Chapter Text
I scream.
My arms move instinctively to cover my face as flames engulf my torso, scorching my flight jacket and leathers, until I’m sure that the material is melted against my skin. My arms take the worst of it, a grotesque display of raw and blistered flesh that I’m not sure has any real skin left. I hear Cath cry out in despair beneath me, so close, but still too far to reach me. My body is agony made flesh, and I hear a pained moan fall from my own lips.
Yet, I have just enough awareness to realize that the flames have stopped. They stopped and I’m not dead. The fucking pain is almost unbearable, but I’m somehow alive. My vision dims as I drop my arms from my face; I’m not falling anymore. I’m suspended in midair, the wyvern just feet above me. Its thrashing desperately, snarling low in its throat. I have to squint and fight my swimming vision before I notice the thick bands of shadows sealing the wyvern’s mouth tightly shut. Even more wrap around its neck and wings, keeping it firmly in place.
Teeth suddenly latch onto its neck from above, and I flinch as blood rains down on me. Sgaeyl’s golden eyes glare not at the wyvern, but at me as she rips its head clean off without a second thought. The shadows retreat and the body falls, narrowly missing me in its descent. But my eyes don’t leave hers. I feel something squeeze around my middle, moving me even closer to the massive, Blue daggertail. I don’t need to look to know what has me. Or rather, who.
Xaden Riorson fucking saved me. Though I’m not sure if that’s really the best possible outcome, given our current situation. I press my lips tightly together, trying desperately to bite back the cries of pain that threaten to escape. Shadows dangle me uselessly in the air until I’m at eye level with Riorson, my gaze finally leaving his terrifying dragon to meet his furious stare.
“Nice of you to join us, Aetos!” Xaden calls out to me over the chaos, his voice dripping with sarcasm and acid. My whole body shudders as more shadows coil around me, locking me in place. Cath is right below me now, letting out a stressed wail, as if pleading for mercy on my behalf, just to have Sgaeyl snap at him. Gods, Cath shouldn’t have to deal with this. Xaden looks me over, letting out a mock, sympathetic hiss as he spots my burns. “Ooh, ouch. Gotta say, you’ve looked better Squad Leader. That must hurt.”
I swear I feel his shadows poke and prod at my arms, and I can’t hold back the cries this time. They retract as quickly as they came, and I go limp in relief, gasping for air. “I-I…am not…h-here on his b-behalf…” I grit out, clamping my eyes shut. This pain is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I have to work through it, I have to tell Riorson the truth.
“But you know why we’re here. You know who coordinated this entire execution.” It's not a question. I shakily nod my head, feeling saliva filling my mouth. I feel like I’m going to be sick. Whether from the pain or Riorson’s deadly stare, I’m not sure yet. “Do you have any idea how tempting it is to drop you right now, Aetos? Your life in exchange for every single one lost today! Soleil, the villagers, and anyone else we might lose because of your fucking rule-abiding ass! Violet could die today, and she had nothing to do with any of this!”
“Why do you think I’m here…?!” I manage to snap back, gasping as I force my fingers to grasp at the tendrils of shadows that are holding me in place. My fingers go right through them. “I…I-I didn’t know what he was going to do…the only t-thing I told him was that y-you were leaving Basgiath…I d-didn’t know why…!”
Every word is excruciating. Another moan falls from my lips as the burns along my arms flare with pain. Fuck, how am I supposed to keep my seat like this? If Riorson decides to let me go, that is. His eyes are full of so much hatred and anger, though I don’t know him nearly well enough to read every emotion on his face. Yet, I swear I see him battling with himself. The shadows around me loosen ever-so-slightly and my heart jumps in fear. Cath will catch me, I know that for sure. But then what?
“Xaden, stop!”
And just like that, my heart is in my throat. The shadows tighten once more and he whips around to look up at Violet as Tairn slowly descends to hover awkwardly beside Sgaeyl, Deigh still draped limply over his back. I can see Xaden’s face pale as he realizes which dragon Tairn is ferrying, and he stands in his seat to get a better view.
