"Guys." I say, capturing everyones attention as I slide into the seat beside Ridoc, "I started channeling last night. It hurts like a bitch." That just makes them laugh.

"Lets go little Riorson!" Ridoc shouts, throwing his arm around my shoulders. I zone out of the conversation, replaying the events of last night over and over again.

I had almost passed out from the pain but somehow I found myself outside Xaden's door, waiting not very patiently for him to get back from his weapon drop. When he got back, him, Bodhi and Garrick had shared very concerned looks, muttering something about it being unusal, but they still comforted me through the pain.

"It was the coolest thing ever," Ridoc continues. "One second he was sparring against that third-year with the wicked broadsword skills, and then Sawyer-"

"You could let him tell the story," Rhiannon chides, rolling her eyes.

"No thank you," Sawyer counters, shaking his head, staring at his fork with a hefty dose of fear.

Ridoc grins, in all his glory telling the story. "And then the sword just twists in Sawyer's hand, curving toward the third-year even though Sawyer was way off the mark." He grimaces in Sawyer's direction. "Sorry, man, but you were. If your sword hadn't decided to warp and go straight for that guy's arm-"

"You're a metallurgist?" Quinn's eyebrows rise. "Really?"

"That's fucking cool." I chime in/

Sawyer nods. "That's what Carr says. Aetos dragged me straight to the professor when he saw it happen."

"I'm so jealous!" Ridoc grabs his chest. "I want my signet power to manifest!"

"You wouldn't be so excited if it meant you weren't sure if your fork would stab into the roof of your mouth because you can't control it yet." Sawyer shoves his tray away.

"Good point." Ridoc looks at his own tray.

"You'll manifest when your dragon is ready to trust you with all that power," Quinn says, then finishes off her water. "Just hope your dragons trust you before about six months and-" She makes a sound like an explosion and mimics it with her hands.

Oh. Now i'm fucking scared.

Don't worry Vicious one, I can tell your signet is going to be good and come all in due time.

"Stop scaring the children," Imogen says. "That hasn't happened in"- she pauses to think-"decades." When we all stare at her, she rolls her eyes. "Look, the relic your dragons transferred onto you at Threshing is the conduit to let all that magic into your body. If you don't manifest a signet and let it out, then after a bunch of months, bad things happen." We all gawk.

"The magic consumes you," Quinn adds, making the explosion sound again.

"Relax, it's not like a hard deadline or something. It's just an average." Imogen shrugs.

"Fuck me, it's always something around here," Ridoc mutters. "Feeling a little luckier now," Sawyer says, staring at his fork. "We'll get you some wooden utensils," I tell Sawyer. "And you should probably avoid the armory or sparring with...anything."

Sawyer scoffs. "That's the truth. At least I'll be safe during flight this afternoon."

I turn around, finding a pair of gorgeous blue eyes baring into me. I offer him a smile, unable to tear my gaze away.

"You two are not slick." Ridoc teases, giving my shoulder a nudge.

"I like it better when we have it in the morning," Rhiannon says, her face souring. "It's way worse after we've eaten breakfast and lunch." "Agreed."

"Finish the turkey," Imogen orders. "I'll see you tonight." She and Quinn clear their trays, taking them back to the window for scullery.

"Is she any nicer when she's training you?" Rhiannon asks.

"No. But she's efficient." Violet replies.

"What's Professor Carr like?" I ask Sawyer, then tuck my tray onto the stack. I have him today

"Fucking terrifying," Sawyer answers. "I can't wait for the entire year to start wielding lessons so everyone can enjoy his particular brand of instruction." Oh, great.

We head out through commons and the rotunda and into the courtyard, all buttoning up our coats. November has hit hard with gusty winds and frosted grass in the morning, and the first snow isn't far behind.

"I knew it would work!" Jack Barlowe says ahead of us, dragging someone under his arm and thumping her head affectionately.

"Isn't that Caroline Ashton?" Rhiannon asks, her mouth hanging open as Caroline heads toward the academic wing with Jack.

"Yeah." Ridoc tenses. "She bonded Gleann this morning."

"Wasn't he already bonded?" Rhiannon watches them until they disappear into the wing.

"His rider died on our first flight lesson." I focus on the gate ahead that leads to the flight field.

"So I guess the unbonded still have that shot they're looking for," Rhiannon mutters.

"Yeah." Sawyer nods, his features tense. "They do."

-----------

"Why didn't you tell me you can't keep your fucking seat?" I hear Dain shout at Violet, from across the fucking flight field.

Before I even realise what i'm doing, i'm already half way over to them

Gaia growls in my mind.

"I've got this," she shouts back at him.

"All this time, I've been letting Kaori teach you, thinking he must have everything under control. After all, if the rider of the strongest dragon in the quadrant couldn't keep her seat, then surely we'd all know." He rips his hand over his hair. "Surely I would know if my best friend fell every fucking day that she flew!"

"It's not a secret!"

Anger bubbles in my veins.

