we hug and yes, we make love

bnha/games/anime/random shit

[murasaki-cha]

The gods when they find out Annabeth has gone missing and presumed dead, when the son of Poseidon who's fatal flaw is personal loyalty said he himself would burn down everything for her like 6 months ago:

[cherylblossom]

🐑Sheep Percabeth🐑

[justgiveme1lessproblem]

The Father

The Son

The Son-In-Law

The Holy Hand Grenade

[juviarmy]

Mis héroes N°1 💚🧡

[o0kawaii0o]

3rd years -> pro heroes 🍰🥦💥

[diana-foggymaster]

𝐣𝐢𝐧𝐱, 𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐨, 𝐜𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐲𝐧, 𝐯𝐢, 𝐣𝐚𝐲𝐜𝐞, 𝐦𝐞𝐥 ᵃʳᶜᵃⁿᵉ ²ˣ⁰³

≻───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────≺

ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴏʀ ʀᴇʙʟᴏɢ ɪꜰ ᴜ sᴀᴠᴇ

ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ

≻───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────≺

more icons from ARCANE on my Pinterest: HERE

[ravenrollresin]

no one on instagram appreciated my Fourth Wing dice so here’s some Fourth Wing dice that I worked hard on

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 12

Hi, My Lovely Readers! I really appreciate your messages. You guys are awesome!

And as I promised the new chapter is here. Enjoy :)

Presentation Day is unlike any other. The air is ripe with possibilities, and possibly the stench of sulfur from a dragon who has been offended. Never look a red in the eye. Never back down from a green. If you show trepidation to a brown…well, just don’t.

—Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind

There are 169 of us by the time the morning is done and, and with our time we’ve placed first out of the thirty-six squads for Presentation—the piss-inducing parade of cadets before this year’s dragons willing to bond.

Anxiety seizes me at the thought of walking so close to dragons determined to weed out the weak before Threshing, and I suddenly wish we’d placed last.

The fastest up the Gauntlet was Liam, of course, earning him the Gauntlet patch. Pretty sure he doesn’t know how to take second place. But I’m really proud of him. He deserves it.

The box canyon that makes up the training field is spectacular in the afternoon sun, with miles of autumn-colored meadows and peaks rising on three sides of us as we wait at the narrowest part, the entrance to the valley. At the end, I can make out the line of the waterfall that might be just a trickle of a creek now but will rush at runoff season.

The leaves of the trees are all turning gold, as though someone has brought in a paintbrush with only one color and streaked it across the landscape.

And then there are the dragons.

Averaging twenty-five feet tall, they’re in a formation of their own, lined up several feet back from the path—close enough to pass judgment on us as we walk by.

“Let’s go, Second Squad, you’re up next,” Garrick says, beckoning us with a wave that makes the rebellion relic on his bared forearm gleam.

Theo and the other squad leaders stayed behind. It’s only the five of us.

“Into formation,” Garrick orders, his tone all business, which doesn’t surprise me given that his leadership style is more mission first, niceties last. Go figure he seems to be so close to Xaden. Unlike Xaden, though, the right side of his uniform has a neat line of patches proclaiming him Flame’s section leader as well as more than five patches advertising his skill with a multitude of weapons.

Interesting. We’re in the Tail section. Why is he here?

We comply, and Liam and I end up near the back this time.

Garrick’s hazel eyes skim over us. “Hopefully Theo has done his job, so you know that it’s a straight walk down the meadow. I’d recommend staying at least seven feet apart—”

“In case one of us gets torched,” Ethan mutters from ahead.

„Correct, Ethan. Cluster if you want, just know if a dragon finds disfavor with one of you, it’s likely to burn the whole lot to weed one out,” Garrick warns, holding our gazes for a beat. “Also, remember you’re not here to approach them, and if you do, you won’t be making it back to the dormitory tonight.”

“Can I ask a question?” Vila says from the front row.

Garrick nods, but the ticking of his jaw says he’s annoyed. I can’t blame him. Vila annoys the shit out of me, too. It’s her constant need to tear everyone down that makes most of us keep our distance.

“After Gauntlet I met a couple of the second- and third-years, and I talked to some of them…”

“That’s not a question.” He lifts his brows.

Yep, he’s annoyed.

“Right. It’s just that they said there’s a feathertail?” Her voice pitches upward.

“A f-feathertail?” Rio sputters from directly in front of me. “Who the hell would ever want to bond a feathertail?”

I roll my eyes, and Liam shakes his head.

“Professor Kaori never told us there would be a feathertail,” Ethan says. “I know because I memorized every single dragon he showed us. All hundred of them.”

“Well, guess there’s a hundred and one now,” Garrick replies, looking at us as if we’re children he’d like to be rid of before glancing back over his shoulder at the entrance to the valley. “Relax. Feathertails don’t bond. I can’t even remember the last time one has been seen outside the Vale. It’s probably just curious. You’re up. Stay on the path. You walk up, you wait for the entire squad, you walk back down. It really doesn’t get any easier than this from here on out, kids, so if you can’t follow those simple instructions, then you deserve whatever happens in there.” He turns and heads over to a path before the canyon wall where the dragons are perched.”

We follow, breaking away from the crowd of first-years.

“They’re all yours,” Garrick says to the quadrant’s senior wingleader, a woman I’ve seen a few times in Battle Brief murmuring to Xaden. Her uniform still has her signature spikes on the shoulders, but this time they’re gold and look sharp as hell—like she wanted to throw in a little extra badass today.

