Fourth Wing Fanfic: Fire Away

Chapter Three

After an aching half day of flying we arrive just outside of Basagiath.

Xaden whispers in my ear. "All the dragons will know we just arrived so we have to play this right."

I look up in shock. "Wait what do the leaders think you were doing?"

"Out on a training exercise with my squad." He steers Sgaeyl to the left and I almost fall off, just barely managing to grab the spike on her back. 

I take a deep breathe to calm myself down. "Are you third year now?"

"Well, technically yes, but until the new first years arrive I'm kind of not."

"And when is that?"

"Next week."

I swallow. I know we've all been thinking it, but I'm going to have to go to Basagiath next week also since I'm the child of the leader of the rebellion. I'm not ready to vocalize the thought yet. We plunge down sharply at a large building below and a sharp shriek escapes my lips before I can stop it. I swear I hear Xaden snicker.

When we land I practically throw myself off of Sgaeyl to the ground and land on my knees. "Praise Malek." When I stand up on wobbly legs all the others are looking at me and I shrug.

Xaden walks up beside me and grabs my arm softly, brotherly in the way he always used to. I've never been on this soil, but I still breath in the scent of home. Xaden was my home. "Just play along, please."

I nod and glance at the sky, already missing Vomryra. We told her to stay an hours flight away in a small grove of trees she would be happy at. I didn't need any dragons at Basagiath eating her.

We walk into the building with an air of purpose and students stop and stare at us, definitely confused. We barge into a large room with a lot of important looking people in it. The only one I recognize is General Sorrengail and General Melgren. All of them stop talking and turn to us in shock, it seems no one has ever thought to even barge in on them.

General Sorrengail is first to react. "Cadet Riorson you are back early from your training exercise."

"We had a slight change of plans," He replies smoothly pointing at me.

General Sorrengail looks at me and gulps hard. "And why would she affect your entire task?"

I gulp hard as Xaden responds, "Well this is my long lost sister Hallie."

This sends the room into chaos as a few of the leaders jaws drop in shock and others get up at a total loss for words.

This time it is General Melgren who reacts first yelling, "Quiet!"

All of the people sit and regain their composure, all looking embarrassed with themselves.

"What do you mean by long lost sister, Cadet Riorson?" Melgren's  eyes are as beady as usual and I back up a step, definitely a mistake.

"During the rebellion my father sent her outside of the borders so she would be safe. After he was killed and the rebellion  failed Hallie was left alone, all of us assuming she was dead."

Melgren nods slowly and then looks to Sorrengail. "I believe we should interrogate Hallie and find what she knows and what the truth is."

I instantly loathe Melgren even more and hate Sorrengail more as she nods in agreeance.

Xaden steps forward once more, "I assure you General Melgren that is not necessary."

Melgren grabs my arm roughly and hands me over to a pair of riders guarding the entrance opposite the one we entered. "I believe it is."

I cry out to Xaden as the riders begin to walk out of the room, fear ripping through me.

Shadows swirl all around the room, but Bodhi puts a hand on his shoulder stopping him and whispering something to him. I see him nod, but anger lines her face as they turn and leave.

I'm taken down a set of stairs and down three hallways and finally into a dark room with a rather scary looking chair in the center. Of course I'm thrown into the chair and metal bands snap around my arms. I look up and see on of the riders who had taken me here controlling them, it was his signet.

"So you claim to be Xaden's sister, but who are you really?" Melgren asks walking over to me as I try to push into the back of the chair.

"Hallie Riorson."

Melgren frowns. "I've been told that to interrogate someone the best way to do it is a mind reader, but I prefer torture."

I gasp, but look deep into ugly eyes. "You would never. Xaden would kill you."

"Not if he never knew."

This catches me off guard, but Melgren just smiles horribly and tells one of the guards to fetch Nolan. That's a name I recognize. I've known him since I was little, he is a mender. "What do you really want from me?"

"Oh I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you."

I growl and by the time I'm done losing to him in a staring contest Nolan enters the small room. "General Melgren." Then he turns to me and gasps. "Hallie Riorson?"

I nod and give a soft smile.

Melgren notes the conversation and looks at me. "I need to show Hallie what Basgiath is like." His sentence is straightforward giving Nolan exactly what he wants- or what he wants Nolan to think he wants.

"You want me to heal her after she has done nothing?"

"Exactly, you do it during second years interrogation."

"That is different." Nolan walks towards the door. "That is for training this is because you want revenge on something she didn't even do. I won't help you take your anger out." 

Melgren nods slowly, digesting what Nolan has said. He already has something planned in his devious mind though. "If you won't help me with that then you will help me give her the rebellion relic. She still is a child of Fen Riorson."

"I wasn't part of the rebellion, though," I cry out fighting against the metal holding me to the chair.

"Neither was half the children of the rebellion leaders, but still it is law." 

Nolan agrees this time kneeling beside me whispering, "This will hurt, but you will take it and grow."

From what Bodhi told me the relic was created by a dragon, so it can't be created from a distance. A burning sensation claws up my arm and I cry out. It feels like one hundred fiery claws are digging into my skin and I double over. Apparently it works just fine from a distance. My vision blurs with tears as I look down at my arm and see a pattern weaving up my arm that matches Xaden's. When the pattern stops a wave of agony rolls over me, it is like nothing I have ever endured and I pass out.

1177 words