"Everyone in our wing knows! I'm sorry if you haven't been keeping tabs on your squad, but trust me, Dain. Everyone knows. And I'm not going to stand here while you lecture me like I'm a child." Violet walks away, towards me

"You didn't tell me," he says, anger in his voice giving way to hurt as he catches up, oh my gods just go away.

I can torch him if you'd like?

"You've been flying for a month, and you're still falling." Violet finally reaches me.

"So is half the wing, asshole!" I snap, finally done with his bullshit.

"Not a dozen times, they aren't," he shoots back. He's on our heels as we pick up our pace toward the path that will lead back to the citadel, the gravel crunching beneath my boots. "I just want to help you, Vi. How can I help?"

"You should have seen me a month ago when it was three dozen times."

"Three dozen?" His voice rises on the last word.

Violet halts and offers a smile. "It sounds worse than it is, Dain. I promise."

"Will you at least tell me what part of flight you have trouble with? At least let me help you."

"You want a list of my flaws? My thighs are too weak, but I'm building muscle. My hands can't grip the pommel, but they're getting stronger. It took weeks for my biceps to heal, so I'm training that one, too. But you don't have to worry about me, Dain, Imogen is training me."

"Because Riorson asked her to," he guesses, folding his arms across his chest.

"Shut the fuck up Aetos." I say, leveling him with a glare.

"He doesn't have your best interest at heart." He shakes his head, "First, it was bending the rules to make it up the Gauntlet, and yes, Amber lit into me for an hour about how you acted dishonorably."

Fuck this.

I start to yell but Dain cuts me off, again.

"And you just took her word for it? Without asking me what happened?"

"She's a wingleader, Vi. I'm not about to question her integrity!"

"Xaden is a wingleader too, Dain. And if you don't stop bad mouthing my brother, you won't have a mouth."

He shoots me a scared glance, but continues lecturing Violet.

"Fine. You made it up. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't stand myself if something happened to you, whether you were handling the trial the right or wrong way. And then I thought you'd be fine if you survived Threshing, but even bonded to the strongest of them..." He shakes his head.

"Go ahead. Say it."

My hands curl into fists, my nails biting into my palms.

"I'm terrified you're not going to make it to graduation, Vi." His shoulders slump. "You know exactly how I feel about you, whether or not I can do anything about it, and I'm terrified."

Violet fucking starts laughing.

Dain's eyes widen.

"This place cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever you are at your core. Isn't that what you said to me? Is this who you really are at your core? Someone so enamored with rules that he doesn't know when to bend or break them for someone he cares about? Someone so focused on the least I'm capable of doing, he can't believe I can do so much more?"

Oh. Oh fuck yes.

"Let's get one thing straight, Dain." Violet steps closer.

"The reason we'll never be anything more than friends isn't because of your rules. It's because you have no faith in me. Even now, when I've survived against all odds and bonded not just one dragon but two, you still think I won't make it. So forgive me, but you're about to be some of the bullshit that this place cuts away from me." Violet grabs my hand, dragging me away.

Sunlight overpowers me for a second as I walk into the courtyard. Classes are out for the afternoon, and I see Xaden and Garrick leaned up against the wall of the academic building like gods surveying their domain.

Xaden arches a dark eyebrow as we pass by.

Violet flips him the middle finger.

Fair enough.

"Everything all right?" Rhiannon asks as we catch up to her and the guys.

"Dain is an ass-"

"Make it stop!" someone screams, rushing down the steps of the rotunda and holding his head.

"For gods' sake, make it stop!" he shrieks, stumbling into the courtyard.

My hands hover over my blades.

A shadow moves to my left, and a glance tells me Xaden has moved, casually putting himself just ahead of me and Violet.

The crowd hollows, forming a circle around the first-year as he screams, clutching his head.

"Jeremiah!" someone shouts, coming forward.

"You!" Jeremiah spins, pointing his finger at the third-year. "You think I've lost it!" His head tilts, and his eyes flare. "How does he know? He shouldn't know!" His tone shifts, like the words aren't his own.

Chills race down my spine.

"And you!" He spins again, pointing at a second-year in First Wing. "What the hell is wrong with him? Why is he screaming?" He turns again, focused on Dain. "Is Violet going to hate me forever? Why can't she see that I just want to keep her alive? How is he...? He's reading my thoughts!"

That's embarrassing.

Jeremiah unsheathes his shortsword. "Make it stop! Can't any of you see? The thoughts won't stop!" His panic is palpable, clogging my own throat.

"Do something," Violet begs.

His unwavering, lethal focus is on Jeremiah, but his body tenses at my plea, poised, ready to strike. "Start mentally reciting whatever bookish shit you've learned, Stas think about anything else."

"I'm sorry?" Vi hisses.

"If you value your secrets, clear your thoughts. Now," Xaden orders, giving me a desperate look.

Oh. Shit.

I think about my childhood, time with my dad, time with Liam.