Cool.

She nods and dismisses him. “Single file.”

We all shuffle into a line.

Liam is at my back and Rio just ahead of me, which means I’ll be treated to his commentary the whole time, no doubt. Awesome.

“Talk,” the senior wingleader says, folding her arms across her chest.

“Nice day for a Presentation,” I joke.

“Not to me.” The senior wingleader narrows her gaze on me, then motions to the line of cadets before her. “Talk to your nearby squadmates while you’re on the path, as it will help the dragons get a sense of who you are and how well you play with others. There’s a correlation between bonded cadets and level of chatter.”

And now I want to switch places.

“Feel free to look at the dragons, especially if they’re showing off their tails, but I would abstain from eye contact if you value your life.” She pauses long enough for that bit of advice to sink in, then adds, “See you after your stroll.”

With a sweep of her hand, the senior wingleader steps to the side, revealing the dirt path that leads through the center of the valley, and up ahead, sitting so perfectly still that they might be gargoyles, are the hundred and one dragons who have decided to bond this year.

The line starts, and we give one another the suggested seven feet before following.

I’m hyperaware of every step as I walk down the path. The trail is hard beneath my boots, and there’s a definite lingering odor of sulfur.

We pass a trio of red dragons first. Their talons are almost half my size.

“I can’t even see their tails!” Rio shouts from in front of me. “How are we supposed to know what breed they are?”

I keep my eyes locked at the level of their massive, muscled shoulders as we walk by. “We’re not supposed to know what breed they are,” I respond.

„Fuck that,” he says over his shoulder. “I need to figure out which one I’m going to approach during Threshing.”

“Pretty sure this little walk is so they can decide,” I retort.

“Hopefully one of them will decide you don’t get to make it to Threshing,” Liam says, his voice quiet so it barely reaches me.

I laugh as we approach a set of browns, both slightly smaller than General Sorrengail’s Aimsir, but not by much.

“They’re a little bigger than I thought they would be,” Ethan says, his voice rising. He’s in front of Rio. “Not that I didn’t see the ones at Parapet, but…”

I look over Rio’s shoulder to see his wide gaze flickering between the path and the dragons. He’s nervous.

“So Ethan, how long do you know each other with Liam?” I ask him, continuing to walk forward past a handful of oranges.

“What?” He asks.

“We’ve been squadmates for a few months now, but I don’t know much about you.” I try to distract him.

“Well our family were close before…you know.” He says slowly, tugging down his sleeves. Yeah, I know. “We practically grew up together. And we were always in trouble. Mostly because of him.”

“Come on, really?” I laugh and glance back at Liam. He smirks and shrugs.

“Yes. He and his sister were real troublemakers.” Ethan laughs with us.

“But you never said anything. You always took the blame with us.” Liam says behind me.

“That’s true.” Ethan nods. “Because we’re friends.”

“I didn’t even know about your sister.” I say over my shoulder, lowering my gaze immediately when I accidentally make eye contact with one of the oranges.

“She’s just like you. I think you would get along well.” Liam says. “Sloane is fierce and her personality is matches yours.”

“What do you mean by that?” I glare at him.

“You’ll see. She joins us next year.” His voice is thick with concern.

“Don’t worry, Liam. We will be there for her. I promise.” I smile at him.

I will do anything to make him survive the year. That’s the least I can do for him.

“And what about you?” Liam asks. “Are you going to write someone once we get priviliges?”

“Yeah. Probably for Mira.” I say. “She used to write letters for Violet and me. And I think it’s a bullshit rule that we are not allowed to write letters in the first year.”

“You don’t think it encourages loyalty to the wing?” He asks.

“I think I’m just as loyal to her whether I’ve had a letter from her or not,” I counter. “There are bonds that can’t be broken.”

“I’d be loyal to her, too,” Rio says, turning around and grinning as he walks backward. “She’s one hell of a rider, and that ass. I saw her right before Parapet and damn, Aelin. She’s hot.”

We pass by another set of reds, then a single brown and a pair of greens.

“Turn around.” I make the spinning motion with my finger. “Mira would eat you for breakfast, Rio.”

“I’m just wondering how one of them got all the good traits and the other looks like she got the leftovers.” He refers to Violet.

“You’re an asshole.” I flip him the middle finger.

“Just saying, maybe I’ll write a letter of my own once we get privileges.” He turns and continues walking.

We pass more dragons, and my breathing starts to settle. The smell of sulfur disappears, or maybe I’ve just grown accustomed to it. They’re close enough to torch us, but I can’t hear them breathing or feel it, either.

We pass the halfway mark and continue.

Is the way the dragons stare at us scary as hell? Absolutely, but they want to be here the same as we do, so at least I hope they’ll be judicious with their firepower.

“When did you come up with your plan about the rope? Or the dagger?” Liam asks. “I know it bothered you a lot, that Violet couldn’t make it to the top. You could have told me. You can trust me, you know.”

“I trust you with my life, Liam! And we didn’t think of it until yesterday,” I answer, taking the time to look over my shoulder so I can see him. “And if it didn’t work, I didn’t want you to be an accomplice. You have a real future here, and I refuse to bring you down with us.

“I don’t need you to protect me.”

“I know. But it’s just what friends do, Liam.” I shrug as we walk by a trio of browns, the soft crunch of our boots on the dark gravel path the only sound for a few minutes. “You protect me, I protect you. It’s simple.”

“You keeping any other secrets up there?” He asks.

