Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

Standing with the golden one tucked under an enormous, scarred black wing is the biggest dragon I’ve ever seen in my life—the unbonded black dragon Professor Kaori showed us in class. I don’t even come close to reaching its ankle. A growl resonates through its chest, vibrating the ground around me as it lowers its gigantic head, baring dripping teeth. Fear ripples through every cell in my body as its hot breath blows over me. “Step aside, Silver One,” a deep, gruff, definitely male voice orders. I blink. Wait. What? Did he just speak to me? “Yes. You. Move.” There’s zero room for argument in his tone, and I limp to the side, nearly stumbling over Oren’s unconscious body as Tynan breaks into a screaming run, fleeing for the trees.

The dragon’s giant nostrils flare. “You’re bleeding. Stop it.” My arm. “It’s not that simple when you’ve been run through with a—” I shake my head again. Am I seriously arguing with a dragon? This is so fucking surreal. “You know what? That’s a great idea.” I manage to cut off what remains of my right shirtsleeve and wrap it around the wound, holding one end of the fabric with my teeth as I tie it tight to apply pressure and slow the bleeding. “There. Better?” “It will do.” He tilts his head at me. “Your hands are bound, too. Do you bleed often?” “I try not to.” He scoffs. “Let’s go, Violet Sorrengail.” He lifts his head, and the golden dragon peeks out from under his wing. “How do you know my name?” I gawk up at him. “And to think, I’d almost forgotten just how loquacious humans are.” He sighs, the gust of his breath rattling the trees. “Get on my back.”

A fucking comedian here. 2nd read: Tairn really starts out strong. ✊

“My name is Tairneanach, son of Murtcuideam and Fiaclanfuil, descended from the cunning Dubhmadinn line.”

I am never going to be able to say this, ever.

“Now get in the seat and actually hold on this time, or no one is going to believe that I’ve actually chosen you,” he growls.

I think Tairn is now officially my favorite. 2nd read: Update: he is still my favorite 🥰

“I’m just…not as strong as other riders.” “I know exactly who and what you are, Violet Sorrengail.”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t think I’d make it this far.” A loud sigh resonates through my mind. “I didn’t think I would, either, so we have that in common.”

“Why did you choose me?” I have to know, because as soon as we land, there are going to be questions. “Because you saved her.” Tairn’s head inclines toward the golden as we approach, and she follows after us. Our speed slows. “But…” I shake my head. “Dragons value strength and cunning and…ferocity in their riders.” None of which defines me. “Please, do tell me more about what I should value.” Sarcasm drips from his tone as we pass over the Gauntlet and crest the narrow entrance to the training fields.

2nd read: the beginning of Violet realizing she actually knows nothing

“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.”

2nd read: Girl Dad Tairn doing a super job ❤️

“Andarnaurram.” The sweet, high voice of the golden fills my mind. “Andarna for short.” I feel the blood rush from my face, and the edges of my vision sway as I pivot on my good ankle, staring back across the field at where the golden dragon—Andarna—now stands between Tairn’s front legs. “Excuse me?” “Violet, are you all right?” the redhead asks, and everyone around me, above me, leans in. “Tell her,” the golden insists. “Tairn. What am I supposed to—” I think at him. “Tell the roll-keeper her name,” Tairn echoes. “Violet?” the roll-keeper repeats. “Do you need a mender?” I turn back to the woman and clear my throat. “And Andarnaurram,” I whisper. Her eyes fly wide. “Both dragons?” she squawks. I nod. And all hell breaks loose.

🙃

“Then you have to choose Andarna.” He nods as if his decree equals a decision made. “The gold one is the safest choice of the two.” Why, because Tairn is…Tairn? Does Dain think I’m too weak for a dragon as strong as Tairn? My mouth opens, then shuts like a fish out of water as I search for any reply that isn’t fuck off. There’s no way in hell I’m rejecting Tairn. But my heart won’t let me reject Andarna, either. “Are they going to make me choose?” I think in their direction.

I am so over him. 2nd read: JESUS DAIN! This is the biggest fuck you he could give her! I wanna punch him so bad.

“They’re a mated pair, Tairn and Sgaeyl. The strongest bonded pair in centuries.” My mind whirs. Mated pairs can’t be separated for long or their health diminishes, so they’re always stationed together. Always. Which means—oh gods.

