Fourth Wing Fanfic: Fire Away

Chapter Five

I look at Xaden, wrath flaming behind my eyes. I hope that's what he sees rather than the desperation also pulsing there. I want Violet to be friends with me, but Xaden seems to be against the very idea.

Xaden just shrugs at me, he is not helping himself. A large gust of wind blows as Violet steps onto the parapet. She is not going to make it. She is so frail I can just imagine the wind picking her up and dropping her over the edge. I look and see her slip to one of her knees and cry out, I have to close my eyes. Despair fills me, but when I open my eyes she's up and Rhi goes onto the platform.

"Name?" Xaden asks looking straight at me as if he has no clue the answer.

I cross my arms at him, responding, "Hallie Riorson." I smirk starts to grow on my face when the girl behind Xaden almost falls off the platform at my answer.

The girl looks at Xaden in shock. "Is this your sister, Xaden?"

"Yeah, she is."

Xaden doesn't turn to look at her, but he also doesn't see the grin spread across her face or her run a thumb from one side of her head to the other. A death threat.

"See you on the other side, Xaden."

I turn to step onto the parapet, but Xaden grabs the front of my shirt. He drags me close to him and hisses into my ear, "Stay away from Sorrengail."

"My life, my choice," I growl back to him, shoving away from him and glaring daggers at him.

He turns away from me and I notice shadows float back into place, I hadn't even seen him move them. "You can go."

I take a deep breath my chest constricts, he didn't even tell me good luck. I take a step onto the rocky surface, it's a long bridge maybe 45 inches wide and because of the rain pouring down from the sky, it's especially slippery. I clench my fists and pull my hair out of my face, too bad I forgot to pull it back. I put one foot in front of the other and my arms out like I'm a bird. I will not fall. A strong gust of wind blows, but I stabilize myself easily, suddenly glad I wore boots with a strong grip on the base.

I turn behind me, I'm maybe one-third of the way there, and the guy -Jack Barlowe- who had threatened me steps onto the parapet. He smiles deviously at me and walks with precision I could never muster up.

Panic causes my pace to quicken, and my steps to become wider, but I can see Jack gaining on me fast. I see Violet cross easily with Rhi on her tail, they'll both make it out alive. I'm not sure about myself anymore. I'm maybe three-fourths of the way there when one of my feet slips and I end up smacking face-first into the stones. I pull myself up and stars swim in my vision, blood fills my mouth. Oh shit.

I hear Xaden call my name, but I don't process it. I can't think.

I roll over groggily and Jack Barlowe is standing above me, his blonde hair swirling in the wind and a look of pure glee dancing across his features. "Hey, Riorson."

I feel panic rise through me and I act out of adrenaline, my brain still frozen. I try to sweep my foot out to catch his leg and send him tumbling off, but when I connect with him nothing happens, he's pure muscle. I unsheathe one of my knives and point it at him, but he kicks my wrist and flies out of my hand and over the edge. "Why the fuck would you do that?"

He just grabs my shirt the same way Xaden had earlier and I curse my choice of loose clothes. Should've worn something that couldn't be grabbed. I claw at his hands, but his skin is leather  and I do little good.

Hysteria beats through every part of me as he holds me over the edge, only still breathing because he's holding me. "I've always wanted to kill a Riorson. Although I almost feel bad killing something so pretty. Almost."

I'm already dead so I spit with perfect aim at him. It nails him straight in the face and I feel slight triumph before he slings me over the periphery. I reach out, trying to grab for an purchase. A scream bubbles up from my throat, I'm pretty sure Xaden also screams. Something rocky hits my hand and I grip it. I'm alive. I'm just barely holding on by one hand, dangling over the edge. My head is spinning and the pressure on my shoulder begins to ache. How am I going to get back up there?

Jack looks down at me in total and utter shock that I didn't just die, to be honest I'm right there with him. He begins to bring his foot down on my hand, and I act on instinct. I grab on with both hands and swing my body back and forth until I have enough momentum to flip onto the other side and land on the parapet. I can't claim it's the prettiest thing I've ever completed, but I'm still conscious and breathing. 

I see the opportunity to kick Jack in the back and send him tumbling over the edge, but I'm not that person so instead I slam the hilt of a knife against his skull. Unsheathing it and hitting him in one fluid movement as he turns to face me. He begins to fall quickly, but I catch his wrist and steer him with a large effort so he's laying flat on parapet. That will do.

I cross the rest of the way with ease, suddenly feeling a lot more athletic. Before I take the final step I turn to face Xaden and wave as big as I can, he's so far away I can't see him smile, but I'm certain he does.

I turn suddenly to finish in triumph and once I'm across I can finally breath at a normal rate.

"Name?" A girl on this side asks me, I can see her smirking slightly at me so she must've seen me take Jack down. 

"Hallie Riorson."

"With that move I'm surprised." Oh she definitely saw me take Jack down. 

I nod slightly to her, glad not everyone first judges us by our relics. I notice Rhi and Violet talking to an older student and slow my pace. Who is that? I still go over to them, but this time much more cautious.

"Hallie you made it!" Rhi exclaims standing up to me.

"Yeah, I guess I did." I look down at Violet and see her skin is paler then usual and she's sweating. "Violet you good?"

The guy answers for her, one hundred percent judging me by my relic. "Vi doesn't feel like sharing."

"And who might this dick be?" I ask Rhi.

"Dain." She rolls her eyes heavily and crosses her arms.

I don't know who this stranger is, but I take a step back. I don't trust him. "Rhiannon go tell the girl who signed you in that I want you and Violet in my squad."

"What about Hallie?"

"Just go," He responds, all the while glaring at me. 

Violet gives me a weak smile, but suddenly I'm a lot less enthusiastic to have made it across.

1268 words