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00:00:00The tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.
00:00:03Article 1, Section 1 The Dragon Rider's Codex
00:00:06Chapter 1
00:00:08Conscription day is always the deadliest. Maybe that's why the sunrise is especially
00:00:13beautiful this morning, because I know it might be my last.
00:00:17I tighten the straps of my heavy canvas rucksack and trudge up the white staircase of the stone
00:00:21fortress I call home. My chest heaves with exertion, my lungs burning by the time I reach
00:00:27the stone corridor leading to General Sorengale's office. This is what six months of intense
00:00:32physical training has given me, the ability to barely climb six flights of stairs with
00:00:36a 30-pound pack. I'm so fucked.
00:00:40The thousands of 20-year-olds waiting outside the gate to enter their chosen quadrant for
00:00:45service are the smartest and strongest in Navarre. Hundreds of them have been preparing for the
00:00:50riders' quadrant, the chance to become one of the elite, since birth. I've had exactly
00:00:55six months. The expressionless guards lining the wide hallway at the top of the landing
00:01:00avoid my eyes as I pass, but that's nothing new. Besides, being ignored is the best possible
00:01:06scenario for me.
00:01:09Basquiat War College isn't known for being kind to, well, anyone, even those of us whose
00:01:13mothers are in command. Every Navarrean officer, whether they choose to be schooled as healers,
00:01:20scribes, infantry, or riders, is molded within these cruel walls over three.
00:01:27Years, honed into weapons to secure are mountainous borders from the violent invasion attempts of
00:01:32the kingdom of Poromil and their griffon riders. The weak don't survive here, especially not in the
00:01:37rider's quadrant. The dragons make sure of that. You're sending her to die. A familiar voice thunders
00:01:44through the general's thick wooden door, and I gasp. There's only one woman on the continent
00:01:49foolish enough to raise her voice to the general, but she's supposed to be on the border with the
00:01:53eastern wing. Mira. There's a muffled response from the office, and I reach for the door handle.
00:02:00She doesn't stand a chance. Mira shouts as I force the heavy door open and the weight of my pack
00:02:07shifts forward, nearly taking me down. Shit. The general curses from behind her desk, and I grab
00:02:13onto the back of the crimson upholstered couch to catch my balance. Damn it, mom, she can't even handle
00:02:20her rucksack. Mira snaps, rushing to my side. I'm fine. My cheeks heat with modification, and I force
00:02:27myself upright. She's been back for 5 minutes and is already trying to save me. Because you need saving,
00:02:34you fool. I don't want this. I don't want any part of this rider's quadrant shit. It's not like I have a
00:02:41death wish. I would have been better off failing the admission test to Basquiat than going straight
00:02:45to the army with the majority of conscripts. But I can handle my rucksack, and I will handle myself.
00:02:53Oh, violet. Buried brown eyes look down at me as strong hands brace my shoulders.
00:02:59Hi, Mira. A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. She might be here to say her goodbyes,
00:03:04but I'm just glad to see my sister for the first time in years.
00:03:09Her eyes soften, and her fingers flex on my shoulders like she might pull me into a hug,
00:03:14but she steps back and turns to stand at my side, facing her.
00:03:19Mother. You can't do this. It's already done. Mom shrugs, the lines of her fitted black uniform
00:03:25rising and falling with the motion. I scoff. So much for the hope of a reprieve. Not that I ever
00:03:32should have expected, or even hoped for, an ounce of mercy from a woman who's been made famous for her
00:03:37lack of it. Then undo it, Mira sees. She spent her whole life training to become a scribe.
00:03:43She wasn't raised to be a rider. Well, she certainly isn't you, is she,
00:03:49Lieutenant Sorengale? Mom braces her hands on the immaculate surface of her desk and leans in slightly
00:03:55as she stands, looking us over with narrowed, appraising eyes that mirror the dragons carved
00:03:59into the furniture's massive legs. I don't need the prohibited power of mind reading to know exactly
00:04:05what she sees. At 26 years old, Mira's a younger version of our mother. She's tall, with strong,
00:04:13powerful muscles torn from years of sparring and hundreds of hours spent on the back of her dragon.
00:04:18Her skin practically glows with health, and her golden brown hair is shared short for combat in
00:04:23the same style as Mom's. But more than looks, she carries the same arrogance, the unwavering
00:04:28conviction that she belongs in the sky. She's a rider through and through.
00:04:33She's everything I'm not, and the disapproving shake of Mom's head says she agrees.
00:04:38I'm too short, too frail. What curves I do have should be muscle, and my traitorous body makes me
00:04:43embarrassingly vulnerable. Mom walks toward us, her polished black boots gleaming in the mage lights
00:04:49that flicker from the sconces. She picks up the end of my long braid, scoffs at the section just above
00:04:55my shoulders where the brown strands start to lose their warmth of color and slowly fade to a steamy,
00:05:00metallic silver by the ends, and then drops it. Pale skin, pale eyes, pale hair. Her gaze siphons
00:05:07every ounce of my confidence down to the marrow in my bones. It's like that fever stole all your
00:05:12coloring along with your strength. Grief. Flashes through her eyes and her brows furrow.
00:05:18I told him not to keep you in that library.
00:05:23It's not the first time I've heard her curse the sickness that nearly killed her while she was
00:05:27pregnant with me or the library dad made my second home once she'd been stationed here at
00:05:31Biskayath as an instructor and he as a scribe. I love that library, I counter. It's been more than
00:05:37a year since his heart finally failed, and the archives are still the only place that feels like home in
00:05:42this giant fortress, the only place where I still feel my father's presence.
00:05:48Spoken like the daughter of a scribe, mom says quietly, and I see if the woman she was while dad
00:05:53was alive. Softer, kinder, at least for her family. I am the daughter of a scribe. My back screams at me,
00:06:01so I let my pack slip from my shoulders, guiding it to the floor, and take my first full breath since
00:06:07leaving my room. Mom blinks, and that softer woman is gone, leaving only the general.
00:06:13You're the daughter of a rider, you're 20 years old, and today is conscription day.
00:06:18I let you finish your tutoring, but like I told you last spring,
00:06:22I will not watch one of my children enter the scribe quadrant, Violet.
00:06:26Because scribes are so far beneath riders. I grumble, knowing perfectly well that riders
00:06:32are the top of the social and military hierarchy. It helps that their bonded dragons roast people for
00:06:37fun. Yes, her customary composure slips. And if you dare walk into the tunnel toward the scribe
00:06:43quadrant today, I will rip you out by that ridiculous braid and put you on the parapet myself.
00:06:49My stomach turns over. Dad wouldn't want this, Meera argues, color flushing up her neck.
00:06:55I loved your father, but he's dead, Mom says, as if giving the weather report.
00:07:00I doubt he wants much these days.
00:07:03I suck in a breath but keep my mouth shut. Arguing will get me nowhere.
00:07:07She's never listened to a damn thing I've had to say before, and today is no different.
00:07:13Sending Violet into the rider's quadrant is tantamount to a death sentence.
00:07:18Guess Meera isn't done arguing. Meera's never done arguing with Mom,
00:07:22and the frustrating thing about it is that Mom has always respected her for it.
00:07:26Double standard for the win. She's not strong enough, Mom.
00:07:30She's already broken her arm this year, she's sprained some joint every other week,
00:07:34and she's not tall enough to mount any dragon big enough to keep her alive in a battle.
00:07:38Seriously? Meera. What. The. Hell. My fingernails bite into my palms as I curl my hands into fists.
00:07:46Knowing my chances of survival are minimal is one thing. Having my sister throw my inadequacies in
00:07:52my face is another. Are you calling me weak? No. Meera squeezes my hand. Just, fragile.
00:07:59That's not any better. Dragons don't want fragile women. They incinerate them.
00:08:04So she's small. Mom scans me up and down, taking in the generous fit of the cream-belted tunic and
00:08:10pants I selected this morning for my potential execution. I snot. Are we just listing my faults
00:08:16now? I never said it was a fault. Mom turns to my sister. Meera, Violet deals with more pain before
00:08:23lunch than you do in an entire week. If any of my children is capable of surviving the rider's
00:08:29quadrant, it's her. My eyebrows rise. That sounded an awful lot like a compliment,
00:08:34but with Mom, I'm never quite sure. How many rider candidates die on conscription day, Mom?
00:08:4140. 50. Are you that eager to bury another child? Meera sees.
00:08:47I cringe as the temperature in the room plummets, courtesy of Mom's storm-wielding
00:08:51signet power she channels through her dragon, Aesia. My chest tightens at the memory of my brother.
00:08:58No one has dared to mention Brennan or his dragon in the five years since they died fighting the
00:09:02Tirish rebellion in the south. Mom tolerates me and respects Meera, but she loved Brennan.
00:09:08Dad did, too. His chest pain started right after Brennan's death. Mom's jaw tightens and her eyes
00:09:15threaten retribution as she glares at Meera. My sister swallows but holds her own in the
00:09:20staring competition. Mom, I start. She didn't mean. Get. Out. Lieutenant. Mom's words are soft puffs of
00:09:29steam in the frigid office. Before I report you absent from your unit without leave. Meera straightens
00:09:34her posture, nods once, and pivots with military precision, then strides for the door without
00:09:39another word, grabbing a small rucksack on the way out. It's the first time Mom and I have been alone in
00:09:46months. Her eyes meet mine, and the temperature rises as she takes a deep breath. You scored in
00:09:53the top quarter for speed and agility during the entrance exam. You'll do just fine. All Sorengales
00:09:59do just fine. She skims the backs of her fingers down my cheek, barely grazing my skin. So much like
00:10:05your father, she whispers before clearing her throat and backing up a few steps. Guess there are
00:10:11no meritorious service awards for emotional availability. I won't be able to acknowledge
00:10:17you for the next three years, she says, sitting back on the edge of her desk. Since, as commanding
00:10:23general of Baskayat, I'll be your far superior officer. I know. It's the least of my concerns,
00:10:29considering she barely acknowledges me now. You won't get any special treatment just because you're my
00:10:35daughter, either. If anything, they'll come after you harder to make you prove yourself.
