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making myself as small as possible as the wind howls over and around me.
forcing my mind to keep moving against the very real threat of paralyzing anxiety.
Good. She deserves to make it.
From here, there aren’t enough facts in the world to steady my thoughts. I need to get my right foot under me, the one that has better traction, but one wrong move and I’ll find out just how cold that river is beneath me.
If I fall, fine, that would be my error. But I’m not about to let this asshole murder me. Best to get to the other side, where the rest of the murderers wait.
A
squad, a section, a wing is only as effective as its weakest link, and if that link breaks, it puts everyone in danger.
There’s no room for fear, so I block it out, envisioning shoving the emotion behind locked iron bars in my mind.
“Not surprised, with that maneuver,”
It might be the nicest compliment I’ve ever been given.
“Cadet Sorrengail has you by the actual balls here, in more ways than one. She’s right. Regs state that there’s nothing but respect among riders at formation. You want to kill her, you’ll have to do it in the sparring ring or on your own time. That is, if she decides to let you off the parapet. Because technically, you’re not on the grounds yet, so you are not a cadet. She is.”
“We don’t wait for trials around here. We just execute.”
My head is buzzing, and my arm feels so damned heavy, but I keep my knife on target.
someone grips my shoulders from behind and spins me. My dagger is halfway up when I realize it’s Rhiannon. “We made it!” She grins, giving my shoulders a squeeze.
I admit in a whisper, because it’s Dain. Dain, whom I’ve known since we were five and six. Dain, whose father is one of my mother’s most trusted advisers. Dain, who held me together when Mira left for the Riders Quadrant and again when Brennan died.
I nod. I trust her as much as anyone can trust another first-year around here.
“I’m Dain Aetos, and I’m the leader for Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing.”
“Every Sorrengail is a rider, don’t you know?”
“Don’t worry—if someone sees us, I’ll just say that I was overcome with lust
at first sight and couldn’t wait another second to get you out of your pants.”
“I can throw in a few oh, Dain cries once we’re in your room just for believability,” I offer, and actually mean it.
There are two more candidates on the parapet, but I look away before I can feel invested just to watch them fall.
“I’ve missed you.” Maybe it’s exposing a weakness, but I don’t care. Dain knows almost everything there is to know about me anyway.
we’re finally on the same page when it comes to wanting each other. Or maybe he’s just relieved to see an old friend.
If anyone else had taken that stumble, they would have ended up with a bruise, maybe even a scrape. But me? I have to fix it so my kneecap stays where it’s supposed to. It’s not just my muscles that are weak. My ligaments that hold my joints together don’t work for shit, either.
no matter where we were, we always managed to find a place to swim and trees to climb.
fasten the wrap at the top of my knee, then wind and secure the joint in the same way I’ve done since I was old enough for the healers to teach me.
Thank you, gods, the ache in my knee is manageable with it bound like this.
“You’ve seen me in swimwear, tunics, and even ballgowns. Are you telling me it’s the leather that does it for you?”
“Glad to see our year apart hasn’t dulled your tongue, Vi.”
“I can do quite a few things with my tongue. You’d be impressed.”
There’s not much reason to deny yourself when you might not live through tomorrow.
“This place will kill you, Violet. You can’t stay here. Everyone will understand. You didn’t volunteer—not really.”
“I’m not saying you didn’t just kick absolute ass by getting here, Vi. But you have to leave. You’ll break the first time they put you in the sparring ring, and that’s before the dragons sense that you’re…” He shakes his head and looks away, his jaw clenching.
If determination had a physical form, it would be Dain Aetos right now.
Let me save you.” His entire posture droops, and the plea in his eyes shreds some of my indignation. “Please let me save you.”
“Yeah. Shit.” I shrug, like it’s not my life we’re talking about here.
how they’ve both obsessed over dragons since childhood.
I pay attention but only enough to recall details if we need to form an alliance.
like he’s a shark and they’re all fish giving him a wide berth.
signet is, the unique power from the bond with his dragon,
“I’ve heard this position is just a stepping stone for him,” Tara whispers. “He wants Sorrengail’s job, then General Melgren’s.”
“Melgren’s dragon gives him the signet ability to see a battle’s outcome before it happens. There’s no beating that, and you can’t be assassinated if you know it’s coming.”
“You will be tested by your superiors, hunted by your peers, and guided by your instincts. If you survive to Threshing, and if you are chosen, you will be riders. Then we’ll see how many of you make it to graduation.”
Every cadet in this courtyard thinks they have what it takes to be one of the elite, the very best Navarre has to offer…a dragon rider.
Maybe I can do more than just survive.
“Your instructors will teach you,” Panchek promises, his hand sweeping to the line of professors standing at the doors to the academic win...
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It looks like each squad will have about fifteen or sixteen people in it.
Xaden watches me with a cold, calculating look that feels like he’s plotting my death
My spine stiffens. I can’t expect him to be my Dain here, not under these circumstances, but still, the tone is jarring.
