dumbkiri

[dumbkiri]

𝖔𝖍, 𝖒𝖞 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖉

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖔: 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖉𝖔𝖓𝖊

WARNING: harassment, death by fire, kidnapping, manipulation, suicidal thoughts, NAOYA IS A WARNING

note: Ik Toji left the Zen'in Clan after encountering Gojo when he was like a toddler, but for this story's sake...he left a bit later to establish the relationship between him and MC

Striking blue eyes stared horrified by the scene in front of him. The smell of burnt bodies wafted around the once beautiful estate of the [L.Name] Family. Mounds and mounds of ashes covered the land with a deadly silence. This couldn’t be real, Satoru told himself as he forced his legs to walk further in the destruction. 

He ignored the putrid smell of flesh and bone, and he only had two people in mind. Sabine, a second mother, and his best friend, [Name]. His pace picked up and he ran to where the house should be proudly standing as it always had. But when Satoru reached their house, it also fell like the others in a pile of ashes. 

The garden was gone. Your hard work burned into ashes. You and your family rested on the scorched earth, no bodies to bury with respect. 

“[Name]!” Satoru shouted, cupping his hands on his mouth to project his voice louder. He waited for you to yell his name back, yet the seconds went by painfully. You and your entire family died, massacred by a massive fire. Sabine told him that she could tell if someone walked in with bad intentions, so why…why was everything burned down? Why did you have to die?

Satoru regretted staying away for a week. He should have been here, he would have done something to stop this from happening. Someone must have known that he was gone. It had to be the reason why they attacked now of all times. 

The whole day, Satoru stood there playing all the scenarios in his head on what happened here. He pictured a million times how you died in a fire. He hears your screams and your cries throughout the day, plaguing his mind. The memory of you stained his psyche and he vowed to find out who did this to your family. 

He will not forget this. 

……

“-it’s time to wake up, my dear.”

Your eyes fluttered open with blurred vision, your hand reaching out blindly, “Mother, where…” You heard her voice loud and clear, but her energy no longer flooded the room. Instead, it poured out of you in huge and uncontrolled waves. Some places around your body burned your skin and you ached at the new pain. 

“Your mother isn’t here.” 

You shot up from the tatami mat and looked around the room. Quickly, your ruby eyes found a boy with two different tones of hair looking at you from the corner of the room. His unkind eyes glared at you like you were the ugliest thing on earth.

“Where is she?” You questioned, ignoring the constant burning around your body that some bandages covered. Yet you can still feel two different energies clashing against one another underneath those bandages. 

“Your entire family died in a mysterious fire, my father arrived on time to get you out of it. But your mother and the rest of them weren’t so lucky.” His words flowed out of his mouth like he practiced it, like he had no empathy for you. 

You swallowed hard and looked away from him. Then the tears started to flow down in anguish. Your aching and bandaged hands wiped them away, but you couldn’t stop crying. Your family died in a fire, all of them and you were the sole survivor. 

You, a cursed girl among the [L.Name] line, lived while the rest of them didn’t. Their deaths made you uncomfortable while you woke up for another day. The death of your mother squeezed your heart and you felt like you couldn’t breathe. 

“-Princess of Thorns.” Your mother’s ghostly whisper of the night tickled your ears. The warmth your mother exuded washed over your trembles. 

You wiped away the last of your tears and stared down at your hands that soaked up your tears and blood. What does her ghostly voice mean by that? 

“Why didn’t you tell me she awoke, son?” 

You looked towards the entrance of the room and spotted a man wearing a brown yukata with a black sash. His stare focused on the boy in the dark green yukata and the boy replied monotonously, “I was just going to get you.”

The energy in the room was enough to suffocate you because they smelled horrible. Absolutely disgusting and you almost covered your nose because of it. This is the smell of cursed energy and your mother pulled through it all these years? 

“[Name], it’s a pleasure meeting you. I only hoped it would be under different circumstances,” The man tried to show you a warm smile, but his cursed energy made you grimace at his effort. The look on your face caught him off guard and his son did not like the expression you wore so openly. 

“Wipe that look off your face, it’s rude.” 

Naobito watched your face morph into horror at the realization you were caught staring at him like that. But what surprised him most was your response to his son. Your answer flowing off the tip of your tongue rather smoothly despite it being an insult,

“You both reek, excuse me for reacting to the stench lingering around you. It's unsettling.” 

You fixed the expression on your face and tried your best to get used to the smell. They walked around with shadows twisting at their feet, slithering around their bodies. Naobito started a conversation with Naoya to watch his own tongue when he speaks to you. 

As they conversed, you asked yourself a question, your voice barely a whisper, “Did my mother curse me?”

You looked down at your bandaged body. Black and gold swirls moved around on your skin like tattoos slithering across your body. This had to be your cursed and now blessed energy trying to overpower the other. The moment your mother passed down Nami’s Miracle should have erased your cursed energy, yet here it was battling for its stay. 

When a black swirl touched the golden one, it would burn your skin. But then it would heal when the golden swirl touched it. Your body was in a state of being damaged then healed. So you came back to your question of your mother cursing you with this situation. 

Did your mother curse you with her blessing?

…

It felt like she did curse you because staying with the Zen’in Family made you realize how power hungry people truly were. And how oblivious they were to the complications of having blessed energy. You knew that the future plans they had for you wouldn’t be possible. 

“She’s the perfect one for Naoya.” 

“When they reach an appropriate age, Naoya will marry [Name].”

“Their kids will be very strong!” 

Their excitement for more power needed to be crushed. You didn’t want to marry a mean and stubborn boy like Naoya. You wanted to marry someone like Satoru, who still remained pure in your mind. The boy that accepted you for your cursed energy. Not some boy who hated the way you looked. Naoya told you on many occasions that your burns were ugly to look at. But the blessed energy healed them perfectly as if the burn hadn’t touched your skin in the first place.

He had no reason to say they were ugly when they healed. Naoya is the ugly person and you always compare him to your old friend. 

Sometimes you think about Satoru and what he was up to. Sometimes you wondered if he ever went back to your family estate and saw the destruction of it. You yourself couldn’t believe it when Naobito-sama brought you back to your family estate, claiming that he was not a liar. That you could trust him. 

“Your home no longer stands, child.” 

Naobito-sama’s hand found its way onto your shoulder, the action grounding you. As your eyes moved around the empty land, which used to be filled with family members chatting with one another, a heavy weight in your heart was lifted. 

The truth hurt, but at least you got some peace with it. Naobito-sama was telling the truth. Yet it didn’t stop the new tears that formed in your eyes. You were truly the last [L.Name] and a new weight found itself on your shoulders. You carried Nami’s Miracle, your family legacy, the [L.Name] bloodline. 

You had to carry it on. 

“But do not worry. My family will take care of you and Naoya will learn how to be a man worthy of your love.” 

Naobito-sama’s words sent a shiver down your spine. That’s right, with this new burden, you are now a trophy to be had. Yet you had no faith a relationship between you and Naoya would happen. After all, the reason your mother never remarried was because Nami had to accept the man herself. Like a father would approve of the man in tradition, the blessing to be passed down. 

The blessing being the daughters. 

You were all Nami had left, of course the goddess will protect you with all her power. She’s been in a position of love that hurt her. Nami did not want that for her daughters and she learned from the past. The newfound courage made you look up and tell the man,

“He has a lot to learn then, Naobito-sama. Your son needs to be accepted by Nami in order for us to…have children. If he doesn’t learn to control his anger or show respect towards me then there is no reason for you to foster me any longer.” 

Maybe it was your incoming teenage years that let you speak to Naobito-sama so freely. Your words make him laugh and pat you on your back gently. 

“Come now, I have a present for you.” 

Naobito did build up a little bit of trust with you, but the one you grew close to was none other than the Zen’in reject; Toji. You noticed that some of the blessed energy lingered around his body like it was attracted to him. The bruises and cuts that littered his body would instantly heal the moment he passed by you. 

Having no control of the miracle, the blessed energy would heal anyone that was in your vicinity. It calmed down the most angry people in the family, it healed the wounded ones and provided a sense of comfort to all. You walked around like some kind of angel, but with broken wings. 

Because you have no room to fly in the Zen’in Estate. 

…

7 YEARS OLD

Conflicted and annoyed. Those two emotions clouded Toji’s mind and he couldn’t stand your presence any longer. It seemed like you followed him everywhere. You never left his side and the looks he received from this entire family only made him want to lash out. You hid behind him whenever someone tried to approach you. Never did you lay a hand on him, but his large frame was enough to cover you from these people. 

You had been the spitting image of Sabine [L.Name], it unnerved him. Toji knew your mother because she healed his injuries after going into the pit. He counted the times Sabine spoke about you fondly. 

“My stars and my moon, she loves to garden.” 

Sabine always referred to you as her stars and her moon. It always made him feel like you were his daughter for the amount of times Sabine brought you up. All Sabine did was talk about you and he knows you more than he wanted to. 

Toji knew your favorite flowers, your favorite animal, your birthday and everything else. Thanks to Sabine, that is. 

The Zen’in Estate did have a garden, but you showed no interest in it. The women that tried to make you follow the rules only made you more scared. You didn’t have control over your cursed energy either. You truly were a thorn in Toji’s side. 

“My daughter, [Name], she struggles with fitting in. Our family has told me numerous times to give her up to a different family where she can hone her cursed energy. But I cannot leave my daughter to the wolves. They’ll…”

Toji looked up from his wounded arm which she was treating and looked at her plainly. “You think she’ll end up like me? A reject and perfect example of a useless family member.” 

Sabine shook her head and healed his arm with a wave of her hand. “I see your true potential Toji as much as I see my daughter’s. We all need a little more time to…rise to our true strength.” 

He thought Sabine spoke nonsense when it came to you and to him. She believed in Toji and he called bullshit on it. No one believed in him, he had nothing to show off. No cursed energy and no blessed energy. 

You did. 

So why did you follow him? Why make him more of a target? Couldn’t you tell you made the people around the both of you more hostile?

“You need to stop following me.” 

Toji spoke to you for the first time. His voice displayed boredom and irritation. He stopped walking and kept his gaze straight ahead, not bothering to look at you.  

You stopped walking when he did, careful not to disturb his immediate space. It seemed like it was too late though. You peered around and looked him in the eyes telling him, “If I stop then Naoya would harass me. Luckily for me, he’s afraid of you. I only seek your presence to protect me and…I see remnants of blessed energy around you. My mother…she blessed you, didn’t she?” 

“She did, the low level curses don’t hurt me as much as they did before.” Toji said simply then he continued his original prompt, “I mean it, following me would do us more harm than good. I do plan on leaving the clan, so you better learn how to hide from that asshole.”

“Wait, you’re leaving? How…a-and why?” You stuttered, grabbing a hold on his sleeve. 

Toji easily brushed you off and said, “I have no cursed energy. I talked to the head of the family and he granted me leave. I am no longer a Zen’in and this is no longer my home.” 

“This isn’t my home either. Yet I’m stuck here like some prisoner.” You swallowed then whispered to him, “Can you take me with you? I-I won’t drag you down and I’m a fast runner. I can-” 

“No,” Toji rejected you with practiced ease, his aloof personality delivering that line with a dagger piercing your heart. You could feel your throat tighten then Toji kept walking, to the exit where Naobito waited for him. 

Don’t leave. 

You pleaded with tears forming in your eyes. 

You were the last connection I had to my mom. 

Toji looked over his shoulder, his mouth moving and you knew that this was his goodbye. But all your ears could focus on was the heavy steps making their way to you. The foul energy around this person made the swirls on your body tremble and shake. 

“Now that your bodyguard is gone, we can finally hold some conversations with one another,” Naoya stepped up and stood by your side, watching Naobito speak to Toji at the exit. You willed your tears away and forced the lump stuck in your throat down with a swallow. Could it be that this was Naoya’s plan all along? 

“Toji was a friend, not my bodyguard,” You softly said and Toji looked at you from afar, gave you a nod then left the estate free of the Zen’in name and their teachings. He became a free man allowed to eat anything, laugh, love, do whatever he wanted to do. No one was going to force him to beatings. No one could touch him with malice. He didn’t have to deal with the Pit. “And I hope that he finds something worth living for. He deserves happiness.” 

Naoya crossed his arms over his chest and said, “Speaking of happiness, I see a future with you as my wife. You’d have everything you want, a garden to tend, servants, and of course, pleasure.” 

You moved your eyes to Naoya and with a frown told him, “Your father will tell you when you're worthy of being my husband. Right now, you’re not even close to being accepted by Nami.” 

A scowl made its way onto his face and Naoya gripped your wrist in his strong grasp, “You know what?” He asked with bared teeth, “You should be thrown into the pit.”

“For what?” You tried to pull yourself out of his hold, but his anger only tightened it. Fear consumed your body at the notion of being thrown into a place so dark. He couldn’t be serious about the sick plan. “I didn’t do anything wrong by telling you that.” 

“No,” Naoya pulled you along with him, dragging you to the place where Toji suffered from, “You only spoke about running away with that reject. You need to learn that you cannot escape from me. You need to learn to respect me.” 

“Naoya, what are you doing? Unhand her.” 

Naoya stopped walking and you stopped right next to him, the attention on the disappointed Naobito standing behind you. The older man looked down at Naoya’s hand gripped on your wrist then to the floor. A trail of flowers followed behind you and slowly vines spun around your feet and legs, planting you to the ground. 

You did nothing to make these flowers grow. “Naobito-sama, please help me,” You whispered and tried to shake Naoya’s hand off of you, “he’s trying to throw me into the pit.” 

Naobito stepped up and spoke to his son, his hands still tucked in the sleeves of his kimono, “The moment Toji leaves you try to take advantage of this girl. It’s no wonder why she stuck to him and treated you like the plague. I told you that you need to control your anger.” 

“She tried to escape with him!” Naoya shouted, arguing with his father of all things. This teen had no respect for anyone, but the fear of Toji. 

“Can you see why!” Naobito shouted back, gesturing to the hold Naoya had on you, “You’re dragging her around the estate with the intention of throwing her into the pit! She’s-” 

“- a nobody!” Naoya fought back, “and until she becomes somebody important like my wife, she will be treated with respect. But right now, she’s just a girl with a fucking attitude! I plan to fix it now rather than deal with it later!” 

“If you do this, you will ruin your chance in the future,” Naobito said gravely and your eyes widened in realization. Naobito wasn’t going to save you if Naoya chose to throw you into the pit. Then time seemed to be frozen, your captor's voice loud and clear, “She did this herself.” 

Then everything went black. 

……

16 YEARS OLD

Nine years of this torture, you weren’t sure if you could stand this any longer. Your blessed energy may have healed your wounds, but your resolve dissipated as time went on. You couldn't even use your cursed energy to fight back the curses that bit you. Couldn’t protect yourself when the men grabbed you like you belonged to them. 

Nine years of enduring a pain you wanted to be free from. The curses and the men haunted your dreams, turned everything into a nightmare for you. You prayed to Nami to help you, yet your prayers went unanswered. When you turned 15, every night, the men forced liquor down your throat. They made you dance and sing for them as their entertainment. 

Then you went to bed with Naoya visiting you almost every night. Praising you, touching you, kissing you. It all felt the same, and you wondered if Toji knew about this…would he have rejected you that day? Would Toji make the decision to take you away and help you?

“Can you start walking? We’re gonna be late to class.” 

Out of all the conversations you could tune in for, this one involved three teenagers below you. This trio included two male teens and one female teen. Plain to see that they were friends, their sarcasm and witty comments to one another proved that. 

In a different life, you could have had that. You could have been graced with friends that made fun of you, protected you and appreciated your life. You could show them your unique techniques and ease their worries if they had any.

Yet here you were, sitting at the edge of the building waiting for the sun to hide behind the earth. Patiently waiting for the moon to grace you with her light. 

“My stars and my moon.” 

Damn, you can barely remember your mother’s kind voice. Though you inherited her red eyes, everything about her blurred into nothing. You had no pictures of her, no connection to her and she seemed to be distant in your memory. Your village ceased to exist and the women in your clan had long been forgotten. 

That’s okay, though. Because when the moon shows and the stars start twinkling, you’ll jump in the cool air. You’d close your eyes and welcome death in a needy embrace. Because you needed death more than ever. Needed her to wrap you in her darkness. Then you’d be forgotten too, Nami’s Miracle ending with you. You find comfort that your family line will no longer suffer. 

“Earth-worm?” 

“Seriously? That’s how you flirt with pretty girls?” 

It was a hushed whisper, one of pure shock and surprise. When you squint your eyes, to look at the one who said an old nickname of yours, you were left stunned. 

White hair. 

This teenager had familiar white hair and when he pulled his sunglasses off to look at you with his crystal blue eyes, you called out his name in the same tone, “Satoru?” 

Jump now, you told yourself. Because this felt all like a dream. You were still stuck in the Zen’in Estate or perhaps in the Pit. Maybe you drank too much and hit your head. You would have jumped if another shout didn’t catch your attention. 

“There she is! Lady [L.Name] stay right there!” 

You looked behind you to see a group of the Hei team after you. They ran and jumped from roof to roof just to catch up to you. Then you looked down the three story building to see Satoru still shocked at your appearance. But you had no time to stick around, your freedom would be taken away from you.  

“You look well, old friend.” You gave him a smile then disappeared in a flurry of flower petals that cascaded down towards him and his friends. 

..........

[dumbkiri]

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 3.1

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: The relationship between a Phoenix and her Guardian is a lot more than what it seems. Your plan to have Lenin watch over Sloane is working, but your worries become true when Thoirt tells Lenin that she cannot feel Sloane through the bond. Seems like translations are misinterpreted. Xaden teaches you and Brennan a lesson.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: part two of chapter three!!!! SLIGHT GORE MENTIONED! VIOLENCE! BLOOD! ETC!

SLOANE

Fuck, my head hurts and there’s this sour taste in my mouth. I can hear someone groaning right next to me as I slowly open my eyes to my dank surroundings. I can hear this dripping sound along with the person in pain sitting right next to me. 

What the hell.

I look down to see myself strapped into a chair. My wrists are bound as well as my ankles. I try to move, but all I do is rub my skin raw against the restraints. 

“Don’t.” The voice I’m oddly familiar with and already annoyed by warns me, “It’ll only make it worse.” 

Great. I’m stuck in a musty room with Violet Sorrengail. 

I turn my head to the left and see that she’s only bruised on her face. She took a small beating and I fear that worse is going to come later. “What’s happening?” I ask and she makes eye contact with me. 

“I don’t know.” She easily lies. 

“Really?” I ask annoyed by her half ass attempt to protect me, “Because we’re fucking strapped like some fucked up torturous shit is going to happen and you want to keep information from me?” 

“That information isn’t going to help you, Sloane.” Violet groans.

Then it clicks, “It’s about Xaden, right? And my sister…” But Liam isn’t here with us. So why me? Is it because I bonded to Lenin? I try to reach out to my dragons, but I don’t sense their presence. Not even Lenin’s demanding one.

“Yes.” At least she told me this truth. I stubbornly appreciate that. “It’s Varrish’s way of getting back at Xaden and your sister.”

“But I don’t know anything,” I say. 

“I believe you do, Cadet Mairi.” Vice Commandant, Varrish, walks in with his head held high and an authoritative attitude. “You see, you bonded to your sister’s dragon and we all know how attached he was to her. I heard stories of him ignoring the Elders, even disobeying his father just so he could protect her. Quite touching, really.” 

I send a glare at the man walking into the cramped space as he makes his way over to me. Trying to intimidate me. But it won’t work. Lenin told me that [Name] always kept a brave face on even when she was truly scared. 

“He went on to tell the other dragons not to interfere when you announced his name. It’s truly fascinating what a unique dragon like him can command. And he’s young, not much older than little, sleepy Andarna.” 

Violet tenses up, but I keep my facade. Anything can happen to us in this room. I know I will be in pain and I know she will be too. But we’ll have to endure. I truly know nothing when it comes to my sister besides what she wrote in those letters. 

“If you really wanted to know about my sister, you would have Liam here too.” I argue for my defense, “It’s been years since I’ve seen [Name]. He spent a whole year with her, but I’m strapped to this chair? If you really wanted to know about her, you would question him too.” 

Varrish smirks and says, “Actually, I have a theory I want to test out. Because I know what witches are capable of. Their unlimited magic which comes from the moon and the sun is astounding. They can power wards for years, travel in the shadows, heal with water, and have visions of the future. However your sister is the last of her kind. Her power is something I want to witness. Her moon sisters are all gone. Extinct. But before the last one died, she said that the Phoenix rises.” 

“I don’t know what any of that means,” I snapped, tired of hearing his voice. [Name] hasn’t mentioned anything in her letters that show his words are true either. However, I haven’t gotten through all of them. I have been focused on learning about her through Lenin while I go on flight lessons with Thoirt. 

Varrish groans with annoyance and his smirk disappears, turning into a scowl. “You two are so stubborn for the ones you love. We’ll see how long you can truly hold this show of strength. A few broken bones will do the trick.”

……

It didn’t take long for you to make it to Basgaith, your wings beating with determined urgency. While Lenin tracks down Varrish’s dragon with Tairn, your main focus is on your sister. When you land on the empty flight field, you cloak yourself when you transform back into a human. 

Your cloaking signet washes over your burning skin as you run across the field. You’re glad to have your old flight leathers alternated by Brennan because you don’t think you can run in a dress with the gravity of this messed up situation weighing on you. 

When you make it inside the college, you focus on your breathing. Damn it, being back here really does stir up old memories. Yet you search for Sloane on the first year floor, making sure you dodge the people making their way to classes and going about their day. 

When you find her room, you open the door to see it ransacked. Her bed is overturned, desk chair on the floor, clothes everywhere. You take in a deep breath, you can feel your chest burning with rage and pain at the sight of her room. 

“Holy shit, her room is a mess.” 

You swiftly turn around and watch Imogen and Liam walk into Sloane’s room with slack jaws. Carefully you moved to the side as they walked around speaking to one another in harsh whispers, 

“Whoever took Violet also targeted Sloane. Liam, what the fuck is going on?” 

“Nothing good. Her daggers are missing too. It has to be Varrish. He never leaves Violet alone, but why would he go after Sloane? She knows nothing about the truth.” 

“I don’t know maybe because she’s fucking bonded to Lenin. Use your head!” Imogen scolds Liam while he tries to come up with an actual reason. Because to you, he’s right. Why would Varrish go after her, but not him? Then it hits you, like someone just threw a brick at your head. 

Somehow, Varrish knows you’re alive. 

You squeeze yourself between them without thinking of the consequences. Because you don’t have time for that. If you’re right, Varrish is going to harm Sloane because of you. You cannot waste away thinking about what is happening to her. You need to run around this damn college to find her. 

You close your eyes and think. You tune out the sounds around you, searching for the breath that belongs to Sloane. You search anywhere the light touches then you hear two guards speaking to one another, their whispers filling you with dread. 

“Aetos is bringing Nolon down to heal them again. But I don’t think Cadet Mairi is going to-” 

You go down to the interrogation chambers listening to the voices that lead you there. Then you hear someone cry out in pain. Immediately you react and jog down the stairs to see Varrish break one of Violet’s fingers. It seems he has broken three already. 

“I don’t know anything!” Violet shouts, spits in his face as blood runs down from her swollen eye. 

“Fine then!” Varrish shouts back then says a threat that makes your skin itch with a burning rage. “I guess I’ll go back to torturing Cadet Mairi when she wakes up from her puddle of blood!” 

Before Violet can get a word out, you uncloak yourself and the guards behind Varrish tense up at the hot temperature radiating behind themselves. They turn around simultaneously as they watch your hands land on the nape of their neck. You don’t even think to spare them a second to speak. 

Instantly, they were burned from the inside out and their screams weren’t even heard. Their ashes fell into a pile at your feet while you made yourself known to the man whose boots are red. 

Red with Sloane’s blood. 

“[N-Name]?” Violet wheezes out, barely witnessing your new look through her good eye. That’s when Varrish turns around only for him to be slammed up against the damp wall of the chamber. You ignored the sound of your boots making contact with Sloane’s puddle of blood. 

“So my theory is right! You are-” 

You didn’t give the guards time. So why the hell would you think to give this cruel man the time to live out more seconds on this earth. Your rage is too much to bear and you have to put this energy into something. “You want my power so badly? Have at it.” You grab onto his face and begin feeding your flame inside his body. 

He screams and he cries out in pain as the fire from your hands burns at his skin. The smell is disgusting, his flesh melting in the palm of your hands feels disgusting. Everything about him appalls you. Violet vomits onto the floor at the stench of the burning body, but you pay no mind to her.

“Stop!” He shouts, but you force more power into him. Then after bearing a minute of being burned from the inside out, Varrish is nothing but a pile of ashes at your feet as well.  You huff and puff from the adrenaline. You just killed three people so easily. With nothing, but your rage. 

Now all you have is pain because when you glance to the right, your sister lies in her puddle of blood. Her breathing is shallow and you find her wounded in the abdomen. A knife wound. 

You walk over to her slowly, processing what is actually going on. Is this really true? You kneel down in her blood and reach out to her wound. Quickly, a flame covers the tips of your fingers and you press them gently on the stabbing. 

Then that flame moves over to Violet’s open wounds, sealing them shut with the heat. She groans out much like Sloane in her unconscious state. You hear Violet whisper a small ‘thanks’, but you don’t acknowledge her. Instead your red eyes roam Sloane’s body, her matted hair, bruised face and dislocated bones, broken fingers. 

“What the hell happ-”

Suddenly you spring up from the ground and push the intruder up against the door. Your hand pressed onto his face ready to turn him into ashes until Violet shouts, “W-Wait! Don’t, it’s Dain!” 

All the more reason to burn him too. 

“Stop!” Violet shouts again then you hear another man take in a shuddered breath. It’s Nolon. “Dain brought Nolon to heal Sloane! He’s not the enemy!” 

“Since when is Dain fucking Aetos not my enemy or yours?” You growl out, still pinning Dain up against the wall. 

“If he was, he would have pushed you off of him already,” Violet breathlessly argues with you, “But he’s not.”

“You’ve seen what I can do, Sorrengail. Let’s not act like he can stand a chance against me.” 

“This is really uncomfortable…” Dain groans, the heat under your hand making him sweat bullets. 

“Shut up,” Both you and Violet command him. Then Nolon clears his throat, “[N-Name], I can heal your sister’s-” 

“You will do no such thing.” You demand and remove yourself off of Dain. “You healed my sister only for her to endure another day of torture by a weak man. You’re lucky I don’t make a pile of your own ashes, Nolon. Consider yourself a survivor, those you step on weren’t so.” 

Nolon and Dain look down at their shoes and cautiously move away from the piles they stand on. You release Violet from her bonds and ignore the look in her eyes. You two haven’t made up and today will not be that day. She still loves Xaden. 

You kneel down next to Sloane’s body and pick her up gently. Her head lolls onto your shoulder and you walk towards the exit, but Dain stops you. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

“Dain…” Violet warns as you glare up at him. 

“Leaving.” Your clipped tone makes Nolon move out of the way, but Dain stands in front of you, definitely still a rule follower. It makes you sick. 

“You can’t just-” 

“Dain, move out of the fucking way!” Violet shouts, “[Name] just killed three people with a single touch. Turned their bodies into fucking ash! Now move your ass out of her way!” 

Okay, you weren’t expecting that from someone who just got her fingers broken not too long ago. You’d think she’d be passed out by now. Nonetheless, you silently thank her and move up the stone steps with your sleeping sister when Dain moves with no words said to you. 

Good, you don’t think you can hold back if he tries to speak to you. 

“Meet me on the flight field, Lenin. I’m taking her home, Thoirt is welcome to join us of course.”

“We shall be there shortly, Dagger.”

You don’t even try to hide yourself when you exit the interrogation chambers. You walk past students who question your appearance, some even appeared worried for Sloane. But none of them make a move to stop and question you. However some students ran to get a professor to talk to you. 

When you make your way outside you spot Lenin and Thoirt on the flight field ready to take off to Aretia. You desperately hold in your tears when you hear Sloane moan in pain while being held in your arms. 

“I know it hurts, but I’m going to get you to the best mender in this world,” You press a kiss to her forehead and continue walking to your dragon. Lenin’s pearlescent scales are tinged with red and you pray he ended the life of Varrish’s dragon cause what the hell was it thinking bonding to an evil man like the Vice Commandant?

“Thoirt, I know this is going to sound crazy, but-” 

“Thoirt is coming, Dagger,” Lenin gently tells you and that’s when Thoirt gives you a nod. It relieves you and you give the red dragon a smile. She kind of reminds you of Deigh which makes you huff with a passive laugh. Lenin was right, what’s up with the Mairi’s attracting Reds. 

Then you hear someone shout your name from across the flight field. 

It’s your brother, Liam. When you turn around to watch him run your way, you tense up and shoot a glare at him. He notices the angry look in your eyes and stops a safe distance from you and the pair of dragons. 

“[Name]...” He whispers in disbelief then looks down at Sloane sleeping away in your arms. “Is she…Sloane, is she-” Imogen and Bodhi run up behind him, also shocked by your appearance. They say nothing and that’s when their dragons fly overhead, something is happening. But you won’t wait to see what it is. Sloane needs to be mended in a safe place. 

“I asked one thing from you, Liam,” You growl out, your hands clutching onto Sloane’s bloodied clothes, “One. Thing.” 

“I-I know!” He shouts desperately, still shocked by your presence, “But how would I know Varrish would go after Sloane. She didn’t know anything. She doesn’t know what happened to you.” 

You gritted your teeth and shouted at him, infuriated by his response, “Protection isn’t leaving someone alone!” Their eyes widen a fraction more at your outburst, but you don’t leave it there. “You treated her like you treated me. Ignoring the problem isn’t going to fix anything! Did you not learn from my experience? Do I have to die again to show you what real love is? I sacrificed myself to protect you, Liam! How! How do you not see that?” 

Lenin hums while the dragons flying above meet on the flight field. It’s a lot of dragons that are making themselves known. You blink your tears away and tell your brother and your friends, “I don’t have time for this. Sloane needs help.” 

“Shadow is arriving soon. Perhaps we should wait for their arrival.” 

“We don’t have enough time. He can see me at the Riorson House.” You begrudgingly tell Lenin and he nods his head. Then you climb up his wing, the feeling of it so normal to you. 

“We’re coming with you!” Liam shouts and you sit down on Lenin, holding carefully onto Sloane. 

“We’re not slowing down for anything!” You shout back and Lenin takes off into the skies with Thoirt following close behind. After a few moments, you look behind you to see Bodhi, Imogen and Liam from afar on their dragons. You’re honestly surprised to see them because you can’t believe they just left Violet like that. 

“Shadow has it all under control.” Lenin informs you and you run your hand on his white scales. 

“You make it sound like I’m worried for the Sorrengail.” 

“She is Lieutenant Aisereigh's sister. And you did heal her. And released her from her shackles.” Lenin sarcastically huffs at you. 

“Brennan has nothing to do with this.” You argue back defensively. Like Lenin’s words held something suspicious in them. 

“Really? You’d think he’d be okay if you left Violet all alone in a dungeon, bruised and broken? He’s the only reason why you did that for her. Almost killed Cath’s rider for the safety of yours and theirs.” 

You frustratedly sigh and don't say anymore. 

……

When you arrive at Riorson House, Brennan meets you outside and immediately heeds your request to heal Sloane. He takes her to an extra room and mends her broken fingers first which crack back into place. You cringe at the sound and he looks up at you with worry, but you wave at him dismissively. 

“What happened?” He asks and looks over at the trio sitting on a couch together while you paced the room. Your bare feet making scorch marks on the flooring. 

“Varrish captured Sloane and Violet for five days.” Bodhi says, “We couldn’t find them until our dragons told us about Lenin’s information. That [Name] saved them both.” 

“But you only brought Sloane back?” Brennan questions you and you snarky respond back with the same amount of attitude “She had Nolon tend to her needs and I did heal her open wounds. She wasn’t in a dire situation, her boytoy was present, she had help.” 

Brennan nods his head and says, “Well you did the right thing. Sloane is going to be out for a bit, but she should wake soon. Can we all talk before Xaden arrives?” 

“Why?” You ask, confused by his nervous staredown with you. 

“Becuase he’s going to kill me when he learns that I’m your Guardian.” 

Imogen and the men on the couch sucked in a short breath. You sent them a glare and they all looked in different directions. Then you focused on Brennan, speaking to him in your native language, “He isn’t going to kill you.” 

“You can guarantee that? Because like I said, I enjoy life now.” He asks with a shrug and playful smile. 

“Shit.” Bodhi whispers while Imogen and Liam elbow him in the ribs. 

“What?” Brennan and you ask them, looking at the nervous trio. 

Liam rubs the back of his neck and stares at the floor while he explains what they see, “You guys speak in a totally different language with each other.”

“And you look like Violet and Xaden when they have their silent conversation.” Imogen chimes in. 

Bodhi nervously chuckles and says, “Yeah, you’re screwed Brennan. Like majorly fucked.” 

“See!” Brennan gestures to the trio and you roll your eyes annoyed by the four of them. So you went on to explain what happened when you came back to life. The more you explained, the more they apologized to Brennan. 

“Can you stop apologizing to him!” You shout and groan as you rub your temple with your fingers. “Listen to me, okay? This has nothing to do with getting back at Xaden or Violet. Though it may seem like it to you guys. What Brennan and I share is a bond between one another-” 

“-a sacred bond.” Imogen mutters. You ignore that jab. 

“And he has helped me when I basically resurrected in my old home. Brennan learned about my covenant, learned my language, became my guardian-” 

“-sounds like an intimate relationship.” Bodhi whispered to Liam. Making you clench your hands in fists, but you ignore him too. 

“He’s been by my side when I needed it, okay? We aren’t in any kind of relationship like you three think, got it?” You pointedly glare at them. But they all just shook their heads. 

“Does the room you two share have two beds or one?” Imogen questions. 

“One,” You answer honestly. 

Bodhi is the next person to speak up, “Do you two share the bed?” 

You hesitate on answering. 

“She’s hesitating,” Imogen notes with a playful smirk. 

“Yes, we share the bed.” Brennan scoffs. 

“Brennan!” You scold him, but he shrugs his shoulders saying, “They already know because your hesitance gave it away.” 

Liam stands up from the couch and says, “Say your goodbyes to Brennan while you have the chance. I just want to hug you already.” He walks over to you and takes your body into his warm grasp. He took initiative and you are grateful for it. 

While Brennan bickers with the other two, Liam whispers to you, “I’m sorry for not keeping my promise. I really thought if she didn’t know anything then she wouldn’t be hurt. Dain could search her memories and find nothing.” 

You slowly wrap your arms around his frame and lean into his chest. The sound of his heartbeat can soothe you to a peaceful rest. 

“It’s okay,” You tell him, “just know that you have to give her a hug and apology too when she wakes up. Then we’re challenging you on the mat together.” 

He chuckles and says, “That’s fine with me.” 

…

…

…

Aretia is filled with allies leaving Basgaith and you have not seen Xaden once throughout the ordeal. However now is your moment to make your official appearance to the council as a formidable ally in this revolution. Felix has kept quiet, true to his word when Brennan told him that you will make your own announcement at the meeting. 

Some leaders are offended to spot Violet at the table saying she has no business being here. But Brennan stands up for his little sister, always so protective of his siblings. Your feathers stick up in anticipation and Felix hushes your anxieties away by whispering to you, “He will be happy to see you, Phoenix. Aisereigh may have rekindled you, but you burn for Riorson.” 

You’re lucky to be in your bird form because you can feel yourself get hot from Felix’s words. He stretches his arm out to you and you carefully perch onto the limb, moving up to his shoulder. Brennan side glances at you, but relaxes when he sees Felix handle you with great care. 

Then the doors open up to show off Xaden in all his dark glory. 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. 

He’s even more handsome than you remember. He stands at the entrance commanding all the attention from the leaders that bicker with one another. He looks at each one of them, his dark eyes lingering on you with a questioning look then moves over to Violet. 

“If anyone has a problem with Violet Sorrengail being present at this meeting, speak up.” He doesn’t sound like he’s in the mood to argue. When no one dares to test him, he walks up to the table and settles in front of his seat. 

Xaden moves his dark eyes over to Brennan and calmly asks, “Where is she?” 

Brennan straightens out his posture and looks over at Felix who gives him an encouraging, subtle nod. Meanwhile you focus on preening your feathers like a normal bird. But you aren’t a bird! You’re just so nervous to make the appearance of a lifetime in front of Xaden and The Assembly. 

“She will show herself when the time is right. She came in with Sloane to have me mend her and-” 

“Then this meeting is over,” Xaden turns his back on the leaders and says, “We’ll talk when [Name] makes herself known. She is the key to winning this war.” 

Brennan looks over at you while Felix wraps his gloved hand around your talons. This is it. Before Xaden can take a step forward, you let out a call. The screech echoing in the room to demand attention. 

“I think she sees a mouse,” Trissa comments lightly. 

Everyone has their eyes on you, even Xaden, and your little heart drums in your chest. You take flight and glide over to the end of the table, across from Xaden. You talons tap on the table as you spread your wings which burn brightly. 

Then you feel your bottom rest on the table as you transform back into a human. Your back turned on the rest of them. Your hair cascades down with ripples of flames and your dress floats down to your bare feet. 

“I’m here,” You declared softly, afraid that if you spoke any louder your voice would crack. You slide off the table and turn around to face the stunned audience. “And I have been back for a couple of months.”

You look at each one of them, even Violet, before moving your red eyes onto onyx ones flecked with gold. He stares at you like you are the sun, beauty and grace. He drinks in your lovely image and bites his lips, holding in the words he wants to say to you now. 

But you speak again, “When I came back to life, Brennan-” 

Xaden is taken back by what you call his lieutenant. You addressed his lieutenant by his first name. Strike one for you. 

“-found me in my old home and has taken care of me for my whole stay here. He has helped me a lot by accommodating my needs because when I did come back, I had no memory of my past life.” 

Strike two. You don’t know what ticked off Brennan to speak up when he spoke in your native language, alluding the rest, “Are you going to tell him I’m your Guardian too?”

You fumble with your words and say to him, “What’s done is done. Xaden can’t do anything about you being my Guardian.” 

“Stop.” Xaden growls out. His hands planted firmly on the table and you can see the freaking cogs turning in his head. Then he sends a deadly glare over at Brennan and demands, “What the fuck did you just call yourself?” 

You and Brennan press your lips in a thin line. Well, maybe the others were right. Brennan is fucked. 

“Guardian.” Brennan speaks up and translates it to english, “It means Guardian in-” 

“No, the fuck it doesn’t.” Xaden’s jealousy is showing and everyone holds in their breath as he takes slow ones to calm himself down. You and Brennan look at each other confused by Xaden’s anger. Not that it’s unprecedented because what he says next makes you blush so badly, you think you will die from embarrassment.

Xaden draws out the word you and Brennan say carelessly, but the ending is slurred. He moves his eyes over to you and shakes his head, “That’s how you pronounce Guardian. What you two are saying is a different pronunciation of a completely different word. That word you two are throwing around holds a strong meaning to a Phoenix.” 

Xaden softens his eyes when he looks over at you but goes back to glaring at Brennan, “Because I’d be damned to let you call yourself her husband. That title doesn’t belong to you, Lieutenant Aisereigh.” 

And the pin drops. 

....

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo @marydreamsfantasies @taleiaargenis @x-childish-x @yuelhua

[dumbkiri]

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 3

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: The relationship between a Phoenix and her Guardian is a lot more than what it seems. Your plan to have Lenin watch over Sloane is working, but your worries become true when Thoirt tells Lenin that she cannot feel Sloane through the bond. Thoirt also relays that Violet is missing. It's time you show yourself to save your sister.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: more brennan moments and it'll all make sense when xaden enters the scene in the next chapter :) he's gonna be mad jealous lolololol WARNING this part is hella long so I had to split it into two parts which means you can read more! yay! 28 pages sheeessh

You meet with Lenin every day that you can without raising Brennan’s suspicions of your flights alone. 

