have to follow him. Thats even besides the fact that he’s your fucking Wingleader! You should hear the others talking Vi, Amber ripped me a new one over him letting you bend the rules at Gauntlet, and now everyone is saying it’s because you’re together.”

I scoff, “I was within the rights of the Codex, if the dragons thought I acted dishonorably then I certainly wouldn’t have bonded two of them. I don’t care what this Quadrant thinks of me, Dain. I’ve had a massive target on my back since I entered. Do you want me to start naming my supposed transgressions aside from Xaden? Because if so, we’ll be here all day and I’ll be late for history class.” 

“Fine. You made it up the Gauntlet. Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t stand myself if something happened to you, whether you were handling the trial the right or wrong way. And then I thought you’d be fine if you survived Threshing, but even bonded to the strongest of them…” He shakes his head.

“Go ahead. Say it.” My hands curl into fists, my nails biting into my palms.

“I’m terrified you’re not going to make it to graduation, Vi.” His shoulders slump. “You used to be one of my best friends, and I’m terrified that I’m going to lose you again.”

It’s that last line that does me in. Laughter bubbles up through my throat and escapes.

His eyes widen.

“This place cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever you are at your core.” I repeat his words from this summer. “Isn’t that what you said to me? Is this who you really are at your core? Someone so enamored with rules that he doesn’t know when to bend or break them for someone he cares about? Someone so focused on the least I’m capable of doing, he can’t believe I can do so much more?” The warmth drains from his brown eyes.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Dain.” I take a step closer, but the distance between us only widens. “The reason you’re going to lose me again isn’t because I’m in love with my Wingleader. It’s because you have no faith in me. Even now, when I’ve survived against all odds and bonded not just one dragon but two, you still think I won’t make it. So forgive me, but you’re about to be some of the bullshit that this place cuts away from me.” I move to the side and march past him through the tunnel. 

I can’t take his constant pessimism about my future anymore.

I walk past Garrick and Xaden on my way to history, and Xaden looks way too smug about whatever he just heard from the shadowy corner Dain dragged me into to talk, so I flip him off as I walk. 

He rolls his eyes, then pushes off the wall he’s leaning on and moves to catch up with me. 

Jeremiah manifesting his inntinnsic signet in front of us and then getting his neck snapped by Professor Carr is terrifying, but thankfully Xaden silenced him with his shadows before he could start spilling our secrets to everyone. He’s got a death grip on my left hand too, and I move my right to hold onto his bicep also needing the comfort it brings. 

“Maybe I’m not actually that excited for Tairn and Andarna to start channeling after all.” 

Xaden doesn’t laugh at my joke, but does kiss me on the forehead before we have to part to go to our different classes. 

That night, I actually am falling asleep with Xaden hidden in the corner of my room when Amber Mavis lets six unbonded cadets into my room. 

She’s gone before Xaden can stop her, and I barely recognize any of the other cadets before my knife is sticking out of the chest of the one that got close enough to try and stab me, and Xaden is choking the other five with his shadows. 

I’m watching, fascinated with how quickly Xaden kills them, when Imogen, Garrick, Liam, and Bodhi knock- having been waiting in Liam’s room next door for the ruckus to start. 

“Need some help? Godsdamn, I think you’ve got it covered.” Garrick starts, then winces at the bodies now littering my floor. I frown at the new bloodstain, Xaden’s methods are honestly much tidier. 

“Did you have to kill all of them, even leaving one alive would have helped get whoever let them in here.” 

“I almost can’t believe who it was.” I say, knowing full well that Dain would never believe me. 

“Who was it? I didn’t get a good enough look before she vanished.”

“Wingleader Amber Mavis, actually.” 

The other five swear, then proceed to help with the clean up. 

“I promised Andarna she could eat their bodies, actually.” 

“Is she small enough to eat them from the roof? Because I am not carrying them all the way to the flight field.” Imogen replies. 

“Andarna?”

“I am still little enough, yes. That will do.” 

“Wait, what do you mean still?” I question, but all channels in my head are suddenly quiet. 

“Actually Xaden, while Andarna eats our enemies I think we do need to go to the flight field and have a discussion with Tairn and Sgaeyl.” 

Xaden raises his scarred brow at me, but doesn’t argue. He knows better than to argue with me when I use that tone, and it seems that Tairn does as well. 

“We’ll meet you there.” Is all he says to my unasked question. 

If Andarna is a hatchling, then I just discovered exactly why feathertails don’t bond. 

Chapter Text

العشرة

Al ‘eshra

Balance between lovers, a delicate love with and absence of intense feelings- but the bond grows stronger with time. 

_____

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

I felt a little bad about leaving the others to clean up Xaden and I’s mess, but honestly we have way more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. 

We’re taking a secret passageway to the flight field so Tairn and Sgaeyl, and Andarna after she’s done with her snack, can come explain a few things to us. 

“Oh, I rescheduled that meeting with Kaori by the way. After lunch tomorrow we’re supposed to meet with him about whatever info he has about the mated dragons bond.” Xaden says, his eyes warm as he looks at our interlocked hands. We both have our hoods up on our cloaks, but it’s not like the entire quadrant doesn’t already know about us. 

“Good, and if a leadership meeting comes up this time tell them to eat a bag of dicks.” I respond, using my thumb to graze over his much larger one. 

He snorts, squeezing my hand affectionately. “Ma’am, yes ma’am.” 

Then we come across a seemingly dead end in this old, damp stone passageway. It's like no one ever visits this section of Basgiath anymore, and I file that useful tidbit away for later while Xaden starts poking around the stone masonry until one of the stones presses in and the wall opens. 

“Is this an anniversary present? You know how much I love secret tunnels!” 

“That depends, because I thought our anniversary wasn’t until March, and it’s October.” Xaden raises his scarred brow at me, before lighting the mage light he brought with him and stepping backwards into the now dimly lit tunnel. 

I shiver, not loving the amount of cobwebs I can see before responding. “Sure. Our wedding anniversary. We decided we were officially dating around this time a few years ago, though.” I shrug, being a menace on purpose. 

I think my adrenaline might still be a little high from the fight, and I only got to stab one of them. 

Xaden rolls his eyes at me, “Okay, then sure. Happy anniversary, love.” 

The tunnel eventually opens up to the flight field, hidden behind some overgrown bushes. 

“So this is how you all get out for drops, huh.” I had been wondering how they were sneaking out of Basgiath undetected. 

“Yes, this is one of the secret passageways I found digging around last year. Now, are you going to tell me why you’re dragging me to the flight field at nearly three in the morning?”

“Andarna said something just now that made me realize something- something huge if I’m right.”

“Which is?” Xaden crosses his arms in front of his chest as we walk up to Tairn and Sgaeyl, the latter looking quite annoyed at being awake. 

Sgeayl blows some smoke out of her nose in a huff of what I presume is annoyance. Me too, sister. 

“Andarna? Have you finished your snack?” I ask her. 

“You shouldn’t consume more than two at your size, you’ll get indigestion.” Tairn tacks on with what can only be years of experience. 

He doesn’t answer that thought. 

“Coming!” She squeals, and I get a brief flash of ripping someone limb from limb. 

That should probably freak me out a little more than it does, but I get glimpses of way too many sheep dinners for that to be of too much consideration. 

She flies down from the roof then, golden scales glimmering in the moonlight as she lands and skips over to me happily. 

“Andarna love, what did you mean by still being so small?” I say it out loud for Xaden’s benefit. 

“One of the first things we learn as feathertails is how sacred the bond between dragon and rider is. Nature and magic like all things in balance. The second is where the best hunting grounds are.”

Her response only affirms my theory. 

