#original character insert

But against all odds, Karina smiles despite the hammering in her chest and slight tremor in her fingers.  

“No, but I am excited to see Xaden again.” The idea of seeing her brother after so long was the only thing that kept her going up those steps. Gods, did there need to be so many? Maybe she should have focused more on working on her legs than her sparring.

It had been now three years since Xaden had left and gone into the Rider’s Quadrant there at Basgiath.And it had been the longest three years she’d ever felt with only the occasional letters.  

Liam scoffs. “Of course you are. Should’ve known you’d be thinking about your brother over the life-threatening death walk we’re about to take.”

Karina rolls her eyes and resists the urge to hit him with her elbow, “And Bodhi. And Garrick. It’s been years, Liam. Six years, since I’ve seen them. Now they’re all big bad dragon riders. I can’t wait to-“

“Stress them out?”

A wicked, mischievous grew on her face, “Exactly,”

Soon, the line came to a stop as the first candidate reached the top. Swallowing, Karina looked upward, knowing that her brother was just a few dozen stairs away now. Her heart pounded at the idea of finally seeing him. The knot in her stomach tightened as one by one, the cadets ahead of her crossed the parapet.

As they slowly reached the top, the wind hit them like a wall, whipping through them. And Karina was grateful that she decided to braid her thick hair and pinned it into a neat, bun at the base of her neck. Even though stray curls whipped around her with the wind, it wouldn’t be nearly as bad as it could be if she hadn’t. Because now just a few feet before them stretched the parapet—a narrow stone bridge suspended 200 feet above a raging river, its uneven surface leading to the Riders Quadrant’s citadel. 

Her eyes snapped to the figure leaning against the entrance to the parapet. Tall. Still about 10 inches taller than her, even though she was in her boots. But he was in all rider black. A new scar on his face that wasn’t there when he had left Lewellen. The stubble. But the familiar welcome of his onyx eyes that reminded her so much of home.  

Xaden had always been her home. Even when they were younger she would always follow along behind him and Garrick around their home. Even when Xaden would shoo her away to play with Bodhi instead. But mainly when their mother had left them.

Home no longer was a place.

It was her brother.

It was Xaden. 

It took her everything not to run right up to him. They were targets here, no matter how high  Xaden was in the ranks. She wasn’t. So she waited as one after another the Death Walk, as Liam called it. Besides, she was a Riorson, she had a reputation to uphold.

“Name?” The rider asked with an older looking scribe beside him. Her eyes snapped back towards him and cleared her throat. 

“Riorson, Karina.”

The moment she spoke the rider and scribe both froze for a split moment. Their eyes darting upward to look at her. And she knew exactly what they saw. A traitor. A marked one. Daughter to the Great Betrayer. Tyrrish blood. It was enough to put a target on her back. But she had that on the moment she was born into the Riorson family.

Her eyes moved away from the rider taking down the names, not bothering to wait to hear what other smart-ass comments they had to give her. Because she met the eyes of her big brother. The one who she was so fortunate enough to be with while they were fostered after the Apostasy. The one who helped her though the nightmares after watching their father and the others, being killed by dragon fire. The same brother who she soothed and helped clean his back after he had gotten the one hundred and seven cuts on his back. One scar for each of the children of the rebellion leaders. 

And now she stood before him. Insanely built. Tough and hardened. But alive. And that was more than anything else she could ask for. It was more than so many families could say about their children who even attempted. 

But his eyes read a different story than the bored expression on his face. As much as he tried to hide it, she could tell he was happy to see her. Irritated that she had to be there. 

“Riorson. Good to see you made it up in one piece,” Xaden said, his eyes darting briefly to Liam and nodding again, “both of you.”

Karina smiled, “well it helps that I kept up with my exercising and all,” she said simply, “you could look better. Though the scar makes you look ten times cooler than before.” She added with a smirk.