00:10:41She arches an eyebrow. Well aware. Good thing I've been training with Major Gilstead for Thay.
00:10:48Last several months since Mom made her decree. She sighs and forces a smile. Then I guess I'll see you in
00:10:54the valley at Threshing, Candidate. Though you'll be a cadet by sunset, I suppose. Or dead. Neither of us
00:11:01says it. Good luck, Candidate Sorengale. She moves back behind her desk, effectively dismissing me.
00:11:09Thank you, General. I heft my pack onto my shoulders and walk out of her office. A guard closes the door
00:11:15behind me. She's batshit crazy, Meera says from the center of the hallway, right between where two
00:11:22guards are positioned. They'll tell her you said that. Like they don't already know, she grinds out
00:11:29through clenched teeth. Let's go. We only have an hour before all candidates have to report,
00:11:34and I saw thousands waiting outside the gates when I flew over. She starts walking, leading me down
00:11:40the stone staircase and through the hallways to my room. Well, it was my room. In the 30 minutes I've
00:11:48been gone, all my personal items have been packed into crates that now sit stacked in the corner.
00:11:52My stomach sinks to the hardwood floor. She had my entire life boxed.
00:11:59She's fucking efficient, I'll give you that, Meera mutters before turning my way,
00:12:03her gaze passing over me in open assessment. I was hoping I'd be able to talk her out of it.
00:12:09You were never meant for the rider's quadrant.
00:12:12So you've mentioned. I lift an eyebrow at her. Repeatedly.
00:12:16Sorry. She winces, dropping to the ground and emptying her pack.
00:12:21What are you doing? What Brennan did for me, she says softly, and grief lodges in my throat.
00:12:27Can you use a sword? I shake my head. Too heavy. I'm pretty quick with daggers, though.
00:12:34Really damned quick. Lightning quick. What I lack in strength, I make up for in speed.
00:12:40I figured. Good. Now, drop your pack and take off those horrible boots.
00:12:44She sorts through the items she's brought, handing me new boots and a black uniform.
00:12:50Put these on.
00:12:51What's wrong with my pack? I ask but drop my rucksack anyway.
00:12:56She immediately opens it, ripping out everything I'd carefully packed.
00:13:00Meera. That took me all night.
00:13:02You're carrying way too much, and your boots are a death trap.
00:13:06You slip right off the parapet with those smooth soles.
00:13:10I had a set of rubber-bottomed rider boots made for you just in case, and this, my dear Violet,
00:13:15is the worst case. Books start flying, landing in the vicinity of the crate.
00:13:21Hey, I can only take what I can carry, and I want those.
00:13:24I lunge for the next book before she has a chance to toss it,
00:13:28barely managing to save my favorite collection of dark fables.
00:13:31Are you willing to die for it? She asks, her eyes turning hard.
00:13:37I can carry it. This is all wrong. I'm supposed to be dedicating my life to books,
00:13:41not throwing them in the corner to lighten my rucksack.
00:13:45No. You can't. You're barely thrice the weight of the pack, the parapet is roughly 18 inches wide,
00:13:51200 feet above ground, and last time I looked, those were rain clouds moving in.
00:13:55They're not going to give you a rain delay just because the bridge might get a little slick, sis.
00:14:01You'll fall. You'll die. Now, are you going to listen to me?
00:14:05Or are you going to join the other dead candidates at tomorrow morning's roll call?
00:14:09There's no trace of my older sister in the rider before me.
00:14:13This woman is shrewd, cunning, and a touch cruel.
00:14:16This is the woman who survived all three years with only one scar,
00:14:19the one her own dragon gave her during threshing.
00:14:22Because that's all you'll be. Another tombstone. Another name scotched in stone.
00:14:27Ditch the books.
00:14:29Dad gave this one to me, I murmur, pressing the book against my chest.
00:14:35Maybe it's childish, just a collection of stories that warn us against the lure of magic,
00:14:40and even demonized dragons, but it's all I have left.
00:14:44She sighs. Is it that old book of folklore about dark wielding women and their vibran?
00:14:49Haven't you read it a thousand times already?
00:14:52Probably more, I admit. And their venom, not vermin.
00:14:57Dad and his allegories, she says. Just don't try to channel power without being a bonded rider
00:15:02and red-eyed monsters won't hide under your bed, waiting to snatch you away on their two-legged
00:15:07dragons to join their dark army. She retrieves the last book I packed from the rucksack and hands it
00:15:12to me. Ditch the books. Dad can't save you. He tried. I tried. Decide, Violet. Are you going to
00:15:19die a scribe? Or live as a rider? I glance down at the books in my arms and make my choice.
00:15:26You're a pain in the ass. I put the fables in the corner but keep the other tome in my
00:15:31hands as I face my sister. A pain in the ass who is going to keep you alive? What's that one for?
00:15:38She challenges. Killing people. I hand it back to her. A slow smile spreads across her face.
00:15:45Good. You can keep that one. Now, get changed while I sort out the rest of this mess.
00:15:51The bell rings high above us. We have 45 minutes.
00:15:56I dress quickly, but everything feels like it belongs to someone else,
00:15:59though it's obviously tailored to my size. My tunic is replaced by a tight-fitting black shirt
00:16:05that covers my arms, and my breezy pants are exchanged for leather ones that hug every curve.
00:16:10Then she laces me into a west-style corset over the shirt.
00:16:14Keeps it from rubbing, she explains. Like the gear riders wear into battle.
00:16:20Have to admit, the clothes are pretty badass, even if I feel like an imposter.
00:16:24Gods, this is really happening. Exactly, because that's what you're doing. Going into battle.
00:16:32The combination of leather and a fabric I don't recognize covers me from.
00:16:35Collarbone to just below my waist, wrapping over my breasts and crossing up and over my shoulders.
00:16:43I finger the hidden sheaths sewn diagonally along the ribcage. For your daggers. I only have four.
00:16:50I grab them from the pile on the floor. You learn more. I slide my weapons into the sheaths,
00:16:57as though my ribs themselves have become weapons. The design is ingenious. Between my ribs and the
00:17:02sheaths at my thighs, the blades are easily accessible. I barely recognize myself in the
00:17:08mirror. I look like a rider. I still feel like a scribe. Minutes later, half of what I packed is
00:17:15piled onto the crates. She's repacked my rucksack, discarding anything deemed unnecessary and almost
00:17:21everything sentimental while word-vomiting advice about how to survive in the quadrant. Then she surprises
00:17:27me by doing the most sentimental thing ever, telling me to sit between her knees so she can braid my
00:17:31hair into a crown. It's like I'm a kid again instead of a full grown woman, but I do it.
00:17:38What is this? I test the material just above my heart, scratching it with my fingernail.
00:17:45Something I designed, she explains, tugging my braid painfully tight against my scalp.
00:17:49I had it specially made for you with Tyne scales sewn in, so be careful with it.
00:17:55Dragon scales. I jerk my head back to look at her. How? Tyne is huge.
00:18:01I happen to know a rider whose powers can make big things very small.
00:18:06A devious smile plays across her lips. And smaller things, much, much bigger.
00:18:11I roll my eyes. Myra's always been more vocal about her men than I have been, about all two of them.
00:18:17I mean, how much bigger? She laughs, then tugs on my braid.
00:18:22Head forward. You should have cut your hair. She pulls the strands tight against my head and
00:18:27resumes weaving. It's a liability in sparring and in battle, not to mention being a giant target.
00:18:33No one else has hair that fades out to silver like this, and they'll already be aiming for you.
00:18:39You know very well the natural pigment seems to gradually abandon it no matter the length.
00:18:45My eyes are just as indecisive, a light hazel of varying blues and ambers that never seems to
00:18:49favour either actual colour. Besides, other than everyone else's concern for the shade,
00:18:54my hair is the only thing about me that's perfectly healthy. Cutting it would feel like I'm punishing my
00:19:00body for finally doing something well, and it's not like I feel the need to hide who I am.
00:19:05You're not. Meera yanks on my braid, pulling my head back, and our eyes lock.
00:19:10You're the smartest woman I know. Don't forget that. Your brain is your best weapon. Outsmart them,
00:19:17Violet. Do you hear me? I nod, and she loosens her grip, then finishes the braid and pulls me to my feet
00:19:23as she continues to summarise years of knowledge into fifteen harried minutes, barely pausing to breathe.
00:19:28Be observant. Quiet is fine, but make sure you notice everything and everyone around you to your
00:19:34advantage. You've read the codex. A few times. The rulebook for the riders quadrant is a fraction
00:19:41of the length of the other divisions. Probably because riders have trouble obeying rules.
00:19:46Good. Then you know that the other riders can kill you at any time, and the cutthroat cadets will try.
00:19:52Fewer cadets means better odds at threshing. There are never enough dragons willing to bond,
00:19:57and then even reckless enough to get themselves killed isn't worthy of a dragon anyway.
00:20:02Except when sleeping. It's an executable offence to attack any cadet while sleeping.
00:20:07Article 3. Yes, but that doesn't mean you're safe at night. Sleep in this if you can.
00:20:14She taps the stomach off my cosset. Rider black is supposed to be earned.
00:20:19You sure I shouldn't wear my tunic today? I skim my hands over the leather.
00:20:24The wind up on the parapet will catch any spear cloth like a sail. She hands me my now much lighter pack.
00:20:30The tighter your clothes, the better off you are up there, and in the ring once you start sparring.
00:20:36Wear the armour at all times. Keep your daggers on you at all times.
00:20:40She points to the sheaves down her thighs. Someone's going to say I didn't earn them.
00:20:46You're a sore angle, she responds, as if that's answer enough. Fuck what they say.
00:20:52And you don't think the dragon scales are cheating? There's no such thing as cheating once you climb
00:20:57the turret. There's only survival and death. The bell chimes, only 30 minutes left. She swallows.
