15-Presentation Day

" Xaden!" I yell trying to go after him but he keeps walking. " Riorson!" I yell again.

He knows.

He knows and could easily turn me in for cheating, I could be kicked out, or killed.. They could tell my mom and whatever she'd do to me would be worse then death.

I was so.. panicked.. I took a knife from my sheathes whipping it at him. As I expected his shadow caught it and I stood there. I see him pause, then turn around slowly " That..Sorrengail is another stab wound."

" So you watch me to?! Are you that.. intimidated by me?!" I yell marching up to him.

" What's that saying..keep your friends close and enemies closer by watching them in your shadows?" He mocks. I go to hit him but he catches my hand, it almost hit him " If you don't want my shadow piercing your side I suggest you calm the hell down and quiet that voice of yours." He warns lowly.

I stare daggers into him, but I relax taking a step back and again his shadow offers me my dagger. This is the second time in 5 minutes and he still hasn't killed me...

" I bet my mother would reward you if you gave her that book."

" And I bet you could get out of this hell hole and live a very peaceful life if you told your mother about my little meeting and who was all there. I bet she'd love to kill another Riorson." Xaden counters leaning in just a touch.

" You were only helping them, that's not punishable. It's selfless. And-"

" Hetta." He says. " Your a.. friend to her despite her mark. Sounds selfless on your end to. I bet mommy wouldn't like you being friendly to us.."

" Well, I'm not anything like my mother. And I don't think majority of you were like your parents so.. figure I'd give everyone a fair shot if they do the same." I admit.

He blinks a few times before looking around us, " Well, call it even... If you throw another knife at me.." he pauses " I'll shove it so far-"

I roll my eyes walking away, " Don't threaten me with a good time.."

I hear a scoff, " Sick bitch.."

" I prefer twisted!" I throw over my shoulder as I walk.

" Have fun with Dain!" He calls.

" I think I'll wait until tonight to see him! If your lonely you can always tune in!"

I swore he laughed though it was quiet as I walked away. I hope what he said.. No, he's not that perverted to.. At this point I don't know how to describe Xaden Riorson..

He says he wants to kill me but yet is very..playful... he has had multiple chances to kill me or rat me out.. and I know it's not just about Hetta...

I shake my head, it seems more clustred then before as I sneak to the Second year hall, hoping no one will see me.....

One of the doors open.

A tall blonde walks out pulling down his shirt.. I stop dead in my tracks looking at Liam Mari who was looking back at me with the same expression. We look at eachother for a couple seconds before he slowly starts moving one direction and I go the other.

All I can say... AWKWARD.

I jog to Dain's door knocking on it.. He opens it " What-" He sees it's me and his expression softens. " I was wondering when you were coming."

I smile, " Got distracted."

" Come in..." He says moving from the door, once I come inside he locks it behind me. " What.. were you doing?"

" I just needed a second to think." I admit sitting on his neatly done bed. His room is always just..pristine.

He comes over sitting on the bed with me, " Do you wanna talk about it?" He asks. I shrug, " It won't make any difference."

He seems to be contemplating, " You'll feel better if you tell me." His cups my face brushing the side of my face with his thumb, I pull away almost instantly " I won't." His expression hardens just a little, " Did someone say something?"

I look away, " No, I just had a realization."

" Freya.." He says taking my chin making me look back at him. " Please."

I angle more towards him, his face looked concerned as he stared back at me, it almost made my heart flutter. I give a light smile, " It's truly stupid Dain.."

" I don't care. I want to listen to your problems, however stupid." Now he gives a crooked smile, breaking down the small barrier I had. " I just feel bad for Hetta... And the others."

His mouth quirks ever so slightly, " Yea, death always sucks."

" No. No...That's not what I meant..."

He furrows his brows just a bit, his hand landing on my knee " Then what?"

" I mean.. How we treat them. They're not their parents-"

Dain scoffs, " So your telling me you feel bad for the ones like Imogen, Bohdi and damned Riorson? They're exactly like their parents."

" And you know their parents?" I question.

" No, but I trust our parents. Don't pity them."

" But not all of them are bad."

" They're marked."

" Alot of them were young Dain.. They had no idea?"

" Why are you defending them?" He says a little sterner. " She's not putting thoughts in your head is she?"

" No! Why would you even say that!" I yell, standing. He looks up at me, " Freya.." He reaches for me but I back away. " What did you want to talk about?"

" Sit back down.."

" I prefer to stand."

He sighs, " I heard Tynan was giving you some trouble.."

I shrug, " He was just being an arrogant ass, Jack's been putting shit in his head."

" I'll make sure to kick his ass." He mutters rolling up his sleeves, I shrug " No need."

" You sure?"

" Yea.. Was that all?"

" I heard all our squads times were promising, yours was one of the fastest."