Xaden rolled his eyes, hiding his amusement. “Enough about my appearance, cadet. It’s your turn and you’re holding everyone up,” he said, nodding with indifference to the stone bridge ahead of her. He didn’t seem worried. Not that she could see anyway. Either before he didn’t want her to doubt herself or he had pure faith in her. Probably both. 

“I’ll see you in the other side,” Karina said as she heard Liam give his name to the rider keeping track. Taking a breath she stepped up onto the parapet and walked forward before pausing briefly.  

Karina looked upward to the sky as it was darkening. The wind picking up quickly. And she was honestly surprised it wasn’t raining yet. Maybe she’d be able to make it across before the storm got worse. She quickly checked herself over. Her plain long sleeve black shirt and pants, along with her sturdy boots were nothing fancy. 

But she had never been so grateful for her brother’s advice. Before arriving at Basgiath, he had told her the rules of the Riders Codex, the rules they all live by. And according to it, whatever you cross the parapet with is yours. So she did just that. 

On her waist, a leather belt held a set of daggers, each one sheathed and ready for her to grab easily. The first was positioned at her right hip, a slim, curved blade that could cut through skin like paper if she was quick enough. The second was tucked on her left thigh, a little smaller but no less dangerous. The third and final dagger was positioned at her waist. 

Their father had made sure to leave one of his daggers for her. And for her 20th birthday she was given it. As if a final gift from her father. And as much as she had a complicated relationship with him, she cherished those daggers close.

“Get on across, Riorson,” she heard Xaden’s voice scolding in her ears, and she shot him a playful glare over her shoulder. That must be his Wingleader voice Bodhi had written to her about.

“You should remember I don’t like to be rushed,” Karina said, but regardless looked ahead. Her brown eyes flickered upward at the swirling storm clouds above them. Any minute now it’s going to start downpouring. And she did not want to be on this death trap when it did. 

Karina took a deep breath, her gaze fixed ahead. The wind was stronger here, tugging at her clothing and tousling her hair. She could see faint markings on the stone—painted lines demarcating quarters of the bridge and indicating the halfway point. 

Taking a deep breath she calmed down her racing heart and stuck out her hands as she moved out, away from the safety of the battle monuments and into the open air. Goosebumps rising on her skin. The wind howled around her, and the chasm below seemed to yawn endlessly. Karina’s focus narrowed to the stone beneath her boots, the rhythm of her breathing. 

Focus. Breathe. One foot in front of the other.

That seemed to work for her. Eyes ahead, one step at a time. Before she realized, she reached the halfway point, marked by a faint red line. And for a moment Karina allowed herself a brief glance to the side. The view was breathtaking—the sprawling expanse of Basgiath, the winding river below, and the distant peaks beyond. 

Yes; even in this terrifying moment, with the storm waiting to unleash any moment, with the raging river, the wind, she couldn’t help but admire it. She was forced to be there. Stuck in what was supposed to be a death sentence. 

But Gods was it beautiful.

“Mairi, you’re up,” she heard her brother’s voice say, and a quick glance behind her showed that Liam took his place onto the parapet. But she quickly returned her focus to the path ahead. This wasn’t over just eh.

The final stretch approached, and the parapet began to widen slightly, the stone walls of the Riders Quadrant’s citadel becoming visible. The wind seemed to intensify here, swirling around the narrowing bridge. Her fingers brushing against the cool surface for added stability in those last several feet.

Karina felt like she could breathe as she finally stepped through the archway, her boots crunching on the gravel. The courtyard was expansive, capable of accommodating a thousand riders. Its layout resembled an angular teardrop, with the rounded end constituted by a massive outer wall at least ten feet thick, designed to support the weight of dragons perching upon them.  

“Name?” 

Karina’s eyes snapped to the red-headed rider with the parchment. She seemed to want to be anywhere but there. And Karina could only imagine how tiring it could be to take name after name after name.