It’s not hard to see that Brennan misses the flights with you, admiring the flames on your wings gliding in the sky. But you find comfort with your dragon knowing that he misses you just as much as you did him. You’re both healing with one another’s presence. 

Yet Brennan did a nice job of protecting you, healing you and just being there for you. Every second. Every minute. Every hour. Every day. Every month. He’s more of a friend than anyone in your previous life. 

Maybe something a bit more. 

“You think about him a lot.” 

Lenin’s voice captures your attention and you look away from the watered reflection of yourself in your phoenix form. Bird eye staring right back with a flicker of a flame. 

“Who?” You’re not sure of Lenin’s answer and your dragon huffs out a huge sigh which ruffles up your dark feathers. 

“Lieutenant Aisereigh.” He responds and you hum in thought. You may have forgotten that Lenin has access to your mind 24/7 if you don’t block him out. It doesn’t bother you that he knows so much because you let your shields down. Like before, you are willingly letting him in and you have nothing to hide from your loyal companion. 

“I guess I do and I can’t help it,” You fly away from the pond and land on Lenin’s spiny back. You showed him your new life with Brennan at Riorson’s and said, “You know how I feel about Brennan. He’s my Guardian, a human protector sworn to keep me safe and sound. Yet he’s also my friend, the only one I have so far since everyone thinks I’m dead.”

“Glane can let Pinkie know that you’re alive, Dagger,” Lenin says so easily that you almost fall for it, “Imogen is your best friend, your death hit her just as hard as Shadow. Your death affected everyone and your rising will–”

“We will do no such thing,” You interrupted him with a heavy sigh and clipped words, “They have to keep moving forward, Lenin. They have each other and they are strong. Speaking of, do you know how Sloane is doing? She must be making friends right?” 

From the way Lenin reacted, his head dipped down with a snarl on his face, the answer is no. Your family and friends were not treating Sloane right. A foul taste happened upon your tongue and the tips of your wings which are usually tinted in red turned into a dark shade of black. 

“Glane says that Sloane is trying to figure out why you died. No one says a thing except that it was an accident.” 

You don’t remember how you died, but you know it was no accident. Something inside you tells you it’s not true. So instead of dreaming and waiting for your memories, you look at Lenin as he’s already looking at you. He’s just as tired of waiting, he wants you to know your past. 

“Show me.” You declared. It’s about damn time you know about your past life. 

“Everything.” He replied, letting you know that he will only show you all of it, not just pieces. Lenin wants to show you your past which he saw from when he bonded to you and his time with you. 

“Everything.” You confirmed.

……

When Brennan returns to his room, he finds you sitting on the windowsill admiring your roses that grew with your care. He closes his door gently, yet the sound of it closing makes you turn to him. 

Something about you is different. 

Your eyes are brighter and they burn with a ferocity he hasn’t seen in these past months. 

“You lied to me.” 

Brennan is surprised to hear the amount of hatred you carried in your voice. Demanding and angry. He pauses in his trek over to you and gives you a questioning look, “Lied to you about what?” 

You stand up and glare at him, “You still want to pretend to be my friend? Fine. You want to play, let’s do it, Brennan Sorrengail.”

Brennan stiffens up and he looks around his room as if someone was there to listen to your conversation. Then he looks back at you, the guilt finally revealing itself to you. “I don’t go by that name, not anymore.” As if that would make you feel better. A name is who you are at the core, and the Sorrengails are fucking killers.

So you snapped at him, “Why? Because you died and you think you can come back with a family name that doesn’t haunt me? Change your name, so you can manipulate me or the others around you?” He has to know what kind of danger his name poses to you, to your family, to your loved ones. His mother is the General! How can he not see the future danger it can cause your family. 

Brennan knows your anger is warranted, he can feel it stir inside his chest. Your feelings were tied to him just like you can feel his guilt and shame. He took a step forward and explained his reason, 

“I never changed my name to manipulate anyone, especially not you. I changed my name to help Xaden and the people who needed it.”

His response felt genuine. His eyes begged for you to seek the answer within him. 

“You are a coward to lie to me for this long,” You bite back, flames dancing at the tips of your fingers. “Lying to yourself that you can help me by being a Sorrengail? Your mother took my parents, separated me from my siblings. Your sister forced herself on my partner and-”

“Yes, I am a coward,” Brennan interrupted your rant, “So what? I can’t speak for my family and you know that. What my mother did was horrific, what Violet did was fucked on so many levels. But I cannot speak for them. As for me, I’m here as Xaden’s lieutenant and your Guardian. But known as Brennan Aisereigh. Not a Sorrengail. You think I was fine to die on a battlefield knowing that my mother hid the real enemy? Do you really think that I would waste a second chance at manipulating the people who need help? To manipulate you when all you needed was a companion? I’m not a cruel person, [Name].” 

He can feel your hurt. He can feel the sadness swirling like the flames that moved around the palms of your hands. “I didn’t tell you about my previous name because I am not him. Brennan Sorrengail died that day.” He walked over to you and stood face to face with you, his eyes staring daringly into your red ones. 

“Standing in front of you is Brennan Aisereigh, that’s who I am. I am your Guardian, [Name]. I help you out of your nightmares. I preen your feathers for you. I was there for you even when you didn’t know yourself. You can trust me.”

You still do. But it hurt. 

It’s like what you felt when your friends left you for her. His sister that walked across the parapet with mismatched boots took the attention from you. A forgotten friend, shelved away when someone new came in. 

This secret, his real name, could be the end of the relationship you two worked hard on to maintain. He was born a Sorrengail, died as a Sorrengail. But he came back to life, giving himself a new name, Aisereigh. And when you came back to life, he was there searching for you. He clothed and fed you. 

Brennan helped you learn about your covenant. He learned your language. He…Brennan….He is Brennan Aisereigh, your Guardian of Light. 

“I’m not going to leave you.” 

His words knocked the air out of your lungs. Distinguished the fire in your hands. 

Xaden made a promise like that before and he didn’t keep it. No one ever keeps their promises. How can you believe that Brennan will keep this one when your partner couldn’t? 

Brennan reached his hand out and his palm gently slid across your cheek. His fingers brushed your hair while his thumb wiped a tear that fell from your eye. “I know he didn’t keep his word, but what we have is different.” Brennan whispers, then he leans down and you know what he’s doing. So you let him. His forehead gently makes contact with yours and he closes his eyes. You do the same and see his memories in your mind’s eye. 

“We both got a chance to start anew,” His voice caresses your mind like his thumb rubs over your cheek. “And I enjoy life a lot more with you by my side. Watching you learn about yourself leaves me with a sense of pride that I only believe a Guardian can feel.”

His accent has gotten a lot better, your language fits him as if he spoke it his entire life. He shows you his memories of admiring you in the sky. Your Phoenix moved in the clouds, spinning around Marbh’s tail making you and Brennan laugh when Marbh tried to swat you away. You always annoyed the dragon with your antics. 

“I am sorry I didn’t at least warn you, [Name]. I was afraid of this, of you feeling betrayed.” He showed you another memory. This one being recent, the look on your face when you confronted him. “The fire in your eyes burned at my heart, ashes falling into the pit of my stomach. I can feel your anger, your sadness and hurt. Please, don’t let my forsaken name be the end of us. I am devoted to Xaden’s cause, but you…being by your side is my first priority now.” 

Fuck, he’s hooked. And you hate to admit it, but so are you. 

You move your head to the side and press your face into his chest as you hug him. Immediately he melts into your hold and you keep the connection burning, “No more secrets, Brennan.”

“Of course.” He agrees, loving the accent that fell from your tongue.

“With that being said, I have made contact with Lenin and I remember everything.” He doesn’t seem surprised by this. Yet he questions it. 

“Everything?”

“Everything.” You look up at him and he gives you a small smile. 

“Wanna fill me in on the drama?” 

You laugh and push him away from you. Glad to be back to the normal relationship between the both of you. After all, Brennan is your light and you’ll do anything to protect him. 

……

A FEW WEEKS LATER

“Today is Threshing,” Brennan walks out of the bathroom, shirtless and drying his hair off with a towel. Some water droplets roll down his body and you swiftly move your eyes away from him. His chuckle makes your cheek burn with embarrassment for getting caught, but he continues on to say, “Will you watch Lenin choose a new rider?” 

You sit up in the bed and shake your head, “He won’t bond to anyone.” 

This confuses Brennan and he walks over to your bedside. His weight makes your seating position elevated and he asks, “Didn’t you say he was going to choose someone?”

“Not by his choice,” You swallowed the lump in your throat and said, “I’m making him watch over Sloane. For painfully obvious reasons.” 

“Will that be good for her? Normally they don’t allow-” 

“She’s not my real sister, so if Lenin really chose to bond with her…she’ll be fine.” You explained and scooted closer to him. You looked up into his eyes and said, “But I’m worried it’ll put a target on her back. In order for them to come back to the school, they painted me as a traitor. That I supplied weapons to the Fliers because of my background. It makes sense, I know.” 

“Just because something makes sense, doesn’t mean you can’t get hurt by it,” Brennan reassures you and you nod your head. Yeah, your feelings are validated. Anybody would be hurt by this revelation. When Lenin showed you his memories, you couldn’t help but feel remorse for what they all went through. 

The turmoil. The intensity. The fear. 

What will they do when they declare themselves survivors of an ending that was forced on them? Will they blackmail the school? Will they threaten the higher ups? 

Every problem has a solution. Of course, it was Violet Sorrengail who suggested that they paint you as the traitor. A witch with unknown powers, born into the enemy lands and sent as a spy to infiltrate and steal their weapons. She painted with a brush of darkness, covering the light that you radiated. 

Imogen stuck up for you, even threw a punch at Violet’s face which connected with practiced ease. 

“Fuck you, Sorrengail!” 

You missed her voice. Longing for a friend that protected your honor even after death. They fought for hours at the Riorson House discussing the ideas of how they could go back without dying. Reluctantly, they agreed with the plan to name you as a traitor. 

“To know that my lover and my friends did that to me…” The words on your tongue falter. You closed your eyes and felt the warmth in your chest burn with a blaze of rage. You sacrificed yourself to save Liam and Lenin. To save Xaden and Violet. Sgaeyl and Tairn. 

The rage then burned with pain. 

“But it makes sense. It’s a believable story told by your sister with truths about me. I am a witch, I did supply the Fliers, I come from enemy territory. Becoming a traitor helped save them.”

“Saving them twice…” Brennan whispered and reached out to you. His hand grabbing your balled up one as his fingers slowly helped you release the tension. “When are they going to save you?” 

You watched your fingers intertwine with his and he gave you a gentle squeeze. Then you smiled, “You saved me, Brennan. More than they’ll ever know. More than they ever can.” Your eyes trailed up his muscled arm and into his eyes. 

You two stared at each other with soft smiles and you squeezed his hand back, “Thank you.”

“Anytime, My Lady.” He teases. 

“Shut up.” You groan. 

……

Later that day, you are joined by Brennan on top of the cliff you found when you released the mouse. Waiting on Lenin’s words throughout Threshing. This is the time for Sloane to prove herself to any dragon. But most of all, it’s her time to find your dragon. 

In order to keep her close to you, to make sure she doesn’t feel alone, you asked Lenin to be her friend. If Liam is not going to keep his word by protecting your little sister, you will do it from afar. Through Lenin’s eyes and his words, you will know what Sloane is up to. 

“She found me, Dagger.” 

Relief courses into your system and you let out a sigh. Lenin tells you that Sloane found him after hours of waiting on your cliff. When you turn to address Brennan he gives you an approving nod, “Go see them. I’ll watch over you.” 

Without wasting another second, you travel in the remaining light. The sun won’t be up for long and you want to see your sister on the back of Lenin. Then his voice surprises you with more news, “She bonded to a Red named Thoirt. The Mairis and their Reds.” 

The sarcasm in his voice makes you laugh. It’s a good thing another dragon chose Sloane because Lenin isn’t officially bonded to your sister. He’s using your overflow of magic to make contact with her. You assume that Thoirt is fine with this and letting you know how Sloane feels through their actual bond. 

“Exactly that,” Lenin confirms and says, “Thoirt is her official dragon and communicates to me what Sloane is thinking. She’s very excited to talk to me about you. Anything you want to tell her?” 

You found a cliff that absorbed the sun’s light and waited there as dragons soar in the sky testing their riders. You remember bonding to Lenin and how incredible you felt riding on the back of a legendary dragon. His midnight blue scales and his golden eyes will always be loved in your memory. Gods, you loved Leninach and what he is now. 

Pondering over what you want to tell Sloane, you think about being her invisible protector. But it’s too risky. Yet it won’t hurt to send the sentiment. 

“Tell her that I’ll be watching over her, no matter where I am.”

Then you see her. Sloane is covered in blood and she smiles as she rides her Red Daggertail. The sight is something to truly behold because in the setting sun, Lenin shimmers behind them like a giant protector. The crowd erupts with gasps and murmurs, even the group of second and third years behind you began freaking out. 

But you pay no mind to any of them because your attention is on Sloane who climbs down from Thoirt with her head held high. Lenin lands on the field with his wings covering the sky, casting a shadow over the earth. 

Sloane announces Thoirt's full name then takes a deep breath. She fiddles with her green dagger and you find it hard to hold in your tears. You can feel them falling down your cheeks as she states to the recorder, “and Leninach.” 

It’s official in the books. 

It’s official to the murmuring crowd and higher-ups who challenge the bonding. Lenin roars into the sky and slams his wings down into the earth, shutting the humans up with his rage. No one is allowed to question his choice and he relays that to the present dragons of the higher ups. 

They all bow their heads down to the dragon that commands the sky and the earth. You notice the glare from General Sorrengail and Colonel Aetos. But their dragons don’t move against Lenin who dares them to try. 

He lowers his head down and his lip curls into a snarl then he bumps his growling snout into Sloane’s side. Much like he does to you from time to time to show the other dragons who belong under his wing. 

Then Sloane’s dragon, the red daggertail, huffs out her support. This makes you more relieved to know that Sloane will be protected by Lenin. By her own dragon, Thoirt. Meanwhile Sloane looks at Thoirt then Lenin with a bashful smile, she’s not used to this attention on her. Or maybe she feels overwhelmed by what is happening. After all, she bonded to two dragons. 

Only one person has done that and to know it happened a year after, the higher-ups are questioning what exactly is going on with the dragons. 

“Make sure to share my technique with her, Lenin. She needs all the help she can get on the mat.” You want to tell him more then suddenly you’re interrupted by familiar voices. The Riot behind you and their riders make your eyes widen. 

“Liam!” 

“Give him some space!” 

“He’s having a panic attack!” 

You looked over your shoulder and made eye contact with teary blue eyes. It’s Liam you see and the sight of him makes you frown. He tries to look at you, really look at you and understand what he’s seeing. The light isn’t playing tricks on his eyes. No, it’s really you standing right in front of him. 

Your frown deepens and you keep your eyes glued onto his blue ones. They’re right, he is having a panic attack. Their surprised voices aren’t going to help calm him down. The sight of you isn’t going to make him feel better. Yet you take a step forward to get closer to him, but when you do the cliff is no longer covered by the sun’s rays. 

And you are gone when he passes out. 

…

“Hey! You’re going to be alright!” 

Brennan’s shouts wake you up from your cold prison and you find yourself immediately clinging onto him. The shivers wrack your body and you suck in a short breath. Fuck, this is what happens when you travel when the sun disappears. Her warmth escapes you as you try to regain it back. 

“This isn’t something I can mend, but I know what I can do. Just don’t freak out like I did.” 

He waits for your response and you nod your head with your hands clenching desperately onto his shirt where his warmth radiates. 

Brennan cradles your body close to him and he starts saying an enchantment you’re not familiar with. 

 [ I am yours and wherever you go, I will follow. Through the dark, you light up the path for me. And on that path, I will guard the light of yours. ]

The more he spoke, it sounded like an oath. 

[ I am yours and whenever you need me, I will be by your side. To protect and to hold, I will do as I must for all of you. ] 

Then his hand, the one not currently wrapped around your body, is engulfed in an orange flame. The light burns so passionately and you are drawn to it like a moth to a flame. 

His hand lifts one of yours that cling to his jacket. His fingers lightly dance in your cold palm and you sigh when the flame seemingly disappears inside your hand. Like it’s powering you, warming your core once again. 

[ I am yours and you may call on me. To be your friend, your partner and your guardian. I am yours. ] 

The flame in his hand burns endlessly and the more it goes into your palm. It’s like he’s breathing life into you again and you feel so comfortable in his hold. Like you belong with him more than he does to you. His words are beautiful in the sense that you won’t be alone anymore. And you’re so damn happy he’s with you. 

The loneliness you felt in the past is nothing compared to what you feel in the present with Brennan. He really does make you light up in a way you aren’t familiar with yourself, but accept it nonetheless. 

Is this what a Guardian does for his Phoenix? 

As he feeds the power of the fire into you, he explains what is going on. 

“It’s the Guardian’s Oath,” His hand clutches onto yours and the flames dance around the intertwined hands, “When you choose me, a part of your power burns inside me. But I cannot use it for myself. Only for you. For moments like this when your flame is dwindled.” 

That’s good. You don’t think it’ll be wise for anyone to use the power of a Phoenix without being one. It makes sense that he can only use it for you, to replenish you. When you are feeling a lot better, the flame in his hand evaporates like it knows you’re good to go. Brennan was right, your power burns inside him, but only to help you. 

“Thank you for that,” You breathed with relief then shook your head, “I am never traveling that late again.”

He scoffs and says, “More like I don’t think I’ll ever let you travel that late again. I’m just glad it worked. The first time I did it was when you were having a nightmare, you would laugh at how I silently panicked laying right next to you.” 

Brennan laughs and reenacts him shaking his hand with pressed lips. You laugh in his arms and say, “Did it suddenly happen or do you know what triggered it?” 

“Good question,” He hums and tries to explain it, “I woke up at first with my hand feeling a lot hotter than normal. I mean it burned with a blaze that said ‘wake the hell up’. I couldn’t ignore it and when I opened up my eyes, my left hand was literally on fire. Can you imagine that?” 

You laughed and said, “I would love to imagine it. Just you silently panicking is funny in my head.” 

He rolled his eyes with a sarcastic “Ha. Ha.” Dry and monotone, but his dimpled smile came back, “Then I heard you mumbling in your sleep. I had this sudden urge to put my burning hand on top of your head.” 

“What!” You shouted, “What if you burned my hair off!”

“I didn’t!” He shouted, “and when I did put my hand on your head, you stopped moving and mumbling. So you should thank me for putting you to a peaceful rest.”

“You’re lucky to not have burned me, Aisereigh.” 

“Relax, Pheeny, it’s your fire anyways. Your fire only burns other people, luckily for me I’m immune to it.” He shrugs his shoulders and helps you to a standing position. 

“Eh~” You sang and dusted your uniform off, “Your clothes aren’t safe. I did light a fire on your ass-” 

“After you lost to me on the mat!” Brennan shouts defensively, with his arms crossed over his chest, “I didn’t take you for a sore loser, Mairi.” 

“I think your ass is on fire again, Aisereigh,” You smugly say and he turns around to look at his behind, only for him to pat his bottom frantically. He put out the fire and went to scold you, but you already transformed into your Phoenix form flying back to your shared room. 

“I’m so going to get payback, just you wait!” 

“Yeah, yeah~” 

……

His payback came after a few more weeks when Felix requested you to kill the remaining mice in the meeting room. So here you were, perched on Felix’s left arm as he walked to the place infested with mice. 

“So, little hunter, here’s a treat for you before you get to hunting.” 

He shows off a little fish in between his fingers and before you can think about it, your beak takes it with gratitude. He nods approvingly at your behavior and pats your head with two fingers, “Good girl.” 

Your feathers ruffle at his praise and Brennan clears his throat at the entrance of the meeting room. “She likes you, Felix. Don’t try to take her from me,” Brennan lightly warns, but Felix smacks his lips. 

“This bird is heavily attached to you, Lieutenant. If you call her, she will listen. I only got her to listen to me when I fed her fish.” 

That’s true. You don’t take any orders from the members of this house besides Brennan’s, but Felix is slowly growing on you. If only he didn’t make you kill these poor mice. Brennan opens the door to the meeting room and walks in first. 

Felix follows after him and you move onto his shoulder, so he doesn’t have to hold his arm up the entire time. “Little hunter, this will be the room where the mice normally come through. Your job is to hunt them, kill them or eat them while your handler and I chat about some things.” 

You chirp in agreement. Then glide towards the table waiting and watching for any movement of these poor creatures. Felix and Brennan talk to one another while you hunt the mice that come in from time to time. Although it’s not as easy as Felix made it to be. The mice were unmatched to your speed and prowess, but you screeched every time you killed one. 

Felix sighed and looked over at you exasperated by your behavior. “She can break their necks with one grip or snap, but instead she flings the mice at a wall. Screeching and calling out like she’s crying.” 

“Maybe she is,” Brennan teases because he knows you are actually crying in your head about how unfair it is to kill these little animals. You don’t know why it’s easier to kill the mice by flinging them at the wall, but you'd rather do that than snap their necks with your beak or squeeze the life out of them. 

You’re such a cruel person!!!

All of a sudden you pause when Lenin’s voice reaches you, amplified by your power he speaks with urgency, “Dagger, your sister is missing along with the Sorrengail girl.” 

“What do you mean by missing?” You demanded. 

“Thoirt says she cannot sense Sloane. Do you remember when our connection disappeared because of what that boy did with you?”

“Yes,” Your fear reaches Brennan and he tenses up from the pressure of your emotions. He watches you carefully looking at the corner of a wall while Felix talks to him. 

“It’s happening with your sister. My father is running around looking for a dragon because of the Sorrengail girl and-”

“I don’t care about Violet!” You snapped, your wings spread out as if you’re arguing with the wall, “Where is she? Where is my sister?” 

“Dagger, I’m telling you we cannot find her. It’s been four days.” Lenin plainly states and he says a name that makes your anger flourish in the room. Your wings burn a bright orange bringing attention from Felix now. “It’s Varrish who has them, that's why my father is hunting his dragon down.”

“Then you better hunt him down too,” Your deadly tone reaches your ears and you find yourself standing up. No longer in your Phoenix form, you turn around to witness the surprise on both Brennan and Felix’s faces. Brennan recognizes the fire in your eyes, the golden swirl in your red coloring. 

The bottom of your red dress burns with your fire and you address the men, “I will return to Basgaith at once. Have someone else handle your mice problem from now on.” Then you storm out of the meeting room. 

Meanwhile Felix huffs out with a smirk after you leave, “I knew it.” 

Brennan annoyedly shakes his head and says, “Kind of obvious, huh?” 

Felix nods and says, “No normal bird would kill mice like that. Anyways, aren’t you going to follow her?” 

“I trust her,” Brennan easily replies back, “[Name] is a woman you don’t want to stop. If you try, she’ll burn you to nothing, but ashes in one touch.”

Felix hums and sarcastically says, “Well then, should have warned me before I tested her with those mice.”

......

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[dumbkiri]

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 2

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: Brennan is a huge help in your recovery. He helps you understand your covenant with the books from Fen Riorson. Your longing becomes too much and you do something risky.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: this is brennan coded for a reason. however I do miss xaden and I don't want to rush through this series. so enjoy the brennan moments.

“The more I sleep, the more I dream about my past life.” Your voice is a lot softer from your past self who spoke with confidence and a sense of revenge in her heart. But the tone you use now stems from the fact that you don’t know yourself anymore. 

You’re being fed memories of your old self through dreams while the new you tries to navigate through it all. The old [Name] had a purpose and the [Name] now doesn’t know what she wants to do. 

“That’s good. Your memories are coming back and now we won’t have to try to piece all the gaps for ourselves.” Brennan chuckles as he gets ready for your morning flight in the windy weather. It looks like it’s going to rain and it unnerves you. 

You haven’t been the best during thunderstorms. 

“It is good.” You say and walk over to the open window, watching the silver blue sky being painted with pinks, oranges and purples. Maybe it won’t storm tonight. 

You hesitate on telling Brennan more because you don’t want to admit something that hurts your heart. But he is so observant, unfortunately it comes naturally to him when it involves you. He gravitates towards your core and he’s so… so genuine that you’re afraid to burn him. Afraid that your past would push him away from helping you. 

Like a moth to a flame. 

“Something’s wrong,” he says with concern. Brennan’s hand stops wrapping his arm with the protective sleeve for your talons. He drops his arm to his side and asks, “Did you see something that bothers you?” 

You sat on the windowsill and draped your legs over the edge in deep thought. Your bare feet swing a bit forward to graze the leaves of your rose bush then back for the motion to be repeated. He hit a million nails on your coffin. Because lately everything in your memories bothers you. Your parents’ death, the burning of your home, your moon sisters, your years at Basgaith. But the thing that bothers you the most is—

“I don’t remember what he looks like.” 

A moment of silence went by and you knew Brennan wanted you to elaborate on what you mean. He could be anybody. Your brother, Lenin or Xaden. Or some other dude at Basgaith. So you explained with a hurting heart. 

“I remember his voice. I remember his promises to me. I know what kind of hurt he put me through. What joy he expressed with me. How well we worked together. But I don’t remember what Xaden Riorson looks like. All I see is his shadow. Haunting me.” 

You took in a deep breath and said in a whisper, “He’s supposed to be my lover and I can’t even know what he looks like. It’s like my mind is purposefully blocking him out.” 

You hear Brennan walking over to you, his heavy footfalls a huge difference in the deadly silence Xaden walked with. “Do you remember what Imogen looks like?” He asks and stands right behind you with a protective nature. He greets you with caution as he takes a seat next to you. But his feet are planted on the carpet inside your room. 

“I do,” You smile sadly, “She has pink hair and pretty pale green eyes.”

“Is there anybody else you cannot remember?” Brennan pokes and suddenly you find him on a path with an answer. 

You turn to look at him and he already has his eyes on you. He knows the answer and you tell him the truth so you can hear it from him, “My brother, Liam. I find it hard to remember him, but I’m sure he looks like our sister, Sloane. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Imogen says I never really looked like them besides the blue eyes. Which are now red because of my power.” 

Brennan nods his head and says, “There is a reason why you refuse to remember them.” 

“Refuse is kind of harsh, don’t you think?” You huff out a laugh and Brennan shrugs his shoulders. Then he asks, “What do you remember most recently about your past? What chapter are you on in your life?”

You think about it and recall a new year at Basgaith, your second year. Xaden tells you that Liam crossed the parapet asking for you. Imogen and Bodhi argue about something along the lines of challenges. Then you see her, General Sorrengail’s daughter. 

Disgust finds itself crawling up your spine. 

You shake it off and tell Brennan, “Conscription Day. Shadow tells me that my brother crossed the parapet and he’s looking for me. It’s my second year now. That’s what I remember so far.” 

You watch Brennan and notice that he really knows more than you. He did tell you after they burned your body, that the group stayed for three days to recover and grieve. Xaden and the rest may have told Brennan what happened to you. What made you sacrifice your life for them. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” You say dejectedly knowing that he won’t say more to you. 

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Brennan lightly argues back, “It’s just that I don’t want to influence you. Your second year is probably the worst year for you. From what I heard between the arguments after your passing. Whatever you felt during that time should not be explained by me. Or anyone else. It’s how Guardians manipulate their Phoenixes and I don’t want that for us.”

“You take pride in being my Guardian, huh?” You switch the topic to the relationship between you and Brennan. It happened during a sparring match with him. A fight you will never forget and neither shall he. 

Brennan chuckles and lifts his right hand to tap his left shoulder, “I don’t bear this burn for nothing. It goes to show how close we’ve gotten and that I am worthy of a Phoenix.”

Worthy isn’t a word you would describe him as. Don’t get it twisted, Brennan is more than worthy to be your guardian. He’s kind, wise, strong and always there for you when you need help. Nonetheless you speak on it, “Yeah, I’m really sorry about that by the way.” You apologize for his burn for the third time this month. You can never not apologize for it. 

“A Phoenix can only brand her Guardian if they want it. No being can be subjected to guardianship without their knowing or doing because a Phoenix and Guardian is a bond greater than life.”

Brennan recites a passage from one of the books and it makes you roll your eyes at him with a smile. Then he decides to tease you more, “To think I get branded when we’re fighting in close combat. You must like me as your sparring partner.” 

His taunt makes you roll your eyes with a smile, replying back with a bite, “You’re my only sparring partner, Brennan. Also I didn’t think that punching you on the shoulder would burn you like that. It is pretty badass though, like a scarred tattoo.” 

“We both didn’t think it could happen like that, but we have talked about it plenty of times.” He is right about that. You two spent hours and hours reading the books Fen Riorson had stored in a chest. This chest was marked with your clan’s symbol and protected by a spell that kept it from burning. Brennan continues reminding you, “I asked if you wanted a Guardian and you said that you would choose me if you know how to make me one. Another time we talked about it, I accepted being your Guardian. We spend a lot of time together, you know? It’s not that hard to see that we make a perfect duo.” 

“We spend too much time together,” You reply back and this offends Brennan as he playfully leans back. Half his body is out the window and you watch him carefully. He could fall into the rose bushes and ruin your plants. 

“You offend me, my lady,” Brennan places his hand over his heart and gives you a pout. His hair shines in the evening light and his eyes draw you in with their own glow. Gods, he was handsome. And it disappoints you gravelly. 

“I take too much of your time.” You clarify to him and look up at the sky again. You tell him with an annoyed voice, “You should be doing whatever you were doing before you found me. I never see you with anyone else and it bothers me. To waste your time like this.” You gesture to the outside, hoping he gets what you mean. 

Brennan understands and fixes his posture upright. Then he says with a gentle tone, “Before I met you, I was studying about the Maidens of The Moon. And taking care of things for Xaden. Most of my time was spent learning about you for Xaden and for yourself. Sure, I have other things to do and I handle it while I’m not with you. Another thing you have to understand is…”

Brennan pauses and you can tell he’s speaking with his dragon, Marbh. Instead of a relaxed stance, Brennan shifts into a rigid state. Then he crosses his arms over his chest and gives you a glare, “I enjoy our flights, so move your ass and start flying.” 

You scoff and want to give him attitude, but in a quick movement Brennan pushes you off of the windowsill. Your feet touch the soil of your bush and your momentum is still moving forward. You don’t want to crush your growing bush and immediately shift into your bird form. 

You flap your big wings and propel yourself higher in the air to avoid your roses. Swiftly you turn around and squawk at Brennan who keeps his back turned away from you. It’s only then you see your bedroom door open and a man you never seen casually walks in. 

“Felix, what brings you here?” Brennan walks forward and he taps his left shoulder. That’s your sign to perch. You have an urge to disobey him, but you glide back into your room and land on his padded shoulder. You give him a quick whack to the back of his head with your right wing and this makes the man named Felix laugh. 

Brennan gives you an annoyed huff, “If I didn’t push you, you wouldn’t have-” 

“I don’t want to hear it.” You replied and eased your wings to your sides. 

Felix walks closer and gestures to you, “I see that you taught your bird to land on your shoulder with a signal. But she didn’t land so perfectly.” He speaks with mirth and you watch his hands. You can’t see what he holds in their gloved cage and the curiosity is killing you.

“Her choice,” Brennan says with a clipped tone, “I tossed her out the window to get her to stretch her wings.”

“It’s not so common to see a bird like her want to stay inside,” Felix responds and shows off his hand with…animal droppings? That’s so gross and this is what happens when you’re curious. “And this is why I came here. I need your bird to hunt the creatures leaving droppings in the meeting room. We can’t have our members around well, shit.” 

“No.” You outright tell Brennan. 

“She’s not the hunting type, Felix.” Brennan says immediately after you give your answer. 

“What kind of bird doesn’t hunt?” And Felix is quick to question your ability for a skill you don’t have because you’re not an actual freaking animal! 

Yet the man does have a point and it makes you ask something stupid. “What kind of creature does he want me to kill?” 

“What exactly is scattering around the halls?” Brennan asks for you. 

“Rats.” Felix’s answer makes your feathers fluff up in disgust. “Or mice. One of the two however because of the size of the droppings, I want to say it’s mice. Trissa thinks the same.” 

Then a voice shouts from down the hall, “I caught one!”

Brennan is surprised to see a woman with glossy black hair run in with a small box. She closes the bedroom door after herself and walks over to the men. “I caught one and let’s just say, thankfully, it’s not rats.” 

That doesn’t help you at all. 

She places the box on the floor and looks up at you, “I bet she can’t wait to eat it.” Her smile makes you uneasy. Why is she looking at you like that? And did she just say eat it? Fuck no. 

Felix agrees with the woman and bends down to open the box. He drops the droppings inside the box with the mouse then picks up the creature by its tail. Its squeaks penetrate your ears and you tilt your head to the side. It’s bird instinct! 

“Here you go, little hunter,” Felix waves the mouse in front of you and you do the most human thing a bird could do. You turn away from him, your body moving with a disinterested look in your eyes. Your feathered tail smacks Brennan’s chest and he chuckles. 

There’s no way you’re going to eat the poor mouse. You want to cry for it right now as it squeaks. 

Trissa is not impressed with your reaction, “It just ignored the mouse like that? Toss it in the air for her.” 

You let out a squawk for a NO and Brennan carefully moves you onto his padded forearm. He gives you an apologetic look and you watch in horror as Felix tosses the mouse up in the air. You jump off of his arm and successfully catch the poor creature in your talons feeling it squirm, begging for sweet release. 

Then you fly out the widow with the mouse in your grasp. You fly far away from those rude humans to find safety for this mouse. 

……

“Turns out your bird does like to hunt,” Felix tells Brennan while the amber eyed male jogs over to the windowsill. He watches you fly over to some trees and you disappear in the shadows. There’s no way you actually eat the mouse, right?

…… 

After finding a safe place for the mouse, you glide down to the grass and land gently for the creature in your grasp. Then you bring it in front of you hearing its squeaks of distress. You released it and watched it scamper away from you out of fear of being caught again. 

Poor, little creature. 

You walk on the grass for a bit just wandering the area. You did fly out a bit further from the Riorson House, so this area is pretty new to you. That’s when you spotted a cliffside free of blocking trees and bushes. You flap your wings and fly out to the cliff, then you land with your talons digging into the earth. You look around your surroundings and shift back to your human body. 

Your feet dig into the warm earth and you let out a sigh. It may have been awhile since you physically stood outside without being a bird. Brennan finds it too risky to let you walk when everyone thinks you’re dead. You should have guessed with that mischievous smirk of his was because he wanted you to be a bird the whole time while at the Riorson House. 

His plan worked with only a bit of suspicion about your bird in general. No one found anything about your species for obvious reasons. Only Witches of the Burning Phoenix clan can shift into this species. They might as well be a myth because you’re the last of the covenant. 

“What a shame,” You whisper to yourself and watch the sun greet you in her shine. She shines brighter than the moon that gazes at you with a knowing look. Like the sun is happy with your life, but the moon is sad with your death. 

It’s a sudden feeling of missing Lenin’s voice inside your head that brushes you with the wind. He talked to you in your silent moments, in your classes, in your challenges cheering you on, just every moment you had. He was there. 

You miss him dearly and you want to fill the hole in your heart that is Lenin. Much like you want to fill the other gaps that Xaden can and the gaps that your siblings will fill. You’re overwhelmed with their absence and there’s one risky thing you can do to see at least one of them. 

As you close your eyes, you use an ability the sun grants you when her light touches the earth. You can feel your conscience detach from your physical body and when you glide in the sky, you turn to see your body standing upright, eyes closed. 

This time your body stayed upright instead of falling like a sack of potatoes. You don’t have much time to stay like this, the sun’s light will go away in an hour or two. You hated traveling at the speed of light because you have a hard time controlling it. But with months of practicing, you found a way to slow down. 

It’s risky to do this, to show up at Basgaith, but your heart longs for Lenin. You want to see your dragon and to see if he changed. It’s not hard to follow the energy that Lenin channels because some of it still belongs to you. Like he holds a part of you with him. 

You recognize the valley. Then in a split second you see something move from the corner of your eye. But when you looked it was just the wind brushing the leaves of the bushes and trees. You sigh and ignore the wind that pushes you forward, like it was trying to lead you somewhere. Instead you stay in your place and search for Lenin’s energy. It pulses like a mighty heartbeat; steady and strong. 

And you locate it right in front of you. But you don’t see him. You try again to search for Lenin because it’s frustrating you. Your power shouldn’t be this difficult with you and the energy from Lenin smacks you in the face. And it’s like you hear his voice in the distance saying, I’m right here, Dagger. 

“Lenin?”

You speak softly, afraid that you were wrong. Maybe he had been here, the amount of power he channels just lingers. He’s already gone. But all of a sudden, something shimmers in your line of sight. 

“It really is you, Dagger.”

His voice in your head brings a peace you longed for ever since your awakening. You watch with teary eyes as he makes himself known, the cloak around him dropping to reveal his new color to you. 

Lenin’s pearlescent scales gleam in the evening sun and you cry at the sight of your beloved friend. He’s right in front of you looking more magnificent than you last saw him. His wings are crescent moon shaped, not torn or scarred from the battle at Resson. He doesn’t have mismatched eyes either. They’re both lilac and they stare you down as you cry a waterfall. 

You cannot help yourself, but try to explain in your rant with apologies, “I’m so sorry I put you through my death. I-I did it for my brother. I did it for you. And I’m so sorry that I left you behind. I broke the bond we had and-”

“You did what you thought was right.” Lenin interrupted you and he settled on the earth, his wings hovering on your sides. “And our bond is not broken. It survives and it is stronger than ever. Did you really think I could let you go so easily?”

You wiped your nonexistent tears away and looked up at him, “What do you mean?” 

Lenin chuffs and says, “Here you stand, right in front of me. Searching and longing for me. You couldn’t let me go, Dagger. The moment you came back to life, I felt you. You radiated warmth, fierceness and I was there for your first breath. Our bond transcended death and as long as the sun burns for the moon, I’ll be here.” 

“I wish I could hug you,” You sniffled. His words were everything you needed to hear. “I wish I could see you in person and not like this.” 

“You’d put yourself in danger if you came here physically,” Lenin argues then he says, “There’s a lot we need to discuss, but for now I can enjoy some sleep with you. Like the old days.” 

You smiled at him and nodded your head. Then you tell him when you tuck into his chest, “I have to let you know that when the sun is gone, she’ll take me with her light. Just remember that I’ll be here tomorrow when she rises.” 

Lenin hums and says, “At first light, Dagger. I’ll be here.” 

……

When the sun’s light disappears and the moon graces the earth with his cool, you are sucked back into your body. The feeling of coming back makes you stumble backwards, but your feet hold you upright because right now you’re elated. 

You’re so damn happy about seeing Leninach, your pearlescent colored dragon. 

Shifting back into your phoenix form, you do a few flips in the sky and twirl for the stars. If this is what it feels like to meet Lenin, you couldn't wait to see Xaden and your siblings. 

“[Name], finally!” 

Brennan exclaims and his voice reminds you of how you ditched him. For good reason, of course. You follow the thread between you and him, not surprised that it leads into your room. Your wings stopped flapping as you glided towards the windowsill.  When you land, Brennan rushes over to you and picks you up. 

He looks all over you for any sign of injury and you tell him with an amused tone, “I released the mouse far from here. So it wouldn’t come back and I wouldn’t be forced to eat it.”

Brennan laughs with you and sets you on his forearm giving you a grin, “You had me questioning that you did. After all, when it squeaked, your head turned like a bird.” 

“It’s bird instinct!” You countered back in your defense. 

He closes the window and drapes the curtains over it. He works quickly to get you settled in for bed. “Do I need to draw a bath for you?” Brennan asks and sets you on his desk which makes you shift back into your human body. He examines your body and answers his own question, “Did you fight an animal in the forest or something?”

You know he’s joking with you and you shake your head exasperated. 

“Actually, I just danced on a cliff. Going back and forth between my human body and phoenix form. I’m trying to learn how to shift faster and maybe learn how to fight around my shifting. It’ll give me a very high advantage.” 