“His mate told him,” I whisper. Sgaeyl called for Tairn. “She’s never been a fan of bullies,” Xaden says to me. “But don’t mistake it as an act of kindness toward you. She’s fond of the little dragon. Unfortunately, Tairn chose you all on his own.” “Fuck,” Dain mutters. “My thought exactly.” Xaden shakes his head at Dain. “Sorrengail is the last person on the Continent I’d ever want to be chained to me. I didn’t do this.” Ouch. It takes all the willpower in my body not to reach for my chest and make sure he didn’t just rip my heart out from behind my ribs, which makes absolutely zero sense, since I feel the same way about him. He’s the son of the Great Betrayer. His father was directly responsible for Brennan’s death.

That’s like so mean. 2nd read: Xaden’s favorite thing is to blame Sgyael even though he’s just plain obsessed with Violence

Dain’s hands lace up my corset quickly, then are on my face, tipping it up toward his.

2nd read: ugh sleevy lil perv stealing memories

“You have to know that I would do anything to save you, Violet, to keep you safe,” he blurts, panic in his eyes. “What Riorson said…” He shakes his head. “I know,” I say reassuringly, nodding even as something cracks in my heart. “You always want me safe.” He’d do anything. Except break the rules. “You have to know how I feel about you.” His thumb strokes over my cheek, his eyes searching for something, and then his mouth is on mine. His lips are soft, but the kiss is firm, and delight races up my spine. After years, Dain is finally kissing me. The thrill is gone in less than a heartbeat. There’s no heat. No energy. No sharp slice of lust. Disappointment sours the moment, but not for Dain. He’s all smiles as he pulls away. It was over in an instant. It was everything I’ve ever wanted…except… Shit. I don’t want it anymore.

Ohhhh noooo…. awwwwkkkkkwaaaarrrrrddddd.

“So you’re an in-front kind of guy. Good to know. Remind me to spend some time at temple so I can make multiple appeals to Dunne.” I keep my focus on Kaori, watching for when the maneuvers will start. “The goddess of strength and war?” Tairn clearly scoffs this time. “What, dragons don’t think we need the gods on our side?” Shit, it’s cold up here. My gloved hands tighten on the pommel. “Dragons pay no heed to your puny gods.”

“Are you always around?” I snap back mentally. “Yes. Get used to it.” I fight the urge to growl at the intrusive, overbearing— “Still here.”

Heh heh heh

Tell him to ease up on you.” “Tell him to mind his own business.” “I’ll…uh…do that.” I bite back a laugh. “Take it easy on him. He’s my best friend.” Tairn snorts.

Is Dain really trying to tell a dragon what to do run?? Let alone TAIRN??? God he’s really becoming a Chaol.

“You are sad?” Andarna asks, her voice soft. “Just visiting the Archives. No need to worry,” I tell her. “It’s hard to love a second home as much as the first.” I swallow. “It’s easy when the second home is the right one.” And that is what the Riders Quadrant has become to me—the right home. The longing for the kind of peace and solitude I found only here can’t match the adrenaline rush of flight.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Tairn.” I roll my eyes and walk to Dain, whose jaw is locked, but his eyes are wide with apprehension. “Tell him, or I’ll take it up with Cath.” “Tairn says if you harm me, he’ll burn you,” I say as dragons to the left and right launch skyward without their riders, headed back to the Vale. But not Tairn. Nope, he’s still standing behind me like an overprotective dad. “I’m not going to harm you!” Dain snaps. “Word for word, Silver One.” I blow a breath out slowly. “Sorry, he actually said, if you harm me, he’ll scorch the ground where you stand.” I turn and look over my shoulder. “Better?” Tairn blinks. Dain keeps his eyes on me, but I see it there, the swirling anger Tairn warned me about. “I would rather die than harm you, and you know it.” “Happy now?” I ask Tairn. “I’m hungry. I think I’ll partake in a flock of sheep.” He launches with great beats of his wings.

Tairn is my favorite 💯

“Let’s get one thing straight, Dain.” I take a step closer, but the distance between us only widens. “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.” I move to the side and march past him through the tunnel, forcing air through my lungs.

Brutal perfection 🤌

“And you!” Jeremiah turns, his gaze locking on Garrick. “Damn it all to hell. He’ll know about—” The shadows around Jeremiah’s feet snake up his legs in a heartbeat, winding around his chest until they cover his mouth in bands of black.

“You always have to check your sources,” Dad tells me, ruffling my hair as he stands beside me at the table in the Archives. “Remember that firsthand accounts are always more accurate, but you have to look deeper, Violet. You have to see who is telling the story.”