“I think it’s impossible to know everything there is to know about someone. But you know me the best.”

He snorts a laugh. “If that wasn’t skirting the question.”

“At least I was honest.” I laugh too.

“You guys done bonding back there?” Rio sneers. “Because we’re almost to the end of the line, if you haven’t noticed.” He pauses in the middle of the path, his gaze swinging right. “And I still can’t figure out which one I’m going to choose.”

“With arrogance like that, I’m sure any dragon would feel lucky to share your mind for the rest of your life.” I pity whatever dragon—if any—chooses him.

The rest of the squad is gathered ahead of us, facing our direction at the end of the path, but all their attention is focused to the right.

We pass the last brown dragon, and I inhale sharply.

“What the hell?” Rio stares.

“Keep walking,” I order, but my gaze is transfixed.

Standing at the end of the line is a small golden dragon.

Sunlight reflects off its scales and horns as it stands to its full height, flicking a feathered tail around the side of its body. The feathertail.

My jaw drops as I take in the sharp teeth and quick, darting movements of its head as it studies us. At its full height, it’s probably only a few feet taller than I am, like a perfect miniature of the brown next to it.

I walk straight into Rio’s back and startle. We’ve reached the end of the path, where the rest of the squad has been waiting.

“Get off me, Melgren,” Rio hisses and shoves me back. “Who the hell would bond that thing?”

My chest tightens. “They can hear you,” I remind him. “And who the hell would bond you?”

“It’s fucking yellow.” Vila points right at the dragon, disgust curling her lip. “So not only is it obviously too small to carry a rider in battle, but it’s not even powerful enough to be a real color.”

“Maybe it’s a mistake,” Ethan says quietly. “Maybe it’s a baby orange.”

“It’s full grown,” Liam argues. “There’s no way the other dragons allow a baby to bond. No human alive has ever seen a baby.”

“It’s a mistake all right.” Rio looks at the golden one and scoffs. “It’s freakishly weak.”

“It looks powerful enough to burn you to death,” I counter.

“Maybe you should be the one to burn to death, Melgren.” He sneers. “You’re useless. You’re only trying to protect Sorrengail because she’s weak, and because of this you’re weak too. The likes of you should be eliminated.”

Before I can say anything Liam lunges between us, grabbing Rio’s collar. “Don’t ever say that about a squadmate, especially not in front of unbonded dragons.”

“Let him go—he’s just saying what we’re all thinking,” Vila mutters.

I turn slowly to stare at her. Is this what happens to us the second we’re out of hearing range of any superior cadet? We turn on one another.

Ethan puts his hand on Liam’s arm. “Don’t make a mistake in front of them. We don’t know what they’ll do,” he whispers. And now we’re grouped up.

I shuffle backward a little as Liam drops Rio’s collar.

“Someone should kill it before it bonds,” Rio sputters, and for the first time in my life, I actually want to kick someone while they’re down…and keep kicking until they stay down. Or I should simply kill him. It would be easier.

„It’s just going to get its rider killed, and it’s not like we get a choice if it wants to bond us.”

“You’re just picking up on that now, are you?” Liam shakes his head.

“We should go back, they’re staring at us” Vila says, her gaze darting around the group.

We take off one by one, leaving the suggested space between us. Rio is the first, Liam goes before me this time and Ethan follows behind, with Vila bringing up the rear.

„They’re pretty incredible, aren’t they?” Ethan says, and the wonder in his voice makes me smile.

“They are,” I agree. “I’m so excited to see which dragons will choose us.”

“They’re honestly a little underwhelming after seeing that blue at Parapet.” Vila’s voice carries all the way to Liam, who turns around with a glare.

“Like this isn’t stressful enough without you insulting them?” He asks.

I need to defuse this quickly. “Yes, Sgaeyl is amazing but, don’t think these dragons sizes mean they’re weak. And it could be worse. We could be walking past a line of wyvern, right?”

“Oh please, Aelin, spare us. You’re ridiculous.” Vila says sarcastically. “Let me guess. Wyvern are some elite squad of gryphon riders created because of something we did at a battle.

“You don’t know what a wyvern is?” Liam asks, then begins walking again. “Didn’t your parents tell you bedtime stories, Vila?”

“Do enlighten me,” Vila drawls.

I roll my eyes, continuing along the path. “They’re folklore,” I say over my shoulder. “Kind of like dragons but bigger, with two feet instead of four, a mane of razor-sharp feathers streaking down their necks, and a taste for humans. Unlike dragons, who think we’re a little gamey.”

I notice each dragon as we pass, but my heartbeat steadies. “Violet’s father used to read to us those fables every night,” I tell her. “And Violet seriously asked him one time if her mother was going to turn into a venin because she could channel.” I laugh at the memory.

Liam chuckles as we walk by a set of glaring reds. “Did he tell you people supposedly only turn into venin if they channel directly from the source?”

“He did, but it was after her mother had a really long night, and her eyes were bloodshot red, so she freaked out and started shrieking.” I laugh harder. “She took her book of fables away for a month because the guards all came running, and Violet was hiding behind her brother, who couldn’t stop laughing, and, well…it was a mess.” I keep my eyes front and center as a large orange sniffs the air when I pass.

Liam’s shoulders shake with laughter. “I wish I could have seen it.”

“That sounds like some border-village nonsense.” Vila scoffs. “Venin? Wyvern? Anyone with a modicum of education knows that our wards stop all magic that isn’t channeled directly from dragons.”

