Chapter Text
Rowena tightened her grip on the slick stone edge of the parapet, the icy wind biting through her jacket. The rain from earlier had left the narrow walkway treacherous, and each step felt like a battle against the elements. She could hear Ridoc behind her, muttering something sarcastic, but she couldn’t risk glancing back.
“Don’t look down,” she told herself, forcing her focus forward. The far side loomed ahead, and the thought of slipping now made her stomach twist. Her boot scraped against the uneven stone, and for a heart-stopping moment, she wobbled.
“Steady, Ro!” Ridoc called from the starting ledge, his voice annoyingly confident.
“Just wait until it’s your turn,” she shot back without looking, her voice sharper than she intended.
With a final, calculated step, she reached solid ground. Her legs trembled as relief washed over her, but she masked it with a quick glance back. “Your turn, twin.”
Ridoc smirked, though his grin faltered when he stepped onto the parapet and the wind tore at him immediately. “Brilliant weather for a stroll,” he muttered.
“Just try not to fall,” Rowena called, arms crossed as she watched. “I don’t want to explain this to father.”
Ridoc rolled his eyes, inching forward with careful precision. The wind whipped at him mercilessly, but he moved with the same easy agility that always made sparring with him infuriating. Halfway across, the gusts intensified, forcing him to crouch to steady himself.
“Move, Ridoc!” Rowena’s voice cut through the wind, sharp and commanding.
“Calm down, I’ve got this!” he shouted back, though his heart pounded in his chest.
The final stretch was the hardest, the stone slick beneath his boots and the void below taunting him with every step. With a burst of effort, he lunged for the end, stumbling onto solid ground beside Rowena.
“Barely made it,” she said, raising an eyebrow.
“Barely still counts,” he panted, brushing dust from his hands.
“You looked like you were going to scream,” she teased, a smirk tugging at her lips.
“Did not,” he shot back. “And even if I had, it would’ve been a manly scream.”
Rowena rolled her eyes but offered him a hand. “Come on. If you’re this dramatic now, the dragons are going to be fun.”
Ridoc groaned but matched her grin as they strode away from the parapet together, the wind already forgotten in the thrill of their victory.
Rowena and Ridoc leaned against the stone wall near the end of the parapet, the wind howling around them as they watched the next cadets take their turn. Their earlier adrenaline had worn off, but their attention was fixed on the figures stepping up.
The first was a slender girl Rowena didn’t recognise. She seemed nervous but determined as she stood at the starting ledge, adjusting her stance against the wind.
“Who’s that?” Rowena muttered.
“No idea,” Ridoc replied, watching closely. “But she looks like she’s trying not to shake in her boots.”
“She’s careful,” Rowena observed as the girl took her first step. Her arms stretched wide for balance, each movement slow but deliberate.
“She’s got good instincts,” Ridoc said, leaning in a little, his eyes following her progress.
At the midpoint, a gust of wind nearly knocked her off balance. The girl stumbled but didn’t fall. She crouched low, clutching the edge of the parapet for support before rising and continuing forward.
“Not bad,” Rowena murmured as the girl reached the far side. “She’s got some grit.”
Ridoc whistled. “Better than you did.”
Rowena shot him a glare. “Shut it.”
Before Ridoc could respond, the next name was called. “Violet Sorrengail,” came the announcement.
Both twins turned their attention to the small cadet stepping forward, her determination clear despite her size.
“Violet,” Rowena muttered, her eyes narrowing slightly. “She’s the one from the other day, isn’t she?”
“Yeah,” Ridoc replied, his voice guarded. “I’ve seen her before. She’s got fire, but… well, she’s small. Think she’ll make it?”
Rowena didn’t answer immediately. Violet stepped onto the parapet, moving with a quiet confidence despite the fierce gusts that tore at her cloak. The wind seemed to target her, pulling her off balance and twisting her braid in all directions.
“She’s too small for this,” Ridoc said, his tone uncertain.
Rowena watched closely, her arms crossed. “Size doesn’t matter if she’s smart.”
Violet’s progress was slow but steady, her hands gripping the stone with an unspoken determination. At the midpoint, the wind seemed to intensify, knocking her slightly off course. Rowena’s breath caught as Violet staggered, but the smaller cadet crouched down, regaining her balance.
“Come on, Violet,” Rowena muttered, half under her breath.
Ridoc was silent, his eyes fixed on Violet as she continued. With a determined push, Violet moved the last few steps, reaching the far end of the parapet and stepping onto solid ground.
“Damn,” Ridoc said, impressed despite himself. “Didn’t think she had it in her.”
“She’s got more than you’d think,” Rowena said quietly.
“Remind me not to underestimate her again,” Ridoc said with a grin.
Before Rowena could respond, a new figure stepped up to the parapet, and she immediately recognised the rebellion mark on the girl’s neck.
“Who’s that?” Ridoc asked, eyeing the girl with the unmistakable brand.
“I don’t know,” Rowena said, her voice hardening slightly. “But I know that mark. She’s a rebel.”
Ebony Florian stepped onto the parapet, her eyes locked ahead, her posture straight with unspoken defiance. The wind whipped at her coat, but she didn’t flinch.
“She’s bold,” Ridoc observed, narrowing his eyes. “Could be trouble.”
Rowena said nothing, watching intently as Ebony began crossing. There was no hesitation in her steps—each one measured and firm, despite the gusts pushing her from all sides.
“She’s not even looking at the ground,” Ridoc commented, amazed. “That’s either bravery or stupidity.”
“Sometimes they’re the same thing,” Rowena replied, her lips curling into a faint smile.
Halfway across, the wind tore at Ebony, and she stumbled, her foot sliding dangerously on the slick stone. For a moment, Rowena thought she might fall, but Ebony crouched, gripping the parapet with one hand before standing back up, unshaken.
“Damn,” Ridoc muttered, impressed. “She’s got guts.”
Rowena nodded. “She’s got something, that’s for sure.”
Ebony’s defiance was palpable. The rebellion mark on her neck seemed to almost glow against the backdrop of the storm, a silent declaration of her refusal to bow to anything or anyone. She moved with purpose, each step brimming with an almost reckless confidence.
When she finally reached the end, she didn’t look back, didn’t even acknowledge her success. Her eyes stayed locked ahead as she walked off the parapet, leaving only the silent mark of rebellion in her wake.
Ridoc shook his head. “Didn’t expect her to make it, but I’ve got to admit—she’s something.”
Rowena watched the girl disappear into the crowd of cadets. “She’ll make things interesting, that’s for sure.”
“I’ll say,” Ridoc agreed. “Maybe she’s got a future around here after all.”
Rowena didn’t reply, but the thought lingered in her mind. The wind had swept them all into the storm, but not everyone had the strength to make it through. As she watched the last of the cadets finish their crossings, she couldn’t help but wonder who among them would come out on top.