“Liam?!” He calls, looking around desperately. I’ve never seen fear on our Wingleader’s face, but I can’t help but feel a stab of sympathy as it fills every line. I’m so used to seeing his bored expression or his fucking smug smirks when he’s showing off his superiority. But this? The revelation that Xaden Riorson actually cares about…anyone or anything really, shakes me to my core.
Why is that so hard for me to grasp? He’s fucking human, I think to myself guiltily.
“I’m here, for now…” I hear Liam call back, and Gods, he sounds weak and exhausted. I finally spot him, peering around one of Tairn’s spikes that are closest to Deigh’s head. Xaden practically deflates with relief, falling back into his seat and wiping his hands down his face. “Deigh’s doing bad, Xaden. He’s losing too much blood, and Tairn can’t carry him forever. Rhiannon and Ridoc are doing their best to keep the wyvern off our backs until we can get somewhere safe.”
“And Dain’s the only reason Deigh even has a chance!” Violet adds, glaring at Xaden. Her icy glare turns to me, though I see it thaw a tiny bit when she sees the state of me. I just shake my head. She deserves to be angry. I hear her inhale sharply, but she turns her anger back to Xaden. “Trust me, I’m pissed at him too! But Deigh and Liam would be dead if he hadn’t come!”
Xaden drops his hands from his face, looking over Deigh and Liam, before he glances in my direction. I see his jaw tick as his shadows slowly and gently lower me down to Cath’s back. I let out a relieved sigh, sagging against Cath. Fuck me, how am I going to stay seated like this?
“I will keep you on myself,” Cath whispers into my mind and I feel magic lock me in place. Thank Gods. I try to focus on my stuttering breaths instead of the painful burns. “You cannot continue to fight in your condition, I won’t allow you to. We are retreating.”
“Cath, I can’t. They’re already down Soleil and Liam, but I can still fight. I’ll figure it out,” I try to insist, but I know that it's no use. Cath’s mind is made up and my injuries are too impairing. I almost scream as I try to curl my fingers into a fist, and I swear I see blisters bursting open. Fuck, I couldn’t hold a dagger if I wanted to. “Cath, I can’t abandon them. I have to stay here and help.”
“Don’t go getting all noble on me now, Aetos!” Xaden calls down to me and I can’t help flinching as Sgaeyl drops the twenty or so feet to hover in front of Cath. Dammit, Cath must be relaying everything to the other dragons. “You saved Liam’s life, so guess what? I’m not going to kill you. Not yet.”
“Thanks a lot,” I mutter softly, trying to sit myself up straight. I grimace as I notice that my flight jacket and leathers have indeed melted to the skin in places. It would be so easy to let the pain overtake me and to slip into unconsciousness. I have a feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins is the only thing preventing that.
“You’re going to escort Tairn and Deigh somewhere safe. There’s a lake on the other side of the outpost with enough cover, just keep your dragons low. You’re going to keep an eye on Liam and Deigh until we finish this fucking battle. Then, you and I are going to have words,” Xaden commands, leaving no room for argument. “Only then will I decide whether to let you live or fucking flay you like a fish.”
“He gets it! We have to go, Xaden!” Violet yells down at us and Tairn bellows his own frustration. As massive as he is, it can’t be easy carrying the weight of another dragon on his back. Xaden glances up towards her and gives a brief nod, Sgaeyl beating her wings to regain her elevation.
“I’m going to hold the wyvern off while you escape, so make it quick!” Xaden tells Violet, and he glances towards Liam. “You’ll be okay, brother. We’ll finish this and find help, so you and Deigh just hang on.”
Brother? That’s news to me. Whether literally or figuratively, it explains his concern for the first year. Not to mention the amount of trust Riorson put into him, keeping Violet safe at Basgiath. Is…all the family Riorson has left on this battlefield? I know Bodhi Durran is his cousin, and now Liam has some kind of brotherhood with him.
Fuck. My guilt just tripled.
“Xaden…!” Liam’s voice calls over weakly, and I wince at the lack of his usual strength. His deep baritone is more of a raspy whisper at this point. Cath flies upwards to hover behind Tairn, and I startle as Liam takes a few shaky steps forward and propels himself across the gap between Tairn and Sgaeyl. My breath catches in my throat.
