Accusing a wingleader of wrongdoing is the most dangerous of all
accusations. If you're right, then we've failed as a quadrant to select
the best wingleaders. If you're wrong, you're dead.

—My Time as a Cadet: A Memoir
by General Augustine Melgren

"Oren Seifert." Captain Fitzgibbons finishes reading the death roll and closes the scroll as we stand in formation the next morning, our breath creating clouds in the chilled air. "We commend their souls to Malek."

There's no room for sorrow in my heart for six of the eight names, not when I'm shifting my weight to soothe the ache of black-and-blue along my ribs and ignoring the way other riders stare at the ring of bruises I wear around my throat. 

"You didn't hide those?" Elena asked, confused. 

"Someone tried to kill me and I survived. I shouldn't hide that." Violet told her sister. 

The two others on today's list are third-years from Second Wing, killed on a training operation near the Braevick border, according to breakfast gossip, and I can't help but wonder if that's where Xaden had been before coming to my rescue last night. 

"I can't believe they tried to kill you while you were sleeping." Rhiannon's still seething at breakfast after I told our table what happened. 

Maybe Xaden is fighting to keep last night's events a secret, to hide what a liability I really am to him, because no one else in leadership knows. He didn't say a single word after I told him who unlocked the door, so I have no clue if he believes me or not. 

"Even worse, I think I'm getting used to it." Either I have kick-ass compartmentalization skills or I really am acclimating to always being a target. 

"Both." Many people said bluntly, having been in her head for a couple of weeks now, they all knew. 

Captain Fitzgibbons makes some minor announcements, and I tune him out as someone strides our way, cutting through the space between the Flame and Tail Sections of our wing.

Just like it always does, my stupid, hormone-driven heart stutters at the first sight of Xaden. Even the most effective poisons come in pretty packages, and Xaden's exactly that—as beautiful as he is lethal. He looks deceptively calm as he approaches, but I can feel his tension as if it's my own, like a panther prowling toward his prey. The wind ruffles his hair, and I sigh at the completely unfair advantage he has over every man in this courtyard. He doesn't even have to try to look sexy... he just is. 

"Oh shit." People said in complete amusement. 

Oh shit. This feeling right here— the way my breath catches and my entire body draws tight when he's near —is why I haven't taken anyone to bed or celebrated like the rest of my perfectly normal friends. This feeling is why I haven't wanted anyone... else.

Because I want him. 

Xaden couldn't help what he did next, he had the same feeling she was descibing for weeks, months even, so hearing that Violet had finally figured out she felt the same, it made him pull her closer to where she was sitting in his lap before he kissed her. Hard, deep and full of both love and lust. The kiss was so devastatingly strong, that it made Violet's brain go numb to the point she forgot where she was, who was watching, and even what day it was. 

Noticing that they weren't calming down as they had gotten so good at lately, Tairn rolled his eyes before moving slightly so his Wing could drape over the two. He knew this would take a while, and didn't want to embarrass Violet any more than needed, even though it would have been completely hilarious if he had. 

By the time the two were done doing, what everyone knew they had been doing, everyone had counted three lightening strikes, and were all being covered by their dragons who were both amused and annoyed at this point. And while most of the people in the field there were people like Hope, Lia and Lily who weren't. 

And when Tairn removed his Wing Violet was smiling brightly as she leaned back on her hands, watching as Xaden tied the laces on her shoes back up, her hair was no longer in it's braid and was flowing down her back in a half assed ponytail. It was a sight that caused most of the people to smile. Most. 

There aren't enough curse words in the world for this.

His gaze locks with mine just long enough to quicken my pulse before he addresses Dain, ignoring Fitzgibbons's announcements behind him. "There's a change to your squad roll."

"Wingleader?" Dain questions, his spine straightening. "We just absorbed four from the dissolution of the third squad."

"Yes." Xaden looks to the right, where Second Squad, Tail Section stands at attention. "Belden, we're making a roll change."

"Yes, sir." The squad leader nods once.

