Chapter 15

Xaden - 

Allani had released an uncontrolled blast of pure power last night, and now she was looking like she was three seconds away from killing everyone and everything that breathed wrong around her. 

I turned my gaze to Violet's squad, watching them talk as they came out of the breakfast line. They walked to a table, whose occupants immediately cleared from the table, calling apologies over their shoulder. Rhiannon pointed to something across the mess hall, and I followed it to see Barlowe getting pushed out of his usual social circles. 

I watched Imogen head over to Violet's table and sit down, per my orders. If I was to be bonded to her for life, I would want her to stay alive so I could stay alive. We still didn't know whether or not Allani was bonded to us as well, but she didn't seem to really care about Violet's life. 

"It is untested whether or not a hatchmate will survive the other's death." Sgaeyl reminded me.

"I know. But she doesn't even seem to care a little bit about whether Violet lives or dies,  which could possibly result in her death." I argued. 

"Athana tells me that something important happened last night, but didn't give me the details." Sgaeyl said. 

"Something important... important enough that she lost control?" I pondered. 

"Maybe. Again, Athana has always been really private with what her rider faces." Sgaeyl reminded. 

"I know. I just don't want to risk her killing half the quadrant, because that's what she looks like right now." I said. 

Sgaeyl huffed, and I could practically see her golden eyes narrowing. "Are you sure that's the only reason?" 

What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Before I could respond, her shields fell into place, blocking me out. 

"Xaden!" Garrick said, snapping his fingers in my face.

I snapped to attention, looking at him. "What." 

"You've been talking with Sgaeyl so intently, you can't even hear what's going on around you now?" he asked, raising a brow. 

I glared at him, shooting a quick glance at Allani, who seemed to be deep in thought. 

"You felt that blast of power last night, right?" I asked him. 

He looked confused, but nodded. 

"That was Allani." I said, lowering my voice. "Sgaeyl tells me that something important happened last night."

"Important enough to warrant her losing the control that she's had since first year?" Garrick said, an incredulous look in his eyes. 

"That's exactly what I asked her." I answered. "She told me that Athana didn't give her any details, and then said some cryptic shit and blocked me." 

Garrick had a pondering look on his face now, and was silent, clearly thinking. "You don't think that Lance..."

Realization washed over me, and I shoved it away, shaking my head, feeling despair wash over me. "There's no way. Lance should be safe back home." 

Our voices were low to prevent anyone from hearing it, since what we were talking about would be considered treason, and get us killed. 

"There's no fucking way, right?" I repeated. 

"Lance is the one person that she would sacrifice everything for. The only one that's capable of making her lose control like that, one way or another." Garrick pointed out. 

"I know that." I replied. 

But I didn't want to believe it. 

Allani - 

I scanned the mess hall, taking in everything. I was undeniably pissed at everyone and everything today, needing something for release. Sparring later would help, but I might not be able to risk it. I was already hanging off the edge, and my magic was ready to burst. 

I watched Violet's squad carefully, taking in who was sitting there. Imogen, Quinn, Heaton, and Emery. Xaden must've put Imogen up to that. I had no idea if Violet's death would affect Allani, and, to be honest, I couldn't care less. I hated Sorrengail's mother more than I like my own life, and if it meant I would have to die to see her mother finally get an inkling of what I, what we all, had felt when she dragged our parents to their deaths, I would die happily. 

Now my brother was dead too, all because of this fucking kingdom's refusal to help anyone other than their own fucking selves. Now, logically, I knew that General Sorrengail wasn't the only one to hide the truth, but I wasn't about to break into Melgren's fortress. That would just be stupid. I wouldn't be the one to kill Violet, I just wasn't going to defend her either. Until I can make up a test to see if her bonding Tairn would affect me at all, other than just emotionally inconvenience Athana. 

"Allani, you good? You look like you're one wrong breath away from sending a dagger flying." Garrick asked. 

I shot him a glare. "I'm fine." 

Bodhi scoffed. "You're wound so tightly, you're a second away from snapping and setting this place on fire with Athana's help." 

I gritted my teeth. "I'm. Fine." 

I turned my attention back to Sorrengail's table, where Imogen was giving her some of her own food. I could see the moment where Sorrengail realized that Xaden was the one who had put Imogen up to this, where she looked straight at our table. 

I gathered my stuff, standing up. "I'm heading out." 

Bodhi and Garrick both looked at me. 

"You need to eat." Bodhi protested. 

I waved him off. "I did eat." 

Garrick gave me an unimpressed look, but didn't protest further. 

"They're right, you know." Athana commented. 

"Do you want to go for a flight or not?" I asked, knowing that she was tired of repeating the same useless maneuvers that Kaori taught us every single time that we were authorized to fly, and flying aimlessly in a boring flight when we smuggled out weapons to give to the fliers. 

I dumped my tray in the trash, walking out, starting to jog away once I was out of sight of the people gathered in the mess hall. 

Violet - 

"There are forty-one unbonded riders who would kill to be standing where you are," Kaori continued. "And your dragons know that your bond is at its weakest point right now, so if you fall, if you fail, there's a good chance your dragon might let you if it thinks the unbonded will be a better choice." 

"Comforting," I muttered. 

A shadow covered the flight field, and I looked up, to see Athana fly over us, doing loops and complicated maneuvers in the sky, high enough that they won't bother us when doing our own maneuvers. 

Kaori's gaze stays locked on the dragon and its rider for a second, before looking back at us. "That is the perfect example of what happens when a dragon bonds their perfect rider. It results in unbreakable loyalty, trust, and synchronization only achieved by that pair flying up there. Now, we're going to mount, and then follow a series of specific maneuvers that your dragons already know. Your orders are simple today. Stay in your seat." 

With that, he raced toward his dragon's foreleg and made the vertical climb to mount, like the ramp on the Gauntlet.

Allani - 

I held on tightly as Athana dipped into a another steep dive, before pulling up abruptly, making sure that we didn't get in the way of the first years, who were already struggling anway, and us being in their way wouldn't help. As Athana climbed back into the sky at a 90 degree angle, I noticed a rider fall off of their dragon, ending up impaled on the glaciers. 

"First flight death." I commented. 

"It's kind of disappointing how none of them could bond good riders that actually fitted them. You know, Tairn wanted to bond you in your first year, but I beat him to it." Athana said.

"I don't think any dragon this year found their perfect match. Except for maybe Gamlyn, with his and Aotrom's behaviors. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a least one prank war before they graduated." I said. 

"At least they bonded strongly. The boy is Aotrom's first rider." Athana told me. 

"That's a good thing for Gamlyn then. It means that Aotrom is bound to be more attached to him since he's his first." I mused.

"It usually depends on the dragon, but yes, in Aotrom's case, he will be more attached to the boy." Athana said. 

I looked back down at the flying first years as Athana dipped into another sharp turn leading into a rapid dive. Sorrengail had fallen off her dragon over a dozen times by now. 

"Wow. She's dead in a battle."  I commented. "I don't know if I should be worried." 

"There's no way to test it." Athana said. 

"That's... mildly disappointing." I replied as she slipped into a dive. 

We spent most of the flight watching Sorrengail fall. Again. And again. And again. 

Hey guys. I have no idea when I can get the next chapter up, because final are here, and I'm busy juggling that with my skating and tennis. I'll try to get it up as soon as possible though. How did you guys like this chapter?