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bigjuice34 · 3 months

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Private Affair (Year One)

Chapter Six

A/N: We are so back. Please let me know your thoughts!

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Word Count: 8.1k

“All dragon breeds have different temperaments,” Professor Kaori stated while glancing around the room full of cadets. “It’s important to keep such differences in mind when approaching specific breeds during Threshing.”

“What happens if we approach a certain breed incorrectly?” A female cadet sitting at a table to Freya’s left asked, earning some scoffs from others in their class. Freya exhaled.

“No one has lived to tell the tale,” Kaori replied simply, then nodded toward the centre of the circled table closest to him. Soon enough, an illusion of an Orange Daggertail, much smaller than the actual dragon would be, appeared in the middle of each table. “Orange Dragons are the most unpredictable of the breeds. They are extremely risky. This one here is an Orange willing to bond during Threshing.”

Some cadets shared what they knew about Orange dragons before the image changed to a Brown dragon. Freya wrote down what Kaori said about each breed of dragon despite being well-versed on the topic, having come from a family of riders herself. There was always an opportunity to learn more, Freya thought.

Kaori went on to show a Red dragon and started a discussion on them. Then, eventually, the image changed to a Green Morningstartail, making Freya do a double-take before feeling herself go stiff.

“That’s the Green that was at the citadel on Conscription Day,” someone in the room spoke up, but Freya didn’t bother looking at them. Her focus remained on the illusion of Caden’s dragon displayed before her.

“Correct,” Kaori said. “This particular Green is one of the largest and most cunning of that colour I’ve seen in years. He is of Uaineloidsig lineage, making him remarkably intelligent, and he’s the only known Green Morningstartail that has been in service during the last few decades. That tail of his alone is an incredibly deadly weapon. Factor in the other traits I’ve listed, and it’s easy to assume this is one dragon you don’t want to be on the wrong side of.”

“Is he one of the dragons bonding this year?” A male cadet asked from the other side of the room.

“When was the last time he was in service?” Another cadet questioned from the table next to Freya’s. Still, she didn’t take her eyes off the dragon.

“Dìo hasn’t been in service for three years,” Kaori answered. “It’s unclear if he will be bonding this year. He wasn’t before Conscription Day, but from what I’ve heard, that may change. His last rider was a rebellion leader.”

Several gasps sounded around the room, followed by murmuring as people discussed what they’d just learned.

Freya took a deep breath, trying her best not to let her feelings get to her as she tugged on a loose thread of the material she used to wrap her left wrist. It’d been two weeks since Nolon mended it for her, she had begun sparring again, but her wrist still ached and the wrap helped. Freya made sure no one saw her with the wrap though, and always took it off before Gym. Only people she trusted knew her wrist was still bothering her a bit.

Eventually, Freya moved her gaze from the illusion and glanced at the table to her right. Xaden and Garrick were already looking at her, concern prominent on their faces.

“Do you want to leave?” Xaden mouthed to her.

“We’ll go with you,” Garrick did the same. Freya appreciated their offer but shook her head no.

“I’ll be fine,” she whispered, unintentionally gaining the attention of those sitting at her table. Nova and Bennett looked at her questionably and waited for her to elaborate. Freya sighed. However, another cadet spoke up before she could say anything to them.

“Was he the Green bonded to Caden Tarlor?”

Freya immediately snapped her gaze to the female cadet who asked the question and couldn’t help but glare when she saw it was Amber Mavis. People began muttering and whispering again.

Even before the rebellion, the Tarlor’s were known and respected around Navarre for having so many powerful riders. It didn’t surprise Freya that people knew of her family. However, the rebellion ripped the Tarlor family name to shreds, and Freya carried that burden. Nonetheless, she knew her family best and would always protect them.

“That would make sense with how the only person it seemingly didn’t want to burn at the citadel was Tarlor’s little sister,” Alic, a cadet from Second Wing said. It wasn’t long before all eyes were on Freya.

She glanced around the room at those looking at her, a hard and unreadable expression on her face as her gaze trailed from one end to the other, but Freya stayed silent.

“Everyone, that’s not what this class is about,” Kaori cleared his throat, bringing some attention back to him. “We’re not here to point fingers, we’re here to be educated. Freya, you do not have to comment on the topic.”

“No, I will,” Freya stated, then took a deep breath.

Kaori nodded.

“The Tarlor family has a long lineage of impressive riders. I’m sure many in this class could learn a lot about dragons from you, Freya. The floor is yours.”

Freya remained silent momentarily, considering her words, but straightened her posture once she felt many eyes on her again.

“Thank you, Professor Kaori. I grew up surrounded by dragons. At least one grandparent from each side, three uncles, an aunt, my parents and my older brother were all riders. That being said, I learned how these creatures worked from a distance, as none were mine to associate with. Dìo was my brother’s dragon. If there’s anything I learned from Caden about the greens is that you must never back down from them. A Green will challenge you. If one approaches you, be patient. Show submission as you wait for their approval or else you’ll never be deemed worthy to them.”

