Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)

by Rebecca Yarros

“And when he walked out of that secretive room he’s got with Varrish in the back of the infirmary, he was with an air wielder who looked just as haggard,” Ridoc chimes in as he sidles up between us. “So clearly Nolon isn’t doing his best work. Guy needs a month off.” Aaric delivers a punch to his opponent’s jaw that makes the guy’s head snap back. “I give that a seven,” Ridoc heckles from the sidelines. “Out of ten? Solid eight,” Sawyer counters from the other side of Rhiannon. “Perfect form.” Then he lowers his voice and adds just for the four of us, “And I’m still going with the torture theory. I bet they’ve got gryphon riders in there or something.” “You think he’s really torturing people back there?” Rhiannon says, lowering her voice even more. “I have no clue.” I blink as Aaric elbows his opponent in the throat with a quick jab that even Xaden would respect. “I would think they’d use the main interrogation chambers if they were doing something like that. The ones beneath the school.” “That’s a fucking nine,” Sawyer calls out.