Boundless Limits {B.Durran}

02

Much like Jack Barlowe, Tierney and Ciaran don't have much trouble as they cross the parapet. All three seem to be doing it in the same fashion, walking as if they aren't one wrong step from death.

Their strides don't falter despite the wind blowing at their sides, whipping at their hair. With the pace Tierney is travelling at, she is nearing Jack and Violet who are ahead of her, and by the way Violet is hurrying, Tierney assumes that Jack wants to kill her, as she originally thought.

Ciaran is getting left further behind Tierney as she strides across the death bridge. But it doesn't worry him, she will be fine and Ciaran isn't in a rush to get to her— to get across the parapet to the quadrant.

Tierney watches as Violet makes it across the parapet to the point where two walls secure both her sides, blocking the wind and stopping the imminent threat it creates. Upon realising this, Violet runs the last few feet to safety, and Jack, who had reached her, lunges towards Violet, his hands reaching to grab her pack.

Jack misses and Violet hurtles herself off the parapet and lands in the safety of the grounds. Jack stands above her, still on the parapet edge, although he halts, not daring to move forward.

Tierney furrows her brow, wondering what's stopping Jack from dropping off the parapet and into the courtyard. She cannot see why he hesitates so she moves closer to the boy to get a better look at the situation.

By the time Tierney reaches the safety of the two walls on either side of her, she's finally able to hear part of the conversation that's occurring between Jack, Violet and the riders who are waiting for candidates to successfully cross the parapet.

"Well, Jack," A rider, who sounds male, says, "Cadet Sorrengail has you by the actual balls here, in more ways than one." Tierney's curiosity about the situation spikes. "She's right. Regs states that there's nothing but respect among riders at formation. If you want to kill her, you'll have to do it in the sparring ring or on your own time. That is if she decides to let you off the parapet. Because technically, you're not on the grounds yet, so you are not a cadet. She is."

"And if I snap her neck the second I step down?" Jack growls, his body tensing from anger and Tierney has no doubt he'd have no issue acting on his threat.

"Then you get to meet the dragons early," Another rider says, this one female, her tone bland. "We don't wait for trials around here. We just execute."

"What's it going to be, Sorrengail?" The male rider asks. "You going to have Jack here start as a eunuch?"

Tierney slowly inches closer to the end of the bridge of death, making her way cautiously behind Jack. He might throw her off if she gets too close so she hangs back far enough that she will be able to react if he does reach for her.

After all, Tierney didn't come unarmed. To come to the rider's quadrant without a weapon is a death wish, if someone does that, they want their name to be on the death role.

Tierney's broadsword is strapped to the weapon belt on her hip, still there from his morning. Daggers and satchels litter the sheaths on her legs and decorate the buckles of her belt.

The woman is unsure as to how many throwing knives and daggers she's bought with her, she took as many as she could, both on her person and in her pack

Tierney came prepared knowing she would lose many. Despite this, she still has a favourite dagger strapped to her calve, hidden by her boot, and another on her left thigh, her fashion-pairing dagger she uses with her sword.

"Are you going to follow the rules?" Violet asks, Tierney's surprised by the question. If she is in Violet's place she won't let him off the parapet, he intends to kill her, and by that alone Tierney knows he is too dangerous to her life to let him live.