"Aetos, Vaughn Penley will be leaving your command, and you'll be gaining Liam Mairi from Tail Section." 

"You're kidding?" Damon asked, amusement filling his voice. 

"Nope." Violet said with a sigh. 

Dain's mouth snaps shut, and he nods.

We all watch as the two first-year riders exchange places. Penley's only been with us since Threshing, so there's no heartfelt goodbye from our original squad, but the other three grumble.

Liam nods at Xaden, and my stomach twists. I know exactly why he's being put under Dain's command. The guy is massive, as tall as Sawyer and as built as Dain, with light-blond hair, prominent nose, blue eyes, and the sprawling rebellion relic that begins at his wrist and disappears under the sleeve of his tunic gives his mission away.

"I do not need a bodyguard," 

"Sure you do. Who else is going to stop you from being stupid?" Damon asked raising an amused brow. 

"I'd like to see you call me stupid again without the benefits of your tongue." Violet snapped, about to stand up, only to be pulled back down as Xaden's arms wrapped around her. 

I snap at Xaden. Am I out of line speaking to a wingleader that way? Absolutely. Do I care? Not one bit. 

He ignores me, facing Dain. "Liam is statistically the strongest first-year in the quadrant. He has the fastest time up the Gauntlet, hasn't lost a single challenge, and is bonded to an exceptionally strong Red Daggertail. Any squad would be lucky to have him, and he's all yours, Aetos. You can thank me when you win the Squad Battle in the spring."

Liam steps into formation behind me, taking Penley's place.

"I. Do. Not. Need. A. Bodyguard," I repeat, a little louder this time. I could give two fucks who hears me. 

One of the first-years behind me gasps, mortified by my audacity, no doubt. 

"Which I have a lot of." Violet said as many people across the field nodded in agreement. 

Imogen snorts. "Good luck with that approach." 

"It doesn't matter if I used that approach or sex, I was still going to get stuck with Liam." Violet said, rolling her eyes. 

"Oach." Liam said, pretending to be wounded. 

"You know what I mean." Violet said, rolling her eyes at the smile that spread onto Liam's face. 

Xaden walks past Dain and stands directly in front of me, leaning into my space. "You do, though, as we both learned last night. And I can't be everywhere you are. But Liam here"—he points back to the blond Tyr —"he's a first-year, so he can be in every class, at every challenge, and I even had him assigned to library duty, so I hope you get used to him, Sorrengail." 

"Maybe you started hooking up with the wrong guy. If one's there everyday and the other isn't..." Katherine started teasingly, but one glare from Xaden shut her up real quick. "Or not." 

"You're overstepping." My nails bite into my palms. 

"You haven't begun to see overstepping," he warns, his voice dropping low, sending a shiver down my spine. "Any threat against you is a threat against me, and as we've already established, I have more important things to do than sleep on your floor." 

Heat flushes up my neck and stains my cheeks. "He is not sleeping in my room." 

"Yet?" Elena asked teasingly. 

"Ever." Violet said, noticing the way Xaden's eyes narrowed on Elena before turning to Liam who had the balls to laugh. 

"Of course not." He freaking smirks, and my traitorous stomach dips. "I had him moved into the one next to yours. Wouldn't want to overstep." He turns on his heel and walks away, headed back to his place at the front of our formation. 

"Fucking mated dragons," Dain seethes, keeping his eyes forward. 

"Oh, this had nothing to do with the dragons." Xaden said, a smirk on his face as he stared at Dain, and everyone knew what he meant by it, even if he didn't say it. 

Fitzgibbons finishes his announcements and steps to the back of the dais, which would usually signal the end of formation, but Commandant Panchek takes the podium. He makes it a habit to avoid morning formation, which means something is up.

"What's going on with Panchek?" Rhiannon asks at my side.

"Not sure." I take a deep breath, wincing at the pain in my ribs.

"It has to be something big if he's fumbling with a Codex up there," Rhiannon says.