00:21:04It's almost time. Ready. No. Neither was I. A wry smile lifts a corner of her mouth.
00:21:11And I'd spent my life training for it. I'm not going to die today. I sling my pack over
00:21:17my shoulders and breathe a little easier than this morning. It's infinitely more manageable.
00:21:21The halls of the central, administrative part of the fortress are eerily quiet as we wind our way down
00:21:27through various staircases, but the noise from outside grows louder the lower we descend.
00:21:32Through the windows, I see thousands of candidates hugging their loved ones and saying their goodbyes
00:21:36on the grassy fields just beneath the main gate. From what I've witnessed every year, most families
00:21:42hold on to their candidates right up to the very last bell. The four roads leading to the fortress
00:21:47are clogged with horses and wagons, especially where they converge in front of the college,
00:21:52but it's the empty ones at the edge of the fields that make me nauseous. Therefore the bodies.
00:21:58Right before we round the last corner that will lead to the courtyard, Meera stops.
00:22:04What is oof? She yanks me against her chest, hugging me tight in the relative privacy of the corridor.
00:22:10I love you, Violet. Remember everything I've told you. Don't become another name on the death roll.
00:22:16Her voice shakes, and I wrap my arms around her, squeezing tight.
00:22:20I'll be alright, I promise. She nods, her chin bumping against the top of my head.
00:22:27I know. Let's go. That's all she says before pulling away and walking into the crowded courtyard
00:22:33just inside the main gate to the fortress. Instructors, commanders, and even our mother are
00:22:39gathered informally, waiting for the madness outside the walls to become the order within.
00:22:43Out of all the doors in the war college, the main gate is the only one no cadet will enter today,
00:22:48since each quadrant has its own entrance and facilities. Hell, the riders have their own
00:22:53citadel. Pretentious, egotistical fucks. I follow Meera, catching her with a few quick strides.
00:23:01Find Dane Atos, Meera tells me as we cross through the courtyard, heading for the open gate.
00:23:06Dane. I can't help but smile at the thought of seeing Dane again, and my heart rage jumps.
00:23:13It's been a year, and I've missed his soft brown eyes and the way he laughs, the way every part of
00:23:17his body joins in. I've missed our friendship, and the moments I thought it might turn into more under
00:23:23the right circumstances. I've missed the way he looks at me, like I'm someone worth noticing.
00:23:28I've just missed him. I've only been out of the quadrant for three years, but from what I hear,
00:23:35he's doing well, and he'll keep you safe. Don't smile like that, Meera chives. He'll be a second
00:23:41ear. She shakes her finger at me. Don't mess around with second ears. If you want to get laid, and you
00:23:47should, she lifts her brows often, considering you never know what the day brings, then screw around in
00:23:55your own ear. Nothing is worse than cadets gossiping that you've slept your way to safety.
00:24:02So I'm free to take any of the first ears I want to bed, I say with a little grin. Just not the second
00:24:08or third ears. Exactly. She winks. We cross through the gates, leaving the fortress, and join the
00:24:15organized chaos beyond. Each of Navar's six provinces has sent this year's share of candidates for military
00:24:22service. Some volunteer. Some are sentenced as punishment. Most are conscripted. The only thing
00:24:29we have in common here at Baskayath is that we passed the entrance exam, both written and an agility
00:24:34test I still cannot believe I passed, which means at least we won't end up as fodder for the infantry
00:24:39on the front line. The atmosphere is tense with anticipation as Meera leads me along the
00:24:45warm cobblestone path toward the southern turret. The main college is built into the side of Baskayath mountain,
00:24:51as if it was cleaved from a rich line of the peak itself. The sprawling, formidable structure towers
00:24:57over the crowd of anxious, waiting candidates and their tearful families, with its stories tall stone
00:25:02battlements built to protect the high rise of the keep within, and defensive turrets at each of its
00:25:07corners, one of which houses the bells. The majority of the crowd moves to line up at the base of the
00:25:14northern turret, the entrance to the infantry quadrant. Some of the mass heads toward the gate behind us,
00:25:20the healer quadrant that consumes the southern end of the college. Envy clenches my chest when I spot a
00:25:25few taking the central tunnel into the archives below the fortress to join the scribe quadrant.
00:25:32The entrance to the riders quadrant is nothing more than a fortified door at the base of the tower,
00:25:36just like the infantry entrance to the north. But while the infantry candidates can walk straight into
00:25:42their ground level. Quadrant, we rider candidates will climb. Meera and I join the riders line,
00:25:50waiting to sign in, and I make the mistake of glancing up.
00:25:56High above us, crossing the river bottomed valley that divides the main college from the even higher,
00:26:01looming citadel of the riders quadrant on the southern ridgeline, is the parapet, the stone bridge
00:26:06that's about to separate rider candidates from the cadets over the next few hours.
00:26:11I can't believe I'm about to cross that thing. And to think, I've been preparing for the scribe's
00:26:17written exam all these years. My voice rips with sarcasm. I should have been playing on a balance beam.
00:26:24Meera ignores me as the line moves forward and candidates disappear through the door.
00:26:29Don't let the wind sway your steps. Two candidates ahead of us,
00:26:33a woman sobs as her partner rips her away from a young man, the couple breaking from the line,
00:26:38retreating in tears down the hillside toward the crowd of loved ones lining the roads.
00:26:43There are no other parents ahead of us, only a few dozen candidates moving toward the role keepers.
00:26:49Keep your eyes on the stones ahead of you and don't look down, Meera says, the lines of her face
00:26:54tightening. Arms out for balance. If the pack slips, drop it. Better it falls than you.
00:27:00I look behind us, where it seems hundreds have filed in within the span of minutes.
00:27:05Maybe I should let them go first, I whisper as panic fists my heart.
00:27:10What the hell am I doing?
00:27:12No, Meera answers. The longer you wait on those steps, she motions toward the tower,
00:27:17the greater your fear has a chance to grow. Cross the parapet before the terror owns you.
00:27:22The line moves, and the bell chimes again. It's eight o'clock. Sure enough, the crowd of thousands
00:27:27behind us has separated fully into their chosen quadrants, all lined up to sign the role and begin
00:27:32their service. Focus, Meera snaps, and I whip my head forward. This might sound harsh, but don't
00:27:40seek friendships in there, Violet. Forge Alliances. There are only two ahead of us now,
00:27:45a woman with a full pack, whose high cheekbones and oval face remind me of renderings of Amari,
00:27:50the queen of the gods. Her dark brown hair is worn in several rows of short braids that just touch
00:27:55the equally dark skin of her neck. The second is the muscular blonde man with the woman crying over
00:28:01him. He's carrying an even bigger rucksack. I look around the pair toward the rolekeeping desk,
00:28:07and my eyes widen. Is he? I whisper. Meera glances and mutters a curse. A separatist skid. Yep. See
00:28:16that shimmering mark that starts on the top of his wrist. It's a relic from the rebellion. I lift my
00:28:22eyebrows in surprise. The only relics I've ever heard of are when a dragon uses magic to mark the
00:28:27skin of their bonded rider. But those relics are a symbol of honor and power and generally in the
00:28:32shape of the dragon who gifted them. These marks are swirls and slashes that feel more like a
00:28:37warning than a claiming. A dragon did that. I whisper. She nods. Mom says General Meldren's
00:28:44dragon did it to all of them when he executed their parents, but she wasn't exactly open to
00:28:49further discussion on the topic. Nothing like punishing the kids to deter more parents from
00:28:54committing treason. It seems cruel, but the first rule of living at Biscayat is never question a dragon.
00:29:01They tend to cremate and even they find rude. Most of the marked kids who carry rebellion
00:29:08relics are from Tyrendu, of course, but there are a few whose parents turn traitor from the other
00:29:13provinces. The blood drains from her face and she grips the straps of my pack, turning me to face her.
00:29:19I just remembered. Her voice drops and I lean in, my heart jumping at the urgency in her tone.
00:29:25Stay the hell away. From Zadan Ryosun. The air rushes from my lungs. That name.
00:29:33That Zadan Ryosun, she confirms, fear lacing her gaze. He's a third year, and he will kill you the
00:29:39second he finds out who you are. His father was the great betrayer. He led the rebellion, I say quietly.
00:29:47What is Zadan doing here? All the children of the leaders were conscripted as punishment for their
00:29:53parents' crimes. Meera whispers as we shuffle sideways, moving with the line.
00:29:58Mom told me they never expected Ryosun to make it past the parapet. Then they figured a cadet would
00:30:03kill him, but once his dragon chose him, she shakes her head. Well, there's nothing much that can be
00:30:09done then. He's risen to the rank of Wingledder. That's bullshit, I seed. He's sworn allegiance to
00:30:17Nava, but I don't think that will stop him where you're concerned.
00:30:19Once you get across the parapet, because you will make it across, find Dane.
00:30:25He'll put you in his squad, and we just hope it's far from Ryosun.
00:30:29She grips my straps tighter. Stay. Away. From. Him. Noted. I nod.
00:30:36Next, a voice calls from behind the wooden table that bears the rolls of the rider's quadrant.
00:30:41The marked rider I don't know is seated next to a scribe I do, and Captain Fitzjubbins'
00:30:46silver eyebrows rise over his weathered face. Violet Sorengale. I nod, picking up the quill and
00:30:52signing my name on the next empty line on the roll.
00:30:56But I thought you were meant for the scribe quadrant, Captain Fitzjubbins says softly.
00:31:02I envy his cream-glot tunic, unable to find the words.
00:31:06General Sorengale chose otherwise, Meera supplies.
00:31:09Sadness fills the older man's eyes. Pity. You had so much promise.
00:31:15By the gods, the rider next to Captain Fitzjubbins says. You're Meera Sorengale.
00:31:20His jaw drops, and I can smell his hero-worship from here.
00:31:24I am. She nods. This is my sister, Violet. She'll be a first-year.
