Child of Ardor

ii

Liam and I met with a couple other kids we knew from town and various other places — some marked, some not — and milled around for a couple of hours while the rest of the kids made it or died trying to make it across the parapet.

The Basgiath bells ring a final time signaling that the last of the cadets have made it across — or fell to their death — and the ceremony was about to start. The beginning to a new class of potential Riders. We all turned towards the entrance where a couple cadets walked in, followed by the three riders from the first torrent, my brother among them.

It's not just Xaden's height that makes him stand out in this crowd. It's the way the other riders all seem to move around him, like he's a shark and they're all fish giving him a wide berth. Xaden was scary and dangerous before the rebellion was taken down and he was forced to become an adult all to quickly — I can only imagine what he is like now. 

I am able to draw my curious gaze away from my brother as Commandant Penchek moves to the front of a podium and faces us. We're about to start.

"Three hundred and one of you have survived the parapet to become cadets today," Commandant Panchak started with a politician's smile, gesturing to us. "Good job. Sixty-seven did not." — Way worse than last year — "As the Codex says, now you begin the true crucible!" Panchek shouts, his voice caring over the five hundred — that I estimate — there are of us in the courtyard, eagerly hanging on each of his words. "You will be tested by your superiors, hunted by your peers, and guided by your instincts. If you survive Threshing, and if you are chosen, you will be riders. Then we'll see how many of you make it to graduation."

From what I've heard, it's averaged that only about 25% will make it to graduation. I will be one of those 25%. I have to be. 

"Your instructors will teach you," Panchek promises, his hand sweeping to the line of professors standing at the doors to what I assume is the academic wing. "It's up to you how well you learn." He swings his pointer finger at us. "Discipline falls to your units, and your wingleader is the last word." — Xaden is a wingleader, God, what if he's mine? — "If I have to get involved..." A slow, sinister smile spreads across his face. "You don't want me involved," He paused for dramatic effect as everyone thought about what those words really meant. "With that said, I'll leave you to your wingleaders. My best advice? Don't die." He walks off the dais with the executive commandant, leaving only the riders on the stone stage.

A woman with brunette hair and wide shoulders along with a scarred sneer stalks forward, the silver spikes on the shoulders of her uniform flashing in the sunlight. "I'm Nyra, the senior wingleader of the quadrant and the head of the First Wing. Section leaders and squad leaders, take your positions now."

Men and women who I recognize as third years and some second years shuffle around the room, shoving past lots of people until there are about fifty people in front of us, spaced out in formation.

Sections and squads. Three squads in each section and three sections in each of the four wings. I repeated in my head, I needed to make sure I was on top of my game physically and mentally if I was going to survive this hell hole they called a school.

"First Squad! Claw Section! First Wing!" Nyra calls out and a man raises his hand lazily, not even bothering to look out at the long list of kids. "Cadets, when your name is called, take up formation behind your squad leader." She instructs.

Next, a red head with a crossbow rolls out a scroll and begins calling names. One by one, cadets move from the crowd into the formation. From what I can tell, there are about fifteen or sixteen people per squad based on the amount of people who made it across the parapet.

Violet and her friend — Rhiannon, whose name I figured out by easdropping which I am partially good at — are both called to Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing. And I know why, it wasn't chance. 

When my name is called onto Xaden's wing (fourth wing) — which I know isn't by coincidence — everyone starts whispering. Some about me being a Riorson in general and others about me being about to be in my big brothers wing. I bet lots of people think it to be unfair because they think my brother won't discipline me ... they're wrong. 

I watched Xaden as he leans in and says something to the Second Wing's wingleader and then every wingleader in the courtyard joins in on what's obviously a heated discussion.

Were they talking about me or Violet? Because my brother seems to be pretty fixated on the youngest Sorrengail.

Finally after a pretty lengthy conversation all of the wing leaders turn around and face us.

"Dain Aetos, you and your squad will switch with Aura Beinhaven's — all except Teagan Riorson who will stay with fourth wing." Nyra orders once one of the wing leaders says something into her ear — probably instructions on what is changing.

The guy who I'm assuming is Dain and the one who ran off with Violet when she first arrived, they obviously know each other and are pretty close. His entire squad quickly moves to behind Xaden. Now they're part of my squad, all because of Xaden. 

When Aetos's squad joins us no one wants to be even near me, and I don't blame them, my brother just pulled a lot of strings as it would seem, and I am a Riorson, I have to be dangerous. I am stuck being at the back of the line of cadets, but I don't mind. Like I said, I like to observe. 

The rest of the listing seems to go by rather smoothly — if smooth means no other heated discussions between wingleaders. But I didn't fail to notice that when Nyra finishes the assignments she turns to look at Xaden and he nods, approving her listing and then stepping forward.

"You're all cadets now." Xaden's voice carries out over the courtyard, stronger than the others. "Take a look at your squad. These are the only people guaranteed by Codex not to kill you. But just because they can't end your life doesn't mean others won't. You want a dragon? Earn on."

Most of the others cheer, but I don't say anything. I know that Xaden's leading up to something not so well, the others just don't know anything about my brother. They don't know anything about my family ... not even my father. 

"And I bet you feel pretty badass right now, don't you, first-years?" Xaden continues — more cheers. "You feel pretty invincible after the parapet, don't you?" He shouts, his voice getting louder and louder at every sentence he utters. "You think you're untouchable! You're on the way to becoming the elite! The few! The chosen!"

Another round of cheers goes up with each declaration, louder and louder. But I could tell that it wasn't just cheering making my ears ring, it was the sound of wings beating the air. Dragons.

Just when I realize what is coming a riot of dragons comes into view. They act like they're headed for us before they pitch vertically, whipping the air with their huge semi-translucent wings and the wind they produce is so large a couple of us stagger back to stay upright. The dragons all land on the edge of the courtyard, looking down at us, the walls are perches, I realize.

A few cadets scream. Guess everyone wants to be a dragon rider until they're actually twenty feet away from one.

One cadet actually bolts out of Third Wing, screaming as he makes a run for the stone kept behind us. But before he can make it a big red dragon opens its large jaw and torches the kid. Dead. Two more dragons set fire to two more kids. Seventy dead.

Dragons have extremely good judgment. They know who they want and who they want to kill. And if they want you dead ... you're dead, no questions asked. No one challenges a dragon's decision. 

"Anyone else feel like changing their mind?" Xaden shouts, scanning the remaining rows of cadets with the same shrewd gaze of the navy dragon behind him. "No? Excellent. Roughly half of you will be dead by this time next summer." —Way to kill the mood, brother — "A third of you again the year after that, and the same your last year. No one cares who your mommy or daddy is here. Even King Tauri's second son died during his Threshing. So tell me again: Do you feel invincible now that you've made it into the Riders Quadrant? Untouchable? Elite?" No one cheers, everyone has finally learned. This place is a suicide mission. "Because you're not untouchable or special to them." Xaden points towards the navy dragon and leans forwards slightly as if letting us in on a little secret, to which everyone wants to know. "To them, you're just prey."