"Quiet," Dain orders, glancing back over his shoulder at us for the first time this morning. He does a double-take, his eyes flaring wide as he catches sight of my neck. "Vi?"

He hasn't spoken to me since our fight yesterday. Gods, how has it been less than twenty-four hours when I feel like a completely different person?

"I'm fine," I assure him, but he's still staring at my throat, locked in shock. "Squad Leader Aetos, people are staring." We hold way more than our share of the attention as Commandant Panchek begins to speak at the podium, telling us that there's another matter to handle this morning, but Dain won't look away. "Dain!"

He blinks, jerking his gaze to mine, and the apology in those soft brown eyes clogs my throat. "Is that what Riorson meant by last night?" 

"I'm willing to bet you had something else in mind other than what really happened." Caroline said in amusement. 

I nod.

"I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me?"

Because you wouldn't believe me, even if I did.

"Called it." Violet said bitterly. 

"I'm fine," I repeat, nodding toward the dais. "Later."

He turns, but the motion is reluctant.

"It has been brought to my attention as your commandant that a breach of the Codex has occurred," Panchek calls out over the courtyard.

"As you know, breaches of our most sacred laws are not to be tolerated," Panchek continues. "This matter will be addressed here and now. Will the accuser please step forward."

"Someone's in trouble," Rhiannon whispers. "Think Ridoc finally got caught in Tyvon Varen's bed?" 

"That's hardly against the Codex," Ridoc murmurs from behind us.

"He's the executive officer for Second Wing." I send a pointed look over my shoulder. 

"And Xaden's a Wingleader." Ridoc countered, and Violet paused slightly, pursing her lips awkwardly before clearing her throat. 

"Your point?" She asked with narrowed eyes, causing everyone to laugh in amusement. Even a few of the dragons. 

"And?" Ridoc shrugs, grinning without a touch of remorse. "Fraternizing with command is frowned upon, not unlawful."

I sigh, facing forward. "I miss sex." I really do, and it's not just the physical gratification, either. There's a sense of connection in those moments that I crave, a momentary banishment of loneliness.

The first is something I'm sure Xaden would be more than capable of providing, if he ever thought of me that way, but the second? He's the last person I should be craving, but lust and logic never seem to go hand in hand. 

"That's the amazing thing about it." Ridoc said happily.

"If you're looking for a little fun, I'm happy to oblige—" Ridoc starts, shoving his floppy brown hair off his forehead with a wink. 

"I miss good sex," 

Everyone burst out laughing as Ridoc started pouting. 

I counter, smothering a smile as someone walks from the front of formation toward the dais, indistinguishable through the rows of the squads ahead of us. "Besides, apparently you're spoken for." Have to admit, it feels good to tease a friend about something so trivial. It's a tiny slice of normalcy in an otherwise macabre environment.

"We're not exclusive," Ridoc counters. "It's like Rhiannon and what's- her-name..."

"Tara," Rhiannon offers.

"Will you all shut the hell up?" Dain barks in his superior-officer voice. 

"Can you spell jealous?" Caroline asked, getting a few snorts of amusement and agreement. 

Our mouths snap shut. 

Mine drops open again when I realize it's Xaden climbing the steps to the dais. My stomach lurches as I suck in a tight breath. "This is about me," I whisper. 

"Uh oh." 

Dain glances back at me, confusion furrowing his brow before whipping his attention toward the dais, where Xaden now stands at the podium, somehow managing to fill the entire stage with his presence. 

From what I remember reading, his father had that same magnetism, the ability to hold and capture a crowd with nothing but his words... words that led to Brennan's death.  

"Fake death." Violet corrected herself with a dirty look thrown at Brennan, Xaden, the dragons, the marked ones, and Cat, because something tells her even Cat knew about Brennan. 

"Early this morning," he begins, his deep voice carrying over the formation, "a rider in my wing was brutally, illegally attacked in her sleep with the intent of murder by a group primarily composed of unbondeds." 

A collection of murmurs and gasps fills the air, and Dain's shoulders stiffen.

