Burning Promise I a fourth wing ff

That fucking wall

"Doria Merril," Captain Fitzgibbons says from the dais. Every one his futures and expressions crystal clear on this cloudy day. It's Presentation day, probably the most deadly day after Parapet.

"Kamryn Dyre." He continues.

"Arvel Pelipa." Two first years from the front row suck in a breath to gain composure. It's not only the first years who die here, it's everyone else at risk of death. We're just more likely to die during the first year.

"Michel Iverem." Fitzgibbons closes the roll and hands it over to the scribes. "We commend their souls to Malek." The formation breaks as he finishes.

"Second- and third years, unless you're on Gauntlet duty, head to class. First-years, it's time to show us what you got. Various senior cadets come to wish us good luck and give us their last tips before going on with their day.

"I didn't realize Heaton actually knew how to speak." Two lines appear between Ridoc's brows. He's talking about a bulky third-year that has just talked to us for the first time.

"Maybe they figured they should at least say hi before we're potentially roasted today," Rhiannon says.

"Back into formation," Dain orders.

"Are you coming with us?" Violet asks. He doesn't look at her but responds with a nod. We fall into two lines of four, the same as the other squads around us.

"They really need to get over this whole thing going on between them." I scowl.

"Yeah they should just fuck it out, I've been saying it since we got here, haven't I?" Ridoc responds.

"Why is your solution to everything, Fucking it out." I say the term feeling unnatural coming out of my mouth.

"Because it works." Ridoc shrugs his shoulders. "We're the biggest squad," he says looking around, changing the topic.

"What are we down to?" Tynan asks from beside me. Not too long ago he apologized for being such a dick. I punched him and he's the one that said sorry?

"Hundred and eighty?" I guess.

"Hundred and seventy-one," Dain answers.

"For a hundred dragons? But what will we..." Trina asks, nerves cutting off her words.

"Stop letting fear leach into your voice," Luca snaps from beside Ridoc. "If the dragons think you're a coward, you'll be nothing but a name tomorrow."

"She says, inducing more fear." Ridoc narrates.

"Shut up," Luca fires back. "You know it's true."

"Maybe you two need to fuck it out." I whisper to Ridoc mocking the way he says it, earning a scowl from him.

"Just portray confidence, and I'm sure you'll be fine." Violet offers, a tone of encouragement in her voice.

We're up next and I can already feel my hand getting clammy. My thoughts snap back to last night and remember Liam's advice, and his goddamn face. This is why I said no boys, I might die on the Gauntlet imagining his stupid face. I shake my head, clearing it of everything that happened last night.

"Fourth wing!" Xaden calls out from a distance. "Move out!"

We file off, Flame section, then Claw, and finally Tail. The gate is a bottle neck shape so there's a bit of a hold up, but when we're through, walking into the mage-lit dimness of the tunnel that we take each morning to reach the Gauntlet. Shadows blanket the edges of the rocky floor along the path. I breathe in trying to steady the shakiness of my breath but it's no use.