“Super.” Brennan replies back and walks into the bathroom. You hear him getting your bath ready and you hop off of his desk. Technically this is his room which became yours the moment he brought you back. Unfortunately you sleep in a cage like a bird while he enjoys his nice bed. 

You stare at your cage which is hanging on the post of the left side of his bedframe. You remember one time when another person barged into his room uninvited. Thankfully you were in your phoenix form sleeping away in the cage. However you did let out a loud squawk from the scare which woke up Brennan faster than the intruder. 

“You can sleep in the bed if you want,” Brennan steps out of the bathroom with a few towels in his hands. 

“And what? Let you sleep in the chair?” You walked over to him and took the towels from him. 

He shrugs and says, “I’ve slept at my desk more times than I can count.” 

“It may not seem like it, but I’m really adapting to my Phoenix. And I find sleeping in that form much easier.” 

Brennan nods his head and gets himself ready for bed. Before you close the bathroom door, he tells you with laughter, “Don’t forget, you’re hunting for mice tomorrow. Felix will take care of you while I do some of my work.” 

“I hate you~” You sang then slammed the door in his dimpled face.

......

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo @marydreamsfantasies @taleiaargenis @x-childish-x @yuelhua

[dumbkiri]

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 1

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: Sloane mistook Lenin as a hiding spot. Thoirt is allowed to bond with Sloane. [Name] is not the only one to suffer from ptsd. [Name] dreams of Xaden...a lot.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: Bodhi has a lot to explain to his squad. Imogen is definitely blocking out Glane during those times....

“I love you. I love you so badly that I’ll kill anybody just for you.” 

His lips find themselves on your neck, slowly trailing to your collarbone. 

“I love you.” He declares again and gradually picks up his pace. “I love you so much.” 

And you can feel his love. You can tell he meant every word by how passionate his thrusts came to be. He held you with a yearning and protective hold, not wanting to remove your heat from him. 

……

You open your eyes and blink away the blur of your grogginess. In front of you, it’s not hard to spot the man who sits next to your bed. He has his legs wide open, arms crossed over his chest and head hanging forward as he dozes away in the afternoon light that bleeds through your curtains. 

Brennan sleeps away in a comfortable chair and you don’t have the heart to stir him from his slumber. You wonder if he catches any sleep outside of visiting you. 

Quietly, you rise in your bed and let the sheets fall off your body. You’re not surprised to find yourself clothed. After all, you don’t think Brennan would have let you wake naked again. 

Right. You passed out on him during the flight to Xaden’s home. Naked. Gods, could you be more shameless? Letting another man coddle you while you’re vulnerable? 

You move your eyes back to Brennan and call out his name. Suddenly you’re hungry. Starving. And you have a craving for soup. It’s something that would be relatively easy on your stomach. 

“Brennan.” 

He doesn’t wake the first time you call his name. So you lean over your bed and reach out to him. You balanced yourself with one hand on the arm rest while the other one reached for him. You poked his chest and called out his name again. 

“Brennan.” 

This time he shuffles a bit in his spot then slowly blinks his eyes open. You spot his amber eyes look at you then a smile graces his features, “Finally awake? It’s nice to see you up, Phoenix. Had me worry there for a bit.” 

You give him a smile in return and tell him, “I’m hungry for soup. Is there something I can make-“ 

“No, no,” He uncrosses his arms and stands up from his chair. “I can arrange for someone to make it for you. You need to focus on regulating your temperature.” 

You raise an eyebrow at this and he sighs, “It fluctuates when you sleep. Sometimes you burn up so badly, I have to cool you down with wet rags. Other times, you’re so cold I drown you in blankets.” 

You laugh at his expression which is overly dramatic, nonetheless you take his words seriously. Then you tell him, “Well I feel quite alright right now. Normal, I should say.” You remove the sheet off your body and slide your legs over to the edge of the bed. The nightgown reaches your knees when you stand in front of him. 

“There’s another thing I have to talk to you about.” Brennan states and moves his eyes to the door. A tense silence fills the room and you can tell Brennan doesn’t know how to put his thoughts into real words. So you try for him, “I’m assuming it’s something important. Does it have to do with my resurrection?” 

“Something like that,” He replies and the next sounds that come out of his mouth, warms up your heart. He’s speaking in your language and it’s like music to your ears. The language is so beautiful coming from someone else and maybe it’s because you can see Brennan struggle with it. You can tell he’s trying his best to speak to you and you smile at him, understanding every word he says although broken. 

“There are people who want to use you for your power, but I cannot let them. Part of me wants to send you to Basgaith and another part wants to keep you by my side. Both are dangerous options. If you go back to Basgaith, there’s no telling what the higher ups will do to you. If you stay with me, people will find out about you sooner or later.”

You nod your head and tell him, “I don’t know how to use my power in general, Brennan. No one will use me if I’m a ticking time bomb. And as much as I want to see Lenin, I don’t want to blow up the damn college. There’s so much I experienced at Basgaith, the good, the bad and the ugly. Who knows how I’ll react.” 

“So you’re staying?” Brennan can’t help the smile on his face, it's like he won the lottery for keeping you by his side. 

In response, you roll your eyes at his excitement and say, “You’re the only one who knows the real me. Why would I leave when we can learn so much together. It’s time we figure out what I can do.”

“Oh~ we will have plenty of time to figure this out together. But there’s one catch to all of this.” 

You don’t like that dimpled, mischievous grin on his face. 

……

SLOANE 

I find it hard to write to you these days. 

It’s just with everything going on, I can barely lift up my utensil to spill out my thoughts. I don’t know how to tell you that I’ve been abandoned by our family. 

I’m not sure how to tell you that Liam doesn’t visit me anymore. Or that Imogen barely has time for me. I can’t even have a proper conversation with Xaden. It’s like I’m actively using my signet, cloaking myself from them. At least it would be because of me that we can’t talk. Not them. Never them. 

They’re all preoccupied with Violet Sorrengail. To me, I think it’s ironic that they are tying their life to a girl whose mother killed our parents. But I know it’s for good reason. Don’t tell anyone that I’m telling you this, but if Violet dies (which is entirely possible), Xaden will die. Lenin and his parents don’t think her dragon will survive if Violet dies. And mated bonds between dragons are deadly too. So yeah. 

Violet dies? Tairn dies then Sgaeyl then Xaden. It’s a cycle of death. Honestly it terrifies me that Xaden could lose his life because of her. That Lenin could lose his parents if Violet Sorrengail isn’t careful in this college of death. Everyone wants her dead. 

She is General Sorrengail’s daughter. It’s not like the thought hasn’t crossed my own mind. To get revenge for our parents. Yet her life won’t bring back our parents. And I don’t want to lose Sgaeyl or Xaden. 

Anyways, I cannot wait to see you next year. I know you won’t leave me to my own devices. And I sure as hell won’t ignore you for this long either. I could use some sister talk. 

Fuck, what am I saying? 

I need to be honest with you. I just need someone this year because I’m changing, Sloane. My signet is progressing at a faster rate than I could have anticipated. I’m able to manipulate light and objects. I’m figuring this out all by myself - scratch that. Lenin just growled at me. But he’s in the same boat as me. We’re figuring it out together. 

See you soon. 

Your sister, [Name] 

Fun fact: Lenin calls Garrick an oaf. 

…

“Nervous?” 

Sloane picked her head up from the piece of parchment on her desk away from the pretty writing. Her blue eyes landed on her brother with a scar at the bridge of his nose absorbing all of her attention. He never talked about [Name]’s death. Only chalked it up to be an accident. 

Not much was said about [Name] in general. People rarely mention her and only the teachers will talk about her from time to time. Telling Sloane, Your sister was unstoppable. [Name] had a very unique signet. She loved to show off. You think you can beat our expectations? Your older siblings are a force to reckon with, what about you? 

“I’m not nervous.” Sloane finally answered Liam’s question and folded up the letter gently. Not at all happy about what she read. How could Liam abandon their sister? First year for [Name] was filled with fun, shenanigans, love and trust. Her second year was empty and cold. [Name]’s only friend being her dragon; Lenin. 

“It’s okay to feel-”

“Did you know she killed six people in her Threshing?” Sloane interrupted Liam, her eyes piercing through him. 

Liam straightened up at the door and looked away from her glaring blue eyes. It seemed he didn’t want to talk about their older sister right now. Not when her death was still fresh in his mind. It’s been months and no one wants to talk about her. 

“Yeah, I do. Deigh told me that she looked beautiful in a lethal way.” He answered truthfully, not a hint of emotion in his tone. No regret. No sadness. No anger. No sense of revenge. Liam talks about [Name] like she’s not dead. Sloane wants to know how [Name] died and no one is telling her how. 

“How,” Sloane looked back at the letter, keeping the topic on their older sister, “How am I supposed to compete with that? Or even know that I will bond to a dragon? [Name] says that the feeling was legit magical. That even when she killed her opponents and her dragon handled the last one, it was like they were destined for one another.”

Liam shifted uncomfortably and said, “No one can compare themselves to [Name]. She could have been stronger than General Sorrengail if she…if she hadn’t died. That much everyone knows and-”

“I feel bad for him, to know that our sister died and you won’t tell me anything about it.” The blonde woman grabbed the letter and placed it carefully back into her desk drawer with all the other opened letters. Stories and more stories of [Name]’s time at Basgaith filled that drawer. 

She knows more about [Name] and her dragon, Lenin, more than Liam. And he attended college while she was alive. How unfair is that? That Sloane has to learn about her sister through letters while Liam had the chance to get to know her in person…and he squandered that chance just so he could be best friends with a fucking Sorrengail? 

It pisses her off! 

“Are you saying you feel bad for Xaden?” 

Liam really thought she was talking about Xaden. Is he serious? 

“I’m talking about her dragon. The one who roars at the full moon like he’s cursing at it.” She stands up and slams her chair into her desk, “Everyone knows it's her dragon that roars out the same hour at the moon. And I’m not nervous about Threshing, if anything I am hoping to bond to Lenin so I can find out the truth!” 

Liam sighed and said, “Sloane, [Name]’s death was an accident. That’s all I can tell you for now. Anything more and I can put us in danger. I promised our sister that I would protect you, so let me.” He looked tired and worn. Like [Name]’s death weighed him down. 

Yeah, but not knowing is wearing Sloane down too. 

“Protect me? I don’t need protection. I need my brother to tell me what happened to our sister! She died and no one will tell me what happened. Imogen brushes me off, Bodhi gives me some pathetic look and Xaden is at some unreachable outpost!”

Sloane shut her drawer and glared at her chair. It’s all unfair to her. She’s waited years to be reunited with her family and this shit happens. 

“She said she would teach me her fighting technique, Liam. She said that she couldn’t wait to greet me on the other side of the parapet. And I couldn’t wait to just see her. All I want to know is what happened that night. How did she end up dying?”

“In an accident, Sloane,” Liam never let his words falter or stray away. He kept up his answer and shook his head, “I’m sorry you cannot accept that. Good luck tomorrow.” He turned his back on her and left her room shortly after. 

In her lonesome, Sloane stared at her door with an angry glare. She can’t imagine why Liam couldn’t tell her the truth. She deserved to know. And Sloane is going to find out one way or another. Her next step is to bond to Lenin and ask him how her sister died. 

……

This is not what she had in mind! 

Sloane finds herself running away from a blue swordtail, playing around with its food. Food being her and the three others that got roped into the feast. Some guy thought he bonded to the blue swordtail only for it to torch him.

Seemed like this dragon liked torching people alive because now it chased her and the others like it was all some kind of game to it. A sick and twisted game that she did not have time for. She has a goal today and now it changed to surviving threshing! Bonding to Lenin can wait!

Then a red blur soared past Sloane, but she didn’t stop to see what it was. Or what happens when a dragon makes a roar sound like that. While she ran with her life on the line, Sloane found a small cave. Quickly she ran over to the entrance of it and took a cautious peek inside. It was dark inside, but oddly warm. 

“Hey, Mairi!” 

Sloane abruptly turned around and saw some dude swinging his sword around. She doesn’t know who he was, doesn’t recall him in challenges or in classes. So how does he know her name? 

Then she sighed, being confronted by this man is way better than being chased by an enraged blue dragon. Sloane removed her hand from the edges of the cave and before she could question him, the sound of flapping wings caught her attention. 

A green swordtail landed on the peak of a mountain to her right and on top of it was Bodhi Durran. Great, now he’s here to witness the brawl. 

“You must think you’re special or something, huh?” The guy asked and walked over to her, his sword readied for an attack. Sloane is hot-headed, yeah. But she’s not going to jump into a fight with just a dagger. 

.

“She left these for you,” Liam dropped a huge stack of letters onto her desk. 

“Wow, she wrote a lot.” Sloane huffed with a smile. 

Liam returned it and pulled out a weapon from his leathers, “and this.” 

.

But [Name] did. She jumped into a long fight with six people of varying sizes. Killed them all with her dagger. It’s what earned her the endearing nickname. It’s what earned her a special bond with Lenin. 

If Sloane wants to capture Lenin’s attention, now is the time to prove her worth. “What makes you think that?” She questions back and pulls the dagger out, spinning it on her finger then flipping it into her palm. 

“The way you question your sister’s death,” the guy swings his sword, “acting like she’s not some sort of traitor. You think your sister died a hero’s death?” 

Sloane doesn’t know what to think. Because no one tells her anything about [Name]’s death. Yeah, she’s heard some rumors about [Name] being a traitor. That she helped out the enemies, supplying them with weapons. But her sister is not a traitor. They don’t know her. Not these people, not the Marked Ones, not Xaden and not Liam. 

Sloane knows [Name] and her deepest thoughts. 

“Keep mentioning my sister and I’ll cut your tongue out. You know nothing about her!” 

The man laughs and mocks her, “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I strike a chord? Cross a line of yours?” 

Sloane kept her stance, remembering [Name]’s threshing and what she wrote in the letter. 

When people wield a sword, you always want to shorten the distance between the two of you. But that’s the thing, obviously they have more room to strike. One swing and it’ll hurt like a bitch. So plant yourself and let the sword wielders make their move. 

Let them come to you. Then you strike. 

She planted her feet and focused on her breathing. [Name]’s fought people as big as this guy, she wouldn't be this scared. [Name] fought six people in a dense fog. Sloane is fighting one dude in the setting sun. She can do this. 

“[Name] Mairi is a traitor and I’m willing to bet you are too! So it is my duty to kill you now! Make sure you don’t bond to any dragon!” 

“Then come and do it already! I’m tired of hearing you talk!” Sloane shouted back and the man charged at her. His brown eyes dead set on her, his mouth forming into a scowl. Sloane sucked in a deep breath when something touched the very essence of her soul. 

Warm blood splattered on her face and the sound of crunching bones overwhelmed her senses. A deep rumble vibrated behind her and she could feel the sound reverberate in her chest. She wiped her eyes free from the blood and witnessed a gnarly mess in front of her. 

The guy didn’t even get to scream. He didn’t see the threat right behind her and neither did Sloane. She let out the breath she held and watched the dragon munching on the man swallow him whole. Then the dragon’s lilac eye stared into her soul. 

“You must be an idiot to approach him.” A voice rumbled inside her head and Sloane looked around for the source. It didn’t take long for a strawberry red dragon to make its presence known in the valley. It walked towards her with a bowed head, showing respect for the huge beast that just finished his snack. “But the male he just finished off is a bigger idiot. Talking about his previous rider like she was nothing, but a traitor.” 

“W-what…” Sloane raised her hands up to her head and tried to focus on another voice that spoke to her. His voice, demanding and agitated, drowned her thoughts. She stumbled over to the red dragon wanting to put distance between her and the white dragon. 

Wait, white dragon? Only one dragon existed with that coloring. 

“Don’t rush into it. The power he channels is a lot stronger than mine, so focus. He’s reaching out and you need to grab onto him.” The voice leads her and Sloane tries her best to pay attention to the thread leading her to the white dragon. 

Then she hears him, his voice coming at her in full force. 

“To think I would have the chance of meeting Dagger’s spitfire at a time like this.”

It’s Lenin! And he’s addressing her through a bond. She did it! She bonded to Lenin!

“And I, do not forget about me.” 

Sloane’s vision, free of the blood and blurriness, captures two dragons in her view. A red dragon and a white dragon, side by side. She bonded to two dragons…how could this be? It shouldn��t be possible. She can barely comprehend that she bonded to one in general. 

“Possible or not isn’t the problem here. It’s who we chose that has a say in the end. Although, I will say I am surprised Lenin is not threatening me like he did Deigh two years ago.” 

“I am in no mood to fight you over Sloane. I’m only doing what my Dagger wanted me to do.”

“Which is to bond to me?” Sloane asked and she couldn't help, but felt relieved. She survived threshing and bonded to two dragons. What more could she have asked for? 

Lenin chuffs and shakes his wings, little pieces of leaves and greenery come off of him. Then Sloane breathes out a laugh because she couldn’t believe it. The cave she was trying to enter was the freaking curve of his leg. He wasn’t a mountain although he literally is a size of one. 

“We should let her announce our names now. Time is almost up.” 

“Go. I’ll be there shortly.” 

Sloane looks at Thoirt and Lenin, still not able to process this. She has two dragons, both beautiful in color. Thoirt makes her way to Sloane and waits for Sloane to mount her. With shaky hands, filled from excitement, Sloane climbs up the strawberry red dragon with a triumphant grin. 

She fucking did it. 

……

LIAM

“Sloane is seriously a thorn in my fucking side, Liam.” Imogen and the rest of the Marked Ones, including Violet, all sat at the edge of a cliff with some of their dragons right behind them.

They just finished doing some flight maneuvers to see the first years riding back from their Threshing. Browns, oranges, greens and reds flew over from the fields while doing some movements to see if their rider was worth it. 

“Yeah, I know,” Liam grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, “She won’t leave me alone either.” 

Imogen plopped down next to the blonde and said while pinching her fingers, “I’m this close to telling her about [Name]. Just so she can leave me be.” 

Both Violet and Liam snapped their necks to look at Imogen with worried glares. Then Imogen rolled her eyes, “Don’t worry. I won’t, but at some point we have to tell her something. She’s going crazy and she’s about to read what happened in [Name]’s second year anyways.” Imogen returned the glare at Violet and said, “Sorry, Sorrengail, but I’m pretty sure [Name] had nothing good to say about you. Or Xaden. Or Liam. Hell, even me.” 

Liam shook his head and smiled grimly, “Yeah, we’re all screwed.” 

Another dragon landed behind them and a breathless, “We’re more than screwed.” caught their attention. Looking over their shoulders, Bodhi rolled off his dragon and addressed the trio with a shake of his head. 

The sunset glow made the sweat on Bodhi’s forehead gleam and he frustratedly paced in front of them. “It’s Sloane. Good news, she survived Threshing. Also extremely good news, she bonded to two dragons.” 

Everyone shot up from the ground and walked over to Bodhi. 

“Two dragons?” 

“No fucking way Sloane is capable of doing that.”

“Who did she bond to?” 

The last question stopped Bodhi from pacing and he looked at his friends with a nervous grin. Then it faltered when his gaze moved away from them and behind them. “Have a look for yourself.” 

Liam turned around, covering the setting sun with his hand to witness his little sister on the back of a red dragon. Her blonde hair and her light skin had been tainted by dried blood. Sloane looked like she came out of a bloodbath and he had so many questions running through his mind. 

“Great. She bonded to a red dragon.” Imogen spoke up then addressed Bodhi with more sarcasm in her tone, “Don’t tell me she bonded to a Blue too. Knowing Sgaeyl, I think I had my fair share of a Blue.” 

Bodhi shook his head and said, “You’re going to eat your words in a few minutes here.” 

Liam never removed his eyes away from Sloane and her contagious smile. After all these months, Sloane expressed happiness for the first time today. Although she looked like a psycho, Liam feels reassured by her sight. She is alive and bonded to a dragon. 

Then Deigh’s voice strikes him down. 

“Do not be alarmed when I tell you this, but Lenin has found a new rider.” 

Something behind Sloane and her dragon reflects the evening sun and his breath hitches in the back of his throat. Then Imogen’s guesses fall silent like Glane finally told her about the second dragon that chose Sloane. 

“Okay, the silence is killing me.” Violet chimes up then Imogen starts laughing. Her maniacal laughs fade into the background because all Liam can hear is the sound of Lenin’s whine. The evening sun darkens into a much darker sky and he feels like rain is pelting down on him. 

“They’re not after you now. They want me and if that’s what they really want, I’m taking them down with me.” 

He can see [Name] stand in front of him at the edge of the cliff. Her nose was bleeding with a determined look on her face. She held out a green dagger to him, her words crystal clear, “Give this to Sloane when she learns how to kick ass.” 

Liam can’t breathe. 

“Liam…” [Name]’s voice is overlapped by the others around him. He can see his friends surrounding him with worried faces and he doesn’t know what to do. [Name] keeps talking to him, he wants to say sorry. He wants to apologize to her for avoiding her. 

“Liam!” He blinks once then twice, silent tears falling down like a calm river. It’s Violet trying to catch his attention. “Liam, you’re having a panic attack! You need to-” 

“I know what I’m doing, Liam!” 

Liam can feel the tips of his fingers cramp up then numb over. He moves his eyes away from Violet and watches [Name] at the cliffside. Her nose is no longer bleeding. She actually looked real to him. She stood with a grin on her face watching Sloane hold onto her red dragon in the skies followed by a chuffing Lenin. 

Then [Name] looks over her shoulder, her grin turning upside down with worry. She looks at him and her frown deepens. But it’s not the frown that makes him question what the hell is going on. It’s the color of her eyes. They’re not blue. 

They’re red. 

“Liam, breathe! Damn it!” Violet shouts. All of a sudden, his vision goes black.

......

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo @marydreamsfantasies @taleiaargenis @x-childish-x @yuelhua @

[dumbkiri]

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: rising from your ashes, you find yourself in your family home with a fragmented memory. except that you catch glimpses of a man in the shadows and hear a rumbling voice inside your head. the man that finds you also finds himself in a peculiar situation. one that ties him as your guardian.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: oh yeah, we're doing this. and poor mc has ptsd. slight brennan, my bad >.<

Hot. 

That’s the first thing you felt when you rose from your ashes. 

Naked. 

Is what you first saw when you looked down at yourself. Charred ashes of your old self brushed against your burning skin and you looked around your surroundings with teary eyes. 

Crying. 

Is the first thing you heard as you hugged yourself. You cried into the silent night of your broken room yearning for comfort. Yearning for the man that appeared in the back of your mind, but you don’t recall his name. Just who he was to you. A protective lover who can wield shadows and fight with lethal precision. 

Then an echo of your past was the next thing you heard. A dragon’s whine and a deep voice calling you by the nickname; Dagger. A patchy dragon with mismatched eyes flashed in your mind. You do not recall his name either. 

Both human and dragon were close to your heart. You held them in your soul for a reason. Came back to life, so you could see them again. You have to find them no matter what. 

“This roof is going to collapse on me, I know it.” 

An unfamiliar voice echoed in the broken home straight towards your vulnerable position. One you didn’t want to find yourself in front of a male no less. Frantically looking around you couldn't find anything that would cover you. So you remained still hoping that the man would not wander into your room. 

Yet fate had a different path for you. It wanted the man to find you and when he pushed the charred bedroom door open, you were greeted by handsome rough features. Brownish red curls sat close to his temple and his eyes were an amber color. Nothing sparked in your memory about him. He knew you though. 

“[Name]?” He took one more step towards you and you covered yourself as much as you could. Your eyes are drawn on the floor with broken debris and scattered burned material. “Is that really you?” 

“I…” You stifled a sob to try and make sense of it all. “I don’t remember. I-I don’t remember how I got here.” You repeated to him, so he could try and piece the puzzle for you. You don’t know what happened to you. But your body burns with this crazy amount of heat. You want to disperse it. To let it all out, but this is the wrong time. Wrong place. You don’t want to endanger this man. 

“Okay, just stay here,” The man tells you and looks back into the hallway he came from, “There’s something that can cover you. I’ll go get it.” When he turns his back on you, you shout at him, “Wait! Please, don’t leave me!” 

You’re afraid of the dark. You hate being alone. And you can find yourself shivering in your spot. There’s something else you're afraid of, but can’t quite place what it was. 

The man stops in his tracks and gives you a reassuring look, his hands raised up to gesture to the door. “I won’t, I’m just going to get a cloth for you. It’ll provide you cover. I’ll be back.” He promised and when you gave him a slow nod, he disappeared in the dark. 

Then after a few seconds, he came back in with a thick curtain and approached you with a terse grin. “Sorry, this is all I really found. Everything else is burned with holes or not sufficient enough to cover you.” He walks over to you, his boots crushing the broken debris with ease. His hands move the curtain around and he wraps you in its warmth. But you’re already feeling hot. 

“What do you remember, [Name]?” He asks you as he crouches in front of you. The man still towers over you while you sit in your pile of ashes. 

“My name,” You whisper, “I remember my name and that this is my home. I remember what I am and how I came to be. The rest is all blocked, but I’m looking for two people. Well a lover and a friend.” 

“Really?” He was amused by your response and you nodded your head. 

“My lover is someone who can wield shadows and my friend is a dragon. I need to find them in order to get my memory back, I know this.” You look into his amber colored eyes and he looks vaguely familiar. You’ve seen this man before. 

“What is your name?” You ask him and he clears his throat, hoping you wouldn’t ask him that. As you wrap the curtain closer to your body, the heat inside your body begs to be released. 

“It’s Brennan Aisereigh, I’m a friend of yours. We weren’t very close, but we worked together.” He explains, his voice a lot softer. He spoke to you like it would spark your memory. His words did nothing. You don’t really remember him. 

“I see I don’t really have an effect on your memory. Must be because I’m not that memorable, huh?” Brennan tries for a joke and you give him a smile in return. 

You want to joke back, make this weird conversation a bit lighter. So you try your hand at comedy, “I’m pretty sure I would remember a man with handsome features like you.” 

Brenna huffs out a laugh and shakes his head, “Xaden would end my life if he heard you compliment me like that.” The dimples in his smile is the thing that makes him a bit boyish in appearance. 

Your eyes widen in recognition. You know that name, it’s your lover. That’s his name and it fits perfectly for a man like him. “Xaden…” You whisper his name and a glow appears in the moonlit room. “His name is Xaden…Riorson. Son of Fen Riorson. The dragon riders who become our allies.” 

“Y-yeah, that’s his name.” He shifts in his kneeled position and his eyes wander across the bare skin of your collarbone and shoulders. “Do you normally do that by the way?” 

“Do what?” You questioned back. Then you followed his amber eyes which haven’t left your barely revealed cleavage and witnessed an abnormal glow coming from inside your body. It’s bright red mixed with bright orange and you marvel at the beauty. 

Your fingers skim across your skin and you tell him, “I don’t do this at all. It’s all so new to me. Being back after my…” 

Lightning strikes outside your bedroom and you jump in fright. Instantly, you find yourself thrown into Brennan’s chest. The glow disappears and in its place swirls a darkness, like shadows curling around you in spirals. 

“[Name], you’re burning up.” Brennan states the obvious and you push him away. The lightning from earlier brings up a memory. You can see it play inside your head, the strike that came down at you so fast you couldn’t even process that it struck you. 

“Hey! That’s my family you’re talking about!” 

“You need to leave,” You tell him as you scamper backwards into your ashes. 

“How would you like it if I threatened yours?” 

“I can’t leave you alone like this.” Brennan argues back with you. He reaches for your trembling hand, but you pull away and the glow comes back. This time it’s only the color red that burns under your skin. 

“Leave. It’s painfully obvious that Sorrengail-” 

“You have to leave me, whatever is going on with my body right now. It’s not safe to be near me. I need to disperse this heat. I need to let it out, but I cannot do that with you here.” You warn Brennan and the voices of the past echo all around you. 

“It’s for you, do you know the handwriting?” 

Brennan rises to a stand and he shakes his head, “Whatever you plan on doing, it should be outside. The roof will collapse on you if you release any kind of energy from the Phoenix.”

Phoenix. How does he know about the Phoenix? Only your sisters knew about that. They were the Maidens of The Moon, their powers tie with the everlasting moon. But your mother came from a different covenant. She came from the Burning Phoenix. Powers that tie with the flaring sun. 

You tried to be a part of your sisters covenant, but your affinity for water never came as easily as fire did. Burning the letter in the echo of your past came like breathing. Now that you are reborn, rising from your ashes, you know that the Phoenix lives in you. 

The fact that Brennan knows this makes you question how. Yet there isn’t enough time for him to stand there while your body temperature rises. 

“I’ll be fine, you won’t.” You tell him and your last warning fell off your tongue when Brennan suggested something. 

“Shift.” He takes notice of your confusion and he digs into his leather jacket. His hand searches for something and he takes out a piece of parchment. With the allowed moonlight, he reads out his folded note, “Witches of the Rising Phoenix Covenant has many unique abilities. The first one being able to resurrect every time they die. The second ability allows them to bend and create fire. The third ability lets them shift into a Phoenix. So let’s try that out before we burn the Mairi family home…again.” 

You listened to his words diligently.  It’s not Rising Phoenix, it’s Burning Phoenix. He must have gotten the letters mixed up. Rising and Burning look familiar. Later you will correct him. The third ability is what catches your attention though. 

“It’s said that shifting helps you maintain your energy output. Very much like your sisters using their gryphons or you using your dragon.” Brennan tries his best to explain his knowledge on the topic of your covenant. “Fen Riorson did his best to learn from your sisters. And I’m barely scratching the surface of it. Although, I do know that when you decide to change to your…bird form… you have to feel safe in your environment.”

Safe. 

Brennan doesn’t seem like a threat to you. You're in your old bedroom, charred and broken. But it still feels like home. You can spot the runes hiding in the walls, on the floor even on the curtain you wear as a cape. You drag your eyes from the floor and up at Brennan who worries for you. 

He’s not a threat to you. You can trust Brennan. You know this deep inside. 

As you hunch over your ashes, you have a feeling that you can do this. He’s right, you’re a Phoenix. Not a Maiden. You fight with fire in your eyes, you will burn those that threaten the ones you love and your love is fierce. Although you don’t need to burn anything right now. Your anxiety from the storm outside comes from your past. Not your present. You died, yes. And now you’re living; breathing breaths that fill your lungs. 

Gradually, you feel your bones shifting and the curtain covering you feels heavier on your changing body. Your bones got smaller, you felt feathers growing on your arms and your face shifting. 

“Wow,” Brennan exhales when your transformation is finished, “Your phoenix form is stunning. More beautiful than the books described you. A lot darker than what I read from is what I mean.” 

You blink your eyes and look down to see dark purplish wings with streaks of orange that brighten up your feathers. In disbelief you try to speak to Brennan as you walk up to him. Your talons tap the floor and a windy chuckle from him makes you tilt your head. 

“Sorry, I just…you squawked at me. I have no idea what you’re trying to tell me.” 

Right. He can’t speak to birds. No one can, but you can create a link with him, telepathically. You jump up and flap your wings. But you let out another squawk when you fall back onto the floor. Quickly Brennan scoops you into his arms and says, “You can’t fly for the first week. But we can help you glide with some exercises. I think we can-” 

You look into his amber eyes and when he makes contact with your bird-like ones, the link is established. A tether between you and him made of new friendship and problem-solving shenanigans. 

“Brennan, we can figure this out when you take me to my loved ones. I need to see them.” 

He doesn’t question the link between the two of you. You actually feel him welcoming it with ease. Then he shakes his head, telling you about Xaden and your dragon, “[Name], they went back to Basgaith. It wouldn’t be wise to send you there either when you’re supposed to be dead. ” 

You find him to be right in this situation. How were you supposed to go back and suddenly tell them you’re there? Alive and well. No one in the higher ups is going to accept you, not after what happened in…Athebyne. Not after what you remembered in the note. 

Varrish. 

Gods, you need to think over everything. 

“We should get going,” Brennan says and he turns towards the dark hallway. He holds you gently in his arms, afraid to crush your wings to your side. Your feathered tail swayed left and right as he walked in the empty hall. Looking around your old home, not much has changed besides it being in ruins. 

“How did you know I would be here?” 

Brennan maneuvers over large pieces of debris carefully as he speaks to you, “The history of your covenant says that the first time a Phoenix dies, she resurrects in a place she recognizes as home. You spent your childhood living with the Mairi’s and I don’t think Basgaith is home to anyone with a mark. So with nothing else to call your home, I deduced that you would be reborn here.” 

“I don’t think anyone would find Basgaith their home.” You move your head around memorizing the halls you used to run carefree in. You could hear echoes of children laughing and parents lightly scolding them to be careful. You were never careful with your siblings. 

Siblings. You have…two siblings. A brother! 

“Don’t do this! I can’t watch my sister do this! Sloane would never forgive me!” 

And you have a sister named Sloane. The anguish voice of your brother begging for you to let him fight with you made your wings tuck closer into your sides. He tried to make you stay with him. Tried to make you understand that your younger sister wouldn’t believe how you went out. 

You still can’t believe it yourself. 

“It’s a good thing you came back before the storm started.” Brennan begins picking up his pace. You could smell the earth getting wet, the storm coming closer to the both of you. And you have this feeling of anxiety creeping up on you. A fear of a storm and lightning. 

“It’s just a short flight back to Riorson's. There I can cloth you and give you some food. We can talk about the rest when I get you settled.” 

Settled. It’s weird to be in his arms when you desperately wanted Xaden to hold you. You wanted your lover to clothe and feed you. To be there for you when you rose. Yet Brennan found you and is the one caring for you. 

Surprised by your actions, you couldn’t believe you let Brennan in so easily. You blame it on his knowledge of your covenant. Did Xaden read the same history of the Burning Phoenix too? Can he understand your language like Brennan? 

“How long have you been studying my covenant for?” 

“You want me to be honest?” He asked as he made his way to his orange dragon waiting patiently for his return. 

“Yes.” You reply softly. 

“Not long,” Brennan climbs up his dragon with relative ease as he holds you with one arm, pressed close to his chest. “Honestly, Xaden told me about your sisters; Alani, Sera and Rema. The Maidens of The Moon. I know about their covenant fairly well. But nothing of what he told me about you made me think you were a part of the moon. You didn’t wield water, influence others emotions, or make illusions. Instead you manipulate light and burn a letter. You resonate more with the Sun.” 

“So you came out here on a whim? Hoping that you were right.” 

Brennan chuckles and sits in his seat, placing you gently between his legs. He looks down at you with his dimpled smile and says, “I was right, wasn’t I? I found you naked and in a pile of your ashes. I even got you to shift into your Phoenix form.” 

“Yeah, but not even I knew I was a Phoenix until my resurrection. I just…I find everything so confusing right now.” 

“It’s going to be like that for a while. You have a fragmented memory, not everything will come back right away. But you’re right about one thing. Xaden and your dragon will stir up your memories. Bring them back in a way I cannot. However, I will help you as much as I can. You are possibly the last of the Rising Phoenix Covenant.” 

“Burning Phoenix, Brennan. You got the letters mixed up.” You tell him then you fell into his lap when his dragon took to the skies. Without even thinking of the consequences, your talons dug into his right thigh, holding onto him for dear life. 

Brennan immediately freezes up and winces at the sharpness of your talons. “H-Hey!” He shouts and suddenly you transform back into a human. Your arms snake around his neck, clinging onto him as tears slide down your face uncontrollably. You cling onto him because you’re afraid to fall. He didn’t even ask if you’re okay with flying. Or if you were ready!

You don’t want to fall! 

“[Name].” He cranes his neck which allows you to dig your face into his warmth. The air whooshing through the space between you and him disappears as you focus on his voice. “It’s a short flight. We’ll be there in no time. Just keep holding on to me.” 

You don’t plan on letting go anytime soon. Instead of giving him an answer, you press yourself closer to him. While he holds your legs down on his left thigh and his right arm curls around your back. 

Then you close your eyes, lulling to sleep with the sound of his racing heart. 

……

ιηѕρσ ѕσηgѕ:

Dark - Hans Zimmer

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo @marydreamsfantasies @taleiaargenis

[dumbkiri]

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭: Sloane is going through her first year with everyone avoiding her like the plague. All because she wants to find out the truth about her sister who died in an accident for war games. But the scar across Liam's nose tells her something different.

[Name] didn't die in an accident. If she did, then why not tell her the whole story? Why is everyone so damn secretive? For now all the answers must be in [Name]'s letters and Sloane will find out the truth.

After all, there is one person who can tell her what happened to her older sister. Or should she say, dragon? Sloane will bond with Lenin in Threshing if it's the last thing she does.

𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 - (7/10/25)

......

𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐨

......

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo

for all my tagged riders, if you're no longer interested in this upcoming series, let me know! I will erase your name, but thank you for being a part of the Cloak of Shadows series! Much love to each and every one of you!

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ησтє: 16 pages long. idk if that should be a warning or something. anyways this is the last part! thank you all for reading it. if you got this far in the note...you should check out my pinned masterlist, there's a surprise waiting for you, my dedicated reader <3

ρℓσт: waiting and waiting. this is Xaden's promise to you.

ιηѕρσ ѕσηgѕ:

Don't Give Up - Ursine Vulpine, Annaca

The One I Love - Bolshiee

Down - Simon, Trella

Without You - Ursine Vulpine, Annaca

^^ HIGHLY RECOMMEND LISTENING TO THESE SONGS FIRST

[NAME] 

Once the flames from the letter extinguished, you watched the ashes fly away in the evening breeze. Whisking away the threatening words of Varrish and his plans to capture and question you. You won’t become like your sisters, you won’t be chained up for years to give your enemies protection and power. 

“You know my answer, Xaden,” You wiped the ash on the tips of your fingers on your leathers. Smearing the inked letters on the dark black of your clothes reminded you that you might just fight alone if no one chooses to save the people running away right now. “I’m not running away from this fight. They expect us to die, but I won’t let it happen. As long as we have our air superiority, I can cloak us.” 

You all won’t have air superiority for long. The horde of wyvern chasing Lenin down in your vision prepares you for Violet’s fabled words. There is more than one and they are violent. 

“How many at a time without burning out?” Xaden looks at you, drinking you in because he knows this is the last of you. Probably the last conversation between the both of you and he wants to still save you. He wants more time with you and damn it all if you want the same. 

Does he always have to ask those important questions when you’re trying to convince your family to fight? You draw your eyes over to Lenin waiting to hit the skies and cloak him. It comes easily to you, cloaking your dragon. You move your eyes over to Glane right next to him and she dips her head in acknowledgement. You cloak her and she’s hidden completely in the camouflage. 

But something burns under your skin. An itch you can’t erase and you release the two dragons from the cloak. You didn't think Lenin’s size would impact your ability to cloak others. Usually you could cloak three dragons at a time. Now you can barely cloak two. 

“I can cloak two including my dragon,” You admitted with a defeated shake of your head and explained to them why you suddenly can’t cloak three at a time. “Lenin’s size takes up a lot, but I can cloak the rest of you by switching the focus.”

“And me?” Violet takes a step forward announcing her presence to everyone and questioning your ability to protect someone who is tied to Xaden. “Can you cloak Tairn while cloaking Lenin?” 

“You can barely cloak my mate and I at the same time, Dagger.” Lenin said and you can tell he is worried for you. If you tell Violet that there is no chance in hell you could do that, it would make you seem like a bad person. Especially with the Flier incident, it wouldn’t be hard to make yourself look like a bitch. 

“Tell them the truth, you cannot do it. My father is more than capable of fighting without your protection.” Lenin tells you, but you go the opposite direction. Tonight is the night your bond will break, this choice is yours to make. As will all the other choices you make in the future be for your benefit. 

Your family is going to live on. 

“Yes, I will do that if your life is in immediate danger.” The moment everyone heard your words loud and clear was the moment their thoughts rushed at you. Their waves crashed into you like a relentless tide. 

All of us were going to be in immediate danger once we take flight. 

Violet is so screwed. 

