𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄        ୨♡୧        𝒮𝒯𝑅𝐼𝒩𝒢
chapter15 ╱ ╱ 🖤🗝️  ༺ ˎˊ-

I gritted my teeth as I took the blow my opponent had just thrown at me. I tried not to think about the pain I still felt in my shoulder where the scar was pulling. I punched him in the throat, ending our fight. "Good job!" Ridoc exclaimed, coming closer.

I smiled slightly as I stepped off the mat leaving the place for Rhiannon and Violet.

Liam immediately rushed to my side, abandoning the figurine he was carving on the steps, "I saw him hit you in the shoulder, are you okay?" he asked, noticing the way I was holding it.

He nodded, "I'll be fine," I shrugged, but I immediately regretted it. I narrowed my eyes, gritting my teeth. I turned around, trying to watch Violet and Rhiannon train.

"I can't find anyone to train with!" Ridoc exclaims with a huff. I turned to him with a grimace, I wanted to train with him but I knew my wound would reopen if I went for a second round. "She's injured," Liam whispered so the others wouldn't hear, and I raised the corner of my mouth as he pulled me protectively closer.

"You're taking it easy on me," Violet exclaimed, regaining her balance. "We've been at this for an hour," Rhiannon swings her staff in the air, "you're tired, and the last thing I want is to hurt you."

"Challenges resume after solstice," Violet reminded her, I couldn't wait for them to start again, these trainings were starting to get boring, "you're not doing me any favors by holding back."

"She's not wrong," a deep voice says from behind us. Liam stiffened, his expression hard, I gave him an amused look, fake. "Well aware," Violet turned to watch Xaden who was walking past the mat with Garrick.

"Go away unless you have something useful to say,"Violet scolded him sending him a death stare. "Move faster. You'll be less likely to die. How's that for useful?" he shouted, taking up a position on a mat in the center of the gym.

Liam and I shook our heads. Xaden was right, Violet was too stubborn to admit it.

"What?"

"The way you talk to him,. . ." Rhiannon muttered. "What's he going to do? Kill me?" Violet lunged forward, swinging her staff at her legs. She jumped and spun, blocking the staff with a thump.

"You're likely to kill each other," Liam chimes, relaxing he rested his head on mine, stroking my back, "can't wait to see how you two function after graduation."

"Haven't let myself think past this week, let alone all the way to graduation."

"Look, I know you're. . . aggravated by how long it's taking Tairn to channel," Rhiannon says, circling, "I'm just saying on this mat with me is a way safer place for you to take out that anger than the giant, shadow-wielding wingleader."

"I don't want to take any of my anger out on you. You're my friend," she held out a hand to Xaden, "he's the one who stuck me with a shadow I can't shake because he thinks I'm his weakness. But does he help me?" she lunged at Rhiannon with her staff and she blocked her again, "no. Does he train me?" another lunge, another sharp jab between their staffs, "no. He's remarkably good at showing up when I'm about to die and eliminating threats, but that's it."

"So there's definitely some anger there," Rhiannon comments, dodging yet another attack. "You would be furious if someone took your freedom away. If you had Liam at your door every morning until every night, even as seemingly great as he is."

"I wouldn't get mad, the opposite," I exclaimed, holding him closer. Liam smiled, leaving a kiss in my hair. "And if I may interject, friendship will get you nowhere, it only holds back your potential because you're afraid of hurting each other, but I'll give you a little spoiler," I exclaimed, walking away from Liam, I walked over to the two of them, grabbing Rhiannon's staff as she moved away, "you'll die out there if you're not trained well, and as little as I care about your safety, Violet, you're unfortunately tied to Xaden, so," I dug the staff between her legs, Violet falls down off guard, "don't hold back, and hurt yourselves."

I glanced over at Xaden's mat where he and Garrick were preparing to fight, Xaden smiled, a proud smile he had shown me a few times. I smiled back as I walked back to Liam's side. "I'm hard."

"Rhiannon exclaimed, making Violet stand up, but she obviously had other things on her mind, she followed her gaze trying to understand what the hell she was looking at that moment.

A grimace of appreciation formed on my mouth at the sight of Xaden and Garrick bare-chested, within seconds they had thrown themselves into a savage fight. Now that was fighting.

"Pay attention!" Rhiannon yelled, "I could have . . . Oh!" she exclaimed, only then noticing what we were both looking at. Garrick is much larger than Xaden, his relic is smaller than my best friend's, but it's bigger than all the others.

"Stop objectifying our wingleader," Liam scolded us, "oh you too? Seriously Cass?" I whirled around shaking my head caught on the act, "I was watching the technique!" I exclaimed scratching the back of my neck where Liam had slapped me.

"Cassie's right!"

Liam rolled his eyes, "yeah sure."

"If you guys are this easily distracted, we're fucked for the Squad Battle," Aetos snapped, "you can kiss any thought of visiting the front lines goodbye."

I rolled my eyes, "you're just jealous because no one's looking at you," I scoffed, raising an eyebrows in challenge.

Aetos whirled around, shooting me a glare, only I could really incinerate him. "Get back to work. We have another half hour," he exclaimed, glaring at me one last time. "Why aren't you training?"