“Riorson. Karina, Riorson,” she said, keeping her head up as the second year seemed to pause. The redhead looked up to her and narrowed her eyes for a moment, 

“Riorson?”

Karina crossed her arms over her chest, staring back at the older girl, refusing to look away. To back down. She couldn’t trust anyone here. No one but three other Marked ones. The risk of them coming after her were higher than most. Especially with her name attached, and with her brother here? Mixed with her father’s reputation? A recipe for disaster.

The second year just let out a small huff before nodding her head aside, “move on. Wait for assignments.” She said, and Karina smirked before moving to the side, grinning as she watched Liam cross easily. 

After he gave his name to the second-year, the two made their way through the crowd of cadets. New first-years, and returning second and third years all watching the eager cadets.

“I can’t believe we made it. I mean that parapet is no joke, I thought the wind was gonna take me a few times. I feel bad for whoever has to do that in that rain,” Liam said, grimacing at the sight of the rain and wind; both equally getting heavier.

Before Karina could respond, a hand grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back with tug. 

“Gotcha!” the voice boomed, teasing and familiar.

Without thinking, Karina’s body reacted faster than her mind could catch up. Her fist flew instinctively, connecting with something solid—a sharp crack filled the air. She felt the jolt of the punch travel through her arm, and a grunt echoed from the person she’d struck.

The hand released her immediately, and she spun around, heart hammering in her chest, ready to face whoever had dared to sneak up on her. Her hand flying to her hip to grab the closest dagger.

But then, her eyes met the unmistakable, grinning face of her cousin, Bodhi.

“Oh gods,” she muttered under her breath, feeling the color drain from her face. “Bodhi? What are you fucking stupid?”

Bodhi stumbled back, holding a hand to his jaw where her punch had landed. “Ouch,” he groaned, though the smirk never left his face. “Was that really necessary, Karina? Ever heard of a warm welcome?”

Karina  heart rate slowed as she realized who it was. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think it was you—” She stepped forward, before pausing and narrowing her eyes. “No, you know what? I take it back. That’s what you fucking get for sneaking up on me. I swear you were fucking asking for it,” she said with a huff.

Bodhi grinned wider, rubbing his jaw with a laugh. “I’ll survive.” He winked. “But you’re quick. I forgot how fast you are. That’ll come in handy for you here,”

Before Karina could say anything else, another voice interrupted their exchange.

“Is everything alright here?” Imogen’s voice rang out, carrying over the courtyard.

Karina turned to see Imogen and Garrick walking toward them, a mix of concern and amusement in their expressions. Imogen’s sharp eyes shifted from Karina to Bodhi and back again, her lips curving up into a smirk as she took in the scene.

“I think Bodhi learned his lesson,” Imogen teased, her voice light with amusement and heavy with sarcasm.

Garrick, ever the stoic one, raised an eyebrow. “Did you really have to punch him that hard?” He asked, though she didn’t miss the amused look in his eyes.

Karina’s shrugged, “I wasn’t expecting anyone to sneak up on me, especially after just crossing that parapet. He came up to me out of no where, he’s lucky I didn’t break his nose,”

“You’ve always been so violent” Bodhi teased with a chuckle, his expression still light. “But hey, good to know Karina still has a mean left hook.”

“Clearly,” Imogen said dryly, her eyes twinkling with laughter as she glanced at Karina. “Should’ve known better than to sneak up on a Riorson.”

“Well, you should’ve seen the look on your face when I grabbed you,” Bodhi added with a laugh, now recovering from the punch, “You were ready to kill me.”

“I still might, depending on how much longer you keep running your mouth,” Karina shot back with a raised eyebrow, but there was no malice behind the words. 

Gods, she missed this. Missed him. Missed them. How long had it been since she’d seen him? Too long. It all had been much too long.

Garrick’s lip quirked to a smile. “But I have to admit, you’re a sight for sore eyes, Karina. We all knew you’d make it across, but I didn’t expect the fistfight at the end.”

