Ruthless 🗡️/ Fourth Wing

Chapter 58

The valley stretched out before us, the Riorsen house perched like a dark sentinel atop the cliffs. The wind carried the scent of earth and stone, but beneath it, I could taste the tension in the air. As we descended, my eyes narrowed in disdain. I had hoped for a warm welcome, perhaps a chance to speak with Xaden before entering his domain, but fate, as always, had other plans.

There, standing at the base of the hill, were Xaden's men. Twenty of them, all armed, spears gleaming in the pale sunlight, their eyes fixed on me like wolves waiting for a lone stag to wander too close.

I breathed in slowly, composing myself, keeping my expression calm and poised. To react hastily would be beneath me. But I could feel the weight of their collective gaze, and I couldn't suppress the sharp edge that crept into my voice as I slid gracefully off Arrax. "How predictable," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else, the words like a low hiss.

"Twenty against one? How quaint," I called, my voice ringing out across the open space, laden with deliberate disdain. The men stiffened, their spears rising in unison, as if daring me to challenge their display of strength.

For a moment, it seemed that the tension would stretch taut, the air thick with unspoken threats. But then, like a shadow parting before dawn, the line of soldiers split. And there, at the center, riding a griffon was none other than Catriona Cordella.

"Ah, the whore," I hissed, my words dripping with the venom I could not keep contained.

Catriona, ever unbothered by my barbed words, met my gaze with a playful, almost mocking grin. "Oh, please. I've been nothing but a warm memory for you, haven't I?" Her voice was sharp, teasing, but beneath it, I heard the familiarity that only time between old friends could bring. Before I could respond, she pulled me into a tight embrace, her arms wrapping around me with the strength of someone who had not seen me in far too long.

"I've missed you," I whispered, my voice catching in my throat, the embrace offering a brief respite from the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

"I've missed you too" she murmured, pulling away just enough to study me with that familiar glint in her eyes.

I couldn't help but laugh, though it was a bitter sound. Time had certainly changed me. I was no longer the naïve child I had once been. I was far more than the girl who had grown up beside her, causing mischief at royal balls, escaping into the night to defy the rules of court, and laughing like the world was ours to control.

As my laughter faded, I looked at Catriona. "What am I walking into, Cat? Am I getting a Dagger to the throat" I asked, my voice lowering, the weight of the question hanging between us like a sword poised over an open throat.

She sighed, her expression darkening. "You're not going to like it, I'll tell you that much. Violet's here, with her merry band of fools. She's not very fond of me, but she's taken quite a liking to Xaden. Her brother is alive, though I'm certain you've already heard."

The world stopped for a heartbeat. My mind raced, trying to piece the fragments of her words together. Violet's brother? Alive? But that wasn't the worst part.

I could feel the blood drain from my face. Violet had never been one to conceal her emotions, and her hatred for me had been apparent from the start.

"Violet... likes Xaden?" The words left me in a low, bitter whisper, my voice faltering as the implications crashed into me. "Are you telling me... they've been... involved?"

Catriona's lips quirked upward, the amusement in her eyes unmistakable. "I think you know the answer to that already, Nora. I'd wager they've been more than involved." She tilted her head, looking at me with that all-knowing gaze. "But you know Violet better than anyone, don't you? She's never been one to shy away from what she wants. And right now, it seems she wants him. But it won't matter at the end of the day once you walk through those doors."

Her voice dropped to a near-whisper, but it was enough. The words were a sharp, cutting edge that sliced through the chaos of my thoughts.

I ignored her, the sensation of her words gnawing at me like a festering wound. There was no time for distractions. We had reached the cobbled staircase carved into the mountainside, and with each step, memories flooded me—of childhood laughter, of running wild, of my father's lessons with the dragon. The weight of it all pressed down on me as the winds picked up, biting through my skin.

I didn't have the luxury of sentimentality. I had a task ahead of me.

At the top of the stairs, I steadied myself. The door ahead was massive, heavy with history, but it was nothing compared to the storm brewing inside me.

"Where are they?" I asked, my voice low and steady. I knew what was coming.

"In Fen's old study," Catriona began, but I cut her off.

"No. It's alright. I know the way."

I began my walk toward the door, my steps measured and deliberate. But just as my hand reached for the handle, Catriona's grip tightened on mine.

"Nora, if you go in there like this, ready to kill..." she warned, her voice soft but filled with concern.

I stopped, turning to face her fully. Her eyes were a mixture of frustration and loyalty, but neither would stop me.

I raised my hand to silence her, the faintest smirk curling on my lips. "I'm not here to kill," I said, the words smooth, almost reassuring—but there was something darker beneath them. A promise. "Not today."

Her eyes narrowed, her concern etched in every line of her face. "Nora..."

I didn't give her the satisfaction of an explanation. With a shrug, I wrenched my hand free from hers and took a step toward the door. "Just a little pain," I said casually, my voice dripping with a dangerous indifference. "Nothing fatal."

I could feel her gaze burning into my back as I walked away, but it didn't matter.

***Sorry guys I know I havent updated in a little bit. I got sick with the flu and I started my new semester at collage. Im not sure which one is worse. But what I will tell you is Nora is a Bad ass!!!!!!