Chapter Text
You'd think dragons should be scary, considering their massive, fire-breathing death creatures. One wrong look and oops, you're dead. Either eaten or a pile of rotten egg smelling ash. I never found them as scary as other people did, though. It helped my father was a rider, someone bonded to a dragon.
"It's freeing, isn't it?" My father had asked. "The wind ripping past, the rolling green of the hills."
I sat in front of him, only 11 years old. After Mother passed five years prior, he snuck us out once a month, letting me ride with him on his red swordtail, Ainthe. It was our secret. I found I loved being on the back of a dragon, even back then.
"One day, you'll make the choice of where you want to go. I will do my best to prepare you for whatever path you choose to take." He had said. I remember looking up at him, frowning in confusion. "Your life is what you make of it, Anna. Don't ever let anyone take that choice away from you."
A few years after that day, I would be shipped off to live with my cousin, Violet, and my father to Tyrrendor, fighting a war he didn't believe in. I never saw him again.
Now, five years after the end of Tyrrendor's rebellion, Violet and I walked side by side up the steps to her mother's, General Sorrengail, office. I had to steady Violet a couple times, she ignored my advice and overpacked her rucksack with gods know what. "I'm telling you, that bag will have you at the bottom of the ravine. Please, Vi, let me take some of your stuff. I can give it back on the other side."
"I'll be fine, Anna." Violet stubbornly said. If the Sorrengails were anything, it's that they were all stubborn. I was secretly glad i was only related through Violet's father, my uncle. I had always been closer to my own father before his death, anyways, and he had no blood relation to Violet or the General. It was my mother who had been Asher Sorrengail's sister.
"Sure. Don't worry, cousin, you start to fall, I'll pull your ass back onto the parapet." We make it to the top of the steps and nod at the guards, who look slightly worried. As we get closer, we realize why.
A woman is yelling at the General, it's Mira, Violet's older sister. She must have flown in this morning and tried to change the General's mind about Violet going to the rider's quadrant and not the scribes. "She doesn't have a chance. At least Anna does, Uncle made sure she was trained, but fuck, Mom, six months? That's all you could give her?"
We open the door and enter, Violet's rucksack making a large thump on the ground as she drops it. Mira looks back, nodding at me for a second before landing in her sister. She rushed over, snapping back at the General. "Damn it, Mom, she can't even handle her rucksack."
"I'm fine!" Violet's voice wavers, she was clearly not fine, but hey, I said Sorrengails were stubborn.
"Violet..." Mira's brown eyes are full of worry, and she looks at her younger sister for a moment more before turning away. "You can't do this."
"It's already done." The General's voice is firm, even as she shrugs off Mira's words.
Violet scoffs, and I glance her way, feeling like I was once again intruding on my cousin's family. I'd been living with them for five years, so I was used to Mira and Aunt Lilith arguing, but that doesn't mean I was comfortable with it.
"So undo it." Mira challenges. "She's spent her whole life training to become a scribe. She wasn't raised to be a rider."
I stay silent, remembering my father's desire for myself. He always insisted on Uncle Asher training me to learn the ways of the scribes, while also training me in combat and field medicine. He always wanted me to have a choice in life.
"Well, she certainly isn't you, is she, Lieutenant Sorrengail?" The General stands with her hands braced on the desk, narrowing her eyes at Mira. She walks around her desk, her eyes picking apart every detail of Violet's appearance. "Pale skin, pale eyes, pale hair. It's like that fever stole all your coloring along with your strength." Her face twists with grief for a second before it is gone. A glimpse of the woman she had been before the death of her husband, my uncle. "I told him not to keep you in that library."
"I love that library!" Violet protests, and silently, I agree with her. People think the riders have all the power, with their strength and access to magic, but Uncle Asher always said that scribes hold all the power.
"Spoken like the daughter of a scribe." For a second, I don't see the General. I see Aunt Lilith. She always had in a mask of strength around others but with her family, she was softer, kinder. It's been five years since she started to change, becoming the woman she is today. Since the death of Brennan, Violet and Mira's older brother. The death of Uncle Asher solidified her change.