Karina nodded in return, her own smirk growing at Garrick’s amusement. It sent easy always pulling a smile from him before, but now after three years in the Riders Quadrant? It felt like a special reward, “It’s been too long. I’ve missed you all. I’m glad to see everyone’s in one piece,”

“Well, as in one piece, as you can get,” Bodhi said, still rubbing his jaw lightly, “You’ll have to get used to seeing us more often. This is home now.”

Karina eyes scanned the courtyard as the others fell into step around her, each of them already making plans for what would come next. Training. Drills. Threshing. Everything to grind them into perfect weapons. It was one hell of a home.

“Right..” Karina muttered before her eyes flickered out the window as the rain now was completely lashing down. Like it had waited for Liam to get across before starting its release. Her eyes darted to the parapet, just in time to see a young woman with silver hair run the last few feet of the parapet. She had turned and held it to the groin of the male behind her.

Her eyes widened a bit. The hair alone, even through it was braided, told her everything she needed to know about her.

“Is that..?”

“Yes,” Imogen huffed, her eyes narrowed down at the rather short female who had now turned to give her name to the name keeper.  

“And Xaden…”     “Yep,” Bodhi said with a nod, glancing to Karina, “he already has a whole plan set. I would call it cute if he didn’t already threaten me,” he said, causing Karina to shake her head with amusement.

~~~~~~~~~~ Soon enough, the last candidate crosses the parapet hours later. By now it was late afternoon and the storm passed on. The sun beat down on them now, causing the air to become humid and sticky. As they all gathered, Leadership gathered as well on the dais to call the attention of the first-years.

Commandant Panchek takes the center of the dais and his voice rings out as he begins a whole speech about how three hundred and one of them made it across. And goes into further detail about how the Codex was what they would live by, how their professors would teach them everything they needed to know, and so on. 

“Riorson, Karina. Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing.” 

Karina frowned and glanced at Liam who was already in a different squad. Her heart fell but she also knew realistically the odds of them being put together was low. They tended to try and separate the marked ones. She looked ahead of her and moved forward through the crowd. She could see Xaden from the corner of her eye on the dais watching carefully as if someone was going to come out swinging at her. 

It was more comforting than the eyes and glares she received as she moved through the parting crowds. Karina stood with her head up among her squadmates. None seeming to have the same swirling black mark on their left arm like her own, but she would manage. She just has to survive until threshing. 

So she stood in place. Behind who she knew was Violet and her friend, a pretty dark skinned girl. More names were called. And soon enough cadets surrounded her making up her squad, and then her section, and then her wing.

The tall boy with light brown hair and freckles long his face to the right of her was the first to break the silence, “Hey, so… guess we’re all in this together now,” he said, offering a kind smile, his eyes flickered over the group. “I’m Sawyer,”

Karina’s eyes landed on Violet Sorrengail, who was standing beside the other girl, her posture tense, arms crossed over her chest as if bracing for impact. She hesitated as she glanced over her shoulder at Sawyer before say, her gaze darting from Karina to Xaden before finally settling back on Karina.

Karina caught the hesitation and couldn’t help but smirk. “Don’t worry, Sorrengail,” she teased, voice light with amusement. “You’re my brother’s problem. My issue is with your mom, so don’t sweat it.”

Violet blinked, then exhaled sharply in what might’ve been a half-laugh, half-scoff. “Good to know, I’m…Violet,” she muttered, clearing her throat.

Beside her, the taller girl still looked wary, shifting slightly in place, “I’m Rhiannon,” she said, glancing hesitantly over Karina. But before she could say anything else, the shorter dark haired guy to the left of Karina leaned in with a dramatic whisper. “You look like you’re about to bolt. What, scared of a little Riorson?”

Rhiannon shot him a look, but the tension in her shoulders eased just a fraction. “I’m not scared,” she shot back, lips twitching. “Just… cautious.”