00:31:30If she survives the parapet. Someone behind me snickers. Wind just might blow her right off.
00:31:37You fought at Strithmoor, the rider behind the desk says with awe.
00:31:41They gave you the order of the talent for taking out that battery behind enemy lines.
00:31:46The snickering stops. As I was saying, Meera puts a hand at the small of my back.
00:31:52This is my sister, Violet. You know the way. The captain nods and points to the open door into the
00:31:58turret. It looks ominously dark in there, and I find the urge to run like hell.
00:32:04I know the way, she assures him, leading me past the table so the snickering asshole behind me can
00:32:09sign the roll. We pause at the doorway and turn toward each other.
00:32:15Don't die, Violet. I'd hate to be an only child. She grins and walks away, sauntering past the line
00:32:21of gawking candidates as word spreads off exactly who she is and what she's done.
00:32:24Tough to live up to that, the woman ahead of me says from just inside the tower.
00:32:31It is, I agree, gripping the straps of my rucksack and heading into the darkness.
00:32:36My eyes adjust quickly to the dim light coming in through the equidistant windows along the curved
00:32:41staircase.
00:32:41Sorengale as in, the woman asks, looking over her shoulder as we begin to climb the hundreds of
00:32:48stairs that lead to our possible deaths. Yep, there's no railing, so I keep my hand on the
00:32:54stone wall as we rise higher and higher. The general, the blonde guy ahead of us asks.
00:33:00The same one, I answer, offering him a quick smile. Anyone whose mother holds on that tight can't be
00:33:07that bad, right? Wow, nice leathers, too. He smiles back. Thanks. They're courtesy of my sister.
00:33:17I wonder how many candidates have fallen off the edge of the steps and died before they even reach
00:33:21the parapet. The woman says, glancing down the center of the staircase as we climb higher.
00:33:27Two last year. I tilt my head when she glances back. Well, three if you count the girl one of the
00:33:33guys landed on. The woman's brown eyes flare, but she turns back around and keeps climbing.
00:33:39How many steps are there? She asks. 250, I answer, and we climb in silence for another five minutes.
00:33:47Not too bad, she says with a bright smile as we near the top and the line comes to a halt.
00:33:54I'm Rhiannon Matthias, by the way. Dylan, the blonde guy responds with an enthusiastic wave.
00:34:01Violet. I give them a tense smile of my own, blatantly ignoring Myra's earlier suggestion that
00:34:06I avoid friendships and only forge alliances. I feel like I've been waiting my entire life for this day.
00:34:14Dylan shifts his pack on his back. Can you believe we actually get to do this? It's a dream come true.
00:34:20Right. Naturally, every other candidate but me is excited to be here.
00:34:25This is the only quadrant at Biscayet that doesn't accept conscripts, only volunteers.
00:34:31I can't fucking wait. Rhiannon smile widens. I mean, who wouldn't want to ride a dragon?
00:34:36Me. Not that it doesn't sound fun in theory. It does. It's just the abhorrent odds of surviving
00:34:42to graduation that sour my stomach. Do your parents approve? Dylan asks.
00:34:48Because my mom's been begging me to change my mind for months. I keep telling her that I'll have
00:34:53better chances for advancement as a rider, but she wanted me to enter the healer quadrant.
00:35:01Mine always knew I wanted this, so they've been pretty supportive. Besides, they have my twin
00:35:07to dote on. Rhiannon's already living her dream, married and expecting a baby. Rhiannon glances back
00:35:13at me. What about you? Let me guess. With a name like Sorengale, I bet you were the first to volunteer
00:35:19this year. I was more like volume told. My answer is far less enthusiastic than hers. Gotcha.
00:35:27And riders do get way better perks than other officers, I say to Dylan as the line moves upward
00:35:32again. The snickering candidate behind me catches up, sweating and red. Look who isn't snickering
00:35:38now. Better pay, more leniency with the uniform policy, I continue. No one gives a shit what riders
00:35:45wear as long as it's black. The only rules that apply to riders are the ones I've memorized from
00:35:50the codex. And the right to call yourself a supreme badass, Rhiannon adds. That too, I agree. Pretty
00:35:58sure they issue you an ego with your flight leathers. Plus, I've heard that riders are allowed to marry
00:36:04sooner than the other quadrants, Dylan adds. True. Right after graduation. If we survive,
00:36:11I think it has something to do with wanting to continue bloodlines. Most successful riders are
00:36:16legacies. Or because we tend to die sooner than the other quadrants, Rhiannon muses.
00:36:24I'm not dying, Dylan says with way more confidence than I feel as he tugs a necklace from under his
00:36:29tunic to reveal a ring dangling from the chain. She said it would be bad luck to propose before I left,
00:36:35so be waiting until graduation. He kisses the ring and tucks the chain back under his collar.
00:36:40The next three years are going to be long ones, but they'll be
00:36:45Worth it. I keep my side to myself, though that might be the most romantic thing I've ever heard.
00:36:53You might make it across the parapet, the guy behind us sneers. This one here is a breeze away
00:36:58from the bottom of the ravine. I roll my eyes. Shut up and focus on yourself, Rhiannon snaps,
00:37:05her feet clicking against the stone as we climb. The top comes into sight, the doorway full of muddled
00:37:12light. Meera was right. Those clouds are going to wreak havoc on us, and we have to be on the other
00:37:18side of the parapet before they do. Another step, another tap of Rhiannon's feet.
00:37:24Let me see your boots, I say quietly so the jerk behind me can't hear. Her brow puckers, and confusion
00:37:31fills her brown eyes, but she shows me the soles. They're smooth, just like the ones I was wearing
00:37:36earlier. My stomach sinks like a rock. The line starts moving again, pausing when we're only a
00:37:42few feet from the opening. What size are your feet? I ask. What? Rhiannon blinks at me. Your feet.
00:37:50What size are they? Eight, she answers, two lines forming between her brows. I'm a seven, I say quickly.
00:37:58It will hurt like hell, but I want you to take my left boot. Trade with me. I have a dagger in the right
00:38:05one. I'm sorry. She looks at me like I've lost my mind, and maybe I have. These are rider boots.
00:38:12They'll grip the stone better. Your toes will be scrunched and generally miserable, but at least
00:38:17you'll have a shot at not falling off if that rain hits. Rhiannon glances toward the open door,
00:38:23and the darkening sky, then back to me. You're willing to trade a boot. Just until we get on the
00:38:29other side. I look through the open door. Three. Candidates are already walking across the parapet,
00:38:36their arms stretched out wide. But we have to be quick. It's almost our turn. Rhiannon purses her
00:38:43lips in debate for a second, then agrees, and we swap left boots. I barely finish lacing up before
00:38:49the line moves again, and the guy behind me shoves my lower back, sending me staggering onto the platform
00:38:55and into the open air. Let's go. Some of us have things to do on the other side. His voice grates
00:39:01on my last freaking nerve. You are not worth the effort right now, I mutter, gaining my balance
00:39:08as the wind whips at my skin, the midsummer morning thick with humidity. Good call on the braid, Meera.
00:39:16The top of the turret is bare, the crenellations of stone rising and falling along the circular
00:39:21structure at the height of my chest and doing nothing to obscure the view. The ravine and its
00:39:25river below suddenly feel very, very far. How many wagons do they have waiting down there?
00:39:31Five. Six. I know the stats. The parapet claims roughly 15% of the rider candidates. Every trial
00:39:38in the quadrant, including this one, is designed to test a cadet's ability to ride. If someone can't
00:39:44manage to walk the windy length of the slim stone bridge, then they show as hell can't keep their
00:39:48balance and fight on the back of a dragon. And as for the death rate, I guess every other rider
00:39:54thinks the risk is worth the glory, or has the arrogance to think they won't fall. I'm not in
00:40:00either camp. Nausea has me holding my stomach, and I breathe in through my nose and out through my
00:40:07mouth as I walk the edge behind Rhiannon and Dylan, my fingers skimming the stonework as we wind our way
00:40:12toward the parapet. Three riders wait at the entrance, which is nothing more than a gaping hole
00:40:18in the wall of the turret. One with ripped off sleeves records names as candidates step out onto
00:40:23the treacherous crossing. Another, who's shaved all. His hair with the exception of a strip down
00:40:31the top center, instructs Dylan as he moves into position, patting his chest like the ring hidden
00:40:36there will bring him luck. I hope it does. The third turns in my direction and my heart simply stops.
00:40:43He's tall, with windblown black hair and dark brows. The line of his Joe is strong and covered by warm
00:40:50tawny skin and dark stubble, and when he folds his arms across his torso, the muscles in his chest and
00:40:55arms ripple, moving in a way that makes me swallow. And his eyes, his eyes are the shade of gold fleck
00:41:01tonics. The contrast is startling, Joe dropping even, everything about him is. His features are so harsh that
00:41:08they look carved, and yet they're astonishingly perfect, like an artist worked a lifetime sculpting him,
00:41:13and at least a year of that was spent on his mouth. He's the most exquisite man I've ever seen.
00:41:21And living in the war college means I've seen a lot of men. Even the diagonal scar that bisects
00:41:27his left eyebrow and marks the top corner of his cheek only makes him hotter. Flaming hot. Scotching hot.
00:41:33Gets you into trouble and you like it level of hot. Suddenly, I can't remember exactly why
00:41:38Meera told me not to fuck around outside my ear group. See you two on the other side.
00:41:44Dylan says over his shoulder with an excited grin before stepping onto the parapet, his arms spread wide.
00:41:51Ready for the next one, Rioson. The rider with the ripped sleeves says.
00:41:56Zadon Rioson. You ready for this, Sorengale? Riannon asks, moving forward.
00:42:02The black-haired rider snaps his gaze to mine, turning fully toward me,
00:42:06and my heart thunders for all the wrong reasons. A rebellion relic, curving in dips and swirls,
00:42:12starts at his bare left wrist, then disappears under his black uniform to appear again at his collar,
00:42:18where it stretches and swirls up his neck, stopping at his jawline.
