The Hidden Mark

New Friends?

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

"Then you get to meet the dragons early," the redhead answers, her tone bland. "We don't wait for trails around here when the codex is broken. We just execute. What's it gonna be Melgren?"

The male rider takes over, "You gonna have Jack here start as a eunuch? Slit his throat? What's it gonna be?"

Shit. What is it gonna be? Slicing off his balls is only going to make him hate me more, if possible. And I have never killed anyone before. "Are you going to follow the rules?" My head is buzzing, but I keep my knife on target.

"Guess I don't have a choice." He sneers, but his posture relaxes as he raises his hands, palms out, blood running down his wrist and into his sleeve.

I lower the blades, putting them back at my ribs, and step to the side, allowing him down. As Jack steps into the courtyard, his shoulder knocks into mine and he pauses. "You are a dead man walking bitch."

"We shall see, Barlowe. But if you want to kill me, you are gonna have to get in line. I have a feeling Xaden Riorson might have called dibs on that honor." I smirk at him, daring him to attack. "You will want to get that cut cleaned up though. Don't want anyone thinking you're the weak link here, do we?"

The redhead and male riders laugh. "You might want to keep an eye out for that one cadet. He will be coming for blood."

"That's what makes this death college fun though," I smirk back and walk away.

"We made it Vi!" I smile as she limps into my arms. "Now let's go get your knee taken care of. Rhi, wanna join?"

"Yeah, there is a bench over that way. We can switch boots back too. I can't thank you enough, there were about four times I would have fallen if not for your help." Rhi smiles and helps take some of Vi's weight.

As we are helping Violet, without making it obvious, we run into Dain. Well, Violet literally smacks into him. "Violet? What the fuck are you doing here?"

I roll my eyes. Dain and I are not friends. He hates me. I think he knows about my mother, I know he knows about my 'punishments'. When we were training together, he would purposefully do everything he could to beat me, knowing that would lead to me getting burned. He once asked to watch it happen. I think it might be because of his little crush on her, or maybe as payback for her brother's death, but I'm not sure.

Dain turns on me and yells, "what did you do?! She isn't supposed to be here! She would only come here if you told her to Melgren!"

Slowly moving until he is in my face, before spitting at my feet in anger and disgust. Rhi and Vi push him away from me before Violet impersonates her mother, spitting back, "Sorrengails are riders."

Dain yanks Violet out of my grip and drags her to the bench we were headed for, "Switch your boots back. You look ridiculous. And who the hell are you?"

"Dain!" Violet admonished him while Rhi and I switch boots quickly, "She is a friend!"

"Do you trust her, Violet?" Dain asks her soothingly.

"With my life." Violet replies honestly.

"Who the hell are you?" Rhiannon asks with anger, checking to see if Violet is okay that close to him.

"Dain Aetos." I answer for him, since he is ignoring everyone but Violet. "Him and Violet are best friends, we all grew up together. He is also a second-year rider and squad leader."

"Go find the rider with the red hair, usually carries a crossbow and has the scroll, that I am putting you and Violet in my squad. If she tries to argue, remind her that I saved her life last year during the Threshing." Dain dismisses Rhiannon. "Get out of here Melgren. I will take care of Violet. She doesn't need someone like you around." He practically spits at me again.