"We commend their souls to Malek." Vyshena had been missing since last night. Disappearing from her room once Violet told Xaden who exactly tried to kill her. Formation started, and Rhiannon quietly asked Violet where the silver-haired princess was. "I have no idea." Maybe she was sick? She looked different last night when she came into Violet's room, but perhaps the sight of Xaden untying Violet's corset caused the greenish hue on her features.

"Aetos, Vaughn Penley will be leaving your command, and you'll be gaining Liam Mairi from Tail Section." Where was Vyshena, she should be here. Violet saw how Liam nodded at Xaden and moved sections. "Do you know where Vyshena is?" Violet asked Liam who slowly turned his head, looking down at the two girls as if he realized the princess wasn't amongst them.

And Violet realized Amber Mavis wasn't either. There was no way. There was no way for Vyshena to know it was Amber, no way for her to even think that Amber could do this. Violet snapped at Xaden, claiming she didn't need a bodyguard. But she couldn't stop thinking about if she got Amber killed, or who did the killing since the princess wasn't there, neither Amber.

"Did you tell Vyshena?" Violet spoke under her breath and Xaden ignored her. "It has been brought to my attention as your commandant that a breach of the Codex as occurred," Panchek calls over the courtyard, and Violet's stomach falls. Oh, Gods. It was true.

Panchek recalls the information he was given, and was obviously searching the crowd for someone. For Amber. "As we all know, this is a violation of Article Three, Section Two of the Dragon Rider's Codex and, in addition to being dishonorable, is a capital offense." This wasn't happening. Violet knew everyone was staring at her, as Xaden walked to the podium.

"Having been alerted by my own dragon, I interrupted the attack along with three other Fourth Wing riders." Violet knew Garrick and Bodhi were there- but who was the third he claimed had helped? "As it was a matter of life and death, I personally executed six of the would-be murderers, as witness by Flame Section Leader Garrick Tavis, Tail Section Executive Officer Bodhi Durran, and first-year rider Vyshena Lenayon, of the Fourth Wing." Where was she?

Violet noticed how Xaden quickly sat up taller, "I call you to answer for your crime against Cadet Sorrengail," and Vyshena had walked through the courtyard, dragging Amber Mavis behind her. A strong grip to the woman's ankle, everyone could see the bruising and cuts on Vyshena's face. "What the hell," Dain spoke just under his breath. "Wingleader Amber Mavis." Vyshena dropped Amber's ankle, and grabbed the girl by the back of her tunic, forcing her to her feet.

"See you in hell." Vyshena said, knocking her forward as she stumbled quickly on her feet. Amber's face had been black and blue, her hands trembling as she stared into Xaden's eyes. Her tunic was ripped at the arm and around her torso, cuts along the pants she wore.

Amber was terrified, her mouth opening and closing as if debating on telling a secret. "She's not human!" Was shouted from Amber's throat and the entire courtyard went silent. "She's a dragon! She has no human, in her!" Amber screamed out of breath, "she has blood manipulation! She used my own blood against me, and when she used hers, she scarred me!" Amber heaved, stumbling forward. "She brought me to her world. Her fallen kingdom, and it erupted into a fire so hot. She could hear my thoughts, and she used the earth to suck me in." Amber shivered as her eyes caught Vyshena, void of everything.

The accusations were enough of a death sentence, enough for the council to ignore the assassination attempt. Mostly because the accusations were brutal, but also true.

Vyshena ignored the stares as her eyes never left Amber's. She saw Liam, knowing of Xaden's plan of moving him as she stood with her hands in front of her. She was still in her baby blue nightgown, but blood was stained on the ends of her hair and the fabric. Dirt covered her arms and legs, her nightgown destroyed. Gods, she tortured Amber. Violet grew nauseas at the sight. This was because of her.

Dain shot toward Violet, arguing with her and drawing more attention. "Aetos," Vyshena said while taking a step back and staring up at the man. "I'd believed you had something to do with this, but I kept my questions quiet. You're too focused on getting Violet to the Scribe quadrant, I wouldn't put it past you to take her life because she isn't listening to you. You should pray to whatever God you believe in I didn't find you last night instead of Mavis." Vyshena's voice was calm, but her accent sank deep into their section. It was deaf to everyone else, "are you accusing me?"

"If I was, you'd be right next to your dear Amber and Cath would be riderless." Dain blinked quickly, "this is absurd, you have no right." Dain reached his hand out and Vyshena grabbed onto his wrist, twisting him uncomfortably and kicking the back of his knees. This wasn't necessary. "You are out of line!" Dain yelled as Vyshena pushed him forward to where his face was laid uncomfortably on the gravel. She did all of this in a nightgown and no shoes.

