Hey Hey!!
First off.. I'm so sorry for not posting!
Because apparently my work can just schedule me without telling me I'm getting put on so I've been working for the past week and a half... straight... yep...
But now I have ONE day off before I go back again so... my work is all about giving you one more chapter... because I appreciate you guys... and the comments..which I read..every single one...
ANYWAYS..... enjoy
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I did as Xaden said, feeling annoyed.
I glanced at Hetta who was sound asleep, her little mumbles and small smiles make me chuckle, at least she can have some real peace in her slumber. I change out of my uniform and into comfier clothing slowly slipping in my bed for the night having the feeling I'm being watched, which I know is true.
But a real pain in the ass.
I shift, knowing her heard everything... everything.. and his behavior as been spuratic in my opinion, is he really getting bothered by Liam and my closeness? How much does he really care.
My thoughts drifted me into a blank sleep, Hetta waking me the next morning with a slight smile. " What time did you get back last night?"
I yawn shifting to a sitting postion, stretching out my arms. " Mira had me out late.. past curfew I know."
She looks intrigued by this, " Your sister kept you pass curfew?"
I smirk, " She's not as strict as she wants to be or leads on she is." I slowly get out of bed brushing through my hair braiding it into it's normal long braid, my mark burns again today..even more then normal.
I sigh but ignore the ache as I get dressed into the normal dragon's vest and uniform waiting for Hetta so we can walk out together. Once we're both ready we walk to see everyne else just starting to group up so Pike can show us the next topic today.
Everyone looks equally as tired, I don't bother looking at Xaden so I don't feel extra stupid emotions... I still can't believe he knocked on Dain's door JUST so he didn't have to answer y question like a damn coward.
I could feel his eyes on me, theres a certain shiver every time...
I look down at my feet as I see not only Pike, but Mira along with him greeting us. I guess we're just following them around, acting like we're soldiers ourselves for out final day here. Fine by me.
I see Mira give me a small smile, knowing she wriggled herself into this...I wonder how many favors this general owes her..
We go to the tallest Turret, right behind Mira as she talks, " This is our main lookout, obviously the tallest so we can see a clear view of the mountains and any aerial threats we might encounter.."
" What if there's an on ground attack?" Sawyer asks.
" Impossible, we have special alarms and traps set just as a precaution, though they're not that stupid to be on the ground with their birds while dragons could easily scorch them from above." Mira responds professionally.
Sounding totally not like my sister I was talking to last night. It almost makes me laugh how professional she's being at the moment.
Once we reach the top there was a large wooden table and multiple seats where she mentioned for us to sit at. " Congratulations, let's say you all lived and graduated...now your officially on the lines-"
She presses some sort of button making the middle of the table shirt to a part of a map and a town, plus some keeps and fortresses. " - You had an attack. Let's see how you cadets can handle winning or losing this city. Mind you, you have the possibility of dying... or losing the whole city overall..."
She goes to a drawer right next to her in the wall tossing us wooden pieces, " Gryphon riders are trying to over take.... There." She points at the largest fortress on the map. " What's the first move."
" Shouldn't we know if it's wood or stone?" Heaton asks.
" Yes." She responds, " Let's say it's stone, and..double layered, it's almost inpentreble. And can't burn."
" But soem still can. depending on the architecture of the catapaults? Right?" Liam asks.
I see Mira send him a nasty look, eyeing his rebellion relic then him. " I think I know what I'm talking about.." She snides looking him up and down.
" But he's right." I snap. " They don't make stone catapults. Or at least the structure."
Mira's eyes go to mine and I give her a look, one she knows is a warning. " Right... I misunderstood. Yes..."
" Liam." Liam says cheerily with a small smile.
" ...Liam..." Mira glances back at me, " I suppose there would be a few wooden structures."
" So... if they already took the fortress, torching them would help disable."
She slowly nods, " Right. Just don't get hit. So you established what kind of fortress... then what?"
" Take it back... obviously." Ridoc states putting his feet on the table. Mira grins nodding, " Correct." She walks over and in one swift motion grabs his ankle, flipping him backwards off the chair.
" Yes.. just take it back, easy." She mocks, " And how do you suppose you could easily take it back?"
He looks at her wide eyed from the floor, " Uhhh..well.. We fly and take out any outside foe. Then we go inside?"
" Just run in and take it just like that?"
He nods.
She shakes her head, " I take it this one isn't in charge."
She walks back to her spot eyeing Ridoc one more time before she looks at the rest of us, " Your signets would be a good place to start. Know what you and your dragons can do and formulate a plan, Dain and Wingleader...you know how you would use this to your advantage? Knowing your squad will help you for those war games also..when are they?"
" 3 weeks." Dain answers, I notice Xaden not paying much mind at all to the topics. " And did you decide how your going to tackle that Wingleader?" Mira asks.