" I was dying...how was my time that good X-" I cut myself off. " Um.. how can you see the times?"

He stands, " Cadets don't know their practice times. People like me can see the times, just know they were good."

" I see. Now are we done here?" I ask almost annoyed now. Dain frowns, " Look, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said something so stupid..I'm sorry."

" It's fine.." I say as I walk to the door.

" Freya.."

" It's fine Dain, I'll talk to you later."

Day by day I train, Xaden's words repeat everytime I go through the course. I push, I think of Dain's disappointment, makes enough fuel to propel me through day after day, and every day I get used to it a little more, I find little things for me that work.

Dain had to supervise one day, though I knew he was looking at me I didn't say a word, I was mad at him for assuming Hetta would be one to.. brainwash me or something, it also upsets me he sees them like most others do as well.

The last day was Xaden... No, he took whoever's Duty it was.

I wonder why...

He stands there in all his self glory with a cocky expression as we go one by one, " Fury..your up!" He yells, the others he announced normally..just mine he yelled.. what an ass. I roll my eyes and started, the whole time he had commentary which I always shot back at, even taking a piece of rubble throwing it at him.

It landed feet away from him, he only stared at it looking back up at me " That's another stab wound Fury!"

I lift my shirt, " Good! That one can go right there!" I point at a part on my left side of my stomach glaring at him before finishing the course.

Now it's Presentation day.

I made sure to go to bed extra early, get up earlier and deep stretch rereading sections of Brennan's notes before I wake up Hetta. I put my hair in a simple braid, she wanted braids as well so I put her's in two tight braids with buns at the bottom.

We were to go to the combat rooms to get escourted from there. " Are you ready for this?" I whisper to Hetta. " I think so, We've done it quite a few times.. This time can't be no different right?"

" Right." I nod. " Treat it just like a practice."

We go, line up in our wings and wait. I see Dain weaving through the crowd to get to the front standing next to the other important people in each wing, I see Xaden scanning everyone boredly shifting my gaze away before we could look at eachother.

I try not to show nerves, yea it's like another practice but we finally meet the dragons. It just now occured to me that if they don't like how I look.. I could be ash... and I.. am hard to miss. I swallow that thought down for now as I stand a little straighter, even out my breaths and wait.

" Fourth Wing... I expect all of you to be alive by the end of today.." Xaden exclaims, " Attempt to impress me.." He says flatly his eyes not looking into mine.

I tighten my jaw as I look back... He just want to get in my head.. I see Dain looking at him to me.. giving me a small nod, which I return. Xaden's eyes snap to Dain and he says something that makes Dain glare at him as Xaden pushes past him " Follow me!"

An ass. An complete ass.

I can see Dain falling back until he's right beside me and Hetta. " If your in any doubt use the ropes-"

" We've done this enough times." I reassure, " It's not the Gauntlet I'm most worried about."

" Cath I'm sure has spread the word there's another Sorrengail to the dragons. they'll see your power." Dain says, " You'll get noticed."

" Probably for all the wrong reasons."

Dain looks down at me, " Sure dragons look at you physically.. But your strong.. build and temper wise. Don't worry."

" What did Xaden say to you?" I ask.

His expression scowls, " He was just being a dick... I'll tell you later, I don't need you distracted."

We reach the Gauntlet, we file in small rows of 4 within our wing. " Run fast, quick feet, and use that form of yours got it? Dain says. " You got this."

I give him a small smile as we bump fists. " Aetos, shouldn't you be watching the others?" Xaden asks, " Of do I need to do all the work while your here with your girlfriend?"

Dain looks at me one more time, " See you up there."

I nod once more as he walks away, Xaden still stands watching him then looking at me. " Still planning on beating my time?"

" I think it'd piss you off more if I didn't. I think you want me too."

He grins, " Either way... as your going through the course I'll be fantasizing how I'll be killing you."

I chuckle, " Awee, you fantasize about me... I'm flattered."

He glares, coming a little closer, " Right by those spinning logs where lialc died there's just enough shadow... shame if something pushes you off right there." He whispers walking away.

My expression hardens as I watch him walk..Not sure if it was an empty threat or not. " Fury, your second to go! Get your ass up here!"

" Ass." I mutter.

A girl named Luca goes first, once she hits the half way mark I start. I bound over the first log with ease, I have a running start at the pillars jumping a good ways up at the strong ledges I memorized crawling up.

Now the hardest part, the stupid chimney structure.. I take a couple deep breaths jumping again making like an X with my body moving up the chimney faster then I ever did before. Now the rolling logs..

I see the small part where the shadows would be, was Xaden really serious, was he trying to kill me now? This would certainly be the way to do it..

No, I can't think about that... I'm almost there.. I take a breath, going into stance again propelling my feet, the first, the second, the third, the fourth..last one.... I could've swore I saw a shadow move. I try moving my feet away.

And I slip....