Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

thud, and she’s already above me, so damn fast. “You can’t use your powers in here, Imogen!” Dain shouts.

I guess her signet is speed?

“I don’t want her in pain—that’s why we’re here. But if she’s injured this severely, surely we can see if the scribes will take her as a late admission. It’s only been a day.” As his reasoning for not wanting a mender sinks in, my anger is able to pierce through the pain long enough for me to bite out, “I’m not going to the scribes.”

oof he's desperate to save her. wonder how his first year went...

“Please, Vi,” Dain begs quietly. “Please switch quadrants. If not for you, then for me—because I didn’t step in fast enough. I should have stopped her. I can’t protect you.” I wish I’d figured out his plan before taking Winifred’s potion, so I could have explained better. None of this is his fault, but he’s going to shoulder the blame just like he always does. Instead, I take a deep breath and say, “I made mychoice.”

second read. alright let's start a count of how many time Dain tries to get her to leave after she tells him she's chosen to stay! this is #1 since I'm not counting the first time after parapet, that one was fair effort. this is were she's made it clear she's staying no matter what.

Mira, You’re a Sorrengail, so you will survive. Perhaps not as spectacularly as I have, but we all can’t live up to my standards, can we? All kidding aside, this is everything I’ve learned. Keep it safe. Keep it hidden. You have to live, because Violet is watching. You can’t let her see you fall. Brennan.

second read: looking back on The Book of Brennan, it was such a great plot tool in this book. It gave us a feel for who Brennan was by how it was written, and the sheer fact that he even thought to write it to help his sisters. It's setting you up to love his character before you even know he's still alive which I think was just a genius move. It makes the ending reveal hit so much harder than just pulling the random dead brother we never actually met, back from the dead.

Here’s the secret—if you know where to look and can get out without being seen, you’ll know who you’re fighting so you can prepare.

OH HELL YEAH!!!!

A slow smile spreads across my face. I know how to survive.

woooo get em giiiirl!!!!

Lucky for me, the lowest is easily climbable, even more so with the grass oddly trampled underneath.

second read: lol usually would indicate it's a well trafficked area...like a meeting spot..

What is he doing out here with Imogen? Are they lovers? Friends? It’s absolutely none of my business, and yet I can’t help but wonder if she’s the kind of woman he goes for—one whose beauty is only outmatched by her brutality. They fucking deserve each other.

do I detect a bit of jealousy Violet? 😆

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.

the audacity of this amazingly admirable asshole 😂

I want to go home! Can you help me with that?” Every head swings toward Xaden. “No.” Xaden shrugs. “You’re not going to make it. Best accept it now and not take up more of my time.”

DAYUM! way kill his spirit Xaddy hahaha

“I can’t save everyone, especially not someone who isn’t willing to work to save themselves.”

I mean....kinda fair I guess

“If they need a fucking pep talk, then we both know they’re not flying out of the quadrant on graduation day. Let’s get real. I can hold their hands and make them a bunch of bullshit empty promises about everyone making it through if that helps them sleep, but in my experience, the truth is far more valuable.”

yeah. might be the reality check he needs. like motivational tool to say "fuck Xaden! I'll show him!"

“In war, people die. It’s not glorious like the bards sing about, either. It’s snapped necks and two-hundred-foot falls. There’s nothing romantic about scorched earth or the scent of sulfur. This”—he gestures back toward the citadel—“isn’t some fable where everyone makes it out alive. It’s hard, cold, uncaring reality. Not everyone here is going to make it home…to whatever’s left of our homes. And make no mistake, we are at war every time we step foot in the quadrant.”

Second Read: looking back on this, I feel like this was RY's way of warning us, the readers, that we were gonna be losing people we loved 😅

“You learn what they teach you,” Xaden says to the first-year, his voice taking a hard edge. “Keep what you know but recite whatever they tell you to.” My brow furrows. What the hell does he mean by that?

he means, there's more going on in the world than what your professors are telling you. perhaps there are lies that the general public have been fed, but the children of the rebellion know the truth from their parents?

It hits me then—other than being gathered in a group of more than three, there’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing here. There’s no plot, no coup, no danger. It’s just a group of older riders counseling first-years from their province.

maybe they aren't so bad after all eh?

But if Dain knew, he’d be honor bound to— “When do we get to kill Violet Sorrengail?” a guy toward the back asks.

woomp there it is!

“I told you already, the youngest Sorrengail is mine, and I’ll handle her when the time is right.” He’ll…handle me? My muscles thaw with the heat of indignation.

first read: heck yeah he'll handle you! all night long!!! second read: knowing what I know now about the deal he made to keep her alive, it's really funny to look back on this a know that even if he did want to kill/hate her, he HAD to protect her.

