Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.

“Dad wouldn’t want this!” Mira argues, color flushing up her neck. “I loved your father, but he’s dead,” Mom says, as if giving the weather report. “I doubt he wants much these days.”

Damn that’s cold

“Stay the hell away from Xaden Riorson.” The air rushes from my lungs. That name… “That Xaden Riorson,” she confirms, fear lacing her gaze. “He’s a third-year, and he will kill you the second he finds out who you are.” “His father was the Great Betrayer. He led the rebellion,” I say quietly. “What is Xaden doing here?” “All the children of the leaders were conscripted as punishment for their parents’ crimes,”

“Don’t die, Violet. I’d hate to be an only child.” She grins and walks away, sauntering past the line of gawking candidates as word spreads of exactly who she is and what she’s done.

LOL everyone needs a sister like Mira

He’s tall, with windblown black hair and dark brows. The line of his jaw is strong and covered by warm tawny skin and dark stubble, and when he folds his arms across his torso, the muscles in his chest and arms ripple, moving in a way that makes me swallow. And his eyes… His eyes are the shade of gold-flecked onyx. The contrast is startling, jaw-dropping even—everything about him is. His features are so harsh that they look carved, and yet they’re astonishingly perfect, like an artist worked a lifetime sculpting him, and at least a year of that was spent on his mouth.

damn that paints a mighty fine imagine

He’s the most exquisite man I’ve ever seen.

My heart threatens to beat out of my chest, and I absolutely agree with it, because I’d like to run, too. Just thinking that I’m supposed to ride one of these is fucking ludicrous.

Love her inner monologues

Damn it, I don’t want to find a single thing about Xaden Riorson admirable, and yet here he is, being all annoyingly admirable. Asshole.

Lol

“Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?”

His allure is a warning not to get too close, and I am definitely too close.

“Going for blood today, are we, Violence?” he whispers. Metal hits the mat again and he kicks it past my head and out of my reach. He’s not taking my daggers to use against me; he’s disarming me just to prove he can. My blood boils. “My name is Violet,” I seethe. “I think my version fits you better.” He releases my wrist and stands, offering me a hand. “We’re not done yet.”

Beautiful. Fucking. Asshole. My breath catches and my body warms, the traitorous bitch. You are not attracted to toxic men, I remind myself, and yet, here I am, getting all attracted.

Then he guides our hands back to my ribs and slides the ruby-hilted blade back into its sheath. The move is unnervingly…hot.

agreed

“She could use a little less protection and a little more instruction.” Xaden stares Dain down until he nods.

HE CARES 😻

Dain knows me better than anyone, and if he still thinks I can’t do this after I’ve made it this far…

“Look, are you going to kill me or not? The anticipation is starting to annoy the fuck out of me.”

“Haven’t decided yet,” he answers, like I’ve just inquired about his dinner preferences, but his gaze narrows on my cheek. “Well, could you?” I mutter. “It would definitely help me make my plans for the week.”

“I just need to know what my chances are here.” My hands curl into fists. The ass has the nerve to smile. “That’s the oddest way I’ve ever been hit on—” “Not my chances with you, you conceited prick!”

LOL he is so silly

You’re probably celebrating because I’ll fall to my death and you won’t have to go to the trouble of killing me.” “Killing you wouldn’t be any trouble, Violence. It’s leaving you alive that seems to cause the majority of my trouble.”

“For once carried across the parapet, they are considered part of their person. Article Three, Section Six, Addendum B.”

This know it al!!!!! Love love it

It should be against the Codex to look that good and be so ruthless.

“And to think, I’d almost forgotten just how loquacious humans are.” He sighs, the gust of his breath rattling the trees.

ahhh the big black dragon chose Violet!!!!’

“You’re going to have to strengthen your legs. Didn’t you practice?” Indignation ripples up my spine. “Of course I practiced!” “There’s no need to shout. I can hear you just fine. The entire mountain can probably hear you.” Was everyone’s dragon a curmudgeon? Or just mine?

LOL

I see the golden dragon flying furiously to catch up. How ironic. Tairn is the most celebrated dragon in the Vale, and I’m the most unlikely rider in the quadrant.

“You are the smartest of your year. The most cunning.” I gulp at the compliment, brushing it off. I was trained as a scribe, not a rider. “You defended the smallest with ferocity. And strength of courage is more important than physical strength. Since you apparently need to know before we land.”

“Andarnaurram.” The sweet, high voice of the golden fills my mind. “Andarna for short.”

“They’re a mated pair, Tairn and Sgaeyl. The strongest bonded pair in centuries.”

His appeal is so fucking inconvenient.