[Name] should just tell her the truth and say, no. 

She will cloak who she wants to save the most. 

Their doubtful voices echoed all around you and in turn you scoffed, standing against their tidal waves, “Wow, you guys are still doubting me.” If anything you need Violet Sorrengail to live until the end because she’s going to be your executioner. You’re going to protect her and Tairn with all you can. But no one needs to know that, just her dragon and yourself. So you point in the direction of the battle, “do you see the civilians running down there? Fathers carrying their daughters, sons leading their mothers?” 

Families that need your help. 

“They have nothing but gryphons and our dragons to evacuate them. Their life is in immediate danger. Don’t make me choose you over them, unprotected civilians over dragon riders. Now let’s move.” 

You turn your back on them and make eye contact with Lenin. He is the reason why you’re fighting. Liam is the reason why you’re fighting. You hesitate to look over your shoulder and look into Xaden’s eyes. The man you fell so hard in love with. You can feel him watching your every move, questioning you silently. 

Is this the moment she leaves me behind? 

Your shoulders tense up and you force your legs to move. He doesn’t know you can read him like he can read others. But you hope that he can feel your intention. Pray that he hears your silent answer. 

I am leaving, but I will come back. So just wait for me. 

You jog over to Lenin and mount up then without a word shared between the both of you he shoots up into the sky. His wings beat in a slow rhythm of two. Your hands brushed against his patchy scales and his warmth envelopes you the moment your cloak washes over you two. It’s not enough to keep you heated, but you’re used to the cold and he grew used to it as well. 

“The Fliers need your help securing the slowed ones.” Lenin relays and you nod your head. 

“First we need to find a high position where we are stable. There’s a cliff over there to the left. We rest there and I’ll move the cloak around. You let me know when anyone needs me.” 

“Of course,” Lenin flaps his wings and lands on the cliff. His talons dig into the ground and he straightens out his neck, keeping an eye out for his riot and your family. Quickly, you climb up his neck and settle down at the crown of his head. He is a great use for a vantage point. You can see everything, the fire dragons spew out, the venin, the citizens and the Drift. 

You cross your legs and close your eyes listening to everything around you. While Lenin listens to the Riot and the words his father relay, you hear Xaden’s voice loud and clear. He tells Sgaeyl that his shadows will work along with your cloak to protect the evacuating citizens. It’s a perfect plan. Then when you were going to dip out of his mind, you heard him talking about you. 

“Can you find them?” He asks Sgaeyl. 

She hums in response, “No. Dagger is hiding them very well. Not even his mate can find him. She’ll be fine, more than fine.” 

“Believe me, I want to trust in that as much as you trust that she’ll protect your son. But that's what scares me.” 

“You, scared?” Sgaeyl tries to make Xaden feel better. 

He doesn’t cave in to her sarcasm. Doesn’t even offer a witty comeback. Instead he remains regretful. “I’m going to lose her tonight. I can see it in her eyes. She doesn’t make eye contact with anyone. The only person she looked at was Violet.” 

“That girl questioned Dagger’s strength in front of her whole family. I would glare at her too if someone questioned me.” Sgaeyl growls and the next words that come out of her mouth only cements your resolution to save her son. 

“I have approved of Dagger ever since my Leninach chose her in Threshing. She has proven herself in challenges, on the Gauntlet, moved on to second year, got her team through RSC, continues to grow stronger and I still cannot fathom her ability to prove herself to my son. Leninach is enamoured with her and despite his change, I trust her with him more than I trust that girl with my mate. Because Dagger loves fiercely. She has a fire in her that will not burn out. She’ll do anything to save her loved ones. That includes you, Shadow.” 

That includes you, Shadow. Her last words made you question Xaden. Sure, you two had a very rough year, but does he think you don’t love him to include him in your list of people to save? You love Xaden, more than he knows and it pains you that he questions it. 

Were your heartbroken tears not enough to show him your love? 

“Dagger! Glane and her rider are in trouble!” Lenin’s shout breaks you from the conversation between Xaden and Sgaeyl. And you opened up your eyes, quickly looking for an orange dragon. You spotted her moving out of the way of a broken clock tower, her wings carrying her high into the sky. 

“Warn her!” You moved your hands over Glane, picturing a blanket covering her. Again, the itching under your skin came back and it irritated you. Instantly, the orange dragon disappeared in the background and the wyvern aiming for Imogen screeched out in annoyance. It missed its target and you called out to your friend down the new bond, “Imogen, are you alright!” 

Imogen’s fear greeted you like a smack to the face and she shouted back, “What the fuck! Did it try to grab me?” Hearing her brings relief into your system and you can feel Lenin humming in response to his conversation with Glane. 

“It did, but Glane reacted just in time. Please, pay attention to your surroundings. I have to help the rest evacuate the civilians in the mine.” You didn’t give her enough time to respond, but once Glane was in a good position you removed the cloak off of her scales and back on the civilians you were guarding. But in your moment of protecting Glane and Imogen, it allowed the venin on the floor to drain Soleil and her dragon. You blinked away your tears and closed your eyes again allowing Lenin to be the eyes you needed while you were the ears. 

After a few minutes pass, you successfully protected a lot of families and some of the Fliers in the Drift. So far no one in your group needed to be cloaked yet fate made you regret thinking like that. Because you hear Violet telling Tairn that Xaden was in trouble. But you knew he could hold his own as well as Sgaeyl. He has the power to wield shadows and- 

Lenin growled out in utter rage, his anger hitting you like a heat wave, “PUNY GIRL!” He held you down with lesser magic making you glued to the crown of his head as he shot up into the sky with no warning. 

“Violet, below you!” 

“She’s going to get him killed!” 

Xaden’s and Sgaeyl’s shout penetrate your mind making you open up your eyes to see in front of you. Blue fire from a wyvern is directed at Tairn and you watch Lenin move fast in the sky. The speed he accumulates shouldn’t be possible for a dragon his size, his father moves slower than him. Yet Lenin moves like a river down a mountain; fast as fuck. 

His moonshaped tail swings towards the wyvern who hunts down his father. The tip of it digs into the wyvern’s head with a squelch. Blood rains down to the earth and Lenin ensures the kill with a big chomp. Blood splatters onto you and Lenin, it eerily reminds you how he found you in Threshing. Bloodied and determined to live. 

“Stupid girls shouldn’t be on the battlefield.” Lenin roars out and you couldn’t help the glare you send at Violet. If she keeps putting Tairn in danger like this, you won’t know if she’ll be able to kill you. Her lightning strikes are out of control very much like her scattered mind. Then you cloak again when Lenin moves away back to the cliff. 

You help Xaden with as much as you can and suddenly you feel something creep up your fingers. You move your eyes away from him and spot a shadowy tendril as it loops around your ring finger. 

Stay.

You hear Xaden’s voice so easily tell you. You’re surprised he found you and Lenin while being cloaked. Was he searching for you this entire time? Why is he telling you to stay now? You move your eyes over to him, but Lenin’s voice eases into your head. 

“Dagger, it’s your brother!” Lenin jumps off the cliff and with two mighty beats of his wings, he’s off into the skies. “He fell off of Deigh!”

It’s starting. This can go one of ten ways and you want it to be the one where Liam and Lenin live. You steady yourself on the top of his head and your sister daggers come into play. Alani’s floats over your left and Sera’s over your right while the one you earned from Garrick rests heavily in your [dominant] hand. 

“Our priority is Deigh! Get me on his back!” You shout and Lenin roars out in agreement knowing full well that if Diegh dies, so will your brother. He passes by his father who guides his rider and Liam away from the death dance Deigh is entangled with the wyvern. 

The wyvern takes a bite at Deigh’s side, but Lenin’s roar catches its whole attention and it turns to spew blue fire at the both of you. Quickly, Lenin nods his head up and you jump with the momentum. You dive away from the stream of fire and cling onto Deigh who cries into the night with a strangle roar. 

“Go, Dagger! Do what you must! I will distract this one!” Lenin tells you and he banks right with the wyvern chasing after him. Meanwhile you pressed your hands onto Deigh’s red scales and looked at the bite marks on his side. The bleeding, you need to stop it. 

You closed your eyes and found the thread connecting Liam and Deigh. It’s beautiful, what the bond between them is like. You touch it and reach out to Deigh, cloaking yourself from Liam’s mind. 

“I’m going to stop your bleeding.” 

You opened your eyes and a trail of flames went from your hands to the wounds on Deigh’s side. Then your head felt like it was spinning out of control. Your skin started to itch. Your eyes unfocused and focused on your fiery hands. 

“Stop! You’re going to burn out!” Deigh shouts at you, but you don’t pay attention to his warning. No, you only press further and the fire burns Deigh, stopping his bleeding. You hear your brother shout at you, yet the blood rushing to your head drowns him out. 

“Fly now!” The command leaves your lips and Deigh senses the wyvern much like you did. They were coming after you and one with a staff has a cruel smirk on his face, standing on top of his wyvern. An abomination, Deigh growls and takes cover into the clouds. 

His wings carry him higher and higher into the moonlit sky. You can hear the sound of the flapping over the pounding in your head which makes you think it's a good sign. Then when you catch your breath you tell Deigh, “Liam has to jump. When he takes control, I need you to keep him seated. No matter what I say or do.” 

“What about you? You think I will be okay with-”

“You were supposed to die right there,” You stand on his back, balancing yourself with expertise. “That wyvern was supposed to take a chunk out of you, but since Lenin grabbed its attention, it didn’t bite hard enough to kill you. No, now it’s focused on my dragon, on the bond I worked hard on to keep with a loyal friend. My Cloak is fighting for his life and I plan on saving him as his Dagger. Your job is to protect my brother, Deigh. That’s all I want.” 

Deigh’s chest rumbles with resignation. He banks right then dives at a slight angle and you look up to see Tairn flying over. Your heart pounds and Liam jumps off the side of Tairn and your hands immediately find his warm ones. 

Warm. He’s warm and alive. 

“Don’t ever jump like that again!” Of course the first thing you do to tell him you love him is shout at your poor sibling. Your arms wrap around him and you can feel his heart beating through his flesh. It can bring tears to your eyes knowing you completed one of your goals tonight. 

You move away from the seat of Deigh and let Liam take the reins of his dragon. Liam shakes his head and shouts back at you, “Me? You jumped too and might I add over fire!” You want to laugh. Laugh because you did it. You saved Liam. He’s speaking to you, yelling at you. He’s on the back of his dragon. 

“I know what I’m doing, Liam!” You crouch behind him and place your hands on his shoulders. “Tell Deigh to climb a bit higher! I need all the air I can get!” 

Reach the moon, you want the sad gaze to lull you to sleep when you fall into the abyss. 

“Are you crazy? It’s hard enough to breathe already!” Liam shouts, but you sense the wyvern behind you. There’s a trio and the main one is being led by a smirking venin, power hungry and wanting to drain you. Then Deigh does as you tell because he won’t throw away the second chance you gave him and his rider. It’s not right. 

Fuck, this is the moment and you are so damned afraid. You’re leaving your family behind with nothing, but this memory of you. All they’re going to remember is how you left them. How you fought alone to save them. 

“Liam,” You began and swallowed the rock in your throat. You won’t show fear to your younger brother. He needs to see your strength. Your love for him. Liam needs to tell Sloane that you fought bravely for them. You grasped the floating dagger over your shoulder and stared at the green tint of the blade. “Give this to Sloane when she learns how to kick ass.” 

When you turned and made eye contact with Liam, he gave you wide eyes which made him look goofier with the goggles on. You couldn’t help, but laugh at his expression. It reminds you of how all of you made fun of each other when you tried on goggles for the first time. 

…

“Bodhi, just put them on!” Imogen shouted. 

He hasn’t stopped laughing at you or Imogen. 

“Hell no, you two look like mad fucking healers!” 

…

“Why the fuck are you laughing?” Liam’s irritated tone reached your ears and you rolled your eyes at how dramatic he is. You grabbed his hand and shoved the dagger into his grip, “Because you look fucking stupid.” You weren’t wrong, he did look ridiculous. 

But this is your last moment with him. You don’t want to spend it on sibling squabble. 

“They’re not after you now. They want me and if that’s what they really want, I’m taking them down with me.” 

“Down with you?” Liam asks and you can see the answer flash across his mind. In denial, he shoves the dagger into your chest. “No way. We can work together!” Not happening, you saved his dragon while putting yours in danger. There is no world where you work together with anybody right now. You will not stray from the path that will save Lenin. 

“So you can give this to Sloane yourself.”

Sloane. Thinking about her brings a smile to your face. Your little sister will understand when she reads the letters. She’ll know more about you than anybody else. It’s going to be her understanding of you that will create a connection. 

You stand up and rain begins to pour. You take one step back then another. Memorizing his features. The way his eyes crinkle in sadness, the frown that forms when he calls out your name. He moves to stand, but Deigh does as you asked him to earlier. 

Liam’s begs make your heart ache. “Don’t do this! I can’t watch my sister do this! Sloane would never forgive me! Let me fight with you.” Sloane will forgive him and maybe you’re being a little selfish, but you think this is the right choice. For him to live and to tell her the hard truth of how you went out. Better him to tell her than the other way. 

Liam is stronger than you and more empathetic. He will tell her what she wants to know. You wouldn’t be able to do it. 

You glare at the venin, his attention glued onto you entirely. You tear the goggles off your eyes and toss them off to the side. You want to at least look good when you fight this bastard. 

“[Name]! There has to be another way!” 

You sighed and fist the karambit in your hand, “This is the only way.” Taking off into a sprint, you make your way down Lenin’s back- No, Deigh’s. You abandoned Lenin a long time ago it seemed. “Don’t do this!” Liam shouts and you start to miss his kind voice. You start to miss his smiles. 

When Deigh flicks his tail upward and you jump with it, you cloak yourself into the night. The venin searches for you, but it has no luck. You landed right behind him and carefully watched him look for you. It twists and it turns, then he cackles. 

“Hide all you want, little witch!” It raises its staff and aims it at Deigh, “Let’s see if this will catch your attention.” 

Reacting quickly you knock the venin down on his ass with a swing of your leg. But the rain and the wriggling of the wyvern makes you slip yourself. Yet you focus on Deigh and cloak your brother and his dragon. Then you stab your dagger into the wyvern’s back making it screech in pain. 

The venin looks in your general direction and lunges at you. His arms wrap around your neck and he pulls back making you let out a choked sound. You struggle to hold onto your spot, your dagger digging downward into the wyvern’s flesh as the venin pulls onto you. 

“Fall with me! Let’s have our dance in the sky!” The venin yells and digs a sharp blade into your side. You cry out in pain and your eyes close in uncomfort when he twists it inside you. 

When he locks one arm around your neck holding you into a tight headlock, the rain pelts your face like soft kisses and you are suddenly reminded that you should not be struggling to live. You’re going to die. The point you wanted to make was dying for the ones you love. 

Showing them that even though they forgot about you, you never forgot about them. 

You raise your [dominant] hand up, taking the dagger out of the wyvern’s flesh. At once, you and the venin holding onto you slide down the wyvern’s body easily with the rain. Your breath gets knocked out of your lungs when you officially plummet. 

Yet the Venin holds onto you tightly and the both of you spin out of your control. He cackles and takes the knife out of your side. The blood that leaves your body paints the sky with a long trail quickly being washed away by the rain that falls. 

Lightning strikes in the dark sky light up the darkness and suddenly the venin flips you so you’re looking at the earth. You can see your friends still fighting against the wyvern this one venin controls. 

“To think you have this much power and you haven’t awakened yet. Such a shame, I really looked forward to draining you. But I guess I’ll deal with what I got right now and don’t rely too heavily on your beast to save you. He has his own problems to worry about.” 

Your eyes move over to Lenin as he takes on two, three wyvern on his tail. 

Tairn! The time is now! 

You shout in the connection the Riot shares together by accident only wanting to reach the black dragon. Multiple voices come back from Sgaeyl, Deigh, Glane, Cuir, and Chradh. They question what you mean, but Tairn silences them with a growl. 

She’s not ready. 

He replies to you and only you, making the connection between you and him a bit brighter than the Riot’s. You close your eyes and find it blinking in the darkness. Grabbing onto it, you open your eyes and tell him, “Tairn, you have to get as many dragons to fight the wyvern off for him. Show Violet how badly Lenin is fighting to get to me and that only she can save him by killing this venin. Everyone knows at this point the only way to kill them is to kill their riders.” 

Tairn’s only response to you is to end the connection. The light turns off and you clench your teeth in bitter anger. Then you focus on the venin who is still monologuing. Like he knows he has the upper hand while the both of you free fall. 

“I’m tired of listening to your stupid fucking voice,” You growl out and knock your head back. You hear the impact of its nose crunching and the venin curses at you. His arm around your neck weakens and you take this opportunity to get out of the headlock. Making quick work, you push his arm away from you and before his body can drift from yours, you grab onto his robe and tug him towards your chest. 

“I will kill you!” He shouts. 

You swing your head forward, headbutting into his already broken nose and he cries out in pain again. The poison from his dagger is working into your system. It burns into your skin and your fingers tingle with numbness. The lightning behind him, high in the sky, crackles with a silent announcement. 

An insane grin finds its way on your face and the pride you felt for Violet when she learned your technique kicks in. Because now she’s aiming at the venin. She has the shot. You hold onto the struggling venin tightly. “No, you won’t. But she will.” He looks up and struggles in your weakening grip. Not wanting to lose your hold on him, you wrap your legs around the venin and make him watch the lightning gather above the two of you. You hold him in a headlock and he shouts at you, “Stupid witch! You’re going to kill the both of us!” 

You laugh despite the poison in your body burning your insides, “That’s the fucking plan!” 

“I’ll kill you before anything strikes me!” He shouts and raises his arm with the dagger high into the sky. 

“Fuck you!” You grunted when he jabs the knife into your right thigh. He twists it so you could let go of him, but you’re not weak. You’re strong-willed, courageous, hopeful and your life is worth saving three others. You will not yield in the face of death. No, you welcome Malek with determination demanding that he take you along with the venin in your hold. Take you instead of Lenin, Liam and Deigh. 

The lightning came fast. Too fast for you to understand that it already hit you and killed the venin. Your karambit spun in slow motion above you, washed clean of any blood. You wanted to grab it, you had to grab it. 

“[Name]!” 

You barely heard Xaden yell your name in the storm. But you could feel the sadness all around you. Then you heard Lenin’s whine reverberate in the valley, it broke your heart and you coughed out a strangled sob. This is for the ones you love and the ones you left behind. The moon held you in his sad gaze and his song lulled you to sleep. 

“[Name]!” You opened your eyes and saw Imogen crying over you, “Stay awake! We’ll take you to Brennan, okay? Just stay with us!” 

When did she catch you? 

“You’re going to be fine, don’t talk like that!” She shouted at you. But you don’t recall telling her anything. You can’t even feel your lips moving, let alone form any thoughts to tell her anything. Although there is a lot you want to tell her. 

Yet your eyes felt heavy and any words that formed on your tongue were left unsaid as you took your last breath. 

……

XADEN 

“She’s still breathing! But the venin stabbed her and the poison is spreading fast!”

Imogen’s words, they gave me hope that [Name]’s vision was false. That her sacrifice didn’t need to come true in order to save her dragon or her brother’s life. She’s still breathing in Imogen’s arms and I have never dismounted Sgaeyl in such a desperate fashion. 

Shadows follow me wherever I go, very much like death and he stands next to me as Sgaeyl’s voice carries through the bond. Her sadness for the loss hits me enough to stop me in my tracks. 

“She’s gone, Shadow. Leninach confirmed it with Glane. Dagger is gone.”

Gone. 

[Name] left me behind. No matter what I tried to do, lessen the work to save the civilians, find her while she’s cloaked or even diving in to save Lenin. She left me behind to confront our enemy. She went by herself to save Liam, leaving me with the shit choice of either protecting the civilians or her. 

“Xaden, please!” Imogen begs. Her yearning voice for my help brings me back to the rain. The pitter patter sound against our surroundings grounds me now. 

“Imogen, she’s gone.”

These words that left my mouth, I never thought I would say them. Especially for the woman I fell so hard in love with. What am I supposed to do without her? How can I carry on knowing that she died because a Sorrengail ended her life with one strike. Am I supposed to be grateful that when I go back to Basgaith that I’ll be graduating so I don’t have to see her in Liam or Sloane? Or see her standing proud next to Lenin? 

Imogen’s denial only makes her spiral and the earth beneath us rumbles when Lenin makes himself known. He approaches Imogen with a sad look in his mismatched eyes. The shadow he cast over me lets me think as he has a conversation with Imogen through the mated bond connection. 

Something I share with Violet. 

“What’s the reason for killing her?” 

I can feel Violet reaching back to me, her voice regretful and soft, “Xaden, I didn’t-” 

“I wasn’t speaking to you.” I snap and Tairn lowly growls inside my head, his annoyance reaching to me like a coiled snake. “I don’t need to explain the reason.” His ignorance to my loss makes the shadows move frantically under Lenin’s protection. I want to challenge Tairn, to make him answer me, yet his voice comes back with an answer I was afraid to hear. 

“She asked me to do this before we took flight at the college. Dagger planned this all along to save my son’s life. She did this to save Lenin and The Silver One was the only way of doing this. Her sacrifice saved three lives, she did what she wanted to.” 

“Xaden.” 

I look up from [Name]’s back to meet with green eyes. 

“Lenin wants you to take [Name] to her resting place. He will light her fire.” 

Resting place. 

Imogen telling me this makes [Name]’s drawing flash in my memory. The pretty flowers and the trees surrounding the meadow of peace. Tairn is right. [Name] planned for this, all of it. I can’t just wrap my head around it and accept it so easily like the dragons do. They wouldn’t do the same if Lenin was lost to this battle. Sgaeyl would be hell bent on avenging her son. Like I want to be right now. I want to rewind time, kill the venin that threatened [Name]’s beautiful life. 

She’s my cloak of shadows and I let her slip through my hands. 

My love. I told you that I would come back. And when I do, you can bet that I will stay.

[Name] said it with so much passion. Hearing her voice echo in my head gives me some kind of hope that she would come back to me. That something in her witchly power will bring her back to me. But for now, I will do what Lenin wants and what she wants. To bring her to her resting place and have him light her fire. 

“We’re going home.” 

Everyone looks at me and I nod my head to their suspicions of what home I was talking about. Violet looks up at Tairn and her eyes widened in surprise when he tells her what I mean by it. When I walk back to Sgaeyl, I stop by Liam who stands up, wiping his tears from his blue eyes. 

“Your sister plans to rest in the meadow. I know this is the last thing you want to talk about when your sister is gone, but I need you to keep Violet away from him for as long as you can while I prepare for [Name]’s passing. Can you-” 

No. I’m done ordering Liam around. 

“Do you want to do it? If not, I can ask Bodhi to watch over her while he gets his arm mended by him.” 

Liam takes a deep breath and nods his head, “I want to do it. Just tell me one thing, and I need to know the truth.” He looks over at Violet then to Garrick who lifts [Name]’s body from the ground. Imogen cries some more watching her best friend stay limp. It tears another thread in my heart. Drops to my stomach and burns in the acid. 

Lenin is allowing you to climb him. He wants to have one more flight with her. 

I barely catch what Imogen tells Garrick and it hurts me to hear it. Lenin’s last flight with [Name]. 

“What is it?” I ask Liam, bringing his eyes back onto me. 

“It’s stupid to ask this, but do you think you can still love her after she’s dead?” Liam runs his hand through his wet hair and frustratedly speaks to me, “I mean she loved you so much that she fought alone to keep you alive. To keep me alive. To keep her dragon alive. All of it seemed like she planned this for months and she still did it despite knowing the outcome. She loved us enough to die for us. So I’m asking as her brother, will you continue to love her?”

He’s asking if I will love his dead sister or love Violet when time passes and I get over [Name]’s death. But this is something he will not understand. [Name] will come back. She made a promise to me in my room. I loved her when she was alive and I will love her in death. 

“She’s all I want, Liam. I don’t see myself with the Sorrengail that killed my girlfriend. I see myself marrying [Name], having the strongest dragons at our sides, winning this war and having a family. No one else can take that from us. Not even death.” 

[Name] will conquer death and while she does, I will wait for her return. No matter how long it takes for her to come back. 

I’ll wait. 

Wait. And wait. Days. Months. Or years. I will keep waiting for her to return to me with open arms.

..............

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[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 12

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ησтє: multiple pov's, so I apologize for the scatter narratives, but it will make sense in the next part. the ending is a little abrupt because it will be in mc/xaden's pov and I don't want it to be a rewrite for you all. bear with me, this series is almost over

ρℓσт: the battle starts and you can only do so much to earn the ending you want.

LIAM

My sister has been the foundation Sloane and I have stood on for a long time. Ever since our parents passed and we got separated, we made a promise to see each other in the college of death. It’s what [Name] called it for a while because all the Marked Ones were sent there to basically die. 

Sloane liked her humor, and I told her she could work on it. [Name] laughed and told us that making people laugh wasn’t exactly a skill for her. We said our goodbyes and I saw a fire light up in her. That day we made a promise and she made one for herself. 

Her first year, she wrote letters for us to read and I hate to compare it to Violet. But it seemed like they were just alike, but on opposite sides of the world. [Name] faced off a group of bullies and bonded to one of the biggest dragons known in our history. Violet had faced a couple of bullies because of what her name carried and she also bonded to a large dragon and a young one. 

They both fell in love with the same man; Xaden Riorson. And it has brought the two of them great pain loving a man like him. I can finally see how it tore my sister apart. How the relationship between Xaden and Violet broke her down to pieces. 

I can see the pain she holds in her eyes the way she looks at him. She is trying to forgive him, it’s obvious. I can also see the hurt Violet carries in her own eyes. To blame my brother for their anguish isn’t right because it’s not his fault. It’s the bond between Sgaeyl and Tairn. 

I hate the idea of love triangles. Because someone is always bound to get left behind and watching my sister burn the letter directed at her made something inside me burn too. I’ve done enough leaving her in the shadows, we all have. I want to be there for her like her letters helped me through this year. 

I want to be the brother protecting her like she’s been the sister protecting me. I don’t care about the real history between us. How she’s a foster and that there is no blood between us shared. Because I don’t accept that. I won’t. 

She is and will always be [Name] Mairi to me. To Sloane. To our parents. [Name] is our older sister, my parents' older daughter. She is a part of the Mairi Family. 

“You know my answer, Xaden,”  [Name] wiped the ash on the tips of her fingers on her leathers, “I’m not running away from this fight. They expect us to die, but I won’t let it happen. As long as we have our air superiority, I can cloak us.” 

“How many at a time without burning out?” Xaden questioned. 

“I can cloak two including my dragon,” She admitted and explained further, “Lenin’s size takes up a lot, but I can cloak the rest of you by switching the focus.” 

“And me?” Violet stepped up, asking a very important question. After the Flier incident and threatening families, it seemed like [Name] didn’t like Violet one bit. So the question came up, “Can you cloak Tairn while cloaking Lenin?” 

I drew my attention to my sister’s blue eyes and something flickered inside them. Like a red gleam. She nodded her head and said, “Yes, I will do that if your life is in immediate danger.” 

Immediate danger. 

All of us were going to be in immediate danger once we took flight. Her answer didn’t help any of us because [Name]’s cloak is under her guidance. She will cloak who she wants to save the most. And Violet Sorrengail is at the bottom of her list. 

“Wow, you guys are still doubting me,” [Name] scoffed then she pointed at the direction where the venin have been attacking relentlessly, “do you see the civilians running down there? Fathers carrying their daughters, sons leading their mothers? They have nothing but gryphons and our dragons to evacuate them. Their life is in immediate danger. Don’t make me choose you over them, unprotected civilians over dragon riders. Now let’s move.” 

I hate it when she’s right. It makes me feel guilty thinking she wanted Violet to be in danger. But in truth, her main focus is the people running away with their families trying their best to survive the venin attacks. We have no room to doubt her signet or her power and Lenin’s strength. 

She jogged away from us with tense shoulders and Lenin shot up into the sky when she mounted him in record time. [Name] didn’t wait for Xaden’s command or to see if any one of us decided to fall back. She ran to her dragon and into the fight like she expected an outcome. 

“[Name] is right,” Xaden spoke up, addressing us with a different air of authority, “The civilians are going to be her priority, so do not do anything stupid. One mistake can lead to death. We won’t know where she’ll be, but remember that she’s watching over us. You’ll know the moment you’re cloaked, it won’t be a hard feeling to miss.” 

“When you’re cloaked try to get out of combat to allow [Name] to focus back on the civilians,” Garrick chimed in and looked back at Xaden for any more orders. 

“Anyone want to change their minds?” 

His eyes landed on Bodhi’s, Imogen’s, everyone down the line and no one answered. [Name] is already on the field supporting the Drift and their civilians. Now it’s our turn to meet up with her and provide unwavering support. 

She doesn’t have to be the brave one. We have her back too. 

“Good. Now mount up.” 

…

IMOGEN

“You can’t reach Lenin when he’s cloaked?” I asked Glane as we flew into the darkening sky. It adds more unsettling weight in our surroundings which is filled with explosions and screaming families. 

“No. But I trust him. Wherever he is, he’ll be safe.” Glane banked left dodging the falling clocktower Violet took out with Tairn. His fire incinerated the clocktower, but unfortunately the venin inside survived the blast with no fucking harm done. These things are straight up impossible to kill on dragonback. We have to get up close and personal with them. 

“There is more than one wyvern,” Glane relays to me and I have the sudden urge to curse the Gods until a cold feeling covers me. Then Glane dives down with a tuck of her wings and I swear a gust of wind almost knocks me off her back. A screech sounds over us and I look up to see a wyvern taking flight higher with a shake of its head. 

“Imogen, are you alright!” [Name] shouted down the shared bond. Her voice brings me back to our shit reality. 

“What the fuck? Did it try to grab me?” I ask with my heart thrumming against my ribcage. 

“It did, but Glane reacted just in time. Please, pay attention to your surroundings. I have to help the rest evacuate the civilians in the mine.” [Name]’s determination faded away with the bond as did the coldness over my dragon and I. We were back in the battle and Glane was suddenly dodging random lightning strikes. She has no problem evading them, but it's an obstacle we don’t need. 

“Fuck, I wish I can tell Violet some words like ‘Aim for the enemy, not us!’” I sarcastically growl out in mild frustration while Glane banks left then right maneuvering around the uncontrolled strikes. She needs to get out of this area. 

“We cannot touch the ground.” Glane informs me and in slow motion I see why. Soleil and her dragon are utterly broken down on the ground. They’re all shriveled up and I immediately look away from them, the sorrow reaching my dragon down the bond. 

“We will avenge them,” Glane reassures me, “Tairn and his rider believe that if we kill the wyvern, their riders will die. Let’s focus on that.” 

“Okay,” I breathed out a shaky sigh and focused on the now. 

…

VIOLET

While trying to protect Xaden, I haven’t taken notice of the wyvern hot on Tairn’s tail. It’s gaining speed on him and I see the blue fire it spews at us from below thanks to Xaden’s shout. “Bank!” I shout down the bond and out loud, holding my breath as Tairn rolls to the left. 

Tairn straightens out when we narrowly dodge the fire, but the wyvern is still after us. Its mouth dangerously close to chewing out Tairn’s side until a thick moon shaped daggertail pierces its head with lethal precision. 

Blood of the wyvern splattered on Tairn’s side and barely reached me. The tail  flicks upward and the wyvern’s neck ends up being crushed by large, sharp teeth. Ensuring the kill, the spotted dragon lets go of the dead wyvern, the blood of it tainting his white patches. 

I look up to see Lenin and his rider glaring at me with their menacing silence. Like they were scolding me, Are you trying to get my loved ones killed! Lenin then dips downward letting out a roar so deep it sounded like a threat to me. He and [Name] disappear and keep helping the remaining civilians as we fight for the wyvern’s attention. But when we take to the sky, higher and higher, to catch up with how many we have left I spot Liam and Deigh in trouble. 

Trouble that [Name] cannot focus on because the civilians she is cloaking right now are so close to safety. “We have to help Liam!” I shout and Tairn agrees with me, picking up his speed and heading to Liam. My heart drops at the serious and scary maneuver Liam and Deigh perform. Liam runs down his dragon’s back and when he reaches his tail, Deigh flicks up so Liam can gain air time. 

Then with incredible agility, Liam lands on the wyvern’s rear and with powerful strides, he runs at the venin with the staff. Liam slices at the venin’s neck with the runed dagger and surprises me with the lethality and fire in his eyes. With the venin dead, the wyvern’s wings stop beating and begin to fall in a matter of seconds. 

Deigh catches Liam when he jumps off and again, I am caught off guard when a wyvern approaches from the left. But Tairn is quick to react like always and flips over so his claws can catch the creature. His morningstar tail rips the wyvern from throat to tail then levels himself out, the blood of the wyvern trailing on the ground. 

I can’t seem to catch my breath, Tairn is reacting and moving too fast for my brain to stop spinning. Another wyvern makes its presence known and dives down from the cover of a cloud with a nosedive headed for us. With not enough time to maneuver away from it, I try to channel despite the dangers of it. 

Although, a flash of red blinds my vision and Deigh is here, driving straight into the wyvern’s side to derail it off its path. That’s when the collision shakes Liam off of Deigh’s back and my breath is caught short in my throat. 

“Violet!” 

“Liam!” I reach out to him and grab onto his scrambling hands looking for purchase on my dragon. Yet Tairn makes a sharp turn to follow Deigh and my shoulders pop from Liam’s weight and the turn Tairn makes at the same time. “Hold on!” 

I throw my body over Liam as he holds onto the pommels and hear him take a strangled breath. I’m afraid to turn around, but then he whispers her name in total surprise. 

“[Name], w-what-” He stutters and his eyes are trained on the scene behind me. 

I look over my shoulder and see the cloak covering Lenin and [Name] slide off them like a blanket does in the wind. Lenin is snarling, blood and saliva leaking from his teeth as he roars out. Meanwhile [Name] is standing on top of his head with her daggers floating on each shoulder, another one grasped tightly in her [dominant] hand. She doesn’t cast us a look because her focus is on Deigh trying his best to protect himself from the gnashing teeth of the wyvern. But Deigh’s devastating roars of pain reach our ears and my heart drops. 

[Name] is too late. Deigh’s side is gushing out a ton of blood and I look at Liam to see his blue eyes get misty. 

Lenin’s roar catches the attention of the wyvern after Deigh and it breathes fire to deter Lenin off his flight path. But he nods his head upward and [Name] jumps into the air much like Liam did earlier. She floats over the stream of fire and barely lands on the seat of Deigh while Lenin tanks the fire and clamps his mouth onto the wyvern’s neck. 

Again, Lenin is tearing through another wyvern with a surprise attack. [Name] presses her hands onto Deigh’s red scales and her lips are moving, but we can’t hear them over Deigh’s cry. 

“[Name]! Stop!” Liam cries out like he’s aware of what she’s doing, but I’m at a loss for words. I can’t bring myself to ask him what she’s doing. Instead I watch with anxiety as her hands glow with a bright orange aura.

Then like grass catching fire, a stream of it goes down to Deigh’s wounds. “Fly now!” Her shout reaches us and Deigh takes her up into the clouds without hesitation. Suddenly a horde of venin follow after them with awful shrieks. 

“Follow her!” I shout at Tairn and he does with mighty beats of his wings. I look at Liam and I can see the confusion on his face. “Don’t worry, your sister is smart. She just cauterized his wounds. It stopped Deigh’s bleeding.” 

“That’s not what worries me,” Liam admitted. And for some reason, I draw my eyes back into the clouds with worry in my chest. 

…

LIAM 

“She’s going to burn out!” Deigh warns me as the fire reaches his wounds and I know [Name] is doing this to save Deigh, to save me. 

“[Name]! Stop!” I cry out because this shouldn’t be happening. She cannot afford to burn out here of all places. Especially not when she’s off the safety of her dragon’s back. 

“Fly now!” She commands Deigh and he shots up into the sky into the cover of the clouds. Before I can get a word out, Violet tells Tairn to follow after them and the horde of wyvern chasing them. Questions swirl inside my head like a tornado and none of them can be answered. Not in this hectic moment. 

“You need to get ready to jump!” Violet looks at me and says, “Tairn is going to fly over Deigh and [Name] will catch you. Got it?” 

I stand up and Violet steadies me with a wince. I want to tell her that we’re still friends besides the secrets between us but she looks up at me and shouts, “Run!” Without hesitation, I run down Tairn’s back and hear Deigh loud and clear unlike his early cries of pain. 

“Jump!” 

Listening to his shout, I jump off of Tairn’s side and Deigh dives in an angle and cold hands catch my warm ones. “Don’t ever jump like that ever again!” [Name] yells at me and pulls me into her cold embrace. I hold onto her and when Deigh levels out, she slides out of his seat and lets me take back control. 

“Me? You jumped too and might I add over fire!” I shout back just as angered as she was. 

“I know what I’m doing, Liam!” She crouches behind me and settles her hands on my shoulders. “Tell Deigh to climb a bit higher! I need all the air I can get!” 

“Are you crazy? It’s hard enough to breathe already!” I refuse to go higher. I have no idea what she is planning, but Deigh moves his head upward and starts climbing. I look over my shoulder and see her blue eyes focused on a wyvern with a venin on top of it. Two others follow the leading one with unrelenting focus on…[Name]. 

Their sole focus is on her and she knows it. I know it and Deigh shakes his head in denial, his guilt going down the bond. I can feel the guilt eating away at him and I bite my tongue knowing why. Deigh is going with whatever plan [Name] has and it involves us leaving her behind. 

“Liam,” Her voice, tinted with fear, reaches me. She stretches her hand toward her right shoulder where the green dagger floats above it three inches. “Give this to Sloane when she learns how to kick ass.” 

I must have looked stupid to her because she laughed at my reaction. She actually laughs. “Why the fuck are you laughing?” I asked with a growl and she took my hand and shoved the dagger into my grasp. 

“Because you look fucking stupid.” She bites back then her voice softens so does her frustrated features. She contemplates her words and she presses a kiss on my sweaty forehead. The moment her lips leave my forehead, she speaks with a gentler tone instead of the brave, insulting sister. 

“They’re not after you now. They want me and if that’s what they really want, I’m taking them down with me.” 

“Down with you?” I clench the dagger and shove it into her chest knowing what she meant, “No way. We can work together! I am not letting you do this alone. So you can give this to Sloane yourself.” She doesn’t take the weapon. Instead she smiles down at me as she rises to stand, rain appearing to pour. 

[Name] takes one step backward then another. 

“[Name].” I clench my teeth and go to stand, but something pulls me down. It’s Deigh’s power holding me to my seat. I don’t have time to fight him, I need to convince her to stay here and fight with me!

“Please!” I beg and turn my body to watch her turn her back on me, “Don’t do this! I can’t watch my sister do this! Sloane would never forgive me! Let me fight with you.” 

She tears her goggles off around her neck and tosses them to the side. She doesn’t plan on flying Lenin’s back either. My heart lurches into my stomach. 

“[Name]! There has to be another way!” I shout, blinking away the tears that form in my eyes. She speaks in a normal voice, but the rushing wind and falling rain cloud over my hearing. Then she runs down Deigh’s back like I did minutes ago. Minutes. 

“Don’t do this!” I shout with all my might, my throat aching and going dry at the hurt that tore through my chest. But she flies up into the sky with Deigh’s help, his tail flicking her upward. Suddenly she disappears into the night and I don’t know if she made it onto the wyvern with the venin on top of it. I didn’t tell her that killing the venin will also end the wyverns' lives. 

“She knows. Your sister knows everything.” Deigh tells me and a coldness washes over the both of us. She cloaks us while she fights on the wyvern, why is she doing this? “Hold on! We’re going after Lenin, the other wyvern has been focusing on him since she jumped!” 