I say the next part out loud as well. “You’re a hatchling. That’s why feathertails don’t bond. No one has ever bonded one before because you aren’t fully grown yet.”

I watch Xaden’s eyes widen in shock as he turns to Sgaeyl questioningly. 

“I’m not a hatchling! I’m two!” 

Before I can be appalled that I’m supposed to take a child into battle, Tairn interrupts my spiralling train of thoughts. “Dragons mature at a much faster rate than humans. She’ll be fully grown in a couple of years.”

“Okay, obviously we won’t tell anyone else but why did you bond, Andarna? Wouldn’t it have been better to wait a couple of years?” 

“But then I wouldn’t be bonded to you Violet. I waited for you- when I heard the whisperings of the girl who should have been a scribe being conscripted to the rider’s quadrant, I knew it was time. I also knew you would never cross the line with my power, so the elders had nothing to worry about.”

“If I had known she was actually going to bond, I would have protested harder at her Right of Benefaction.” Sgaeyl quips. I hadn’t realized she was the blue den elder. 

“Wait, is she yours?” Xaden asks aloud. Sgaeyl and Tairn must also be speaking to him. 

“No, we’re not her kin. Her parents were lost years ago, but we did watch over her egg and have been looking after her since she hatched.” Sgaeyl answers. 

“Hold on,” I say as my brain catches up to what Andarna said a minute ago. “What do you mean you know I won’t cross the line with your powers? What powers?”

“We don’t produce signets until we’re older. A feathertail can give their powers directly to their rider, however. It’ll go away once I grow out of it, but I did give it to you earlier tonight in case you needed it. You should only use it when absolutely necessary though, because it will drain my life force”

“You did what?!” I say both down the bond and out loud. “Do I even want to know what this power is?!” I look at Tairn incredulously. 

“We can stop time, briefly.” My jaw fucking drops. 

“What?” Xaden asks, not having heard Andarna. 

“I- Feathertails don’t produce signet powers, per se, they give us their powers directly until they grow up- but using it can kill her!” 

I didn’t think Xaden’s eyebrows could rise farther, but they prove me wrong and practically hit his hairline. “Which is?”

”Apparently, we can stop time. Briefly. But we will not be using that, and command can never fucking know about any of this. Gods, can you imagine if someone like General Aetos figured out that feathertails can channel power like that? It would be like bringing lambs to the slaughter.” 

“Well, that’s a new one.” He runs a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. “Well, add that to the ever-growing list of secrets command can never know about. Remind me to train you on shields the second they start channeling, please.”

“Oh, I will not be forgetting about that, don’t you worry your pretty little head.” 

With promises to never tell anyone about any of this and some affectionate goodbyes, Xaden and I head back to his room in the third-floor corridor. He is way too tired to fix the wards on my door properly tonight, and I left a bag in there earlier anyway. 

It’s nearly four in the morning, and we decide to get a few hours of sleep before breakfast- where Xaden is going to call a quorum against Amber Mavis. 

I really don’t know why she hates me so much. It could be jealousy since I know she and Dain have something going on, but considering I kissed Xaden after Threshing she should know that I’m not after Dain. Maybe she’s just egregiously against Marked Ones or something, despite being Tyrrish herself. Her family did oppose the secession.

Xadens runs his rough hands down my exposed left arm and pulls me into his side, which I’m cuddled up against. I’m incredibly comforted by the motion, despite the fact that he used these very same hands to kill five of my would-be killers less than an hour ago. If anything, that thought actually comforts me more. By Amari, I’m in love. I cuddle even more into his side, throwing my right leg over his stomach to get closer and his grip tightens on my back.

“Is it crazy to say that I’m incredibly happy you got conscripted into this death factory?” He sighs into my hair, while pressing a kiss to the top of my head. 

“No. Oddly enough I feel like we’re both exactly where we’re meant to be.” 

We spend the next few hours dozing off before it’s showtime. 

After breakfast, where I sat with my squad and wouldn’t answer Liam about what happened, we’re all standing in morning formation while they read the death roll. I don’t recognize any of the names, but they must have all been from another wing since only six names are read off. 

Then, Xaden breaks from formation to talk to Panchek. I hold back a smile. I can only hope the proof we gathered was enough. 

“Vi, are you finally going to tell me what the plan is here? I know you said one of the attackers escaped last night.” Liam asks, arching a blonde eyebrow in my direction.

“Just watch, Dimples.”

“Excuse me, what do you mean attack last night?” Dain looks down and back at me incredulously from his place ahead of us.

“A group of unbonded cadets attacked me in my sleep last night. The person who let them into my room escaped, though, so Wingleader Riorson is rectifying that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, Vi? Even as your Squad Leader if not your friend.” 

“Please, I get attacked at least twice a week. I can handle myself. Besides, Xaden helped handle it.” 

Xaden starts talking then, garnering everyone’s full attention. “Last night, a cadet from my wing was attacked in her sleep. This was a clear violation of the codex, so we acted accordingly by executing all six of the attackers.”

I hear someone further down my squad mutter something about this all being traitorous Tyrr’s someone was trying to take out and my blood heats with rage. He’s one of the four cadets we absorbed after Threshing condensed the amount of squads. 

“However, the cadet with access to both the keys to cadet rooms and the map of the room assignments escaped. Wingleader Amber Mavis, I call you to face the Quorum for your crimes against Cadet Violet Sorrengail.” 

Gasps ring out, and the crowd breaks into whispers even though you can usually hear a pin drop when Xaden speaks. 

“She’s also a Tyrr, so now what’s your excuse?” Rhiannon mutters back from her position next to me. 

“No way! Amber would never break the Codex. There has to be a mistake, Violet. Let me see the memory.” Dain demands, reaching out his left hand while turning around from his spot in front of me. 

I smack his hand out of my face. “Disrespectfully, sir, fuck you. You either trust me or you don’t. You’ll have to figure that out for yourself. This is why I didn’t tell you, asshole.”

He looks slightly abashed, and brings his hand back to himself quickly, as though I burned it. 

Amber has started trying to defend herself. “Why would I do that? You’re just going to take your little girlfriend's word for it. This is clearly some revenge plot from the Marked Ones against me for my family not siding with yours!” 

Xaden’s jaw ticks once, then twice before responding. “First of all, we’ve proven many times over that we’re loyal to Navarre.” The lie rolls off his tongue with an ease I envy. “Second, you do remember that her last name is Sorrengail, right? That argument makes no sense logically. Besides, I brought witnesses. Cardulo, Tavis, Durran, Mauri, fall out and present your statements.” 

Meanwhile, their dragons fly into the courtyard. Sgaeyl, Tairn, Andarna, Deigh, a red scorpiontail and a green swordtail that must be bonded to the other two Wingleaders. They’re followed by Cuir, Bodhi’s green swordtail; then Chradh, Garrick’s brown scorpiontail; Glane, Imogen’s orange daggertail, and finally Claidh- Amber’s smaller orange daggertail. Claidh is the second smallest dragon, after Andarna. 

“Oh sure, Riorson. Bring even more Marked Ones to gang up on me.” 

Shit, I can tell that command and the other Wingleaders look skeptical. Maybe Dain was on to something with that memory sharing idea after all. 

“Tairn, if this starts going against Xaden can you please share my memory of seeing her with the crowd? We can’t let her get off free and keep coming after me.” 

“We don’t share memories outside of our bonded, but if it keeps you safe then I will.”

“Thank you.” My grouchy dragons chuffs in my head as a response. 

“We all saw you leaving Sorrengail’s room around three last night. So unless you two are secretly fucking, you were the one that let them in.” Imogen speaks up.

“And what were you all doing in the first year corridors at three in the morning?” Amber crosses her arms, unimpressed. “This is just revenge for not agreeing with you about your girlfriend’s Gauntlet run.” She stares Xaden down. 

