Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

“I know how it works.” My jaw clenches. “Yeah, well, while the riders are watching, the first-years are taking out their vendettas and eliminating any…liabilities to the wing.” “I’m not a damned liability.” My chest tightens again, because deep down I know, on the physical level, that I am. “Not to me,” he whispers, a hand rising to cradle my cheek. “But they don’t know you the way I do, Vi. And while the first-years like Barlowe and Seifert are hunting you, we’ll have to watch. I’ll have to watch, Violet.” The break in his voice takes the anger right out of me. “We are not allowed to help you. To save you.” “Dain—” “And when they gather the bodies for the roll, no one’s going to document how that cadet died. You’re just as likely to fall under Barlowe’s knife as a dragon’s talon.”

I thought we like.... already knew this