"And you!" Jeremiah turns, his gaze locking on Garrick. "Damn it all to hell. He'll know about-" The shadows around Jeremiah's feet snake up his legs in a heartbeat, winding around his chest until they cover his mouth in bands of black.

Professor Carr pushes through the crowd, his shock of white hair bouncing with every step of his large frame.

"He's an inntinnsic!" someone shouts, and that seems to be all that's necessary.

Carr grips Jeremiah's head with both hands, and a crack echoes off the walls of the silent courtyard. Xaden's shadows melt away and Jeremiah falls to the ground, his head at an unnatural, macabre angle. His neck is broken.

He bends down and lifts Jeremiah's body with surprising strength, carrying him into the rotunda.

Xaden inhales sharply beside me, then walks away with Garrick, headed toward the academic wing. Nice to see you, too.

"Maybe I don't want a signet power after all," Ridoc murmurs.

"That death is merciful compared to what will happen if you don't manifest one," Dain says, and I swear I start to feel my relic burn across my back.

"And that," Sawyer says from Rhiannon's side, "was Professor Carr."

--------

I lay in Liam's, him behind me as he plays idly with my hair, planting little kisses on my neck.

"Mhm," I pause, "Liam, can we talk; about us?" That causes him to freeze. I turn to face him, propping my chin on my hand. "Like, what is this?"

Vicious one! It's Violet.

shit.

"I'll be back." I promise Liam before sprinting to her room without a second thought.

-----------



Xaden's already in the doorway when I arrive, his face a mask of veritable rage as shadows curl from the walls on either side of him, hanging in midair.

Xaden's gaze snaps to mine, his onyx eyes flaring in shock for no longer than a millisecond before he strides forward, his shadows streaming before him as he enters the room. He snaps his fingers and the room illuminates, mage lights hovering above us.

"You're all fucking dead." His voice is eerily calm and all the scarier for it.

It finally gives me time to see what's going on.

Six unbonded cadets are in Violets room, all armed, one of them on the ground, clutching her wound.

"Riorson!" Oren's dagger clatters to the floor.

"You think surrendering will save you?" Xaden's lethally soft tone sends goose bumps up my arms. "It is against our code to attack another rider in their sleep."

"But you know he never should have bonded her!" Oren puts his hands up, his palms facing us. "You of all people have reason enough to want the weakling dead. We're just correcting a mistake."

Suddenly, a sharp burning rage pours through me, I feel it crawl through my veins

"Dragons don't make mistakes." Xaden moves to use his signet, but suddenly, a sharp rage burns through me and I feel my feel lift off the floor, my hands extended. Red magic flows from my hands, grabbing everyone in the room (except Violet, Xaden and Oren) with the same red magic, raising them into the air.

Every one of the assailant's necks snap, instantly, their bodies still hovering above the ground in red magic, my magic, before dropping seconds later.

I feel my feet hit the ground.

Chaos Wielder.

Holy fuck.

All the eyes in the room turn to me in shock.

Xaden prowls forward as though he has all the time in the world and holds out his palm as yet another tendril of darkness lifts my discarded dagger from the floor.

"Let me explain." Oren eyes the dagger, and his hands tremble.

"I've heard everything I need to hear." Xaden's fingers curl around the hilt. "She should have killed you in the field, but she's merciful. That's not a flaw I possess." He slashes forward so quickly that I barely catch the move, and Oren's throat opens in a horizontal line, blood streaming down his neck and chest in a torrent.

He grabs for his throat, but it's useless. He bleeds out in seconds, crumpling to the floor. A crimson puddle grows around him.

"Damn, Xaden." Garrick walks in, sheathing his sword as his gaze rakes over the room. "No time for questioning?"

"No need for it," Xaden counters as Bodhi enters, doing the same quick assessment Garrick had.

Violet starts laughing, and we all turn to her in shock.

"Let me guess," Bodhi says, rubbing the back of his neck. "We're on cleanup?"

"Call in help if you need it," Xaden answers with a nod.

I just fucking manifested. The realisation hits me like a brick and I collapse, staring at my hands. Arms wrap around me, rubbing circles on my back, trying to calm my breathing.

Bodhi.

He doesn't say anything. He doesn't have too, it's just how we are.

"Yes. You're alive." Xaden steps over Oren's body and two others.

Garrick hauls out the first body.

"I didn't realize I'd said that out loud."

Xaden and Violet start talking, but i'm still too stunned to pay attention

I can barely breathe, Bodhi is still rubbing circles on my back.

Two other men walk in through the open door, Garrick following closely after.

"Take those two, and we'll get the last ones," Garrick orders, and the others get to work, carrying the last of the bodies out through the door.

"Thank you," Xaden says, then flicks his hand and the door shuts with a soft click.

"Holy fucking shit Stas." He says turning to me, shaking his head. "A chaos wielder, there hasn't been one of those in, fuck. Centuries. Are you ok?" He sounds, proud?

I just nod.

He goes back to Violet. That man is so whipped.







A/N

If you're confused in any way, her signet is like the Scarlet Witches magic.