" Tap out!" Lana shouts as a rider out of Second Wing fights to drag himself forward on the mat, his hands splayed wide, his fingernails digging in as Liam holds him in a leg lock, forcing his back into what should be an impossible arch. " oof." I winced. " Who's that braid in your hair from, Mairi? Someone special?" The first-year rider, Mikael grunts, clearly trying to get a reaction from him. I blush. " No one you need to know." Liam pants, throwing me a wink. I roll my eyes and wiggle my fingers in a teasing wave. Mikael cries out in pain, the sound sharp, near earsplitting, and pulling my attention back to the action in front of me. Liam holds fast and presses his advantage.
"Yeah, he's not walking for a while," Ridoc agrees, cringing as the arc of Mikael's back looks like a broken spine waiting to happen. With another cry, Mikael slams his palm into the mat three times, and the crowd roars. "Yes! Go, Liam!" Sawyer screams from behind me, and Liam drops Mikael to the mat, where he sprawls out, exhausted.
"We won!" Liam rushes for us, and I'm swept up into a tangle of arms and shouting and joyous squad mates. " "Your winner!" Professor Emetterio shouts, his voice ringing through the gym and quieting the zealous energy as Liam steps out of our crushing hug. "Liam Mairi from Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing!" I cheer wildly for Liam, and he throws me dazzling grin.
Commandant Panchek steps onto the mat, and Liam joins the rest of our squad, sweat pouring off his skin. "I know you were all expecting the last portion of the Squad Battle to happen tomorrow, but the cadre and I have a surprise." He has every single rider's attention now. "Instead of telling you what the final, unknown task will be and giving you tonight to plan for it, your final task will begin this hour!" He grins, throwing out his hands and turning just like Liam had. "Tonight?" Ridoc whispers. My stomach hits the ground. "Dain isn't here. Neither is Cianna." "Oh shit," Imogen whispers, gripping my hand tightly. "As you may have noticed, your squad leaders and their executive officers have been...shall we say, sequestered with your section leaders and wingleaders, and no, before someone asks, your task is not to find them." He continues to walk in a small circle, addressing each side of the mat. "You are to break into your squads and accomplish a unique mission this evening without the leadership and instruction of your squad leaders."
"Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having squad leaders?" someone asks across the mat. "The purpose of a squad leader is to form a tightly knit unit that can carry on with a mission after their demise. Consider your leaders...demised." Panchek shrugs with a gleeful smile. "You're on your own, riders. Your mission is simple: find and acquire, by any means necessary, the one thing that would be most advantageous to our enemies regarding the war effort. Leadership will serve as unbiased judges, and the winning squad will be awarded sixty points." "That's enough to put us into first!" Rhiannon whispers, linking her arm with mine. "We could win the glory of going to the front!" "What are the boundaries?" someone to the right asks.
"Anything within the walls of Basgiath," Panchek answers. "And don't you dare let me see you trying to haul a dragon back here. They'll incinerate you out of sheer annoyance." The squad to our left mutters their disappointment. "You have"—Panchek pulls out his pocket watch—"three hours, at which time we'll expect you to present your stolen treasures in the Battle Brief room." We all stare at him in silence. Out of everything I imagined the third and final task to be...well, this wasn't anywhere near that list.
"What are you waiting for?" Panchek shoos his hands at us. "Go!" Chaos ensues. This is what happens when you remove our leadership. We're...a hot freaking mess. "Second Squad!" Imogen yells, putting her hands up. "Follow me!" Sawyer and Heaton make sure we're all ducklings, following in Imogen's wake as she leads us across the gym to the weight room. "You did great," I tell Liam as he walks at my side, still struggling to catch his breath. "It was epic." Ridoc hands Liam a waterskin, which Liam promptly drains. "Let's go, let's go," Imogen says, ushering us through the open door. She does a quick head count and then closes the door, wielding to lock it. I find a seat on one of the benches, flanked by Lana and Liam. "First thing. Who wants to be in command?" Imogen asks, looking at the ten of us.