“Precisely,” Kaori spoke before anyone else could. “A few greens are willing to bond this year, this is crucial information to know for those approached by one, including Dìo if he does decide to bond.”

“It’s forbidden for a dragon to bond a relative of a past rider, right?” Amber asked, not even looking at Freya or showing that she listened to anything said.

“Typically, yes,” Kaori answered. “However, the dragons have their own system of law. We do not interfere with it.”

“That’s why none of the rebellion dragons were destroyed,” Bennett stated from their spot next to Freya. “Not that they should’ve been. But, it was up to the dragons how the ones who lost rebellion riders and lived through it were punished. The people of Navarre had no part in that.”

“That’s correct,” Kaori replied before the image in the middle of the tables changed to a massive Blue Daggertail. “This is the only Blue that has agreed to bond this year. Her Daggertail makes her one of the rarest types of blues. Would you like to share what you know about the blues, Freya?”

Freya exhaled, then nodded.

“They’re ruthless and intimidating,” she declared. “There is no proper way to approach a Blue. It’s probably best that you don’t. If one chooses you, let them have control over the situation.”

“What makes you such an expert, Tarlor?” Alic sneered. “Why are we listening to a separatist’s kid, anyway?”

Freya took a breath to remain calm. She didn’t know Alic well or much about him other than that he was King Tauri’s middle son. That fact, however, Freya kept to herself. Xaden told her who he was, but she didn’t lead on like he was of any notoriety. To her, he was just a pompous asshole and a bully.

“The Vale lost two blue dragons following the rebellion. They were a mated pair. The male was a Daggertail, the female a Scorpiontail. Their bonded riders were my parents. However, the dragons didn’t die during the rebellion. It was after. My father’s dragon, the Scorpiontail, died within 24 hours of my family’s execution. The Daggertail fell soon after.”

After her spiel, Freya glanced at Xaden. Had he not shared everything he knew about what happened to her parents’ dragons with her, she probably wouldn’t have a better understanding of just how strong the bond between dragon and human could be.

“This is a significant example of the strength of a rider’s and mated pair bonds,” Kaori took over. “We all know if a dragon dies, so will its rider. However, occasionally, a rider’s death causes a dragon’s demise. This doesn’t always happen, though. A mated pair of dragons bonded to a married couple is a perfect situation on paper. However, as unfortunate as it is, if one falls it’s likely they all will.”

Murmurs erupted from around the room, but otherwise, class carried on. Freya noticed the way some cadets continued looking at her as if they were studying her. Others would speak quietly to someone beside them, and then both would glance in Freya’s direction.

Despite her calm and reserved exterior for the remainder of the lecture, Freya felt the opposite internally. She didn’t mind sharing what she knew about dragons and was aware that confidently doing so showed the other cadets she was educated on the topic. However, everyone knowing about Caden’s dragon had her on edge. Freya knew she’d have to be on high alert going forward.

Once the bell tolled and the class was dismissed, Freya already had her things gathered and was one of the first up from her desk. However, she didn’t even reach the door before she was stopped.

“Freya, do you mind staying back for a moment?” Kaori asked just as she was about to put her hand on the doorknob.

“Uhm, yeah I can do that,” Freya replied awkwardly as she adjusted the strap of her satchel on her shoulder. She received some looks from other cadets as they passed by her to leave, and then her eyes landed on her two guys as they approached. “You two go. I’ll see you at Lunch. I know you both want to wait, but you should go.”

“Freya,” Xaden immediately started protesting. “Don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Push us away.”

Freya blinked at him surprised. Was that what she was doing?

“That class wasn’t easy, Fern,” Xaden justified. “Are you okay?”

“I will be,” Freya responded, then exhaled. “I appreciate you checking in and worrying, Xaden. But, Kaori just wants to talk to me. I’ll be fine.”

“She’s right,” Garrick spoke up. “Nothing bad will happen, Xaden. We’ll see you soon, Fray.”

With that, Garrick started pulling Xaden toward the door. Freya mouthed a quick thank you to him, he understood that there were some things she wanted to do on her own without them. Then she looked at Xaden and nodded, sending him a reassuring smile before Garrick got him out the door.

Once the door closed, Freya moved her gaze to the right and saw Nova and Bennett waiting nearby.

“We’ll wait for you,” Nova said. “If that’s ok.”

“Sounds good,” Freya replied, smiling. She felt she could spend some time with them before spending lunch with Xaden and Garrick.

Once the room was clear, Freya took a deep breath and approached Kaori’s desk.

“You wanted to speak with me, Professor?”

“Yes,” he said and leaned against his desk. “I wanted to thank you for your contribution to today's lecture.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Freya replied. “I’ve learned a lot about dragons over the years, I was just sharing what I knew.”

