Elaine Mairi had always known she would enter the Riders Quadrant. She was marked with a rebellion relic, leaving her with a future that could not be altered.
She had decided it would be better to make use of that inevitable future than give the peo...
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"She's. Not. You." ____________
Before I know it, our training sessions are over.
I can complete the Gauntlet with no trouble, I can do it fast as well. I however, still find myself becoming nervous, the anticipation slowly killing me. I know I can make it up fast and clean—but what about my squad mates?
Violet is still unable to make it up the chimney due to her size. I hate that I can't help, I hate that all I can do is watch. She's smart, hopefully she'll find a way.
"Maybe you can climb up onto my shoulders and then..." Rhiannon offers ideas to Violet as we wait at the bottom of the Gauntlet.
"Then I'm still stuck halfway up," Violet answers, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Doesn't matter. You can't touch another cadet on the route." Sawyer says, folding his arms over his chest.
"Are you here to squash hopes and dreams, or do you have a suggestion?" Rhiannon exclaims. "Because Presentation is tomorrow, so if you've got any bright ideas, now is the time."
Sawyer shakes his head with a sorry look. I look over at Violet, her eyes staring off into the distance at nothing. Behind her eyes a million thoughts run through her head, I know that. I hope for her sake that one of them gets her across the Gauntlet tomorrow.
_______________
I can't sleep.
I stare at the ceiling, running the key Xaden left for me over and over in between my index and middle finger. The edges are sharp and cold against my skin, my fingers picking up every little dent and marking and remembering it.
What did it open?
That question ran over and over in my mind. The question was impossible to answer, I knew nothing of what Xaden thought anymore, how was I to know what he wanted me to find? Leaving a key with no note or hint of what Xaden had wanted was infuriating and useless.
With a sigh I slid the key back under my shirt, tossing and turning a few more times before realizing that sleep wasn't currently an option of mine.
I couldn't leave, wouldn't risk pulling a stunt like that again, especially after what the previous time ended up leaving me with. But what was I going to do? Talking to Liam wasn't and option, Violet and Rhiannon slept, and Xaden...I couldn't talk to him.
"Why can't you talk to me, Elaine?"
I almost screamed.
I jolted up, looking around the dark and empty rooms. I quietly whispered 'who's there?' With no answer. So did that...
"Come from your mind? Yes it did."
What. The. Fuck.
I remember hearing his voice in my head at the on-mat challenges, but I was sure he was just talking to me and when I was getting beaten up, I hadn't thought much of it—until now.