Deigh begins a nosedive and tucks his wings in to gain incredible speed. When we breach the clouds, I am greeted with a shocking sight. Three wyvern are hot on Lenin’s tail, Bodhi and his dragon working hard to protect him. Fire spews from Cuir’s mouth and he catches one that aimed for his left wing. His claws raked across the wyvern’s body and he collided on the floor rolling over it. 

My eyes widen in surprise and I shout Bohdi’s name. Only to see my friend desperately clinging onto his dragon with all he can. Then Cuir slides into a stop with a shake of his head and Bodhi dismounts his dragon unceremoniously. His right arm is twisted in an ugly way and he collapses onto the floor with a cry of pain. 

“Bodhi!” I shout at him. He needs to get off the ground. 

A roar of pain abrupts my train of thought and my eyes are brought into the thundering sky. Lenin flies to the left of Deigh and I, trying to shake off the other two wyvern on him. They bite at his tail and another on his hind leg. 

A crackle of lightning is heard and I see Violet right above Lenin. But her eyes, they’re not on Tairn’s son. No, she’s focused on something else high above her. While Deigh beats his wings and gains speed to follow after Lenin, I can’t help but look up at where Violet is focused on. 

Again, my heart drops. The sight is enough to send me into a panicked frenzy. 

“Don’t worry! Tairn and his rider will catch her! We need to focus on providing backup to Lenin!” Deigh tells me, but I want to argue and tell him that my sister was in immediate danger. She’s free falling while she fights a venin!

“If Lenin dies, she dies! Now focus!” Deigh commands and I try to move my eyes away from her. Then another crackle of lightning sounds and in slow motion I witness the strike that hits the venin first and connects with [Name] in a blink of an eye. 

“[Name]!” 

A new voice shouts and a blur of blue whizzes past Deigh and I. In her lethal fashion, Sgaeyl knocks off the wyvern attacking her son while Xaden uses his shadows to make a lasso around the neck of the other one. Deigh reacts quickly and snaps his teeth on the wyvern Xaden had a hold on. 

While the rest of the wyvern die all around us, Lenin lets out the most pained whine I heard from a dragon. He beats his wings defeatedly and his head hangs low as he lets out a defiant and anguished roar that makes Xaden and I cover our ears. 

After a few seconds, he closes his mouth and Sgaeyl drifts to the right and whines along with her son. Her wing barely grazes his large one and he glides low, following after the orange dragon that belonged to Imogen. All our dragons touch ground after the battle ends and we all run over to Imogen who slides down Glane’s wing with [Name] unconscious in her arms.

I find it hard to see my sister so broken. She’s bleeding from her side, a trail of blood leaves her nose and her body hangs limp in Imogen’s hold.

Imogen is crying as she addresses Xaden, “She’s still breathing! But the venin stabbed her and the poison is spreading fast!” Xaden is the first one to make it to Imogen, but he stops short. Like cement filled his shoes. 

“Xaden! We have to take her home!” Imogen shouts, barely carrying [Name] in her sprint. Meanwhile Glane shakes her head with a saddened gaze and Deigh’s voice fills my head. 

“I’m sorry. Your sister is gone.”

His voice makes me stop and the dagger [Name] gave me minutes ago feels heavy on my chest. Imogen looks at all of us and shouts, “What the hell are you hesitating for! She’s still breathing!” 

The adrenaline leaves my body and I fall to my knees in the mud. I tear my goggles off my face and clench them tightly as to ground me at this moment. She died. [Name] is dead and I let her go. 

“Stop.” I whisper, not daring to look at Imogen who holds my sister so close to her chest. 

“Xaden, please!” Imogen begs. 

“Imogen, she’s gone.” Xaden’s voice carries a heavy weight in them. 

“No, no,” Imogen looks down at [Name]’s face and says, “She was talking to me! I swear! We have to take her to him!”  

Then the ground beneath us rumbles with the heavy footfalls of Lenin making his way over to Imogen. He towers over Xaden and I, shrouding us in his large shadow. He leans his neck down and Imogen slowly kneels down in front of him. Her sobs wracked her body as she gently lays [Name] down on the wet grass. 

Then Lenin pushes the front of his mouth up against the side of [Name]’s body. He hums out and continues to lift her body until she lays on her right side…unmoving. A minute goes by and Lenin moves his eyes from my sister’s body and presses his mouth up against Imogen, gently coaxing her. 

Imogen leans back and wipes her eyes with a sniffle. 

IMOGEN

“Tell me what her last words were.” 

It’s odd to hear another voice inside my head. And Lenin’s voice is an uncomfortable one especially feeling his sadness flow through Glane and down to me. I felt his sadness when he roared out for her, calling out her nickname. 

“Tell me.”

Lenin’s snout softly bumps into my chest and I wipe away my tears, but the rain keeps pouring. “She said…” I start and look into his mismatching eyes, “That you should find a rider that reminds you of her. Next year, in two or three years. Just find one and hopefully they’ll be a better-” 

“She’s all I want.” Lenin growls, but it doesn’t scare me. Not even being face to face with him. I know he’s hurting. It’s all I can feel from him right now. 

“And she knew that, but she said it anyway. We all have to move on somehow. She doesn’t expect us to do it right now. She doesn’t expect you to do anything, but I do. We know who did this and I want to know why.” 

I move my gaze to the side and watch Violet stand with her dragons, alive and well. She did this. Violet used her signet and struck [Name]. “You want to hurt her, I can sense it.” Lenin says and I bite my tongue to keep my outside voice from being used. 

“Of course I do, and yet…I know [Name] would not want that from me. Or you. And you’re not mad right now. You just feel an enormous amount of pain and suffering.”

“Because you’re right. Dagger knew what she was doing. This entire time. She sacrificed herself to save her brother and Deigh. And in the end, to save me. Dagger is special and I won’t give up on her. If she wants me to find another rider as her last words to me, I will.” 

Lenin reels his head back and says his last words to me, “You were a great friend to her, Pinkie. Now tell Shadow to take her to her resting place, I will light the fire for her.” 

I move my eyes over to Xaden and he is hidden by the shadow of Lenin. But the darkness is somehow alive and I know it’s his reaction to [Name]’s death that makes them flicker with negativity. Our wingleader is drowning in his own sorrow and we have to pull him out before it’s too late. 

“Xaden,” I address him carefully, afraid to earn his backlash. But he draws his eyes away from [Name]’s back and into my gaze. He doesn’t say anything and I tell him, “Lenin wants you to take [Name] to her resting place. He will light her fire.” 

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 11

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ησтє: apologies for the delay. next chapter will be in someone else's pov. can you guess who?

ρℓσт: you're not running away from anything anymore. you want to fight back.

All you want to do is prepare your loved ones for your death. Leave behind a piece of you with them. The letters for Sloane and the sketches for Liam which you hid underneath his pillow for easier finding checked out for them. Regretfully a dagger for Violet Sorrengail, she earned it. You cannot find it in yourself to take away an achievement. 

For Xaden, Bodhi, Garrick and Imogen…you hope that the memories you made with them your first year was going to be enough. Second year is not worth remembering. The pain of being thrown aside sucked. Then only to be remembered because you don’t have much time left hurt. 

You looked into the sky, the sea of people washing by you in the midst of chaos soothed you into hoping. Despite your heart aching for more with your family. With Lenin. With Xaden. 

You hope that Liam will share the sketches between all of them. You did draw everyone’s dragons and you prayed Liam would cherish the hell out of the sketch of Lenin in his original form. 

You hope that Lenin will take care of himself and that he finds a new rider. Maybe a rider that will remind him of you will show up. Next year, two years or even five. It doesn’t matter how long to you, you just want him to bond to someone else. 

“You hear?”

Snapping out of your thoughts, you looked away from the clouds and at Imogen. She gave you a skeptical look and asked, “Our orders, did you catch them?” You shook your head, you didn’t hear anything besides the rush of the waves. The ocean of emotions from everyone that swayed your raft. She grabbed your hand and began dragging you back into the college. Again, this feeling…it felt like being lost out in the sea. Drifting in smooth waves with no sense of direction. 

It reminded you of deja vu. It also reminded you of how you felt in your vision, feeling everything and nothing all at the same time. 

“You’re so out of it right now. Come on!” Imogen tugged your arm and you picked up your pace to match her hurried one. 

“We’re going to Athebyne.”

Athebyne. Yes, this place fits perfectly to your end. It’s outside of the wards, no safety for anyone who dares to go beyond it. A death trap for you and your friends. 

“So start gathering your stuff for five days,” Imogen paused at her door then her eyes changed to a familiar color of purple. “Bring the daggers and the one you earned from that guy in your trials.” 

You raised an eyebrow, nonetheless you knew what she was talking about. Didn’t hurt to ask for certain though. “You mean the one from Garrick?” 

Imogen’s voice sounded different too. She nodded her head and said, “Yes, that one. It’s important that you do. Mine will give you the ability to shield and you haven’t awakened Sera’s, but it doesn’t mean it’s useless. Alani’s on the other hand is meh.”

“Rema, is that you?” Now the change in Imogen’s eyes made sense. The way she spoke to you reminded you so much of your strong headed sister of the covenant. 

“Yes, little one, now go. You don’t have enough time.” 

Then in a flash, the purple coloring in Imogen’s eyes went away and Imogen spoke to you as if nothing happened. “[Name]! Get your ass moving! Our dragons are already heading to the field!” 

Nodding your head along, you moved to run over to your room. Five days, huh? Athebyne sounds like a lot of familiar chaos. You gathered your three daggers and missed the feeling of Rema’s power. Again, earning that dagger is an achievement. Violet better treasure that weaponry. 

When you approached your door with your bag, a sudden pang stopped you. Your head hurts so damn much as you hold it with two shaky hands. It felt like something was splitting your skull open. 

“F-fuck, what’s…going o-on!” You groaned and fell to your knees with a loud thump. The sounds of boots running up and down the hall drowned out as other sounds rushed into your ears like rain falling, dragon roars and people shouting. 

It’s a vision! While you’re awake no less. 

You shut your eyes tightly and focused on the manifestation in your mind. 

..

“Stupid witch! You’re going to kill the both of us!” 

“That’s the fucking plan!”

“I’ll kill you before anything strikes me!” 

“Fuck you!”

..

As soon as the voices and vision came, it stopped immediately. Everything moved so fast, but you got the gist of the outcome. This one had been extremely different from all the rest of them. This one allowed Lenin to live for certain. But there was only one problem. 

Violet Sorrengail. 

From what you know, she cannot control her signet. And how can you even convince her to strike you and the venin with her lightning? She would never do it because of Xaden and Liam. Lenin won’t even communicate the idea to his father. 

Tairn. 

You can convince Tairn and he could make Violet do it. He will save Lenin from death if he can. You’re just a rider, riders die all the time. Dragons however should live longer than ten years. Tairn needs to chose his son over a rider. 

With a desperate hope, you pushed yourself off the floor and ran towards the flight field where multitude of dragons flew in and out. Then you spotted Tairn off to the side, no one near him just yet. Which means you have time to speak to him. 

Jogging over to him, you stopped a few feet away with your words stumbling out of your mouth. “Tairn, I come to you asking for a favor. But I’m afraid others will hear me. I apologize in advance for what I’m going to do, but I cannot wait.” 

Angling his head at you, Tairn growled at you. Although you paid no mind to his obvious threat to try anything. Then you closed your eyes and found a thread that hung from his soul. With careful hands you grabbed it and began speaking to him, like you two were bonded. 

“Pardon my-”

“You dare intrude on-” 

“This isn’t a bond, it’s only a temporary connection. I will let go as soon as I tell you what needs to be said. Lenin is in danger.” 

With the continued silence from him, you spoke on, “In a few days, your son will die if you do not heed my warning. Please, hear me out. All I want to do is save Lenin and you’re the only one who can save him.” 

You opened up your mind to the black dragon and sifted through the ten outcomes of your death. Each portraying a different end for you. Then you showed him the recent one and it brought you hope knowing that Lenin can be saved in this one. 

Tairn grumbled, “You have the ability to see the future and you want to change the course for my son. You are one brave human.” 

“A human that is going to die, no matter what. But Lenin doesn’t need to. I have seen ten outcomes and only one ensures that your son comes back to you and your mate for certain. I believe you have the ability to save him.” 

Then you showed him how. Tairn watched the flashes of pictures in his mind. He saw you fighting the wyvern with his son, saw you sacrifice yourself to save Deigh and his rider, watched you fall in the sky with a venin clinging onto you then the cause of your death. 

“No.” He growled. 

Slightly annoyed and pressed for time, you asked him, “Would you rather your son die with me? Smashing into land? Drowning in a lake being hounded by two wyvern? Torn apart by those creatures?” You showed him every death Lenin experienced with you. 

You pushed forward holding onto the thread tighter, driving the outcome of Lenin crashing into the lake with you clinging onto his wet scales. Wings thrashed against the water sending huge waves to the shore of everyone who watched in fear of the lives of you and Lenin’s. 

“We have to try!” Imogen shouted, rolling off of Glane’s back. Her orange dragon humming in agreement, her eyes watching Lenin struggle against the two wyvern that dragged him underwater. 

Soleil shook her head, “We can’t! We must wait for Xaden or Violet to finish off the last venin.”

“We won’t make it on time! She’s drowning! Lenin is drowning!” 

Then you moved on to the vision of Lenin desperately trying to shake off the wyvern on his back and wing. He climbed the sky with a mighty roar, his wings beating in a slow rhythm of two. His power held you in your seat while he spiraled into a nosedive at the peak of his ascent. 

“That’s enough, Seer.” Tairn hummed. 

“Please,” You begged, “He can live if you do this. My life means nothing if he dies. Violet has to be the one to kill me, we both know it.” 

“Why the Silver One? Why not a fire wielder or yourself?”

“Because Lenin trusts you,” You said, chewing your lip. Releasing it to say, “Your son will watch your rider raise her arm high in the air, then bring it down with a yell. A strike of lightning will hit the venin first, then straight into my heart. His dive towards me will falter, your choice to let your rider strike me will make him panic. How could his father let his rider kill his own? A moment like that will-”

“Break him,” Tairn finished. 

You smiled sadly, nodding your head along, “Being broken is better than being dead. He still gets to see the world spin. Feel the sun on his scales and experience another rider. Sgaeyl will still have her son.” 

“Uh, what’s going on?” 

You released the thread on Tairn and turned around to see Violet. You gave her a terse smile and shrugged your shoulders, “Just a bit of overthinking. I didn’t realize I was in front of your dragon. I’ll be going now.” 

You picked up your bags and looked around the field for Lenin. And the sudden humming sound rumbling in Tairn’s chest allowed you some reprieve. He’s going to do it, you know this. You didn’t dare give him another look knowing that Violet’s eyes were still on you. 

“Over here, Dagger.” 

The familiarity of Lenin’s voice made your head look to the left and standing at a good distance from almost every dragon perched Lenin with his head held high. What surprised you most was Glane right next to him. Most of the dragons have strayed away from the changing Lenin ever since you both went into a slumber. 

Yet Glane stood there with her eyes glued onto Lenin. 

“I think our dragons are going to mate soon. And I mean like mate mate.” 

Imogen stepped up from behind you shouldering her bags with a cheeky grin. “That means more fun for us, huh?” 

You chuckled and walked with her towards the dragons, “Our first time together was very…” You rolled your eyes playfully trying to come up with the word. 

“Chaotic?” Imogen tried with a smirk. 

“New.” You laughed and said, “Experiencing something like that with your dragon makes you feel somewhat intimate with them as well. Knowing what they feel as they indulge in their desires. It’s a bit awkward too.” 

Imogen laughed and shook her head, “Yeah, I get you. Anyways Glane tells me not one dragon approaches him. They see him as a bad omen, with his changing.” 

You visibly cringed and looked over at Imogen with a glare, “He changed because of me. And it won’t last long. He’ll be complete soon enough. The other dragons can go mind their own.” 

“Hey,” Imogen softly said, “I’m not disagreeing with you. It’s just what Glane tells me and I wasn’t sure if Lenin told you anything about it. You should be in the circle of knowing things. I’m kind of tired of keeping you out.” 

You shook your head and looked away from her, “I’m sorry for lashing out. I just…Lenin means a lot to me and knowing that others are still weary of him pisses me off. Because it’s my fault he’s like that. It’ll be solved soon.” 

“You keep saying soon, why? Is it your power that is acting out or something?” 

“Something like that.” You cut the conversation short and began mounting Lenin without another word uttered. As you sit on Lenin, your hands aimlessly draw weird shapes on his scales. Then from a distance, you hear Xaden in a heated argument with Dain Aetos over Violet Sorrengail. Usually you’ll have a sour taste in your mouth thinking of her, but you know it’ll be a waste of your time to hate her. You don’t want to be remembered as the cruel Mairi to anyone. 

“You have [Name] and her amazing signet to protect your riot during these games. Don’t tell me you need a first year when you have a very strong second year in your ranks already. [Name] is more capable than-” 

“I know how much my girlfriend is capable of. I don’t need you, of all people, to remind me what she can do.” Xaden interrupted Dain with quick succession. 

Girlfriend. 

An amused chuckle escaped past your lips and Lenin hummed with the same amusement. 

“Since when did Shadow ask you out again?” 

“Good question, maybe when we land at Athebyne we can question him.” 

Lenin growled out in agreement. 

“You don’t need Violet when you have [Name]. She’s the strongest in our year and possibly the only one who can take on the challenge in Athebyne. Violet has no reason to be out there and you know it.” 

We all know it. But the bond between mates is inseparable. And Dain Aetos is nothing compared to a dragon. All humans will never question or demand anything of a dragon. 

Well, except for you. 

…… 

……

……

……

……

The clearing Xaden has the riot land is not enough for Lenin to give the other dragons some space. So he directs himself a little further away making his own landing area. Glane follows him without any questions and you’re happy she’s so enamored by him. He deserves happiness for what’s to come and after it. 

“Geez, you’d think the others would warm up to him already.” Imogen dismounted Glane to join your side at the shore. You looked across to see the riot and the other riders getting some well needed rest. Getting good stretches in too. 

“Yeah, if they did we wouldn’t have to walk so far.” You joked and looked back at the two dragons, telling them, “We'll be back, get some rest and let’s hope Xaden told Violet about the others.” 

Imogen walked by your side and the two of you made bets on how Violet would react to seeing Gryphons and their Fliers. But all that mattered to you was how much you wanted to talk to Syrena. You met her for the first time during your first year when Xaden introduced you and Imogen to the secret missions. 

She said something that piqued your interest, but until now only understood what she meant by it. Syrena mentioned an awakening and you want to know how she knew. But you can conclude it’s because she is connected to gryphons, creatures that revered witches. It wouldn’t be a surprise to you if Syrena is bonded to one of the gryphons who knew the ones attached to your sisters. 

“Better start running. The Fliers have arrived and you’re missing the fun part.” 

It seemed Glane warned Imogen at the same time Lenin’s voice came in and the both of you began sprinting to the hangout. Immediately you are graced by the magnificent sight of gryphons and as you slowed down to a walk, one by one the beasts bowed their heads in greeting. 

You gave them the same respect while Imogen distanced herself away from them. They felt so familiar to you. Especially the Fliers that belong to the Cordella’s. You assume it’s because you’re a witch, and your covenant is known for bonding to Gryphons. This was supposed to be your life, be on the other side supporting them and protecting them from the venin. 

“You can still do that. I am your cloak and you are my dagger. Do not forget that.” Lenin reassured you and his presence gave you comfort. 

A gust of wind brings you back to reality and you spot Tarin landing on Violet’s right side. You glare at Xaden who clearly does not have the situation under control which means he hasn’t told her about the shipments. Well two can play at this game of showing off their strength, but you’re going to give Violet a chance. 

So you warned the gryphons, “Do not be alarmed when my dragon comes. He’s on your side.” 

Then you walked up from behind the Fliers, surprising them with your quietness. “[Name],” But Syrena is the only one who greets you with a smirk, “You look good. Have you awakened yet?” 

“No,” You sadly smiled then moved your blue eyes over to Violet. Hoping to deter her attitude. You stepped ahead of the group and addressed your fellow rider,  “Violet, can you read what it says on the purple dagger?” 

“What…what does that have to do with anything?” She questioned, glaring at you standing next to the enemies. 

“Can you?” You questioned again, “Pull it out of your sheath and read the symbol out loud. I promise this can help you answer some of the questions running through your mind.” A demand she ended up listening to because she felt like it meant something that would explain all of this. You would tell her the truth even if her mind is muddled and desperately looking for answers. 

Violet ran her finger across the heavy blade and shook her head. She couldn’t do it and she has spent many nights trying to do so. Not even Tairn could help her. Before she can tell you that, you raise your hand out, “Toss it over to me.” 

“Why?” She clutched the blade tighter in her hand while the gryphon behind us screeched out. Like it was angered by Violet’s defiance. But you knew why. The familiarity of it all. It’s starting to make sense. 

“Because my good friend here,” You gestured over to Syrena, “Might be able to help you with that rune.” 

Syrena looked back at you and tilted her head in confusion. But you kept your eyes on Violet and said, “I’ll give it back, you just have to trust me.” A beat of silence went by then Violet begrudgingly tossed the blade over to you. Without much thought, you caught the handle spinning in the air with ease and swiftly handed it over to Syrena. 

She looked down at it and squinted at the small symbol. After careful inspection of it, Syrena huffed and looked up, “I’m having no such luck with this, [Name]. It’s in the Witches’ language.”

“Ask your gryphon.” You didn’t need to meet her eyes. 

Syrena looked down at the blade again and huffed out in surprise, looking at her gryphon then over to you. “Shield. It means shield.�� 

Then you pulled out Alani’s dagger and Sera’s, showing them off to everyone as they levitated over your head. “These three daggers belong to my sister witches. They were Fliers, one of them was bonded to Syrena’s gryphon which is why she can read what it means on the dagger. Every dagger is powered with a piece of their soul. Rema’s dagger, the purple one, has the ability to shield.”

You took the dagger from Syrena’s soft grip and powered it up. In a flash, a purple bubble encased your body. Then you shut it down, removing your magic from it. “Not everyone can power it, maybe Syrena can if she practices and her gryphon helps her out. But Violet, they’re not our enemies. We have-”

“Not our enemies?” Violet questioned and the sky crackled. 

“Violet!” Xaden snapped from the side. His eyes flickered from her angered expression then to your calm demeanor. 

You showed no fear or caution, just annoyance at the whole situation.  Then another gust of wind hit your back announcing Lenin’s arrival. 

“What the fuck are they feeding these dragons. It’s bigger than the other one,” Another flier commented while Syrena calmed down her comrades. Telling them that this dragon has no interest in eating them or their gryphons. Lenin growled and slithered his giant head down to hover over you protectively.

“Do you want an explanation or not?” You asked, the bitter annoyance flowing in your veins. “You know what, we’ll explain later. Syrena, what’s wrong?” You turned your attention to her and she eyes the dragon head hovering over yours with awe. You raised your arm up and slid your fingers down the curled lip of Lenin’s snarl, “Violet isn’t a threat, Lenin. We can deal with her later.” 

“She knows better to attack you, Dagger. Just reminding her of her place.” 

“We came to warn you,” Syrena immediately got down to business, yet her eyes remained glued on Lenin as he backed away from you. The snarl disappeared and his wings stretched out to them and the gryphons to show whose side he was on.  “Two days ago we lost a village to a horde of venin. You know what they can do.” 

“I’m sure the venin decimated everything, but they never come out this far west.” You looked over your shoulder and waited for Xaden to join your side. He seemed to be in a heated conversation between Imogen, Liam and Violet. Although one look from you, he told  Liam something then jogged over to you as he settled his hand on your lower back. 

“We cannot know anything more,” Xaden pitches in, he must have heard a bit of the conversation while having his own, “Any one of us can be interrogated and knowing the details can put us at  risk.” 

A different person pitched in with a roll of his eyes, “The horde is heading north whether you want to know or not. Right to our trading post on the border across from your garrison at Athebyne. Is your riot armed?” 

“We are,” You said without hesitation. 

“Then we did our due diligence. You all have been warned and we have about an hour to defend our own.” Next thing you know he says something stupid, a proposal that itches your head in a nice way. 

Violet Sorrengail held for ransom. It’s funny, but you needed her. “No, she’s not up for grabs. If it were a different Sorrengail, we’ll be sure to bargain next time.” Everyone could hear the sarcasm in your voice and Lenin chuffed at your dark humor. 

Of course, Violet didn’t like that joke. 

“Hey! That’s my family you’re talking about! How would you like it if I threatened yours?”

Everyone felt the air around you shift uncomfortably and it began to suffocate them. Like you were drawing out the oxygen around them. Syrena moved away first and instructed her comrades to do the same. They walked over to their gryphons and waited for the next event. 

Xaden was the only one who stayed by your side. Yet it came at a cost. He had to control his breathing and his hand on your lower back had pins and needles going through them. The moment Violet shouted at you, an electric shock surprised him leaving his hand unresponsive to his commands. 

“Leave,” You looked at the Drift and walked over to them with your blue eyes holding a storm, “It’s painfully obvious that Sorrengail doesn’t know about her history and you don’t need to waste more time with us. Syrena, take this with you and have your gryphon help you out.” Rema’s dagger trembled in your hand and a ghostly whisper full of panic brushed by you. 

What are you doing, little one! You need my dagger to protect you!

You ignored Rema’s call and put the dagger in Syrena’s hand as you explained to her. “Spend some time with it as you fly, and you’ll be able to protect your own. It can expand around you and your drift as you fly. Or you can push it out to the civilians.”

“Thank you and I hope to see you again, [Name].” Syrena said with a small smile. Then she and the rest of the Fliers mount in seconds and shoot up into the sky just as fast. You looked up into the sky and sighed. 

You cannot believe Violet and what she said. To threaten your remaining family left after her mom killed your parents? After her mom killed every single parental figure then she scarred Xaden 108 times for every child that remained. She wants to threaten what little you have left of your family? 

She’s just scared. Violet is surrounded by Marked Ones and they are working with Fliers. You would be questioning  a whole lot too if you were in her shoes. But to bite the hand that feeds you is dumb. 

When you turn around to give Violet some answers, Xaden is already at her side trying to calm the storm inside her. He’s using his words in soft tones and strong kind eyes that want her to believe in him. You can taste the bitter jealousy on the tip of your tongue thinking about what they could be like together. 

But you shake those thoughts away and begin mounting Lenin. 

“What took you so long to arrive, Lenin?” 

Lenin chuffed and swung his head up and down in elation, “I have a mate now. She’s beautiful.” 

“You mated Glane!” You shouted down the bond with glee and your eyes widened when another voice came back. 

“[Name], is that you?”

Oh shit. That’s Imogen’s voice. 

……

……

……

The four of you spoke down the bond the entire way to Athebyne after you and Imogen figured out how their mating bond now connects the two of you. Turns out Lenin is unopposed of speaking to Imogen as much as Glane is happy to get to know you more. 

“You two are awfully quiet,” Bodhi gives you and Imogen a smirk and he jokes, “Don’t tell me you guys had sex again.” 

“Bodhi!” Imogen shouted and a blush creeped up your cheeks. To think you almost had a thing for this man and he’s here teasing you and Imogen while you search on Xaden’s command. 

“Should we tell him?” You asked Imogen.

“So he can tell Xaden? Hell no. A jealous Xaden is worse than you being jealous.” 

A laugh escaped your lips and you looked at a confused Bodhi, “Don’t tell anyone. We’re still working out the kinks of it. Our dragons are mates now.”

“Wait, Glane likes Lenin? She’s not, you know, afraid of his change?” Bodhi’s question almost made you snap at him until Imogen popped in and said, “Hey, she liked him before the change and she says he looks magnificent, got it?” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Bodhi raised his hands in mock surrender then Lenin’s voice came to you. 

“You’re needed, Dagger. Something awaits you.” 

You look at Imogen and she nodded her head letting you know that she’s right behind you. Bodhi followed you guys with a small ‘Hey!’ and you arrived where Xaden was to see him touch Violet’s cheek, his hand sliding down to cradle the back of her neck. 

“[Name],” Garrick shoved himself between Violet and Xaden, holding out an envelope to you. “It’s for you, do you know the handwriting?” 

You took the envelope and on top of it was just your name. Not [Name] Mairi. Just [Name]. Flipping it over and opening it you are greeted with these words. 

Little One.

To think your sisters hid you among the enemies this entire time. I spent my time going from post to post, mainly the borders to catch you. When I tracked you and your covenant, they ran from their home and their foul creatures were left behind. 

But you cannot run anymore. Now that I know you’re a rider and bonded to a dragon that surpasses his parents, I’m going to catch you and question you. Just like your sisters, you will be chained to a ward powering it up to protect our citizens. It’s what you witches owe us for being on the enemy side. 

When you come back, I’ll be waiting for you. 

V.

You stared at his handwriting and a flicker of red and orange painted the letter. You watched the letter burn in your hand as you glared at it. His words disappear into ashes and you let them be carried away by the wind. 

To everyone’s surprise, they looked at you with wide eyes and Liam stepped up to make sure you were okay. “[Name], is everything okay? What did the letter say?” 

Your eyes focused on him and you told him the truth, “That I’ll be dead when I return to Basgaith. If I don’t do one thing.”

“Which is?” Xaden asked. 

“Run away.” 

Because that’s exactly what Varrish wants you to do. He knows where you’re at. He knows you were picked by Xaden Riorson. It’s why the letter was here and Varrish was hoping the letter would scare you to run away. But you know what your fate holds for you. It’s not to be chained to a ward. 

It’s to save your brother and your dragon. 

You won’t run away like your sisters. You’re going to fight back. 

....

....

ιηѕρσ ѕσηgѕ:

EGO - Qing Madi, VALORANT

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves @smileysunshinesworld @brieflyclassymortal @noonenuts @nikfigueiredo

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 10

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ησтє: alright I did my best to make it fluffy with tones of angst. WARNING: mentions of smut, its light..I think? idk im not really into writing smut.

ρℓσт: another night of dancing under the stars is always a beautiful moment to witness. especially between a couple that doesn't have enough time.

The way your eyes looked up and down the mirror version of yourself washed away the insecurities in your heart because you looked amazing. Good. Pretty. 

“Ethereal, Dagger.” 

Lenin’s deep rumble brought a smile onto your face and you agreed with him. Yes, the dress you picked for tonight hugged your figure perfectly. You had forgotten how good you can look wearing formal clothing. 

The white dress was silky, smooth and embroidered with gold lace at the end of the sleeves, the bodice and the bottom that floated at your ankles. With a twirl, the dress swayed in a motion of elegance and you couldn’t help the giggle that left your lips. 

You really did love dresses like this one. 

Then Lenin called out to you, his voice interrupting your small fit of joyous giggles, “Shadow is waiting for you. You have him pacing on the parapet.” 

Right. You forgot that you let Lenin talk you into speaking with Xaden. Which was odd considering how Lenin felt about Xaden. Your dragon never favored Xaden especially with your treatment of this year, yet somehow your cruel beast changed his mind. Told you that what Liam said was correct. Xaden never did anything with Violet. 

.   .   .

“Xaden never tried anything with her.” 

“Dagger, Shadow is many things, but he resisted the Silver One. Yes, I’ve always questioned his ways when it comes to you. Fortunately for his sake and my mother’s, Shadow remained loyal to you. Not an ounce of disloyalty taints his soul.”

.    .   . 

The sincerity in Liam’s voice and the confirmation from Lenin settled your rattled bones. It’s the truth from them. Two important beings, aside from Xaden, told you something Xaden wanted to explain in the heated moment. But his tongue felt like lead, twisted and stuck to say anything. 

You couldn’t really blame him for freezing up like he did. Violet put him in a tough spot and your whisper to him hurt him. How could he recover from such a position like that? You’d be just as stumped as him if you were in his place. 

But you weren’t in his place and he wasn’t in yours. So only a conversation between one another will allow you two to understand each other. 

.   .   .

“You know the moment Shadow fumbled over his words, my mother scolded him. Yet your declaration to die, you wanting your death to come faster only made him falter more. You broke his heart intentionally as much as he broke your heart unintentionally.”

.   .   .

Lenin revealed so much to you with his words. Yes, you and Xaden made things more complicated than ever. And you can’t always blame Violet Sorrengail for it. You had your past to relive, your future to think about and the death that is coming soon clouding your mind. 

Xaden had Violet Sorrengail’s life tied to his own. Worried about her every second because anyone could kill her, kill him by doing so. Yet with these new obstacles, Xaden remained loyal to you and never pursued a different relationship with Violet. 

You find it endearing despite all the turmoil you dealt with this year. After being underwater for so long, your dragon and your brother gave you reprieve of your damnation. 

“I don’t know why I’m so nervous. We made up before and for some reason, my heart is pounding so hard against my chest.” You say with your hand settling over the organ, feeling the racing beat of it. This heart of yours beats for him, you realized with a smile. 

“Believe me when I say this, Dagger. You glow when you are near him, like the moon in the sky. The twinkle in your eyes could never be compared to the gemstones because of how bright your eyes shine when you look at him.”

A blush creeped up on your cheeks and you hum with embarrassment, “Lenin, remind me whenever I forget that. When I see Violet Sorrengail, I need you to remind me that my love for Xaden should not waver. That I chose him because of his love, devotion and loyalty. I chose him because he’s mine, truly mine.” 

“He can remind you, I’ll make sure of it,” Lenin chuffed with kind amusement, “Now come back to him, Dagger.”

You took one last look of yourself in the mirror and gave yourself a nod of approval. Xaden has waited long enough by himself. And you have to tell him the answers he wants. The needed answers for what is upcoming. 

.   .   .

“Garrick? Bodhi?” 

The two males standing on solid ground turned around to face you with wide eyes. Their eyes moved up and down your appearance and Bodhi spoke first, “We didn’t think you’d show. You have him pacing back and forth down there. It’s honestly freaking me out.”

You breathed a laugh and walked closer to them, then you hugged the both of them. Their warmth immediately enveloped you and a sour feeling dropped in the pit of your stomach. They wouldn’t know about your future. The feeling of guilt eating at you, but it was better that they didn’t know. Or in Bodhi’s case, better he doesn’t remember. 

Your arms barely wrap around their wide backs and you chuckled, “Don’t worry, I’m here to fix things between us. Liam told me everything and Lenin filled in with Sgaeyl’s help.  ” 

Garrick looked at Bodhi and then moved his head down to you, “Well let’s not hog all your attention. He’s been waiting for you. Have that dance with him, ass-kicker.” He hugged you back and they moved out of your way watching you with cheesy grins. 

Happy to know that you and Xaden we’re going to be on better terms. 

You looked down the parapet and saw Xaden’s silhouette in the night. Unmoving, but watching your every move. The expectedness of your arrival didn’t shake him, nor the way you took a step on the stone bridge. If anything, Xaden showed complete faith in you to make your way over to him unlike last year. 

Remembering the way he panicked, his hands reaching out to you so you can hold on to them. But you shook your head and began spinning on the stone bridge, hands raised and one leg to balance you in the twirl. 

.   .   .

“[Name], I swear if you don’t hold on to me right now.” 

“Relax, Xaden! My balance is amazing, I crossed the parapet in record time. Look at this!” 

“Stop spinning! You’re giving me a heart attack!”

“This is so much fun!”

.   .   .

Gods, you were so much happier last year. So much fun to be around with. Recklessly, clumsy in class, but skilled and deadly in assessments. 

With the kind gentle breeze, you moved forward with your heels clicking onto the stone. Every step you took brought you closer to him. 

Xaden, agonizingly waiting ever so patiently for you. But when you were about ten steps away from him, he finally moved towards you. His steps are needy with the motive to get closer. To close the gap between you that seemed to stretch a million miles away from him.  

Within seconds the both of you stopped just a step away and said each other's names at the same time. 

“[Name].” 

“Xaden.” 

Uneasy laughter broke between you and he shook his head, wanting to speak first. The smile on his face morphed into a frown as he said, “Look, what happened earlier…I should have explained a lot better.” You can feel his regret that came with the fight. You know it all, more than you wanted to. 

“Yeah,” You looked away from him, to break that connection you had to his negative feeling, “you should have. Instead I had Liam and our dragons telling me what I needed to know.” Again, dive away from his topic. You already got your well-needed explanation. “It’s fine, I put you in a tough position and I can’t blame her anymore. We are in charge of our own feelings and I know I hurt you with my words.”

“[Name], I gave you my word,” Xaden got closer to you and his hand reached out to yours. His fingers touched your cold ones and they intertwined like it was natural to them. Like you guys were born with hands that were made to hold one another. “I won’t leave you again, remember?” 

Yes, you do. But one glance at the moon made you question something else. 

“What if it’s me that leaves you?” You asked, the breeze carrying your words to him. Your blue eyes moved up to look into his golden flecked ones. “My vision,” The tears in your eyes became increasingly hard to keep them in their place, “It’s coming. Whatever battle we face in the future is so near.”

“War Games?” He asked for clarification, but he knew this battle was different with how scared you looked. The shake of your head confirmed his suspicions and he sighed, “Something else then.” 

“Wyvern.” You answered, “It’s a battle between us and them.” 

Us. You just said, us. What if he doesn’t bring you along with him? Could it be possible to save you from this tragic fate if you stayed away from the battle? Then in a terrible realization, Xaden thinks he has to leave you behind. In order to keep you alive. But before he could ask that of you, you began speaking to him. 

“You deserve to know the truth about me, Xaden. I’m not a Mairi. I am the Maiden of the Moon, a witch with a massive amount of power.”

Confusion painted his features the more you talked. 

“I’m a part of a coven of witches. They’re my real family and they are known to be Fliers. They were being hunted by a man named Varrish and somehow General Sorrengail is involved too. Varrish found out that witches can power wards with their magic. So he hunted them, sent riders on missions to kill the majority of them. My sisters; Sera, Rema and Alani came to your father for protection.  ” 

“What?” 

You were speaking too fast with so much information. However he kept up with every word, burning them into his memory. Even your sister’s names. 

“My sisters came to your father with a pact. They would give him unlimited knowledge of their runes, language and magic. But in return, your father had to protect me and have me become a Rider.”

“So your signet isn’t actually one,” Xaden questioned, “what does Lenin give you then if not a signet? Dragons are-” 

“A stable connection to my power,” You hushed him with your answer and explained some more. “I pour out a crazy amount of power and Lenin filters that with the connection we share. He feeds me back my magic at a slower rate while he controls the amount I constantly give out.”

Then Xaden surprised you with a daring huff, the smirk plastered onto his handsome features, “Damn, they all knew.” His response left you confused now. 

“The dragons knew all about you,” Xaden chuckled and grabbed your face, “Your power drew them in. Sgaeyl. Deigh. Lenin. Fuck even me. I just can’t believe it. The girl who used to put flower crowns on everyone’s head. The girl that tended to her small garden in her room. The girl that loved to dance to music. She drew me in because of her beauty, grace and her soul. The power of you.” 

The butterflies swarmed in your stomach as he leaned closer to you. 

“It’s you, always you.” 

With this newfound knowledge of your background, Xaden screwed his eyes shut and kissed you. He breathed in your scent through his nose and wrapped one arm around your waist, the other arm on your back. 

When you kissed him back, your tears barely grazing against his cheeks, he told himself that he couldn’t leave you behind. No, if you said ‘us’ then it would be like that. If it’s a battle you both face, you’d do it together. And he’ll do anything to keep you alive. Breathing. Smiling. Kissing him and loving him. 

He wants to stay like this with you. 

Yet Xaden regretfully pulled his lips away from your passionate kiss and rested his forehead on yours. His hands settled onto your waist and his thumb rubbed circles onto the white silk. Thinking about his next words, he felt your body shake with contained sobs. 

He opened his eyes, the anguish on your face shattering his heart. No, no. Your night together wasn’t supposed to be spent like this. Xaden hurriedly wiped the endless tears that fell from your eyes and tried to comfort you,

“Hey,” His thumbs wiped your tears as he held onto your face, “please don’t cry.” 

You looked into his glossy onyx eyes and shook your head, “Xaden, we spent this whole year avoiding each other. Spent our time away from one another when we should have held each other. We should have loved each other and now…now I’m going to be leaving you.”