He just rolls his eyes, but his glare is not one I ever want pointed at me. Shadows are starting to gather at his feet. “She’s not my girlfriend, I swear that on Malek and Dunne’s names.” He pauses for a moment, and I briefly wonder how he would fare in a play, before he continues. “Cadets Durran and Tavis were on their way back from a training session with Cadet Mauri that ran late. His room is located next to Sorrengail’s, which you should know. Not sure about Cardulo.” He shrugs, looking for her explanation. 

I would be offended about the ‘not my girlfriend’ quip if we weren’t husband and wife, that sneaky bastard. 

“I was up late sparring with Cadet Matthias, and we lost track of time. Her room’s across the hall.” She shrugs, and I think this might actually work. “I’m sure cadet Matthias would be happy to verify my story.”

“It’s true, she’s got a mean right hook!” Rhi adds, shouting from her place in formation and catching on immediately despite the fact that I am certain Imogen came up with that on the spot.

Rhi and I share a knowing smirk as the Quorum starts muttering to each other. It’s now six versus one. I wonder how Amber feels about these odds. 

When she burns, I don’t spare the bitch a second thought. She wanted to kill me, which would have killed Xaden and our dragons. She also called me weak in front of the entire quadrant, yelling about how I violated the Codex during the Gauntlet. She doesn’t deserve to live.

“I agree, Silver One.” 

Dain absolutely does not, and I watch him seethe. 

***

I’m not quite over the shock after lunch, when Xaden and I finally go to meet Professor Kaori. 

His brown eyes meet mine, then flick up to meet Xaden’s, who walks in behind me. 

“Wingleader Riorson, Cadet Sorrengail, thank you for finding the time to meet with me.” He runs a hand through his short-cropped black hair, making some of the ends stand up more before reaching for a piece of parchment on his cluttered desk. He makes a tsk noise with his tongue, before setting it down to rifle through a few more stacks of papers for whatever he’s looking for. 

“Apologies, I’m trying to locate a missive from Captain Devera for tomorrow’s Battle Brief. I never have been good with organizing, I like to think that’s why I’m an illusionist.” 

I’m curious what the dragon-kind professor could be weighing in on for Battle Brief, but decide to hold my tongue when he finds it and sets it on top of one of the piles. Then he comes around to the front of the desk and leans on it, finally looking at us. 

“At this point, you are all probably aware that you’re linked to each other’s dragons as well. You are bonded to the most powerful mated pair in centuries, so you won’t ever be able to go too far from each other. The dragons’ lives are interdependent, and they will weaken and become affected and aggravated by distance. From my research, they can physically feel the other when they’re near, and intrinsically know when they aren’t.”

That's odd, I note, considering I swear I can feel whenever Xaden is nearby. My scalp prickles whenever he enters the room. 

“Does that mean we’ll also be able to communicate with each other through the bond?” Xaden asks, and I have to admit that would be a fantastic battle advantage as well as a direct line to my husband. I didn’t notice that Xaden was standing directly behind me before, but he rests his hands on my shoulders while waiting for his answer. 

Kaori chuckles, then responds. “No, only bonded dragons and their riders and bonded mates can do that. And I’ve never seen a human mate-pair exist. I mean, according to folklore it can happen but I’ve never seen a record of it.” 

I can’t help the wave of disappointment that crashes through me. 

“Oh, Riorson, I would recommend you start thinking about selecting a duty station closer to Basgiath so that neither of you have to make a twelve hour flight every few days. The more powerful dragons tend to have more powerful bonds, which means they won’t be able to part for very long- not that they would want to. You’re the first riders to bond mated dragons outside of the same year in centuries.” 

“What does that mean for us? Are we affected by the bond at all?” I ask, curious. 

“You shouldn’t be no, although you will want to get very good at shielding very quickly if you want to block out certain, er more private emotions from becoming your own.”

Xaden snickers, and I reach behind me to smack him in the chest lightly. We know exactly what he means by that. 

“My last piece of advice was going to be to avoid romantic involvement since you’ll be stationed together professionally for life, but I think that ship may have already sailed despite that rather confusing statement at formation this morning.”

Xaden stares intensely at the professor for a long moment, seemingly analyzing him. Then he shrugs and tugs his necklace from his down his tunic, with his wedding ring attached to the end. “Easy. She’s not my girlfriend, she’s my fiancée.” He gives me a shit-eating grin.

“Xaden! We’re supposed to be keeping that quiet!” I whirl around and shove my pointer finger into his ridiculously hard chest, but I smile at him and wink at the fake promotion. 

“You were together before the quadrant, weren’t you.” Kaori states, his eyes brimming with unbridled intelligence and a fair amount of interest- breaking up his otherwise disheveled appearance. 

“Maybe.” Is all Xaden responds with, but he moves his hand to rest against the back of my neck, even as I turn back around to face Kaori. 

“Right, any other advice we won’t be following, Professor?” The words are a tad disrespectful, but my tone is joking and Kaori knows that I respect him. 

“No, that’s all. If you wouldn’t mind sharing any additional information you discover about the bond, I would really appreciate it. The research is extremely limited, so most of what I believe is not evidenced by fact but folklore.” 

“Sure, professor. We’ll share whatever we can.” I doubt our dragons will let us share much, even if we do find out about it. 

“You are the most intelligent of your year.” Tairn butts in, reminding me that he’s always listening. 

“Please, I’m the most intelligent human at Basgiath.” I quip in response, and I hear Andarna do the dragon equivalent of a snort. 

We’re turning to leave when he says something else, quietly. “You have to be wary of folklore, of course. More of it is true than most people know. Especially in Navarre. Anywho, do let me know if there’s anything to share. I’d love to know where you wind up, Riorson.”

We both freeze, then look back at the wiry man. Looking at him again, I don’t know that he’s ever had a good night’s sleep in his life. “Of course professor, I find that most myths have a basis of fact.” I say, choosing my words carefully. 

He nods slowly, dismissing us, and we’re out the door. 

Holy shit. Kaori just told us he knows that venin are real, and asked us to share information with him. We look at each other, and start laughing before we have to go to our separate classes. 

“Go on, love. You’ll be late for physics.” 

“Fuck, don’t remind me. I hate that class more than history.” 

“Maybe your squad can tutor you on it in exchange for history lessons. It’s not like you actually need sparring practice twice a day.” 

I snort, but admittedly it’s a good idea. We’ve been meeting to spar whenever we can, and Liam spars with me on the nights Xaden can’t. 

“True, besides I don’t want Sawyer anywhere near the training room until his metallurgy signet is under control. Way too many pointy objects in there that could suddenly move.” 

“Agreed.” He mutters, tucking a strand of hair that must have come loose behind my ear before heading off to his own class. 

***

Between the additional flight lessons and training sessions, I hardly notice how quickly time is passing. It’s December before I know it. 

I fall asleep in minutes every night, sometimes not even taking my boots off before I crash into bed. 

My joints hold up better after the many years of work I put in, but they still occasionally slip out during sparring sessions and challenges, which always leads to an extreme amount of pain. 

Getting up for Liam and I’s morning run before archives duty is masochism at this point, so we decide to move it to the evenings just before dinner instead. 

I’m still poisoning about half of my challengers, and I’m almost excited when Jack Barlowe’s name finally appears next to mine on the challenge board in Emmetario’s office. 

Seriously, you would think the board would at least be hidden in a closet or something. 

I tell Xaden my plan, and he’s both excited to watch me eviscerate him and terrified because Jack is much bigger than me. 

Two days before the challenge, Xaden tries to give me a set of Tyrrish daggers he had commissioned in Aretia. 

“You know I can’t just accept these, I have to win them off of you.”

