Ruthless: A Fourth Wing Fanfiction

Chapter 13 (edited)

The next few days, I don't see Liam whatsoever. I thought that his cut would be cleaned and stitched quickly, but I don't know what he is still there for.
Classes continue, the duel not being brought up whatsoever. People ask me if I somehow stopped the second-year. How do I respond to that?
'I don't know?'
'I don't care?'
I can't exactly say that. No matter how many times I try I still can't make anything move or stop on command. My senses are on higher alert than usual.
Not many people have talked to me. Only the professors and my friends.
I have formed an unlikely bond with Erricka, though. It seems we are a lot more alike than we thought.
I walk out of the dorm, my hair tied back in two braided buns like usual, heading to breakfast, when someone's hand lands on my shoulder.
"Did you do the Battle Brief coordinates task? Because I didn't," Erricka grins sheepishly.
"Well I am not letting you copy mine," I say with a smile, yanking her arm so she walks next to me and not behind me.
"That's not what I was going to ask," Erricka says with a fake pout.
"What were you going to ask then, hm?" I laugh.
We reach the hall and quickly grab some breakfast and sit down at our usual table.
The table with Liam, Erricka and their friends has become the new usual for me. I don't like to always talk about Xaden Riorson, as that's all they talk about at the old table I used to sit at. I'd rather talk about other things.
But the annoying part is I haven't seem Liam for ages at this table. I miss him.
I think Erricka catches me staring at the spot where Liam would normally sit, because she goes silent.
"I visited him yesterday. He's been asking for you."
"I don't know."
"He wants to see you. Why won't you go?" Erricka seems to love pressuring me.
"Well maybe because I don't want to accidentally, oh, I don't know, paralyse him?" I drawl, taking a bite of my strawberry.
"That's just your signet. You won't hurt anyone."
"I hurt that guy," I scoff.
"Well, he deserved it. I heard that he cracked in the interrogation room as soon as a knife came out. We don't know what he cracked about though, unfortunately," Erricka sighs, making shapes with her fruit.
"It's not like they'll tell us. But I'm sure it was my father."
"Why?"
"I saw the look on his face as that second-year was trying to kill Liam."
Silence. Unbearable silence.
It's not even silent, actually. Others are chatting in the room. But it doesn't feel like it.
"He should be joining us back in class now. The healers say that his cut is a lot better and that his concussion has ceased."
"What does this paralysing stuff mean?"
"Wow. Quick change of subject," Erricka raises her eyebrow at me, popping a grape in her mouth.
"Anyways," she continues. "It means you can paralyse people. Paralysation."
Erricka sits up all of a sudden, staring right into my eyes.
"But your ice didn't look like any ice I'd ever seen. And I've seen lots of ice wielders. It's not really a rare signet."
"What did it look like?"
"I'm wondering how you did it though. If it was through the mind, or if it was something to do with emotions."
Erricka raises her eyebrow at me, but she doesn't say anything.
After breakfast, we head to sparring. By now, everyone is whispering and glancing back at us as we walk.
When we get there, the lesson has already commenced, pairs of cadets sparring on the mats.
"Erricka, over here!" A girl, second-year, waves her over to a mat.
Left alone, I scan the room for any singular cadets.
"Ah, Cadet Melgren. Cadet Hobson over there is ready for you," Professor Kaori says, pointing to a sneering girl, around 5,8, with straight, thin blonde hair cut in a bob. Definitely a first-year.
I walk over. "Hi."
She just sneers at me, and picks up her weapon, two thin daggers. I brought my axes with me so I wouldn't have to use the rough, too-big supplied axes from the gym.
We take our places on the mat.
"Begin!" She yells.
She pounces forward like some sort of cat, and begins stabbing her daggers at me, aiming for my chest. I back up and duck under her arm, swivelling to face her. She quickly attacks again. This time, she brings both her daggers down to my head. I block them with my axe, and push her back. She doesn't stumble, instead pushing me back harder.
That's it. I'm attacking.
I use my leg strength to push me forward, shoving her arms down with brute force. I swing one axe at her face and the other at her leg, but she kicks my wrist back with a sickening crunch. My left wrist hangs limply at my side. Shit.
Her arm collides with mine, preventing my other axe from hitting her. She uses her other arm to stab at my chest. I drop my arm, retreating from her blade.
She smirks at me as if she's already won.
I glare at her.
She runs at me, tackling me by the legs, bringing me down. She quickly scampers up, holding her dagger against my neck with sinister smile.
Instead of declaring my loss and shaking hands, she snatched my limp wrist. She takes it in her hands and begins twisting it.
I scream as she forces my hand a full three-sixty degrees. My eyes shut from the pain. She's sitting on my legs, making me unable to do anything other than claw at her face blindly with my other hand.
My heart slows and my breathing deepens, and I feel this pulsing in my mind-

"Ruth?"