“There are cadets here that could learn a lot from you. Given who your family is, it’s no surprise you’re as knowledgable as you are.”

“Yeah, unfortunately, who my family is makes my time here a lot more difficult than it originally could’ve been, though.”

“Not necessarily,” Kaori stated. “The members of your family were some of the greatest riders Navarre has ever seen. Your parents were well-respected and powerful. Your brother, Caden, was of the same calibre.”

“And we all know how that ended up for them,” Freya said, then dropped her gaze as she fiddled with the wrap on her wrist again.

“Your parents and Caden were good people, Freya. I know the rebellion makes that hard for a lot of people to believe, but it doesn’t change all the good they did before. Your parents were incredible leaders, they helped a lot of people. Your brother was just like them and saved so many people being the mender he was. I see a lot of all three of them in you. I’m not the only one who does either”

Freya was speechless and shook her head as she processed what was said to her.

“It’s not too often I hear compliments about my family nowadays.”

“I can see why that may be,” Kaori explained. “The rebellion is a touchy subject to many, but it doesn’t change everything that came before it.”

“I guess you’re right,” Freya nodded in agreement. “Thank you, Professor.”

“The pleasure has been all mine, Freya. Now go enjoy your lunch.”

With that, Freya nodded and went on her way. She joined Nova and Bennett again, and then the three of them exited into the hallway.

“So, that was interesting,” Bennett was the first to break the silence between the three of them.

“I didn’t realize that Green from Conscription Day was your brother’s dragon,” Nova said as she glanced to where Freya walked between her and Bennett.

“Yeah, it was,” Freya responded softly.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t think it was a detail everyone needed to know. Kind of like how you decided not to tell us about your brother.”

There was an unintentionally hostile tone to Freya’s voice and her eyes widened as soon as the words left her mouth. She didn’t mean to snap at Nova. Following what happened after Freya had her wrist mended and she learned that Nova and Nathan were siblings, the two girls were fine. The next day they talked it through and Freya understood where Nova was coming from with not wanting people to know her brother was a wingleader as it brought unwanted attention. Nova took a few days after that to feel she trusted Bennett enough to share, which was also a feeling Freya knew all too well.

Freya had no harsh feelings toward her friend, but the weight of what happened during class had finally caught up to her.

“Nova, I’m sorry,” Freya apologized. “That was uncalled for.”

“I appreciate the apology,” Nova responded. “It’s alright, though. That class put a lot of strain on you.”

“It’s not alright. Yes, that lecture sucked, but it’s not your fault and I shouldn’t take it out on you just because I’m frustrated.”

Nova nodded, showing appreciation for Freya’s words as they rounded a corner.

“Speaking of Nathan, have you talked to him?”

“Not a chance,” Freya stated. “I have nothing to say to him.”

“Right, you just stare at him longingly whenever he’s near,” Bennett remarked, making Freya scoff.

“I do not!”

“If it’s not my brother, she’s busy looking at Xaden,” Nova teased then nudged Freya with her shoulder. “You should talk to him, though.”

“Are you saying that as Nathan’s sister or as my friend?” Freya asked skeptically.

Nova shrugged.

“Maybe it’s both.”

Freya shook her head in response and remained silent as they entered the gathering hall. It didn’t take long for her gaze to fall on Xaden and Garrick sitting at their usual table.

“We’ll see you in Gym?’ Bennett asked, regaining Freya’s attention.

“Oh, yeah,” Freya replied. “See you two later.”

The other two went to grab a table together while Freya went up to get her lunch. She always sat with her guys during meals, which Nova and Bennett never tried to interfere with.

There wasn’t much of a line to get food seeing as most cadets had already been served their lunch, which Freya didn’t mind since she was getting rather hungry. After she had her food, Freya went to turn around and make her way to sit with Xaden and Garrick but accidentally ran into someone in the process.

“Sorry,” Freya gasped as she quickly tried to prevent anything from falling off her tray without looking up at the person standing in front of her. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s alright, Freya,” the man spoke, making Freya’s breath hitch as her gaze shot upward and met a familiar pair of golden brown eyes. Nathan looked back at her with an unreadable expression until his eyes flickered down to where her left hand was holding the apple that almost fell off her tray. “Your wrist is still wrapped.”

“Yeah, it is,” she grumbled and swiftly tugged down the sleeve of her shirt so the wrap wouldn’t be seen by anyone else.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Why do you care? I thought I asked you to leave me alone.”

“It was just a question,” Nathan replied simply.

“Whatever,” Freya told him then went to walk around him and continue towards the table, but Nathan stopped her by gently grabbing her arm. Freya immediately tightened her jaw and turned to face him again. “You’re not going to make a scene here in front of everyone, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then what do you want?”

Nathan inhaled deeply.

“Meet me tonight after curfew,” he started. “Just after curfew. By the bottom of the steps under the citadel.”