“Please just take them, I never got you a wedding present. If anything, they’re late.” 

“And I love them, especially the different runes. But I do have to win them or people are going to talk more than they already are.”

“Fine, spar with me after dinner then. I really hope you win though, because one of these can unlock things and another protects against mind work like Catriona’s.”

“Oh, I will absolutely be wiping the floor with you.”

He just smirks at the challenge. 

I am definitely not prepared for the sight of my husband already sparring with Garrick, both of them shirtless, when I walk into the gym later. 

Imogen and I ogle our respective men together, and Rhiannon whistles quietly next to me. “You girls are so godsdamn lucky.” 

“This is gross.” Liam adds, wrinkling his nose. I’m surprised Ridoc isn’t commenting, but then I spot him sparring with Bodhi a few mats over. They’ve been sparring quite a bit lately.

“Just enjoying the view.” I say, and Im fist bumps me. I’m glad her and Garrick are back together, for the time being at least. They are both very annoying when they’re broken up. 

“Come on Iron Squad, tighten up and get back to work. We have a reputation to maintain.” Dain states, having called the squad here for extra training ahead of Squad Battle coming up. 

Thankfully, I don’t have to wait long before Xaden beats Garrick and -sadly- puts his shirt back on. I frown, before realizing he’s also putting on my daggers. 

This is going to be fun. 

Chapter Text

عندما يُكتب كل شيء، أدعو أن يُكتب اسمك بجانب اسمي

When everything is written, I pray that your name is written next to mine

______

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

Xaden is smirking while we circle each other. “What, don’t think you’ll need any daggers today?” He gestures to where I emptied all but one of my sheathes before getting on the mat. 

“No, you brought enough for the both of us.” I repeat what he said a few months ago back to him, and his smirk gets wider. 

One of us is going to have to make the first move soon, or this is going to be history’s most boring sparring match. 

I notice in the back of my mind that we’re attracting a crowd, mostly the twelve people in my squad and whoever was already in the gym watching Xaden and Garrick’s earlier fight. 

Finally, I decide to strike first since we’re both ridiculously stubborn. His form is perfect, so I go for a fakeout- pretending to punch at his solar plexus before changing at the last second to drop down and kick at his knee with my right leg. 

He sees it coming though, and grabs my leg before tugging lightly to knock me off balance while avoiding dislocating my hip. He knows this move will send me to the ground. He follows me down, using his other hand to cushion the back of my head as I fall. 

He’s then on top of me, with an arm bracketed on either side of me. His eyes meet mine, and my pulse jumps. As much as I would love to just lie here enjoying the view, which we both selfishly do for a split second- I bring that same leg up into his chest and knee him in the solar plexus, grabbing one of the daggers strapped to his side, and roll out from under him while he’s distracted. 

I spring back up into a fighting stance, letting Xaden regain his breath for a moment. I could have hopped on his back and pressed this new dagger against his throat, but I’d like this to last a bit longer. Besides, he’s going easy on me. 

“Come on Riorson, don’t go easy on me just because I’m pretty.” I taunt, and he rolls his eyes while he gets up. 

“I don’t remember teaching you that one.” He shrugs, before charging at me with the speed of a freight train and swiping a blade at my throat, which I dodge by leaning back, then bring my left arm up to punch the shoulder of the arm holding that blade, hitting a pressure point I know is there and causing him to drop it while his arm briefly goes numb. 

“That one was a tip from Liam.” I smirk, as I’m now in the perfect position for a takedown maneuver I learned from Rhi. With my right leg in front of me slightly, I use my right hand to grab onto the back of his neck and pull him further down, since he had to duck to go for my throat. At the same time, I push on his shoulder with my left hand, causing him to go off balance and his body to lean on my right hip- giving me access to grab another of the blades on his side and pretend to stab him in the stomach a few times. 

This move leaves me open as well though, and he grabs another blade and proceeds to stab at my stomach as well.

 “Shit.” I swear, stepping back and kicking out his legs the rest of the way, letting him drop. 

He catches himself though, and lunges up to hit me in the chin with the flat of his hand. I do appreciate that over the uppercut he would have gone for if I were Liam or Garrick. 

I cough, but grab the arm that he struck me with in both hands and twist it, before yanking and kneeing him in the chin as well. “I thought I told you to stop going easy on me!” I growl out, before getting on top of him as he falls backwards. 

That move definitely moved my kneecap slightly, and I wince as I put pressure on it by kneeling over him. 

“Why? I’m quite enjoying the view right now.” He says lowly, causing heat to pool in my core. Asshole. I hate when he does this during sparring. 

“I’m not sure hate is the correct term, considering how much your heart rate just jumped.” 

“Oh, shove it, Tairn. I’m busy.”

“If you could learn to shield when you are actually busy, I would appreciate it.” The curmudgeon grumbles, causing my cheeks to redden. 

“You would have to start channeling first, for that to happen. Since you’re waiting so long, I think you must just enjoy the show.” 

Unfortunately, Xaden uses my distraction to actually listen to me and uses his much larger muscle mass to his advantage and flips us over. 

Shit, now I’m angry and turned on. “Tairn! Stop distracting me.” 

“Stop losing, and I’ll consider it.” 

I practically growl in frustration, before wrapping my legs around Xaden’s hips and using the dagger in my hand to stab at his kidney. He holds the one in his hand to my throat. 

“We have got to stop tying like this.” He says, then leans down to whisper in my ear as the hand holding the dagger lightly trails down my side before he puts the dagger in his other hand, then puts it back against my throat, trailing the dagger up my torso slowly on the way- causing me to shiver. “What the fuck did you just say to Tairn, he just threatened me ominously with some type of revenge.” 

I bite my lower lip and swallow, feeling his breath on my neck, before I hear someone yelling and remember we aren’t alone. 

“Gods, I can tell I’m gonna need to bleach my eyes again after this. Can you two please go back to fighting?” Liam yells, before Garrick cuts in with “Oh please, you know this is their version of foreplay.” 

Xaden and I both roll our eyes, and then he pushes off of the ground and gets off of me, offering his hand to help me up. 

Interesting how he thinks this fight is over. I’ve only won three of the seven daggers so far. 

While I’m down, I decide to take one of Xaden’s daggers that I sheathed on my side and fling it at Garrick’s feet. As planned, it misses by about an inch and he yelps before stepping back a few feet. 

Next, I smile at Xaden as disarmingly as possible, before grabbing the hand he’s offering. 

I use the momentum of him pulling me back up to aid in lunging at him, while pulling him down with what little body weight I have. Since he’s not expecting it, his knees hit the ground again. I’m now up, and move behind him with my superior speed and put my right arm around his right shoulder, holding a dagger to his throat from behind him. I use the left to start picking off the remaining daggers and tossing them to the side off the mat. However, before I can grab the last one he grabs my right arm and tugs me forward, so I roll and wind up on the ground looking up at him again from my back. This time he looks like he’s upside down. 

“I definitely should have been expecting that.” He shorts, moving so his hand is around my throat and pressing very lightly.

Hmm, choking isn’t something we’ve tried yet. I think that while looking into his eyes. “Don’t worry, love. I have a feeling we’re going to like Tairn’s version of revenge.” 

He now has his last dagger in his hand, and is pointing it at my own kidney despite my armor. This angle is new, and I spot the fact that his arm is overextending while he holds the blade there. 

So, I bring my legs up to wrap around the arm- which causes the blade to cut me in the process- and I use my legs to force him into a summersault over me this time. Now we’ve swapped positions, and he’s on his back. His blade is now at my throat, though- and one of mine is at his. 

“Now that, I remember teaching you.” He chuckles from underneath me, moving his other hand to my thigh. 

His eyes widen. “Shit Vi, you’re bleeding.”