“They’re stories, Vila,” I say over my shoulder, and I can’t help but notice how much ground we’ve covered.

One of the dragons blows air on us. There’s a smell of sulfur. Maybe we should hurry before the dragon decides to scorch us.

„Oh my gods, the smell,” Vila complains.

“What did you expect? They’re dragons.” I roll my eyes, turning around to level a glare at her, but Liam’s face makes me pause.

His eyes are as wide as saucers, and his mouth hangs open. “Aelin.”

It’s a whisper, and I wonder briefly if I heard him as much as I saw the word forming on his lips.

“Ael—”

A warm huff of steam blows against the back of my neck. My heart thunders, the beat increasing erratically as I take what might be my last breath and turn toward the line of dragons.

The golden eyes of not one but two greens meet mine, consuming my field of vision.

Oh. Fuck.

To approach a green dragon, lower your eyes in supplication and wait for their approval. That’s what I read, right?

I drop my gaze as one chuffs another breath at me. It’s hot and appallingly wet, but I’m not dead yet, so that’s a plus.

The one on the right chortles deep in its throat. Wait, is that the sound of approval I’m looking for? Shit, I wish I’d asked Mira.

I lift my head and suck in a sharp breath. They’re even closer. The one on the left nudges my hands with its giant nose, but I somehow stand my ground, rocking back on my heels to keep from falling over.

Greens are the most reasonable.

The one on the right sets its nose right at my breasts and chuffs again.

What. The. Hell.

It inhales, making that noise in its throat, and the other shoves its nose into my ribs, making me raise my arms just in case they feel like taking a little nibble.

“Aelin!” Liam whisper-shouts.

“I’m all right!” I call back, then wince, hoping I didn’t just seal my fate by screaming in their ears.

Another chuff. Another chortle, like they’re talking to each other as they sniff me.

The one under my arm moves its nostrils to my back and sniffs again.

Realization hits and I choke out a tight, surreal laugh. “You smell Teine, don’t you?” I ask quietly.

They both draw back, just far enough for me to look them in their golden eyes, but they keep their jaws shut, giving me the courage to keep talking.

“I got if from Mira.” Slowly lowering my arms, I run my hands over my snot-covered vest and the armor carefully sewn into it. “She collected Teine’s scales after he shed them last year and had them shrunk down so she could sew them into the vest to help keep me safe. You will meet her sister too. Violet is here and she has the same vest as me.”

The one on the right blinks.

The one on the left sticks its nose in again, sniffing loudly.

“The scales have saved me a few times,” I whisper. “But no one else knows they’re in there. Just Violet, Mira and Teine.”

They both blink at me, and I lower my gaze, bowing my head because it feels like the thing to do. Professor Kaori taught us every way to approach a dragon and exactly zero ways to disengage one.

Step by step, they retreat until I see them take up their places in line in my peripherals, and I finally raise my head.

“Thank you for not eating me.” I smile at them.

“Aelin!” Liam groans.

Taking several deep breaths, I try to lock my muscles to keep me from shaking.

 „Aelin.” Liam is only a few feet away, a look of terror in her eyes. He must have been right behind their heads.

“I’m fine.” I smile and nod. “I have dragon-scale armor under the vest,” I whisper. “They smell Mira’s dragon. Please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t,” he whispers. “You’re all right?”

“Other than having a few years of my life shaved off.” I laugh.

“Let’s get out of here.” He nods, his gaze darting toward the line of dragons.

“Good idea.”

He turns and walks back to his place, and once there’s fifteen feet between us, I follow.

“I think I just shat myself,” Ethan says, and my laughter only pitches higher as we move through the field.

“Honestly, I thought they were going to eat you,” Vila remarks.

“Me too,” I admit.

“I wouldn’t have blamed them,” she continues.

“You’re insufferable,” Ethan calls back.

I focus on the path and keep walking.

“What? She’s obviously not fit to be a rider. We need to be strong and mercless. We need to choose a dragon-“

A blast of heat singes my back and I halt.

Don’t be Ethan. Don’t be—

“Guess the dragons think she’s insufferable, too,” Ethan mutters. Our squad is down to four first-years.

[ksenitaart]

There’s nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn’t find you, Violence

[jmoonjones]

I am Andarna. Andarna is me.

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 11

It is a grave offense against Malek to keep the belongings of a dead loved one. They belong in the beyond with the god of death and the departed. In the absence of a proper temple, any fire will do. He who does not burn for Malek will be burned by Malek.

—Major Rorilee’s Guide to Appeasing the Gods, Second Edition

The next practice session of the Gauntlet is the same as the first. Liam and I are the first ones who made it to the top today. I stand on his left side as we watch the others so that he can’t see the cut on my face. The bruises on my neck are mostly hidden under the jacket. It’s autumn so the uniforms are warmer and covers more skin than the summer ones. Lucky me.

“Aelin? Is something wrong?” Liam turns to me. “You avoid looking into my eyes since morning. Did I do something yesterday?”

“No. You, didn’t do anything wrong.” I say while the guilt suffocates me. I can’t tell him that I’m supposed to spy on him, and his friends. He’s my best friend and he would tell Xaden. Xaden… I don’t know what is this between us but maybe…I like him? He’s protective over his people. And strangely… I don’t want to disappoint him.

“Then what’s wrong?” He steps closer. “Why don’t you look at me?”

Shit. I knew that I can’t keep this from him forever. I need to come up with something believable. But… I don’t want to lie to him.

