Survival Of The Fittest- A Fourth Wing Fan Fiction

Chapter 2

“Name?” Xaden asks me.

“Rylee Pine,” his eyes flash with something I can't quite place, recognition maybe. He schools his features, but his eyes are still soft. My sister died saving his father.

“You're Seren's sister.” There was something in his voice that made my heart soften. I nod.

“Your turn,” he nods towards the narrow stone bridge. “Good luck, candidate.” The corners of his mouth tilt upward in a smile for the briefest of seconds.

I step onto the bridge. The wind feels like it is shoving me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, walking forward from muscle memory. When I open my eyes, I am on the other side. I step off and walk to the rider, taking names. “Rylee Pine.”

“Welcome, Cadet Pine.” Her eyes wander to the rest of my body, assessing me. “You look like your sister,” she gives me a small smile, “I met her before she died. She was the one who convinced me that coming here would be a good idea, worth the risk. I miss her, she was a friend.”

“Thank you,” my voice was soft. I didn't know what to say. Not many people thought highly of my sister after she turned during the Apostasy.

“There you are!” Violet, Rhiannon, and Remi come running over to me. “You two need to switch boots,” Remi gestures at our feet. I walk over to a bench, and Rhiannon and I switch shoes. Violet runs into Dain Aetos, and Rhiannon goes to find Tara. Remi and I sit on the wall at the edge of the courtyard.

A tall, muscular man sits down next to me. His wavy blond hair moves in the wind. “Hi,” his voice is low and soothing.

“Hi,” Remi answers for the both of us, knowing I wouldn’t respond. Both of us have a similar mental state, but she likes people more than I do.

“I am Liam,” another man walks over to us, sitting on Remi's other side. “And this is Bodhi,” Liam introduces the man. His leather marked him as a second-year. Both of them are marked ones. “I saw you threatening the man behind you before crossing parapet. It was incredible,” he says, in my direction this time.

“I am Remi,” she fills in, “and my friend here is Rylee.”

“Thanks, Rem,” I roll my eyes, causing Liam to chuckle.

“She threatened someone?” Bodhi nods his head towards me in disbelief.

“I did. Thanks for asking.” Liam snickers again at my sarcastic tone. “And, you don't want to be friends with us.” Their brows furrow. “Remi is a Sorrengail, and my last name is Pine.” Laim's head whips back and forth between the two of us.

“And why would that make us not want to be friends with you?” Bodhi asks.

“Because Xaden doesn't like Remi or Violet because of their mother, and he won't like me because I protect them. And all of you,” I point to his relic, “owe him your life.” This time, both Bodhi and Liam’s eyes widen. The way Remi looks at me tells me she didn't know that. I can see her tucking that information away for later use.

Bodhi's eyes narrow. “How do you know that?” His voice is sharper than before. I clearly hit a nerve.

I smirk, “I don't need to tell you that.”

Liam speaks up before his friend can get a word in. “Despite all we owe him, he doesn't get to choose our friends. So, are we friends?”

“Sure,” I reply at the same time Remi says, yes. I see Xaden walking into the citadel. I guess that means everyone is across or dead. Remi gives a sarcastic wave, and I give him a smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something like shadows fluctuate. Is he a shadow wielder?