We both get up without help this time, he hands me the blade before kneeling down to look at my thigh. 

I swallow, since the sight Xaden Riorson kneeling in front of me will never not do things to me. “It’s just a scratch, I’ve had much worse.” I cross my arms in front of my chest, and roll my eyes before shaking a loose strand of hair out of my face. 

His hand is grazing over the cut lightly, and I’m honestly more upset by the cut in the leather pants. Sewing these back up is the worst. 

“She’ll be fine, Wingleader.” Dain interjects from just off the mats. I forgot anyone else was here again. That tends to happen whenever Xaden and I are around each other, honestly. It’s way too easy to shut out the rest of the world. 

Xaden rolls his eyes, before tearing off a small strip of fabric from the bottom of his shirt and tying it around my thigh, presumably to stop the bleeding around the deepest part. 

“Squad Leader, make sure she sees a healer.” He looks pointedly at Dain, before getting up and grabbing the pile of daggers on the floor. He walks back over, and starts arming me with them by sliding them into the sheaths on my torso and my right, non-injured, thigh. I smirk, grabbing one of my own challenge blades that I won last week and sliding it into a sheath on  Xaden’s side. 

He quirks and eyebrow at me, and I respond with “What? Defenseless men have never been my type.”

***

Two days later, I’m all healed and about to face Jack Barlowe on the mat. 

Every first and second year from our squad is here, except for Rhi who is busy winning her own challenge. Xaden and Garrick are both present as well, although I’m certain they’re supposed to be in physics class right now. 

Emmetario frowns when he calls us up, and I see Devera and Kaori standing near him with matching expressions of displeasure. I’ve noticed that these three professors seem to be friendly and are often near each other, which seems like it may be important to remember later when my life isn’t in immediate danger. 

Barlowe doesn’t go easy on me, and taunts me the entire way to the mat. 

“Good, we’ll finally be rid of this weak-ass Sorrengail.” He smirks. He’s regained his confidence over the last few months since Threshing, and has started openly threatening me again. It’s honestly quite annoying. 

He’s still much bigger and stronger than me, and honestly a bit insane. But I’m holding my own until he gets frustrated and starts using his fucking pain-inflicting signet on me. 

While I can’t think of a more fitting signet for this feral polar bear of a man, I will not allow him to kill me or my husband through me. Or my dragons, for that matter. 

So, despite being pinned on the mat and him channeling pain into me, I box it up and use my head to break his fucking nose. He lets go, and I’m on my feet before he can recover- and I stab him in the side before grabbing the vial of oranges and crushed fonilee berries from my pocket and shoving it down his throat, glass and all. 

I watch his eyes widen as his airways close, and I twist the knife as I pull it out of what should have been a kidney or a lung. 

He better fucking die this time, or I’ll have to slip some belladonna into his morning tea to finally be rid of him. 

I smile, victorious, and look around for my squad. Liam, Imogen, Xaden, and Garrick are all smiling. Rhiannon, Sawyer, Ridoc, and Dain all have varying expressions of shock coloring their faces. 

Xaden walks up to me, not even sparing a glance towards Jack as Emmetario and another cadet from First Wing rush to help him. 

“Did he use his signet on you?” Xaden asks, before reaching out to push a piece of hair back behind my ear. This man really does love touching my hair. 

“Yeah, he’s a fucking pain inflicter. I don’t actually know the official term for it, but seeing as that dose I gave him should be fatal, I don’t think we need to name it.” I shrug. 

“Violet, that was absolutely badass! What was in the vile?” Rhi runs up to us, closely followed by Liam and the rest of the original Iron Squad. 

“Poison.” I shrug, smirking. 

“That asshole has been trying to merk you since Parapet, I just wish you had killed him sooner.” Ridoc states, holding out his hand for a fist bump. 

I laugh, obliging. “Well, I had to wait until the Codex would allow it. We’ve all seen what happens when you break Codex to try and kill somebody.” I glance at Dain when I say it, and his jaw ticks. He walks away, seeing that I’m mostly uninjured. 

“You should probably go get that knee looked at.” Sawyer cuts in, glancing pointedly at the leg I’m favoring- Jack popped the joint out of the socket earlier, but I still managed to get up and shove the poison down his throat. 

“Sure. Rhi, Li, walk with me? The third years need to get back to the class they cut to be here.” I say it loud enough that Devera and Kaori narrow their eyes, heading in Xaden and Garrick’s direction as they gulp and beeline for the door. 

“Do I want to know how they knew you were being challenged today?” Kaori moves his gaze to me appraisingly, as Devera stands beside him. Emmetario must have taken Jack to the Healer’s Quadrant. 

“Not if you want any dragon mate-bond gossip.” I retort, and Kaori rolls his eyes before dismissing us and sending the three of us off to the healers. 

“You held your own, and your temper.” Tairn grumbles appreciatively in my head. 

“She didn’t even throw a dagger at the audience this time!” Andarna tags on, and while I’m a bit insulted about that, I smile. 

“She’s ready.”

I sure hope they mean for channeling.

***

That evening, after Winifred reset my knee and I wrapped it even tighter than normal to avoid it slipping out again, I get knocked off my feet by a wave of power so strong that I’m not quite sure whether my body is turning to dust or catching on fire. 

Maybe this is how it feels to be cremated while still alive. Suddenly, there isn’t enough space in my body. It feels like I’m being squeezed through a pinhole. 

Finally, after I don’t know how long, the pain starts subsiding. The new power that I feel doesn’t leave, though. Tairn must have started channeling to me, I realize. 

I set out to look for Xaden. I should finally be able to shield, and I’m not wasting one more second. 

Unfortunately, Tairn must have had a similar sentiment. Almost immediately after the power settles within me, I start to feel incredibly hot and aroused. 

“Really? On the first night?” I ask down the bond, annoyed. 

He doesn’t respond, and Andarna is also suspiciously quiet. Fantastic. 

Suddenly, I realize that I can feel where Xaden is. It’s weird as shit, but I decide to follow that feeling and am led up to the roof. Its above a section of Basgiath I don’t think has been used in years, so I have no idea how Xaden ever thought to come up here. 

He’s laying on the roof with his right arm behind his head, his left hand holding a joint. 

“I didn’t realize Wingleaders were exempt from the rules against substance use.” I say, and Xaden sits up to turn around and look at me, smiling. 

“I take it that Tairn started channeling and then immediately decided to implement that revenge, huh?” He smirks, then pats the area next to him. 

“Seems like it.” I say, then walk over to him and sit down, cuddling into his side. But fuck, cuddling is definitely not going to be enough tonight. My body feels like its on fire. 

“Where’s Liam at? You two never leave without each other.” 

“I decided not to knock on his door, seeing as I was about to climb the next man I saw like a tree and I don’t believe in incest or cheating.” 

“Fuck, let’s start working on those shields then.” He turns to face me, placing his free hand on my cheek. 

“That was my original plan for finding you tonight.” 

“Original?” He asks, licking his lips. 

“I have other plans now, but first you should teach me to shield.” I bite my bottom lip, glancing at his. 

He blinks once. Twice. “Right. Think of a place that feels safe, like home. For me, its the hillside where we met in Aretia.” 

“Okay.” I say, then try to think of something. At first, I thought of the archives- but they haven’t been my safe place in years. In fact, seeing those shelves every day has been bringing me nothing but rage and disappointment as I remember how much of our history has been rewritten and sanitized for Navarre’s purposes. 

Finally, I see an office. There’s expansive bookshelves on the wall filled with Tyrrish history. The two large windows behind the desk overlook a flight field, where dragons are sometimes flying around.  And in the center of the room is a coffee table with two comfortable chairs and a chessboard. 