"I am the daughter of a scribe." Violet counters, as if she were reminding us of Uncle Asher. My eyes fall to the ground. At least I was still given a choice of if I wanted to be a rider or a scribe.
"You're the daughter of a rider, you are twenty years old, and today is Conscription Day. I let you finish your tutoring, but like I told you last spring, I will not watch one of my children enter the Scribe Quadrant, Violet."
"Because scribes are so far beneath riders?" Violet mutters, and I pray to Zihnal that the General doesn't hear her. My prayer fails, of course but hey, at least I tried.
"Yes! And if you dare walk into the tunnel toward the Scribe Quadrant today, I will rip you out by that ridiculous braid and put you on the parapet myself." The General stands firm in her decision.
"You didn't say my braids are ridiculous." I sigh, turning away as I grumble to myself. I had woken early, braiding my hair back and securing it at the base of my head with endless pins. Riders usually favored shorter hairstyles, but both Violet and I had decided to keep our long hair together.
"Dad wouldn't want this!" Mira shouts before anyone can say anything about my comment.
I freeze, glancing at the General. Her face doesn't change. Then, "I loved your father, but he's dead. I doubt he wants much these days."
I hear Violet suck in a breath beside me. I turn my gaze back to the floor. Asher Sorrengail was a touchy subject in this family, none of them liked to mention the former scribe.
"Sending Violet into the Rider's Quadrant is tantamount to a death sentence." Mira ground out. Seems she wasn't done arguing with her mother yet. Mira pointed out Violet's lack of strength. I had tried helping her, training with her, but unfortunately, while we made progress over the last six months, there was still much more training and strength required to even have an ounce of hope surviving the quadrant.
"Seriously, Mira?" I glance at Violet, whose hands curl into fists. "Are you calling me weak?"
"No, no, just..." Mira pauses, searching for the right word to not offend her sister. "Just fragile."
"That's not any better." Violet mutters. Dragons don't bond fragile. That's what they're taught. My father always said differently, but a part of me doesn't believe him.
"So she's small." The General shrugs as if Violet's size and strength is nothing to worry about.
"Are we just listing my faults now?" Violet snorts, and I bump her shoulder.
"It's not a fault, Vi." I say softly, giving her a small smile. An attempt to make her feel better, even though we both knew it didn't matter.
"I never said it was a fault, Mira." The General gestures to Violet. "Violet deals with more pain before lunch than you do in an entire week. If any of my children is capable of surviving the Riders Quadrant, it's her."
"How many rider candidates die on Conscription Day, Mom? Forty? Fifty? Are you that eager to bury another child?"
The temperature drops in the room, curtesy of the General's signet. Mira's jaw clenches, and I look in between my cousin and my aunt worriedly. The General's glare is worse than I've ever seen it, and I was present during the executions of the rebel leadership five years ago.
"Mom, she didn't mean-" Violet tries to diffuse the tension in the room, only to be interrupted by her mother.
"Get. Out. Lieutenant." I could see the General's breath in the icy temperature. "Before I report you absent from your unit without leave."
Mira straightens, nodding once before pivoting on her heal with military precision. Once outside, the temperature warms slightly, the General finally noticing the icy air having an effect of her daughter. Aunt Lilith looks Violet up and down before doing the same to me. "You both scored too in the quarter for speed and agility. You'll do just fine. All Sorrengails do just fine, whether blood related or not."
She means me not being blood related to the Sorrengail name. I never took Asher's last name, since he had taken Lilith's when they married. I have his birth name, Daxton.
The General reaches up as she studies Violet, her fingers brushing her daughter's cheek. "So much like your father," she murmurs, before clearing her throat and stepping away.
"I won't be able to acknowledge either of you for the next three years." She starts, as if she acknowledged Violet on a day to day basis anyway. She barely acknowledged me, only talking to me to see how my training was. "Since, as commanding general of Basgiath, I'll be your far superior officer."