2nd read: This comes up later when they are raising the wards. One journal had accurate information while the other was intentionally deceptive.

“He’s almost there!” Tairn promises, panic lacing his tone. He who? I can’t breathe. Can’t think.

SHADOW DADDY THATS WHO!

I’m alive. I’m alive. I’m alive. I repeat the mantra in my head as Xaden wipes the blood from my dagger on the back of Oren’s tunic. “Yes. You’re alive.” Xaden steps over Oren’s body and two others, retrieving my dagger from the fallen woman’s shoulder before reaching my armoire. I don’t even recognize her, and yet she tried to kill me. Garrick and Bodhi haul out the first bodies. “I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud.” The

2nd read: The scalp prickling didn’t happen here! Maybe it’s because the dragons are bonded now? But this is the first time he read her mind and verbalized it.

His focus snaps back to my eyes. “Never lie to me.” He says it with such ferocity, bit out through gritted teeth, that I can’t help but nod in promise.

2nd read: Ugh double standard dude… right off the bat

“Yes, I want a word. What the hell kind of powers are you channeling to her?” Xaden demands, staring up at Tairn like he isn’t…Tairn. Yep. Ballsy. Every muscle in my body locks, sure that Tairn is about to torch Xaden for impudence. “None of your business what I choose or do not choose to channel toward my rider,” Tairn answers with a growl.

2nd read: and now knowing Xadens secret! This is a wild question to ask.

“But you and I are exactly that, Violence. We’re chained. Tethered. You die, I die, so I damn well deserve to know how the hell you were under Seifert’s knife one second and across the room in another. Is that the signet power you’ve manifested with Tairn? Come clean. Now.” His eyes bore into me.

2nd read: again so fucking bold to demand and say he deserves to know when he can READ HER FUCKING MIND! And Tairn doesn’t even know!

“That’s impossible.” He lifts his hands, as though ready to cup my face. “Let me see.” The shock of what he intends to do has me stumbling backward. How have I forgotten that his signet allows him to see others’ memories? But if I let him see my memory of Amber’s participation, it will also show him that I stopped time, and I can’t let that happen. I shake my head and take another step back. “Give me the memory,” he orders. Indignation lifts my chin. “Touch me without permission, and you’ll spend the rest of your life regretting it.” Surprise ripples over his features.

God he is the fucking worst

Then I make the mistake of glancing over her shoulder, toward the center of the gym. Holy. Fucking. Hot. Xaden and Garrick have stripped off their shirts and are sparring like their lives depend on it, a blur of kicks, punches, and rippling muscle. I’ve never seen two people move that fast. It’s a beautiful, hypnotizing dance with lethal choreography that makes me hold my breath whenever Garrick goes in for the kill and Xaden deflects. I’ve seen countless riders spar without their shirts these past months. This is nothing new. I should be absolutely immune to the male form, but I’ve never seen him shirtless.

🔥

“Serves you right,” Tairn lectures. “Pay attention!” Rhiannon yells, drawing back her staff. “I could have… Oh.” Clearly, she sees what I do, what nearly every other woman—and several of the men—are happily watching. How can we not when the two of them are mesmerizing? Garrick’s wider, more densely packed with muscle than Xaden, his rebellion relic only extending to his shoulder, the second largest I’ve seen. Only Xaden’s reaches his carved jawline. “That is…” Rhiannon murmurs beside me. “It sure is,” I agree. “Stop objectifying our wingleader,” Liam teases. “Is that what we’re doing?” Rhiannon asks, not bothering to look away. My mouth waters at the muscled expanse of his back and that sculpted ass. “Yeah, I think that’s what we’re doing.” Liam snorts. “We could just be watching for technique.” “Yeah. We absolutely could be.” But I’m not.

Watching for research purposes. And maybe for science. 🤫

He leans in so we’re almost nose to nose. “I am annoyingly aware of everything you do.” Thanks to Liam.

2nd read: lol not thanks to Liam

“Wingleader Riorson,” Dain starts. “She’s just not used to the bond yet. She’ll learn how to block it out.” Dain’s words sting like a blow.

2nd read: goddamn every time Dain could say the right thing he decides to go in the exact opposite direction. I hate him.

“You choose the oddest times to defend her, Aetos.” Xaden all but rolls his eyes as he looks at Dain. “And the most convenient times not to.”

Yes. Just yes.

still can’t believe I made an ass of myself in front of my entire squad simply because Xaden decided to train shirtless. I really need to get laid.

