Wild and Out of Control

|chapter seventeen|

"Just remember, Xaden, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. They need you to lead them, my son."

- LAST LETTER OF FEN RIORSON TO HIS SON, XADEN RIORSON

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|xaden|

The gym is quiet today as I oversee the training of the younger cadets in place of Imogen while Bodhi is in place of Garrick while those two are preoccupied.

     It has been a few days since Danica was attacked in her sleep and Amber Mavis was executed by dragon fire. I didn't fail to notice when she walked out of formation with Liam quick on her tail. I haven't seen her since then, not at Battle Brief, not at morning formation, and not at breakfast. It's like she's ignoring my existence. I reach down the bond linking her to me, feeling her strength and struggle as she trains with heavy weights, but it's not that I'm worried about—I'm quite impressed by that, in fact—it's the irritation and anger that bothers me.

     The anger I can understand. If I were attacked behind the closed doors of my room while I was sleeping I would be angry too. But I don't know where the irritation comes from.

     "Xaden?" a voice next to me asks, drawing my attention away from Danica and toward a blond First-year boy. "Could you help me? I—Garrick usually does this, but he's not here..." he trails off as he rubs the back of his neck. "Nevermind. I—"

     "What is it that Garrick usually does," I glance over to take note of who I am talking to, "William?" He's wearing fingerless gloves and standing before a racked bench press. "Do you need me to spot you?"

     He nods, looking away as he rubs his head. "If it isn't too much to ask."

     "It's fine."

      As I'm spotting William, I glance around the room, noting that Violet's at one of the leg abduction machines and Danica's starting her weighted squats, Bodhi behind her to catch her if she fails. They're close. Too close for my liking. When she finishes one set, she turns, her mouth moving in a quiet reply to whatever Bodhi says. Their voices are too hushed for me to hear, and I can only guess what they're talking about from their body language.

     I instruct William to cool down and stretch when he finishes his sets. I approach Violet, my eyes not straying from Danica and Bodhi. I cross my arms over my chest, the unwelcome feeling of jealousy crawling up my neck. It should be me who's spotting her. It should be me who's behind her instead of my fucking cousin. But I promised myself I would stay as far away from her. Violet must sense my presence because she turns around and glares up at me.

     "What the hell do you want, Xaden? Just here to stalk behind me? And why are you here anyway?" Violet lets out a long breath as she struggles with her last rep.

     What is with these two and their questions? "Garrick and Imogen are busy, so I'm here in place of them. You have a problem with that?" I cross my arms and raise my eyebrows as I stare down at her. "You should keep your back straight, not bending your shoulders over so much. If you want to train your glutes, then lean your entire back forward."

     Red stains her cheeks as she glances away. "I was not aware that bending my shoulders forward affected training my thighs. But anyway, go away. You're distracting me."

     "Oh, am I? And how am I distracting you?" I lean against the wall facing her while she starts her next set. "Twenty more, and then you're starting your cool down and stretching." The quicker she's gone, the quicker I can get Bodhi out of here so I can speak with Danica.