"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."

I feel the weight of a dozen glances, but it's Xaden's I feel most of all. 

"Naturally." Rhiannon teased. 

"Shut up." Violet laughed. 

His hands clench the sides of the podium. 

"Oh, someone's still pissed." 

"Having been alerted by my dragon, I interrupted the attack along with two other Fourth Wing riders."

He dips his chin toward our wing, and two riders —Garrick and Bodhi— break formation, then climb the steps to stand behind Xaden, their hands at their sides. "As it was a matter of life and death, I personally executed six of the would-be murderers, as witnessed by Flame Section Leader Garrick Tavis and Tail Section Executive Officer Bodhi Durran."

"Both Tyrs. How convenient," Nadine, one of our new additions to the squad, says from the row behind Ridoc and Liam. 

"Bitch." 

I look back over my shoulder and pin her with a glare. 

"Protecting you even when she didn't like most of you. The real power of friendship." Caroline said with a smile. 

Liam keeps his eyes forward. 

"But the attack was orchestrated by a rider who fled before I arrived," Xaden continues, his voice rising. "A rider who had access to the map of where all first-years are assigned to sleep, and that rider must be brought to swift justice." 

"Who is it?" Elena asked, wanting to know who tried to kill her sister. 

Shit. This is about to get ugly.

"I call you to answer for your crime against Cadet Sorrengail." Xaden's focus shifts to the center of the formation. "Wingleader Amber Mavis." 

"Oh shit." Everyone said in surprise. 

"Isn't that the bitch from gauntlet?" Slone asked, surprised. 

"Yep." 

The quadrant draws a collective breath before an uproar rips through the crowd.

"What the hell?" Dain bites out.

My chest tightens. Gods, I hate it when Dain proves me right.

Rhiannon reaches for my hand, squeezing tight in support as every rider in the courtyard's attention pivots between Xaden, Amber... and me. 

"It's sad that someone who's known Violet for a few months is more on her side than her best friend." Caroline said in disgust at the man. 

"She's a Tyr, too, Nadine," Ridoc says over his shoulder. "Or are you only biased against marked ones?"

Amber's family stayed loyal to Navarre, so she wasn't forced to watch her parents executed and wasn't marked by a rebellion relic.

"Amber would never." Dain shakes his head. "A wingleader would never." He turns completely to face me. "Get up there and tell everyone that he's lying, Vi." 

"Excuse me?" Xaden asked, his voice dangerously low as his eyes narrowed on Dain. 

"But he's not," I say as gently as I can.

"It's impossible." His cheeks flush a mottled shade of red.

"I was there, Dain." The reality of his disbelief hurts so much more than I expected, like a blow to my already battered ribs.

"Wingleaders are beyond reproach—" 

"Then why are you so quick to call our own wingleader a liar?" My brows rise in challenge, daring him to say what he's so careful to keep quiet. 

"Jealousy is an ugly thing. Some men make it work, others not so much." Bonnie said simply as many women on the field nodded in agreement. 

Behind him, Amber steps forward, separating herself from the formation. "I have committed no such crime!"

"See?" Dain swings his arm, pointing toward the redhead. "Put a stop to this right now, Violet." 

"You're out right calling Violet a liar now?" Mira asked, looking ready to kill him. 

"She was with them in my room," I say simply. Shouting won't convince him. Nothing will.

"That's impossible." He lifts his hands, as though ready to cup my face. "Let me see." 

"What?!" Everyone asked in bafflement. 

The shock of what he intends to do has me stumbling backward. How have I forgotten that his signet allows him to see others' memories?

But if I let him see my memory of Amber's participation, it will also show him that I stopped time, and I can't let that happen. I shake my head and take another step back.

"Give me the memory," he orders. 

Before anyone could stop him Jeremy was charging across the field and tackling Dain down, throwing punches left and right. At this rate it looked like Jeremy would kill him. 

And against her better judgement Violet was up, running over to stop Jeremy. Grabbing him and pulling him back. 

