“It took us days to find someone capable of healing me, though I don’t remember being healed,” I tell them. “And the second my life was out of danger, we flew back here. We arrived about half an hour ago, as I’m sure Aimsir can verify.”
“And the bodies?” Aetos asks.
Oh shit. “I…” I have no fucking clue other than Xaden telling me they’d buried Liam.
“Sorrengail wouldn’t know,” Xaden answers. “She was delirious from the poison. Once we knew there was no help to be found at Athebyne, half the riot flew back to the lake and burned the bodies of both riders and dragons while I took the other half to find help. If you’re looking for proof, then you can find it either about a hundred yards from the lake, in the clearing to the east, or in the fresh scars on our dragons.”
“Enough.” Mom pauses, no doubt confirming with her dragon, then turns slowly toward Colonel Aetos, and though he has a few inches on her, he suddenly appears smaller. Frost blooms on the surface of the dais. “This is your handwriting. You emptied a strategically invaluable outpost beyond the wards for War Games?”
“It was only for a few days.” He has the good sense to retreat a step. “You told me the games were at my discretion this year.”
“And clearly your discretion lacks common fucking sense,” she retorts. “I’ve heard everything I need to hear. Correct the death roll, get these cadets into formation, and commence graduation so the new lieutenants can get to their wings. I expect to see you in my office in thirty minutes, Colonel Aetos.”
Relief nearly takes my knees out from under me. She believes me.
Dain’s dad stands at attention. “Yes, General.”
“You survived a knife wound after being thrown into combat as a first-year,” she says to me.
“I did.”
She nods, a satisfied half smile curving her mouth for all of a heartbeat. “Maybe you’re more like me than I gave you credit for.”
Without another word, Mom walks between me and the edge of the dais, leaving us with Colonel Aetos as she heads down the stairs. The frost dissipates instantly, and I hear her footsteps on the gravel behind us as the colonel turns on Xaden and me.
More like her? That’s the last thing I want to be.
“You will not get away with this,” Aetos hisses but keeps his voice low.
“Get away with what, exactly?” Xaden responds, equally quiet.
“We both know you weren’t taken off-mission by gryphons.” Spit flies from his mouth.
“What else could have possibly delayed us and slaughtered two dragons and their riders?” I narrow my eyes and let all my rage shine through. He got Liam and Soleil killed. Fuck him. “Surely, if you think there’s another threat out there, you’d want to share that information with the rest of the quadrant so we could adequately train to face it.”
He glares at me. “You’re such a disappointment, Violet.”
“Stop,” Xaden orders. “You gambled and you lost. You can’t expose what you think the truth is without…well, exposing it, can you?” A cruel smile tilts Xaden’s lips. “But personally, I think this is all easily solved by a missive to General Melgren. Surely he saw the outcome of our battle with the gryphons.”
Satisfaction courses through me at the way the colonel’s features slacken.
Thanks to their rebellion relics, Melgren can’t confirm anything when there are three or more marked ones involved, and Aetos apparently knows it.
“I assume we’re dismissed?” Xaden asks. “Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the entire quadrant is watching rather intently. So unless you’d like me to keep them entertained by retelling what happened to us—”
“Get. In. Formation.” He grinds the words out through clenched teeth.
“Gladly, sir.” Xaden waits for me to descend the steps, then follows. “It’s settled,” he tells Garrick. “Get everyone back in formation.”
I glance over my shoulder and see Fitzgibbons shaking his head in confusion as he adjusts the death roll, and then I walk over to my squad between Imogen and Xaden.
“You don’t have to escort me back,” I whisper, ignoring the stares of every cadet we pass.
“I promised your brother I’d handle the other Aetos.”
“I can handle Dain.” A swift kick to the balls wouldn’t be uncalled for, would it?
“We tried your way last year. Now we try mine.”
Imogen lifts her eyebrows but doesn’t say anything.
“Violet!” Dain breaks formation, moving toward us as we reach Second Squad, Flame Section. The worry and relief that etch the lines of his face make power prickle in my hands.
“You cannot kill him here,” Xaden warns.
“You’re alive! We’d heard—” Dain reaches for me, and I recoil.
“Touch me and I swear to the gods, I’ll cut your fucking hands off and let the quadrant sort you out in the next round of challenges, Dain Aetos.” My words earn more than a couple of gasps, but I don’t give a shit who hears me.
“Violence, indeed.” The hint of amusement in Xaden’s tone doesn’t reach his face.
“What?” Dain stops dead in his tracks, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. “You don’t mean that, Vi.”
“I do.” I rest my hands alongside the sheaths at my thighs.
“You should take her at her word. In fact…” Xaden doesn’t bother to lower his voice. “If you don’t, I’ll take personal offense. She made her choice, and it wasn’t you. It will never be you. I know it. She knows it. The whole quadrant knows it.”
Oh, just kill me now. Heat flushes my cheeks. Getting caught in his flight jacket before War Games is one thing. Outing us in public—when I’m not sure there is an us—is another.
Imogen grins, and I consider the merits of elbowing her in the side.
Dain glances left and right, his face flushing so scarlet I can see the color under the scruff of his light-brown beard as everyone looks on. “What else? You going to threaten to kill me, Riorson?” he retorts, the disgust on his face so similar to his father’s that my stomach sours.
“No.” Xaden shakes his head. “Why should I, when Sorrengail is perfectly capable of doing that herself? She doesn’t want you to touch her. Pretty sure everyone in the quadrant heard her. That should be enough for you to keep your hands to yourself.” He leans in, his whisper barely reaching my ears. “But in case it’s not, every time you think of reaching for her face, I want you to remember one word.”
“And what is that?” Dain seethes.
“Athebyne.” Xaden pulls back, and the pure menace in his expression sends a shiver along my skin.
Dain’s spine stiffens as Colonel Panchek calls the formation to attention.
“No response? Interesting.” Xaden’s head tilts to the side as he studies Dain’s face. “Get back in formation, squad leader, before I lose all pretense of civility on behalf of Liam and Soleil.”
Dain pales and has the decency to look away before stepping back into his place at the head of our squad.