I looked down at him crossing my arms over my chest, "I've already did three sets," I replied, "I don't need any more training." I whirled around when I heard a thud from Violet's mat, I huffed and rolled my eyes when I saw her on the ground panting.

"And yet that is the rider Tairn chose,"  Jack Barlowe exclaimed from a few mats away, "I'm starting to think he chose wrong, but considering I haven't seen you wield any powers, I bet you're thinking the same thing, too, aren't you, Sorrengail? Shouldn't you have twice the ability to channel with two dragons?"

That boy is even more unbearable than Misha, he thinks he's so strong, but Xaden told me how he ran away during the Threshing. Liam and I leapt forward as Barlowe approached Violet, I was so eager to try my powers on someone.

"Simmer down, Mairi. I'm not going to attack your little charge. Not when I can just challenge her in a couple of weeks and accidentally snap her scrawny neck in front of an audience," Barlowe crosses his arms over his chest and watches her gasp. "Tell me, though, you are getting tired of playing the nursemaid, aren't you?" he cast his viper's gaze on me, one corner of his mouth lifting, "aren't you jealous that your boyfriend is always hanging out with her? Aren't you jealous that you two share him? If you get tired, I'm here for you."

I tried to hold back a laugh then leaned towards him with a smile, Jack raised his eyebrows with a smirk. I'm pretty sure his smile would disappear in a few seconds, "I don't like cowards, especially if they run away at the first inconvenience, I found them spineless especially if they act so big, tell me, what is it? Do you have to. . . I don't know, repay a lack with your ego? Maybe you have a small dick and you feel insecure?" I tried, glancing at his private parts. I must have hit the mark because Jack leapt forward, red in the face, I didn't move but I raised a hand, focusing my power on the palm from which a flame grew, I played with it a bit, watching it.

It seemed so strange that I could create such a thing, I could feel Caal's power coursing through my veins. I looked up at him who had recoiled, he was backing away visibly scared, "so, where do you want a new scar? I've never marked anyone, there's a first time for everything apparently!" I exclaimed smiling.

"You're fucking psycho!" Barlowe exclaimed, turning pale. "Coming from you, is a compliment," I exclaimed, raising my eyebrows. When he set his gaze on someone behind me he went even whiter, I already knew Xaden had come closer, scene stealer, "she's only alive because of you!"

"Right, because I'm the one who buried a dagger in your shoulder at Threshing," my best friend replied in his usual bored tone.

"We could just settle this now, if you're done hiding behind the big, strong men," Jack exclaimed, moving past Liam and me to stand in front of Violet, I accidentally put my hand on his arm, burning him. Jack recoiled, growling in shock. I raised my eyebrows, placing a hand over my mouth in ironic shock, "oops!"

Garrick joined the ranks, standing beside me, as did Imogen. If Jack had attacked Violet, he would have died instantly.

"That's what I thought," Jack said, blowing her a kiss.

"You ran," Violet snarled, "that day in the clearing you ran away, That day in the field, you fucking ran when it was three on one, and we both know you'll do it again because, like Cassie said, that's what cowards do."

I appreciate the mention, because I had already given him this speech. Jack turned red, his eyes almost popping out of his sockets.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Violet," Aetos muttered. He was a coward too, he had already proven it by hiding behind the Codex.

"She's not wrong," Xaden commented.

Garrick laughed and Liam blocked Jack as he lunged for her. His boots slipped on the wooden floor as he struggled in vain to stay in place. Liam dragged him out of the gym. And Xaden closed the massive doors with a wave of his hand, locking him out.

"Dang it, I wanted to set it on fire," I exclaimed, putting out the flame that I had lit again.

"What the hell were you thinking, egging him on like that?" Aetos lunged at her. "Oh, now you feel like talking to me?" Violet retorted, surprising me. Xaden stepped in front of her.

Even with his back to me I could tell he was angry, I knew him better than I knew myself. "Give us a second," he said.

We backed away, giving the two space to talk alone.

"I think I've fell in love with you," Ridoc exclaimed, catching us off guard. I raised my eyebrows, crossing my arms over my chest, "excuse me, what?" Liam tensed his jaw, assuming the same position as me.

Ridoc swallowed and scratched the back of his neck, "the way you stood up to Jack . . . was . . . exciting. But it's only platonic of course, I don't—I would never dare go against you, Mairi, er Liam."

I turned to Liam, he was definitely trying to kill Ridoc with his eyes. To be honest, I like this jealous version of Liam, maybe I could get used to it. The vein on his neck looks like it's about to pop. I put a hand on his arm trying to get his attention, "he's just joking, you should know better by now."

"Wingleader Riorson," Aetos interjected, approaching the two, "she's just not used to the bond yet. She'll learn how to block it out."

Only now I realized how close Xaden and Violet were.

"You choose the oddest times to defend her, Aetos," Xaden rolled his eyes, "and the most convenient times not to." Aetos clenched his jaw, clenching his hands into fists at his sides. The truth burned.

"Do us both a favor and put the fucking armor back on," Xaden sentenced, turning to Garrick.