Fourth Wing Fanfiction

Chapter 3

A tall figure in a pristine, black uniform moves out of the crowd, charging toward us, and Rhiannon manages to dodge, but I hold my ground, making him step around me. I know it's slightly petty, but I'm not yielding to anyone, even if they are a second year like Dain Aetos.

"Violet?" He says, and Sorrengail seems relieved to see him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he barks, the shock in his eyes transforming to something foreign, something deadly.

"Dain. It's good to see you." Sorrengail says before her knees give out.

"Damn it, Violet," he mutters, hauling her to her feet. He quickly guides her away from the crowd and into an alcove in the wall, close to the first defensive turret of the citadel. It's a shady, hidden spot with a hard wooden bench, which he sits her on, then strokes her back worriedly.

Rhiannon and I follow hesitantly, stopping a small distance away to give them space. "I'm going to be sick." Sorrengail groans.

"Head between your knees," Aetos orders in a harsh tone. "It's the adrenaline. Give it a minute and it'll pass." I glance across at Rhiannon as she steps forward, and then the second year finally notices us.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Rhiannon and this is Jasmine. We're Violet's...friends."

I stare at the gravel under my boots.

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

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

"You'd better mean that," he warns, the bite in his voice at odds with the ceaseless, comforting circles he makes on Sorrengail's back. I roll my eyes, completely invisible to him.

"No one can see you here, Vi, so take your time," Aetos says softly. I raise my eyebrows at the nickname but don't say anything. "Because puking my guts up after surviving the parapet and the asshole who wanted to throw me off it would be considered weak." Sorrengail says angrily. I frown slightly. Jack wanted to kill me, not her. Ohhh. She means Xaden. Riorson. She thought he was going to push her off the parapet. Rhiannon takes her boot off and swaps it back, sighing as she slips back into her own shoes.

"I could ask you just who the hell you are," she says to Aetos, and I wince slightly.

"He's one of my oldest friends." The trembles slowly subside as Sorrengail replies, slowly taking off the boot she swapped with Rhiannon.

"Oh," Rhiannon answers.

"And a second-year rider, cadet," he growls.

Gravel crunches as Rhiannon backs up a step, but I hold my ground. No one, especially not Aetos, is pushing me around.

"I'm Dain Aetos, and I'm the leader for Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing."

Squad leader? My brows jump. The highest ranks among the cadets in the quadrant are wingleader and section leader. Both positions are held by elite third years. I smirk, like my brother, I think to myself. Second years can rise to squad leaders, but only if they're exceptional. Everyone else is simply a cadet before Threshing—when the dragons choose who they will bond—and a rider after. People die too often around here to hand out ranks prematurely.

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