The guy grinned. “Uh-huh. Sure.” He looked over the group before looking Karina up and down with a smirk, “I’m Ridoc. You’ll need to know the same for later,”

Karina rolled her eyes and chuckled, “yeah good luck with that,” 

She then took a moment to have a look over the mismatched group that was now her squad. They weren’t a team. Not yet, at least. She could still see the distrust in their postures. But Sawyer seemed to be the most open to her, which was good at least. 

They continued to read off all the names until all three hundred and one cadets are organized into sections and squads. But then there was a pause. And Xaden moved to talk to the other Wingleaders. And her eyebrows furrow, trying to figure out what the hell her brother was trying to do.

Then after what seemed to be a rather long and heated discussion when the third year who was calling out the name nods to Xaden in a final approval and clears her throat. All the Wingleaders turn to face the cadets. 

“Dain Aetos, you and your squad will switch with Aura Beinhaven’s,” she announced as she scripted something down on the parchment. All the cadets seemed to share a look amongst themselves. But their squad leader, Dain Aetos, seemed to just accept the orders. No questions asked. 

“Follow me,” was all Aetos said as the squad erupted in mourners. Though they followed Aetos to their new position in Fourth wing. Karina narrowed her eyes, darting around before she smirked in realization.

No fucking way.

Xaden had moved them to his wing. With Bodhi. Imogen. Garrick. Her family. A section and squad full of marked ones. Looking in front of her, she could see the moment Violet had the realization too. Karina couldn’t help but find it amusing. But she made a mental note on asking Xaden why he had done it in the first place; not that she was complaining. 

As the sections seemed to settle down into their official spots, Xaden then took to the center of the dais. Folding his arms over his chest as he looks over the hundreds of cadets littering the courtyard now in organized lines. And Karina could see how his eyes were analyzing each and every one of them. As if he could see right through each one of them. 

“You’re all cadets now,” he started, his voice booming across the courtyard, “yeah I’m sure you feel pretty badass now huh? Feeling pretty unstoppable, first-years?” He asks as the applause of the first-years fill the air, cheers and cocky woos.

But Karina didn’t, remaining still. She knew her brother. He wasn’t one to just praise a bunch of fresh cadets for walking across the bridge. It was a set up. And it seemed she was right. Because the next thing she knew, wing beats, filled the air. And dragons started to land amongst the masonry on the top of the walls. 

Beautiful creatures.

A red, a few greens, and a stunning blue. 

Their massive forms looming over them, their shadows casting and blocking out the sun. Screams filled the air. And a cadet runs. The red dragon seems to make an example and with a breath of fire, turns the cadet to ash. Two more cadets run from this. And then two more are dead.

What idiots.

The blue dragon turns its head towards directly at Karina. Tilting its head slightly, but those golden eyes threatening, but almost curious. She let out a huff of steam through her nostrils before turning her attention back to the rest of the crowd.

Sgaeyl. 

That had to have been Xaden’s dragon. She was just like what he had told her briefly in his letters. But words didn’t do her justice for how she looked in person. Let alone the massive size. Beautiful. But fucking terrifying.

After everything seemed to settle down again, Xaden looked over the crowd again with a rather bored expression on his face. “Anyone else change their mind? No?” He asked as he paused, “Good. Roughly half of you will be dead this time next year. A third after that. Here, no one cares who your parents are. King, noble, merchant, farmer, general. Here, you’re on your own,” he adds a bit too pointedly, his eyes landing on Violet.

“Tell me now if you still feel elite. Tell me if you still feel unstoppable. Untouchable,” a roar of fire blows over them from the blue dragon—Sgaeyl.

“Because you are not special, or valuable, or untouchable, to them,” Xaden continued, pointing to Sgaeyl. “To them? You’re replaceable. And at the very bottom of their food chain.” He finished scanning the crowd with an intimidating smirk.

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