Chapter 20: Loyalty

The Captain of the Wing stood at the edge of the battlefield, watching as friend and foe blurred into something indistinguishable. Trust is a fragile weapon, he thought, one that shatters in betrayal and cuts just as deep in loyalty.

But as the night fell and the dead were counted, he knew this much to be true— a warrior who stands alone may never be betrayed, but neither will they ever be saved.

Excerpt from The Tales of Iskaria by Calder Veyne

~

Violet was still in the infirmary on Monday morning and that filled Thana with smug satisfaction. She had replayed their fight over and over, regretting the moment she chose restraint. It had taken every ounce of her control to forgo the kill shot. If she'd wanted to, she could have pried the knife shealed at Violet's forearm and drawn it clean across her throat.

By the time Captain Fitzgibbons began to read the names on the death roll, Thana had stopped listening.

From the dais, Xaden was staring at her. She met his gaze and, for the first time since arriving, he didn't look away. His expression was unreadable—dark eyes devoid of anything she could twist into satisfaction—but she knew what that meant. She'd suspected for a while now. Xaden didn't just want Violet alive, he wanted Violet.

Bodhi had told her about their kiss, and rage burned hot in her chest. She didn't know what angered her more—jealousy, or the betrayal of seeing him sell his soul for the fleeting illusion of power. Maybe both. Maybe it didn't matter. Surely, she owed him nothing now that his loyalty was so clear.

Her hand twitched over the blade sheathed at her hip. She imagined drawing it, holding it to his throat, demanding that he beg for his life. She laughed at the thought. The son of the great betrayer, following in his father's footsteps.

On the dais beside him, Garrick stood as if he belonged there, as if he wasn't another traitor by association. To her left, Liam stood with Ridoc, like they were some united front. As though Liam hadn't thrown Violet a weapon in the fight. He had chosen his side. They all had. It was as though the clouds of her grief had parted and it was clear, she was on her own.

"Not entirely," Válka's voice curled through her mind, the weight of his presence settling over her like armour.

Thana softened.

As Captain Fitzgibbons stepped down, Xaden took his place, his gaze sweeping over the gathered riders. "With the obvious decrease in our numbers, adjustments to the squads are necessary to fill the gaps left behind." His voice was steady, controlled—but Thana knew him well enough to hear the underlying strain.

A few riders shifted, exchanging nervous glances as names were called. A handful moved to the first wing. None to the second.

Then—"Thana Valaren."

Her spine stiffened.

"Move to the flame section, second squad, fourth wing."

His tone was impassive, but she swore she saw the flicker of something in his expression before he shuttered it away. A test. A warning. Or maybe just a reminder that her place here—like everything else—was his decision.

"All changes are effective immediately," he finished. Then, without waiting for a reaction, he added, "Dismissed," and stepped down.

As the riders began to clear the courtyard, Dain approached her. "Welcome to our squad," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm or teasing amusement. She couldn't tell.

"Don't," she swore through gritted teeth.

She turned to leave but hesitated, glancing back over her shoulder. "And I don't need help on clean-up. Find something else for Ridoc to do."

Dain's expression didn't change, but his voice lost its edge. "Everyone needs help, Thana."

She almost scoffed, but something about the sincerity in his tone caught her off guard. She left before she had to think about why.

~

Thana skipped her training session with Garrick that evening.

Back in her room, she knelt beside her bed and slid out the wooden box Liam had made for her when they first arrived at Basgiath. The surface was engraved in his handwriting with a simple message: "With you, always." She traced the faint burn marks where he'd pressed their initials into the corner.

With careful hands, she set it on the bed and slid out the lid, revealing her most cherished possessions—her father's ring, pages of the tome she'd stolen from the library, the letters from Xaden, the small carving of Válka, the first blade Garrick had ever forged, and a handful of petals from the fragile, dried bunch of begonias Bodhi had once picked for her.

They felt different now—less sacred, less like pieces of herself. But she couldn't bring herself to part with them—not yet.

With deliberate fingers, she pulled the wing patch from her shoulder, tracing the embroidered insignia for a lingering moment before gently placing it inside the box.

Thana exhaled softly as she slid the lid shut, running her fingertips over the grain of the wood before tucking it back beneath her bed. She sat there for a moment, her hands resting on her knees, listening to the quiet hum of the night outside her window.

She crossed the room and grabbed the jumper Bodhi had left draped over the back of her chair. It was soft, slightly oversized, and when she pulled it over her head, the scent of him—something unplaceably warm—wrapped around her like a second skin.

Climbing into bed, she curled onto her side, staring out the window. The night felt heavier than usual. She let her eyes drift shut, thoughts slipping between past and present, between the keepsakes in her box and the uncertainty that lay ahead.

Then came the 5 little knocks in quick, melodic succession. Steady, measured—Liam. Her breath caught. He knocked again, a fraction louder this time. She didn't move. He waited. He waited longer than she might have. After what felt like a few minutes, she heard his footsteps retreat, fading down the hall. Only then did she let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Rolling onto her back, Thana stared at the ceiling again, but this time, it stared back.

~

Garrick was waiting when Thana finished clean-up duty the next morning. Dain had reassigned Ridoc's position to a third-year from the first wing. She was unmarked and she didn't speak much but, Thana didn't mind. She was quiet, efficient, and, frankly, smelled a hell of a lot better than Ridoc.

Garrick fell into step beside her as she made her way toward the library. She was on the hunt for another book. A specific book this time.

"Where were you last night?" he asked. He might have sounded nonchalant if not for the tension in his jaw.

"Busy," she said.

He rolled his shoulders, hesitating before speaking again. "Liam said you weren't in your room."

Thana's eyes narrowed. "And why was Liam going to my room?"

"Something could've happened to you, Thana. It has before," Garrick said, his voice laced with concern. She knew he wasn't referring to the challenge in the dungeon.

She exhaled sharply. "I was just busy."

They entered the library, their voices dropping to a hush as they wound through to the stacks at the back of the library.

"If you're not going to show up to training, just tell me," Garrick murmured.

Thana ignored him, running her fingers along the spines of the books, dust drifting down as she searched. A particular tome had to be here—one her mother used to read to her when she was young.

Before she could move down the aisle, Garrick caught her wrist, pulling her hand from the shelf. Then, with a gentle but firm touch, he tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her pulse quickened.

"I need you to hear me when I say this. My loyalty might be to Xaden at times," he said, voice low, "but I would never put Violet before you, Thana."

His intensity caught her off guard. She tried to look away, to steady the frantic pulse racing at her throat, but he gently cupped her chin, guiding her back to him, his fingers brushing over her quickening pulse.

"I haven't forgotten what your father did for me," Garrick murmured. "If I can't repay him, then I'll protect you the way he would have—to my last breath."

Her breath hitched. She held his gaze for a moment, biting her lip to keep it from trembling. Then, slowly, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead before turning and disappearing down the aisle.

Thana let out a shaky breath, trying to steady herself.

She was startled at the sudden presence of Jessina beside her, who smiled kindly and handed her a tissue... and a book.

Thana bowed her head in thanks, dabbing at her eyes before glancing down at the cover. The Tales of Iskaria. The very one she'd been searching for.

She looked at her confused and before Jessina turned to leave, Thana signed, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Jessina said. "Liam left it for you." Thana furrowed her brows, battling the storm of conflicting emotions inside her. Jessina only smiled. "I suspect it's exactly what you were looking for."

Thana nodded, exhaling softly. "You must know each other well," Jessina added.

"In another life," Thana signed a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"Maybe in this one too," Jessina signed as she gestured to the book in Thana's hands.