Still Xaden ignores her. He's toying with the little wooden dragon. Mira's face turns cold as she pulls out a knife sending it at him, I nearly screamed when his shadow caught it.. all while he was still playing with the piece.
He looks up lazily to the awestruck table. " I have a name. Xaden Riorson, not Wingleader, though your were close." He sends her one of his fake smiles he does not flinching a bit. He picks the knife up, " You know... if you were to impale me...she.." he lazily points at me with Mira's knife, " Would be dead as well, so I'd be careful."
I look at him slack jaw, is he really talking to MIRA like this. " But..yea, i'm well aware of my wing."
" Is that back talk I hear Riorson?" She questions. " Thats prohibited."
" So is throwing a knife at your guests." He answers flicking it back to her, sending it into the wood mere inches from her stomach.
Shit is going to hit the fan if they keep looking at eachother like this. so I ask, " So... Xaden would be in command? We'd report to him?"
Mira's eyes come back to mine as she takes a slow breath, " Technically, your Squad leader. Since there would be different squads and the Wingleader can't be everywhere at once."
Dain immediately lifts his chin looking prideful.
" Don't act so happy Aetos... it's fake. And where Freya is.. I'll be." Xaden says with that mock smile. Giving me a smile and wink.
WHAT THE HELL?!?
He smiled and WINKED at me? Right here? Right now! Infront of everyone.
" Stop blushing sweetheart." Xaden says in a seductive tone.
Xaden
Xaden...
XADEN!!
I almost gasp, holding myself, covering with with a cough, saying something was in my throat. My eyes buldge as I look at Xaden. No I just needed to imagine that..
" NO you didn't." He answers, eyeing me with now his genuine smirk.
" How?!"
" Through that glorious bond... I feel what you feel..same with the dragons.. you can talk to Segyl, same with me and yours...and you."
" But... you never did before?"
" Because I'm regrettably always by you, so I had no reason to."
" So you could hear..."
His smile grows wider, " Most...yes.. Though some were blocked."
I saw white flash my vision as I thought I might pass out from pure horror, this whole time.... he could read my thoughts. I'm going to die..
I grip the table, feeling the blood drain from my face as he tilts his head smiling.
Dain sends him a look, " You'll always be with her? How is that going to work seeing your a third she she's a first year?"
Xaden sighs, " It's up to our.. bonded..dragons how much or how little we'll be seeing eachother. I'm leaning more on the much.."
" How long can they last?" I simply just think.
" 3 days." Xaden replies back, " Trust me Fury..your not getting away from me thag easily either Segyl will miss Rhys... or I'll miss you to much and will need to come crawling back to you."
My head snaps, I mean snaps to him it took notice. Mira furrows her brows looking at the situation.
" Careful." Xaden warns, " We should keep this to ourselves, look away before sissy here gets even more curious."
There was so much amusement in his tone as he spares me one more look, focusing his now hard expression on Dain.
" Why does it matter to you Aetos anyway?"
Dain clenches his jaw, " Because.. she's in my squad."
" That's the only reason?" Xaden challenges.
" SHUT THE HELL UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Mira yells slamming her fists into the table. " Stop acting like little shrimp dick boys and get the damn task done!"
Dain apologies softly while Xaden looks unfazed, " Yes ma'am." He looks at the map taking a breath, " Well, personally.. I'd order you to look at the wards, Liam.. he'd use his far sight to see how many gryphons there would be, maybe a look into the fortress if we could get a shot... and Quinn... could astro project, check things out.. then take it from there."
Mira stays silent for a second, she eyes Xaden trying to keep her expression as cool as possible. She's impressed..very impressed, though she will never admit it.
She eyes the map as well, " Ok.. theres wooden structure on the doors, they're keeping civilains as captives in and out of the fortress. make sure you can't completely scorch everything in sight. What then?"
" Emery, you can weild wind right?" I ask. She looks at me nodding. " Then couldn't she help direct some of the fire? kill who we want and avoid the civilians?"
Mira nods, " Yes, she'd need to get in the keep-"
" Without my dragon?" Emery asks.
Mira gives her a look, " Yea... hence why your pushed in combat." She looks around the table done with that conversation, " So how would you get her there?"
Everyone was quiet.
" How could you hide her?" Mira asks again a little more stern.
I glance around the room, lookign at Xaden " If we attack and night, Xaden could use shadows to hide her."
Everyone looks at me, then at Xaden. Dain scoffs, " He couldn't hide something that big."
Wrong thing to say.
Xaden looks quickly over to him, " Really Aetos?" without another word, like a heavy blanket of fog erupts from all directions making my heart jolt in mere seconds the entire room is black, void, there was an unnerving silence. Suspense like something was going to come at you.
" Calm down Fury, your not the one I would hurt.." Xaden drifts, like a thumb running over my lip.