I brace myself then for the first time today I fully look at him.

“What the hell?” He whispers as he sees the cut on my cheek. It’s not that bad, it’s a clean cut. “What happened to you?”

“It’s…nothing.” I force a smile. I can’t lie to him. “I’m fine.”

“Fine? Damn, there’s a fucking cut on your cheek, Aelin.” He glares at me.

“But I’m fine, really. It’s not that bad.” I try to calm him.

“Who did this to you?” He looks into my eyes as if he can find the answer there.

“I can’t tell you. I’m so sorry.” I glance sideways.

“What? Why?” He asks in a shocked voice. “You won every challenge, there are only a few cadets here, who is stronger than you. But I know that they wouldn’t do it. Neither Xaden nor Garrick. Obviously neither do I.”

“It wasn’t one of your friends who did this.” I try to reassure him. “And do you think you’re stronger than me?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Then who?” He crosses his arms and he completely ignores my question. “Someone who isn’t a cadet. Someone who doesn’t belong to the quadrant?”

“Liam. Stop it, please.” I plead. He will be in danger if he finds out.

“Why? Why don’t you want to tell me?” He takes my hand and squeezes it.

“It’s just… I can’t. You have to believe me that I can handle it, and you would be in danger if you knew everything.” I try to convince him. “Please, believe me!”

Silence.

“You do not trust me?” He looks hurt.

“No! I trust you, Liam! More than anyone!” I feel like shit. He’s such a good person. “You’re my best friend. I just want to protect you and the others.”

“Me? And the others?” He raizes an eyebrow. “It’s about the marked-ones?”

Shit. I’m such a fool.

“Tell me, Aelin! I have to know if it’s about me.”

“It’s not about you, and it never will be. I’ll take care of it.” I say firmly.

“Aelin. If you trust me, then tell me. I want to help you. No matter what it is.” His look softens. “I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

Liam… my eyes are teary.

What if I tell him? What if we can come up with stories that will be acceptable for the General?

“If I tell you something which is related to you and the other marked-ones, but I swear it won’t put you in danger, then would you keep it a secret from everyone? Even from Xaden?” I know it’s risky. He said that Xaden is like a brother to him. But I can’t tell everyone. And if Xaden knew…I don’t want him to look at me with hatred in his eyes again.

“Aelin, I…” he looks at me with conflicted eyes.

“You don’t have to answer me now.” I interrupt him. “I know it’s not fair to ask you this. I know you’re close with Xaden, I understand it. But…I have my reasons. If you can’t do it, that’s fine. I’ll still be your friend.”

“Okay.” He nods. “I need to think about it.”

***

After Gauntlet we have classes. We are still sitting next to each other. It’s just… Liam is quiet. He carves figures out of wood, as always. But we don’t talk like we used to.

I hope we’ll still be friends after this.

I shouldn’t have asked him to keep secrets from Xaden. I have to deal with it alone.

After this class is over I’ll tell him to forget it. It will be the best.

The bell rings.

We stand up and gather our things.

“Liam?” I turn to him. “You can forget about my request. It wasn’t fair.” I whisper, hoping no one can hear us.

“No. I will do it.” He shakes his head.

“What?” I glance at him.

“You promised that it wouldn’t effect the others. I trust you.” He turns to me with his bag in his hands. “I want to know what’s going on with you. I told you before, I will help you whenever I can.”

“Thank you.” I smile at him with relief in my eyes. “I’ll meet you after curfew. At the trees by the river.”

“Okay.” He nods.

***

I pace back and forth in front of the trees as I wait for Liam. Will he come? What if he changed his mind? Do I want him to change his mind?

A million thoughts. And no answers.

I hear silent footsteps and I jerk my head in the direction of the sound. It’s Liam. He came.

„I’m here. Now tell me what is this all about?” He asks with a raised eyebrow.

„It’s just…It’s a long story.” I sigh. „Do you mind if we sit down? I’ll be nervous is we just stand here.”

He nods and we sit down under the tree with the fonilee berries. It seems like we were here ages ago with Violet.

„I will tell you everything, but I totally understand if you don’t want to be my friend after it.” I stare at the river, instead of Liam. „The only one who knows this is Violet, but even she doesn’t know everything.”

„Aelin, it’s okay.” He grabs my hand and squeezes it. „It couldn’t be that bad.”

 „You’re right. It’s worse.” I laugh bitterly. „Just…listen, okay?”

He nods.

„You know that my father is General Melgren. We don’t have a good relationship. I think the only person he loved in his life was my mother.” I sigh still looking at the river. „He didn’t leave me another choice, I had to cross the Parapet. It didn’t matter him if I survived it or not. I have to be here. I have to become a rider.”

„After we crossed the Parapet, Dain found us. He helped Violet and told Rhi and I that we should search for the woman with a scroll and tell her to place us in his squad.”

„What?” He asks. „But you’re in another squad with me.”

„Yes.” I nod. „The woman told us that she already had orders regarding me. Then I was placed in the Fourth Wing.”

„In Xaden’s chain of command.” Liam look at me with understanding. „It was you father’s doing?”

„I found out that evening.” I wrap my arms around my knees. „Remember that I said after Battle Brief that the General wanted to see me? That was when everything went wrong.”

„What happened?”

„He told me that he gave the order regarding me. Then showed me a strane a dagger, with runes. And…” My voice is cracking.

„You can tell me, Aelin.” He places his hand on my shoulder. „Trust me.”