"I know." "Yes, ma'am."
"You won't get any special treatment because you're my family, either. If anything, you'll have to prove yourselves more."
"Well aware." Violet says. I stay silent, having expected this already. Not only was I her niece, but I was also a legacy, my father, grandmother, and great grandfather all being riders. I wasn't sure how far back exactly, but it didn't matter. I had to live up to it.
The General sighs, forcing a smile. "Then, I guess I'll see you in the valley at Threshing, candidates. Though, you'll be cadets by sunset, I suppose."
Or you know, dead. None of us say it.
"Good luck, Candidate Sorrengail, Candidate Daxton." She moves back to her desk, dismissing us.
"Thank you, General." We say simultaneously. I pull my pack onto my back, watching Violet pretend not to struggle with her own before we leave the room.
Mira stands in the center of the hall, between to guards. "She's batshit crazy."
I suppress a laugh, knowing that the guards will report my cousins words to the General. Violet, on the other hand, speaks up. "They'll tell her you said that."
"Like they don't already know." She grinds out, teeth clenched in frustration. "Let's go. We only have an "hour before all candidates have to report, and I saw thousands waiting outside the gates when I flew over."
Of course there was. But only around 500 or so would line up for the Rider's Quadrant. Maybe even less. Most likely less. I follow behind the pair of sisters, stopping outside Violet's room. "I'll meet you guys down there. Give you some time."
To potentially say goodbye. This could be the last time Mira sees Violet.
Mira studies me, then comes over and gives me a hug. "Be careful, and don't cross before we get there, ok?"
"I won't. See you in three years, Mira." I pull away, giving a small wave before I make my way to the gates.
Nervousness worms its way into my mind, and I fidget with the strap of my bag as I wait for my cousins, my eyes scanning my surroundings. So many people here. Those going to infantry, healers, and scribes are easy goodbyes. Not a lot of people die in those quadrants. But the riders? Families are crying, holding onto their children, their siblings, for possibly the last time. Most likely the last time. Statistics say only a third of the class will make it to graduation. Half will die this year.
"Nervous?" An unfamiliar voice asks. I turn and punch, only to have my fist caught by the strangers hand. "Woah, there. You'll punch someone's eye out."
A man stands there, playfully smirking as he holds my fist. His blue eyes shining with amusement as his blonde hair twists gently with the soft wind.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to talk to strangers?" I drawl, yanking my fist back.
He scoffs, shrugging slightly. "My mother's dead."
I can tell it's a sore subject for him, and immediately I regret saying anything. "I'm sorry." I study him, he turns to watch the line of people waiting to sign in at the base of the turret. "Mine too. Died when I was six."
"Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago. I'm sorry for your loss." The stranger says, turning his head back to me. He holds out his hand, and I stare at it for a second before shaking it. "Liam."
"It was a long time ago." I repeat back. "Anna."
"Anna." Liam tests my name on his tongue. "You ready for parapet?"
I suck in a breath. Ready? Probably not. But at least I have more practice than Violet. "Sure. Piece of cake. You?"
"I'll run across." He smirks. I turn to study him and find him looking sincere. He really means to run across it.
"You have a death wish." I shake my head, but can't help smiling. At least someone will find it easy.
"Don't we all?" He gestured to everyone standing in line. I suppose he's not wrong, everyone is told that the rider's quadrant is the deadliest. There's no guarantee of tomorrow. Silence falls between us for a moment, before he speaks up again. "Know anyone in the quadrant?"
"I know a couple people." Dain would be a second-year and of course, Violet was joining me. "You?"
"I know some." Liam smiles softly. "My brother is a third-year."
"That's good. Always nice to have someone to look forward to on the other side, I guess." I shrug, glancing back to look for Violet and Mira.
"Yeah, can't wait to see him again." Liam nods. I get the feeling there's more to their story, but I don't press. He takes a step forward, turning around and nodding towards me. "See you on the other side?"
