Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

by Rebecca Yarros

He swallows my cry as my back bows, the first wave of my orgasm washing over me, releasing that tight coil of tension in a burst of sparks at the edge of my vision, breaking me into a million scattered stars. Lightning strikes outside my window, flashing light through the room again and again as he strokes me with an expertise that kicks the first climax into a second.

No more holding back. Not anymore.

“The kind where I take personal responsibility for the loyalty of the hundred and seven kids the rebellion’s leaders left behind, and in return, we’re allowed to fight for our lives in the Riders Quadrant instead of being put to death like our parents.”

“So if any of them betray Navarre…” I lift my brows. “Then my life is forfeit. The scars are a reminder.”

“I just don’t trust my temper if anyone says—” I brush a kiss over his mouth, silencing him. “I know what you’re saying. It’s…sweet.” He nips at my skin. “I’m not sweet. Please don’t mistake any part of me for soft or kind. That will only get you hurt, and whatever you do…” He buries his face in my neck, inhaling deeply. “Don’t fall for me.”

“I thought you did it the first night Tairn channeled power to you, but I wasn’t sure, so I didn’t say anything.” “Really?” I blink, thinking back, but my brain is full of a pleasant, dull hum as sleep fights to pull me under. “When?” My eyes drift shut. His arms tighten around me as he tucks me closer, the backs of my thighs pressed tight against his pants as I start to drift off. “The first time you kissed me.”

Trust me, Sorrengail, the scribes aren’t going to want you anywhere near their precious books, and from the looks of it, you can’t even control your powers in your sleep.”

“According to what I read last night, this particular ability has the power to overheat your system, hence—” He gestures around us.

my saddle, then sliding down Tairn’s foreleg. “Don’t leave me.” “Never. I’ll burn him alive before he takes a single step toward you.”

“Keep your loyalties clear. You and Riorson both have exceptional, lethal power that any rider would be envious of. But together?” His bushy brows furrow. “You would be a formidable enemy who command could simply not afford to let exist. Do you understand what I’m saying?” His voice softens.

“Well, then start there. Ground in your power and try to feel whatever it was you were feeling.” He goes back to his notebook. “Should I get the wingleader?” Tairn flat-out laughs in my head.

There’s nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn’t find you, Violence.”

Power floods my entire system, crackling along my skin, and light flashes behind my closed eyes. The images stop, and my feelings are once again my own.

“I can’t believe you just did that.” “You’re welcome.”

Turns out you set more than a few trees on fire last night, too. Took two water wielders to get them out.”

picks up my favorite book of fables, the one Mira slipped into my rucksack once we’d gotten back to Montserrat that night.

“Damn.” I open the back cover and see that it’s split at the binding. Something is peeking out.

It only takes one desperate generation to change history—even erase it. I know you’ll make the right choice when the time comes. You have always been the best of both your mother and me.

Others talk of a great evil that spread across the land as man became corrupted by dark magic and turned into creatures known as venin who created flocks of winged creatures called wyvern and scourged the land of all magic in the thirst for more power.

“He said one day there would be no magic left in the kingdom if we weren’t careful.”

He’s going to have to fight for this, too, or it will never work.

“So the next time I see you, I’ll just act as cool as you are right now and pretend that I’m not remembering what it feels like to have you sliding inside me.”

You know what? Fuck this. Two can play at this game. “If you’d just man up and admit there’s something between us, I would strip down to my skin so you could see every single inch of me. And once I had you begging, I’d drop down to my knees, undo those flight leathers you’re wearing, and wrap my lips around—” Xaden chokes. Every head in the dining hall turns his way, and Garrick pounds on his back until Xaden waves him off, taking a drink of his water. I grin, which earns me about six looks of confusion from our table and one set of rolled eyes from Liam. “You’re going to be the death of me.” …

At least one good thing is coming with graduation. We’ll all be able to talk to our loved ones again.

only one name on the death roll this week, a third-year who didn’t come back from an overnight mission.

“I go where you go.”

“Go,” I hiss at Liam in a whisper, forcing a smile for my mother’s sake as General Melgren joins them. Melgren may be brilliant, but he’s also unnerving as fuck to be around. “When your greatest danger approaches? I think not.” His spine straightens.

And when others are quick to stand in front of me, Xaden always stands at my side, trusting me to hold my own.

“I’m just…his.” For the first time since last year, I step up onto the parapet.

He had the lives of all one hundred and seven marked ones carved into his back, taking responsibility for them. But who takes responsibility—takes care—of him?

It doesn’t scare me. I like him better when he’s real with me anyway.

I want to be wherever you are.”

You might not say it, but you do one better and show it.

Trust me, she wasn’t looking at me, and even if she were…” He pauses, his hand slipping to cradle the back of my head as he holds us steady despite the gusting wind. “Gods help me, I’m only looking at you.”

“There’s only you, Violence. Is that what you needed to hear?”

sense his mood and want nothing to do with it. But his shadows don’t scare me. There’s nothing about this man that scares me anymore,

I move between his thighs and run my fingers through his hair. He closes his eyes and leans into my touch, and I swear, I feel my heart crack wide open. “Now I take care of you.”

then trace the scar that bisects a brow. “Challenge?” “Sgaeyl.” He shrugs. “Threshing.”

“Because it’s just you and me in this room, Vi, and I don’t share.” “You.” My fingers tangle in his hair. “I’m calling out for you.”

“I fucking love your hair. If you ever want to bring me to my knees or win an argument, just let it down. I’ll get the point.”

“I think there’re a lot of people dead, which is why they’re calling the full quadrant to formation, jackass!” Garrick growls.

“Riorson, you’ll establish your headquarters for Fourth Wing at Athebyne.

“What are you wearing?” I ask Andarna, who struts out from under Tairn’s wing with her head held high, boasting a contraption that reminds me of a saddle but isn’t. “The wingleader had it made for me. See? It hooks to Tairn’s.” I can’t help but smile as I see the shape of the triangle on Andarna’s back that I’m sure fits the one on Tairn’s chest. “It’s amazing.” “It’s just in case I can’t keep up. Now I can come along!”

“If he’s what you choose…” He sighs. “Then I guess that has to be enough for me, doesn’t it?” “Yes.” I nod. Thank gods all this nonsense is about to be past us. He swallows hard and leans in to whisper, “I’ll miss you, Violet.” Then he pivots on his heel and heads for Cath.

“I’ve been yours for longer than you could ever imagine.”

“We lost a village in the vicinity to a horde of venin two days ago. They decimated everything.”

“We’ll be there with the rest of our drift. Just signal if you can get away from the disbelievers.”

“Not yet. I’d prefer you come to your own conclusion. I chose you for your intelligence and courage, Silver One. Don’t let me down.”

“I watched my own father executed trying to help these people. I couldn’t risk you, too.”

“And defenseless women have never been my type, remember?”