GUYS THANK YoU SO SO MUCH!!! Getting ranked number one in less then a month deciding I want to write this and posting is absolutely wild to me! I thank you for all the votes, reads, and especially the comments.
Love the comments ;)
Also, thank you to Lindsey.. for letting me use your 4th wing book since my audio book got deleted.. you the MVP🥰 And the constant feedback I get from you and support, even the occasional grilling from my spelling errors....
- Love your favorite cuzzy😁
Any extra time I had I was with Xaden.
Training, getting mocked, getting my ass handed to me on the mat, getting more and more snide remarks from him. And now...during squad training he's been taking me out of that as well.
I wake up at my normal time, I hate to admit it..but I miss the annoying knocking of Liam, his annoying grin and always positive personality I always tried to damper but never had any luck always getting a bigger grin in return.
Instead I get the judgeful glare of Xaden, which his personality is a bit more my speed but it always seems to put me in a worse mood compared to Liam's that sometimes made my day.
Xaden walks in my room just when I secured my belt. I spin around sending him an annoyed stare " Knock Xaden...Please knock for once in your life.."
" Come on, we're training." He says seeming to not hear me..again.
I huff, " I literally just woke up."
" And I literally don't even care, with this storm all you'll be doing is getting shovels and shoveling before morning formation. You not missing much, I looked at the scrolls. More and more of you are getting killed by your signets."
Speaking of signets.... It's been close to 2 months already..and still..nothing..
One nice thing with Xaden is he's been getting me out of Carr's class one or two times a week, so less ridiculing from that man. Lately I've been waking up to almost like a burning pressure in my back where my dragons marked me.
" Move." Xaden grumbled as he was the first one out my door. " I'm guessing your still without."
I roll my eyes, " Obviously."
" Liam told me yesterday Maui Kingstrom bursted literally into flames, luckily there was someone with water that needed to put him out, to burned to live."
" Shit.." I mutter.
" Another one was a teleporter, tried jumping and he left without his skeleton."
I shake my head, " Seems like everyone is dying because of them.."
" More then the last two years..yes."
" Any tips to get the damn signet thing moving?"
He seems to actually geniunely think before he shakes his head. " Can's ask me and you can't ask your dragons, they gave you the power but it's all on you..which you seem to be lacking in. Just..manifest so you don't explode and kill us all."
" I'll try my best." I mutter. " Anything else of value?"
" Yes actually."
He stops walking turning to me, I do the same crossing my arms looking up at him. " They'll be announcing the annual Squad Battle. People will go ape-shit for it, the prize this year they decided will be a trip to the front lines."
" Who would want to go straight to the front lines? Gives you a bigger chance to die before graduation?"
" Because the squads will feel ahead, getting a taste of the future. They'll be taking them to the more secluded lines but..everyone will want to win the title of best squad." Xaden answers.
" Is that why your training me so hard, to get me on the front and get myself killed?"
He chuckles, " Found out my master plan.. NO, it's still for our safety. But, you and Liam I want for the mat challenges. I already put my request in to Aetos. I'm sure you won't be half bad."
" Why can't you just admit I'm a good fighter? At least once a session I best you."
" But you've never fully won a session yet."
" Your such an ass.."
" What do you want me to let you win like your bestfriend and admirer would do?" He snaps. " No. Because no one out there is ever going to go easy on you Fury. I'm preparing you. Maybe if you get out of such a sucky mindset you'll manifest."
" Screw you Riorson." I snap.
" You'd like that to much." He muters pushing himself off the wall, " Walk."
We walk again before Xaden talks, " The challenge is another Gauntlet time, don't fall this time."
" I won't. But I'm sure your shadows will be there."
" Never can be to careful with you.. They'll also be judging riding maneuvers, You and Rhys are the fastest from what I hear."
" It's unnerving how fast he is."
His jaw seems to tick, " Well aware. And Signet... with you having nothing...Hurry up and get one. Plus whatever else they decide to add in, Impress me."
" How long do we have?"
" About a month yet."
Once we reach the door of the combat room he steps ahead.. holding it for me. I puase for just a second looking at him. His eyes narrow " What now?"
" You can be a decent man at times."
" My dad taught me right." He says blandly making me snide smirk fall, he doesn't skip a beat as he walks. " Warm up and get on the mat."
Again he kicked my ass, he had me not use my dominant hand while he does the same. He's fluid with both hands..ofcourse..leaving me looking like I never fought in my life.
He had his knee pressing on my neck lightly cutting some of my air supply, " You yield?" He questions. I try stabbing him, only resulting to his grabbing my knife out of my hand pressing his knee into my neck even more making it feel like my eyes were going to pop.
He chuckles, " You yield."
He gets up seamlessly getting his hand free, pulling me up by my one hand actually helping me up this time instead of holding a knife to my throat helping get my arm untwined. I pull away once more from him sending a look his way.
" Stop with the looks." He says snidely.
I roll my eyes, " You know.. why are you having me in here more and more?"
" You already know.."
I roll my wrist looking at it then him, " I think there's more to that."
His jaw ticks, proving I'm right. " Well.. I want us to do well with the Squad battle, but along with that.. I'm preparing you."
" For what? Just winning a stupid reward going to the front lines?"
He shakes his head, " More complicated then that."
" How so?"