00:42:23Oh shit, I whisper, and his eyes narrow, as if he can hear me over there.
00:42:27Howl of wind that rips at my secured braid. Sorengale. He steps toward me, and I look up and up.
00:42:37Good gods, I don't even reach his collarbone. He's massive. He has to be more than four inches over
00:42:42six feet tall. I feel exactly what Mira called me, fragile, but I nod once, and the shining onyx of
00:42:50his eyes transforms to cold, unadulterated hatred. I can almost taste the loathing wafting off him like
00:42:56a bitter cologne. Violet. Riannon asks, moving forward. Your general Sorengale's youngest. His
00:43:04voice is deep and accusatory. Your Fendryosan son, I counter, the certainty of this revelation
00:43:10settling in my bones. I lift my chin and do my best to lock every muscle in my body so I don't
00:43:16start trembling. He will kill you the second he finds out who you are. Mira's words bounce around
00:43:23my skull, and fear knots in my throat. He's going to throw me over the edge. He's going to pick me up
00:43:29and drop me right off the turret. I'm never going to get the chance to even walk the parapet. I'll
00:43:35die being exactly what my mother's always danced around calling me weak. Zadon sucks in a deep breath,
00:43:41and the muscle in his jaw flexes once. Twice. Your mother captured my father and oversaw his execution.
00:43:48Wait. Like he has the only right to hatred here. Rage races through my veins. Your father killed my older
00:43:55brother. Seems like we're even. Hardly. His glaring gaze strokes over me like he's memorizing every
00:44:01detail or looking for any weakness. Your sister is a rider. Guess that explains the leathers.
00:44:07Guess so. I hold his glare, as if winning the staring competition will gain me entrance to the
00:44:12quadrant instead of crossing the parapet behind him. Either way, I'm getting across. Mira isn't
00:44:18going to lose both her siblings. His hands clench into fists, and he tenses.
00:44:23I prepare for the strike. He might throw me off this tower, but I won't.
00:44:29Make it easy for him. You all right. Rhiannon asks, her gaze jumping between Zadon and me.
00:44:36He glances at her. You're friends. We met on the stairs, she says, squaring her shoulders.
00:44:42He looks down, noting our mismatched shoes, and arches a brow. His hands relax. Interesting.
00:44:49Are you going to kill me? I lift my chin another inch. His gaze clashes with mine as the sky opens
00:44:55and rain falls in a deluge, soaking my hair, my leathers, and the stones around us in seconds.
00:45:02A scream rends the air, and Rhiannon and I both jerk our attention to the parapet just in time to see
00:45:07Dillon slip. I gasp, my heart jolting into my throat. He catches himself, hooking his arms over
00:45:14the stone bridges his feet kick beneath him, scrambling for a purchase that isn't there.
00:45:19Pull yourself up, Dillon. Rhiannon shouts, oh gods. My hand flies to cover my mouth, but he loses his
00:45:26grip on the water's slick stone and falls, disappearing from view. The wind and rain steal any sound his body
00:45:32might make in the valley below. They steal the sound of my muffled cry, too. The Riders' Quadrant.
00:45:38Riders, as a whole, aren't out to assassinate other cadets, unless there's a shortage of dragons that
00:45:43year or a cadet is a liability to their wing. Then things may get interesting.
00:45:49Major Offender's Guide to the Riders' Quadrant, U-N-A-U-T-H-O-R-I-Z-E-D Edition.
00:45:55Chapter 2. I Will Not Die Today.
00:45:57The words become my mantra, repeating in my head as Rhiannon gives her name to the
00:46:03rider-keeping tally at the opening to the parapet. The hatred in Zadon's stare burns the
00:46:08side of my face like a palpable flame, and even the rain pelting my skin with each gust of wind
00:46:13doesn't ease the heat, or the shiver of dread that jolts down my spine.
00:46:18Dillon is dead. He's just a name, another soon-to-be stone in the endless graveyards that line
00:46:23the roads to Basquiat, another warning to the ambitious candidates who would rather chance
00:46:28their lives with the riders than choose the security of any other quadrant.
00:46:32I get it now, why Meera warned me not to make friends.
00:46:36Rhiannon rips both sides of the opening in the turret, then looks over her shoulder at me.
00:46:41I'll wait for you on the other side, she shouts over the storm. The fear in her eyes mirrors my own.
00:46:48I'll see you on the other side. I nod and even manage a grimace of a smile.
00:46:54She steps out onto the parapet and begins walking, and even though I'm sure his hands are full today,
00:46:59I send up a silent prayer to Zinal, the god of
00:47:04Luck. Name. The rider at the edge asks as his partner
00:47:07holds a cloak over the scroll in a pointless attempt to keep the paper dry.
00:47:13While at Zorangel, I answer as thunder cracks above me, the sound oddly comforting.
00:47:18I've always loved the nights where storms beat against the fortress window,
00:47:21both illuminating and throwing shadows over the books I curled up with, though this downpour might
00:47:26just cost me my life. With a quick glance, I see Dylan's and Rhiannon's names already blurring at
00:47:31the end where water has met ink. It's the last time Dylan's name will be written anywhere but his stone.
00:47:37There will be another roll at the end of the parapet so the scribes have their beloved statistics for
00:47:42casualties. In another life, it would be me reading and recording the data for historical analysis.
00:47:48Sorengale. The rider looks up, his eyebrows rising in surprise. As in General Sorengale.
00:47:55The saying, damn, that's already getting old, and I know it's only going to get worse.
00:48:01There's no avoiding the comparison to my mother, not when she's the commander here.
00:48:05Even worse, they probably think I'm a naturally gifted rider like Mira or a brilliant strategist
00:48:10like Brennan was. Or they'll take one look at me, realize I'm nothing like the three of them,
00:48:16and declare open season. I place my hands on either side of the turret and drag my fingertips across
00:48:22the stone. It's still warm from the morning sun but rapidly cooling from the rain, slick but not
00:48:27slippery from moss growth or anything. Ahead of me, Rhiannon is making her way across,
00:48:33her hands out for balance. She's probably a fourth of the way,
00:48:37her figure becoming blurrier the farther she walks into the rain.
00:48:42I thought she only had one daughter. The other rider asks, angling the cloak as another gust of
00:48:47wind blows into us. If it's this windy here, my bottom half sheltered by the turret,
00:48:52then I'm about to be in for a world of hurt on the parapet. I get that a lot. In through my nose,
00:48:59out through my mouth, I force my breathing to calm, my heart rate to slow from its gallop.
00:49:03If I panic, I'll die. If I slip, I'll die. If I, oh, fuck it. There's nothing more I can do to prepare
00:49:11for this. I take the lone step up onto the parapet and grip the stone wall as another gust hits,
00:49:17knocking me sideways against the opening in the turret.
00:49:21And you think you'll be able to ride. The asshole candidate behind me mocks. Some
00:49:26Sorengale, with that kind of balance. I pity whatever wing you end up in. I regain my balance
00:49:32and yank the straps of my pack tighter. Name. The rider asks again, but I know he's not talking to me.
00:49:39Jack Barlow, the one behind me answers. Remember the name. I'm going to be a wingledder one day.
00:49:45Even his voice reeks of arrogance. You'd better get going, Sorengale, Zadin's deep voice orders.
00:49:52I look over my shoulder and see him pinning me with a glare. Unless you need a little motivation.
00:49:58Jack lunges forward, his hands raised. Holy shit, he's going to shove me off.
00:50:04Fear shoots through my veins, and I move, leaving the safety of the turret as I bolt onto the parapet.
00:50:10There's no going back now. My heart beats so hard that I hear it in my ears like a drum.
00:50:15Keep your eyes on the stones ahead of you and don't look down. Myra's advice echoes in my head,
00:50:22but it's hard to heed it when every step could be my last. I throw my arms out for balance,
00:50:27then take the measured mini strides I practiced with Major Gilstead in the courtyard. But with the
00:50:33wind, the rain, and the 200 foot drop, this is nothing like practice. The stones beneath my feet
00:50:39are uneven in places, held together by mortar in the joints that make it easy to trip, and I concentrate on
00:50:44the path ahead of me to keep my eyes off my boots. My muscles are tight as I lock my center of gravity,
00:50:50keeping my posture upright. My head swims as my pulse skyrockets. Calm. I have to stay calm.
00:50:59I can't carry a tune, or even decently hum, so singing for a distraction is out, but I am a scholar.
00:51:06There's nowhere as calming as the archives, so that's what I think of. Facts. Logic. History.
00:51:12Your mind already knows the answer, so just calm down and let it remember. That's what Dad always
00:51:19told me. I need something to keep the logical side of my brain from turning around and walking
00:51:24straight back to the turret. The continent is home to two kingdoms, and we've been at war for 400 years.
00:51:31I recite, using the basic, simple data that has been drilled into me for easy recall in preparation for
00:51:37the scribes' test. Step after step, I make my way across the parapet. Navarre, my home, is the larger
00:51:44kingdom, with six unique provinces. Tyrenda, our southernmost and largest province, shares its border
00:51:50with the province of Krogla within the Poromi kingdom. Each word calms my breathing and steadies
00:51:55my heart rate, lessening the dizziness.
00:51:57To our east lie the remaining two Poromi provinces of Brabic Insignison, with the Espen mountains
00:52:04providing a natural border. I pass the painted line that marks halfway. I'm over the highest point
00:52:10now, but I can't think about that. Don't look down. Beyond Krogla, beyond our enemy, lie the distant
00:52:16barons, a desert. Thunder cracks, the wind slams into me, and I flail my arms. Shit. My body sways left with
00:52:25the gale, and I drop to the parapet, holding onto the edges and crouching so I don't lose my footing,
00:52:31making myself as small as possible as the wind howls over and around me. Stomach churning, I feel
00:52:36my lungs threaten to hyperventilate as panic seizes me at knife point. Within Navarre, Tyrenda was the
00:52:44last of the bordering provinces to join the alliance and swear fealty to King Reginald. I shout into the
00:52:50howling wind, forcing my mind to keep moving against the very real threat of paralyzing anxiety.
