Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

Another cheer resounds. “And now that we have your attention.” Markham lifts his hand and the room quiets. “The front lines are relatively quiet today, so we’re going to take this opportunity to dissect the Battle of Gianfar.”

Liae

I glance left and right, watching the other riders begin to take notes. Surreal. This is just…surreal. Even Rhiannon is writing intensely.

“You would be furious if someone took your freedom away. If you had Liam at your door every morning until every night, even as seemingly great as he is.” I dodge one of her attacks. “I appreciate that,” Liam butts in, proving my point.

Mine consumes the skin between shoulder blades, but Sgaeyl’s mark takes up his entire back.

Silver lines I instantly recognize as scars. “You held your own and controlled your temper,” Tairn says, an immense swell of pride flooding my chest. “She’s ready,” Andarna adds with a giddy jolt of joy that makes

me instantly light-headed. “She’s ready,” he agrees.

Finally, the pain ebbs, but the energy—the power—doesn’t. It’s simply…there, prowling through my veins, saturating every cell in my body. It is everything I am and everything I can be all at once.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip and I debate rubbing against him like a cat in heat while demanding he appease this unimaginable ache.

Away. I have to get away from everyone until Tairn finishes…whatever he and Sgaeyl are doing.

What the hell is wrong with me? And how could I have been a heartbeat away from ripping off my clothes to get closer to someone I don’t like and even worse—can’t fully trust?

“You’d think that guy owes Riorson his life or something, the way he sticks to you like glue.” He’s pretty much told me that he does, but I keep that confidence to myself. Between Xaden’s meetings, stopping time, and Andarna’s age, I’m starting to keep too many secrets.

finished this for you,” Liam says, handing me a figurine as we climb the wide spiral staircase to the third floor. It’s Tairn. He’s even mastered his snarl. “This is…incredible. Thank you.”

“You didn’t ask,” I say softly. “You reached for my head like you were entitled to my memory after blatantly telling me you didn’t believe me, and you demanded I show you.” It’s everything I can do to keep my voice even.

“You’ve never been weak to me, Vi—” Dain starts, but I shake my head. “Don’t you get it?” I interrupt. “It doesn’t matter what you think—it only matters what I think. And you were right. But the Riders Quadrant stripped away the fear and even the anger about being thrown into this quadrant, and it revealed who I really am. At my core, Dain, I’m a rider. Tairn knew it. Andarna knew it. It’s why they chose me. And until you can stop looking for ways to keep me in a glass cage, we aren’t going to get past this, no matter how many years of friendship we have between us.”

“That’s what I was trying to remind you of earlier. You are Tairn’s rider.” “What do you mean?” I set my satchel down next to me. “You’re all worried about the integrity of the wing because Riorson might have to visit to keep his dragon happy but, Violet, he’s not the most powerful rider of our generation. You are.” She holds my gaze just long enough to let me know she means it. My heart lurches into my throat.

And in the fourth week, during the coldest weather I’ve ever experienced at Basgiath, I sneak out in the middle of the night to see the challenge board. Jack has finally been given the chance to end me on the mat tomorrow. “He’s going to kill me.” That’s all I can think as I dress for the morning, sheathing all of my daggers in the most advantageous places.

“Thanks for being a great shadow.” His eyes widen a split second before he sprints out of the gym.

“Oranges,” I whisper to Ridoc as my body finally gives out. “He’s allergic to oranges.” I fall into nothingness.

It’s Xaden. His hair is tousled, like he’s been tugging at it, and he’s flipping a dagger end over end, catching it by the tip without so much as looking at it before sheathing it at his side. “Oranges?”

“Apparently I can’t trust Liam to report deadly situations or Rhiannon to train you on the mat, seeing how easily Barlowe had you pinned, so as of this moment, I’m taking over.” “Taking over what?” My eyes narrow. “Everything when it comes to you.”

“You either trust me or you don’t.” He tilts his head to the side slightly, exposing more of the rebellion relic curving up around his neck. The same relic I caressed with my hand while he had me against the foundation wall more than a month ago.

where we are. “It’s incredible.” I shake my head and hand it back to him. “But you know I can’t take it. The only weapons we’re allowed to have are the ones we earn.”

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.

February flies by in a blur of exhaustion. Xaden takes every unscheduled moment of my day, and Dain’s gritted his teeth more than once when the wingleader has pulled me out of squad training because he has something infinitely more important for me to do.

“Vedie?” I ask Rhiannon, my eyebrows shooting up as formation ends. I didn’t know him well, since he was in Second Wing, but the name is still a shock, considering he was rumored to be one of the best among us.