He takes a breath like my questions are such inconveniences to him, " Well, incase you haven't realized yet.. I'm a third year, in the last half of my year.. I'm going to be on the lines soon and you'll be here. Depending how long our dragons can stand being without eachother... You'll be coming to the lines and I'll need to be here. So.. I'm preparing you so you won't be as weak." He explains dumbly.
The thought didn't hit me until that moment. He's right, we'll both be making sacrifices to keep our dragons happy. My hand travels to my lower neck rubbing it as I nod once, " I didn't think about that."
" I see that." I see him eye my hand before his eyes snap back to mine, " Come on, put on your cloak. We're riding."
" Kamori's been saying it's been to cold for riding."
" Supposedly it's to cold for rider to be riding..until they're in war. Dragons don't give a shit, they have fire within them, they don't get cold." Xaden answers throwing on his own cloak.
He doesn't wait for me, nor open the door for me again when he walks out letting me catch it myself as we walk in the courtyard. " So.. Your going to teach me how to ride better too? Because if so your just wasting your time, Rhys is-"
I cut myself off when I see Commandant Pancheck, Colonel Aetos and my damned mother herself just walking out of the doors from the opposite side of the Courtyard.
What are they doing here? And Why?!
I feel my heart beat increase as Xaden sees them to, standing a little straighter, lifting his head slightly as he watches the three of them intently. Colonel Aetos saw us first, redirecting his steps as he now walks to us..with the other two following behind.
" Freya." He says sweetly, warmly. Dain and him seemed to be the same, and that's why I liked him so much. Is he as secretly power hungry as Dain is?
I give a smile. " Colonel."
" I've heard many great things about you my dear, from teachers and Dain himself. I'm very fortunate your Squad got moved."
By Xaden... But ofcourse Dain left that part out.
" It couldn't have worked out more perfectly." I smile. " He's been..I great Squad Leader."
I could feel Xaden's eyes on me, I refuse to look at him I know he'll give me shit about it once this exchange is over.
" Carr said you can't wield yet." Her sharp voice seems to almost jab me. I look over to my mother, face hardening into one of more formal status, " No. I haven't."
" With having such a powerful and.. unique dragon I'm disappointed. Especially having two.. and you still have nothing... You've been part of many conversations-"
" - Oh have I?.General.." I bite, swallowing all the distaste I have for her hard..it almost pains me to do so.
She takes a few steps looking at me. " Yes, Cadet Sorrengail. You have."
Right... She can't say my damned name, not like she would anyways. I cross my arms lifting my chin, " And what are these conversations?"
" Can't seem to figure you out. We've heard of you crushing all your assignments, your the fastest rider in your year, along with being the most aggressive fighter but... your useless in Signets. Even with double the dragon power." She explains in the most condescending tone possible, making me achievements sound puny and not of use.
All I wanted was to scream in her face I can do something, that I'm not useless. That Andarna gave me the ability to stop time.
" She's just trying to get inside your head. Don't let her!" Rhys voice echos.
Wasn't planning on it reguardless...
I swallow once more taking a long, slow breath, I use the technique Xaden taught me about channeling the anger down quickly as I give her a small smile. " Well.. Unfortunately.. For the power end, I only have one.. Feathertails don't have power like that. And I like to think since my dragon is so unique... The signet will be too, just as much.. The saying is great things come to those to wait..right General Sorrengail?" I question.
My mother looked to just about say something when Dain's father chimed in. " How is that Feathertail of yours? She's certainly something to look at."
I keep any emotion besides neutrality down, I sigh acting like I'm bored. " She's great. A refreshing personality compared to Rhys."
I hear a chuff and a growl.. Already knowing who's is who.
He smiles, " We wanted to ask you... We only have so much information on Feathertails. Would you be open to letting us study her?"
And let them poke and prod..finding things that shouldn't be found..no thanks.
" Though she bonded me.. She's not much of a people person. Don't want any of you getting scorched for just annoying her." I smile.
Aeto's smile falters as he just nods, " I see.. that's a shame. Maybe another time then. I suppose we should get going now, looks like you two had something going on."
" I didn't expect you Cadet Sorrengail to stay with such... company." My mother said bluntly eyeing Xaden.
Xaden takes a step forward, " I'm only in her company for the convenience of our dragons and our safety. General."
" It's still a bit questionable, Riorson." Her tone hisses.
" I thought we get rid of any questions years ago." He was quick to repond not even blinking as he looks at her. They seem to stare at eachother unwavering for a couple seconds before my mother looks back at me. " I thought your father was doing some research on Feathertails before?"
I keep my expression dull, the memory flashing in my head... I vaguely remember now that she says it.. He kept all his works in a hidden book in the library of our home.. but I won't tell her that.. Something tells me it's best to keep anything like that a secret.
I see Xaden's head move slightly toward me, sending me a quick look. I shrug, " That was such a long time ago."
She nods, " I see. Well, Aetos is right.. We have more pressing issues to deal with. I expect a signet by the time you come up in another long conversation."
" I hope so too." I say quickly. " Hoping it will be something unheard of."
This makes her smile, " Don't give your hopes up. Stay alive Cadet, and in good company." She gives Xaden and I one more look before walking away, we both watch her walk, Xaden was about to say something when I pushed past him. " Let's go.." I mutter walking to the flight field.