“I know,” He swallowed the lump in his throat, “I was being stupid. I never wanted this for us. I am so fucking sorry. Don’t even think about leaving because you’re not going to leave me. We will get through this battle together. This isn’t the end for us.”

He wanted you to agree with him, but you had different plans. 

“I’m leaving, Xaden.” You said it with confidence so undenying. 

Your arms wrapped around him this time and he felt your tears soak through his shirt. 

“You made up your mind?” His voice was soft and you heard the hurt tone that made your nails dig into him. You couldn’t answer him, you just gave him a nod as the answer. This wasn’t your choice. You had to die. 

“Fine.” His clipped tone made you uneasy and when you tried to look up at him, yet he held you tighter. Xaden refused to look into your eyes. He refused for you to see his own tears. He didn’t want you to see him cry. Because he had to believe it too.

That you would not leave him. 

He replayed all the memories he had with you and your father. He remembered his father speaking to you in a different language, reading books that could never be in reach for him. Xaden’s father always told him that you were special to their cause, that you had to experience an awakening. 

An awakening of your true power. You have yet to show him any signs of an awakening. Like a specific color. Or the change in your eyes. 

“Will you come back?” He breathed into your ear, the sensation of it tickling you. 

“I don’t know.” You whispered back and you swear you heard the air leave his lungs. Feel him shatter in your embrace, the pieces of him unraveling right in front of you. You didn’t let that deter you and you held him with all the strength you had. You will hold onto every piece of him. 

His heartbreaking reaction pulled at your heartstrings. Every chord inside you sends an aching pain in your system. 

“Xaden, you need to breathe.” You begged him. Slightly shaking him to listen to your gentle words. You recall the way he brought you back to life with those words. His desperate voice brings you back to him away from the vision. “Breathe, Xaden.” 

He squeezed you with his arms tightening around your waist, letting you know that he was still with you. He rested his chin on the top of your head and he imagined himself holding your lifeless body in his arms. Crying over you. Then you felt something wet touch the roots of your hair. 

Xaden’s words make you hold onto him tighter. Gods, the agony from the both of you was unbearable. 

“How can I when I know I’ll be holding onto you, pleading for you to take that breath for me?”

A flashback of Xaden cradling your dead body flickered in your sight. He can move on, he has to. 

“Can we have our dance under the stars, Xaden?” 

“[Name], please,” He sounded so helpless, “tell me you’re coming back.” 

You couldn’t lie to him. To dare yourself to lie to him about your fate. You don’t know what will happen to you after you sacrifice yourself to save Liam. Sera, Rema and Alani remained quiet when you asked them. Just told you that you have to make a pact with Xaden. 

So maybe you do come back? 

“For you,” You leaned back into his palms and your eyes drew from the tear stains on his shirt up to his neck. Then to his jaw that tensed up when your eyes followed the tears tracks on his cheeks that led up to his dark eyes freckled with gold. “Always. I’ll come back to you. I’ll hold you, kiss you, love you. Anything for you, Xaden Riorson.” 

“How about falling in love with me again?” 

“You mean like starting over?” 

The moon above him glowed behind him, its light creating an aura around his body. A halo of light. 

“I wasn’t the man I should have been for you. So when you come back to me, I want you to fall in love with me again. Can we do that? Will you let me properly love you?” 

You smiled at him, your teary eyes reflecting the twinkles of the night at him. Gods, your eyes were a beautiful sight to him. 

You lifted a gentle hand to him, wiping the last tear he let slip from his eye, “I am with you and you are with me. As long as you wait for me, I will come back loving you.” 

Xaden leaned into your touch, his hand wrapping around yours with a kiss landing on your palm. 

“Thank you,” He said then he started to lead you into a dance on the parapet. His steady steps led you into a smooth rhythm and a joyous smile formed on your lips. Thinking about it, you’d wait for him too if the roles were reversed. He’d be your lover in the sky, watching over you as you would for him. 

“Finally!” Garrick shouted with hollers from Imogen, Bodhi and other friends watching you two dance on the dangerous grounding. Their sounds carried with the breeze that sent shivers down your spine. But those goosebumps went away with Xaden’s warmth. 

You didn’t think there would be an audience for the reunion between you and Xaden. Honestly, you thought Bodhi and Garrick left a long time ago. 

“They watched us last time, didn’t they?” You look back at Xaden as he lifts you off the parapet. Spun you once, twice then set your feet back on the stone with a smirk. His head tilted at a slight angle and said, “No harm in a little show.”

You laughed and shook your head, “I suppose not.” 

.   .   .

Neither one of you wants to talk about what is to happen soon. No, instead Xaden is focused on you drawing at his desk. Your hand leading your pen with a fluidity he followed with a small smile on his face. 

You insisted that you wanted to draw something. You didn’t tell him what when you got off his lap, your hands removing themselves from his messy hair. 

Xaden wanted to go for another round with you. Craved to hear your beautiful sounds and watch how your lips formed his name in pleasure. Gods, he was turning himself on by thinking of you again. 

“Xaden, this is where I want to be.” 

Your gentle voice pulled his eyes away from your hands as you showed the sketch off to him. His eyes analyzed the sketch and he shook his head in denial. 

“We are seriously not talking about your resting place.”

“You have to,” You walked over to him and sat yourself in his lap, “You know what this is, right?” 

Xaden gripped your hips and tried to ignore you by putting the parchment in his face. Turned his head left then right, avoiding the image of it. You drew the place so perfectly, it scared him. Is this something you saw in your vision too? Him walking on the stone path with you sleeping in his arms? 

The flowers blooming and the grass reaching his shins. The birds on the surrounding trees chirped and went on as if he didn’t lose the love of his life. 

“I know it.” Xaden confirmed, leaning back out of the way. 

Your lips made contact when the sheen of sweat on his forehead, “Good.”

Silence filled the air and he rested his chin on your bare shoulder. He leaned his head on the side of your cheek and his hair tickled you. The giggle leaving your mouth left him wanting more. More of you. More time with you. 

Xaden pulled back and his arms looped around your back. Then the intense staring into your eyes made you ask him, a smirk on your features, “Up for another round?” 

He scoffed with mirth and dived in to taste your lips. He felt you smile into the kiss and he practically prayed that you would hear his internal thoughts. Hear his begs for you to stay. 

Stay. Stay. Stay here with me. Stay in my arms. Stay kissing me. Stay by my side and hold my hand. Stay to watch what unfolds for our future. Stay and witness what eternity could feel like being in love with one another. Stay. Stay. Stay.

“My love,” You pulled back from the kiss, your hand resting on his cheek. Your eyes looked down into his eyes and you gave him the most beautiful smile that melted away his sadness. “I told you that I would come back. And when I do, you can bet that I will stay.” 

The knock at the door didn’t even stop him from switching positions with you. He swiftly moved you on the bed, your back meeting his cool sheets. His lips trailed from your lips down to your neck, to your chest. 

A soft moan escaped your lips and another knock came after. “Xaden, the door,” You moaned again, your hands threading through his dark locks. 

“Ignore it, Cloak.” He mumbled against your chest. 

“It’s Garrick,” You pulled his chin up, to look into his eyes, “It’s important.” 

Your eyes conveyed a meaning so deep for him, he knew what it meant. Getting off the bed with you following him. He watched you clean yourself up and began dressing yourself into the spare uniform you left in his room for these occasions. 

Xaden took his time, dressing himself, took his time walking over to the door when you guys were decent enough to open it.  When he pulled the door open, Garrick said, “Get into your flight leathers, we’re under attack.” 

No. 

He looked behind him to see you pick up your sketch from his bed and set it on his desk. Then you looked away from it and at him, giving him a confirming nod to his worries. 

Your vision is coming. And he doesn't want to say goodbye.

......

......

......

ησтє: so obviously I didn't plan this. you can say im not a math guy. there is ANOTHER part! so yee

the inspiration songs are down here...Left Behind feeds into the angst so hard for the last part :(

ιηѕρσ ѕσηgѕ:

Last Goodbyes - Derivakat

Lover In The Sky - Reinaeiry

Left Behind - Reineairy

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 ANNOUNCEMENT

I hope you all are ready for the last part of this series. Yes, it's gonna end with part ten.

(Ten parts is crazy btw)

I enjoyed this emotional rollercoaster with you guys on this series and wished I did better for you all.

I didn't realize how big this story could get. It was really only supposed to satisfy my delulu urge to save Liam. Cause mans really did not deserve to go out like that.

If anything it was supposed to end in two parts. But here we are, ending it at 10.

It's been a fun journey seeing your guys reaction and gaining new followers. Seriously I've been stuck at 900 followers for awhile and when Cloak of Shadows came out....well let's just say I'm at 1,100+ followers.

So thank you.

For all the new followers, I am so so freaking sorry for my sad writing.

I am an angst lover. So I apologize about this series being hella angsty, messy and overall barely any light to it. I cannot write fluffy stories, I like the angst and crying over my stories.

Idk I might be a psychopath. Self-diagnosed obv.

So I hope, really praying that this end to Cloak of Shadows is the outcome everyone prefers. And again, listen to the songs that inspired me. Helps with the mood.

Moving on!

thank you thankyou freaking THANK YOU for going through this series with me. part ten will come out soon.

ιηѕρσ ѕσηgѕ:

It's You, It's Me, It's Us - Reinaeiry

Nobody - Faith Marie

Would You Fall in Love with Me Again - Jorge Rivera-Herrans, Anna Lee

A very special thank you to my Cloak of Shadows Riders! If you guys want a specific imagine with any of the Fourth Wing characters, let me know. Your support has been amazing! This is the least I can do for you <3

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 9

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ρℓσт: you are reminded that death will come for you one way or another. luckily for you, there is one person that can wash the fear away. liam's smile is all the reason you need because you die for him. for your brother to keep living.

this is your way of repaying back the mairi's for taking you in

ιηѕρσ ѕσηgѕ:

cold - aqualung, Lucy Schwartz

rosyln - bon iver, st. vincent

follow you into the dark - alan wake, rakel

the demand of man - secession studios

Writing letters wasn’t always your forte. Granted you really only wrote letters to Sloane, and kept them in your drawer for the first year. Now you’re able to send them out to her. She read all about your first year; the struggles of bullies, the fascination of bonding to Lenin, the love you had for Xaden. She knows everything from your first year and now she will know about this year. 

A more dramatic year than the previous one. And it had to be your last year at Basgaith.

You told her about everything from the beginning. The way you were forgotten so easily by your found family. You wrote about Violet and her unfortunate bonding to Tairn. Told her how that bonding affected your relationship with Xaden. 

Oh it broke your heart to write the details of them; together. But for Sloane, it should show her the love you painfully still have for Xaden. Your loyalty to him never wavered despite the way you were treated this year. Your heart belonged to him and he…he left it somewhere unretrievable.  You know how important it is to keep Violet alive, to keep him alive by protecting her. 

So you told Sloane that you being left behind had to happen. 

Then you wrote about yourself and your true family. How you’re not actually her sister. To know about the change in your signet and how you’re not who you say you are. Your name is not [Name] Mairi. You’re just [Name], the Maiden of the Moon. A witch. A woman a part of a covenant. 

You held your tears back, the ache in your hand asking you to stop for a minute. You had no time to spare, it was running out for you. It didn’t help that you spent months in a slumber either. Your hands couldn’t write all that you wanted to put on the piece of paper. Scattered thoughts mingled with reasoning and empathy had not allowed you to be sincere. But here you sat at your desk writing a letter to Sloane. 

Your poor sister. 

Your hand moved with rushed thoughts, but rational enough to tell her the truth. You wanted to be soft with your words, comfort her through the letters. But Sloane wasn’t like that. Screw the idea of empathy because Sloane wouldn’t understand why you died. She would want you to be harsh with your words, to tell her everything. For you, what needs to be done always outweighs what should happen. Or what people want to happen. 

Sloane would want you to live and to teach her what you know about fighting. You promised her that you would. Yet there is no chance for that after your death. At least, you don’t think that coming back from the dead will allow you to come back to Basgaith.

If that is Xaden’s plan, to remain a faithful wingleader. A leader of the rebellion more like. To finish his time at Basgaith and get deployed out to some outpost with high activity so be it. 

Your plan will be to find your sisters and save them before they die. Drained. Exposed. Drifting in your dreams and teaching you how to harness your power. 

Well someone will be able to teach Sloane your kicks. You scribbled onto the parchment with loathing, nonetheless you weren’t going to deprive Sloane from a fighting technique. Violet will be all she has in order to learn your kicking style. 

.   .   .

Violet will be able to teach you my technique. It’s not perfect, but she mastered it. All I ask is that you do not let your stubborn nature push Violet away. You always said you wanted to learn from me, but I won’t be there for you. At least, not in the way you want me to. 

So suck in your pride, bite down on your tongue and learn from her. Don’t forget that I trained her for months. She knows how to attack, how to react and I know that she will want to help you. It’s the least she can do for me. 

.   .   .

Then you paused your writing with another thought in your head derailing you from your original one. Sera never told you outright what happens after your awakening of your true power. But she said that you would make a pact with Xaden, the same one she committed to with Fen Riorson. 

Her ghostly words repeated in your mind like the fog in your Threshing: 

“A Union between Riders, Fliers and Witches. A combination of daring and glorious fighters that will rule the earth and the sky. To allow Witches to have a stable connection with dragons and gryphons.” 

Sloane wouldn’t understand this. Not yet. 

Living through this battle isn’t going the right way for balance. No matter what anyone says or tries to do. It won’t affect you, the way they want it to. Although it will change your death outcome. 

You’ve seen it all. Every potential death. Every possibility. By far, the worst one is drowning.

The crashing waves of Lenin fighting off two wyvern in a massive lake did not help you. Swimming in the dark, having no direction of which way is up, terrified you. Having three creatures fighting in the water only slapped your body around in dizzy whirlpools. 

Knock knock……knock.

You snapped your eyes away from your piece of paper and towards your door. You blinked once then saw a figure outside your door waiting patiently for you to greet them. The way he fumbled with a wooden figurine made you weakly smile at his presence. 

You stashed your letters away including the new one and walked over to the door. Opening it slowly, you looked up at your brother who smiled at you. 

“Surprise,” He said, showing off the new figurine of Lenin to you. 

All the fear you felt washed away at his smile. You were dying for him, for Liam to keep smiling and to keep carving these little dragons. 

You sacrifice yourself for him. 

“Liam,” You breathed and warmly welcomed him in, your hand finding purchase on his wrist that held the statue. Pulling him through the barricade that you made stronger with your magic, he shivered involuntarily. 

“Usually it’s a lot easier getting in,” He says with another shiver. 

You closed the door behind him and lied with ease, “Maybe it’s been awhile since you visited. After all, I’ve slept for a long time!” He chuckled and sat at your desk setting the figurine down. 

“So, are you going to give me something for my first year? I know you plan on giving Sloane a kunai.” Liam says this with a teasing tone and you leaned over him, grabbing the pink kunai. This one belongs to Alani, your caring sister-witch. 

You twirled the pink dagger in your hand as you pressed your lips together in thought. In a joking tone, you gestured to Sera’s green dagger with your free hand, “You can have that if you want. I’m just afraid you’re going to poke your eye out.”

Liam grabbed the knife and twirled it with relative ease, just spinning it with one slender finger. “These knives are a little too…girly for me. Like they were made for women.” He wasn’t wrong. These knives belonged to witches, women of great power. 

Nonetheless you huffed out in offense and Liam shook his head, “You know what I mean! Come on!”

“If you look closely, Liam,” You stopped fidgeting with the pink kunai, “All of these daggers have specific runes etched into the blade. The user just needs to know how to power them.” You leaned over him, your chin resting on the crown of his head as you showed Alani’s dagger off. 

“Oh, my dagger is named Truth Speaker! The runes on it will make anyone speak the truth if we’re making contact with them! It’s a little more discreet than Rema’s and Sera’s runes. So it comes in handy!” 

You dragged a tip of your finger on the runes Alani etched into the blade herself. Her care and kindness could be felt in the metal. 

“I’ve seen these symbols before,” Liam whispered and you hummed in response. 

“Where from?”

“In your room, sometimes the clothing you wore had them sewed in like they were a part of a design. You even had books written in a different language with these runes. I always asked our parents why you wore robes that seemed bigger than you. They said it made you feel like you were home. But it never made sense because you never left home.” 

Truth Speaker made Liam speak freely, his words striking a cord inside you. Robes. Yes, you remember the robes. The dark purple one belongs to Rema, the pink one to Alani and the light green belongs to Sera. Colors that represented them as a person. 

Purple fit Rema because of her ambition. 

Pink fit Alani because of her innocence. 

Light green fit Sera because of her optimism. 

“Don’t worry, little one,” Sera brushed her hand onto your cheek, “Your color will come to you after you awaken. And your kunai will change and you will make a cloak matching your persona. We all decorated our clothing to fit us.” 

“What if I give you my life, Liam?” You ask, pressing your cheek onto the crown of his head. He watched your dagger float effortlessly between your hands. 

“I wouldn’t know what to do with it,” He answered. 

“Live,” I responded back, “You live your life to the fullest.”

“As if I can do that,” Liam shifted in his seat and moved his head up and you removed yourself from him. Not daring to look into his eyes. You’d break. And you’ve done enough of that lately. 

“Anyways what kind of situation would I be in to give your life up for me?” He laughed and you looked at your new mural, sketches and sketches on Lenin littered the wall. Liam is always so positive. 

“I heard you fell off of Deigh,” You say with a painful smile, “If I was there, I would burnout using my other signet to save you. I haven’t mastered levitating, but for you I’d gladly force it.” 

“Well luckily for us both, Violet was there. She saved me.” 

You didn’t miss the way he said her name. Repulsed. Betrayed. Without much thought you invaded his mind, watching the flashes of his memory flicker by. You aren’t particularly good at this part. Listening to thoughts is a lot easier, and watching memories of the past is a lot harder. 

It will take more practice to do this with ease. Yet you saw what he witnessed. Xaden, Violet and yourself standing outside of Xaden’s room. The distorted images gave you enough of an idea. Liam saw everything. 

“You missed a spot by the way,” You snatched a piece of parchment off of your wall. The new form of Lenin on this piece. You walked over to your brother and pointed at Lenin’s right wing. 

“Not everyone knows this, but Lenin has this spot on the top of his wing that’s shaped like a waning crescent moon.”

Liam gently took the piece of parchment with care and analyzed the detailed sketches of Lenin. “Wow, is the spot actually shaped like this?” 

“Yes and if that impresses you, you should see the underside of his tail. It’s dotted with crescent moons. He’s astoundingly beautiful.” You breathed with pride. Then your eyes drifted to your desk drawer, the one filled with letters for Sloane. 

You swallowed the lump in your throat and opened it up, showing it to Liam with nervousness for his upcoming questions. “I need you to stash these letters in your room, Liam. They’re for Sloane.” 

He took a peek inside the drawer and chuckled, “That’s a lot of letters, you think our little sister is able to read all of them?” He drew his eyes up to yours and they dazzled like diamonds. They were so damn pretty. 

.    .   .

“Your hair is natural, but I changed your eyes,” Sera hummed, “To make you look more like the Mairi’s. Your natural eye color is lilac, a color that belonged to your real mother.”

.   .   .

“She read all the ones I sent her for my first year…I hope,” You laughed with him and he took the sealed letters into his hands. Turning them over he says with his smile disappearing being replaced with a frown, “I’m sure you wrote about my ignorance, huh? About how I spent more time with the child of General Sorrengail than you, our sister. I dropped everything for Violet, only to be- Whatever, doesn’t matter now. I’m sorry for not being there for you, [Name]. She came in like..like-”

He struggled with his comparison, but you knew what he meant. 

“She came in like a violent storm,” You whispered and placed a hand on his shoulder, “just make sure Sloane gets these. With Dain knowing my signet’s capabilities, it won’t take long for my room to be searched.”

Liam set the letters in his lap, his hand holding them tightly and he sighed. Yeah, something is bothering him. And you know it’s because of the weight today brings. You can hear the whole college getting ready for tonight. 

Reunification Day. 

“Would you like to get some fresh air before the sun disappears?” You ask with kindness, knowing all the weight on his shoulders. 

“I have to get ready,” He says. 

Then it snaps for you. He was attending the party with Violet. Xaden is a real piece of work for making Liam do this. You won’t stand for it. Your brother has a choice. 

“Don’t go,” You tell him, “Why would you subject yourself to that kind of torture? No one else is going. Not Xaden. Not Garrick. Not Bodhi or Imogen. I’m not going.” 

“Which is why I have to,” Liam counters and stands up from the chair. He towers over you and says, “Whether I like it or not, Violet needs someone with her. Who better to go than her personal bodyguard.” 

You roll your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest, “Fine, I’ll go.”

“You just said you’re not going,” Liam huffs, “and I’m not going to let you hang out with the woman who tried to fuck your boyfriend. That’ll be super insensitive of me and I’m afraid you’d tell Sloane about it. Can’t have you painting me like some villain.” He joked at the end, but all you could focus on was one word. 

Tried. 

“What do you mean by tried? I’m sure Xaden and Violet did more than try,” You scoffed, your fingernails digging into the skin of your arms. But the furrow of your eyebrows showed Liam that you didn’t really know anything. What was really going on between Xaden and Violet. 

“Xaden never tried anything with her,” Liam stated and the way your eyes begged for more, told him you needed this. Needed the explanation of why your boyfriend seemed to be covered in love marks. “I was there, watching the three of you outside his room. I saw everything.”

Yeah, you knew that. 

“When you left him, Xaden lost his shit with Violet and I watched her leave. Then he saw me and I wanted the damn explanation. Wanted to know how he could do that to you. You were right, indulging in a mating bond that isn’t his was wrong on many levels. I wanted to punch him so badly in the face I guess he knew because he told me to go for it.” 

Liam sat back down in the chair and shook his head, “Xaden waited for it, but I couldn’t. So someone else did.” 

“What?” More confusion clouded your mind and Liam grinned. 

“Yeah, Imogen rocked his shit. Her punch sent him flying into his door. She would have given him more, but Bodhi pulled her back.” Liam shrugged his shoulders awkwardly, “She spat every insult at him while he was down.” 

As Liam told the story, you closed your eyes and focused on his thoughts. Pursued his memories for the sake of following his words. 

.   .   .   .   .

“You fucker! You broke her damn heart and let her walk away! How stupid can you be!” Imogen shouted, Bodhi’s arms tightened around her waist as he gave his cousin a side glare. Even Bodhi couldn’t understand what Xaden was doing. Playing you is so damn infuriating to him. 

“Are you done?” Xaden asked, wiping the drop of blood from the corner of his lips. Imogen split them with one punch and Liam silently thanked her. When Imogen kept her mouth shut, Xaden pushed himself away from his door and opened it up, gesturing for the three of them to walk in. 

“Then let’s talk.”

When the four of them walked into his room, Xaden closed the door behind him and said, “I didn’t do anything with Violet.” 

“The marks on your neck says otherwise,” Bodhi sneered, pointing at his own neck to get the point across to his cousin. 

“Again, I didn’t do anything with Violet. The mating bond between Sgaeyl and her mate is strong, their feelings come in strong. Violet doesn’t know how to shield herself, so she becomes a mess. You know how it’s like Imogen, let’s not play dumb.” 

Liam looked at Imogen and the pink haired female crossed her arms over her chest, arguing against him,  “We were first years. We have an excuse, Violet has an excuse. But you’re a fucking third year. I don’t get you.”

She snaps and begins to go off, “Ever since Violet arrived here, you’ve been different. You’re all about the girl whose mom killed our parents or did you forget that too? Then you have [Name] forgive you and when you guys start going on the right path, you fucking take a walk with Violet Sorrengail. At this point, Bodhi should have been the one to confess his feelings to [Name], not you. He would be loyal to her and-” 

“Imogen,” Bodhi shook his head and moved his eyes over to his cousin who listened to Imogen. Liam is not surprised by the fire in Xaden’s eyes. He knew the jealousy problem Xaden had. Everyone did. Xaden did his damn best driving away any guy who showed interest in you. He even kept his cousin at bay. 

“I never kissed Violet. I never initiated anything intimate with her. If anything, she’s a nuisance to my relationship with [Name]. You think I want to leave the woman I’m in love with for a Sorrengail? I was happy with [Name] before Violet came in. And I fucking crave that feeling of happiness with her now.”

“What is going on then?” Liam questioned. 

“Like I said, it’s the mating bond. Lenin is back to normal with a few changes to his appearance. Now that their son is back, Sgaeyl and her mate are going damn crazy for each other. This session between them is nothing like I ever felt before. It affected Violet more than it did me. I pushed Violet away before anything more happened.” 

Then Xaden uncrossed his arms, “I know I screwed up and I don’t know what to do.” His eyes softened up in a pained way of expressing his own heartbreak, “You’re right, Imogen. I lost her and it’s all because I couldn’t communicate effectively with her. This is something I will have to fix, but I don’t think I have enough time.” 

“Time?” Liam mockingly laughed and countered back. He knew it was wrong for them to take their anger out on Xaden because they all ignored you. In their own ways that was less than heartbreak and borderline cheating. But it still hurts you. So his words now were meant for each of them, yet directed at their leader.  “You have time, Xaden. You always did. You talked to her when we forced ourselves into her room. You talked to her when you asked her to train Violet. You talked to her when you accused her of letting the unbonded into Violet’s room. You know there is always time to have a conversation with her! It’s just never the right topic. Talk to her about you guys. About your future. Anything that doesn’t involve Violet. That’s all she wants, isn’t it? Time with you?” 

Everyone looked at the Mairi and kept their mouths closed, but Xaden did speak up. 

“I won’t let her suffer anymore than she already has. Believe me, I want her. I need her, but to come crawling back to her begging for forgiveness will make it seem like I did cheat on her. She…doesn’t need me. She needs one of you guys to talk to her instead. Maybe you can change her mind.” 

“Change her mind about you?” Imogen asked, her anger still apparent. 

“About something else,” He adds with little to no explanation. 

.   .   .   .   .

That was enough searching through your brother’s mind. 

“Then he suggested that one of us could change your mind,” Liam slowly spoke and looked into your diamond eyes, “Not that I’m here because of what he said. I’m here to check on my sister and make sure she’s okay. After all, we lost people on this day.”

“So he never did anything with Violet?” 

“Not with intention or otherwise. She was the one that pushed.” 

Was it relief that filled your chest? Was it relief that revived the butterflies in your stomach allowing them to flutter about with happiness?

You shook your head and said, “Well then I guess I should talk to him. Especially if he won’t make the first move.” You grabbed Liam’s arm and held it with gentle care, “You don’t have to go, Liam. Violet is going with her other friends isn’t she? It’s not a setting any of the Marked Ones want to attend. She can understand that.”

Liam placed a hand on yours and chuckled, “Oh, come on. I can handle myself. Just speak to Xaden and have a moment under the stars. You two looked good last year and we all want to see you guys back together.” 

You knew what he was talking about. Last year, Xaden took you out to the parapet, his hand holding gently onto yours. He talked and talked like it would be the last chance to do so. In hindsight, maybe he knew all of this would happen. 

Then you two swirled and twirled with precise steps leading each other in a graceful, yet dangerous dance on the parapet. Lenin and Sgaeyl watched with careful eyes, their constant humming allowing you to create a song in your head for you and Xaden. 

The dance was amazing, you would never forget the charming smile on his face or the way he held you so close to his body. After some time, he stopped twirling you and pressed his forehead on yours. His nose tickling yours and his minty breath falling onto your face as he promised you, 

“I will never leave you behind.” 

He sealed it with a kiss so passionate all you could think about was him. Xaden Riorson, your future King. Once everything is reestablished, you all can go back home and rebuild it. His promise to you meant everything. 

Oh, how you let it fool you. 

...

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie @casiiopea2 @nisarelle @matrixmoxi @eepyfaerie @thegirlwiththepurpleshelves

hope y'all listened to the music, was hella inspired by it

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 8

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ρℓσт: everything in Xaden's POV

19 pgs, 6.3k words

FIRST MATING BOND INCIDENT

“This is a mistake. I don’t want this. You don’t. It’s their mating bond.” 

Gods, this was a huge misunderstanding. I wanted to clear my head of all the possibilities, all the ends on how I could finish my time here at this college. To catch a cold breath of fresh air, admiring the moon that reminded me so much of her; [Name] Mairi. 

But not everything goes according to plan, Violet always throws something at me. This time it’s the bond between our dragons making her crave me. Want me in a way I wanted [Name]. 

“How can you ignore it? Tairn’s feelings are so strong and-”

“Close him out,” I say with my hands holding Violet away from me. The marks on my neck burned with her desire. It begged for the cool kisses that [Name] gives, her soft lips that made every worry disappear. “I cannot do this with you. I am your wingleader and [Name]-” 

Violet pushed herself forward into my chest, her eyes staring deeply into my own. And with a seductive whisper she says, “Don’t talk about another girl when I stand here wanting you. Needing you.” 

She doesn’t know that [Name] would kick her ass. That the woman I’ve been pinning after for years is capable of such ferocity. Violet hasn’t gotten the chance to meet my deadly partner. For good measure too. After Imogen and the others displayed how much they wanted to kill Lilith Sorrengail’s daughter, I tried to keep Violet away from [Name]. 

Not that she kills without reason. 

If the others could express how much they hated Violet in a matter of seconds, [Name] would have no problem actually killing the youngest Sorrengail. She valued family. A Sorrengail could be the very threat that she will need to eliminate in order to protect them. 

However I couldn’t allow it, not after the favor I owe to Lilith Sorrengail. 

When Violet’s lips touched my neck again, my body shivered in repulsion, but Sgaeyl’s pleasure for her mate reached me. I can’t do this. Let a mating bond between dragons get between my partner and I. Some will say it would be fine because we weren’t exclusive. But fuck them. 

She’s my cloak of shadows. And as sappy as it is, she’s my one and only love. [Name] Mairi will be mine and I will be hers. 

If [Name] found out about this, she would never forgive me. I would never forgive myself for doing this to her. I need to stop this before it goes even further. I raised my shields up and made up my mind. 

Violet wrapped her slender arms around my neck and tugged me down towards her. Our faces were inches apart and when she closed her eyes, leaning in I pushed her away. I must have pushed her hard because she stumbled back with surprise written all over her face. 

“You should have let me finish,” I scowled, rubbing the marks she left on my neck with disgust, “[Name] Mairi is her name and you will remember it. Now go to bed, Cadet Sorrengail. That’s an order.” 

……

It’s after hours and I lay in my bed staring at my ceiling with endless thoughts running amuck. Memories tormenting me for good reason. The guilt and the shame ate away at me as she slept for months. 

I don’t know how many times I’ve fucked up this year. From ignoring [Name] because of the incident with Violet, for removing all of her friends from her so they could focus on protecting Violet, to blaming her for the unbonded incident, to almost everything that has gone wrong this year. 

Blaming [Name] tore me down for quite awhile. I wished Imogen would erase my memories of me pinning it onto [Name] because even thinking back to it made me pissed at myself. 

…

UNBONDED INCIDENT

[Name] wouldn’t do this. 

“I-I saw a shimmer,” Violet repeated, her eyes focused on the floor in thought. She tried her best to remember who else was here. To remember who let the unbonded riders into her room. She looked up from the floor to lock eyes with my own, her mouth moving with a truth I couldn’t believe in. 

“Liam described her cloak before, but why?” Violet questioned, almost hysterical, “Why would his sister let unbonded riders into my room if it puts you in danger? Xaden, what the hell is going on? I didn’t do anything to her.”

Say it isn’t so. 

“She wouldn’t. I know her.” I snapped.

Yet I knew Violet had no reason to lie. She was telling the truth. 

 “Get Liam in here and have him watch over her this time.” 

The demand left my mouth with a seething rage and Bodhi was the first to act. He left Violet’s room while Garrick stood behind me with his arms crossed. We were both stunned by the information Violet gave us. 

Violet is telling us that she saw [Name]’s cloak. How can we process this information in the right amount of time? It’s fucking impossible when Violet sits in front of me trembling, eyes blown wide in fear. I need to react in a timely manner. 

“Garrick, when Bodhi comes back,” I stand with my hands clenched up, “Go wake Imogen and meet me at [Name]’s room. I need her to open her door.” 

“Xaden, you don’t really think-” 

“I don’t know what to think!” I snapped like a dragon does when it’s annoyed, pissed off, “All I know is that Violet isn’t lying. We need to see if [Name]’s in her room. Meet me there.” 

I walk briskly to [Name]’s room trying to think rationally. But Violet’s fear drowned me. Her accusing words clouded my mind. I can’t think clearly. The shadows in the night reacted to my emotions, flicking with madness. 

The earlier events of us barging into her room uninvited flashed behind my eyes. [Name] almost killed Violet with her kunai aimed directly at her head. Could it be that she tried to finish the job? 

Did [Name] do this out of spite? Jealousy? To get out of training Violet? Or to return to normalcy when Violet didn’t exist. After all, we were a lot happier before she arrived. Before my favor to Lilith Sorrengail drove a wedge between us. 

“Xaden, what is going on?” 

Imogen’s voice snapped me back to reality and I stopped pacing, not realizing I started when I began to think of all the possibilities, all the motives for [Name] to kill Violet. 

“Open it now.” 

No hesitation this time, Imogen opened the door and we all took a peek inside to find it empty. [Name]’s bed was made, my shirts still hanging over her chair, and her kunais laid out on her desk. She wasn’t here which means she did go on a flight with Lenin. 

Sgaeyl. 

Imogen pulled me into [Name]’s room the moment I reached out to my dragon. I paid little attention to what she had to say. All I wanted was to speak to my dragon, to know if she was with [Name]. 

“Are you with [Name] right now?” 

Immediately, Sgaeyl reached back out, “I told you that I was going to fly with or without you. I made my decision, Shadow.”

“Meet me in the flight field,” I turned away from my family, “I need to speak with her.” 

“Where are you going?” Garrick asked. 

Rounding the corner, I said with a clipped tone, “To the flight field.” 

..

“Watch how you approach us,” Sgaeyl warned with her snout pressed against [Name]’s palm, but her first warning flew past me like the leaves of the trees that fell under the pressure of their beating wings. 

“Back the hell away from Sgaeyl!” 

[Name] quickly turned away from my blue dragon with wide eyes. She pulled her hand away with confusion and embarrassment on her face. The more I looked at her, in her stupified state, told me that I should calm down. But all I felt in this moment was the betrayal. 

Did she really want me dead? Did she want her own dragon mourning his parents for the jealousy she had aimed at Violet? 

How could she do this? 

“Violet was attacked, Sgaeyl. Your mate could have died, we could have died!” 

In a second, Sgaeyl relayed the information to Lenin and the midnight blue dragon leaned his head down. The way his neck slithered downward to hide [Name] from me proved to me that I really did need to calm down. I’m threatening his rider with an accusation so damaging. 

To her. To me. To us. 

“You are agitating, Lenin,” This time, I listened to Sgaeyl’s warning and stopped my march towards [Name] being protected by her large dragon. I wouldn’t dare to impose on his territory, even if Sgaeyl would stop her son from frying me. 

Starting with a calm anger, I asked her the question. Without even thinking of the consequences that would follow it. 

“Did you let unbonded riders in Violet’s room?” 

A moment of silence passed between us. Only the sound of her dragon breathing through his flared nostrils became my source of grounding. Then I heard her scoff. 

Scoffing at my stupid question. Because yeah, in hindsight, it was stupid. Then she walked around Lenin’s neck, making her way over to me with a heated glare. A flicker of lilac in her blue eyes. 

“You seriously asking me that question? Why would I let unbonded riders into her room? The only way they can bond to Tairn is if she dies, but newsflash Xaden, Tairn and Sgaeyl will die if she does!”

Tairn and Sgaeyl will die. She didn’t even mention me. 

With a growl, I took a step closer to her, “She said that one got away and that they left with a shimmer, only your cloak shimmers.”

Suddenly, my anger and hurt was too much to contain. I grabbed her by the shoulders, digging my nails into her uniform. The words tha left my mouth were harsh, stupid, and I wish I could have taken them back because the look on her face was worse than the heartbreak. 

The look on her face didn’t stop me from saying,

“Don’t tell me that your jealousy got the best of you that you had to kill Violet. Tell me you aren’t that petty to kill her, us, or me!”

The silence was longer than the previous and the look on her face. Fuck. It tore me apart. She relaxed in my hold, her once tense muscles lacking in the usual strength. Her usual determination faltered all because of me. 

“My cloak doesn’t shimmer anymore, Xaden.” 

Dejected. Broken. Defeated.

I just made the woman I’m in love with break in my hands. I shattered her into a million pieces because of this accusation. Because I’m fucking stupid enough to question her power, her loyalty to me. 

[Name] wasn’t done with me. 

“I may be jealous of her, but I’m not the one who broke a promise. I may hate her for stealing my friends and family, but I wouldn’t kill her out of spite. I just told you yesterday that I was willing to put my differences aside and train her.”

“Then why did she describe your cloak?” I pulled my hands away that yearned to comfort her. I couldn’t provide her that after I just blamed her for something so horrible. 

“I don’t know, but I was flying out with Sgaeyl and Lenin. They can vouch for me, we’ve been flying out for hours.”

“It’s true, we were gone long before the girl was attacked,” Sgaeyl confirmed. 

Now it was my turn for my heart to shatter. For my mind to clear away the guck. 

“I hope you find the true culprit,” Her passing words made goosebumps rise on my arms. [Name] spoke with no ill-intention, she really did want me to find the one who actually let the unbonded in Violet’s room. 

I have to stop her. To get to the bottom of it. No one knows how to cloak besides her. She’s the only one with that ability. And I wanted to apologize after the haze of my anger washed away. 

“[Name], where are you going? I’m not done asking questions.” I turned around swiftly, not daring to take that step because she made up her mind. 

“I’m going to forget this conversation ever happened.” 

And we both know only one person can help her with that. So I let her go. 

..

I am an asshole. I am reminded every time when Imogen glares at me from tables away while [Name] talks her ears off about their classes. I do my best to act like nothing bothers me as usual, but Garrick shakes his head with a sigh. 

“Have you tried having a conversation with [Name]?” 

I scoffed and said, “After the last one? No. With her guard dog right next to her? Hell no. Imogen will bite before I can get a word in.” 

This earned a chuckle from Garrick and he took a few bites of his food. Then he swallowed and gestured over to Violet’s table, “Well at least Violet and her friends are excited to see [Name] fight. Liam has been hyping up his sister ever since she accepted to train Violet.”

“[Name] is a phenomenal fighter, she deserves the praise leaving Liam’s mouth,” I say not removing my eyes away from Imogen’s glare. 

“You don’t need to remind me. My head is still spinning from last year.”

Yeah, we all remember that day clearly. It was when the bet started. Bodhi teased and teased the girls doing his usual trolling to catch them off guard before challenges. [Name] took the bait and the two of them created something so humiliating for both sides. 

The boys will have to bark in surrender. And the girls will have to meow. 

[Name] and Imogen versus Bodhi, Garrick and myself. The girls obviously had a disadvantage considering it was a 2v3 situation, but they are annoyingly stubborn. Calling us misogynistic for doubting the fairness of it, but Bodhi countered by saying he loves women very much, all power to them. 

And surprisingly, [Name] gave herself and Imogen a point that day by making Garrick surrender. She landed the most lethal kick to his head that if it weren’t for his reaction to blocking it, I’m pretty sure Garrick wouldn’t be sitting across from me. 

She made him fall flat into the mat, a line of saliva leaving past his lips. Then she gasped out loud, shaking him by his shoulders begging for him to bark. 

“Garrick, no!” [Name] whined, “You have to bark! Bark, dammit!” 

[Name] was lucky Garrick woke up, listening to her demands in his daze, giving her and Imogen the smallest ‘woof’ known to mankind. Like a little puppy. Which gave the girls all the teasing power to call us “Little Bodhi” or “Little Garrick” to patronize us. Luckily for me or them, I hadn’t been able to challenge them. 