“His signet manifested in the middle of Carr’s class yesterday, and he burst into flames.” “He…burned himself to death?” She nods.

“Do see if you can master some kind of signet, Cadet Sorrengail. You have a legacy to live up to.”

“You didn’t tell her about how you got out of the attack in your bedroom,” he says. It’s a statement, not a question. “And I’m not talking about me showing up.”

I can’t help but remember what Dain said, that Xaden has reasons to never forgive my mother. “Boundaries, Violence.” His head lowers for the span of a heartbeat, and when it rises, he’s wearing that polished give-no-fucks mask he’s so good at donning.

“Heaton, what about you?” I ask. “I can breathe underwater,” they answer.

“You’re going to tell me I’ve lost my mind, but if we pull it off, we’ll win for sure.” I might not be enough like my mother to win her approval, but I know where she keeps the most valuable information. “And?” “We’re going to break into my mother’s office.”

“You’re doing great,” Andarna assures me in the happiest of tones. I swear, nothing bothers her. She’s the most fearless kid I’ve ever met, and I grew up with Mira. “It’s six flights straight up,” I whisper when we reach the next set of stairs,

“Then let’s do this. Quinn, you’re up. Everyone else, circle back down so he can’t see us if he looks this way.” I can’t believe we’re actually about to do this. If she catches us, there won’t be any mercy. It’s not in her nature.

General Sorrengail, Protests regarding conscription laws are growing within the province of Tyrrendor. Knowing that due to Tyrrendor’s size, it provides the majority of our conscripts to replenish our front lines, we cannot afford to lose the support of the people again. Perhaps an influx of defensive spending on outposts here would not only bolster the province’s economy and remind the Tyrrish how needed they are to the defense of our kingdom, but also ease the unrest. Please consider this solution as an alternative to suppressing the unrest with force. Sincerely, Lieutenant Colonel Alyssa Travonte

It shows all of Navarre, Krovla to the south, Braevick and Cygnisen to the east, and even the barriers of the Barrens, the ruined deserted lands at the southeastern tip of the Continent. It also shows each of our outposts and supply routes within Navarre. A slow grin spreads across my face. “Hey, Second Squad. I know what we need to steal.”

Liam’s wide eyes meet mine. “You’re kind of terrifying.” “Thank you.” I grin, and we get out of there, running as fast as we can.

I stand back next to Imogen and search the leadership for a certain pair of onyx eyes. There he is.

An up-to-date map of all current outposts of Navarrian wings, to include troop strength of infantry battlements.” I point to the forts along the Cygnisen border. “As well as the locations of all current skirmishes in the last thirty days. Including last night.”

“My village is less than an hour away on foot.” Her eyes meet mine in an unspoken plea, so much emotion swirling in their dark-brown depths that my throat clogs, choking my words.

“As you can see,” Major Quade tells us as we stand in the middle of the muddy courtyard, “we’re built for siege. In the event of attack, we can feed and house everyone within for an adequate amount of time.” Adequate? Ridoc mouths, lifting his brows.

“Will we get to participate in any active scenarios?” Heaton asks, practically vibrating with excitement. “Absolutely not!” Devera snaps.

“There they are now. Why don’t you three come and meet—” “Violet?”

MIRAAAAA

The wind of the parapet. The look in Xaden’s eyes when he realized I was a Sorrengail. The sound of Jack swearing he’d kill me. The smell of burning flesh that first day. The look on Aurelie’s face when she fell from the Gauntlet. Pryor and Luca and Trina and…Tynan. Oren and Amber Mavis. Tairn and Andarna choosing me. Xaden kissing me. Our mother ignoring me.

“Sorrengails are weird,” I hear Imogen state. “You have no idea,” Dain answers,

“Neither of you? Really?” She sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. “You two need to sneak out of a heavily fortified defensive position because…?”

“Come with us,” I blurt. “Seriously. Come with us, Mira. She just wants to see her sister.” Mira’s shoulders dip. She’s softening, and I mercilessly go in for the kill. “Raegan was pregnant when Rhiannon left. Can you imagine not being there with me if I had a kid? Wouldn’t you do anything, including escape a heavily fortified defensive position, if that meant holding your niece or nephew?”

watching Rhiannon rock her nephew by the fireplace, lost in conversation with her sister as her parents and brother-in-law

Mira nearly spits out her wine, slamming her hand over her mouth. I laugh, crossing one booted ankle over the other. “Not what you were expecting?”

Brennan book

“We never learned about that one. I…” Common sense tells me to shut my mouth. “You what?” She takes another drink. “I think there’s way more going on along the borders than what we’re told,” I admit quietly.

“I needed to change in order to survive. He wouldn’t let me.”