“What makes you-,” Freya went to reply but stopped herself when Nathan turned away from her and walked away. She stood there watching him go, glaring at his back for a moment before continuing on her way. As she walked, Freya glanced over at where Nova and Bennett sat and didn’t miss how Nova bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself from grinning too wide, obviously entertained by the interaction she just watched. Freya just shook her head then set her tray on the table and stepped over the bench to sit across from Xaden, next to Garrick. “Hey.”

“Hey, how was talking to Kaori?” Garrick asked.

“It was fine,” Freya replied then took a bite out of her sandwich. “He thanked me for my part in the lecture. What are you two talking about?”

Neither of them noticed her run-in with Nathan, and Freya wanted to keep their topic of conversation off of that if she could.

“A few things,” Xaden said and lowered his voice. “Today is our first real day of challenges. While I was out last night, I was wandering the halls where the professors meet; I saw a list posted. It was all of today’s matchups for sparring.”

“Wait, it’s not random?” Freya asked, confused. “I mean, I guess I shouldn’t say I’m surprised.”

“It’s probably a way for them to weed people out and show the weak ones,” Garrick explained.

“Did you see who we were against?” She questioned.

“Yeah,” Xaden answered. “Garrick is against a guy from First Wing.”

“What about us?”

“Each other.”

Freya’s eyes widened.

“Oh,” she said, then let her gaze fall to her tray.

“Fern, I’m not going to hurt you,” Xaden stated. “I would never.”

“I know that, Xaden. It’s just- it feels like a setup. Everyone knows who we are and who our parents were. It’s like they’re trying to send a message by putting us against each other on the first day. If a list was posted, it’s been decided that we’d be opponents for some time now.”

“I feel like it’s impossible to get any type of leverage in this place,” Garrick groaned. “We feel like we’re one step ahead only to be pushed two steps back all because of these relics. Two other marked ones are against each other too.”

Freya glanced at her friend and nodded, completely understanding how he felt. Then she started thinking about something the three of them discussed a few days prior.

“I think we need to do what I suggested the other night,” she started. “A meeting or something similar with all of us. Marked ones. We lost Warner the other day because of pure negligence. It could’ve been avoided. Some of those here with us don’t know what we know about dragons or combat and could use our help. You’re responsible for all of us, Xaden. I know it’s risky, but we have to do something. We need to look out for our own.”

Xaden observed Freya as she spoke and when her green eyes met his dark ones after she finished talking, he nodded.

“You’re right,” he responded. “I like your idea of a meeting. It’d have to be after curfew because if we get caught, it won’t be good. I don’t know where, though.”

“What about under the citadel?” Garrick suggested. “Down in the valley by the river. It’s not too far and if we give proper directions, I don’t think anyone would get lost. When we were down there yesterday I noticed a massive boulder and some oak trees around a bend. Those trees would be good for coverage if we thought someone was coming. What about there?”

Freya and Xaden immediately looked at each other again. They both knew what trees and boulder Garrick was referring to, it was where the two of them had met during their first night at Basgiath. Freya couldn’t help but think of what happened the last time she and Xaden were there but shook her head so she could stay focused on the topic.

“I think that could work,” Freya agreed. “But when? It should probably be sooner than later with today being our first day of challenges. Gauntlet Training is going to come up quickly too.”

“I think tonight,” Xaden replied.

~*~

“You ready?” Garrick asked as Freya handed him the last of the four daggers she had crossed the parapet with. Xaden had done the same. They weren’t going to use any weapons against each other during their sparring match.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Freya responded, then glanced at the crowd gathering around the mat. She and Xaden gained a bit of an audience of other cadets and riders wanting to watch the showdown between two marked ones.

“You’ll be fine, Fray.”

“Tarlor and Riorson, go ahead,” Professor Emetterio spoke up, then nodded at the two to get into position.

“Here we go,” Xaden muttered then turned so he could lead the way onto the mat.

With a deep breath, Freya followed Xaden then stopped and got into a fighting stance when he turned to face her again. This wasn’t the first time the two of them sparred against one other. Growing up, they play-fought and trained together all the time. Where Xaden was larger and stronger, Freya made up for it with her speed and agility. She was an extremely skilled fighter, but so was Xaden and they knew each other's moves.

Murmurs and whispers sounded from those closely watching them, but Freya kept her gaze on her best friend, easily blocking them out. She was about to attack first but then noticed Xaden glancing down at her left wrist, which was unwrapped so it wouldn’t seem like it was still bothering her to those watching. It was a quick and subtle glance, but Freya didn’t miss it and she knew he was already planning on being mindful of her injury.

“Don’t go easy on me now, Riorson,” she said, then smirked when Xaden shook his head.

“Have I ever gone easy on you?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

Freya chuckled.

“No, but I won our last matchup. I’m expecting you to want this one back.”

