Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“A blue would be badass,” Lynx says, rubbing his hands together.
“Sure, if you want to end up carbonized.” Baylor shakes his head.
“You don’t want that,” Visia whispers. “Believe me.”
Aaric’s jaw ticks, but he stays silent, and Mischa continues to bite her nails to the quick behind him.
Kaori dismisses us, and we break apart, some staying to wish their squadmates well while others sprint headlong into the forest.
“Be careful.” I hug Visia tightly.
“What if it goes like last year?” she asks in a whisper.
“It won’t.” I pull back and offer her a smile, making sure it reaches my eyes. I don’t want my year-mate’s last memory of me to be anything but supportive.
They all deserve the best.
“Look at Henrick,” Avalynn says, hooking her arm around Visia’s shoulder. The sun brings out the freckles across her nose. “He bonded on his repeat year, and you will, too.”
“Okay, Second Squad,” Baylor says, looking all of us in the eye. “Be smart. No one dies, got it? We hold last year’s title of the Iron Squad, and we’re not going to let Rhiannon down by losing it. It’s ours again this year.”
Yes, we should all rejoice if we’re the squad who makes it past Threshing with the least amount of casualties. Because that’s normal. Fuck, I hate it here.
Everyone agrees, and I give my best smile and nod to date. Damn, I’m getting good at faking it. We split off into the woods, and I find myself taking a parallel path to Aaric.
We keep a good fifteen feet between us as we head south, navigating the gigantic trees. This place has trees planted from every province in Navarre, and it would be spectacularly beautiful if it wasn’t fertilized with the dust of dead cadets.
As death walks go, it’s peaceful to hike near Aaric. He’s not one to babble like Avalynn or fill the quiet with chatter because he’s uncomfortable with silence like Lynx. He tends to keep to himself and only speaks when something needs to be said. I have no doubt he’ll bond today. He’s one of the best in our year, undefeated on the mat, even after someone broke his wrist last month. He has the kind of determination and purpose I admire, even envy.
But I desperately need him to go away so I can get down to the business of dying already.
“There she is.”
My hand flies to my heart as Imogen jumps from a tree ten feet ahead of me.
“Trying to kill me from a heart attack?” I take a deep breath to steady my pulse and drop my hand.
“Feeling dramatic, are we?” She tucks her pink hair behind her ear and strides my way. “Because there are way scarier things trying to kill you out here.” She glances toward Aaric. “Graycastle.”
“Cardulo.” Aaric nods, then glances between us, clearly picking up on Imogen’s leave-us-alone energy. “I’m headed off.” He starts to walk away, then turns back toward us. “No dying,” he says, looking directly at me as if he can see straight past the layer of bullshit I slather myself in for everyone else. “No. Dying,” he repeats.
One of his best attributes is also one of the most annoying. He’s observant as hell.
“Yeah. All right.” I give him a wave, and he lingers another heartbeat before striding off into the trees.
“What the fuck was that about?” Imogen’s green eyes narrow on me.
“We want to keep the Iron Squad title.” I shrug.
“Right.” She quirks an eyebrow. “Are you fucking him?”
My mouth opens, then shuts, then opens again. “I’m sorry?” I manage to sputter.
“I don’t personally care.” She watches him disappear to the west. “Just curious, and I’m working on my friendship skills. You first-years are always a messy lot until you get your shit figured out.”
I fold my arms. “And you have your shit figured out? Is there some magic button where you hit your third year and suddenly know everything?”
Out of everyone in the quadrant, she might be the one person who can understand the depth of my rage, the way it eats away at everything that could potentially bloom into something positive. She’s definitely the only marked one I feel safe unleashing that rage on, because I know she won’t run off and tattle to Riorson that I’m unstable and put yet another burden on his shoulders. But I can’t be entirely honest with her, either.
I can’t be entirely honest with anyone.
“Point made.” A ghost of a smile crosses her face. “The thing about this place—this age—is that right when you think you’ve got an understanding of yourself and the people around you, everything shifts and you have to rise to a new set of challenges. We are perpetually works in progress, Little Mairi.”
“Nice pep talk.” I give her a thumbs-up and walk past her.
“Gods, you’re a pain.” She snorts and catches up with me easily. “Are you really trying to walk away from me?”