“Liam, no!” Violet screams, reaching out as if she has a chance to stop him.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” Xaden snaps, his shadows reaching out to catch and steady Liam. But despite his weakened state, he still manages to make the jump with minimal troubles. Liam climbs to Xaden’s side, just to pull him into a bone crushing hug, which Xaden returns after only a moment of surprise.
I suddenly feel as if I’m intruding on something private and I glance towards Violet who is staring at them in awe, before looking away quickly. I guess this is a side of them that she hasn’t seen either.
“I killed one, Xaden…” I hear Liam mumble into Xaden’s shoulder. I don’t want to eavesdrop on this.
“I know you did, and I’m so fucking proud of you, little brother. But you need to get out of here and focus on keeping Deigh alive. Focus on keeping yourself alive,” Xaden whispers back, his hand clapping Liam on the back a couple of times, before he pulls away slightly. Liam shakes his head and grips Xaden’s forearms to keep his attention.
“I killed one, and all the wyvern just…fell. I think they die with the ones who created them, Xaden…kill the Venin, and the wyvern will die too,” Liam exhales shakily and Xaden’s eyes widen a fraction, before narrowing. Judging by the way his eyes glaze over, I know he’s telling Sgaeyl to relay that tidbit to everyone else on the field.
“Strong and fucking brilliant,” Xaden praises, ruffling Liam’s hair lightly, before all his niceties fade away in the blink of an eye. I can immediately see why. “Get back on Tairn and get out of here, Liam. We’ll take care of things here.”
The wyvern are starting to overwhelm Feirge and Aotrom, though I can see Chradh, Glane, and Cruth are on their way to offer their aid. Sliseag still stands with Cuir, watching over Sawyer and Bodhi as they work to guide people to safety. Hell, I can make out a couple of gryphons carrying injured civilians to safety, running between Sliseag and Cuir’s opposing forms.
Liam nods and gets back to his feet, making the awkward jump back to Tairn, positioning himself back at that same spike and pressing his palm to Deigh's massive snout. I see the dragon’s eyes blink open for only a moment, before they slip close again, smoke puffing out at Liam from his nostrils.
“Tairn is taking the lead. I will follow to make sure the enemy doesn’t try to take advantage of his vulnerability,” Cath explains as we begin to fly away from the chaos. I can’t help looking back, wishing I could keep going. I should have been capable of doing so much more. The battlefield is suddenly shrouded in a wall of darkness, effectively blocking the wyvern’s view of us. “You have done all you can, for now. We saved the life of one, at least. And you brought them some much needed reinforcements.”
“It doesn’t feel like nearly enough,” I say bitterly, turning my attention ahead of us. Tairn is managing Deigh’s weight well enough, and I can tell he’s making an extra effort to stay level and steady. His speed has definitely been impacted, though that’s to be expected. Cath rumbles beneath me, gliding right along behind Tairn easily.
“It will have to be. You can’t expect everything to be resolved with one good act. You made the decision to abandon your post and come to their aid. You saved a life. That speaks volumes, but every action from here on will be what determines whether you are forgiven,” Cath lectures softly, tilting his neck around to peer at me. “You must be understanding of their anger and suspicion. Be patient. But keep moving forward and doing what is right.”
I can only nod. What else can I possibly say to that? Cath is right. Always has been.
It takes about fifteen minutes for us to reach the lake Riorson mentioned. Tairn lands first, Cath right behind him. The massive Black dragon lets out a snarl of displeasure, but lowers himself as flat to the ground as he can. Violet and Liam scramble off his back and move out of the way as Tairn slides Deigh off his back and deposits him near the lake. Deigh tries to take his own weight, just for his legs to shudder and buckle. The proud Red collapses into a heap on the ground, keening in misery.
“Deigh!” Liam cries out, rushing over to his injured dragon. He falls to his knees by Deigh’s head, stroking at his snout and whispering words of comfort to him.