“That’s true. Let’s see if there’s anything new you’ve learned over the last three years.”

With that, Xaden took the first swing. Freya dodged it by crouching out of the way but didn’t miss how close he’d gotten to almost making contact when a whoosh sounded above her head. She felt her French braid hit her back, falling with her sudden movement and immediately regretted not braiding her hair into a crown. Although she knew her long hair didn’t matter while in combat against her best friend, Freya got very annoyed when it got in her way.

Although it felt longer, only a few seconds had gone by since Xaden struck first and Freya used her crouching position to her advantage by kicking her left leg out and trying to sweep his feet out from under him. Xaden lept over the attack with ease.

“Going to have to be quicker than that,” Xaden taunted, a smug smile tugging at his mouth.

“Oh, I’m just getting started,” Freya replied as she stood straight, then took a quick breath before charging at him. She started with a series of punches, which Xaden mostly dodged or blocked, but she still managed to get a few good hits in.

Xaden began retaliating and Freya was finding it gradually more difficult to keep up with his fast and calculated moves. She knew she had to do something to knock him down a peg and quickly. After she dodged another one of his kicks, Xaden swung at her with his right fist. Freya reacted by reaching across in front of her body and grabbing his wrist with her right hand to prevent him from making any contact. She then spun to her left and brought her knee up as she completed an almost 360-degree spin, quickly because she was taking no chances having her back to Xaden for long, before extending her leg and kicking him firmly in the chest.

Freya let go of Xaden’s wrist and watched as he stumbled backward, the wind knocked out of him, before he stopped and looked at her with wide eyes then shook his head.

“Nice move,” he said then charged at her again.

“Thanks,” Freya replied then blocked another one of his hits.

The two of them continued battling for a few moments making it evident to everyone watching that they weren’t only great fighters, but also evenly matched against one another. Freya could feel herself growing tired, but she knew she had to keep going. She got another good kick on Xaden’s exposed side as he blocked her incoming fist, then responded by faking a right hook toward her. Freya ducked out of the way again without realizing he had no intention of hitting her, which was what Xaden wanted. Instead of completing a punch, he ducked too and swiftly landed the same move she had tried on him earlier, sweeping her feet out from beneath her with his leg and watching as she fell back onto the mat.

Freya groaned at the impact but had to quickly recollect herself because Xaden was already coming at her again. She rolled out of the way of his attack, but he didn’t let her get very far. He grabbed her leg and pulled her back toward him then climbed over her into a straddling position so he could reach for her left arm and twist it behind her back. Freya inhaled sharply at the searing pain that came from where Xaden gripped her previously broken wrist, making him freeze slightly. He immediately let go of her wrist and debated his next move while Freya took the opportunity to roll onto her back and bring her knee to his groin area.

Xaden’s face scrunched in pain as he fell forward but prevented himself from landing on Freya by placing his hands next to her shoulders on the mat, holding himself mere inches above her.

“Finish this, Freya,” he whispered to her, only loud enough that she could hear. Freya looked at him like he was crazy for saying such a thing, but the hard gaze coming from those onyx eyes told her that he meant business. “Now.”

Without another thought, she wrapped her hands around the elbow of Xaden’s right arm and pulled to bring his shoulder crashing down to the mat. Freya then raised her left knee again, lifting his right thigh and continued pulling at his elbow. The move allowed her to roll the two of them over so that she could be the one straddling him instead.

Once on top of her best friend, Freya elbowed his gut, not too hard, mainly for show and Xaden played along. He groaned in fake pain rather convincingly, but Freya knew better. Still, she wasted no time pinning his arms down to the mat, his arms bent so that his hands were next to his shoulders, then stopped and Xaden didn’t fight back.

The two of them stared at each other, both panting as they tried to catch their breath. Their fight was over.

“What a show,” Emetterio stated and loudly clapped his hands together. “Now that, right there, are two of the best fighters I’ve seen so far in this group of cadets. The rest of you could learn a lot from what you just watched. Next up we have-.”

Emetterio continued talking, but Freya and Xaden’s eyes were still on each other. Freya let go of Xaden’s wrists and let her arms fall to her sides as she took another deep breath. Xaden did the same, and Freya felt tingles when his hands brushed her thighs in the process. Her heart started to race when his right hand didn’t move from where he placed it just above her left knee, then squeezed it, making Freya blush slightly.

“Why did you let me win?” Freya whispered before climbing off of Xaden, then held out her hand to help him up too. She needed to no longer be in the position of straddling his waist.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Xaden replied with a smirk as he took her hand and they both stood.

“I can’t stand you sometimes.”

“We both know that’s a lie.”

Freya rolled her eyes as Xaden nudged her with his shoulder then let him lead the way as they headed off the mat back to where Garrick was waiting for them. After taking a few steps, Freya looked up at everyone who was still watching them for the first time since her match with Xaden began. The way people were looking at her ranged from awe to glares of envy, but she was unphased until her gaze met a familiar pair of eyes observing her intently from within the crowd. It was Nathan.

