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“She's going to be alright, you know?”, Garrick says next to me as we watch the first years at the bottom of the Gauntlet take their positions.
As always my eyes are automatically drawn to her. Even from up here I can see her silver-tipped hair shining in the sun as she's starring up the obstacle course before her.
“She's smart, I'm sure she's figured something out”, Garrick continues.
I look down at my scroll, feigning indifference. “Even if she doesn't I don't fucking care what happens.”
Garrick scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Yeah right. You've only been brooding for the last couple days and watching them train from the flight field.”
I grunt but I don't say anything. There's no point in denying it since Garrick is more than right.
Yes, you have been pathetic , Sgaeyl tells me, and distracted.
I roll my eyes at her. I haven't been pathetic , I say.
But I have watched the first years train for the last couple days. Ever since we came back from our mission and ran into Violet there sitting in the alcove. Her eyes, usually filled with that feisty anger, uncommonly empty and doubtful. Her voice filled with a desperate edge as she'd told me that she couldn't make it up the damned Gauntlet.
And it had taken everything out in me not to stroke at her injured cheek, she'd apparently cut on the Gauntlet. It had even taken more self-control to bite down the anger at this fucking war zone injuring her.
And when I told her to figure it out I had no doubt she would. This woman was the smartest person I'd ever come across. And yet I couldn't help but watch nervously as she trained, as she-
“Here she comes”, Garrick says next to me and my gaze snaps back to the Gauntlet.
So much for not being pathetic , Sgaeyl tells me, her voice dripping in sarcasm just as Violet sixty feet below bolts towards her first ascent.
“Damn, she's fast”, Garrick whispers a slight tone of appreciation in his voice and I can't help the smile that tugs at the corner of my mouth.
Fuck, yeah, she is.
I watch casually as she makes her way across the first ascent. I've seen her practice enogh to know she has that obstacle down and she does. She bolts right through it, not even hesitating at the turning wheel just jumping right through the opening.
She manages the balls with just as much ease. The first sign of struggles comes at the iron rails where I can see her grinding her teeth against the strain that obstacle has on her shoulder but she makes it across quite quickly nevertheless. Until she arrives at the chimney. The obstacle she's never conquered.
I'm too short to span the distance , her words from a couple of nights ago ring in my ears as I lean forward slightly to get a better view.
Garrick, of course, catches my movement and grins. “Thought you didn't care”, he tells me quietly.
I raise a brow at him. “Figure out your shit with Imogen and then we can talk about you judging me, Tavis.”
My best friend rolls his eyes and turns back to the spectacle below where Violet has indeed figured it out.
The rope stretches taught as she throws it over the side of the obstacle. It's close but it reaches. Gods that fucking woman.
She is smart , Sgaeyl reluctantly admits, I will give her that.
Garrick meanwhile outright chuckles and whispers “fucking smartass” as we watch her climb and climb.
The strain this method has on her is visible and audible. But she barely slips once and then she's up to the last obstacle.
She lets go of her rope and I can see how messed up her palms are from up here. They must fucking hurt. But Violet barely registers, taking a breath she turns to the final obstacle. I can see her calculating in her mind, watch as she steps back as far as she can to have the longest run up possible. Still…
“She won't make it”, Garrick says beside me, his voice laced with worry. “She's too short, Xaden. She'll never get up here.”
I nod. “I know. But she's got something figured out.” I don't even need to use my intinssic powers to see that written plainly across her face.
And sure enough we watch as Violet unsheathes her dagger and runs towards the wall, plunging into the wood just as gravity is about to drag her down again. She cries out, clinging to her blade, swinging her body up and… She made it.
I exhale. She made it. She's alive. Why am I so relieved by this? I shouldn't be this relieved. I -
“She can't do that”, someone shouts and I barely refrain from rolling my eyes as Amber tucking Mavis strides forward.
“Yeah, well, she just did”, Violet's brown-skinned squatmate she often hangs out with - Ridoc I believe his name was - retorts .
“You made it”, Violet's friend Rhiannon says taking her face into her hands in celebration and some irrational part of my brain wishes I could switch places with her. “You made it!”
“Luck”, Violet says, inhaling. “And. Adrenaline.”
“Cheating”, Amber Mavis says and I fight the urge to punch her as she charges up to me.
Garrick is faster though. “Back the hell up, Mavis”, he threatens, putting himself between me and her.
Amber isn't impressed though. Not that I expected her to be. “The cheater clearly used foreign materials not once but twice”, she yells. “It's not fo be tolerated! We live by the rules or we die by them!”
No wonder she and Aetos get along so well - they're both in love with the Codex, Sgaeyl mutters in my mind.
“I don't take kindly for calling anyone in my section a cheater”, Garrick warns as he turns to Violet. “And my wingleader will handle any rule-breaking in his own wing.”
I take my cue turning to Violet. Her hazel eyes meet mine as I ache an eyebrow at her. “Sorrengail?”, I ask, curiously.
“I expect the thirty-second penalty for using the rope”, she says calmly, her gaze never once wavering form mine.
“And the knife? She's disqualified”, Amber rages. “Surely she's out! You can't tolerate lawlessness within your own wing, Riorson!”
I don't bother with an answer, just wait for whatever explanation Violet will offer. Because there is no doubt in my mind she has one. This is Violence after all.
She swallows. “A rider may only bring to the quadrant the items they can carry-” she starts.
“Are you quoting the Codex to me ?”, Amber shouts in outrage. Violet though is unbothered.
“-and they shall not be separated from this items no matter what they may be. For once carried across the parapet, they are considered large of their person. Article Three, Section Six, Addendum B.”
“That addendum was written to make thievery and executional offense”, Amber point out.
“Correct”, Violet says and nods. “But I'm doing so, it gave any item carried across the parapet the status of being a part of the rider”, she tells me as she unsheathes the dagger she'd used earlier. “This isn't a challenge blade. It's one I carried across therefore considered part of myself.”
Violet holds out the blade for me to see and I can help but smirk.
Oh she is good , Sgaeyl tells me with almost a tone of appreciation. I might even see why you like her.
I don't -, I begin to retort just as Violet opens her mouth again.
“The right way ijsr the only way”, she tells me, using my own words against me. And it takes everything in me not to fucking kiss her right then and there.
Instead I stare at her. “She had you, Amber”, my gaze on once falling from hers.
“On a technicality!”, Amber shouts.
“She still has you”, I say and glance at her in annoyance.
Amber snorts. “You think like a scribe”, she barks at Violet.
To which that fucking woman just nods and says “I know. “
And I almost smile again, watching as Violet takes a breath and let's her head fall into her neck in relief. Until my eyes catch at the mess that is her palms. They are dripping with blood. And it takes every ounce of self restraint I have not to take her by the wrist and get her wrapped up.
“Sorrengails” I say and her eyes snap back open. “You're leaking.”
She follows my gaze down to her palms and gasps as she'd only just noticed the injuries. What kind of pain tolerance does she have?
“Do something about it”, I tell her.