00:52:55It was also the only province to attempt secession.
00:53:00627 years later, which would have eventually left our kingdom defenseless had they been successful.
00:53:07Rhiannon is still ahead of me, at what I think is the three quarters point. Good. She deserves to make it.
00:53:14The kingdom of Poromil mainly consists of arable plains and marshlands and is known for exceptional
00:53:20textiles, endless fields of grain, and unique crystalline gems capable of amplifying minor magics.
00:53:27I spare only a quick glance at the dark clouds above me before inching forward,
00:53:31one foot carefully placed in front of the other. In contrast, Navarre's mountainous regions offer
00:53:36an abundance in ore, hardy timber from my eastern provinces, and limitless deer and elk.
00:53:41My next step knocks a couple of pieces of motor loose, and I pause as my arms wobble until I
00:53:48regain my balance. I swallow and test my weight before moving forward again.
00:53:55The trade agreement of Rhiannon, signed more than 200 years ago, ensures the exchange of meat and
00:54:00lumber from Nava for the cloth and agriculture within Poromi four times a year at the Athabine
00:54:05outpost on the border of Krogla and Tirinder. I can see the riders' quadrant from here.
00:54:10The enormous stone footings of the citadel rise up the mountain to the base of the structure,
00:54:15where I know this path ends if I can just get there. Scraping the rain from my face with the
00:54:19leather on my shoulder, I glance back to see where Jack is. He stalled at just after the quarter mark,
00:54:26his stocky form standing still, like he's waiting for something. His hands are at his sides. The wind
00:54:32seems to have no effect on his balance, lucky bastard. I swear he's grinning across the distance,
00:54:38but it could just be the rain in my eyes. I can't stay here. Living to see the sunrise means I have
00:54:44to keep moving. Fear can't rule my body. Squeezing the muscles of my legs together for balance,
00:54:50I slowly let go of the stone beneath me and stand. Arms out. Walk.
00:54:55Walk. I need to get as far as possible before the next gust of wind.
00:55:01I look back over my shoulder to see where Jack is, and my blood chills to ice.
00:55:06He's turned his back on me and is facing the next candidate, who wobbles dangerously as he approaches.
00:55:12Jack grabs the gangly boy by the straps of his over-packed rucksack, and I watch, shock-locking
00:55:18my muscles, as Jack throws the scrawny candidate from the parapet like a sack of grain. A scream
00:55:24reaches my ears for an instant before fading as he falls out of sight. Holy shit. You're next,
00:55:31Sorengale. Jack bellows, and I jerk my gaze from the ravine to see him pointing at me,
00:55:36a sinister smile curving his mouth. Then he comes for me, his strides eating up the distance between
00:55:42us with horrifying speed. Move. Now. Tyrenda encompasses the south-west of the continent,
00:55:49I recite, my steps even but panicked on the slick, narrow path, my left foot slipping a little at
00:55:55the beginning of each step. Made up of hostile, mountainous terrain and bordered by the emerald
00:56:00sea to the west and the arctile ocean too. The south, Tyrenda is nearly impenetrable. Though
00:56:07separated geographically by the cliffs of drulla, a natural protective barrier, another gust slams
00:56:12into me, and my foot slips off the parapet. My heart lurches. The parapet rushes up to meet me
00:56:19as I stumble and fall. My knee slams into the stone, and I yelp at the sharp bite of pain.
00:56:25My hands scramble for purchase as my left leg dangles off the edge of this bridge from hell,
00:56:29Jack not far behind now. Then I make the gut twisting error of looking down.
00:56:33Water runs off my nose and chin, splattering against the stone before falling to join the
00:56:40river gushing through the valley more than 200 feet below. I swallow the growing knot in my throat
00:56:45and blink, fighting to. Steady my heart rate. I will not die today.
00:56:52Ripping the sides of the stone, I brace as much of my weight as I can trust on the slick stones to
00:56:57hold and swing my left leg up. The ball of my foot finds the walkway. From here, there aren't enough
00:57:03facts in the world to steady my thoughts. I need to get my right foot under me,
00:57:08the one that has better traction, but one wrong move and I'll find out just how cold that river
00:57:12is beneath me. You'll be dead on impact. I'm coming for you, Sorengale. I hear from behind me.
00:57:21I shove off the stone and pray my boots find the pathway as I burst to my feet. If I fall,
00:57:27fine, that would be my error. But I'm not about to let this asshole murder me. Best to get to the
00:57:32other side, where the rest of the murderers wait. Not that everyone in the quadrant is going to try
00:57:38to kill me, just the cadets who think I'll be a liability to the wing. There's a reason strength
00:57:43is revered among riders. A squad, a section, erbing is only as effective as its weakest link,
00:57:49and if that link breaks, it puts everyone in danger. Jack either thinks I'm that link or he's
00:57:55an unstable asshole who just enjoys killing. Probably both. Either way, I need to move faster.
00:58:01Throwing my arms out to the side, I focus on the end of the path, the courtyard of the citadel,
00:58:07where Rhiannon steps to safety, and I hustle despite the rain. I keep my body tight, my center locked,
00:58:14and for once I'm grateful I'm shorter than most. Will you scream the whole way down? Jack mocks,
00:58:20still shouting, but his voice is closer. He's gaining on me. There's no room for fear,
00:58:26so I block it out, envisioning shoving the emotion behind locked iron bars in my mind.
00:58:31I can see the end of the parapet now, the riders who wait at the entrance to the citadel.
00:58:37There's no way someone who can't even carry a full rucksack past the.
00:58:43Entrance exam. You're a mistake,
00:58:45Sorengale, Jack calls out, his voice clearer, but I don't chance losing my speed to check how far he is
00:58:50behind me. It's really for the best that I take you out now, don't you think? It's so much more
00:58:56merciful than letting the dragons have at you. They'll start to eat your leg by rickety leg while
00:59:01you're still alive. Come on, he cajoles. It will be my pleasure to help you out.
00:59:07The fuck you will, I mutter. There are only a dozen feet left to the outside of the citadel's
00:59:13enormous walls. My left foot slips, and I wobble, but I only lose a heartbeat before I'm moving
00:59:18forward again. The fortress looms behind those thick battlements, carved into the mountain in
00:59:23an L-shaped formation of tall stone buildings, built to withstand fire, for obvious reasons.
00:59:29The walls that surround the citadel's courtyard are ten feet thick and eight feet tall,
00:59:33with one opening, and I'm just about there. I bite back a sob of relief as stone rises up on
00:59:40both sides of me. You think you'll be safe in there? Jack's voice is harsh and close. Secure on
00:59:47both sides by the walls, I run the last ten feet, my heart pounding as adrenaline pushes my body to its
00:59:53max, and his footsteps charge behind me. He lunges for my pack and misses, his hand hitting my hip as we
00:59:59reach the edge. I hurtle forward, jumping the twelve inches of the elevated parapet down to the courtyard,
01:00:05where two riders wait. Jack roars in frustration, and the sound rips my heaving chest like a vice.
01:00:12Spinning, I rip a dagger from its sheath at my ribs just as Jack skids to a halt above me on the parapet,
01:00:18his breath choppy and his face ruddy. Murder is etched in his narrowed, glacial blue eyes as he glares down
01:00:24at me, and where the tip of my dagger now indents the fabric of his breeches against his balls.
01:00:30I think I'll be safe. For right now, I manage between ragged breaths, my muscles trembling but
01:00:36my hand more than steady. Will you? Jack vibrates with rage, his thick blonde brows slashing down over
01:00:43arctic blue eyes, every line of his monstrous frame leaning my way. But he doesn't take another step.
01:00:50It is unlawful for a rider to cause another harm. While in a quadrant formation or in the supervisory,
01:00:57presence of a superior ranking cadet, I recite from the codex, my heartbeat still in my throat.
01:01:02As it will diminish the efficacy of the wing. And given the crowd behind us,
01:01:07I think it's clear to Ayu that it's a formation.
01:01:10Article 3, Section
01:01:12I don't give a shit. He moves, but I hold my ground, and my dagger slices through the first layer of his
01:01:18breeches. I suggest you reconsider. I adjust my stance just in case he doesn't. I might slip.
01:01:25Name. The rider next to me draws, as if we're the least interesting thing she's seen today.
01:01:31I glance in her direction for a millisecond. She pushes the chin length, fire red strands of her
01:01:36hair behind her ear with one hand and holds the roll with the other, watching the scene play out.
01:01:41The three silver four-point stars embroidered on the shoulder of her cloak tell me she's a third year.
01:01:46You're pretty small for a rider, but it looks like you made it.
01:01:52While at Sorengale, I answer, but a hundred percent of my focus is on Jack again.
01:01:57The rain drips off the lowered ridge of his brow. And before you ask, yes, I'm that Sorengale.
01:02:03Not surprised, with that maneuver, the woman says, holding a pen like mom uses over the roll.
01:02:08It might be the nicest compliment I've ever been given.
01:02:13And what's your name? She asks again. Pretty sure she's asking Jack, but I'm too busy studying my
01:02:19opponent to glance her way. Jack. Barlow. There's no sinister little smile on his lips or playful
01:02:25taunts about how he'll enjoy killing me now. There's nothing but pure malice in his features,
01:02:30promising retribution. The chill of apprehension lifts the hairs on my neck.
01:02:36Well, Jack, the male rider on my right says slowly, scratching the trim.
01:02:43Lines off his dark goatee. He's not wearing a cloak,
01:02:46and the rain soaks into the bevy of patches stitched into a worn leather jacket.
01:02:50Cadet Sorengale has you by the actual balls here. In more ways than one.
01:02:55She's right. Regs state that there's nothing but respect among riders at formation.
01:02:59You want to kill her, you'll have to do it in the sparring ring or on your own time.
