I lay in bed, staring at nothing, thinking of everything. That one moment that changed my life forever, playing over and over in my head, haunting me.

--------------

"Please, PLEASE!" my desperate cries pierce the air, I thrash around in the mens arms, the men who keep my from my father.

"please." I sob, i'm quieter now, my voice exhausted from my wailing, tears spill violently from my eyes as I slump against wall, Xaden right beside me, drained from our attempts to get away.

"please." I barely manage to get that word out, the final word I every spoke to my father, the man who was put to death for doing the RIGHT thing.

"Fen Riorson, I hereby sentence you to death, for betraying Navarre in an act of treason." Lilith Sorrengail's shrill voice yelled. "Any final words?"

"You're all COWARDS!" My father growled, his gaze snapped to mine 'I love you', he mouthed, giving me an approving nod .'Finish what I started.' He was looking at Xaden.

Heat blasts my face, Codagh's horrid flames handing my father over to Malek.

A agonising scream rips from my trembling mouth.

My father is dead.

The man who read me bedtime stories, the man who taught me everything I know, the man who comforted me while I cried after my mother left me, the man who vowed to protect me against venin.

He was dead.

And so was I.

--------------

"Stas?" Liam asks anxiously, are you ok? "Liam? Wha- why are you here?" I say rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I must've dosed off.

"The meeting." He whisper-yells, helping me to my feet.

--------------

Xaden and Imogen are already here, "Hey guys!" I say, attempting to throw my arm around him but the height difference makes it uncomfortable, "Nevermind." Liam laughs, and I shoot him a glare.

Why is he literally a giant? It's not fair

After what feels like an eternity, the others finally arrive, saving me from myself, I stand between Xaden and Liam, using every ounce of self control not to look up at Liam's gorgeous face.

"We've already lost Sutherland and Luperco," Garrick says, earning a few sighs and muffled responses.

"Like it or not, we're going to have to stick together if you want to survive until graduation," Imogen says. That's very unlike her?

"And if they find out we're meeting?" a first-year girl with an olive complexion asks, her eyes darting around our circle.

"We've done this for two years and they've never found out," Xaden responds, folding his arms and leaning back against the tree. "They're not going to unless one of you tells. And if you tell, I'll know." The threat is obvious in his tone, I roll my eyes. "Like Garrick said, we've already lost two first-years to their own negligence. There are only forty-one of us in the Riders Quadrant, and we don't want to lose any of you, but we will if you don't help yourselves. The odds are always stacked against us, and trust me, every other Navarrian in the quadrant will look for reasons to call you a traitor or force you to fail."

"How many of you are getting your asses handed to you in hand-to hand?" Xaden asks.

Four hands shoot into the air, none of which belong to Liam or me, obviously.

"Shit," Xaden swears, Garrick sighs, "I'll teach them."

Xaden shakes his head. "You're our best fighter-" rude.

"You're our best fighter," Bodhi counters with a quick grin. "Dirtiest fighter, maybe," Imogen snarks.

Most everyone laughs, and even the first-years crack a smile.

"I would say little Riorson is the dirtiest" Garrick adds.

There's a general consensus of nods, including one from Liam, I roll my eyes.

"Garrick is our best fighter, but Imogen is right up there with him, and she's a hell of a lot more patient," Xaden notes, which is just ludicrous considering everyone just agreed it was up there, not that I wanted to train anyone anyways. "So the four of you split yourselves up between the two of them for training. A group of three won't draw any unwanted attention. What else is giving you trouble?"

"I can't do this," a gangly first-year says, rolling his shoulders inward and lifting his slim fingers to his face. That's to bad.

"What do you mean?" Xaden asks, his voice taking on a hard edge.

"I can't do this!" The smaller one shakes his head. "The death. The fighting. Any of it!" The pitch of his voice rises with every statement. "A guy had his neck snapped right in front of me on assessment day! I want to go home! Can you help me with that?"

Every head, including mine swings toward Xaden.

"No." Xaden shrugs. "You're not going to make it. Best accept it now and not take up more of my time."

It's all I can do to smother my gasp, and some of the others in the group don't bother trying. What. A. Dick.

The smaller guy looks stricken, and but can't feel bad for him, none of us want to be here.

"That was a little harsh, cousin," Bodhi says, lifting his eyebrows.

"What do you want me to say, Bodhi?" Xaden cocks his head to the side, his voice calm and even. "I can't save everyone, especially not someone who isn't willing to work to save themselves."

"Damn, Xaden." Garrick rubs the bridge of his nose. "Way to give a pep talk."

"If they need a fucking pep talk, then we both know they're not flying out of the quadrant on graduation day. Let's get real. I can hold their hands and make them a bunch of bullshit empty promises about everyone making it through if that helps them sleep, but in my experience, the truth is far more valuable."

I can't be bothered to listen to the rest, instead I let my gaze drift around the circle, taking in my surroundings, I can't help but feel as though someone is watching me, its unnerving really.

I look around, trying to see who when I spot a shadow in the fucking massive tree behind me, well shit.

There's a glint of silver poking out, is that Violet?

"When do we get to kill Violet Sorrengail?" My blood turns to ice.

The murmur of assent among the group sends a jolt of anger down my spine.

"Yeah, Xaden," Imogen says sweetly, lifting her pale green eyes to him. "When do we get to finally have our revenge?"

"I told you already, the youngest Sorrengail is mine, and I'll handle her when the time is right." Handle her, or fuck her.

"Didn't you already learn that lesson, Imogen?" Bodhi chides, "What I hear, Aetos has you scrubbing dinner dishes for the next month for using your powers on the mat."

Imogen's head snaps in his direction. "Her mother is responsible for the execution of my mom and sister. I should have done more than just snap her shoulder."

"Her mom is responsible for the capture of nearly all our parents," Garrick counters, folding his arms over his wide chest. "Not her daughter." I grin at that. "Punishing children for the sins of their parents is the Navarrian way, not the Tyrrish."

"So we get conscripted because of what our parents did years ago and shoved into this death sentence of a college-" Imogen starts.

"In case you didn't notice, she's in the same death sentence of a college," Garrick retorts. "Seems like she's already suffering the same fate."

"Don't forget her brother was Brennan Sorrengail," Xaden adds. "She has just as much reason to hate us as we do her." He pointedly looks at Imogen and the first-year who raised the question.

"And I'm not going to tell you again. She's mine to handle. Anyone feel like arguing?" Silence reigns.

"Good. Then get back to bed and go in threes." He motions with his head, and they slowly disperse, walking away in groups of threes just like he ordered.

Liam links his arm with mine as we make our way back to our dorms, slipping through the shadows.





A/N

should I add some romance in the next chapter or make them wait a little?

also I don't know how regularly I can update cause I gotta lock in for school