Fire Breather

57.

    COME Thursday morning, I hadn't uttered Garrick's name once and thankfully the others hadn't mentioned him either after I told them that he was no longer my...whatever the fuck we were.

I barely even had time to think about him between preparing shipments of daggers and trying to figure out how to successfully do a rolling dismount after cracking my head open on the first attempt.

Beside me, Violet's arm was in a sling because it was obvious that she also couldn't figure out how to dismount. Actually, all of us couldn't figure it out yet.

"How is it feeling today?" Rhiannon asked her as we walked into the history class we shared with Third Wing on the second floor.

"Like Tairn set me down and just kept going," Violet answered. "It's not my first sprain. Healers say it should be about four weeks in the sling. I'm giving it two. Maybe."

"You could ask Nolon—" Ridoc started, only to quickly stop when Vi sent him an annoyed look. "What? Don't tell me Varrish won't let you get mended. Blade got her head mended, surprisingly fast."

"That was because we could see her brain." Rhiannon shuddered while I grimaced. That wasn't a pretty sight for any of them. In fact, Sawyer threw up on Ridoc...which was a little funny.

"I'll never get that image out of my mind," Violet whispered, shaking her head. "But not that I'm aware of, no." We quickly found our seats. "I put my name on Nolon's list, but I was told he likely wouldn't have an opening before it healed naturally."

When Violet took a few strips of bright blue fabric from her bag, I furrowed my brows, watching her start to create knots—knots I learned when I was a child.

"Those are Tyrrish knots," I whispered to her, my lips curving into a smile. "Did Xade give you my weaving book?"

Violet's eyes filled with surprise at that. "That was your book?"

"Yeah." I nodded, looking away from her with a smile still on my face. "He asked if he could borrow it because we lost his one years ago. But I can create those knots in my sleep, so you keep the book, Vi. It's about time you learned some of our culture."

"Wonder who's actually here to teach," Sawyer cut in, stepping over the back of his chair from the row behind us and sitting next to Ridoc on my left. "Pretty sure I just saw most of the leadership making a run for the flight field."

"Really?" I raised my brows at him. Only a major attack would empty Basgiath of leadership.

"They were running." Sawyer made a running motion with his first two fingers. "That's all I know."

"Good morning." Professor Devera walked in, passing three rows of tables and chairs to get to the front of the room. "I'll be filling in for Professor Levini. He was called away due to an attack on the Eastern Wing." She picked up the book from his cluttered desk. "You'll hear about it in Battle Brief tomorrow, but so far there's only one death." My heart slowed down as she looked up from the book. "Masen Sanborn. Some of you may have known him, since he's a recent graduate."

"No," I breathed, a chill covering my body as Violet grabbed my hand, sending me a worried look. "Oh, gods."

"Blaine?" Sawyer whispered, leaning forward in his seat to look at me in concern as did Ridoc and Rhiannon. "Are you okay?"

I only nodded once, diverting my eyes to my lap while pulling my hand out of Violet's. "Fine."

"Shit," Ridoc quietly cursed, rubbing his chin. "You knew him, didn't you?"

"He fought beside me in Resson," I informed them, and all their faces fell. "It's fine. People die. Death isn't new." But it still felt like it was the first time experiencing death again.