2- The Parapet

We enter the crowded court yard, which seems like there's thousands of cadets there waiting to divide into their sections. I scan the area, taking notice how the rain is increasing.  " You got any tips for crossing in a downpour like this?"

Mira Looks up at the sky sighing heavily, " Be damn careful, it'll be slick."

" No shit."

She sends me a look, " My year it was cloudy, didn't rain like this."

How assuring.

Up ahead people were now breaking off into their Quadrants making my stomach do a small flip. " One more thing.." Mira says quickly. " Find Dain."

Dain? Dain!

I missed him, I missed his smile, his laugh, his eyes just..him.. We were near inseparable before he left, I remember how I cried last year seeing my only friend was leaving me. I remember the night before we stayed together, I always liked him, we kissed, and I gave myself to him.

Which probably didn't help the situation seeing he was leaving the next day... No one knows about it besides us.

Mira breaks me out of my trance, " He'll keep you safe." She eyes me, " Knock that off too.."

" What?"

" That smile..knock it off... I always knew you thought he was hot but he's a second year.. You have the target on your back, you don't need to give them another reason to come after you.."

" Why would me-"

" Because if you sleep with Dain cadets will think your sleeping your way to the top, thats another way to get killed, sleep with first years.. not second or thirds." Mira instructs.

I huff, it's to late for that... but makes sense " OK."

" Good."

We continue through the mass of people going further to the rider Quadrant. I happen to look up to the Terrent then the Parapet, the 18 inch stone bridge we need to cross, the bridge that divides cadets from potenial riders.

I clench my jaw ever so slightly as I look at it, I can see it glisten, looking extra dangerous with the rain. " Never look down." Mira says, " Look at the stones ahead. And take your time. Keep your arms out, and if your pack falls let it fall..."

I stare straight ahead, a couple ahead I see a sparkly design on one of the boys... a rebellion relic. I find it fascinating a dragon could do that to the kids, kids of traitors. Normally dragons mark the ones they're bonded to but these marks seems to showcase they'll always be known at traitors.

Mira all of the sudden grips my arm, " I forgot.." Her voice drops to a whisper. " Stay the hell away from a boy named Xaden Riorson."

That name needs to introduction.

His father was the Great Betrayer, he lead the Revolution. He caused these kids of the traitors to wear rebellion relics, because of what he did all the traitors kids were assigned to the Rider Quadrant.

They didn't think so many would've survived, Xaden being one but it was bascially set in stone once his dragon chose him, he climbed the ranks and is now a wingleader.

" Dain should put you in his squad." Mira says.

" NEXT!" someone says.

We were next, 2 scribes were sitting. " Your... Mira Sorrengail." One of them said, I can feel tjeir admiration from here, I surpress an eye roll as Mira nods, " That's me."

" You exploded that whole colony of griffon riders behind enemy lines."

Again she grins, nodding. " Yes, this is my sister Freya." She pushes me ever so slightly, I give somewhat of a smirk in acknowledgement.

" Are you sure she's a Sorrengail? Not a winter zombie?" Some asshole from behind us says, " Or a ghost of one." He snickers.

Mira only glances and I don't turn around, I don't need to get in a fight before I cross the parapet.  " I think Freya shows the most promise, she's better then all of us kids combined, she's more skilled then when I crossed, I'm excite to hear about her acheivements." Mira states to the scribes.

The laughing behind me stops.

" You know the way from here Ms.Sorrengail." The one says. " Write your name Freya."

I write my name giving another nod before me and Mira continue to the opening of a dark opening in the Turret. " Well... this is it." Mira says, she grips my shoulders " I swear if you die, I'll resurrect you and kill you again myself, I don't want to be an only child."

I snicker, " I won't. I promise."

She gives me a quick tight hug, " I love you."

" Love you to Mira."

She pulls away, " Remember all that I said."

" I will."

She gives me one final nod before walking through the crowd, I watch her for just moment before I go through the entrance, it was a winding staircase, no railing. I can see they wan to pick some off before they even reach the parapet. I keep one hand on the wall and start my ascend.

A smaller framed girl was maybe 5 steps ahead, she glances back, " Sorrengail as in..the general?" She says loudly. I see the bright red sparkle on her rebellion relic carving behind her neck, I wasn't sure I should answer, but instead I sound..dull. " Yea, Unfortunately."

a tall blonde boy ahead of her stops looking at me, " I suppose you have high standards to uphold seeing your family is nearly royalty around here." I think his tone was positive. I sigh, " Yea, theres been standards since I could breathe."

" I'm Dylan by the way."

" Freya."

" Hetta." The girl with the Relic says, " Hetta Canavero."

I heard of that name, I think her...father Hector Canavero was close to Fen Riorson. I should maybe watch out for that one.

" Freya.. no offense but you don't look like a Sorrengail, there much more.." Dylan trails off.

" I'm half, same mom different dad."

" General Sorrengail had another husband?!" Dylan asked, I noticed Hetta didn't say anything, she still just climbs but I can tell she's listening. I chuckle, " No idea. I don't know I damn thing about my father."

" She never told you?" Hetta now finally asks.