"See you on the other side." I smile. People don't recommend making friends your first year, but it felt nice to have someone other than Violet and Dain to look forward to. Though, I couldn't call us friends, we only just met. I didn't even know his last name.
Ten minutes later, I was joined by Violet and Mira. Violet having new clothes in, black, surprisingly. Mira hands me a small bag. "Have room for this?"
I nod, taking it and swinging my rucksack around. "What is it?"
"Vi will explain. Don't take it off. Ever. You won't be able to put it on until tonight, but I mean it, Anna." Mira reaches out, squeezing my shoulder. "And find Dain when you're at the top, he'll be a second-year."
"Right." The line moves forward and Mira gives us some final advice. I nod along, pushing down my nerves as she talks.
Finally we get to the front of the line and I hear Violet whisper. "Is he..?"
"Yep." Mira's voice hardens. "A separatists kid. See that shimmering mark that starts on his wrist? A relic from the rebellion."
The rebellion that killed my father and their brother. I tune out the conversation, staring at the mark. Conrad Daxton wanted to stay out of the war, he never told me why, but the General forced him to fly with Brennan Sorrengail to the Battle of Aretia. Neither made it out of that battle alive. Brennan had been killed by Fen Riorson, leader of the rebellion and my father by Colonel Mairi.
"I just remembered. Stay the hell away from Xaden Riorson." Mira turns towards us suddenly.
Both of us look up at her. She nods to confirm. "That Xaden Riorson. He's a third-year, and he will kill you the second he finds out who you are."
"His father was the Great Betrayer, he led the rebellion. What is he doing here?" Violet questions.
I remembered the Treaty of Aretia. All children of the rebellion were to be conscripted to the riders quadrant as punishment for their parents crimes against Navarre. It was bullshit, in my opinion. They were children. It's not right to force them into the death quadrant just because their parents rebelled against Navarre.
"Next." A voice calls out from behind the table that bears the scroll for the Rider's Quadrant. Violet and I both recognize Captain Fitzgibbins, the scribe assigned to record the names here at the bottom of the turret. "Violet Sorrengail?"
Violet nods, reaching down and grabbing the quill to sign her name.
"I thought you were meant for the Scribe Quadrant," Fitzgibbins says softly, giving Violet a pitiful look.
Violet hands me the quill. I sign my name on the scroll, glancing at the other names. My eyes land on one name, and my eyes widen slightly.
Liam Mairi
That can't be right. And yet... he's the only Liam on the scroll. I hadn't asked his last name. He hadn't asked for mine. I didn't give mine. He didn't give his. "Anna?"
I look at Violet, seeing her looking at me worriedly. I shake my head. Later, I mouth to her. This isn't a conversation to have right before the parapet. We head to the doorway, saying our goodbyes before Mira walks off. I shake my head at the candidates that stare at her as she passes.
"Tough to live up to that." The woman in front of us says. I look up at her, almost taken aback by her appearance. She looks like Amari herself came down from wherever the gods roam.
"It is," Violet agrees, staring after her sister. The line moves and we take a few steps forward. There's no rail, and I fight the urge to hold the wall as we climb. I fail in the end, running a finger along the wall as we move higher and higher up. Violet doesn't help the mood as she answers the blond man's question of how many candidates fall off the stairs before we even reach the top. "Two last year, unless you count the girl one of the guys landed on."
"Way to keep the mood great, Vi." I mutter, trying not to think of it. "Lets talk about us falling to our end before we even reach the death bridge."
Violet shrugs, not responding to my snarky comment. The other woman looks between us, then asks how many stairs there are.
"Two hundred and fifty." Violet and I say simultaneously.
"Not too bad." The woman looks almost relieved. "I'm Rhiannon Matthias, by the way."
"Dylan." The blond man says ahead of Rhiannon. He gives an enthusiastic wave, and he reminds me of Liam. Which in turn, reminds me of the name I saw on the scroll.
"Violet." "Anna."