I’m alone in here, but it doesn’t feel like it. 

“Okay, I’ve got it.” 

“Imagine yourself in it, and plant both feet solidly on the floor.”

“What now?” I ask, having complied. 

“That’s called grounding, try to keep at least one foot planted at all times. Now, figure out where Tairn’s power is coming from.”

“I see it!” I say, since one of the windows started glowing and seems to now be flooding the office with a deluge of stardust, having blown open. 

“Good. If it’s a door or a window, shut it.”

It takes an extreme amount of effort, but I manage to get the window closed again. The drapes turn translucent- white lace instead of their usual emerald green velvet. 

I feel the heat from Tairn dim, and I realize the second, smaller window must be for Andarna. I briefly wonder what the mirror on the desk leaking shadows and the closet with the blue glow are for- but I can explore this room again later. 

“That’s much better.” I sigh, eyes still closed and leaning into Xaden’s touch. 

“You are astonishing. I couldn’t do any of that for at least a week.” He says, and I open my eyes. 

Suddenly, I’m staring into an endless onyx galaxy with golden stars. 

Xaden leans back slightly then, taking another hit of chaurum. Thats when I realize his pupils are taking up more of his eye than normal. 

“Can I have a hit?” I ask, and he smiles before turning the blunt in his hand and putting it against my lips. I take a long inhale, and my blood reignites from the move. 

He moves the blunt away from my lips, and I exhale slowly- blowing the smoke into his face slightly due to our proximity. We pass it back and forth for a minute or two, before Xaden puts it out. 

We’re now both slightly high and dragon-sex addled. 

Finally, I’ve had enough of waiting and grab the collar of his shirt- bringing his lips to meet mine. 

The kiss is electric, and I can’t get enough. I push him down onto the roof so he’s laying down again, and start kissing his neck. I’m absolutely going to leave a hickey, but that sounds like his problem for tomorrow and not mine. 

“Fuck, Vi. We probably shouldn’t, neither of us are sober right now.” 

“If you’re worried about consent, I’ve been wanting to fuck you since our sparring session two days ago- well before Tairn and Sgaeyl got involved in my sex drive.” 

“We’re on the roof.” He says, but it winds up being a moan as I place my hand under his shirt and bite down on the mark I’m making over the pulse point on his neck. 

“On an- abandoned- part of Basgiath. With a wall before the drop off.” I say in between the kisses I’ve started trailing down his stomach now that I’ve hiked up his shirt. “Only the dragons will see us- and in my opinion they started it.” I’m unbuckling his pants. 

“You know what? Fuck it. At this point, not kissing you would be a catastrophic mistake.”

“Cataclysmic.” I say, before he yanks my head back up to meet his lips. 

He starts undoing the pins holding my hair in place, and despite the fact that its January and snowing I am incredibly happy that I’m just wearing my nightgown and corset. 

Once my hair is loose, he runs his fingers through it before making quick work of the corset over my nightgown. 

“How is this not bad for your ribs?” He asks while I pull his shirt off over his head. 

“If anything, it helps hold them in place honestly.” I say, and he places his hands on my ribs under my dress, which has ridden up past my thighs. 

“Hmm.” Is all he says, before he unwraps the gauze on my elbows and then my knees, one by one, gently massaging where they left marks behind on my skin before placing each limb gently back where it was. He knows I prefer them off for this, and the move is so intimate that I moan. 

He rolls us over then, and while the roof tiles bite into my back slightly the pain is bearable. 

“Wait, here.” Xaden grabs his flight jacket and lifts me up slightly, before placing the leather jacket under me so that the tiles don’t bite into my skin. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes.” I respond, and he smirks before claiming my mouth again while palming my breasts under my nightgown and then shoving it over my head and off of me. Then, he finally starts taking off his pants, but his boots are still on so I lean up and help him unlace them. Mine are also still on, so Xaden helps me take them off as well. 

Finally, there’s nothing in between us. Xaden palms my breasts again, before leaving a trail of kisses down my neck and stopping at my own pulse point which I’m certain will leave a mark as well. 

Not that I care. 

At the same time, my hands are exploring his abdominal muscles before I palm him in my own hand. It's his turn to moan, as I begin to stroke at a slow pace that I know only tortures him. 

When I can tell he’s close, he stops me- then trails kisses down my stomach and past my hips. 

He looks up at me, and I could swear he’s a god reincarnated. Maybe Malek, since he’ll absolutely be the death of me. He starts licking and sucking my clit, and I call out “Gods!”

He pauses for a moment, and looks up at me while I thread my fingers through his hair and move to push him back down. “While I appreciate the elevation to deity, Violence, my name will do.”

“We are on the - roof” I moan, literally anyone could hear us. 

“As you wish, love.” Then he continues devouring me. I feel my stomach tighten, and I can tell I’m close. I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from yelling as I orgasm, and as if to drive home the point of how electrifying this is- lighting strikes in the distance. 

“Well that’s interesting.” Xaden comments, before moving back up to face me. “I wonder if we can make that happen again.”

He kisses me, and I can taste myself on him. Then, he finally lines himself up with my entrance and pushes in slowly. He allows me a moment to adjust to his size, and then I whine- needing him to move. 

“Make what happen again?” I ask, panting as my fingers trail up his back and my eyes roll back into my head from the delicious fit and stretch of him. 

“If my theory is right, you’ll see soon enough.” He says, then begins pumping in and out faster- setting an electric pace. 

I open my eyes again, and bring one hand back up to the side of his face to get him to open his eyes. We make eye contact, which always adds another layer of intimacy. 

I can feel the next orgasm building, and I tighten my legs around his hips and move my hands back in place to dig into his back. 

As I fall over the peak, all I can think is “I love you.” Lightning strikes again. 

Xaden almost looks startled, and pauses for a single breath before a massive grin lights up his face. He picks up the pace for a few more breaths, before falling into his own release as shadows explode out of him in every direction. A minute later, as we’re cuddling and coming down from our highs, he says “I love you too Violet.” 

Only he doesn’t say it out loud. 

He says it in my mind. Which is something Professor Kaori specifically said wouldn’t happen. 

“This should probably be another one of our secrets, shouldn’t it.” I whisper, and I can’t decide whether I’m elated or terrified. 

“That does explain why I was able to sense when you were on your way to the roof earlier. Though I have no idea how you found me, since even Garrick doesn’t know I come here.”

“I just knew where you were somehow. I followed the feeling, it was like an invisible string led me here. 

“Magic knows.” Xaden says, cuddling into me further. Somehow, I’m still incredibly hot despite the snow falling around us. 

“What do you mean?” I ask, trailing a finger down the relic on his neck and arm lightly. 

“Magic likes all things in balance. You and I seem to be the same but opposites. We have the same values and goals, and arguably similar levels of power if I’m right- but the powers are opposites.”

“Oh? And what is my power oh secretive Shadow Wielder?”

He leans up to look into my eyes, and I know that whatever he says next is going to change the course of fate irreparably. 

“Lightning.” He says, finally. 

Lighting. Which can most likely kill venin. 

Holy shit. “Magic knows.” I agree, my breath hitching. Xaden moves to also lay on his back, but does put his boxers back on before pulling me back into his side.

We stay there for a few moments, until we both get too cold. Staring up at the stars, and wrapping our minds around what this all means. 

A star shoots across the sky, and I wish for more moments of peace with my husband- even as I feel hope rise in my chest. I may become a weapon, but I could also be the key to helping stop the venin. 

Impossibly, the stars seem to shine brighter as snow falls onto my hair. 