The two of them held each other’s gaze as Freya continued making her way off the mat until she brushed shoulders with Nova, who was next up sparring against a male cadet.

“The tension between you two,” Nova muttered so that only Freya could hear, making her freeze.

“Me and Xaden?” Freya asked and stood with Nova as the male cadet stretched, then glanced toward Nathan again, who was talking to Finn. “Or…”

“Both of them.”

“Oh.”

Nova chuckled.

“I think if I had to pick a team out of the two, you know who I’d have to be loyal to,” she teased, making Freya roll her eyes again. “But Xaden seems alright too and is your best friend so I can respect it.”

“Good thing it doesn’t matter because there’s nothing like that with either of them,” Freya grumbled.

“Sure, Freya. Real convincing.”

Freya’s mouth fell open in shock at that response, which made Nova laugh again. However, before Freya could say anything, Nova’s opponent spoke up.

“Are you two done talking?” He asked. “This matchup is already going to be a waste of my time with how easy it’ll be. Let's get it over with.”

Freya raised her eyebrows, surprised at his words, then looked at Nova again.

“Embarrass him.”

“Oh, I will,” Nova replied simply, then stepped further onto the mat while Freya walked off.

Once off the mat, she was met with Garrick looking at her with an amused expression as he handed her daggers back.

“Say nothing,” she hissed, knowing his amusement was because of what happened between her and Xaden on the mat.

“I’m not saying anything,” he chuckled, then winked at her. “But that was something.”

“I hope you lose your matchup.”

“I won’t.”

Freya huffed in annoyance, which made Garrick laugh even more. A moment later, Xaden joined them, coming back from wherever he’d gone off, and then they all turned to watch Nova make a complete fool out of her opponent.

~*~

Later that night, Freya was lying awake in bed, trying to get her timing right. It was maybe half an hour after curfew, and she’d told Amira, whom she’d gotten to know better since meeting on Assessment Day and the other female marked ones about meeting in the valley below the citadel an hour after curfew. Xaden and Garrick were taking care of telling the boys. Freya didn’t get the chance to tell the girls what the meeting was for, but when she explained it was just marked ones, they seemed less hesitant to take part, seemingly comforted by the thought that it was all people like them. It made Freya happy because that’s what the meeting was for, so they could all help one another.

However, Nathan was waiting for her to talk, and she somehow needed to ensure that didn’t crossover with the illegal meeting of all the marked ones she helped plan.

With a deep breath, Freya sat up and quietly put her boots on. She slipped Caden’s dagger into her left boot once it was tied, always having it on hand in case she needed it, then grabbed her cloak to throw on. Her movements were quick and stealthy, and she thought she was in the clear to start sneaking out until a whisper sounded from nearby.

“Tell Nathan I said hi,” Nova said from where she lay in her bunk. Freya immediately whipped around to look in her direction, and even though she couldn’t see through the dark, she was sure Nova was smiling.

“He told you we were meeting?” Freya asked, keeping her voice low.

“No, but I saw the two of you talk at lunch and figured that might be why you’re sneaking out after curfew again. Seems like your thing when it comes to him and Xaden.”

“I’m not going to entertain what you’re implying because we’re just going to talk.”

“I’m not implying anything. You’re assuming I am,” Nova countered. “Either way, please go easy on him, Freya. I may sound biased in saying this, but he means well. He doesn’t let people in easily, but with you, he’s different. I don’t know what that means yet or why that’s the case, but regardless, he’s a good guy, and you bring something out of him I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Freya couldn’t help but smile at Nova’s words but quickly shook her head so she didn’t read too much into anything.

“If I thought he had any ill intent, I wouldn’t be sneaking out to meet up with him,” she stated. “But I should get going. I’ve already made him wait longer than I intended to.”

“I expect to hear all about it tomorrow.”

Freya shook her head again, smiling as she finished putting her cloak on, then quickly and quietly snuck out of the dorms.

She snuck through the courtyard and down the steps with ease. She’d gotten quite good at making her way around after curfew without getting caught but remained on high alert because she never knew who also might be out.

The moon was bright, which helped illuminate Freya’s path, but it was incredibly hot. She regretted wearing something as heavy as her cloak, but the cloak was needed when it came to blending in with her dark surroundings and concealing her identity.

Once she reached the bottom of the steps into the valley, Freya looked around for a sign of Nathan being nearby but didn’t see anyone. She took a few more steps, still not seeing anything that indicated he might be there and thought that maybe he got tired of waiting for her and left. However, Freya was soon met by a strong breeze that blew the hood of her cloak down and whipped her hair around which she knew had to be caused by Nathan and his signet.

“I wasn’t sure you were going to show,” he said, then stepped out from the shadows, also wearing a cloak.