“His condition is not promising. But Deigh fights,” Cath says solemnly down our bond, and I clench my teeth. We may have saved them in the moment, but it's all for nothing if we don’t get help for Deigh. “I will help you dismount. If we are spotted, you will stay down here with them while I defend.”
I know Cath won’t let me argue. I feel the magic holding me in place disappear and I moan in agony as I try and get a grasp on his scales so that I can push myself to my feet. The edges of my vision go dark as the pain ignites all over again, and I vaguely wonder if Cath’s magic was doing more than just keeping me seated. I swallow thickly as he lowers himself to the ground, letting me slide down his leg awkwardly.
The moment I touch the ground, my legs buckle and I fall back into Cath’s leg. There are several holes dotted around my leathers where flames had ignited before Riorson sealed that fucking wyvern’s mouth shut. Every piece of exposed skin is a grotesque picture of blood and blisters, but nothing like my arms. I groan softly at the pain, clenching my eyes shut tightly and breathing deeply.
Focus on each breath, not the pain.
Cath curls his body around me, gently nudging at me with his nose, as if that will get me back on my feet. “You are getting warm. You need to be treated before infection takes hold.”
“Not like there are any Healers or Menders on hand,” I mumble through gritted teeth, biting at my lip to silence any other pained noises. I can feel sweat starting to form on my brow. Dammit, I don’t have time to deal with a fever right now.
“Dain Aetos!”
Violet’s voice is dripping with malice and I can’t keep from flinching. I don’t think I’m ready to face her, but what choice do I have? Especially when Cath cautiously unfolds himself from around me so that she has a direct path to me. She stomps over to me, those hazel eyes that I loved glaring up at me with so much distrust and anger. Yet I can see the sharp edge dull just the tiniest bit as she comes closer, looking over my injured and haggard appearance. She’s gripping a bag in her hand and I see an indecisiveness on her face, before she tosses it at my feet.
“What…?” I ask, glancing down at the bag, before meeting her gaze once more.
“There’s medical supplies in there. Bandages, burn salve, and whatever else you need. After what Barlowe did to Liam during the last round of War Games, I started to carry supplies. Just in case,” Violet explains stiffly, glancing back at Tairn over her shoulder. The massive Black dragon is rocking back and forth uneasily, his neck craned low into the thick foliage. I follow his line of sight and see a flash of gold; Violet’s Feathertail is here too. “You have no idea how badly I want to throttle you, Dain. You invaded my privacy, my private thoughts! And now, people are dying because you ran to your dad, instead of talking to me!”
“I know, you’re right,” I say softly, not bothering to come up with excuses. “You have every right to be pissed at me, Violet. You can even hate me, if you want to. But I swear that I had no idea what my father would do. As soon as I found out, we abandoned our orders and flew for Athebyne. We weren’t fast enough to intercept you, and I’m so sorry for that.”
“I don’t want to hear your apologies right now. You’re going to patch yourself up and live. You’re going to keep an eye on Liam and Deigh, make sure they stay alive too. You’re going to watch Andarna and make sure she stays right here where it's safe,” Violet orders and I don’t dare argue. Ranks be damned, there is no denying a pissed off Sorrengail their demands. I nod curtly. “When we all get out of here alive, then we’re going to talk. Until then, we are not friends. We are not allies. You’ve betrayed me in more ways than I can fathom right now.”
Her voice cracks and I swear my burns are suddenly nothing compared to the knife twisting in my heart. I brought this on myself, I remind my aching heart. I take a shuddery breath and steel my resolve. I have to make things right. “I understand. I’ll respect your feelings, Violet. But I won’t stop trying to prove how sorry I am for everything. And I mean everything.”
Violet shakes her head and looks away from me. “I don’t know what you could possibly do to make this right, Dain. Coming here and saving Liam is a start, but how am I supposed to trust you don’t have an ulterior motive?”
“You don’t have to right now, there will be time for all of that later. But right now, they need their most capable Rider out there. Your squad needs you. And so does Riorson,” I remind her gently. It hurts, how surprised she seems by my words. Surprise that I would call her a capable Rider. Gods, I fucked up big time. “Go, Vi. Go fry those things.”