"Jeremy. Jeremy! Stop it." Violet said, putting herself between them. "This isn't you. It's the hunter in you. This anger isn't your own, stop." She told him, trying to calm him down. 

"No, I'm pretty sure the anger is all mine. You don't order my sister when she clearly said no, dick!" Jeremy said, lunging for him again, but Violet grabbed his arm and swung him around, stopping him before she put her hand on his chest, above his heart, and grabbed his head with her other hand. Doing the simple anger tactics they've done together millions of times by now. Whether it was for her when they were growing up, or for him after their parents died. 

"Breathe." She said, stepping into his path when he tried to move around her. "You know how this goes, I'm not moving until you calm down. Breathe." She told him and he finally looked down at her. "In. Out." She said softly yet firm as he did as told. Slowly she reached down and took the knife out of his hand that he had grabbed at some point when trying to kill Dain, before pulling it from his hand. "I can take care myself." 

"You're still my sister-" 

"And I'm the older sister. It's my job to protect you. Not the other way around." 

"We're supposed to protect each other." He told her and she sighed, looking at him sadly. She knew he was right, but that didn't mean it didn't suck. 

"Mom, dad, Jenna, none of them would want this for us. Dad and I might not have gotten along after what happened, but even then..." She trailed off with a sigh as she shook her head. "We're not these people, Jer. We can't be. We know who we are. We still have our humanity, Jeremy. We're compassionate, we're strong, we've faced the death of everyone we love, we're better. Deep down, they know that. So just be better. Because it's not worth living if we've lost who we are. So don't give into the anger, the hate, not until you know for a fact that it's justifiable for more than just being a dick. Be better." She told him, and he took in a breath before nodding, and she led him back to his dragon before he sat down with a deep breath, calming himself down before he did kill Dain. 

Indignation lifts my chin. "Touch me without permission, and you'll spend the rest of your life regretting it." 

"Ooo." 

Surprise ripples over his features.

"Wingleaders." Xaden projects his voice over the chaos. "We need a quorum."

Both Nyra and Septon Izar —the wingleaders for First and Second Wing —climb the stairs to the dais, passing by Amber as she stands utterly exposed in the courtyard.

A familiar chaos fills the air, and we all look toward the ridgeline as six dragons curve along the mountain, flying straight for us. The biggest among them is Tairn.

In a matter of seconds, they reach the citadel and hover over the courtyard walls. Wind from the strong beats of their wings blasts through the courtyard. Then, one by one, they land on their perch, Tairn at the center of the grouping.

Every line of his frame exudes menace as his talons crush the masonry under his grip, and his narrowed, angry eyes focus on Amber. 

"Uh oh." 

Sgaeyl is perched to the right, taking her position behind Xaden. She's just as terrifying as she was that first day, but back then I'd never imagined I'd bond a dragon even more frightening... to everyone but me. Nyra's Red Scorpiontail looms behind her as well, and Septon's Brown Daggertail mirrors the stance to the left. On the ends, puffing blasts of steam, are Commandant Panchek's Green Clubtail and Amber's Orange Daggertail. 

Violet frowned to herself, remembering the heartbreaking cry of Claidh when Amber died. That cry broke her heart more than almost anything ever had before. 

"Shit's about to get real," Sawyer says, breaking formation to stand at my side, and I feel Ridoc at my back. 

"You can stop this all right now, Violet. You have to," Dain implores. "I don't know what you saw last night, but it wasn't Amber. She cares too much about the rules to break them." 

Jeremy jumped up to hit Dain again but Violet only held him in place, not letting Jeremy's angry hunter side get the best of him. 

And she thinks I broke them by using my dagger on the last ascent of the Gauntlet.

"You're using this to get your revenge on my family!" Amber shouts at Xaden. "For not supporting your father's rebellion!"

That's a low fucking blow.

Xaden doesn't even acknowledge it as he turns to the other wingleaders.