" She's never liked me much so.. no. All I know it was an affair she tried to hide, then she couldn't because... I look like this."

" I see." Dylan says.

It was quiet for awhile...well semi quiet...the jerk's heavy breaths that were behind me made some background noise, now he decides to comment on the little conversation we had. " So your a bastard child?" He laughs, " Only a half Sorrengail."

" Can you worry about yourself?!" Hetta snaps at him. I surprises me a little but I continue, " My brother and sister's father was only a scribe and they are known, I assume my father was in some sort of combat, and higher up if my mother got in a bed with him. So even if I'm half I think I have more potential." I state smartly.

I hear a mutter behind me though I couldn't hear what he said.

We finish the walk, now I can see the opening of the Turret and cadets walking the parapet. Everything outside was a hue of misty grey, I didn't realize how hard the rain was now falling, I can see how drenched they are.

In the couple of seconds I stopped the jerk behind me nudged me roughly, " Get your ass moving half blood."

That was enough, I grab my dagger shoving it to his throat, " Call me that again and your ass will be dead before you cross the Perapet!" I seethe.

I see Hetta and Dylan look at me wide eye, the muscular tall blonde jerky boy looks at me with malice, but doesn't say a word. " That's what I thought." I spit.

So much for keeping my cool. I slowly sheathe my dagger again as we go on the platform now waiting our turns. The wind was brutal, I thank Mira for getting me even tighter fitting clothes, then with an extra inch of loose fabric it could throw off a cadet.

I also thank her for the braid, she left it a little loose but not enough to give me an headache or have loose strands of hair.

There were 3 riders, I assume they'll be giving us directions of some sort?

One was a girl, dark skin with bright green eyes, another man that was shorter and stocky with designs shaved into his hair and the next...

No way...

He was massive, not just tall but built like a... like a damn dragon..with rippling muscles and defined fetures, with the most beautiful gold flexed eyes and raven black hair nto perfectly soaked from the wind. A scar running from his brow..

I never knew Xaden Riorson was so dangerously good looking. Shit... Xaden Riorson was here.

" Well, see you guys on the other side.." Dylan says pulling out a necklace giving it a kiss like it'll bring him luck or something before stuffing it back into his shirt and starting on the Parapet. My eyes go back to Riorson.

" Ready for the next one!" The stocky man calls.

" Good luck." I say quickly to Hetta. She gives me a small nod, " You as well." She says now giving a small smile making her way.

" Name." The stocky man says, I notice the girl and Xaden were now a little closer, but entertained watching the cadets trying to cross.

" Freya.. Sorrengail." I say a little quieter. But he heard me. I never seen someone whip around so fast, even the girl beside him looked a little shocked at the abruptness. He strides over, staring me down.

" Your a Sorrengail?" He asks. Up close he needed to be a good 6'6 he seemed massive compareed to my tall frame still of 5'11.

I refuse to show any weakness, or uncertainty. I hear Mira's warnings but I know I can't get away now unless I jump off the side.. or he picks me up and throws me off, by the look on his face that looked like a possibility.

I lift my chin, settling my hand over my sheathe, " Your a Riorson." I say blandly.

" No shit." He scoffs, " Your mother killed my Father."

I take a step towards him, " After your father killed my brother."

I could see Xaden was intrigued by my advance, his face flashes something of amusement and anger " You don't look like your brother." He says.

My jaw tightens, wondering if I would be fast enough to slit his throat, woulf there be a punishment for that? Surely his little friends would try to kill me. I need to live. For Mira. " So I've been told." I slowly grit.

" I've heard about the ghostly looking Sorrengail. The sickness that took all her color when she was a baby, whaty did they say... It was a griffon riders poison that made you that way or.." He grins, " No...no.. it was a different bloodline..yea.."

How the hell would a Riorson know about...

" If you want to kill me so badly go right ahead and stop with all this bother." I snap.

He was about to respond when a scream rand out, my head snaps momentarily to the boy I talked to.. Dylan slipping from the Parapet. He tried catching himself but with the heavy rain and the glistening stones I know his bare hands couldn't get a grip, he falls into the valley.

The last look he had was pure and utter horror.

I didn't cry out..I made sure my face did not contort, I even looked away a second before he would've fully disappeared back to Xaden, I hear Hetta scream for him but she cut herself off, knowing she needed to keep going.

Xaden to was just pulling his gaze back from the encounter looking back at me. " As much fun as it would be to watch those.. well that one eye drain of color it wouldn't be as satisfying seeig you have nothing to drain. And the mess... and then I'd need to give a reason and.." He sighs, " Letting the Parapet do it for me will be so much less work."

He happens to look down at my hands to the gloves Mira gave me. " I don't think a Sorrengail needs those.." He quickly rips them off my hands throwing them over the edge " I think your friend down there needs them more." I see the wicked grin on his face as he looks at me.

My gloves...

Seeing Dylan now fall to his death because the rocks had no grip makes me wanna puke, I know if I happen to fall those gloves would've helped... now if I fall I'll be just another body, and Xaden would watch me die with pure satisfaction.

I bite down the bile that now so badly wanted to come up as I glare at him, he steps to the side..." Well, your turn... Good luck." He takes a step back.