“What happened on the flight field?” Garrick finally asked and I pushed my plate away. Appetite gone. 

The look on [Name]’s face flashed behind my eyes. Devastation. Heartbreak. Tired. 

“I broke her heart.” 

“Then go fix it,” Garrick slammed his drink down after chugging it. 

Yeah, if only it were that easy. 

…

TRAINING VIOLET

“Whatever you do, don’t throw your daggers,” I warned Violet, my eyes on [Name] holding her purple kunai in her grip. 

“It’s called a surprise attack.”

I can feel Violet rolling her eyes without even looking at her. Fine, if she wants to deal with a pissed teacher, so be it. 

“I warned you.” 

Violet let the daggers in her hand fly towards [Name] with a swiftness I almost admired. Yet [Name] deflected them with her kunai with an ease that left everyone gawking. At least the ones that didn’t know her. 

[Name] picked up Violet’s daggers and expressed how Violet should never toss her only defense away. She had a very good point. Because Violet was nothing without them. 

“I have ten more!” 

Well, I know Violet is really testing [Name]’s patience because she turned away from the Sorrengail. Her blue eyes moved to Lenin’s chest and she turned back around with a heavy sigh, throwing a threat at Violet before readying up. 

The practice began and I watched [Name], not even focusing on the incorrect swinging stance Violet demonstrated. When watching [Name] fight, I swear my heart races at the lethality she possessed. She moved like water, freely and flowing. 

She explained to Violet how the move she used could help with opponents slightly bigger than her, but not as big as Garrick or Jack Barlowe. Then I watched a figure in the dark make his way over to Violet and [Name]. My eyes squinted to catch a hint of their conversation or his intention. 

Bodhi and [Name] talked to each other like they’ve been attached at the hip. When Violet joined the observer side, I crossed my arms over my chest and watched the two on the mat with scrutiny. 

Is this some kind of joke? 

“I mean this in the nicest way, but Violet, you do not make fighting look this hot.” When one of Violet’s friends spoke up with enamor, my body tensed up. I know all about how damn sexy [Name] is when she fights. It’s because she’s confident, strong and beautiful.  [Name] knows it too. I used to tell her every time I saw her fight someone on the mat. 

What I didn’t anticipate in the sparring between Bodhi and [Name] was the squeak she let out in surprise. There’s rarely a chance she gets caught off guard, very slim. But Bodhi caught her kick in his hand with this stupid smirk on his face. 

Then he threw her off balance, her back meeting the mat him following after her to keep her pinned. 

“You little minx.” 

What the hell did he just call her? I’m not the only one uncomfortable with the display Bodhi was putting on because Liam shifted in his spot. Then Bodhi pressed himself further into her and I had enough. Stalking my way to them, I know Bodhi sensed my jealousy because [Name] reacted to his loosened up grip on her leg. She captured him in a headlock and they both bantered back and forth. 

Bodhi’s hands moved up her thighs, his fingers dancing their way up to her sides and I walked a bit faster to stop this display of affection. I hated when someone else put their hands on [Name] like this. Oh, the way I wanted to be in Bodhi’s position right now. 

“Focus, Shadow,” Sgaeyl instructed. 

“You two done?” I cut in, more like I budged my way into the conversation acting like I wasn’t stupidly jealous of what's going on. Bodhi didn’t say anything while [Name] ignored my gaze, but she did tell me what Bodhi needed to do in order to get out of her death grip. 

Bark. Of course. 

I gritted my teeth, rolling my eyes at how I fell into this trap. This stupid bet between us was a trap and I will not recover from how she played me like some lovesick fool. I am, but the observers know that now. 

I walked back to the group and told Violet all she needed to know and learn from [Name]. I even had to explain the bet when Bodhi barked and some idiot with a dumb grin on his face spoke up. 

“Hey, [Name]! I can make your kitty purr.” 

Another trap laid out in the open and again, for her, I fell into it. 

“Try making me bark first.” The growl in my throat bubbled up yet dissipated when she laughed. Right, she had a beautiful laugh too. Light. Airy. Music to my ears. 

Did you forget that your sister has feelings too?

Imogen’s question to Liam made my heart squeeze in regret. I really need to fix hers like Garrick told me to. I can’t keep her in the shadows for so long. Then for some reason, Lenin began roaring, loud…this is the loudest I’ve heard him. 

“Tell Violet she doesn’t know about the unbonded. Lenin will not accept her apology.” Sgaeyl’s voice penetrated my head while her son kept up with the deafening sound. I told Violet, telling her that it was in the best interest for everyone that [Name] doesn’t know this. 

When Violet gave me a subtle nod, Lenin stopped roaring and pulled his head back with a snarl. Much like the one Tairn gave to [Name] earlier before she fought Violet. 

“So do we run now?” Liam questioned and right when I came up with instructions, [Name] demanded that no one say a word. Removing Bodhi from the group and cloaking everything. The dragons, the mat, all of us besides Tairn, Sgaeyl, Lenin, Bodhi and herself. 

I realized how much she could do. 

“Really, you two again?” Professor Kaori slumped with a shake of his head, but his words insinuated something. 

Something that made my hands clench up. 

“Ah, Professor Kaori!” Her blue eyes dazzled in the light, “Sorry for the wakeup call. You know Lenin was just arguing with his parents like usual.”

“You think I’m going to fall for that a second time?” 

A second time? So Professor Kaori has seen Bodhi with [Name] outside two times. She wasn’t going to give up this defense, it was the only one that would work for her right now. Especially with Tairn and Sgaeyl by Lenin’s side. 

However, I could not move on from what the insinuation meant. Bodhi and [Name], alone and caught in some act by Professor Kaori. 

“Damn, it’s so cold,” The female friend of Violet spoke up and Professor Kaori perked up in confusion. I sent a glare at Violet and she in turn shrugged her shoulders. Not knowing what to do. Everyone was holding themselves with their arms, their heavy breaths seen underneath. 

I hadn’t noticed the coldness of [Name]’s cloak like everyone else. I’m guessing it gets colder the more she covers. 

With Kaori’s sigh, he said, “You have a great signet, Mairi. You should expand on it more than hiding your escapades with Durran here. I’m growing tired of seeing you two by the way.”

Escapades with Bodhi. Tired of seeing them together. I see how it is now. [Name] has been hanging out with Bodhi more often. My own cousin is getting closer to the woman I love. He’s willing to lose his balls all for some petty revenge. 

“You cannot blame her for that. I will say your jealousy is ugly, Shadow,” Sgaeyl chimed in. 

It didn’t help that Bodhi grabbed her with careful hands and a charming smile leaving the flight field with Kaori’s warning. When the three of them left the field, that is when the cloak fell, nonexistent. 

“Hey, Wingleader, I think your cousin just took your girl.” 

This guy’s voice was getting on my last nerve. Not even the mumbles of his friends telling him to shut up helped. All I can think about is [Name]’s smile and the reason for it. I didn’t make her smile. I haven’t in a long time. 

Bodhi is the reason for that pretty smile on her face. 

“Get some rest and don’t forget to bring the mat in.” I walked away from the group ignoring the suspicious mutters about the relationship between Bodhi and [Name]. 

…

AFTER RSC

“[Name] told Dain about her signet.” Imogen sat next to Bodhi at the table. 

Unbothered, I ate my food. 

“Hello~” Imogen waved her hand in front of my face and I sighed, “So what?” 

Imogen looked at Bodhi then to Garrick for an answer, but they were stumped as much as she was. “Am I the only one worried for her? For us?” 

“Aetos won’t be able to do anything,” I say with certainty. 

“How can you know that? If he tells his dad which he will then-” 

“She will be able to put her shields up, Imogen,” I interrupted. I really don’t have the energy to argue right now. My head is killing me. “[Name] is capable of protecting herself. Nothing will be shown to Aetos. Nothing.” 

“Okay,” Imogen breathed, defeated and slumped shoulders.

…

VISION INCIDENT

Her skin felt ice cold. Her chest stopped moving. Random items in her room swirled around the four of us. Bodhi and Imogen’s frantic words died out in the background. Asking me what we should do. 

I tried performing chest compressions on her the first five minutes. It didn’t work. So I sat beside her and grabbed her cold hand. With my other hand, I caressed her cheek pulling myself closer to her. 

“Breathe.” I begged her. I tightened my grip on her hand, counting the minutes that went by in agony. 

“Take the first breath, you can do it.” I can feel the burning in my eyes. 

I trailed my thumb from her cheek down toward her throat, “Breathe, [Name].” 

When she shot up in her bed taking that well needed breath, I removed myself from her in an instance caught off by her speed. The whirlpool of objects immediately fell and [Name] looked at us with confusion then she burst into heavy tears. Sobs wracking her body. 

“I died.” 

I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. She fell apart right in front of me and because I didn’t fix her heart before, I will be here to hold her together. I wrapped my arms around her body and pulled her to me. Her chest rose and fell with those breaths and I felt extremely relieved. Grateful that her lungs inhaled and exhaled. 

“You’re here, [Name],” I whisper in her ear, my lips brushing the strands of her hair, “and I’m here with you.” 

Faithfully, I promised. Although I know the message didn’t get to her. The unease of being in my arms, the confusion that clouded her mind. 

While I held her, her tears dampened my shirt and I could care less. Because these tears allowed me to squeeze her more into me. To feel her warmth and to speak to my dragon with a clear mind. 

I dropped my hands to her waist and slightly pulled away from her, ignoring the burning behind my eyes. “[Name], you need to let Lenin know that you’re okay.” 

She looked at me with her blue eyes crying endless tears, “W-what do you mean?” 

I lifted a slow hand and brushed the hair from her face, staring into those ocean blue eyes, “You closed the bond off to Lenin. He needs you to reach out.” 

“But I…” She closed her eyes and already I’m missing them. Her beautiful blues. Her shoulders dropped in relaxation as she made the connection with Lenin. Many times I am grateful for her dragon, for Sgaeyl’s son. 

After all, this creature is her best friend. They made a bond to talk about for centuries. I knew the moment she talked about her presentation that Lenin wanted her. Sgaeyl told me so. That her son found his rider, a woman with blue eyes and [h.color] hair. 

Sgaeyl described Lenin’s happiness, that he chuffed about how strong [Name] was. Something powerful laid dormant in her soul and he wanted to be the one to bond to her, to be hers. 

When she opened her eyes, to come back to me, I stared at her with no words spoken. [Name] broke the ice and smiled at me. If she knew about the unbonded incident, we wouldn't be sitting here. She wouldn’t be in my arms. 

“Thank you for waking me up.” 

She said, what? Her lips moved with sincerity, her smile still present. 

“You heard me?” I drew my eyes back into hers. 

“Unless it was someone else praying that I take a breath then yes. I heard your voice so clearly telling me to breathe. Probably explains the surreal moment in my dream.” 

“Hopefully.” I said, holding back the information that she wasn’t breathing for nine whole minutes. Minutes I spent praying like she said for her to breathe. I looked down at my hands finding comfort on her waist and resisted the urge to bring her closer to me. 

I’ve done enough. I wouldn’t want to make her uneasy. 

I forced myself to step away from her. To join Imogen and Bodhi off to the sideline. I will need to talk to them and have this kept between the three of us. No one needs to know what happened here. 

“I need to tell you guys what happened.” 

As much as I didn’t want to know, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep if she didn’t say a word. Imogen was the first to protest, telling [Name] that she wasn’t breathing for minutes. Now the cat’s out of the bag. So much for wanting to be kept to us. 

Bodhi agreed with Imogen and I wanted to say that we can talk about it after some rest. We could meet in secret, but the determined look in her eyes swayed me. I looked at her sitting upright in her bed, her hands fisting her blankets in a tight grip. 

“I would like to know what happened with Dagger,” Sgaeyl’s said. 

“We will.” I say back with confidence. 

“Whatever you may feel, it happened and I need to get this off my shoulders. It hurts to think of what I saw, what I felt and what my last thoughts were.”

“I’m willing to listen for the three of us. Let them leave without knowing this information. It will distract them.” I say with reason for Bodhi and Imogen to leave the room. Then [Name] spoke of her dream and I couldn’t help, but fear for her life. 

Falling. She dreamed of the moon. She dreamt of Lenin crying out to her. A sudden urge to protect her came from Sgaeyl and she said, “Nothing will happen to Dagger. My son’s love for her will be too much to handle if she dies. We cannot let this happen, Shadow.”

“We won’t.” I promised because I too will fall into despair. 

…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Three knocks at my door took me off the train of memories. I pushed myself off the chair and rubbed my temples with rough fingers. Sgaeyl and Tairn have made up it seems, and her feelings for her mate are crashing into me like heavy waves. They’ve been going at it for hours and dwelling into sad memories did well to block her out. 

Sgaeyl and Tairn made up. The thought crossed my mind too late. 

I regret opening my door because standing before me was a disheveled and riled up Violet Sorrengail. She pushed herself into my room and I closed the door behind her with a raised brow. Then she pressed herself up against me, my back meeting my door and she began marking my neck with her lips and teeth. Kissing me like I belonged to her. As if my lips were hers to have. 

She’s under the spell of the mating bond. I tilt my head away from her disconnecting my lips from hers, my scowl deeping with disgust and I push her away. 

“Violet,” I say in warning. 

She looked back at me and with clenched hands, she said, “Please, just let it happen this one time. I need you and Tairn’s feelings for Sgaeyl-.” 

“I have a girlfriend.” I say with gritted teeth, anger bubbling in my chest as I crossed my arms over my chest. That didn’t stop her from taking her shirt off and I quickly turned away from her. I will not lay my eyes onto another woman. 

[Name] is in a coma and I will wait for her, no matter how long it will take. 

“Xaden, look at me,” Violet whispered.

“Not in a million years,” I bit back. 

Knock….knock. 

Two more knocks on my door interrupted Violet undressing herself and I tossed one of my shirts at her. “Wear this and do not say anything.” I told her and wiped the bit of saliva she left on my neck with repulsion. Then I opened my door with a snarky tone leaving me, “What is it now- [Name]?” 

No…no, no,no. I tell myself that this is all wrong. The timing. The moment. Everything about now! 

“Hi.” 

She says shyly and all the butterflies in my stomach die the moment I can feel the burning on my neck. I took a peek into my room and glared at a hazy Violet, “Stay the fuck inside.” I hope my threatening voice was enough to keep her hidden. Then I closed my door gently looking back at [Name]. 

She must notice my neck decorated in ugly hickeys. But her pretty blue eyes haven’t left my eyes. 

“I wanted to speak to you. I know I have been sleeping for a very long time now, but I think I know almost everything about me. About my signet and I want to explain it to Sgaeyl too. With all that’s going on with Lenin.”

Lenin. Yeah, Sgaeyl would love to know why her son is changing drastically. 

“If I could just-” 

My door opened up behind me and my body froze up, Violet’s voice making my heart race. “Xaden, what are you-” 

[Name] moved to look behind me and I saw her eyes flash with hurt again. I hurt her in so many ways and I subconsciously moved my hand up to my neck. My palm brushed the marks Violet left in her wake and [Name] glared at them. 

Suddenly she laughed, “So I just woke up from my coma. I just wanted a word with you, but you seem very occupied. We can talk some other time.” 

“Speak! Leninach is giving you a chance to explain!”

Explain, yes. I can explain to her. 

“It’s the mating bond, [Name],” I say, testing out the waters with her. “Sgaeyl and Tairn haven’t had sex in a long time. In months. So when Lenin awoke and they knew he was okay, their feelings came in strong.” 

“So every time they fuck, you two will have some fun too?” Her response came before I could explain that we only kissed, and that was on Violet’s inability to shield. I resisted her every time with some fails like this one. But I didn’t make a move on her. Not once. 

“No,” I said to the part of fucking. I don’t want Violet, I want her. “It’s happened before, yes. But we try not to let their feelings-” 

“That’s all I need to know, Xaden,” [Name] says truthfully, looking away from me. 

“Be more specific, Shadow! She thinks you are with that girl now!” 

 No, that’s not what I meant. She has to know this. I would never do this to her. Then her next words came in and I swore I felt gravity pull me closer to the earth. 

“My death cannot come soon enough.” 

Stop. She needs to stop speaking and let me explain. I grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand out of her jacket pocket. Then I tell her, “Take it back.” Take her words back and tell me that she doesn’t want to die. I don’t want her to leave me. Cold. Unbreathing. Dead. 

In a swift motion, I used my other hand to grab her face forcing her to look into my eyes, “You don’t mean that, [Name]. I know you don’t.” Because I can feel her, she didn’t want to die. She doesn’t want to leave this world. So why doesn’t she take it back and tell me. 

“It’s not that hard to put your shields up, is it?” 

Tears began forming in her eyes. No, it’s not. 

“You have no excuse, Riorson.” 

Please, don’t call me that. 

“I can forgive Violet for fucking my boyfriend. But I cannot forgive my boyfriend for letting his shields down to let himself indulge in a mating bond that isn’t his. Now let me go.” 

Hold her for a bit longer. Look into her eyes that stare at me with a profound amount of disappointment. Of hurt and anguish. 

“If I let you go, you won’t come back.” I whisper, still not over the words she wished for. A death no one will be happy about. I need her by my side or else I will fall apart. Lost in the shadows with no light to guide me through the unending darkness. 

“You already did when you held her.” 

She raised her arms up and slammed them against my own. At first I didn’t budge until I felt another presence nearby. Another disappointed Mairi watching from afar. I released her and [Name] walked away with the tears that finally fell. 

“Xaden, I didn’t mean-” 

“I told you one thing,” I turned around to face Violet, a rage so damned impossible to contain, “One fucking thing; stay inside. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? What I supposedly done? My girlfriend, the woman I really love, thinks I’m cheating on her. Going behind her back with you, a Sorrengail?”

“We can tell her-” 

“We?” I scoffed rolling my eyes at her, “There is no ‘we’, Violet. Never has been. I don’t like you. You’re alive for one reason and only one. Now get the fuck out of my sight.” 

Violet scrambled to get her shirt off the floor and ran in the direction of her room. Liam long gone after my spat. I will have to explain to him that there is nothing between Violet and I. Just a mating bond between our dragons. 

“Once Leninach is able to speak to her, I’m sure he will get her to listen to you.” 

“Please,” I begged, opening my door and closing it behind me, “I cannot let our last conversation be a fight.”

“We won’t let it.” Sgaeyl promised me. 

...

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[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 7

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ρℓσт: you awake from your slumber along with Lenin with more of an understanding of your background. mating bonds are difficult to walk around.

12 pgs, 4.2k words

“Lenin, how is your transformation going?”

You haven’t spoken in months to anyone because of your slumber. But you always remained speaking to Lenin through your dreams. After seeing your death in the eyes of your sisters, the witches, you were allowed to communicate with Lenin in your dreams like breathing came to you naturally. 

Your signet developed into something your sisters called ‘manipulation of pure magic’. You were able to channel your own source of power by funneling it into Lenin, with his permission of course. 

Yet that came at a cost. 

When Lenin chose you as his rider that is when your power began to surge in pulses. Uncontained and powerful. 

“Since the beginning, I always knew there was something special about you, Dagger.” 

He told you this when you began to learn about your history. Then your sisters explained that Lenin chose to hide your true nature, your power, because he knew what you were capable of. The ability to be an infinite source for the wards, like the humans thought your sisters could be. 

Hours passed with you staring at a drawing of your dragon on the wall. His dark wings spread out on the sheet with hints of blue running down the membrane, Lenin’s spine dotted with smooth bumps speckled in blue then blending into a pitch black surrounding the rest of his body. 

A feeling of sadness seeped into your body thinking about the vision. Your burned belongings when you die. This piece of paper was going to be the last form of his original look. And they were going to burn it. Only those now will remember how Lenin used to look with his beautifully midnight blue scales, a lethal combination of Sgaeyl and Tairn. 

“I look nothing like my parents, Dagger,” Lenin admitted with shame, “All of them look at me like I’m cursed, but Andarna. She’s enamored with my new color.” 

“Color?” You asked quizzically, holding yourself up with your arm, “I thought only your size changed. What color are you now?”

“Come see me,” He huffed, “I don’t think I can do you justice by telling you the color. Everything about me has changed except for my thoughts. I am still me.”

“Is that what you try telling your parents?” You could feel him radiate his emotions a bit more strongly now after you slept for months. His apprehension of his change before it actually happened thwarted your resolve in your own slumber,  but he reassured you that this is something he will get used to. The covenant explained that not only does Lenin channel his magic through you, you channel a deeper, stronger magic into him. Hence his new change of appearance. And other things like your signet being able to do a lot more. Changes made to become who you were meant to be later on, The Maiden of the Moon.  

When he didn’t answer, it gave you the information you needed. His parents do not take lightly that he changed color because of your magic. 

“I’ll be there.”  

You removed the layers of blankets off your body and gradually you became accustomed to moving your limbs. Months of sleeping did not do your usually strong body justice, but your mind never faltered. You can train when you get better, during the calm before the storm. 

Storm. 

Speaking of the weather, General Sorrengail and the other higher ups will be here for the Reunification Day. A day you dreaded ever since the killing of your parents, well…foster parents. The scars on Xaden’s back to account for all the children of the traitorous reminded you that he had the heaviest burden to carry. 

And you were not going to be one of them. He had too much to worry about and you didn’t want to be a problem for him. 

Perhaps you should make an early visit to his room? You knew he wanted to know what happened to you. The reason why you slept so long remained a mystery to him. Not even Sgaeyl knew what was going on with her son. She only knew of the changes to her son’s appearance and his slumber that followed after yours. 

You dressed in your uniform accompanied with your flight jacket. It’s been awhile since you flew on the back of Lenin and you missed the feeling of it all. If Sgaeyl and Xaden wanted to, you four can resume the early morning flights starting with this one explaining what happened to you and Lenin. Why everything was changing in a span of months…why everything after your death will be different. 

Walking felt a bit weird, your steps much lighter and your mind calmer. Yes, you spent months with your sister witches learning about your past. How you are one of the last witches with the ability to manipulate pure magic. Unlike the venin who take power from the earth, you are allowed to be attuned with it especially with the help from Leninach. 

He was the reason why you haven’t been going berserk before. He funneled the massive amount of magic from you into him then slowly back into you. Your output was much faster at a large rate and he was able to give it back to you at a consistent and small amount. 

But you possessed too much for him now. So your sisters gave you a solution. 

……

“I don’t understand,” You rubbed your temple with your fingers in small circles, “You’re saying my dragon can be my stable connection to my original power?” 

“Well yes,” Alani smiled, her dark curly hair reaching her hips with a sway. 

Then Rema spoke up with her arms crossed over her chest. Her colorless lips smacked with an attitude,  “Your dragon possesses much of your power now. He’s in his own slumber trying to control it. Seriously, how do you not know this?”

“She’s been in the dark, Rema,” Alani whined in your defense. 

“And we need you to come into the light,” Sera joined in on the conversation. Her bright green eyes flicked over to your hands which were painted in blood. Your blood after you held your own body as Xaden, who cradled your face in his neck. 

“What will happen to Lenin if he agrees to be my connection?” You asked, looking down at Xaden crying into your hair, whispering his begs for you to come back to him. His tears fell like the rain, harsh and unstoppable. 

“He becomes you and you become him,” Sera said this like it should have been obvious. But your mind was still reeling with questions. Yet she gave you a look that said, all in due time. She kneeled down next to the image of you and Xaden, her green eyes watching Xaden’s reaction to your heart slowing down. 

“This man loves you deeply, sister.”

Alani knelt down beside the older one and nodded her head ecstatically, “Oh yes, he does. The shadows all around him weep with him. The despair is all too heavy for him.”

Rema stood behind her sisters watching the scene unfold. While you tried your best not to cry with Xaden. You explained to them that Xaden is very important to you. Then you asked with complete interest, a twinge of familiarity in your bones,

“You guys can feel how he feels?” 

Alani nodded her head and reached out to Xaden. Her pale hand touched his cheek and she wiped away his tears that hadn’t stopped falling. She frowned at her poor attempt to help him and said, “Witches are attuned with everything around them. From the magic, to life and death, to the emotions clouding the judgement of others. If we try hard enough, we can hear certain thoughts too. It takes time and practice for it, but we’ll teach you. I normally don’t like looking into someone’s mind though. You can accidentally find something terrible.” 

A warning.

Alani looked up into your eyes and you knew you were right. She was warning you. 

“But searching through someone’s mind might help you in the long run,” Rema said. She uncrossed her arms and stepped over to you, “Like searching through a certain higher up’s mind can help you look for us.” 

“Although we need your dragon to help you,” Sera never moved her eyes away from Xaden, “and we need his help too. He becomes much more important later on. Leninach balances you and you will balance Xaden Riorson. It’s a complete triangle.”

“Okay,” You said breathlessly, “I need the full story. Why are we being hunted? Where are you guys?”

Rema and Alani both looked over at Sera, their eyes drawn to hers. Then Sera stood up, brushing her white flowy dress with her dainty hands. 

“Because the humans have figured out that we can power the wards. So they locked us up into a deep sleep and chained us to those wards. Most of our other sisters have died because while we can channel a great amount of power, we need our stable connection. All of us were fliers and when we asked Fen Riorson to help us…”

Sera faltered. Her expression is grim remembering the event of asking for help. 

“We gave him to you for safety precautions,” Rema began with a different starting point. 

“You were just a baby and the Mairis were the first ones to step up in raising you. [Name] you were meant to be a flier like the rest of us, but in order to save you from becoming like us, chained to a rock. We gave you up to the riders in hopes that you’ll save us later on and break us from the bonds that hold us. You are stronger than the rest of us. You can do anything.”

Alani jumped up and said, “Your death isn’t an ending, little one. It’s an awakening to your true power. You’ll be able to control it more and your dragon is your stable connection. Our gryphons were the stable connection, but after we were captured…we were forced to break the bond. We did it to save them despite their protests.” 

Witches have the power to break a bond. It sounds like they have the power to do anything. You couldn’t imagine doing such a thing to Lenin, but you would do it to save him from being chained with you to a ward. 

“How are you guys reaching out to me now?” 

Rema smacked her forehead with her palm in exasperation, “Little one, listen! We know you, you are our little sister. The youngest one in our covenant, alright? What kind of big sisters would we be if we didn’t protect or know where you are at all times? We’re the ones who gave you those daggers and I’m a tad bit upset you gave mine to that Sorrengail. It should have gone to Sloane.” 

“Violet earned it,” You bit back, defensive for your student-friend…person, “plus it was purple! Her name is Violet so it’s not that bad. I was being nice to her for once!”

Rema rolled her eyes and smacked her lips, “Had to let you know that, but that’s not the point. The point is we can only reach you in your dreams. This isn’t your doing, it’s ours. All three of us have reached out to one another then found you in Basgiath War College, specifically the Riders Quadrant. That’s when we knew your awakening was going to happen soon.” 

“Yep!” Alani pipped with a smile, “We almost thought you would have awoken in your first year! You had so many near death experiences, little one!” 

“Tell me about it,” You rolled your eyes and this earned chuckles from the trio. So far they’re not entirely emotionless. 

Then Sera spoke up, “Threshing had us holding our breaths. We couldn’t help ourselves, but provide you with some aid. Alani came up with the idea to blind them all by using the fog.”

The imagery around you changed. Xaden was no longer by your feet cradling your limp body. No, instead your sisters transported you to your Threshing. 

The fog around you as you walked with Rema’s dagger in your hand seemed natural. Until it didn’t when the first person attacked you from behind. It’s always so weird watching your past and your future in this way. 

“I knew something was weird about the fog, it became so dense in a matter of seconds,” You always knew you were an outstanding fighter. Everyone told you so, but it was different watching it yourself. The way you moved in the thickness of the fog with fluid moves. Rema’s dagger ends the lives around you with a bright purple glow. 

“You made Rema very proud by the way!” Alani giggled. 

“It’s our little sister kicking major ass with my dagger,” Rema countered with a smug smirk, “How could I not feel a sense of pride. I gotta hand it to Fen Riorson’s son for teaching you some moves. But we witches have the instinct to kill. Our eyes,” She points to her glowing golden ones, “can see so much better than humans. Then we can hear their thoughts which allows us to know their next moves before they make them.” 

You gawked then whispered, “That possessed feeling I had while killing Lara and her friends, that was my instinct to kill. The witch in me. It makes so much sense why I felt so powerful when Lenin finished Lara off. That was my initiation to my true power, my instinct to become what I was meant to be.”

Sera nodded in confirmation, “And when he agrees to become your stable connection, you two will be an unstoppable force. Lenin and [Name], Cloak and Dagger.” She slides her hands high in the air, the scenery changing once more. You can see the Riorson House before it fell and memories begin to flood into your mind. 

“Now then we should dive into the pact we made with Fen Riorson.”

Sera looked at you and said, “The same pact you will make with his son when all of this is over.” 

……

You did not realize how long you stood outside of Xaden’s room while you recounted your time with your sisters. Must have been awhile because Lenin snapped you out by asking you if you were going to knock or not. 

You blinked a couple of times, your “new” eyes scanning his door and you could actually see the magic that protected his room. Witches' eyes come pretty handy when you need it the most. But you already knew his room was protected. Much like yours and Violet’s. 

His warded room felt easy to penetrate and to do so allowed you to know if he was alone. You don’t think you’re up to talk to Garrick, Bodhi, Liam or Imogen. All you wanted to do was speak with Xaden and have him by your side while you explained your history. 

“You can accidentally find something terrible.”

Alani’s kind and warning voice stopped you from using your power. Your eyes went back to their normal blue and you knocked on his door twice with consistent pressure. Five beats of silence went by then his door clicked with the lock opening. 

“What is it now- [Name]?” Xaden looked down at you with surprise, and you looked up at him with a shy wave. 

“Hi.” 

You have no idea why you are acting shy all of  a sudden. 

“He loves you deeply, sister.” 

Now Sera’s voice was invading your mind and a blush creeped its way onto your cheeks. You wish you brought Alani’s dagger with you, the pink blade would have allowed you to fidget with something as you come up with a response. 

Xaden looked back into his room then closed the door behind him with a gentle swing of it. Then he looked back at you and his eyes softened in a way you haven’t seen it before. 

Regret. 

This feeling smacked into you like a train along with the other ones swarming in his chest and stomach; shame and guilt. You tried not to think about it too much and you went on to explain your presence. 

“I wanted to speak to you. I know I have been sleeping for a very long time now, but I think I know almost everything about me. About my signet and I want to explain to Sgaeyl too. With all that’s going on with Lenin. If I could just-” 

His door opened up behind him and a tired voice spoke behind the door as it slowly opened, “Xaden, what are you-” 

Your words died out in your throat and you moved to the side to catch a glimpse of silver. The way your heart dropped to the pit in your stomach almost had you stumbling back.  

“Breathe, Dagger,” Lenin hummed, his voice being the only thing grounding you right now, “Shadow can explain to you and you have to understand.” 

“Understand, what?” You bit back, the hurt in your voice evident. 

Violet Sorrengail. Xaden Riorson. You looked at the state of them. In your enamor, you didn’t notice the marks on his neck that he tried hiding. Or his swollen lips. Lips that kissed you with a desire so real, you thought he only could share with you. 

Yet there she stands wearing one of his shirts with her hair down. Violet looked beautiful. Xaden looked like he wanted to hide in his shadows. 

No one said a word. Either they were communicating with one another or they were truly speechless like you. Swallowing the rock in your throat, you zipped up your jacket and stuffed your hands in your pocket. 

Then you laughed awkwardly, “Uhm, so I just woke up from my coma. And Lenin has changed, appearance-wise. I just wanted a word with you, but you seemed very occupied. We can talk some other time.” 

“Let him explain,” Lenin warned you, so you complied. You forced your feet to stay planted and you can hear Sgaeyl speaking to Xaden in a threatening voice. But you didn’t dive further into his mind. 

“It’s the mating bond, [Name],” Xaden spoke slowly, hoping his words wouldn’t push you away. They didn’t, but they also did not help your aching heart. “Sgaeyl and Tairn haven’t had sex in a long time. In months. So when Lenin awoke and they knew he was okay, their feelings came in strong.” 

“So everytime they fuck, you two will have some fun too?” 

You couldn’t help the instant question, the hurt mixing in with your anger. Xaden knew you only lashed out because of this hurt. It pained him to see you like this. To find out this way. 

“No,” He said, “it’s happened before, yes. But we try not to let their feelings-” 

“That’s all I need to know, Xaden,” You said truthfully, looking away from him and ignoring the look on Violet’s face. The burning in your eyes and the swelling in your throat pained you, the heartbreak real enough to wish for something out loud. Stumping Violet and crushing Xaden. 

“My death cannot come soon enough.” 

Your bitter words angered your dragon and you blocked him out instantly. Lenin’s words of advice to hearing Xaden out did not help you in the long run. It only made you want to hurt him back. Before you could walk away, Xaden grabbed your wrist and tugged your hand out of your pocket. 

“Take it back.” 

He deepened his voice into a threat then used his other hand to force you to look up at him. You can see how your words affected him, but his actions disappointed you. His fingers dug into your jaw forcing you to lock eyes with his own. 

“You don’t mean that, [Name]. I know you don’t.” 

Of course, you didn’t. Did he have to know that? No. 

“It’s not hard to put your shields up, is it?” You asked, with tears clouding your vision, “You have no excuse, Riorson. I can forgive Violet for fucking my boyfriend. But I cannot forgive my boyfriend for letting his shields down to let himself indulge in a mating bond that isn’t his. Now let me go.”

“If I let you go, you won’t come back,” He whispered, your words wishing for your death damaged his heart. 

“You already did when you held her.” 

You raised your arms up and slammed them onto his forearms, his release on you didn’t come easily. Nonetheless you walked away with the tears finally falling down your face. It’s not fair. None of this is. 

Quickly, you cloaked yourself and hid from everyone as much as you could the entire day. Your mind was blocked out from your dragon for hours and you ignored his angry roars outside that demanded your attention. 

Until it was flight lessons time. 

When you walked out with your cloak down, Imogen looked at you wearily as she stood next to Glane with her arms crossed. No dragon or human came close to standing next to Lenin whose throat bubbled up with a daunting growl. 

Everyone knew that Lenin was pissed and you weren’t doing any better. Yet you opened the side of your bond and let’s just say you will never, ever close Lenin off again. 

“How dare you close me off!”

He leaned his head down to the floor and roared at you, the force of it making your unzipped flight jacket flutter in his rage. 

“After everything I sacrificed for you!” Lenin snapped his jaws in your direction, “I changed for you!” 

“You think I wanted this for you!” 

You angrily gestured to his white patchy scales that dotted his normal midnight blue color. You can understand why every dragon looked at him differently now. One of his eyes was different too, colored lilac while the other one remained golden. 

He slammed his wings onto the floor, dust rising up in clouds of fury. Everyone looked in your direction, but you or Lenin did not mind. Too engaged in the heated argument between one another. 

“Lenin, this should be my burden to carry. Not yours, it never should have been yours!” 

“Yet here I stand,” He snapped again, “carrying the weight with you.”

You bit your lip, heavy thoughts clouding your mind. Why are you punishing Lenin for making you listen to the truth? He’s always been there for you, listening to you and supporting you. 

“-you two will be an unstoppable force. Lenin and [Name]. Cloak and Dagger.” 

Again, the reasonable voice, Sera spoke inside your mind. Reminding you that Lenin is your stable connection to your power. Then you felt a warm breath lingering over you and a heavy push making you stumble back a few steps. 

Lenin’s growls lowered in pitch and turned into a hum and you jumped onto his snout, giving him an apology. You missed his comforting warmth. 

“Lenin, I am so sorry. I know you are doing a lot for me. And you said that these changes to your body are different, but your mind is still the same. I-I cannot say the same myself. All these thoughts, knowing what’s going to happen to me.” 

“We can change your fate, Dagger,” Lenin chuffed, “You are a powerful witch. You can change the tides in any battle the way you see fit. And I will do anything to save you, to keep you as my rider.”

His promise melted your sad thoughts and you looked up, noticing that your arms don’t usually hug him like normal. Then you hopped off of him seeing him in his patchy glory,

“You’re bigger than your father, Lenin.” 

“Now you notice.” 

You can feel the sarcasm radiating off his body. But you let it pass with a goofy smile on your face. 

“Was sure that Lenin had thoughts of eating you,” Imogen walked up to you cautiously, her dragon following behind her with her head down. As a show of respect for Lenin. 

You forgot that Glane and Lenin were involved in some moments which influenced you and Imogen your first year. Now the guilt for blaming Xaden haunted you. Although you two weren’t exclusive your first year. Plus Lenin and Glane haven’t formed a mating bond yet. 

“With all his anger, you’d think he would have stormed the college,” You joked back with her and Imogen finally engulfed you in a hug. She squeezed you tightly and said, “Damn, I’ve missed you. I’m also happy that Lenin is awake, Glane was nonstop worried about him.” 

Glane snapped her neck down, puffing out her chest in a defensive way while Lenin…was that some kind of purr? He let out a noise that sounded like amusement, but you can feel him more now. It was…

“Lenin, you’re in love with Glane?” You asked, curiosity close to killing you. 

“Say that out loud and I will eat you.” 

You nervously laughed and nodded your head, “What does she think of his new color? And size?” 

Imogen knew what you were getting at and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Yeah, you were screwed once flight lessons started. 

……

“I heard [Name] fell off her dragon’s back seven times during flight lessons.” 

“Maybe her coma affected her.” 

“Could be, but she told the menders she was okay when they visited her.” 

“Her dragon is definitely paying her back for something then.” 

……

^^ this is how MC be spinning her knife btw

ησтє: don't worry everyone! y'all decided, Xaden will be the ONE AND ONLY ONE FOR MC. however I had to make things a bit complicated with them. I am a sucker for angst before fluff.

and yes, I'm making you a witch, a baby witch with slow understanding of your powers but you got a covenant of sisters helping you. fun!

Lenin's in looovvveeeeeeee

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: @luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 6

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ρℓσт: your vision of death haunts your dreams and the more you sleep, the more you see and feel. getting closer to the event, you know that xaden has something to do with your sacrifice. his choice between you and violet will either kill you or save you. and you don't know which choice leads to you living.

ησтє: again the timeline is different from FW and I need to change some things to fit you (our lovely mc) into the story that literally involves a romantic relationship between Xaden and Violet.

also! I don't know whether to make MC still have a complicated relationship with xaden or have her fall in love with another male in FW (bodhi, ridoc, brennan, etc) seriously there are a lot of males to choose from. so I'm leaving the choice to you, my readers! it's your story!

also since Amber Mavis signet isnt really a thing, I gave her an OP one, but girlie is dead soooooooo doesnt matter anymore

NOT PROOFREAD! WILL BE MISTAKES! LOOKING FOR BETA READERS! MESSAGE ME IF INTERESTED!!!

down.

down.

down you go. 

Fall and fall until your breath is gone. Only then will you ascend to be the daughter you were meant to be. A crown of light and a cloak of darkness is your fate to carry the rest to their gates. Maiden of the Moon, you are the daughter that tames the tidal waves. 

down.

down.

down you go. 

……

The moon. 

It’s always the moon that greets you it seems. With its blue gaze on your falling body, the slow motion of it all devours your aching wounds and swallows you inch by inch. You watched your kunai in your weak grasp painted in blood with a feeling of pride. Then regretfully your digits release it, your only weapon discarded in the sky as you begin to fall faster. 

The [f.color] kunai waved its goodbye to you and a tear left your eyes. Your choice of weapon has always been a dagger, and this unique one allowed you to use it as it was meant to be and as a fidget. You could spin your kunai with your finger while you study, spin it while you ranted to Imogen or while flights on Lenin took longer than usual. You remember Sloane begging for one of your kunais saying that they looked cool. 

You promised her that you would give her one when she proved her worth at Basgaith and bonded to a dragon. But you can’t do that now. They’re going to burn everything you owned, from your drawings, to your wooden figurines and now your daggers. 

