Defy (Dain Aetos Story): The Empyrean Series Fanfiction

Iron Flame: Reunion

This chapter follows the events from Chapter 4~8 of Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros.

"Violet?!"

My heart dropped when I heard Rhiannon's voice mutter behind me. My head turned towards the dias where leadership was staring at Violet and the rest of Riorson's squad like they came back from the dead. My mouth dropped as I stared at Violet, alive in the flesh.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing this," I asked, reaching for Cath in my mind.

"Your friend lives," Cath responded. Maybe it was hearing Cath's voice again, but I found so much comfort in his words at this moment. "Maybe you can finally get that rest you desperately need."

I watched as the heated discussion took place between Riorson and the leadership. General Sorrengail turned to my father with a crumpled piece of paper and I saw his eyes shift downwards. The paper had to contain orders for the War Games. He rarely put down his prideful face that easily. After a few more words, the General stepped off the dais. I watched as my father glared at Violet and whispered something that made her visibly flinch. Riorson steps in front of her addressing my father with a commanding presence. Father looked visibly upset as Riorson and Violet turned from him and started to walk towards the squad.

But, Violet was alive.

The expanding joy filled my heart as I broke formation and ran towards Violet. As I got closer, the hard lines on her face didn't fade. She looked like she lost weight in the few days I didn't see her. When I finally reached her, she looked at me with so much... hatred.

"You're alive!" I still exclaimed at her.

Violet is alive. I let the words sink in and root into the ground.

"We'd heard-" I started to say, reaching for her and she recoiled with the same disgust still glued to her face.

"Touch me and I swear to the gods, I'll cut your fucking hands off and let the quadrant sort you out in the next round of challenges, Dain Aetos."

My hands fell to my sides as I stared at Violet. I couldn't comprehend what was happening. Why was she acting this way? Wasn't she excited to see me?

"What? You don't mean that, Vi."

Before she could answer, I heard a dark voice. My own voice from the darkest shadows in my mind.

"She knows," my own voice whispered. "She knows you went digging through her mind. You betrayed her trust."

Violet's hands fell to her sides, her fingers resting on the sheaths at her thighs. "I do."

Riorson looked at me. "You should take her at her word. In fact if you don't, I'll take personal offense. She made her choice, and it wasn't you. It will never be you. I know it. She knows it. The whole quadrant knows it."

His words burned through me, my skin hissing in anger. I glanced from Violet to Riorson as they both stared back at me. I managed to gather a glimpse of the background to know that we also managed to gather the attention of everyone else around us. I felt my face growing hotter as my eyes stopped at Riorson. "What else? You going to threaten to kill me, Riorson?"

"No," Riorson shook his head. "Why should I, when Sorrengail is perfectly capable of doing that herself? She doesn't want you to touch her. Pretty sure everyone in the quadrant heard her. That should be enough for you to keep your hands to yourself." I watched as he leaned in closer, whispering just so only we could hear what he was about to say.

"But in case it's not, every time you think of reaching for her face, I want you to remember one word."

"And what is that?" I pushed the words through my clenched jaws.