He isn't demanding proof like Dain. He believes me, and he's ready to execute a wingleader on nothing more than my word. As surely as if they're a physical structure, I feel my defenses crack on Xaden's behalf. 

"Because he's in love." Garrick said as if it's news no one had heard before, causing Violet to smile and give a small laugh as Xaden rolled his eyes, getting tired of the teasing. 

"Can you see my memories?" I ask Tairn. "Share them?"

"Yes." His head snakes left and right ever so slightly. "A memory has never been shared outside of a mating bond. It's considered a violation."

"Xaden's up there fighting because I told him it was her. Help him." And gods, I admire him for it. I take a deep breath. "Only what they need to see."

Wanting and admiring? I'm so screwed.

Tairn chuffs and every dragon besides Sgaeyl stiffens on the wall, even Amber's. The riders are quick to follow, silence filling the courtyard, and I know they know.

"That spineless wretch," Rhiannon seethes, her hand squeezing mine even tighter. 

Dain pales. 

"Dick." Jeremy said, still fighting against his sister's hold, which was surprisingly hard to break. But then again she had been trained by a family of Vikings in her past life. 

"Believe me now?" I hurl it like the accusation it is. "You're supposed to be my oldest friend, Dain. My best friend. There's a reason I didn't tell you." 

He staggers backward.

"The wingleaders have formed a quorum and are in unanimous agreement," Xaden announces, flanked by Nyra and Septon while the commandant hangs back. "We find you guilty, Amber Mavis."

"No!" she shouts. "It is no crime to rid the quadrant of the weakest rider! I did it to protect the integrity of the wings!" She paces in panic, looking to everyone— anyone for help.

As a whole, the formation moves backward. 

"Damn, that's cold." 

"And as is our law, your sentence will be carried out by fire," Nyra states. 

"No!" Amber looks to her dragon. "Claidh!" 

Amber's Orange Daggertail snarls at the other dragons and lifts a claw. 

Tairn swivels his massive head toward Claidh, his roar shaking the ground beneath my feet. Then he snaps his teeth at the smaller orange, and she retreats, her head hanging as she grips the wall again. 

The sight breaks my heart, not for Amber but for Claidh. 

"Do you have to?" I ask Tairn. 

"This is our way." 

"Please don't," I beg, forgetting to think the words. It's one thing to punish Amber, but Claidh will suffer as well. 

Every dragon on the field blinked in surprise. It isn't very common for a rider to care more for another dragon than for their fellow human. Let alone a dragon that isn't their own. 

"That's why you were asking for mercy." Xaden sighed. 

Maybe I could talk to Amber. Maybe we can still work through our issues. Maybe we can find common ground, turn our anger to friendship or at least casual indifference. I shake my head, my heart pounding in my throat. I did this. I was so focused on whether anyone would believe me, I didn't stop to think what might happen if they did. 

I turn to Xaden and beg again, my voice breaking by the end. "Please give her a chance."

He holds my gaze but doesn't so much as show a flicker of emotion.

"I let someone live once, and he almost killed you last night, Silver One," Tairn says. Then, as if this is all that really matters in the end, "Justice is not always merciful."

"Trust me, I know." Violet said to Tairn, finally letting Jeremy go as his breathing started evening out. 

"Claidh," Amber whimpers, the courtyard so unbelievably silent that the sound carries.

The formation splits at the center.

Tairn leans low, extending his head and neck past the dais toward where Amber stands. Then his teeth part, he curls his tongue, and he incinerates her with a blast of fire so hot, I can feel it from here. It's over in a heartbeat.

A gruesome scream rends the air, shattering a window in the academic wing, and every rider slams their hands over their ears as Claidh mourns. 

Violet closed her eyes, her head to her hands as a tear slipped from her eyes, remembering the heart shattering scream that Claidh had given that day. It broke her heart then and it broke her heart now. She never wanted a dragon feel that pain, she never wanted her own dragons to feel that pain, and she hated that one day, whether it was next week or sixty years from now, they would feel it.