„He told me to report him weekly about…Xaden and the marked-ones.” I don’t dare to look at him. „I think the relics on your arms somehow block you from him. It’s like he can’t use his signet on the marked-ones.”

„And…what did you tell him?” He asks slowly. „I know you wouldn’t put us in danger. Never.”

I jerk my head toward him. He believes me?

„You…Do you believe me?” I ask with teary eyes.

„Of course. I told you I trust you!” He says firmly.

„You’re a way better person than anyone I know.” I smile at him. „I didn’t tell him anything. After that conversation he had to go to the front, and he didn’t come back until yesterday.”

„Yesterday? Then the cut on your cheek…” He mutter softly.

„He summoned me last night. He wanted my report.” I look at the river again. „But… I didn’t know what to tell him. I didn’t want to get you and…Xaden into trouble. And neither do the others. It was my father who killed your parents and forced you to watch it. All of you suffered because of him.”

„It’s not your fault, Aelin. It was your father’s actions. Not yours.” He says softly.

„But I am here and he isn’t. I have to bear to consequences.” I say darkly. „So I didn’t say anything and he was…angry.”

„So he just cut your cheek? That’s insane.” He says sharply.

„Technically he threw a dagger at me and I wasn’t fast enough.” I shrug.

„Aelin, that’s even worse!” He almost shouts. „Do you have any other injuries?”

I pull back my sleeve and show him my arms. There’s a distinctly hand-shaped bruise on it.

Then I grab the neck of my jacket and show him my throat. There’s an even uglier bruise.

„Fuck” he curses. „He did all of this?”

„Yes.” I nod and rearrange my clothes.

„Why don’t you fought back?” He asks.

„It would have been much worse. Believe me.” I chuckle bitterly.

„I won’t tell your secret to Xaden. It’s not your fault you’re in this situation.” He says. „But he could help us, you know.”

„I don’t want him to know. I don’t want him to…look at me with hatred again.” I mutter.

„Aelin. Do you actually like him?” He asks with a smirk.

„It’s complicated.” I evade the question.

„Sure. But we will talk about it some other time.” He nods. „Now back on the topic. What will you tell the General next time?”

„Actually I want to ask for your help. Can you tell me some things that he can’t use against you?” I look at him. „If you can’t, that’s okay I can come up with stories on my own.”

„Aelin. It seems you forgot what I said. Again.” He looks at me with disapproval. „Let me remind you. I will help you.”

„Thank you, Liam.” I smile at him a moment later. „You’re really my best friend.”

„That’s official?” He laughs at me.

„What do you want? Should I shout it out in the morning formation?” I mock him.

„That would be spectacular.” He grins. „Now come, it’s late. We should go back.” He extends a hand and pulls me up.

„Liam.” I look in his eyes. „I’m really grateful. For your help. And you being my friend.”

„I know. I’m a fantastic friend.” He laughs and pulls me into a hug. „I think you’re so much more than what you let others see. You have a big heart. Maybe too big. But I say with you and help you protect it.”

I squeeze him tightly and let my tears flow. I don’t know what I would do without him.

***

After that night we sit down once a week, and come up with believable stories, that would satisfy the General. So far it’s working.

The next practice sessions of the Gauntlet are the same as the first two. Liam and I are improving our times. Now we’re faster than anyone in our squad. The others? It another story. At least we don’t lose another squadmate. Vila has quit running her mouth, since she can’t seem to make it up fully.

The shaking rods are her downfall.

By the ninth—and next-to-last—session, I’m ready to set the entire obstacle course on fire. How many times do we have to do it before Presentation? The only thing still challenging at this point is Liam. He’s wicked fast. Faster than me. I try to beat his time, but I rarely succeed.

***

“Doria Merrill,” Captain Fitzgibbons says from the dais. Every one of his features is crystal clear, not only because the sun is behind the shade of the clouds but because I’m closer. Our formation gets tighter with every cadet who falls.

According to statistics, today will be one of the deadliest for first-years. It’s Presentation Day, and in order to get to the flight field, we’ll have to climb the Gauntlet first. Everything about the Riders Quadrant is designed to weed out the weak, and today is no exception.

“Kamryn Dyre.” Captain Fitzgibbons continues to read from the roll.

 “Arvel Pelipa.” A second-year? Firstyears aren’t the only ones at risk; we’re just the most likely to die.

“Michel Iverem.” Captain Fitzgibbons closes the roll. “We commend their souls to Malek.” And with that final word, formation breaks.

“Second- and third-years, unless you’re on Gauntlet duty, head to class. Firstyears, it’s time to show us what you’ve got.” Theo smirkes as he looks at our squad. „I heard you’re decent on the Gauntlet. Then show us what you’ve got.”

“Now back into formation,” he orders.

“Are you going with us?” I ask.

He nods. The five of us fall into lines, the same as the other squads around us.

“We’re the smallest squad,” Rio notes, behind us as the squads farthest left —from First Wing—file out through the western gate in the courtyard.

“What are we down to?” Ethan asks. “Hundred and eighty?”

“Hundred and seventy-one,” Theo answers.

Squads from Second Wing begin to move, led by their wingleader, which means Xaden is somewhere ahead of us. My nerves are reserved for the obstacle course, but I can’t help but wonder which way his scales will tip today.

“For a hundred dragons? But what will we…” Vila asks, nerves cutting off her words.

No one bothers to answer her.

“Nervous?” I ask Liam, knowing we’re about to be called next.