Chapter Text

Ya ruh al-ruh
Soul of my soul

“You’re more than my soulmate- you’re ya ruh al-ruh”

Basgiath War College

Violet Riorson

The next morning, I’m working on keeping a mental foot in grounding and my brick wall up around my mind while I walk to breakfast, when I decide to detour to Rhi’s room instead.  Xaden taught me to shield last night after we moved to his room- it was freezing out after the dragon lust and lightning wielding affects wore off.

I knock on her door just as Tara opens it. “Oh, hey Tara. Y’all have a nice night?” I wink and smile. 

“Yep, looks like you did too. She high fives me then heads to breakfast while Rhi shouts “Oh hey Vi, come on in! I actually have something to show you!”

I smile and close the door behind me, then go to sit on her bed. 

She turns to me, a glint of excitement in those chocolate brown eyes, then looks me up and down and grins. “Why Violet Sorrengail, is that a hickey on your neck?” She fakes being scandalized and waves a hand, fanning her face.

“I don’t know, is it?” I mock back, smiling despite myself. 

“Riorson?” She asks excitedly, while moving to place a book on the table against the wall on the other end of the room. 

“Yeah, I had to make him pay for that ‘definitely not my girlfriend’ comment from the other day. That and Tairn and Andarna started channeling last night and then he and Sgaeyl immediately decided to take revenge on Xaden and I for the amount of times we’ve slept together since I bonded and couldn’t shield, if you get my drift.”

“Wait- the dragons make you horny when they… have dragon sex?” 

“If they don’t shield, apparently.” I snort at the absurdity, and no dragons deign to comment but I do feel a brief smugness come from the bond with Tairn. 

I hope they at least shielded from Andarna- they’re practically her parents. 

“Wait- so they finally started channeling? Any signet powers yet?” She asks, before sitting next to me on her bed. Her hair is in long thin braids today, I notice absently. 

“Nothing yet, but I do actually have something I want to tell you about.” The lie feels like acid on my tongue, and while I can’t risk telling her about the venin yet I can tell her one secret. Xaden and I decided to keep my signet a secret for now, and train in secret. Once command knows, I’ll just be seen as Basgiath’s weapon.

“Can I go first?” She asks, and I notice the twinkle in her eyes. 

“Sure.”

“Okay, just hold on a sec. I only did it twice last night and it took a while both times.”

“Okaaay” I say, then fold my hands in my lap and wait. 

A full minute later, I’m about to ask what I’m waiting for when a book just appears in her hands. 

I gasp in shock. “Rhi! You’re a summoner?!”

“Yeah, I guess so!” 

“That power hasn’t been seen in at least a century, that’s awesome!” 

Neither have shadows or lightning, come to think of it. That only solidifies my desire to tell Rhiannon about the venin- clearly she’s meant to fight alongside us. 

“You’ll have to tell me how Carr’s class is- I’m so happy for you! This is gonna be awesome in battle. You’ll never have to worry about dropping a weapon again!” 

Rhi beams with pride, then motions for me to go. 

“What’s your other news?” She asks, turning towards me and adjusting so that her legs are criss-crossed under her. 

“Okay, so before I tell you this I need to admit that I’ve been lying to you. This is a secret only the Marked Tyrrish cadets know, and now you.”

She raises an eyebrow at me, but stays quiet. 

“I’m actually kinda… married?” I say it like a question, nervous for her reaction. 

Her jaw drops, but she still doesn’t speak. 

“You can’t tell anyone because we aren’t supposed to be, but there was this whole political marriage thing Xaden was supposed to be contracted into when he turned 20 but we decided to get married first so that couldn’t happen.” I’m rambling now, and I tug the necklace I always wear around my neck out of my shirt and show her the beautiful ring that’s attached to it. 

“Vi- I don’t even know what to say. I understand why you guys kept it a secret considering he’s your Wingleader, but I’m happy you trusted me enough to tell you. Of course I won’t tell anyone- but gods I’m with Ridoc on wanting to see the look on Aetos’ face when he finds out. When did y’all even get married?”

I smile, relieved that she isn’t angry. If it were me, I’d probably be pissed.  “It was over two years ago, the March before Xaden conscripted into Basgiath. We snuck off to a temple of Dunne in Tirvainne one night and eloped.” I smile. 

“That’s super cute and your ring is absolutely stunning. Is that diamond and emerald?” 

“Yes, emeralds are the stones that represent Tyrrendor and Tyrrish royalty.” I smile. 

“So that’s what Liam meant about you being a Duchess, that sly bastard. Any other secrets you’ve been keeping from me?” 

My heart skips a beat. Oh, more than I can count. I briefly consider just telling her everything- but that would risk the lives of everyone I care about. 

“Well, yes. But do you know anything about mental shields? Because I have a lot I want to share, but I don’t want to tell you until I’m certain that you can protect yourself from the repercussions of knowing them.” 

“Carr is supposed to teach us about them in class, so yeah. Once I can shield I’ll let you know. I’m super curious now. You look like you hold the entire world on your shoulders sometimes.”

I smile sadly, and we hug for a moment before heading off to breakfast and morning formation. 

Ridoc whistles when he sees my neck. “Damn ladies, next time you should invite me too.” 

Sawyer smacks him on the shoulder. “Not only is that disgusting, but just look at the Wingleader you dumbass.”

Ridoc’s face scrunches up in confusion before he turns to glance at the leadership table, where Garrick is examining Xaden’s neck closely while Xaden pushes him off. 

”If Garrick’s impressed by that, then it’ll be hilarious to see his face if you take off your shirt for sparring later.” I shoot down the bond, and he smirks at me. 

“There will be absolutely no question that I belong to someone if I do that.”  He says, and I smirk to myself self-satisfyingly. 

“Exactly.”

“Vi, my statement still stands. I definitely want to be invited to the next round.” Ridoc doubles down, and Liam pretends to vomit next to me while I throw my butter knife next to Ridoc’s hand.

“That is my siblings you're talking about Gamlyn!” Liam shudders, and Imogen’s face scrunches up then. 

“Mairi when you say it like that it just sounds wrong.” 

The woman sitting beside her who’s name I learned is Quinn grunts in agreement. 

“Adoptive families are weird.” I shrug, before taking a bite of my sausage. 

“On another note, is anyone else wielding yet besides me? Carr’s class is kinda terrifying alone.” 

I look around towards Rhi, but I notice that for the briefest of moments Liam tenses up. Only Xaden or I would have noticed, but I catch his eyes and he mouths ‘later’ to me. I nod nearly imperceptibly as Rhi explains her summoning to the table. 

“Can I ask what signets you guys have?” Rhi asks down the table towards the second and third-years. 

“Speed.” Imogen shrugs. I narrow my eyes though, because that’s not anything Xaden would have needed to hide from me. 

“Astral projection.” Quinn states, before going back to chewing her scrambled eggs. 

Heaton is next. “I can breathe underwater, so I’m practically guaranteed a coastal outpost.” They smile. 

“Emery? What about you?” I prod, curious. 

He smirks, before holding out a hand and causing Heaton’s purple hair to get blown back- as well as they’re toast.

“Hey! I was eating that, asshole.” They grumble, before stealing the muffin off of Emery’s plate.

“Wind manipulation! Sick! I hope I get my signet soon, I don’t want to explode!” 

“That hasn’t happened in like ten years, and that cadet was wielding an absolutely absurd amount of power. Trust me, you’ll be fine, funny-boy.” Quinn quips.

“You wound me!” Ridoc exclaims, grabbing his chest as though having been stabbed. 

***

That night after classes the entire squad is in the sparring gym, including Dain since he ordered us here to prepare for Squad Battle. 

Apparently whoever wins gets a free trip to the front lines, which is honestly an incredibly odd prize. 

I’m sparring with Liam, and actually holding my own for once. He’s supposed to be reviewing a takedown hold with me- where I choke the person out with my thighs- but he seems distracted tonight. 