01:03:04That is, if she decides to let you off the parapet. Because technically,
01:03:08you're not on the grounds yet, so you are not a cadet. She is.
01:03:13And if I decide to snap her neck the second I step down.
01:03:17Jack growls, and the look in his eye says he'll do it.
01:03:20Then you get to meet the dragons early, the redhead answers, her tone bland.
01:03:26We don't wait for trials around here. We just execute.
01:03:30What's it going to be, Sorengale? The male rider asks.
01:03:34You're going to have Jack here start as a eunuch.
01:03:37Shit. What is it going to be? I can't kill him, not at this angle,
01:03:41and slicing off his balls is only going to make him hate me more, if possible.
01:03:45Are you going to follow the rules? I ask Jack. My head is buzzing, and my arm feels so damned heavy,
01:03:53but I keep my knife on target. Guess I don't have a choice. A corner of his mouth tilts into a sneer,
01:04:00and his posture relaxes as he raises his hand. I lower my dagger but keep it palmed and ready
01:04:06as I move sideways, toward the redhead keeping roll. Jack steps down into the courtyard,
01:04:12his shoulder knocking mine as he walks by, pausing to lean in close. You're dead, Sorengale,
01:04:18and I'm going to be the one to kill you. Known for their formidable size,
01:04:21they are the most ruthless, especially in the case of the rare blue dagger tail,
01:04:25whose knife-like spikes at the tip of their tail can disembowel an enemy with one flick.
01:04:29Colonel Kaori's Field Guide to D-R-A-G-O-N-K-I-N-D
01:04:36Chapter 3
01:04:38If Jack wants to kill me, he needs to get in line. Besides,
01:04:42I have a feeling Zaden Ryosun is going to beat him to it.
01:04:47Not today, I respond to Jack, the hilt of my dagger solid in my hand,
01:04:51and I somehow manage to suppress a shudder as he leans over and breathes in.
01:04:55He's scenting me like a fucking dog. Then he scoffs and walks off into the crowd of
01:04:59celebrating cadets and riders that's gathered in the sizeable courtyard of the citadel.
01:05:05It's still early, probably around 9, but already I see there aren't as many cadets as there were
01:05:10candidates ahead of me in line. Based on the overwhelming presence of leather,
01:05:15both the second and third years are here as well, taking stock of the new cadets.
01:05:19The rain eases into a drizzle, as if it had only come to make the hardest test of my life even
01:05:26harder, but I did it. I'm alive. I made it.
01:05:31My body begins to tremble, and a throbbing pain erupts in my left knee, the one I slammed on the
01:05:36parapet. I take a step, and it threatens to give out on me. I need to bind it before anyone notices.
01:05:42I think you made an enemy there, the redhead says, casually shifting the lethal crossbow she wears
01:05:49strapped along her shoulder. She glances at me over the scroll with a shrewd look in her hazel eyes
01:05:54as she looks me up and down. I'd watch your back with that one if I were you. I nod. I'm going to
01:06:00have to watch my back and every other part of my body. The next candidate approaches from the parapet as
01:06:07someone rips my shoulders from behind and spins me. My dagger is halfway up when I realize it's
01:06:13Sreyanan. We made it. She grins, giving my shoulders a squeeze. We made it, I repeat with a forced smile.
01:06:21My thighs are shaking now, but I manage to sheathe my dagger at my ribs. Now that we're here,
01:06:27both cadets, can I trust her? I can't thank you enough. There were at least three times I would
01:06:33have fallen off if you hadn't helped me. You were right, those soles were slick as shit.
01:06:38Have you seen the people around here? I swear I just saw a second deer with pink streaks in her hair,
01:06:44and one guy has dragon scales to chewed up his entire biceps.
01:06:49Conformity is for the infantry, I say as she loops her arm through mine and tugs me along toward the
01:06:54crowd. My knee screams, pain radiating up to my hip and down to my foot, and I limp, my weight falling
01:07:00into Rhiannon's side. Damn it. Where did this nausea come from? Why can't I stop shaking? I'm going to
01:07:08fall any second now, there's no way my body can remain upright with this earthquake in my legs
01:07:12or the whirring in my head. Speaking of which, she says, glancing down. We need to trade boots.
01:07:20There's a bench. A tall figure in a pristine black uniform steps out of the crowd, charging toward us,
01:07:27and though Rhiannon manages to dodge, I stumble smack into his chest. Violet. Strong hands catch
01:07:35my elbows to steady me, and I look up into a pair of familiar, striking brown eyes, flared wide in
01:07:41obvious shock. Relief sweeps through me, and I try to smile, but it probably comes out like a distorted
01:07:48grimace. He seems taller than he was last summer, the beard that cuts across his jaw is new, and he's
01:07:54filled out in a way that makes me blink, or maybe that's just my vision going hazy at the edges.
01:07:59The beautiful, easygoing smile that starred in way too many of my fantasies is far from the scowl that
01:08:05purses his mouth, and everything about him seems a little, harder, but it works for him. The line of
01:08:11his chin, the set of his brow, even the muscles of his biceps are rigid under my fingers as I try to
01:08:16find my balance. Sometime in the last year, Daneitos went from attractive and cute to gorgeous.
01:08:23And I'm about to be sick all over his boots. What the hell are you doing here? He barks,
01:08:29the shock in his eyes transforming to something foreign, something deadly. This isn't the same boy
01:08:35I grew up with. He's a second year rider now. Dane. It's good to see you. That's an understatement,
01:08:41but the trembles turn to full-on shakes, and bile creeps up my throat, dizziness only making the
01:08:46nausea worse. My knees give out. Damn it, Violet, he mutters, hauling me back to my feet. With one
01:08:54hand on my back and the other under my elbow, he quickly guides me away from the crowd and into
01:08:59an alcove in the wall, close to the first defensive turret of the citadel. It's a shady, hidden spot with
01:09:05a hard wooden bench, which he sits me on, then helps me out of my rucksack. Speed floods my
01:09:11mouth. I'm going to be sick. Head between your knees, Dane orders in a harsh tone I'm not used to
01:09:18from him, but I do it. He rubs circles on my lower back as I breathe in through my nose and out through
01:09:23my mouth. It's the adrenaline. Give it a minute and it'll pass. I hear approaching footsteps on the
01:09:30gravel. Who they? Hell are you? I'm Rhiannon. I'm Violet's, friend. I stare at the gravel under my
01:09:38mismatched boots and will the meager contents of my stomach to stay put. Listen to me, Rhiannon.
01:09:45Violet is fine, he commands. And if anyone asks, then you tell them exactly what I said,
01:09:50that it's just the adrenaline working out of her system. Understand.
01:09:54It's no one's business what's going on with Violet, she retorts, her tone just as sharp as his.
01:10:01So I wouldn't say shit. Especially not when she's the reason I made it across the parapet.
01:10:08You'd better mean that, he warns, the bite in his voice at odds with the ceaseless,
01:10:12comforting circles he makes on my back. I could ask you just who the hell you are, she retorts.
01:10:18He's one of my oldest friends. The tremble slowly subside, and the nausea vanes,
01:10:24but I'm not sure if it's from timing or my position, so I keep my head between my knees
01:10:29while I manage to unlace my left boot. Oh, Rhiannon answers. And a second-year rider,
01:10:36cadet, he growls. Gravel crunches, like Rhiannon has backed up a step.
01:10:41No one can see you here, V, so take your time, Dane says softly. Because puking my guts up after
01:10:49surviving the parapet and the asshole who wanted to throw me off it would be considered weak.
01:10:54I rise slowly, sitting upright. Exactly, he answers. Are you hurt?
01:10:59His gaze rakes over me with a desperate edge, like he needs to see every inch for himself.
01:11:06My knee is sore, I admit in a whisper, because it's Dane.
01:11:09Dane, whom I've known since we were five and six. Dane, whose father is one of my mother's
01:11:14most trusted advisors. Dane, who held me together when Meera left for the riders quadrant and again
01:11:20when Brennan died. He takes my chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning my face left.
01:11:29And right for his inspection. That's all. You're sure? His hands run down my sides and paws at my ribs.
01:11:35Are you wearing daggers? Rhiannon takes my boot off and sighs in relief, wiggling her toes.
01:11:41I nod. Three at my ribs and one in my boot. Thank gods, or I'm not sure I'd be sitting here right now.
01:11:48Huh. He drops his hands and looks at me like he's never seen me before,
01:11:52like I'm a complete stranger, but then he blinks and it's gone.
01:11:56Get your boots switched. You two look ridiculous. We, do you trust this one? He nods toward Rhiannon.
01:12:04She could have waited for me at the security of the citadel walls and thrown me off just like Jack
01:12:08tried to do, but she didn't. I nod. I trust her as much as anyone can trust another first year around
01:12:15here. All right. He stands and turns toward her. There are sheets at the sides of his leathers, too,
01:12:22but there are daggers in each of them, where mine are still empty. I'm day natos, and I'm the leader
01:12:27for second squad, flame section, second wing. Squad leader. My brows jump. The highest ranks among
01:12:35the cadets in the quadrant are wing leader and section leader. Both positions are held by elite
01:12:40third years. Second years can rise to squad leaders, but only if they're exceptional. Everyone else is
01:12:46simply a cadet before threshing, when the dragons choose who they will bond, and a rider after.
01:12:51People die too often around here to hand out ranks prematurely.
01:12:56Parapet should be over in the next couple of hours, depending on how fast the candidates cross or fall.
01:13:02Go find the redhead with the roll, she's usually carrying a crossbow,
01:13:05and tell her that day natos put both you and Violet Sorengale into his squad.
01:13:10If she questions you, tell her she owes me from saving her ass at threshing last year.
01:13:14I'll bring Violet back to the courtyard shortly.
01:13:17Rhiannon glances at me, and I nod. Go before someone sees us, Dane barks.
01:13:25Going, she answers, shoving her foot into her boot and lacing it quickly as I do the same with mine.