There is nothing more sacred than the Archives. Even temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be rewritten. —Colonel Daxton’s Guide to Excelling in the Scribe Quadrant

“The reason we’ll never be anything more than friends isn’t because of your rules. It’s because you have no faith in me. Even now, when I’ve survived against all odds and bonded not just one dragon but two, you still think I won’t make it. So forgive me, but you’re about to be some of the bullshit that this place cuts away from me.”

Yes! Way to stand up for yourself. Love it.

“I know how to handle a corset.” His jaw flexes once, and something that reminds me of raw hunger flitters across his expression before he locks it down, drawing my hair over my shoulder with surprising gentleness.

He wants her ☺️

Not that I wouldn’t climb the man like a tree if presented with the right set of circumstances.

Agreed

“I’d have to be a masochist to sleep with you, and I can assure you, I’m not.” Fantasizing about it doesn’t count. “Masochist, huh?” A corner of his mouth quirks into a smirk. “You hardly give off snuggly morning-after vibes.” A smile of my own curves my lips.

“Yes,” Xaden says, and the path curves again. “It’s not exactly common knowledge. And I’m going to ask you to tuck this little tunnel into the file of secrets you keep on my behalf.”

“You’re still a feathertail?” “Yep! For another couple of years, probably.” She blinks slowly and then cracks a yawn, her forked tail curling. Oh. Gods. “You’re…you’re a hatchling,” I whisper. “I am not!” Andarna puffs steam into the air. “I’m two! The hatchlings can’t even fly!”

I love Andarna she’s so cute!

Even the most effective poisons come in pretty packages, and Xaden’s exactly that—as beautiful as he is lethal.

The wind ruffles his hair, and I sigh at the completely unfair advantage he has over every man in this courtyard. He doesn’t even have to try to look sexy…he just is.

I fumble my quill and it falls to the ground, but before I can lean over, the shadows beneath the arm of my desk lift the instrument like an offering. I pluck it out of the shadows and look back at Xaden.

He’s such a sweetheart without making it so obvious and obnoxious. He saw she was hurting when she bent over because of her rib injury so he does this. so sweet

But knowing I’ll regret it doesn’t stop me from wanting it—wanting him. Regretting is a problem for future Violet. “Fuck it.” One second he’s out of reach and the next his mouth is on mine, hot and insistent.

I ignore it all as Xaden tilts one corner of that beautiful mouth and tips an imaginary hat to me, bowing his head for a heartbeat before bringing his gaze back to hold mine. Satisfaction fills every ounce of my being as I smile up at him. It doesn’t matter how the vote comes down. I’ve already won.

“What changed?” Frustration tightens my grip on the mug. “When exactly did you decide not to ruin me?” “Maybe it was when I saw Oren holding a knife to your throat,” he says. “Or maybe it was when I realized the bruises on your neck were fingerprints and wanted to kill them all over again just so I could do it slowly. Maybe it was the first time I recklessly kissed you or when I realized I’m fucked because I can’t stop thinking about doing more than just kissing you.” My breath catches at his admission, but he just sighs, lets his head fall back against the wall. “Does it even matter when, as long as it changed between us?”

“Fuck, that stubborn, feisty look always makes me want to kiss you.” Xaden’s expression remains bland, bored even, but his eyes heat as his gaze drops to my mouth. “And you say this now, where people will see if you actually do.” My breath catches. “When did I ever give you the impression that I give a fuck what people think about me?” A corner of his mouth rises, and now it’s all I can concentrate on, damn him. “I only care what they think about you.”

I am the sky and the power of every storm that has ever been. I am infinite.

Gods, I want him to touch me, to wipe away the ugliness of the day, to make me feel something‚ anything but this welling shame.

“So do whatever you need to get it out. You want to yell? Yell at me. You want to hit something? Hit me. I can take it.”

There’s nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn’t find you, Violence.” The promise should be a threat, but it’s not. It’s too damned comforting for that.

Well, look at that. I am a certified badass.

“You don’t get to dictate how I feel. You might give the orders out there, but not in here. You don’t get to tell me we can fuck but I can’t fall for you. That’s not fair. You can only respect what I choose to do. So we’re not doing this again until I want to risk my heart. And if I fall, then that’s my problem, not yours. You’re not responsible for my choices.”

“At Parapet—” His face twists in pain. “You have to take care of my sister.” “Liam, no.” I choke on the words as tears clog my throat. “You’ll be there.” I stroke his hair. He’s fine. He’s physically, perfectly fine, and yet I’m watching him slip away. “You have to be there.” He has to smile at the sister he’s missed for years and flash that dimple of his. He has to give her the stack of letters he’s written. He deserves it after all he’s been through.

“And I know you feel betrayed, but Xaden needs you. And I don’t just mean alive, Violet. He needs you. Please hear him out.”