“Not at all. We’ve got this.” He grins.

“Oh, I meant about the history test tomorrow,” I tease. “There’s nothing going on today to panic about.”

“Now that you mention it, the whole Treaty of Arif might just be the death of me.” He grins.

“Fourth Wing!” Xaden calls out from somewhere in the distance. I don’t even need to see to know that it’s him who gave the order and not his executive officer. “Move out!”

We file off in order, Flame Section, then Claw, and finally Tail.

There’s a bit of a bottleneck at the gate, but then we’re through, walking into the mage-lit dimness of the tunnel that we take every morning to reach the Gauntlet. Shadows blanket the edges of the rocky floor along our path.

What are the limits of Xaden’s power anyway? Could he use shadows to choke out every squad in here? Would he need to rest or recharge after? Does such a vast power come with any sort of checks or balances?

Light appears ahead and grows into an archway that’s ten feet high, leading us to the base of the Gauntlet.

The view is spectacular as always. We’re still high on the mountain, thousands of feet above the valley, and the greenery seems to stretch endlessly to the south, with random clusters of squat trees among colorful slopes of wildflowers. My gaze turns to the Gauntlet carved into the face of the cliff, and I can’t help but follow each obstacle higher and higher until I’m staring at the top of the ridgeline that the maps I’ve studied show leads into a box canyon—the flight field. I bite my lip as I stare at the break in the tree line.

Normally, only riders are allowed on the flight field—except for Presentation.

***

An hour later I watch as Violet makes her way through the Gauntlet. We had come up with some ideas yesterday how to make the chimney and the last obstacle easier. I hope she can do it.

I grin as I watch her grab onf of the ropes and drag it horizontally across the surface of the cliff, to get the bottom portion onto the chimney structure.

„Can she do that?” someone snaps.

Hell, yes!

„Yes! She did it!” I grin at Liam.

He squeezes my hand as we watch her in front of the ramp.

The obstacle is meant to test a cadet’s ability to scale a dragon’s foreleg and reach its saddle. And she’s too short.

But Xaden’s words that the right way wasn’t the only way have played over and over in my head all night long as we planned.

She unseathes her largest dagger and she charges.

She slams the dagger into the slick wood and she uses it to fling herself the last foot upward. She throws her elbow over the top to gain more leverage and pull herself up and over, using the handle of her dagger as a final step. After it she yanks her dagger free. And she did it.

„She did it!” I shout. „She did it! She fucking did it!” I laugh a bit histerically.

„Yeah, she did it.” Liam smiles back at me.

“Cheating!”

I turn toward the voice. It’s Amber Mavis, the strawberry-blond wingleader from Third Wing who was Dain’s close friend last year, according to Violet, and there’s nothing but fury on her face as she charges toward Xaden, who’s only a couple of feet away from Violet with the roll, recording times with a stopwatch and looking rather bored with it all.

“Back the hell up, Mavis,” Garrick threatens, the sun flashing off the two swords the curly-haired section leader keeps strapped to his back as he puts his body between Amber and Xaden.

“The cheater clearly used foreign materials not once but twice,” Amber yells. “It’s not to be tolerated! We live by the rules or we die by them!”

No wonder she and Dain are so close—they’re both in love with the Codex.

“I don’t take kindly to calling anyone in my section a cheater,” Garrick warns, his massive shoulders blocking her from view as he turns. “And my wingleader will handle any rule-breaking in his own wing.” He moves to the side.

“Sorrengail?” Xaden asks, arching an eyebrow in obvious challenge, a pen poised over the book. I notice not for the first time that other than his Fourth Wing and wingleader emblems, he doesn’t wear the patches others are so fond of displaying.

“I expect the thirty-second penalty for using the rope,” she answers.

“And the knife?” Amber’s gaze narrows. “She’s disqualified.”

When Xaden doesn’t answer, she turns that glare on him.

“Surely she’s out! You can’t tolerate lawlessness within your own wing, Riorson!”

But Xaden’s gaze never leaves Violet’s eyes as he silently waits for her to respond.

“A rider may only bring to the quadrant the items they can carry—” she starts.

“Are you quoting the Codex to me?” Amber shouts.

“—and they shall not be separated from those items no matter what they may be,” She continues. “For once carried across the parapet, they are considered part of their person. Article Three, Section Six, Addendum B.”

Her blue eyes flare wide as I glance at her. “That addendum was written to make thievery an executional offense.”

“Correct.” She nods. “But in doing so, it gave any item carried across the parapet the status of being a part of the rider.” she unsheathes the chipped and battered blade. “This isn’t a challenge blade. It’s one I carried across and therefore considered part of myself.”

Xaden’s eyes flare, and I don’t miss the hint of a smirk on that infuriatingly decadent mouth of his. It should be against the Codex to look that good and be so ruthless.

“The right way isn’t the only way.” she uses his own words that I told her against him.

“She has you, Amber.” Xaden shrugs.

“On a technicality!”

“She still has you.” He turns slightly and delivers a look that I never want directed at me.

“You think like a scribe,” she barks at Violet.

It’s intended as an insult, but she just nods. “I know.”

***

After that we moved on, and soon Liam makes his way through the Gauntlet.

He’s fast. His technic is incredible. And in the blink of an eye he’s on the top.

I shake my head and smile. He was faster than ever.

I’m the next.

My feet fly over the obstacles as if I was born for this. I can do it.

