Every year, hundreds die within the walls of Basgiath War College. It's no surprise that many are those who choose the Riders Quadrant. Dragons do not tolerate much, but neither do the ruthless gryphons on the outside of the wards.
At least...
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・・・ ・・・ ・・・
We watch as the woman strikes Violet's face from the other direction. Tears dribble out of the one eye and she looks sick. I can tell we all feel sick, too, but we still don't look away.
"Maybe she's not the key," the woman says, backing away. Then she turns toward us and takes a step closer. "Maybe you're all sick and tired of having to carry her frail weight." She crouches down in front of Ridoc, reaching and trying to grab his chin with her hand. He stares at her, and in the last moment, throws his head forward to clamp his teeth onto her fingers. She yanks her hand back, and I can hear her skin tear from four people over. "Or maybe," she sneers. "She's only strong for herself." Her hand closes into a fist and she punches Ridoc straight in the teeth.
Everyone else in the squad rustles their shackles as his head slams back into the wall, but I don't. It takes everything I have to watch and still force my arms to hang like dead weight. That's what I choose to think of them as, just dead, unattached from my body. Moving will waste energy and it's of no use when I can't do anything anyway.
"You have the power to make it stop," she tells Violet from over her shoulder as she stands. Instead, Violet closes her eyes and turns her head away as the woman throws a low hook into Rhiannon's nose. It cracks under her knuckles and blood sprays, beading on Rhiannon's black leather. I watch as she steps over Sawyer's legs and give him a strike as well. He manages to turn his chin up just in time to take her fist to that instead of his mouth like Ridoc, but his head echoes on the stone. Then she steps over to me and I set my head back, close my eyes, and relax.
Her fist whistles and slams into my nose, as well. It completely shatters, probably literally as well, and I put my attention to slamming my shields down so power doesn't flare into my system and give us away. Blood coats my lips and drips in my mouth when I open it so I can breath.
"Let them sit with that for a minute," the man suggests, and I suddenly realize my ears are ringing. Thankfully, with the angle I put my head, I didn't hit it back on the wall. "They'll soften up in a couple of hours," the woman agrees. They leave, shutting the door, then open the hatch on the door so they can hear us.
"Well, this fucking sucks," Sawyer gripes, spitting a glob of blood toward the drain under Violet's chair. "Violet, your eye..." Rhiannon hums softly. "It's swelling shut, not falling out," Violet offers with a shrug.
"If that's their opener, what's next?" Ridoc questions. "They'll try to turn us against on another," Rhiannon answers. "We don't break. We'll resolve anything after this, but we're family. In here, we don't break. Agreed?" She shoots a look down the line at me and I nod. "Agreed." Everyone else echoes.
"Rhi," Ridoc whispers, rattling his chains as he leans toward her. "Can you pull the keys through the door?" She shakes her head. "I can't pull through objects. Not yet." "Sawyer?" I start, but when I look at him, I can immediately tell he's concussed. The way his head droops and his eyes are slow to move or react to the light is a dead giveaway. "I might be able to pull moisture from the air and force ice into the lock," Ridoc offers, so quietly I can't hear him until Rhiannon relays the message my way. "I can't help," Violet tells us when Rhiannon looks her way. If her signet is what I think it is, I agree.
