Wisteria Colland has prepared her entire life for the Rider's Quadrant. Why would you go into infantry or the scribes when you could have the chance to bond a dragon? But things aren't as simple as Wisteria had hoped when she gets herself tangled up...
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Once again, I stand at the base of the Gauntlet. But this time, the sun is shining, my squadmates cluster around me, and the tension in the air is thoroughly saturated with anticipation and tension. But not for the Gauntlet. No, this apprehension and fear is for what comes after the Gauntlet.
Finally, after these grueling months, it's Presentation day. The day where we will either be alive and well or a very dead pile of ash at the end of it.
This is the one time where I have had to prepare myself to be totally and completely out of control. I can't influence the dragons in any way—if they find me lacking, or unworthy, I'll be toasted to a crisp, and I'll just have to accept my imminent doom.
If they do see something in me, well... great. I mean, at least I'll still be alive for Threshing.
My gaze catches on Liam's where he stands with his squad several yards away. He gives me a thumbs up and a smile, and I return the gestures. When we both turn away from each other, I come face to face with Rhiannon.
"If that wasn't totally and completely true young love, I don't know what is," she states. Loudly.
"Ria's in love?" Ridoc calls. "This I've gotta here."
"Wisteria, Ridoc, Wisteria," I mutter.
"Nah," he grins. "Too many syllables." I smile at him as I flip my middle finger in his infuriating face.
"Haven't you noticed how much time Liam and Wisteria have been spending together?" Rhiannon points out. "Alone?"
Ridoc gasps. "Have you guys had sex?"
I glare at him. "No," I snap in annoyance. "We're friends. And it's been a week and a half since we started hanging out." It was true that ever since that night on the Gauntlet, Liam and I have spent more time with each other. Whether that's hanging out around the college, talking between classes, or running more practice runs on the Gauntlet, we always seemed to manage an hour of each other's time each day.
"Mhm, that's what they all say." Rhiannon tsks, shaking her head.
"Yeah, Ria, and a lot can happen in a week and a half," Ridoc says. I roll my eyes.
"Enough chatter, cadets!" Professor Emetterio is overseeing our Gauntlet performance from below again, while the person holding the timer is at the top. I'm convinced I'll be able to make it in at least seven minutes, although I'll probably try for six. I'll have to be quick on the wheel and the three metal poles, but the others I can clear fast and easily.
"Alright. As you all know, today is Presentation! To get to the flight field, you must complete the Gauntlet," Emetterio yells so his voice reaches all of us. "If you don't, you're probably dead, and if you can't, you either jump or do your best. As you can see, there are no ropes here." I scan the course, and see that he isn't lying. If anyone slips, they either grab onto something or fall to a very rocky death.