“You gonna tell me what’s bothering you, or are you actually going to lose?”

“Later, when there’s less people around. I’ll knock on your door tonight.” 

“Okay, I’ll make sure I’m actually there tonight.” I giggle, and while he’s shuddering at the thought of Xaden and I’s sex life I sweep out his left leg and successfully execute that maneuver, forcing him to tap out.

“Good fight little sis.” He coughs, accepting my hand to help him up. 

I scoff, and let go so he falls back down. “I’m older than you.”

“Yes, but I’m about three feet taller than you. Thus ‘little’.” He waves his hand at me, and I scoff, turning away to see where the rest of our squad has gone. 

I watch as Dain helps Sawyer and Ridoc both up from the ground, and frown at how he’s managed to touch both of them bare-handed. I don’t even want to know how they both managed to be lying on the floor, but that reinforces my desire to teach my squad about shields. 

For Dain to be alive still, he has to be tightly controlled by and reporting back to his father. 

I’ll start dropping hints about that to them, and hopefully they’ll work on shields themselves. 

Next, I notice that Xaden is here too, it’s weird that since the dragons started channeling magic I can always tell where he is. I wonder if the magic activated our… mate bond?

 “It’s possible. I could tell it was there before I chose you, but neither of you probably could until you both had magic.” Tairn cuts into my train of thought. 

“I thought humans didn’t have mates? Whenever you mentioned it before I just thought it was because we’re married.” 

“I knew exactly who and what you were when I chose you, Silver One.”

“What does that even mean?” I ask, but the bond has gone silent. 

I walk over to where Xaden and Garrick are about to spar, when Andarna answers no less cryptically “Magic likes all things in balance. You two are a balance of each other.” Then she also goes quiet while I ponder that statement. 

“Suddenly shy, Riorson? You never spar with your shirt on.” Garrick is teasing my husband, who just smirks. 

“No, I was just shielding your innocent little eyes. But if you insist.” He shrugs, peeling off his shirt and discreetly his necklace with it. 

A couple of gasps ring out, and I feel Rhi nudge my side with her elbow and smirk in approval, raising her eyebrow at me. 

I smirk self-satisfyingly and admire my work. I didn’t just leave a mark on his neck, but also quite a few around his collarbone and even one on the right side of his abdominals. 

He and Garrick are still circling each other, and when he turns his back to me I nearly gasp too- I didn’t realize I left that many scratch marks. 

I blush lightly, but I mostly feel smug and possessive. “Is that a mate thing?” I ask Tairn. 

“Yes.” He sounds annoyed at my constant questioning, but its not like I have any other sources to refer to. 

“Damn. No wonder I couldn’t find you last night. Let me know next time so I can- oof.” Garrick never gets to finish that statement before Xaden tackles him to the floor. 

***

Later, it’s Liam who knocks on my door. 

“I think I have two signets, and I don’t know what to do about it.” He rushes out the second my door is closed and the sound shield is up. 

“Woah, woah, slow down. Are you sure? How would that even happen?”

“Deigh was my grandmother’s dragon- and when a dragon breaks the rules and bonds a direct relative of a previous rider that rider either goes crazy or develops a second signet.” 

I love that Liam didn’t even consider lying to me. A few years ago he probably would have gone to Xaden with this fear- but we grew a lot closer while he was gone. 

Wait… isn’t Sgaeyl his grandfather’s dragon? He doesn’t seem insane to me. I put a pin in that thought- since it must be one of the things he is planning to tell me once I have stronger shields- and take a deep breath before finally responding to Liam. 

“Well, are you sure you aren’t just insane?” I have to tease- this is my brother after all. 

He snorts. “No, I have both far-sight and ice wielding.” 

 “Okay. First of all- why aren’t you in Carr’s class? Are you waiting for me?”

“Maybe.” 

“Dumbass. You should stop doing that. Second, both of those are relatively common so I don’t know which would be more advantageous to hide. Secrets are the Revolution’s biggest currency, command can’t do anything with intel they don’t have. 

“I’m not leaving you alone in that stupid extra history class. That would be death by boredom as well as the unbonded.” Liam rolls his eyes. 

“Besides,” he continues, “That’s kinda the problem. I don’t know which one would be better to tell them.”

“Is one easier to hide, or you feel like you’ll use more?” 

“Honestly I feel like far-sight would be easier to hide, but I’d probably want to use it more often.”

“Also, a signet like ice-wielding would get you placed in the Esben mountains or something and you fucking hate the cold.” I add on. 

“Damn, you are a genius. I never would have thought of that. In that case, ice-wielding is going to be my super-secret superpower.” He grins. 

“And for the next couple of months, lightning is going to be mine.” I smirk lightly. 

“Excuse me?” His blue eyes widen in shock. 

“We can train your ice with my lightning, at least until I decide I’m ready to tell command about it. I can’t do much of anything yet, so it’s not like I’d even be useful.” I shrug. 

Liam smiles. “Sis, I love when you use your powers for evil.” 

“I don’t think that necessarily counts as evil, but I’m happy I have your support.” I laugh. 

***

It takes a few weeks, but slowly my shields are improving as well as my wielding. 

At first, I could only wield when extremely emotional- and I had absolutely no control over where it landed. 

We’ve been practicing during Liam and I’s usual running time, so no one has noticed that we’ve been missing. We just run to the flight field and hop on dragons instead of our usual route through the forest. 

Honestly, Liam’s ice feels amazing whenever I’m overheated from trying to hit rocks with my lightning. 

“Instead of creating the lightning from the sky, what if you try to concentrate it from your hands?” Xaden suggests. 

“Is that even possible?” I ask, quirking my left eyebrow up. 

He responds by letting shadows seep out of his hands. 

I frown, then think about it and focus on how it feels to wield, the power I draw from Tairn. I try pulling it out of myself instead of the sky, and sparks erupt from my palms. 

“Oh! That might actually work.” 

“It might be easier to control a smaller outlet than pulling it directly from the sky, for now at least.” He contemplates. Liam is off at a lake nearby, trying to freeze the water in it intermittently. 

February and March pass by in a blur. When I’m not sparring with Liam and Xaden or working on Liam and I’s secret signets (who still hasn’t told command that he’s wielding, mind you) I’m in class or flight maneuvers or trying to teach my squad history. I’ve all but given up on physics, but Imogen has started making me solve problems while lifting weights- I think she might actually hate me. 

Over time, I’ve been lightly suggesting to them to learn how to shield their minds at all times- and I think it’s working. 

Ridoc has started wielding ice as well, so now everyone believes that it’s just Liam and I left without signets. 

Xaden says my shields are almost ready, and I can’t help but be excited. I’ve been sitting on my questions for a long time now. 

The snow has started to melt around Basgiath when Xaden finally decides I’m ready. 

“So, are you going to tell me about everyone’s second signets? Because there’s no way that Imogen’s real signet is speed, and you would not be so cagey about Garrick being an air-weilder and Bodhi being able to counter signets otherwise. Also, I know for a fact that Sgaeyl was your grandfather’s dragon, and I don’t think you’re insane.” I look at him appraisingly. 

His face loses all color. 

“Imogen is actually an earth-wielder. She can also erase recent memories. Garrick is also a distance wielder. If Bodhi has something else he hasn’t fessed up to it.”

He suspiciously doesn’t finish answering my question about his signet.

“I knew Im was faking that shit! That has to be super useful for the drops. But what about you, love? You know that there’s nothing that would stop me from being in love with you. You could tell me you’re a full intinnsic and have been reading my mind this whole time-“ I stop, because he looks like he’s about to pass out. 

“Oh.” I say, blinking.

 Xaden’s face has gone whiter than I thought it could.