I easily made my way through on the first obstacles. It’s easy after all the practice we’ve done.

I arrive at the chimney and I laugh and shake my head as I remember Violet’s trick. It was a clever move.

I fling myself upward, grabbing onto the sides by forming an X with my body, then I start hopping up until I reach the end.

The final obstacle.

I sprint toward the ramp, using my speed and momentum to carry me two-thirds of the way up the ramp. Just before I start to fall, I reach up with one arm and grasp the lip of the ramp and haul myself over the edge.

I’m up. It’s over.

„You were faster now.” Liam comes toward me and laughs at me. „Maybe you were faster than me. At least once.” He winks.

„Hey! Not everybody is as „perfect” as you.” I cross my arms and mock him with a forced serious expression on my face.

I can’t keep up long and starts laughing. He laughs too and tugs me toward Xaden and Garrick.

„Who was the faster?” He grins at them.

Xaden looks at the roll then us.

„It seems you have to be faster, Sunshine to beat Liam.” He looks at me with a smirk and a glint in his eyes.

„Hmpf. It’s not that I expected to be faster than him.” I smile at him with a genuine smile. Maybe the first one I ever gave him. „You taught him well.”

He stares at me with a silent intenstity, his pupils dilate. „Maybe I’m a good teacher.” He smiles back at me.

With a smile I’ve never seen before. It was small but somehow it feel so real. He looks more handsome than ever. It’s breathtaking.

I just stare. I can feel my cheeks heating up a little.

„Oh, man it’s almost Presentation. You can stare at each other all you want, after it. Or do something about this tension between you. Maybe a good workout would help.” Liam winks at us and drags me over where our squad wait.

I can feel my face reddening. „Liam!” I shout.

Garrick laughs behind us and smack Xaden on his back as I glance back.

„You’re the worst.” I hiss at Liam.

„Oh, come on. I just want to help you two.” He puts his arm around my shoulders.

„Sure.” I sigh.

I can see our squad, and all of us made it. We didn’t lose anyone.

„Let’s see those dragons.” I grin at Liam.

[lesly-oh]

Happy farcille day ✨

[remade-lol666]

[havingfurrythots]

this fish is what we should be remembering on memorial day

[the-sapphic-raven]

[snaxle-deactivated20260531]

today was single handedly the best day of my life. i caught a cop stealing from the store i work at

[snaxle-deactivated20260531]

literally watched him slide a candy bar into his sleeve and i literally felt like i was on top of the world. i felt like i could throw a car over my head. he walked around the store for a bit after that looking to see if we have any locally made pickles and then when he couldnt find any he was about to leave and im like ^__^ have a good night, are you going to pay for the candy bar you stole :3? and then i got to watch a grown ass pig shyly walk up to the counter to pay kinda just awkwardly laughing about it and was like "whoops forgot about it haha...." and then left without another word. this opportunity will never happen ever again. being able to tell a cop that he needs to pay for a candy bar he attempted to steal makes me feel incredibly powerful

[great-and-small]

Saddest thing ever is reading an academic paper about a threatened or declining species where you can tell the author is really trying to come up with ways the animal could hypothetically be useful to humans in a desperate attempt to get someone to care. Nobody gives a shit about the animals that “don’t affect” us and it seriously breaks my heart

[great-and-small]

“No I can’t come out tonight I’m sobbing about this entomologist’s heartfelt plea for someone to care about an endangered moth”

[bogleech]

This is how I learn there's a moth whose tiny caterpillars live exclusively off the old shells of dead tortoises.

[thepastisaroadmap]

[Image description: text from a section titled On Being Endangered: An Afterthought that says:

Realizing that a species is imperiled has broad connotations, given that it tells us something about the plight of nature itself. It reminds us of the need to implement conservation measures and to protect the region of which the species is a part. But aside form the broader picture, species have intrinsic worth and are deserving of preservation. Surely an oddity such as C. vicinella cannot simply be allowed to vanish.

We should speak up on behalf of this little moth, not only because by so doing we would bolster conservation efforts now underway in Florida, [highlighting begins] but because we would be calling attention to the existence of a species that is so infinitely worth knowing. [end highlighting]

But is quaintness all that can be said on behalf of this moth? Does this insect not have hidden value beyond its overt appeal? Does not its silk and glue add, potentially, to its worth? Could these products not be unique in ways that could ultimately prove applicable?

End image description]

[headspace-hotel]

because we would be calling attention to the existence of a species that is so infinitely worth knowing

[rackiera]

I was so inspired by this I made it into a piece of art for a final in one of my courses for storytelling in conservation

[a-book-of-creatures]

[mossworm]

I used to work for two of the authors, Mark and Nancy Deyrup. They are true naturalists, interested in everything that lives, and wonderful human beings. They still live in central Florida where the tortoise shell moth lives, and have dedicated their whole lives to documenting the Florida scrub ecosystem and educating the public. I don't know if their names reach outside of entomology, but they are beloved figures here.

[winter-wise]

Baldur's Gate fanartists will draw Astarion like a renaissance painting and Wyll like the cover of an adventure novel and Gale like a Leyendecker drawing and Karlach like the cover of a trashy romance novel (where she is the beefy hunk and her love interest is the swooning maiden) and Lae'zel like a knight in a manuscript and Shadowheart and Minthara like the cover of a lesbian pulp novel and Halsin coming out of a lake like the bear equivalent of the Birth of Venus and they're all so right

[everchased]

hahahahaaaa get safe and cared for, idiot