The chapter begins with an excerpt from The Dragon Riders Codex.
Chapter 1 throws readers into the life of Violet Sorrengail, a 20 year old woman on the precipice of starting a new chapter of her life at Basgiath War College. Readers find out that this college is divided into quadrants–the Scribe Quadrant, the Healer Quadrant, the Infantry Quadrant and the Riders Quadrant. The first scene begins with a conflict between Violet, her older sister, Mira, and her mother, General Sorrengail. Her mother is known to be a fierce, apathetic woman when it comes to the pain and sorrow of others’ seemingly miniscule problems, and that attitude doesn’t falter with her children. Her emotions are so intense, that they affect her dragon-channeled power, also known as a ‘signet,’ which happens to be storm wielding.
Violet was born to be a scribe. She is physically smaller and anatomically weaker than Mira and her late brother–Brennan, who died in the Tyrrish Rebellion 5 years earlier. This plan to join the Scribe Quadrant suddenly changed 6 months ago when General Sorrengail decided that Violet was to join the Riders Quadrant. Without any understanding of the reason behind this change of plan, Violet began training. Fast forward to General Sorrengail’s office, Conscription Day, where Mira and their mother are fighting over what quadrant Violet should join. Ultimately, Violet’s mother doesn’t back down on her decision to force her youngest daughter into the deadliest quadrant in Navarre. In this last moment with her daughter before she leaves, General Sorrengail tells Violet that this will be the last time she’ll be able to talk to her in at least a year, since riders can’t have any correspondence with home their entire first year at Basgiath. Violet leaves her office to meet Mira in the hallway.
As Violet gets ready for the journey across a treacherous ravine to reach the Riders Quadrant, Mira prepares her for the conditions ahead. She gives Violet her riding boots, daggers and an armored corset made of dragon scales from her own dragon, shrunk down by a friend with a size changing signet. She also forces Violet to get rid of items that would weigh down her pack and increase the risk of her slipping. This is where we see more of Violet’s innate curiosity for books and information. She has to give up some of her favorite books in order to lighten her pack. Mira gives her some last-minute advice on surviving the parapet, making alliances before friends, finding Dain Aetos and finally, staying away from Xaden Riorson. We learn that Xaden Riorson is the son of the main figure of the Tyrrish Rebellion. His father is the one who allegedly killed her brother, Brennan. Whether this was a murder or a second-hand murder isn’t quite clear.
Violet, on hearing Dain’s name, is sucked into a fit of nostalgia, where she remembers what it was like growing up together. She remembers their relationship would always seem to ride the line between friends and something more.
A bell sounds and Violet says her last goodbyes to Mira, then gets in line to walk up a giant staircase that opens to the parapet. We see the surrounding features and learn more about the riders’ first obstacle. The parapet is an 18” wide stone bridge that takes the riders across a massive ravine to Basgiath. The Riders Quadrant is the only quadrant that requires its students to risk their lives in order to reach its gate. This is one of many tests that ensure all of its graduates are mentally and physically ready to ride and fight atop dragons. Violet begins to feel concerned when she notices the weather is anything but ideal–wind and rain.
In line, Violet is introduced to a couple new acquaintances. Rhiannon is a strong woman with a friendly personality. Violet and her bond early on when Violet notices her smooth-soled boots and offers her a rubber-soled riding boot to help her grip onto the parapet. We are also introduced to an ambitious man named Dylan. He has a rebellion relic tattooed on his arm, which we learn was given to all of the children of the leaders of the Tyrrish Rebellion in order to punish them with their seditious actions. Dylan is excited to cross the parapet, and mentions that he is hoping to graduate and get married to a love interest he has back home.
As Violet and her new friends get to the top of the stairs and the entrance to the parapet, she checks in with some older cadets, one of whom being Xaden Riorson. Violet thinks back to Mira telling her to stay away from Xaden, since she assumes he is probably going to seek her out and kill her out of revenge for her mother’s orders to have his father publicly executed. Their first interaction is as cold as can be expected. He glares at her with disdain, but she can’t help noticing how physically attractive she finds him. As Xaden takes note of her and Rhiannon’s boots, Dylan, who has started walking along the parapet (the long, narrow bridge riders must cross in order to enter the Riders Quadrant) loses his grip and falls to his death in the ravine. Violet screams, and when she turns to Xaden, she catches him looking at her grimly. He makes a final statement about not having to worry about killing her, since the parapet will do the job for him.
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