Violet takes a shaky breath but nods her head, jogging back over to Tairn. He immediately makes a ramp for her to climb up his front leg. In the blink of an eye, he’s in the air and flying back towards the battle infinitely faster than we retreated. At that speed, they should be back in the thick of it in just a few minutes. Sighing, I sink to the ground and lean back against Cath’s leg, closing my eyes tightly.
Something drops into my lap suddenly, and I jerk forward, hissing as pain flares up my arms once again. There’s no escaping it, but every movement just makes it worse! I look down at the bag that now sits in my lap, the one Violet had left with me. And standing in front of me is the little, golden Feathertail, glaring down at me disapproval.
“Andarna wants to remind you that Violet ordered you to take care of your injuries,” Cath relays to me and I snort softly. It's not like I don’t want to, but the state of my hands makes it difficult at best. “You should at least try to use some of the salve she mentioned. You are not feeling well.”
“How do you expect me to feel after nearly being burned alive?” I ask incredulously, trying to curl my fingers around the bag. A pained whimper escapes my throat and I throw my head back as fire ignites my arm all over again. I feel beads of sweat drip down my face, already soaking my hair. Fuck, fuck, fuck. “C-Cath, I…this pain i-is…”
“I know, my brave Rider. You are not suffering alone, I promise you. I will share this pain with you,” Cath says soothingly down our shared bond and I almost sob. He shouldn’t have to. I’ve caused others enough pain, haven’t I? I’ve never hated myself before. Not like this. “We are bonded. I chose you, and as such, I am partially responsible for you. If you truly feel you deserve punishment, I will face it alongside you. This will be my punishment for not guiding you as I should have.”
But Cath did guide me. He told me I was in the wrong all along. I just didn’t listen. I moan as bile burns the back of my throat, and I turn my head to the side as the contents of my stomach comes back up. I can see Andarna out of the corner of my eye backing away for a moment, before bounding away in Deigh’s direction. Good. I don’t need the little Feathertail’s judging stare on me any longer than necessary.
“You still with me, Aetos?”
I groan miserably, looking up with bleary eyes. Darkness is creeping into the corner of my vision, but I can vaguely make out Liam standing over me. Towering over me is more like it. It's no wonder he’s the top of his year, he’s huge. The blonde frowns down at me, slowly kneeling down and taking the bag from my lap. He starts rifling through it, pulling a few things out. I can make out bandages and a jar. No. No, he shouldn’t be over here with me.
“D…Deigh n-needs you…” I wheeze out, coughing as my stomach rolls again. I feel so hot, inside and out. I feel Cath’s nose nudge at me again and I can hear him chirp in distress. Yet another sound I’ve never heard from him before, and I hope I never hear it again.
“I can’t do anything for Deigh right now. But I can at least try to help you. It will do me good to stay busy right now,” Liam says quietly, opening the jar and looking over my burns warily. “Your face is flushed and you’re soaked in sweat. I’m no Healer, but I’m assuming infection’s setting in?”
“C-Cath…thinks s-so…” I gasp softly as Liam holds one of my arms. I know he’s trying to be gentle, but it doesn’t matter. Every nerve is alight with agony. Liam nods in understanding, glancing towards his own Red. I follow his line of sight to see Andarna sitting near his head, trilling softly. Beside her, Deigh is attempting to drink a few gulps from the lake while still lying limp.
Liam takes a deep breath and focuses his attention back on me. “I’m going to try and get some of the burn salve on it. It's going to hurt like hell, but it can’t go entirely untreated.” I nod slowly, breathing hard. I watch warily as he dips his fingers into the jar, coming back with a generous amount of the salve.
“Are you ready?” Liam asks, meeting my wary gaze.
Fuck no, I’m not ready.
I feel Cath at my back, curling tighter around me and I force myself to nod again. I have to be ready. Liam presses his lips together in a grimace and holds my arm as he presses the salve into the mess of blisters and melted flesh.
I scream at the same time lightning lights up the sky in the distance, spidering out in a powerful display, reflecting off of golden scales that were supposed to stay here. It’s the last thing I remember, before darkness finally takes me.