01:13:32You crossed the parapet with an equestrian boot too big for you.
01:13:35Dane asks, glaring down at me with incredulity. She would have died without trading mine.
01:13:41I stand and winces my knee objects and tries to buckle.
01:13:46And you're going to die if we don't find you a way out of here.
01:13:49He offers his arm. Take it. We need to get you to my room.
01:13:53You need to wrap that knee. His eyebrows rise.
01:13:56Unless you found some miracle cure I don't know about in the last year.
01:13:59I shake my head and take his arm. Damn it, Violet. Damn it.
01:14:05He tucks mine discreetly against his side, grabs my rucksack with his empty hand,
01:14:10then leads me into a tunnel at the end of the alcove in the outer wall I hadn't even seen.
01:14:15Mage lights flicker on in the sconces as we pass an extinguish after we go by.
01:14:19You're not supposed to be here.
01:14:21Well aware. I let myself limp a little, since no one can see us now.
01:14:27You're supposed to be in the scribe quadrant, he sees, leading me through the tunnel in the wall.
01:14:32What the hell happened? Please tell me you did not volunteer for the rider's quadrant.
01:14:37What do you think happened? I challenge as we reach a wrought iron gate that looks like it was
01:14:41built to keep out a troll, or a dragon. He curses. Your mother.
01:14:46My mother. I nod. Every Sorengale is a rider, don't you know?
01:14:51We make it to a set of circular steps, and Dane leads me up past the first and second floor,
01:14:57stopping us on the third and pushing open another gate that creaks with the sound of metal on metal.
01:15:03This is the second ear floor, he explains quietly. Which means,
01:15:08I'm not supposed to be up here, obviously. I tuck in a little closer.
01:15:14Don't worry, if someone sees us, I'll just say that I was overcome with lust at first sight and
01:15:19couldn't wait another second to get you out of your pants.
01:15:23Ever the smart ass. A wry smile tugs at his lips as we start down the hall.
01:15:29I can throw in a few oh, Dane cries once we're in your room just for believability.
01:15:34I offer, and actually mean it.
01:15:37He snots as he drops my pack in front of a wooden door, then makes a twisting motion with his hand in
01:15:42front of the handle. A lock audibly clicks. You have powers, I say.
01:15:48It's not news, of course. He's a second year rider, and all riders can perform lesser magics
01:15:54once their dragons choose to channel their power, but it's Dane.
01:15:58Don't look so surprised. He rolls his eyes and opens the door, carrying my pack as he helps me inside.
01:16:04His room is simple, with a bed, dresser, desk, and wardrobe. There's nothing personal about it other
01:16:11than a few books on his desk. I note with a tiny burst of satisfaction that one is the tome on
01:16:17the Kroland language that I gave him before he left last summer. He's always had a gift for languages.
01:16:23Even the blanket on his bed is simple, rider black, as if he might forget why he's here while sleeping.
01:16:29The window is arched, and I move toward it. I can see the rest of Basquiat across the ravine through
01:16:34the clear glass. It's the same war college and yet an entire world away. There are two more candidates
01:16:41on the parapet, but I look away before I can feel invested just to watch them fall. There is only
01:16:46so much death one person can take in a day, and I'm at my fucking maximum. Do you have wraps in here?
01:16:53He hands me the rucksack. Got them all from Major Gilstead, I answer with a nod, plopping down on the
01:17:00edge of his expertly made bed and starting to dig through my pack. Luckily for me, Mira is an infinitely
01:17:06better packer than I am, and the wraps are easy to spot. Make yourself at home. He grins, leaning back
01:17:15against the closed door and hooking one ankle over the other. As much as I hate that you're here,
01:17:20I have to say it's more than nice to see your face, V. I look up, and our eyes meet. The tension
01:17:26that's been in my chest for the last week, hell, the last six months eases, and for a second, it's
01:17:31just us. I've missed you. Maybe it's exposing a weakness, but I don't care. Dane knows almost
01:17:37everything there is to know about me anyway. Yeah, I've missed you, too, he says quietly, his eyes
01:17:44softening. My chest draws tight, and there's an awareness between us, an almost tangible sense of
01:17:50anticipation as he looks at me. Maybe after all these years, we're finally on the same page when
01:17:55it comes to wanting each other. Or maybe he's just relieved to see an old friend. You'd better get that
01:18:01leg wrapped. He turns around to face the door. I won't look. It's nothing you haven't seen before.
01:18:08I arch my hips and shimmy my leather pants down past my thighs and over my knees. Shit. The one on the
01:18:14left is swollen. If anyone else had taken that stumble, they would have ended up with a bruise,
01:18:19maybe even a scrape. But me. I have to fix it so my kneecap stays where it's supposed to.
01:18:25It's not just my muscles that are weak. My ligaments that hold my joints together don't work for shit,
01:18:31either. Yeah, well, we're not sneaking away to swim in the river, are we? He teases.
01:18:38We grew up together through every post our parents had been stationed at,
01:18:41and no matter where we were, we always managed to find a place to swim and trees to climb.
01:18:48I fasten the wrap at the top of my knee, then wind and secure the joint in the same way I've done
01:18:53since I was old enough for the healers to teach me. It's a practice motion that I could do in my sleep,
01:18:59and the familiarity of it is almost soothing, if it didn't mean I was starting in the quadrant wounded.
01:19:05As soon as I get it fastened with the little metal clasp, I stand and tug my
01:19:11leathers back up over my ass and button them. All covered. He turns and glances over me. You look
01:19:17different. It's the leathers. I shrug. Why? Is different bad? It takes a second to close my
01:19:23rucksack and haul it up and over my shoulders. Thank you, gods, the ache in my knee is manageable with it
01:19:29bound like this. It's just, he shakes his head slowly, teasing his lower lip with his teeth.
01:19:36Different. Why, dey natos. I grin and walk toward him, then grasp the door handle at his side.
01:19:43You've seen me in swimwear, tunics, and even ball gowns. Are you telling me it's the leather that
01:19:48does it for you? He scoffs, but there's a slight flush to his cheeks as his hand covers mine to open
01:19:54the door. Glad to see our ear apart hasn't dulled your tongue, wee. Oh, I toss over my shoulder as
01:20:01we walk into the hallway. I can do quite a few things with my tongue. You'd be impressed. My
01:20:06smile is so wide that it almost hurts. And just for a second, I forget that we're in the riders'
01:20:11quadrant or that I've just survived the parapet. His eyes heat. Guess he's forgotten, too. Then again,
01:20:18Myra's always made it clear that riders aren't an inhibited bunch behind these walls. There's not
01:20:23much reason to deny yourself when you might not live through tomorrow. We have to get you out of here,
01:20:30he says, shaking his head like he needs to clear it. Then he does the hand thing again,
01:20:35and I hear the lock slide into place. There's no one in the hallway, and we make it to the stairwell
01:20:41quickie. Thanks, I say as we start descending. My knee feels way better now. I still can't believe
01:20:48your mother thought putting you into the riders' quadrant was a good idea. I can practically feel
01:20:53the anger vibrating off him next to me as we walk down the stairs. There's no banister on his side,
01:20:59but he doesn't seem to mind, even though a single misstep would be the end of him. Me neither.
01:21:05She announced her decree about which quadrant I choose. Last spring, after I passed the initial
01:21:12entrance exam, and I immediately started working with Major Gilstead. He'll be so proud when he
01:21:17reads the rules tomorrow and sees that I'm not on them. There's a door at the bottom of this stairwell,
01:21:24below the main level, that leads to the passage into the heeless quadrant farther up the ravine,
01:21:29he says as we approach the first floor. We'll get you through that and into the scribe quadrant.
01:21:35What? I stop as my feet hit the polished stone landing at the main floor, but he continues downward.
01:21:42He's already three steps beneath me when he realizes I'm not with him.
01:21:46The scribe quadrant, he says slowly, turning to face me.
01:21:51This angle makes me taller than he is, and I glare down at him.
01:21:55I can't go to the scribe quadrant, ding. I'm sorry. His eyebrows fly up.
01:22:01She won't stand for it. I shake my head.
01:22:04His mouth opens, then shuts, and his fists clench at his sides.
01:22:09This place will kill you, Violet. You can't stay here. Everyone will understand.
01:22:14You didn't volunteer, not really.
01:22:17Anger bristles up my spine, and my gaze narrows on him.
01:22:20Ignoring who did it did not volunteer me, I snap, one, I'm well aware of what my chances are here,
01:22:26ding, and two, usually fifteen percent of candidates don't make it past the parapet,
01:22:31and I'm still standing, so I guess I'm beating those odds already.
01:22:35He backs up another step. I'm not saying you didn't just kick absolute ass by getting here,
01:22:41we. But you have to leave. You'll break the first time they put you in the sparring ring,
01:22:46and that's before the dragons sense that you're. He shakes his head and looks away,
01:22:51his jaw clenching.
01:22:53I'm what? My hackers rise. Go ahead and say it. When they sense I'm less than the others.
01:22:58Is that what you mean?
01:23:00Damn it. He rakes his hand over his clothes cropped like brown curls.
01:23:04Stop putting words in my mouth. You know what I mean. Even if you survive to threshing,
01:23:10there's no guarantee a dragon will bond you. As it was, last year we had 34 unbonded cadets who
01:23:16have just been sitting around, waiting to restart the year with this class to get a chance at bonding
01:23:21again, and they're all perfectly healthy. Don't be an asshole. My stomach falls. Just because he
01:23:28might be right doesn't mean I want to hear it, or want to be called unhealthy.
01:23:32I'm trying to keep you alive. He shouts, his voice echoing off the stone of the stairwell.
01:23:38If we get you to the scribe quadrant right now, you can still ace their test and have
01:23:42a phenomenal story to tell when you're out drinking. I take you back out there,
01:23:47he points to the doorway that leads to the courtyard, it's out of my hands.
01:23:50I can't protect you here. Not fully. I'm not asking you.