“I debated not coming,” Freya replied. “But you didn’t leave me much of a choice.”

Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed at that.

“You always have a choice with me, Freya. After the last time we talked, I wouldn’t have blamed you for still not wanting anything to do with me.”

Freya inhaled deeply, then exhaled.

“Everyone has their reasons to keep secrets and just because that happens doesn’t mean it’s despite anyone else. Sometimes it’s out of care and respect for someone or something and there’s no intended maliciousness. In your case, you were protecting your little sister and not wanting to put a target on her back. I can respect that. You and I don’t really know each other, Nathan, and I wasn’t entitled to know such a thing. However, now that I do know, I have no intention to betray Nova’s trust or friendship. I haven’t told anyone.”

“Not even Riorson or Tavis?” Nathan asked.

“No, not even them,” Freya explained. “It’s not for me to tell and although I trust those two with my life, it’s not something they need to hear from me.”

“You’ve got a pretty interesting perspective on secrets, I must say.”

Freya shrugged.

“Secrets are nothing new to me. As much as they can hurt sometimes, there’s often a bigger picture to look at when they come to the surface. The truth can be more painful. There’s a difference between flat-out lying and withholding information that could shake someone's world. The only downfall is that secrets rarely stay hidden forever. They usually come out and a lot of the time, it would’ve been easier if there was no secret-keeping in the first place.”

Nathan nodded in understanding, then stepped toward her. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience. Not that I’m prying, just an observation.”

“Yeah,” Freya started. “When you have a family that took part in a rebellion, that tends to happen.”

“Right.”

“Now, why is it you wanted me to meet you out here?”

Nathan’s gaze fell to the ground briefly, but he quickly recomposed himself and looked back at Freya, his eyes seemingly sparkling in the moonlight.

“I was hoping we could talk,” he told her.

“About anything in particular?” Freya questioned.

“Not really. I just missed talking with you. You’re good company, Freya.”

Freya couldn’t help but smile at his words because although they’d only just met the day before their fight, she enjoyed his company too and had also missed talking to him. There was just something gravitating about Nathan that continued pulling her no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

“Lead the way and let’s talk.”

With that, Nathan nodded again, then turned and started walking toward the nearby river. Freya followed and soon fell in step with him as the bell tower tolled in the distance, indicating the start of a new hour.

“You were incredible on the mat today,” Nathan said after a few moments of walking in silence. “I wasn’t expecting to see such a good matchup between two first years.”

“Thanks,” Freya responded. “Xaden and I have been sparring with each other our entire lives so that also wasn’t anything new.”

“The two of you grew up together?”

“Yeah, we’re both from Aretia. My parents and his father were very close friends before we were born, which led to us becoming inseparable. He’s my best friend. I don’t know life without him.”

In the moonlight, Freya was able to see how Nathan’s jaw stiffened as she talked about how fond she was of Xaden.

“I see,” he uttered bitterly without making eye contact with her, which made her smirk. He was jealous, that much was evident and Freya wanted to teasingly call him out on it. However, she noticed they were approaching the bend that led to the trees the marled ones would be meeting under soon. Her eyes widened in realization and she knew she quickly had to wrap their conversation up and prevent him from seeing the others. “Riorson’s lucky to have you in his corner.”

Freya racked her brain for things she could say that would potentially make him want to stop talking to her but hated the idea of pushing him away. She enjoyed being with him, but she couldn’t risk him finding out about her and all of the marked ones meeting when it was her idea to do it in the first place. She had to protect her own.

“Is that jealousy I hear?” Freya asked, not knowing what else she could end their conversation without changing the topic entirely. Maybe if she called him out, he’d get angry and leave. “Because it sounds like you might be jealous, Nathan.”

At that, Nathan stopped and turned to face her.

“Maybe I am. Like I’ve said before, there’s something about you. I can’t say I’m too thrilled about another guy having so much of your attention when I want it. I want to get to know you, Freya. I wasn’t lying when I said you fascinate me.”

Freya blinked in surprise. That was not what she was expecting him to say, but his words made her feel endeared. She liked him too.

“Nathan, I-,” Freya started but cut herself off when the wind picked up again and Nathan’s posture went stiff. “What is it?”

“Someone’s coming,” he stated, then grabbed Freya’s hand and started leading her toward a nearby tree to hide behind. “Come on.”

Freya didn’t ask questions and followed his lead, not speaking again until they were behind the tree.

“Do you know who it is?”

“No, but they're coming from various directions. There’s more than one.”

It wasn’t until then Freya noticed she was still holding Nathan’s hand and she gulped as she let go of it, then turned to face him. Nervousness took over her because either he’d soon see the marked one's meeting, or they’d be met by others who may not be so forgiving seeing the two of them out after curfew together.

“Nathan, we should go,” she said in a shaky whisper. She didn’t want to lie to him, but she had to do something.