“Her mom is responsible for the capture of nearly all our parents,” Garrick counters, folding his arms over his wide chest. “Not her daughter. Punishing children for the sins of their parents is the Navarrian way, not the Tyrrish.”

Yeah! you tell her Garrick! I like you!

“So we get conscripted because of what our parents did years ago and shoved into this death sentence of a college—” Imogen starts. “In case you didn’t notice, she’s in the same death sentence of a college,” Garrick retorts. “Seems like she’s already suffering the same fate.”

if only theye knew she didn't even really volunteer...and that she was forced into by non other than HER MOTHER!

“Don’t forget her brother was Brennan Sorrengail,” Xaden adds. “She has just as much reason to hate us as we do her.” He pointedly looks at Imogen and the first-year who raised the question. “And I’m not going to tell you again. She’s mine to handle.

Xaddy here defending here, and I can't help but notice that he never once said that he wanted to kill her. he's just saying he's gonna "handle her".

“Let me guess, you could smell my perfume. Isn’t that what always gives the heroine away in books?” He scoffs. “I command shadows, but sure, it was your perfume that gave you away.” He lowers the knife and steps away.

I can't help but wonder if he actually helped hide her with those shadows when everyone else was there. lol

“That stance is really the best defense you can muster? No wonder Imogen nearly ripped your arm off.” “I’m more dangerous than you think,” I flat-out bluster. “So I see. I’m quaking in my boots.” The corner of his mouth rises into a mocking smirk. Fucking. Asshole.

ooooo I love the teasing!!! the cockiness!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

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

lol speaking as a short girl, the fact that he calls her a "little thing" when she's so much shorter than him is such a jab. lol the "violent" part is probably what most people hang onto for this popular highlight, but for me it's the hight jab. 😂

An appreciative smile curves his perfect lips as shadows dance up the trunk of the oak, taking the form of fingers. They pluck the daggers from the tree and bring them to Xaden’s waiting hands.

aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!! he can weild THOSE kind of Shadows?!!!!! omg this book just got SO much more interesting 🥵

“You should show that little trick to Jack Barlowe,”

giving advice now?

“He’d probably think twice about plotting your murder if you threw a few daggers at his head.”

I mean...it's pretty solid advice...

“You were helping them. I don’t see why that should be punished.” It wouldn’t be fair to him or the others. Was their little meeting illegal? Absolutely. Should they die for it? Absolutely not. And that’s exactly what will happen if I tell. Those first-years will be executed for nothing more than asking for tutoring, and the senior cadets will join them just because they helped. “I’m not going to tell.”

this seems like the moment he's gonna start respecting her.

He looks at me like he’s trying to see through me, and ice prickles my scalp.

second read: hehe he's reading your intentions to be double sure.

“What are you waiting for?” “It’s no fun if you expect it,” he answers, striding into the darkness. “Now, get back to bed before your wingleader realizes you’re out after curfew.” “What?” I gawk after him. “You’re my wingleader!” But he’s already disappeared into the shadows, leaving me talking to myself like a fool.

ehehehehehehehee!!! I love how playful he is!!!

Dain. My chest tightens, and I smile as I finish braiding my hair into a crown. Seeing him is the best part of my day, even the moments when he’s anything but personable in public. Even in the moments where he’s consumed with trying to save me from this place.

second read: oh that's gonna get old, real fast, trust me.

I still can’t figure out why you’d choose breakfast duty over every other assignment.” I shrug. “I have my reasons.” Really, really, really good reasons.

lol to poison peoples food 😂

A door on the right flies open, and Dain darts in front of me, dragging me behind him with his arm so I face-plant into his back.

little jumpy are we?

“I wondered where you were this morning.” A grin spreads across my face as Tara appears next to her. “Hey, Tara.” “Hey, Violet.” She gives me a wave, then heads down the hallway, tucking her shirt into her pants.

oooooooo! a little lesbian action! nice!

“Monitoring the sex lives of first-years was not what I had in mind when I applied to be a squad leader,” Dain mutters, and we continue toward the kitchen.

lol! what a party pooper

“Oh, come on. Like you weren’t a first-year yourself last year.” He lifts his brows in thought and eventually shrugs. “Fair point. And you’re a first-year now…” His eyes slide my way as we near the arched doorways that lead to the rotunda, and his lips part like he’s going to continue, but he looks away, pivoting to open the door for me. “Why, Dain Aetos! Are you asking me about my sex life?” I let my fingers trail along the exposed fangs of the green dragon pillar and bite back a smile as we walk by. “No!” He shakes his head, then pauses in thought. “I mean…is there a sex life to ask about?”

subtle.😜 lol

“Since I got here?” I tap my chin with my finger and smile. “That’s none of your business. Before I got here? Still none of your business.” “Another fair point.” His mouth curves into a grin that makes me wish it was his business, though. I turn around before I do something utterly foolish like make it his business.

lol gotta keep an element of mystery about ya 💅😂

Dain squeezes my hand gently. “Just steer clear of him.” I blink. The advice is so different from Xaden’s throw-a-few-daggers-at-his-head approach.

lol total opposites

“Hopefully he’ll forget all about his little vendetta against you.” “Do most men forget when a woman holds a knife to their balls?” I cock an eyebrow at him. “No.” He sighs.

excellent point lol

“You know, it’s not too late to sneak you down to the scribes. Fitzgibbons will take you—”

second read: uuuuuugh. #2!