🤣

“Damn it. Touching you was a bad idea.” “The worst,” I agree, but my tongue skims my lower lip. He groans and my core melts at the sound. “Kissing you would be a cataclysmic mistake.” “Calamitous.” What would it take to hear that groan again?

They need to keep talking about bad ideas..

“Fuck it.” One second he’s out of reach and the next his mouth is on mine, hot and insistent.

🔥 YAS 🔥

“Violence,” he moans, and the sound of the nickname on his lips makes me ravenous. Closer. I need him closer. As though he can hear my thoughts, he kisses me harder,

2nd read: Rebecca you sneaky minx…

He reaches up to cup my cheek, and I hold his gaze, determined for him to understand he either starts valuing my choices or we are never going to fix our friendship. “All right, Vi.” His eyes crinkle at the sides as his mouth turns up into a half smile. “How can I argue with someone who has two badass dragons?”

I feel like there has been or will be a time that he grabbed a memory from her that will be important

“I’m sorry for not asking for the memory.” He drops his hand to my shoulder. “You’d better get to class.” And then he squeezes my shoulder gently before walking away.

2nd read: HE APOLOGIZES FOR NOT ASKING BUT HE JUST SNATCHED A MEMORY!!! HE IS A REAL FUCKING PIECE OF WORK.

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. “He’s going to try.” Tairn is up early. “Any advice?” I know Liam is waiting for us to make the library run before breakfast. “Don’t let him.”

🤌Tairn

“Finally!” Jack throws his hands in the air like he’s already won. “Let’s do this.” I roll my shoulders and head for the mat. Neither Liam nor Ridoc is called to the mat today, so they walk at my sides. “Tell me I can break the promise,” Liam begs, and the pleading look in his eyes tells me exactly what a shitty position I’ve put him in.

Poor Liam. Violet totally bamboozled him.

I scream as I’m shaken by an internal force I don’t understand, as though he’s forcing his own power into my body, shocking me with a thousand stings of vibrating energy.

2nd read: I still don’t quiet understand what Jack did here. Oohhh he used venin powers!!!

Now. If I don’t do it now, he’ll kill me. My vision is already darkening at the edges. I reach a trembling hand into the pocket of my leathers and thumb open the stopper on the vial. His sadistic grin and a red rim around his eyes are all I can see as he forces more and more power into my body, but his hands are occupied and he’s too obsessed with his victory to hear that I’ve stopped screaming, to see that I’m moving. “He’s using his powers!” Ridoc roars, and from the corner of my decreasing vision, I see movement on both sides.

2nd read: OH SHIT! I didn’t realize Jack was venin here!!! So early on!!!

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?”

Oranges 🤣

“We’ve had the scribes on it since Threshing, and the only reference they can find in the Archives about the power of feathertails is hundreds of years old, which is funny because I remember your father doing a bit of research about the second Krovlan uprising, and he mentioned something about feathertails, but we can’t seem to find that tome.” He scratches his forehead.

2nd read: I wonder if her fathers old books and journals will be discovered in Onyx Storm and following books.

Third Wing’s best offering is a stunned, wide-eyed scribe, stolen straight from his bed, and given the way his mouth isn’t moving… Yep, someone’s signet power takes away speech. The poor thing is going to be traumatized when they finally let him go.

She sweeps me up, yanking me against her chest and squeezing tight. She smells like dirt and dragon and the coppery tang of blood, but I don’t care. I hug her back just as hard. “Mira.” I bury my face against her shoulder, and my eyes burn as she rests her hand on top of the very braid she taught me how to do. It’s as if the weight of everything that’s happened over the last nine months comes crashing down, slamming into me with the force of a cross-bolt.

😭

with one extra tagalong—Xaden. He’s been the worst kind of distraction since arriving last night. Dain won’t stop glaring at him and making snide remarks. Mira keeps one eye on him at all times as well, suspiciously quiet since last night. And me? I can’t seem to keep my eyes to myself. There’s a palpable energy in every room he enters, and it brushes over my skin like a caress each time our eyes meet. Even now, I’m aware of every breath he takes as he sits next to me midway down the table.

The need to bang and get it over with.

“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?

OH KNOW. HE KNOWS ALL HER DIRTY THOUGHTS?!?!

“Good job remaining professional, Aetos.” Xaden scratches the relic on his neck I’m all but certain doesn’t actually itch. “Really shows those leadership qualities to their best advantage.”

The jabs are top notch