I choose to stay quiet for the rest of the way up, rolling my eyes at Violet when she swaps boots with Rhiannon. Now I'm convinced that Violet doesn't even want to try to make it through the quadrant and will throw her life away at the first chance she gets. The guy behind Violet is an asshole, and I silently pray to Zihnal, and even Malek to let his ass fall down to the bottom of the ravine.
At the top, three riders wait at the entrance, if it could even be called an entrance. Its a gaping hole in the middle of the wall. The one with his sleeves ripped off is recording our names again, before we likely fall to our deaths. Another instructs Dylan as he moves onto the beginning of the parapet, patting his chest as if the ring of his fiance will give him luck.
"See you on the other side!" Dylan calls back, and yet again, I am reminded of Liam as Dylan smiles and steps out.
"Ready for the next one, Riorson?"
Oh, fuck, Mira is gonna kill us if she finds out. Stay away from Xaden Riorson, she said, and here he is. The first person we see right before we step out onto a narrow, slippery bridge just waiting to claim its next victim.
"You ready for this, Sorrengails?" Rhiannon asks, moving forward.
The black haired rider snaps his eyes to us, and I silently curse. "Actually, I'm just her cousin. Daxton's my name, Rhiannon."
It might not save both of us, but if it saves one of us, I'll take those odds.
"Sorrengail?" The black haired rider steps towards Violet, and I subconsciously lean towards her, ready to defend her if need be. I take in his appearance, His relic, starts at his bare left wrist, curving and swirling until it disappears beneath his black uniform, only to pop up under his collar and trail up his neck. "You're General Sorrengail's youngest. "
"You're Fen Riorson's son." Violet counters and if he doesn't try to kill her, I will. Stay away from Riorson, Mira said. And here she was, antagonizing him, giving him a reason to throw her from the parapet.
"You're mother captured my father and oversaw his execution." Xaden says after a moment.
I glance at Violet, seeing her anger on her face. "Your father killed my brother. Seems like we're even."
"Hardly." Xaden scoffs, looking at Violet as if he were analyzing every detail about her. Which he probably was.
"My father died in the Battle of Aretia, too. And yet, neither of you seem to think that's significant right now." I roll my eyes. "They died, it sucks. Move on."
Violet knew that's not how I felt on the matter, but I wasn't about to let Violet have Xaden's wrath. If I brought his attention to me, pretending like I didn't care who lived or died during that awful battle, then maybe he'll kill me instead and spare Violet.
Violet glared at me, but before anything else could be said by the three of us. Rhiannon spoke up, looking between us. "You alright?"
Xaden glanced at her. “You’re friends?”
“We met on the stairs.” Violet answers, and I see Xaden look down to their mismatched shoes. He gives Violet a pointed look with his brow raised.
“Interesting.”
“Are you going to kill me?” Violet asks and gods above, if she doesn’t shut up I’ll throw her from the parapet myself.
Before anyone can say anything, we hear a shout from the parapet. It’s Dylan, having slipped and was now hanging over the side of the bridge.
“Pull yourself up, Dylan!” Rhiannon shouts from her spot at the beginning of the parapet.
It’s no use, I think. I can tell from here. He won’t make it. My heart goes out to his family, to his fiancé who will never see him again. He had been excited, had seemed as though he would make it, only to fail before he had gotten the chance to even really begin. Did Liam make it across? Or did he fall, just the same as Dylan will?
“Oh, gods!” I hear Violet say behind me just as Dylan’s grip fails, his hands slipping and he falls. It’s then that I notice the rain. I curse my aunt, who is likely the cause of this sudden storm.
“Why would I waste my energy killing you when the parapet will do it for me?” I hear Xaden say. “Your turns.”
I don’t comment on the plural word.
Stepping up, I give my name to the rider with the scroll. It might be the last time I ever say my full name. “Annabeth Daxton.”
Rhiannon is almost a quarter of the way across, and I swallow the nerves that rise. Copying her, I stick my arms out for balance and step out onto the stone bridge, praying my shoes have enough traction on the slippery rock.
Only one way to find out.