The powder is nearly white, nearly invisible as I take my place in the serving line an hour later, and completely undetectable as I sprinkle it over Oren Seifert’s scrambled eggs when he approaches.

yaaaas my sneak girl! yaaaaaas! I can picture this part of the book being done in a TV show with Alice Coopers "Poison" intro playing in the background hahahahaha

He’s also the reason I knew exactly what Oren Seifert looked like. Do I feel guilty about blatantly misleading a professor about why I needed to find another cadet? No. Do I think it’s cheating? Also no. I was doing exactly what Mira suggested and using my brain.

second read: Now, Violet poisoning her opponents I'm sure is kind of a hot subject. Morally was is right? No. Would I have done it? Yes, 100 f**king percent yes. These opponents weren't just sparring for sport (even if they should have been) they were looking to kill her, and she was doing what she needed to survive. She never killed any of the sparring opponents, which honestly I wouldn't have blamed her if she had killed Jack with the oranges 😂 but you know, when you're toeing that line of not wanting to be a killer it's understandable. Remember shes not an insta-badass and even with the poison, most of the time she ended up injured. 😬

“You won’t have to worry about how to approach blue dragons, since there are none willing to bond this Threshing,

wouldn't you still wanna teach how to approach any dragon, incase one is ever around that you need help from? I mean in the battle field we're all on the same side right?

“What about the black dragon?” the first-year next to Jack asks. “There’s one here, right?” Jack’s face lights up. “I want that one.”

lol if Jack wants it garunteed it's gonna be the one Violet gets 😂

“I bet he powers one hell of a signet. How do you approach him?” Jack asks, leaning forward in his seat. There’s pure avarice in his eyes, mirrored by his friend next to him. That’s the last thing this kingdom needs, someone as cruel as Jack bonding to a black dragon.

yeah with that long of a description and with Jack wanting it that bad, it's totally gonna be Violets

“You don’t,” Professor Kaori answers. “He hasn’t agreed to bond since his previous and only rider was killed during the uprising, and the only way you’d ever be near him is if you’re in the Vale, which you won’t be, because you’d be incinerated before you ever got through the gorge.”

hmmmm...I still think he's gonna bond Violet, but idk how.

Professor Kaori glances at me for a heartbeat before looking away. “He attempted to use that power to revive a fallen rider—which didn’t work, because there’s no signet capable of resurrection—and depleted himself in the process. To use a phrase you’ll become accustomed to after Threshing, he burned out and died next to that rider.” Something in my chest shifts, a feeling that I can’t explain and yet can’t shake.

with the quick look he gave her first, I think this was to try and save her brother...

“It was Brennan, wasn’t it?” I ask Professor Kaori. Sadness fills his gaze as he meets mine. “Yes. He died trying to save your brother, but Brennan was too far gone.”

called it!

“Being a Sorrengail doesn’t do you any favors in here, does it?” I shake my head. “There are more than a few cadets who would like to take me—and my last name—down a peg.” He nods. “It won’t be like that once you leave. After graduation, you’ll find that being General Sorrengail’s daughter means others will do just about anything to keep you alive, even pleased, not because they love your mother but because they either fear her or want her favor.” “Which was Naolin?” “A little bit of both. And sometimes it’s hard for a rider with a signet that powerful to accept his limits. After all, bonding makes you a rider, but resurrecting someone from the dead? Now, that makes you a god. I somehow don’t think that Malek takes kindly to a mortal treading on his territory.”

sounds more likely that they were just really good friends/maybe even lovers and he couldn't let go...

“I taught both your siblings. A signet like mine is too useful here in the classroom to let me deploy with a wing for long. Brennan was a spectacular rider and a good man. Mira is shrewd and gifted in the seat when it comes to riding.” I nod. “But you’re smarter than both of them.” I blink. It’s not often I get compared to my brother and sister and somehow come out on top.

I like Kaori

“Thank you, but being smart and compassionate isn’t going to help me when it comes to Threshing.” A self-deprecating laugh escapes. “You know more about dragons than anyone else in the quadrant, probably anyone else on the Continent. They choose strength and shrewdness.” “They choose for reasons they don’t see fit to share with us.” He pushes off his desk. “And not all strength is physical, Violet.”

oooooooo!!!! I like that very quotable.🥰