Just as fast as the shadows come, they dissipate. Now my vision is clear, except for the dagger-Dain's dagger- held to his throat with Xaden's shadow. " Anything else you want to add Aetos?" Xaden asks.
Dain's face flushes "..No.."
His dagger drops in his lap as the room is silent. " Good." Xaden says " So we'd get Emery into the keep. And I suppose.. that.. would be good for taking out gryphons as well... along with Freya.."
We make eye contact. " She's the best flyer we have, along with combat. And seeing our dragons are mates, they'd want to be close in battle reguardless. We'd get the gryphons."
Mira nods looking at her watch, " Good, that's a...solid.. plan. Everyone is dismissed. Though, Freya, Dain, and Xaden I need a word."
I eye her, what... of all people in this room would she need to talk to us about? Especially Dain and Xaden.. it almost makes me nervous.
I see Liam and Hetta gives us a look before Mira shoos them out, waiting maybe a good minute before she throws up some sort of..
" Sound shield?" Dain asks sounding annoyed and amused.
" Watch your mouth Aetos." Mira spits, surprising Dain and I. Xaden keeps his gaze on her unwavering, crossing his arms.
Mira looks at all 3 of us, taking in each individually. more so the boys then me. " We're going to get this out right now. For my sisters sake..because I'll be damned if something happens to her because you two dumbasses!"
She looks a Dain, " Your a Squad Leader, act like it! I don't need to hear the petty comments, and if you want HIS job-" She swings a finger towards Xaden, " Then keep that temper in check. I get if your pissed theire dragons are mated but NO ONE can do a damn thing about it now."
Dain stutters, " We- well- we all know how bad that situation is!"
Mira laughs, " Yea really! I nearly almost had a damned heart attack when I heard who she bonded too! Trust me, I'm not the happiest either! But you didn't see me throw a damned fit trying to break it apart. Keep that attitude up and I'll make sure you don't get the position and you'll be washing dishes with first years Understood?"
Dain swallows, nodding.
" Now get the hell out of my sight." Mira scolds letting him walk through the field waiting for a few seconds after the door closed as she puts up the field once more
" As for YOU!" She looks at Xaden. " She is NOT and I mean NOT going to be your shadow! She's an adult, she doesn't need body guards, or you all the time!"
" If you only knew half the things I needed to save her from I think you'd think otherwise." HE says boredly, like he always does.
" Or are you saying it because you can't kill her, but you can sure all hell destroy her slowly?" She questions taking a few steps to his chair. Xaden doesn't move, but narrows her gaze.
" He's not going to destroy me Mira." I say quickly, coming to his aide.
" And how the hell would you know that Freya? He's had a vendetta against us since the war! Our mother! OUR BLOOD!"
" And am I completely your blood MIRA!" I explode. " Sure, he wanted to kill me, but he can't! And yes, though I hate being watched all the damned time he's helped greatly! He's kept me alive and yes, I would've died ten times over if it wasn't for him!"
There was a brief silence between us all before Mira talks again, " And how well do you know him huh? I'm well aware of Riorson and his reports through the years... I know he's not dumb.." She looks at Xaden. " Your damn smart I'll give you that... and no, I don't trust any intentions that you have. At all. And it would be almost perfect don't you think when Freya will miss most of her year because your dragons need to be together?"
Xaden finally stands, taking a few steps to Mira, makign em shoot up to go inbetween the two " Xaden-" He grabs me, gently pulling me to the side staring at Mira.
" She won't miss a thing. I'll be the one leaving my post. I'll be the one making sure the right precautions will be made to keep her safe. I will... She'll still excel like she's been doing this whole time, and I do worry about her happiness and her life-"
This almost makes my heart stop as he looks at me, " Because it doesn't just affect our dragons, the bond affects us as well." He looks back at Mira, " So I can assure, nothing that I could possibly do could shadow her. Nothing, she's to annoyingly good. And we're tied, I happen to value both our lives. Deeply."
Mira was just about to say something. But her eyes refocus, almost blankly.
" GRYPHONS!" Rhys bellows.
I feel Segyl's snarl.
Mira's face pales, " I didn't feel the wards-" She takes deep breath. " You need to go!"
" What? No I can help!" I fight, " You heard it, I can fight! Rhys is the fastest damn dragon and his fire-"
She wraps me in a hug, " You need to go. You need to!"
" No Mira!"
Xaden pulls me, I try pushing him away though it was futile. " Freya-"
" NO! Mira we can help, I can help!"
An alarm goes off making complete chaos break out, Mira looks at me " Get yoru squad out of here, that will help me, who knows how many are out there. You just need to go Freya, please!"
Her eyes hold fear, theres only been once or twice I've seen Mira scared. She looks at Xaden, " I hope you meant what you said Riorson. Keep her safe, or I swear to Malek I'll find you..."
He nods, hoisting me over his shoulder. " Mira!"
" I love you Freya!" She calls before she bursts the other direction.