Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

“I know how to handle you on top of me,” I challenge quietly. He lowers his mouth to my ear. “You won’t like what happens if you push me.” “Or maybe I will.” I turn just enough that my lips brush the shell of his ear.

He jerks up, and the heat in his gaze makes me all too aware of everywhere our bodies connect. “Disarm me before I test that theory in front of everyone in this gym.” “Interesting. I didn’t take you for an exhibitionist.” “Keep pushing, and I guess you’ll find out.” His gaze drops to my mouth. “I thought you said kissing me was a mistake.” I don’t care if the entire quadrant is watching if that means he’ll kiss me again. “It was.” He smirks. “I’m just teaching you that blades aren’t the only way to disarm an opponent. Tell me, Violence, are you disarmed?” Arrogant ass. I

“Now, earn your nickname and try your best to kill me.”

He opens the door to the dormitory for me, and I walk inside. The motion is so easy that I know it’s not only practiced but second nature, which is at complete odds with, well…everything I’ve come to know about him. I pause, looking at him like we’re meeting for the first time. “What?” he asks, closing the door behind us and shutting out the blustering cold. “You opened the door for me.”

“Dragon relationships are absolutely incomprehensible,” I murmur. “Yeah? You should try a human one sometime. Just as vicious, but less fire.”

but 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.

“I’m fine,” she promises, then grins. “And look at you! You didn’t die!” Irrational, giddy laughter bubbles up. “I didn’t die! You’re not an only child!” We both burst into laughter, and tears track down my cheeks. “Sorrengails are weird,” I hear Imogen state.

I want him, but I can’t trust him, not in the ways I want to. And yet in other ways, he’s the person I trust most.

“I’m just wondering how long they can be separated.” “Turns out, about three days is their max.” Xaden steps out of the shadows.

with one extra tagalong—Xaden. He’s been the worst kind of distraction since arriving last night.

There’s a palpable energy in every room he enters, and it brushes over my skin like a caress each time our eyes meet.

“That’s not correct. We’re never called into service until graduation.” Xaden presses his lips in a tight line and nods, giving him a sarcastic thumbs-up.

I clear my throat. Mira’s gaze meets mine, and I lift an eyebrow at her in clear warning. Don’t fuck with my friends.

I guarantee your wingleader is already assessing every rider for their own abilities.” Xaden flips his dragon model over his knuckles but doesn’t reply.

“Our wingleader is here,” Liam argues, pointing at Xaden. “I would say that puts him in command.” “We can pretend I’m not here, just for the sake of the exercise.” Xaden sets his dragon on the table and leans back in his chair, draping his arm across the back of mine, a move that makes Dain grit his teeth. “Give Aetos here the position we all know he craves.”

“Don’t be a dick,” I whisper. “You haven’t even seen me start to be a dick.” My head turns so fast that it swims, and my mouth drops open as I stare at the side of Xaden’s face. That was his voice…in my fucking head.

“You’re staring. It’s going to get awkward in about thirty seconds if you don’t stop.” “How?” I hiss. “The same way you talk to Sgaeyl. We’re all gloriously, annoyingly linked. This is just one of the perks. Though I’m starting to wish I’d tried it sooner. The look on your face is priceless.” He winks and turns back to the table. He. Fucking. Winked. And is that a hint of a smile?

“You never considered that it was you I couldn’t stay away from?”

“Now, now, you’ll give our little communication secret away if you can’t keep from being so…violent.” He barely restrains a smile, obviously loving that he gets the last word. I need to figure out how the hell he’s doing it so I can mentally argue back.

“Do you boys just want to whip it out and measure? It would be faster.”

“Then shield him out the same way you do me—or start talking back,” Tairn grumbles. “You have the power to be a pain in the ass, too. Trust me.”

“And how exactly am I supposed to talk back at him?” I give Xaden a heavy dose of side-eye, but he’s engrossed in the ongoing battle we’ve waged against an imaginary keep. “Figure out which pathway into your mind is his.” Oh joy. That should be easy.

There’s so much compassion, so much understanding in his eyes,

Then his hands are on my cheeks, sliding back to cup the base of my neck as he brings his mouth to mine. The kiss is reckless and consuming, and I give it my all, knowing it might be the last one.

“Leave for me, Violet.”

“Figured you’d already be waiting.” He holds out one of the mugs as an offering. “It’s coffee. Sgaeyl says you haven’t slept.”

I know almost nothing about him. And yet…I feel like I know who he is in the very marrow of his bones. Could my emotions be any more scattered when it comes to him?

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.

I realized I’m fucked because I can’t stop thinking about doing more than just kissing you.”

“Does it even matter when, as long as it changed between us?” “Don’t do that,” I whisper, and he lifts his head again to hold my gaze. “Don’t do what? Tell you I can’t get you out of my head? Or speak directly into yours?” “Either.”

And there, swirling along the edge of the roofline, is a shadow of sparkling night. Xaden.

“No, dumbass, she doesn’t, obviously.” Xaden’s snide commentary fills my head.

“Knock that the fuck off,” I toss back. “No thank you.” “Look who figured it out.” Xaden’s mouth quirks upward for a heartbeat.

I will not break down. I will not cry. I will not show weakness. Not here. There’s only one place I can go, one person who won’t chide me for crumbling.

The second I have myself in hand, I step out of Dain’s arms. Xaden is gone.

“Do you have any siblings?”

“No.” He pauses in surprise. “Why?” “Just asking.” I take a fighting stance. “Let’s go.” The next day, I ask him what his favorite food is in the middle of Battle Brief, using our mental connection. Pretty sure I hear him drop something at the back of the room before he answers. “Chocolate cake. Stop being weird.”

“You know me well enough.” He shoots me a look that says he’s over it.

“Are you pushing for a reason?” Tairn asks. “Can you give me one not to?” “He cares for you. That’s already hard enough for him.” I scoff. “He cares about keeping me alive. There’s a difference.” “Not for him there isn’t.”

“Oh no, am I distracting you?” A smile curves my mouth. Shit, am I flirting? Maybe. Do I care? Oddly enough…no.

“There is no rule that says a dragon cannot modify their seat to serve their rider. You have worked just as hard—if not harder—than every rider in this quadrant. Just because your body is built differently than the others doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to keep your seat. It takes more than a few strips of leather and a pommel to define a rider.”

“If you don’t use it, I’ll take personal offense.” He folds his arms across his chest and studies the rigging. “Considering I had it made for you and just about got myself burned alive in the process of trying to get it on him.” He lifts a brow at Tairn. “Even though he helped design it, I might add.”

“You can ride me when the flesh rots off my bones, wingleader.”

you’ll be doing Tairn a favor by freeing all his power and taking the weight of worry off his mind. Mine too, if that helps matters.”

“Fuck, that stubborn, feisty look always makes me want to kiss you.”

!!!! so good

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.

A scream rips from my throat just as lightning splits the sky with a terrifying crack of thunder.

Tairn roars with the unmistakable sound of pride. “Lightning wielder.”

“Get the fuck away from her with that nonsense.” Xaden pushes Dain’s chest and tugs me out of his arms, then grips my shoulders, turning me to face him. “You killed Barlowe.”