“Hey, I’m not going to let them see you,” he assured, then reached up to delicately tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, just like Xaden always did. The gesture made Freya feel like her stomach did a flip and suddenly she felt even more guilty for not being honest with him. “I promise.”

“I believe you but-.”

Before she could finish her sentence, two voices became clearer in the distance and her heart dropped at whose voices they were. A moment later, Xaden and Garrick came into view. Nathan watched them looking puzzled.

“Is that your friends?”

“Y-yes,” Freya stammered, then watched her two best friends walk by. After they were a bit further away, she looked up at Nathan and saw that his expression hardened.

“Did you tell them we were meeting?” He asked, his voice much colder than it had been moments prior. “Is this some sort of setup?”

“No, I didn’t! I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Then why are they talking about where you are?”

Freya took a shaky breath. Although she couldn’t make out Xaden and Garrick’s conversation, she knew Nathan could because of the wind. She worried about what would happen if he saw the others.

“They’re waiting for me,” she admitted.

“Did you agree to meet with me hoping you’d get information just to take back to them?” Nathan questioned.

“It isn’t like that! You have to believe me.”

“Then what is it like, Freya?”

“Watch and you’ll see,” she whispered, hoping she’d be able to do damage control when he saw what was about to happen.

Gradually, pairs of more cloaked figures made their way past where Nathan and Freya were hiding. They all made their way toward where Xaden and Garrick had gone and in the distance, Freya could see them gathering under that one tree. There were eight of them, she was the ninth. After a few moments, she spoke up again.

“Nathan-.”

“They’re all marked ones,” Nathan replied, his tone still cold and firm. Gone was the guy she wanted to get to know better, suddenly replaced with a harsh wingleader again. “This needs to be reported, what they’re doing is illegal.”

He went to step around Freya, but she quickly stepped in front of him and shook her head.

“I can’t let you do that.”

“What do you mean you can’t, are you defending those people?”

“You’re seeming to forget that I am one of ‘those people,’” Freya replied firmly. Something about the way she referred to the marked ones as ‘those people’ rubbed her the wrong way and it showed.

“Freya, I didn’t mean it like that,” Nathan explained, picking up on how her demeanour changed.

“Then what did you mean? Because to me, it seems you’re just like everyone else here thinking we should be treated differently because of the relics we have. That our families getting executed in front of our eyes wasn’t enough. We still pose a major threat for what they did.”

“No, I don’t think that at all. You and the other marked ones have been painted so poorly to the rest of Navarre since the rebellion ended. I’m not saying that makes it ok or that I agree with how you get treated because of your family’s part in it all, but it’s been ingrained in our minds. I’m sorry. I was just caught off guard.”

“I believe you,” Freya replied because she did believe him. She didn’t think he meant her any harm because of her relic. “I promise we’re not doing anything bad. I know we’re not supposed to meet because Melgren can’t see the outcome when we do, but the reason we’re meeting is so we can help one another. Whether that be with studying or in combat, these people are my own and I want them to make it through this college. I owe it to them to watch out for and help them where I can. The odds are already so stacked against us, it’s the least I can do.”

Nathan watched her intently, then shook his head, making her heart drop once again.

“Nathan, please keep this secret to yourself. I know that’s asking for a lot from a wingleader and at the end of the day, it’d make sense for you to report this, but I really hope you don’t. You’re not like the others here. I feel like I can trust you. But if it comes down to it, I will take the fall to protect everyone standing over there when it comes to this. It was my idea that we meet up in secret, no one else’s. Xaden, Garrick and I worked together to make it happen, but I was the one who suggested it. Please, Nathan.”

“I won’t say anything,” Nathan responded after a moment of silence, making Freya let out a sigh of relief. “What you’re doing is admirable, Freya. I believe what you’re saying.”

“Thank you, thank you. I just- I need to look out for them.”

“I understand, and there’s no need to thank me. I can hear them talking right now and it’s lining up with everything you’ve said. You should go, though. They’re waiting for you.”

Freya smiled and nodded, not being able to help the tears welling in her eyes at how sweet and understanding Nathan was being. He didn’t have to be, but she greatly appreciated it and had a gut feeling she wouldn’t regret trusting him. Without giving her next actions a second thought, she stepped closer to him, linked their hands together again then stood on her tip-toes to place a peck on his cheek.

“Thank you,” she said again, then moved back and put her hood up again. “Goodnight, Nathan.”

“Goodnight, Freya,” he replied, then watched her run off toward the others.

Nathan observed the group for a few minutes, listening in the wind to Freya apologizing for being late then immediately helping explain the purpose of all of them meeting in secret. She hadn’t lied and Nathan didn’t feel a need to eavesdrop. Freya trusted him with this secret and he wasn’t going to betray that trust. So, he turned on his heel and headed back toward the steps leading up to the citadel, letting his mind wander to the tingly feeling on his cheek from where she kissed him.

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