"Get up. You're stronger than her. She's nothing." Vyshena smiled, "You're stronger than me?" She questioned out loud, but almost silent and Dain's thoughts went quiet immediately. She felt the block he put up, but had pushed through it as if it was a cloud. "There is no where you can hide from me. Not you, not your father,"

Violet saw Xaden, and how his eyes were glued to Vyshena. "Lenayon!" His voice echoed and she looked up. Past her hair, through her eyelashes, at the man who took everything from her. She could have this entire school in flames, could burn it so hot the stone would melt. Xaden saw the eyes, the golden ones that shimmered. She debated doing it, leaving absolutely nothing in her wreckage as she flew to Fyda and Eon. There was nothing here that could benefit her.

She felt Liam's hand on her bicep in what seemed of a warning, but was a pull back to her body and she let Dain go, "Sca, breathe." Violet heard Liam whisper as she took steps back and leaned against his chest. Liam nodded once to Xaden, as he continued to the punishment. Liam wrapped his arm around Vyshena's chest, her skin burning holes into his shirt but he ignored the pain. She needed an anchor.

As Tairn opened his mouth toward Amber, Violet took a step back. She immediately melted, leaving nothing but bone and a scorched patch in the gravel. Violet saw Vyshena push off of Liam. Claidh's mourns filled the entire school, for miles. Violet slammed her hands over her ears, seeing Xaden who did the same.

Finding Dain who was now to his feet, his hands over his ears and tears streaming down his face. Then she saw Vyshena, who stood at an angle to where Violet could see her staring down Xaden, her arms at her sides as everyone felt their ear drums beat hard.

Violet was with Liam in the archives, talking about Xaden as they waited for the texts. "You actually know him, don't you?" She asked, tilting her neck back to look at the blond haired boy. "He didn't just pick you to shadow me because you're the best in our year?" Liam had a small smile on his lips. "Riorson, Lenayon and I were fostered at the same estate after the apostasy," Liam explains while Violet's face fell. It makes so much sense. Why Xaden and Vyshena are constantly fighting, why Liam and her are as close as they are. "You all were fostered?" Violet asked, her mouth dropping open.

"Well, yeah. Where did you think the kids of the traitors-" he had an ugly look on his face as he said it. "Went after they executed our parents?" It was dumb on Violet's part, thinking that the children just went on with their life after the massacre. "How did Vyshena get sent with you?" She asked.

"Sent with Xaden. Fen Riorson and King Matavon were close. My mother was close with Queen Calanthe. My sister and I were at Alithia more than we were home." Violet kept her brows furrowed, and her heart jumped at the mention of the fallen kingdom. "So they did grow up together?" Violet asked, forgetting it from Vyshena herself and Liam rose his brows. "Born in the same room, two years apart. But, yeah. They grew up together." Liam answered and Violet glanced to Liam's chest as her thoughts ran rampant in her head.

"Thinking about it won't do you any good. They have years of," Liam tried to find the correct word. "Secrets between them that no one will ever know- that I don't even know. And it's for a reason. King Matavon trusted Fen Riorson enough to keep him close, and because of that..." He stopped and held his hand out. "Vyshena and Xaden are the way they are because of that." Violet answered and Liam clicked his tongue. "Correct."

"So, why doesn't Vyshena have the rebellion relic?" Violet asked after Liam told her the oldest of them were Xaden, and the youngest was six. "Fyda didn't allow it. She almost lost her life to Codagh during the war. But Vyshena told her to flee, so she did. Knowing that they would both lost their lives if Fyda got ahold of Codagh." The purple dragon. "So people have seen Fyda?"

"She was the first dragon to turn on her own kind. She had Codagh's neck in her jaws when Vyshena begged her and she dropped Codagh and ran. Tairn was there with Sgaeyl, and Rio. There are no reports of it because of what happened, but the people who were there know." Liam said while Violet felt nauseas. "You were there?" Violet asked, eyes wide and noticed how Liam seemed to look as if he said too much. "The traitors of the rebellion were executed at the kingdom."

"Wait, how big is Fyda? The Lenayon's dragons are born with them and Vyshena was 16 when her parents died." Liam smiled. "The Lenayon's dragons are different from ours. They grow at the speed which benefits them. Fyda was the size of my palm until she was eight, then overnight she stood about the height of Basgaith." Liam said, Violet wondering what caused her to grow at such a height overnight.

"And so Vyshena doesn't have the mark because Fyda told Codagh not to mark her?"

Liam had a smile on his lips, a content one. "You cannot burn a dragon, Sorrengail."