You’re still falling? You thought that right about now, your body would have smacked into branches or trees. Maybe even a lake. Yet you felt your body freeze in the cold. Stagnant. Unmoving. 

Then your body jerked and you resumed your descent. All of this, your surroundings and your feelings felt familiar in an eerie sense. You’ve seen this before. When Bodhi accompanied you in your room. When you woke up crying in Xaden’s arms telling him how you died. 

You know this feeling all too well. The dread in your stomach and the wind whipping at your body. This is when you die and you know your heroic death scares you. Yet you knew why you threw yourself into danger and you closed yourself out. 

What was the danger, [Name]? What was the cause of your fall? What was Liam doing?

Xaden’s voice demanded answers and now this time you can find them. For now, he knocked you out of your acceptance. Here you are investigating your death and the cause of it. 

You forced the fear at the back of your mind, taking in your surroundings and watching the vision play. You willed yourself to pay attention to every detail despite this scene playing out your death. 

Someone is yelling your name. No, multiple people are. You can hear their voices carry in the raging storm, from females to males, to your own dragon. 

 Lightning streaks the sky in a rhythm you couldn’t follow. Uncontrolled. Right. It’s raining, actually pouring like a catastrophic storm and you took notice that you didn’t wear your flight goggles. It explains how your vision wasn’t actually smeared with rain drops. Just…fading out. 

You can hear the sounds of dragon roars and other roars that sounded similar but deeper in their throat. In the light the moon provided and the lightning striking across the sky, it was a full on battle in the skies. No sight of gryphons. 

They are out of the equation. Yet because of their lack of involvement, a chill ran down your spine. The sound of a wyvern and their screeching venin calling you out with a word that sounded like…witch.  

Move your body. Will your mind move your body if you keep yelling at yourself?

“Dagger!” 

You felt your heavy eyes watch the moon, too occupied with the feeling it gave you. A sense of completeness. Then the ghostly women and their whispers came back. Rushing in your ears, chanting their wicked words reminding you that you were going to die. 

down. down. down you go. 

Your story is over and your body started to feel numb with the cold rain that splattered against your exhausted figure. The danger…it’s still ongoing. You killed one. You know you did, yet another one lived. All that mattered was going after the one that went after your brother.

Liam. 

You sacrificed yourself to save him. What is the danger? Why the battle? Is it an exercise that went deadly? Or perhaps a mission that went south? Fuck, everything is all blurred in your head. The feelings of you experiencing the vision and the you of the vision confused you. 

It’s wyvern and venin. The you in the vision confirmed that for you. It’s not a training exercise, it’s not war games. It’s not a mission gone south. The two versions of you, the present and the future felt different from one another. 

The you now…you weren’t ready to die. You wanted to ignore this possibility. You wanted to live and see the plans Xaden had succeeded. You didn’t want to leave your siblings behind or leave your devoted dragon alone on the battlefield. 

But the you in the vision knew something about Xaden. Even the mention of him made the Vision you seethe with her teeth clenched tightly. Is it because she was mad at the ill attempt Liam made to save Violet. 

Violet. Now you know why Liam was in danger. Because of the bodyguard task Xaden gave Liam, your brother tried to help her. You stepped in to save him while he saved her from the present danger. 

“Dagger, wake up!”

You have to see if your sacrifice was in vain or not. You have to know that you died saving your brother. Your stomach twisted with a pain you couldn’t yet comprehend although that jolt of the unknown feeling made your eyes open wide. Then with your last strength to keep them open you saw a red dragon fly above you, with your cloak falling off of it like a blanket caught in the wind. 

“[Name]! Hang on!” Liam shouted above you and he seemed okay. 

He’s okay. Alive and well. 

You smiled in relief, feeling blood rise in the back of your throat and coughed it out with painful breaths. Liam is alive. Sloane won’t be stuck with you. She’ll have him next year, leading her through all the obstacles and trials of being a rider. 

“Dagger, wake up!” 

You can’t. Not even if you wanted to. Your body relaxed with the last of its energy leaving you and you knew this was your time. All of it spent to see Liam and Deigh safe and sound. You did your job. You protected your brother with your signet, allowed him and Deigh to escape the…escape what…what was the danger? 

Hmm…whatever it was….you don’t want to think about it. All you wanted to do was close your eyes and sleep. Yes, you welcomed sleep as the moon held you in its sad gaze. 

Your only hope is that your brother remembers you as the sister who loved him enough to sacrifice herself for him. Not as the sister who cursed at him or hated him at their last conversation together. Because he wasn’t to blame for your anger. 

No, you had to give credit where credit was due. 

…….

“[Name], I need you to open your eyes.” 

Xaden, voice strained and desperate, rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand. His gentle touch and his disheartened tone woke you out of your vision. Although you didn’t wake as easily as you thought you would. You groaned in your bed and tried to move your lips, but your body felt so stiff. You couldn’t even will your eyes to open.

At your discomfort, you felt Xaden clench your hand in his and his other hand caressed your face. “Hey, I’m here with you,” He encouraged, focusing on the furrow of your brows and tense jaw, “and you’re here with me. You have to relax, you’re not in danger.” 

You can still feel the sensation of falling. You hadn’t stopped falling yet. Liam. Remember me. 

“Remem…” Your eyes squeezed tighter, “Remember..me.” 

“I’m here with you,” Xaden repeated, his hand moving from your face down to your shoulder to shake you lightly. “Open your eyes, [Name]. I haven’t seen them in a week. Please let me know that you’re okay.” 

A week. 

“Dagger, take your time.” Lenin softly hummed in your head and his voice gave you the comfort you needed so badly. He was still here. Along with Xaden. You have to tell him what you saw. 

But you can feel sleep coming for you again, the unknown women’s voices singing all around you in their ghostly whispers. 

“Vision,” You mustered out, “Death. Me.”

“The same vision?” Xaden questioned and you squeezed his hand back for a yes. “Can you tell me what happened? A battle? Enemies? Anything.”

“Liam tries to save Vi…” 

Suddenly, you stopped speaking. Like someone sewed your mouth shut and you heard the women getting louder. A coldness hovered over your body and you let it embrace you. It wiped away the warmth from Xaden, muffled his words of encouragement. 

Your whole body relaxes, the grip you had on Xaden loosening up. Sleep has taken you in her hold again making you relive the vision in its entirety this time. 

……

VIOLET’S POV

“How is Lenin doing today?” 

“What do you think?” Tairn replied with annoyance thrumming in my head, his voice deeper in his agitation. 

“Sorry for asking all the time, but I’m concerned. [Name] has been in this coma for months. Xaden and the rest are more broody than normal and don’t get me started on Dain.” I focused on the spinning dagger on my finger watching it move smoothly and lethally. Well not in my hands, in [Name]’s hands this dagger moved like it had been an extension of her. She flicked this dagger with precise movements allowing it to spin on her finger, her knuckles or her bouncing knee. 

“Lenin sleeps all day!” Andarna added with her childish voice ringing in my head. And a quiet chuckle left my lips because this feathertail could tell me anything. Things Tairn obviously wanted my knowledge of it nonexistent. Although I could not ask about her. What Dain did to her. What Liam is going through worrying about his older sister. Saying he should have been hanging out with her more. Train with her. 

Then there was Xaden. My heart plummeted to my stomach seeing how he was holding up. Which is barely. He stuck to the shadows more often than not and visited her with Nolon any chance he got. Xaden spoke to Sgaeyl more than he did to his actual friends and team. Drifting off in his conversations with her and probably having her relay what Lenin knows, if anything at all. 

When Xaden came back, holding an unconscious [Name] close to his chest with his eyes searching for Nolon and healers, I could tell something had been terribly wrong. Even Lenin’s humming echoed throughout the flight field for days haunted my dreams. A man waiting for his…girlfriend to come back to him. A dragon waiting patiently for his rider to wake up from her dreams.  

“But he said she woke up for a bit. He’s trying his best to balance her.” Andarna chirped up. And I knew her hopefulness came from either Sgaeyl or Tairn. Getting the younger dragon not to worry about her sibling made more sense. Yet if Lenin truly did sleep for months just like his rider, he must be deteriorating in health. Neglecting his hunts isn’t something [Name] would want for her dragon. 

“Tairn, what does Andarna mean by that?” I ask. 

Tairn huffed, “It means she needs to stop bothering her brother. Cloak is dreaming, Silver One. It’s what you humans do when you sleep.” Yeah, he wasn’t wrong about that. I pushed the dream I had of Xaden and I to the back of my mind, drowning it in a pit. There is nothing going on between Xaden and I. Maybe just a bit, but with [Name]’s unexpected coma and the future trouble it brings to the Marked Ones…we haven’t actually spent any time together. 

“Well then, how are you and Sgaeyl doing? I haven’t felt…anything from you guys in a while.” 

“Our son is in a deep slumber and you think we’d engage in any sort of intimacy with one another while he suffers in his silence?” 

“Right. I-I don’t know why I asked that.”

“If you want Shadow to see you then make it happen. Don’t taint what I do with my mate with your ideas.” 

Then Tairn was gone. That was super embarrassing because that’s not at all what I intended to come out of the conversation. But he is right. Why would Sgaeyl, hopelessly protective of her son, want to have sex with her partner when her boy was suffering? In his silence, said Tairn. Lenin is keeping his parents out of the loop. This dragon wasn’t going to share anything with his parents until he had the full story. 

Then again [Name] has missed so much. She’s so out of the loop, I’m not sure I can tell her everything, especially Liam’s near death experience.  From Jack Barlowe kicking my ass, to me saving Liam then killing Jack for the whole fight. Channeling my signet. Liam channeling his signet. I missed her training me, I miss her glares and her insults. And the rare occasions when she would smile at me. I stared at the kunai with slouched shoulders and sighed loudly. 

“I need to apologize to her. If anything happens to her…I need to get this off my shoulders.” 

This meaning the blame I put on her for letting the unbonded in my room. The way I had her friends question her motives. 

I grabbed my flight jacket and stormed out of my room with quick and light steps. Surely Nolon will allow me to visit [Name] at this time. My boots barely made any noise on the steps leading to [Name]’s room. After months of monitoring her, Nolon gave the okay that she could rest in her room. Some people had access to her room while others were strictly forbidden to go near, like Dain and the unbonded. 

I kept close to the shadows on the wall, ignoring the light that came from the moon outside. Then when I found her room, I hurried over to the door and walked right in. Earlier in the months, when Nolon allowed [Name] to rest in her room, Xaden warded the room to certain people. Luckily, he accepted me as a trusted friend of [Name]’s. 

Her mage light flicked on right when I shut the door behind me and I sighed in relief. Her room always brought a sense of belonging for some reason. Like there was this constant safety blanket over me. Definitely not her cloak because that always washed over me like cold water. 

I slipped my jacket off and settled it down on a chair with a huff. Then I brought my attention to her sleeping peacefully in her dreams. She was covered in multiple blankets, her head surrounded by pillows. I’m assuming Imogen sleeps on the floor sometimes with those extras. Which means I better make my visit quick. Any of them could walk in and check in on her. 

I sat myself on the chair next to her bed and sucked in a deep breath. Come on, she’s sleeping. It’s better to do this than tell her when she’s actually awake. Go, Violet. Say it. 

“I’m sorry for making you suffer like this,” It’s the first thing that comes to mind. 

“I know that bonding to Tairn seemed impossible, like how everyone told you that bonding to Lenin was a crazy idea. They both weren’t supposed to choose us somehow. But they did anyway. You trained all your life to become a dragon rider, to live another day. I wanted to be like my father, a scribe. And now, here I am speaking to one of the most badass females I ever met in my life.”

Fuck, where am I going with this?

“I never wanted to be a rider, but when Tairn chose me. I don’t know, I felt like I proved everyone wrong. Like how you prove to everyone that you are a lethal rider with one of the biggest dragons. So I wanted to be like you. I wanted to fight like you, speak like you with confidence. To have a powerful signet. To have his attention like you.” 

Maybe I shouldn’t say that last part. My feelings for Xaden have to be kept to myself. 

“Anyways, I came here to apologize to you. I know you don’t remember, but when I bonded to Tairn I became a target. One night, someone let unbonded riders into my room hoping that they’ll kill me. I saw them for a brief moment like a shimmer when the rest attacked me. Xaden was the first to help me and when he questioned me with Garrick and Bodhi by his side, I let my words slip.”

Yeah, here it goes. The whole story. The truth and my guilt. 

“I told him that the person who let these unbonded in my room had a shimmer around their body. Like a cloak. That’s when he snapped at me, telling me that you would never do that to him. That your jealousy couldn’t have been that petty to put his life in danger. And I said that I saw the cloaked person leave like nothing. Bodhi tried to make sense of it, but Xaden’s fury was unmatched to any reason. He told them to meet you at your door after they woke up Imogen. He didn’t care about being seen with them, more than three because he needed to know. I saw the hurt in his eyes and I- I watched them leave after he made sure I was okay.” 

[Name] didn’t even stir at the information I decided to dump on her. No reaction to her peaceful expression. No twitch of her fingers or toes. Just the steady rise and fall of her chest. 

“Turns out, it wasn’t you. Imogen told us that your cloak doesn’t shimmer. Not after all the hard work you did to make it invisible to the eye. So with further investigation, Xaden and the rest pinned the blame on Amber Mavis after seeing her use your signet for her own gain. Her signet allowed her to copy others and she chose yours.”

I moved my eyes to her lips which parted with soft breaths leaving it. 

“She died. And you asked Imogen to erase your memories. Because your friends trusted me more than they did you. They trusted a word of an outsider more than the ones that left your mouth and you are technically family to them. I wanted to apologize way earlier, but Lenin had other plans. Imogen and Bodhi told me that you would refuse to teach me anything if you knew the truth. So I kept my mouth shut.” 

I reached out to her uncovered hand and held it in my own. Is it bad to say that I missed when she would grab my hand and flip me around on the sparring mat? I need her back to keep me going, to teach me everything she can. 

A groan snapped me out of my trance and I looked up in surprise to see [Name]’s eyes flutter open. For second, her blue eyes changed to lilac. The pretty purples looking around her room then shutting them again. When she opened her eyes again they were back to blue. 

“Vi…Violet?” She sounded confused and her grip on my hand tightened. 

“[Name], are you…are you really awake?” I asked dumbfoundedly, perhaps thinking I was in some kind of dream too. 

“I think I am,” She said in a whisper, not believing that she was either, “How long was I out for?” 

How should I let her down easy? I hummed and said quietly, matching her volume, “Well in two days is the Reunification Day. Uh, it’s been months, but don’t worry you didn’t miss a lot.” 

“Alright then,” [Name] calmly responded and released my hand. I was expecting a harsher or more dramatic response, but she seemed withdrawn. I don’t think I was the first person she wanted to wake up to. 

“I can get Xaden for you, he’s been waiting for you to wake up ever since the challenge with Dain and that other third year.” I say, hoping to get her out of her bed or to get more of a reaction from her. Instead she looks at me with tired eyes and says, “I’ll be alright. I’m going to sleep some more.” 

“No!” I shouted and jumped up from my seat, “What happened to you? You know you can tell me anything, right? I promise I can get Xaden here in a second. He really wants to know that you’re okay.” 

Quickly I reach out to Xaden, closing my eyes tightly and searching for him, “She’s awake! You have to get here quickly!” 

“I’m on my way! What has she said?” Xaden responded instantly, his voice sending shivers down my spine. 

“Nothing, but she wants to sleep some more!” 

“Keep her awake, Violence!” He ordered. The nickname, I haven’t heard him call me that in some time now. 

I opened my eyes and felt creeped out by how intensely she was staring at me. Then [Name] sighed, turning her back on me. She pulled her blankets higher, up to her shoulders and snuggled into her pillows. 

“Don’t worry, Violence,” [Name] said almost in a mocking way, “I will wake tomorrow. I’m almost done seeing how everything turns out.” 

Then she closed her eyes and fell right back to sleep. But I stood in my place absolutely dumbfounded by her choice of words. Violence. Seeing how everything turns out. Her words seemed to ring with truth, not some kind of joke. Or the delirious waking of her coma. 

[Name] Mairi is going to wake up tomorrow. And she’ll know how everything will turn out. 

“Tairn, how is Lenin doing now?” I asked and three beats of silence went by before I got my answer. 

“He’s waking up with a few changes to his appearance.” 

Great, now I need to know how this happened. 

..............................

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬:

@luvly-writer @blueeclipsepaperstudent @honethatty12 @poeticbookwormcat @cheappremingerfromdelululand @eep500 @littlepippilongstocking @86laura11 @lxnvmvrzx @what-will-be-your-verse @sheblogs @fangirling-galore @callsigns-haze @side-angel @faeofthemoonandstars @jesschalamet @abysshaven @bisexualbitchsgotass @books-hlmc @r0sluvs @galaxystern08 @bwormie @littleemissperfecttt @lagrandeourse @steph-fowlie

if I missed anyone, please let me know! Send me a DM or something because I lose your names in all the activity! Making me go fishing for y'all

[dumbkiri]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 5

χα∂єη яισяѕση χ ƒ! мαιяι! яєα∂єя

ρℓσт: Violet just knocked out Liam and her sparring match up against Jack Barlowe should end the same. Meanwhile your match ended up with the heavy smell of iron and stolen memories. And Xaden unleashing a simmering anger.

PART FIVE

𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

“You want to do what?” Your laugh rang in Xaden’s ears like a haunted melody. Hands brushing the leaves and dirt from Lenin’s midnight scales. Your dragon shaking his wings from the rest of the dry leaves that stuck to him from the morning flight. 

After finding out what you signet can do…he felt a little confident in hidden activities. The coldness of your cloak he will have to get used to, like ocean waves washing up on the shore. 

The smirk on his face could not ease the blush on yours and he dismounted Sgaeyl with fluidity,  “We should have sex under your cloak with the eyes of the stars as our witness.” 

“You’re crazy, Xaden.” You shook your head and gave Lenin a pat, signaling that he was good to go. 

“Only for you.” Xaden sang with a teasing lilt.

…

“What if it works?” 

Violet’s question derived from her nervousness wakes you up from the memory at the end of your first year. The feeling of Xaden’s lips on your own hasn’t left you completely and you wanted to kiss him again. 

But you have to focus on today  because Violet is going to fight Jack Barlowe and you need her at her best. You looked at her then to your brother who grinned at the small woman. 

You asked Liam to spar against Violet, having her use your move on him. He seemed to be the perfect candidate for a partner and you knew she could do this. She practiced your kicks from early morning till her classes started every day. You saw great improvement in her movement and had no doubt she could do this. 

You figured with Liam’s look your brother is attracted to the silver woman. You couldn’t blame him, she is pretty and smart. Perhaps your feelings for her made you biased though. Your pride in her for catching onto your move made you grateful.

And you ignored the jealousy you had when she got close to Xaden. She could be a great friend if you allowed her to be one. The dream argument you had with Liam pushed you to accept her a little bit more, afraid to make that argument true. His hurtful words and your anger had to be avoided at all cost. If you have to befriend Violet Sorrengail to steer clear of the argument, then butter yourself up. 

Violet learned fast in one week, so you continued to train her and it worked in her favor. In yours. In the lives she was connected to. Xaden praised your teaching skills and jokingly said you should teach the rest of the Marked Ones your moves. But you were not up for that right now. 

Not after the dream. 

Your death terrified you. Just knowing that one night, flying one second on Lenin’s back then in the next falling from the sky- 

You cannot dwell on the dream…

“It has to work, Violet,” You told her, “because I want to see Jack Barlowe knocked unconscious. And you can do it. Now knock Liam on his ass, he needs it after destroying every challenger he gets. Deflate his big head for me.” 

“Oh, come on,” Liam laughed, “Just say you’re proud of your brother for once.” 

“I don’t think I will.” You crossed your arms over your chest giving the two a look that said ready up. Violet held one dagger in her dominant hand and quickly made the first move. That’s step one and she closed the distance between her and Liam very well. Next was the spinning kick that would make the defensive stance Liam take falter. 

“Shit!” Liam cursed, his leading foot taking one step back. He leaned away from her kick, yet the tip of Violet’s boot grazed his ear just like yours did with Bodhi. Violet is actually following in your exact steps. You didn’t think teaching her in a slowed down version of it to her would stick. 

Satisfaction. Joy. Pride. All these emotions entangled with one another watching your student become you, the teacher. 

“Lenin!” You followed Liam and Violet with a glare, hiding your happiness from your student, “Violet is mimicking me! She’s honestly kicking ass!” 

“She has improved, very nice work Dagger.” Lenin huffed, returning your delight through the bond. 

Then came the onslaught of punches. Violet, relentless in her attack, punched Liam left and right. She looked amazing right now and you were breathless because her form couldn’t have been more perfect. Liam grunted from the force and focused on the dagger Violet possessed. He knew at some point she had to use it. 

Yet you smirked, seeing his blue eyes attached to her weapon. He couldn’t have been farther from the truth. 

…

“You want me to attack with the dagger?” 

You nodded your head, spinning yours with a finger, “Yeah, you see this kick started with Garrick and we know how big that man is. So I never really bothered to use my daggers on him especially if he is just brute force. When I got on the mat, unarmed, observing people grew suspicious of my motive. It’s why Bodhi caught me off guard the day I tried to showcase the move to you. Which means we need to trick them. Tell me, what do we have in common, Violet?” 

“Speed,” She answered. 

“Correct,” You clutched your dagger and explained, “You have to be faster than these challengers. Your speed will be your greatest strength and your reaction time needs to be on par. Don’t think and keep moving. I don’t want you to stop.”

“Is the dagger supposed to be a distraction?” 

“Yeah, but that’s the thing,” You fisted your dagger grip and showed it off, “I want you to hold it like this. It’ll allow you to do the punches sequence, but your opponent will do their best to avoid the dagger’s edge. You can cut them up with it if they’re not careful and they have to pay attention to the weapon.”

“That means with the final uppercut blow, I can disrupt their block with a kick just like you taught me. Then land the knockout one while they’re stumbling back.” 

“Exactly,” You smirked, “No one is going to expect this from you, Violet. So give ‘em hell.”

…

And giving them hell is exactly what she’s doing. Liam raised his arms up to protect his head thus leaving his stomach open to the uppercut. Violet saw this as well and she released the dagger from her grasp. 

It dropped with a thump and Liam managed to barely catch it fall by her feet. Before he could move his arms down, Violet delivered the uppercut to his stomach. Both of them winced, yet she didn’t stop moving. She kicked her left leg then her right leg at Liam’s head and he barely blocked them. 

When he went to go for a full offensive block to make a move on her, Violet kicked her leg up breaking the wall he tried to put together. His hands flew up and you watched in awe at the final move. Violet spun on her left leg, swiping her right leg right at Liam’s face. 

The heel of her boot made contact with his jaw and your brother’s head snapped to the right. Spit flew from his mouth then Liam took one step back, blinking the black dots from his vision away. But he couldn’t get rid of them. 

Violet huffed and puffed, her chest falling and rising. 

You two watched Liam take another step back then he crashed to his knees. In another blink of an eye, he flopped in front of her, knocked out cold. 

“Yes!” You cheered and Violet looked at you with a surprised look. 

“I did it?” She asked incredulously.

“Of course you did!” You exclaimed then looked behind you addressing your cloaked friends. “Violet knocked Liam out!” 

You removed the cloak from Xaden, Bodhi, Garrick and Imogen witnessing their shocked expressions. Violet’s jaw dropped and she didn’t know she had an audience for this testing match. 

“I had faith, but damn,” Bodhi started looking over at the passed out Liam, “She looked exactly like you.” 

“I’m getting flashbacks,”  Garrick mumbled, “The PTSD is real.” 

You jumped up and punched the air in pure excitement. Then you focused back on Violet, pulling out your dagger from your hip. Walking over to her, you stopped in front of her holding the unique dagger out. 

“Violet freaking Sorrengail,” You watched her surprised look morph into pure joy, “congrats on kicking one of the best fighters in your year. You’ve earned this.” 

Violet jumped at you and threw her arms over your shoulders, thanking you a million times for teaching her these past weeks. Then she took your dagger carefully into her care, “I swear I will kick Jack Barlowe’s ass too.” 

“Oh I believe it,” You laughed. 

“Alright let’s get Liam out of here,” Xaden walked up then Bodhi and Garrick picked Liam’s unconscious body from the floor. Gods, the adrenaline from watching your first student achieve such a feat made you giddy. Like the old you was coming back. 

The you that fought challengers with a happy smile. You could go for a flight with Lenin to drive out this adrenaline. Although one look at the darkened sky made you weary. The sun had yet to show itself and you told yourself you wouldn’t fly until the bright ball came out to grace you with its light. 

You shouldn’t let fear hold you back, but you did. 

“Hey, that was some nice work,” Xaden popped into your line of sight with his arms crossed over his chest. 

You realized everyone had left the secret training area and smiled at Xaden, “Yeah, Violet made me really proud. I can see myself in her, she did everything right.”

Xaden gestured to the empty sheath at your hip, the one that concealed your dagger. 

“You gave your kunai to her too. That surprised me,” He tilted his head at an angle and asked, “I thought you’d never give it over to someone else. Your kunai means a lot to your family name.” 

You knew what he was getting at. And you shrugged your shoulders, “I have plenty more and Sloane can earn one when she proves herself. Violet certainly earned it. Just make sure she doesn’t poke her eye out trying to spin it.” 

“That’ll be Liam’s job to worry over her,” Xaden uncrossed his arms and nodded his head back to the direction of the college, “Has Aetos tried anything as of late?” 

“Not that I know of,” You responded, your hand itching to fiddle with something to keep yourself occupied. After earning the badge with Imogen, Pam and Dain, almost everyone knows about your improved signet ability. 

You two started walking over to the building and you said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to do something to get his hands on me. He might challenge me to get me to talk, but he knows it’s pointless. He won’t get past my shields.”

“We have the duo exercise today; the third year and second year one. It’ll be wise to stick together,” He suggested and this made you laugh. Here he is being protective, like a dark shadow looming over you. 

“I was thinking of choosing Garrick if I get the first pick.” 

A hand on your wrist tugged you backwards and you found yourself glued to Xaden’s chest. You looked up into dark, stormy eyes and he grew visibly tense under your touch, “Am I not the better choice?” 

His other hand wrapped around your waist to keep you in place and you laughed at him. He’s honestly jealous of his friend and you can see the shadows around you twist with his emotions. 

“You are, but I feel like you’d go crazy if someone injures me pretty badly. You’re like my boyfriend now, Xaden. And it’ll make me a target on the mat if we’re together.” 

Xaden completely disagreed, “Not like, I am your boyfriend and no one is going to touch you with me by your side. They wouldn’t dare.” Is it anger that drives him or the wanting in his eyes that makes him so damn fine. Because the way he was looking at you and the declaration he made had your stomach swarming with butterflies. Your chest is igniting with fire due to the passion. 

You two haven’t touched each other in so long. You wanted him so badly. 

“If you keep on staring at me like that, we won’t make it on time to get ready for the exercise.” His minty breath cooled your face and you wrapped your arms around his shoulders. 

“We never did enjoy our time under the stars together,” You whispered. 

The slow chuckle that vibrated through his chest had you lean more into him. 

“And you called me crazy.” He leaned his head down, his forehead gently touching yours. 

“Crazy for you.” Finally, when his lips touched yours, your cloak washed over the both of you to continue your activities under the stars. 

……

“Did you hear?” A second year mumbled to another while you stretched your limbs for the duo exercise. Your ears went to work on eavesdropping because for some reason anyone who asks that question has good information, or gossip. 

“About what?” 

The second year responded instantly as if waiting to tell this tea, “Violet Sorrengail kicked Barlowe’s ass so hard, he came back for more and dislocated the leg that did it.” 

Shit. Violet lost the challenge against Jack Barlowe and you felt needles run over your body in waves. She should have knocked him out with that kick like she did Liam. What was different this time? 

“I wouldn’t worry.”

Xaden popped up in your line of sight making you jump slightly at his unexpected presence. 

“Did you come back from the menders? How is she?” 

Xaden smirked at you and raised a brow, “Wow, since when did you worry about Lilith Sorrengail’s daughter?” 

Rolling your eyes, you crossed your arms over your chest, “Ever since she became my student. What happened?” 

“Imogen watched the whole thing and said that Violet did knock out Barlowe. But he suddenly woke up and tackled her when she turned his back on him. Then he dislocated her leg and she poisoned him as a last resort. He’s allergic to oranges.”

You clicked your tongue in annoyance and shook your head. Violet shouldn’t have turned her back, she shouldn’t have poisoned Jack Barlowe if you did your job right. You failed her and you wanted to challenge Jack Barlowe yourself. You’d give him a beating worth crying over about. 

“All right, gather around second years and third years,” Emetterio walks up to the mats and glances at everyone with a tired expression. Yep, you can tell the first year matches wiped him out completely. 

“I’m going to call out two second years to the mat,” He cleared his throat and looked down at his list. His shoulders heaved with a heavy breath, like he dreaded this match in the first place. 

“Step up to the mat; [Name] Mairi.”

You weren’t expecting to be the first second year to be chosen. Nonetheless you mentally prepared yourself for your opponent as you walked up to the mat. You felt the soft plush beneath your boots and grounded yourself with ease. 

“I have a feeling that a certain memory reader swayed this choice,” Lenin hummed. 

“Aetos might just die on this mat,” You replied. 

“I’ll send Cath our regards.” 

Lenin’s cruel joke almost made you break your mask of indifference. Callous words make for a good laugh and Lenin is the best at making them. 

Emetterio then called out the most obvious choice of your opponent, “Step up to the mat; Dain Aetos and list one term for your opponent.” 

It’s not uncommon that the second choice gets to list out the first terms for the sparring match. Some would either accept or deny signet usage. Others would choose daggers or make a crazy choice like sticks as the only weapons to wield. 

You can only think that Dain would make the rule of no signet usage because you’d cloak the hell out of your partner and yourself giving your team the upperhand. 

Dain stepped up to the mat and declared his term with a smug look on his face. Gods, you wanted to make a dent in his head because he looked so stupid right now. 

“No Marked Ones can be selected as a partner.” 

“Bullshit,” You called and looked at Professor Emetterio for backup. He looked to be thinking about the term and he looked from Dain to you. The heavy sigh leaving the professor’s lips made your blood boil. 

“Term accepted.” 

The Marked Ones around you, your friends, protested with mumbles and grumbles. And you were left standing in a stump. Who would you choose now? You didn’t know anyone in the third year besides Xaden and Garrick. Now you couldn’t choose any of them!

Well two can play at that game. If Dain wanted a hater to be your partner, then so be it. You’d be damned if a snake was allowed to be your partner. 

“Mairi, make your term.”

As soon as the words left Professor Emetterio’s lips, you countered back, “Only Marked Ones can be selected as a partner.” 

“Fuck off, Mairi,”  Dain took a step closer to you, his hands clenched up in his annoyance. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” You took a step forward too, “you don’t like the taste of your medicine?” 

Emetterio moved himself between you and Dain with mild disinterest, “Alright you two, I know what you are doing. Making your natural enemies your partners, so I’m going to deny both of the original terms. Aetos, name your partner.” 

Dain gave a name to Emetterio and some third year with fiery red hair and brown eyes stepped up. 

“Mairi, your partner?” 

“Xaden Riorson.” 

“Shall I send my regards now?” 

Too bothered to respond to Lenin, you waited for Dain’s stupid term and what do you know? He chose the first answer you had to it. 

“Signet allowed for one partner only.” 

“Term accepted. Let me guess, Mairi, you’re going to use the same term?” Emetterio responded with light sarcasm and you shook your head. Feeling Xaden’s shadows curl up your legs and you knew he wanted to be able to use his signet for this sparring match. 

Xaden walked up behind you and you can see Dain ignore him with unsettled ease. What a scared bitch. 

“No, I will not,” Your lips curled in a smirk, the sword on Dain’s back popping up, “Daggers are the only permitted weapon to use.” 

“Term accepted.” 

“Shadow wants Cath’s rider,” Lenin informed you. 

When Emetterio walked away from the mat, Dain and his partner discarded their swords to the side. Meanwhile the shadows on your legs moved up to your waist where your kunai was missing from the sheath. 

Xaden was silently telling you that you had no dagger at your hip. Yeah, it slipped your mind when you made that term. That’s fine. Your legs are strong enough to knock that small pee brain in Dain’s head. Like you said, you wanted to make a dent in it. 

“Tell Xaden, Aetos is mine. My shields will work just fine to counter his signet.” 

“You may start anytime now.” 

Xaden moved first with quick lethality, focusing his attention on the third year with a fire signet. Instantly Dain closed the distance between you and him with a dagger in his hand. If you can disarm him, you’d use that dagger for your gain. 

Dain isn’t known for his dagger skills and you rarely see him use them. For a guy his size, the sword was always his preferred weapon. While you dodged his haphazard swing, a swarm of flames made their way to you, only for a wall of shadows to protect you from the heat. 

Damn it, the third year was aiming at you too while keeping Xaden at bay. Is this their strategy? You knew that you were going to be a target, but not this much. You twisted around Dain and planted your foot on his back, shoving him to the floor which he recovered from in seconds. 

Another swarm of flames shot towards you and you ducked under the fireball, your stomach flattening against the plushy mat. Then Dain ran at you, ready to pin you to your position in confidence, but some shadows wrapped around his ankles and tugged him. 

Just like you, Dain flopped onto the mat, his face planting into it unexpectedly which earned some laughs from the sidelines. Yet their laughter faded in the background when a shiny glint of a dagger slid over to you. Dain had accidentally released his hold on the dagger. 

You scrambled over to it and swiped it up with a triumphant smile. The familiarity of a dagger in your hand felt amazing, and now you were protected. Dain flipped onto his back and tried to get the shadows locked around his ankles off of him, but his struggling grunts made it known he couldn’t. Then some of the shadows moved up to his arms, pinning him to the mat. 

“Tell Xaden I love him!”

This is the moment for him to yield and end the exercise. You straddled Dain’s waist, one hand grabbing his hair and the other pressing the dagger into his neck. 

“Yield, Aetos,” You demanded, “Or else Cath is going to find a new rider.” 

“I won’t.” He responded, not even wincing at the small wound you were beginning to make on his neck. A lone line of blood slowly running down his skin. Then you smelled something earthy, like a hit of iron smacked into your nostrils. 

One line of blood shouldn’t smell like this.

Then you felt the bond between you and Lenin evaporate like a drop of water on a hot pan. You glared at Dain suspiciously and the next line of your defenses went down, your shields were non-existent. 

The shadows on Dain’s body disappeared and you couldn’t afford to look at Xaden, but you shouted at your partner. 

“Xaden, my shields- mmph!” 

Dain slapped his hand over your mouth and reversed the positions. Lenin was gone, your shields were down. In fear, you tried cloaking yourself or moving the dagger which Dain disarmed on the mat to move, yet no power coursed through you. 

“Lenin!” You shouted in complete emptiness and you never felt completely alone. You always had your dragon in your mind, rarely ever closed him out. Yet this felt different. You didn’t do this, Lenin didn’t do this. 

Dain leaned closer to your face and moved his head to the side, whispering in your ear, “Now let’s see what you’ve been hiding. If you have done nothing wrong, I apologize. But you can cloak multiple people, who is to say you haven’t cloaked more than three Marked Ones?” 

You knew he was going through your memories, the invasion felt so disturbing. Fuck, think! Think of anything besides the meetings! 

“You’ve been training Violet?” Dain asked incredulously. You breathed heavily through your nose onto his hand still placed on your mouth. You closed your eyes and began to think of Violet Sorrengail, the nail in Dain Aetos’ coffin. You heard the crowd gasp then a huge weight lifted off your body, Dain’s hand leaving your mouth. 

You opened your eyes and sat up from the mat. Then you heard it. Angry fists meeting the flesh of a face. In your weary state, you watched Xaden beat the living shit out of Dain. The sides of the mat surrounding Dain’s face painted in dark red and you heard Xaden’s threatening voice. 

He raised his bloodied fist up and with his other bloodied hand grabbed Dain’s collar. 

“You touch her again and I will kill you just like your partner. Now yield.” 

You couldn’t remove your eyes from Dain’s bruising face, not even away from him spitting blood from his mouth. Struggling to speak, Dain finally mumbled out, “Y..yei…Yield. I yield.” 

You looked in the other direction and saw the lifeless form of the third year on the mat. Xaden did in fact kill Dain’s partner, but before you could think about what happened a defiant roar was heard outside the college. 

That roar belonged to Lenin. 

“Someone take Aetos to the menders, and Riorson…take Mairi to her dragon. He doesn’t sound too happy right now.” 

Without hesitation, Xaden pulled himself off of Dain and walked over to you with slightly burned leathers and bloody hands. He helped you up and didn’t speak to you until you two were out of earshot. 

“They both had something dangerous up their sleeves. I knew something was off, yet I didn’t think it would turn out like this,” He admitted, his hand still holding onto yours with a desperate need. The golden flecks in his eyes lit up in quiet anger. 

“Xaden, the bond with Lenin,” You whispered, clutching his hand tighter, “I can’t feel him. Did they…did they…” 

Your panic of losing the bond between you and Lenin indefinitely scared you. 

“I don’t know,” He picked up his pace and dragged you outside with him. The roaring from Lenin echoed throughout the skies. You couldn’t feel what your dragon was feeling, but this roar sounded familiar. 

When you caught the sight of a blue dragon and her midnight blue son, that’s when you felt relief course through your body. Xaden released your hand and you ran over to your expecting beast. 

“Lenin!” You practically jumped onto his lowered snout as he sniffed your body. The warmth from his breath erased any sort of fear you experienced on the mat. His throat rumbled with what seemed like a question and you removed yourself to look into his eyes, “I think I was poisoned with something. While I had Dain in the surrender position, I smelled this heavy scent of iron.” 

“I did as well, then the bond disappeared,” Xaden finished for you, his bloody hands tucked into his arms as he crossed them over his chest. “I couldn’t wield my shadows. My shields were down. When I heard you call out to me, I reacted with protective instinct. I killed Jeremiah and I watched you close your eyes, trying your damned hardest to conjure up your shields. Whatever they did, whatever he saw, it isn’t our fault. They tricked us.” 

“The question is did Professor Emetterio know? Whatever they used to poison us, to dim the bond between our dragons, did our professor let this happen?” 

“No,” Xaden shook his head and defended Emetterio, “He wouldn’t do that. This had to be Aetos and his father.”

“Well at least I can apologize to Violet now,” You chuckled, running your hand up and down Lenin’s scales. 

“Why is that?” Xaden questioned. 

“Because she won’t feel as bad if we both got our asses handed on the same day, our loss will make us closer as teacher and student,” You watched Lenin move his body down, taking the position of laying down and you knew he wanted to wait with you until your bond came back. 

Sgaeyl leaned her head down and sniffed the top of Lenin’s head. The mother provides comfort to her brooding son. This made you smile and you walked over to Lenin’s side, sitting down next to his long neck. Then you leaned up on it letting out a drained sigh. 

“Well might as well take a break with our dragons, I can use a nap.” 

“You can, but I need to wash myself,” Xaden smirked and made his way over to you. Lenin groaned in mild discomfort, yet stayed put knowing that you would scold him if he tried to push Xaden away. 

“Just don’t sleep out here all day, the sun will burn you up.”

In response to Xaden’s words, Lenin lifted his wing and draped it over the both of you. Covering you in a cool and saded darkness, just like his shadows. If he had the power to use them.

“Nevermind,” Xaden rolled his eyes playfully, then leaned down to kiss your lips. “Don’t blame yourself, alright?”

“I won’t,” You whispered and kissed him with tiredness. He pulled away with a gentle smile then placed a soft kiss on your forehead before leaving the comfort of Lenin’s wing. You watched him walk away giving Sgaeyl a goodbye with muddle words. The blue female dragon pressing her own snout on his chest pushing him to go. 

You had two dragons protecting you out here. Xaden had no right to worry about you with these two by your side. “Sleep well, Lenin,” You curled into his neck and the rumbling in his throat lulled you to sleep.

..............................

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