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daisychains111 · 1 month

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live "tweet" books with me (via the Goodreads progress bar) pt.3 Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Live tweeting as I read...back by popular demand (literally 1 person on Tumblr (@dumpsters-little-matchbook) asked me to do it again and I was already planning to)

stay strong Vi....just bc he's hot doesn't mean he's redeemed himself for his (understandably) traitorous ways

"she's worth a dozen of me" Xanden you shut up right now I'm mad at you

I'm glad Brennen's alive but I do not trust him at all...pretending to be dead for 6 years is fishy as fuck

hashtag: Andarna protection club...if anything ever happens to that dragon I'll burn the world

violet "I know more than you" sorrengail back in action

lol Brennen making fun of her love life

petition for violet and sgaeyl mother-daughter bonding

awww andarna, all growed up

moody teenage angst Andarna is the comedic relief we all didn't know we needed...nothing is as iconic as her growling at Violet for calling her my dearest

idk if Tairn signed up to be the sole father figure to two teenage girls but Violet and Andarna are about to give him a run for his money

he deserves not to trust Dain bc Dain is the scum of the earth

RIDOC AND RHIONNAN ARE SAFE AND ALIVE EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT IN THE WORLD

call his lying ass out Violet as you should

slay violets mom with the redeeming qualities...glad she actually cared if Violet was alive and isn't completely a heartless bitch

fuck dain but also FUCK HIS DAD

the fact that it's him who officially outs them makes me smile hehe

I agree Nadine...that was hot

Xaden being an absolute tease flirt bc she's mad at him is iconic

YAY SQUAD LEADER RHI!!!

the joke was funny, your friends ate just lame (jk I love them but still)

THE PRINCE???

awwww Liam's sister you better make it across istfg

noooo I wanted to be friends with Sloane

violet in her older sister era

gotta love the "is everyone I care about alive? yes? slay" moment

the fact that even tairn is warry of the orange dragon freaks me out

tairn reporting for fatherly duties will never not be my favorite...violet may be annoying but she's his annoying

I'm all for the Violet and Imogen friendship but they better not be mean to Rhiannan

also if Rhiannan gets annoying and jealous about them I'll be really sad

nooo I liked Nadine...who tf just snaps people's necks like that tf

Xaden warding her room so he's the only person who can come in COMEDY

SIMP

hehehe he wrote her a letterrr

violet lying to everyone about her feelings about Xaden except Tairn is so funny...like who's the dragon gonna tell

Xaden is winning every award ever rn bc 1. he's hot as hell, but 2. he's like I wanna sleep with you so bad, but I won't bc it's for the wrong reasons....honorable mf

literally FUCK VARRISH

Sloane needs to get her shit together and Violet needs to stop avoiding her friends

I'm like 80% sure they just got drugged but slay ig

called it...they were totally drugged

tairn comforting Violet about missing Xaden even though Tairn is the one with the bonded mate thing isn't being talked about enough

I would really love to know what those letters say...just saying, sharing is caring

I want to trust jesinia...I really do but it gives me a bad feeling

you let my babies see each other istg...violet is actively moving towards miserable without him

Imogen is slowly becoming the biggest violet/Xander fangirl and I love that for her

give it up Imogen...yall are friends

girlie just wants to be back in a library fr

period Rhiannan...don't put up with Xaden's shit....you threaten him like a bestie should

If Rhi and Violet don't stay friends I'll riot

ooooo don't mess with Tairn's kids...he'll bring that dad defensive

I'm so glad Violet is letting Rhiannan in..be besties again pls

HAHA "SHOWING OFF (MAKING OUT)" IN FRONT OF MIRA....ICONIC

"omg your falling for him" No matter how many times I hear that I'm media I will always be a sucker for it

"you're my only sibling" REALLY MAKING VIOLET SEEM LIKE A TERRIBLE PERSON FOR NOT TELLING MIRA ABOUT BRENNEN....UNCALLED FOR

tik tok says she finally just fucking forgives him in chapter 27... we're on 20, kick into gear people

at her core, Violet is really just like me fr.... 21-year-old girlie pop vibes for the win

damn the disdain for Dian is STRONG

Rhiannan wins the bestie of the year award....being the best even tho Violet is being a fuckass about not telling her things

DAIN FIGHTING ISNT GONNA DO MUCH BC YOU DONT DESERVE HER AND NOW EVERYONE GETS TO WATCH AS SHE BEATS YOUR ASS

see, I knew her mom was a bitch

Rhiannan and violets friendship rn makes me so sad

This aaric dude better keep his mouth SHUT

really looking forward to Xaden beating the shit out of Dain for the shit he just pulled

besties having beef in private...which honestly I feel like will be a good thing

"that isn't a secret" I love ridoc....also Violet why tf would you think that's a valid secret

them getting graded for withstanding torture is WILD

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BRING DAIN INTO THIS VARRISH YOU BITCH

VARRISH YOU ABSOLUTE MOTHERFUCKER...I DESPISE YOUR SOUL

I hate dain to but I love him for that...thank you for being a rule-following asshat

two things: tairn constantly being like "duh your fine, I make great choices" is so sweet but absolutely hilarious....and Rhiannan being a slay icon is my favorite thing

WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN JACK IS BACK FROM THE ACTUAL DEAD....SHUT UP RIGHT NOW

I'm so ready to watch the Fab 4 (I've decided that I'm calling ridoc, rhi, sawyer, and Violet this bc they are so slay) kill jack again bc wtf

YES CHAPTER 27 I'VE HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOU

watch Mira walk in on them right now...that'd be so freaking funny

tairn and Violet's father-daughter bonding is my fave

tairn is a grade-A overprotective father... it's adorable

no literally....tairn is so over her 21 bullshit...I love them

I have no recollection of who Kaori is...but him standing up to varrish makes him my favorite

YES YES YES LET FAB 3/4 KNOW ALL THE SECRETS

ridoc having the vibes to give violet a hard time while his world was just flipped on its head is why I love him

also shout out to Imogen and Quinn bc yall are slay too

why did Jack save her life...go back to being an ass, not sucky jack is frightening

"argue with you about books? I only pick fights I can win" Xaden clearly knows his place

literally just sobbing at the Liam cameo

why does Varrish keep responding to Liam...is Violet talking out loud or like did he pull a jack

damn dain is just...redeeming himself...didn't have that on my 2024 bingo card

her mom redeeming herself too? damn we're on a redemption roll

very serious war book until someone says something like "show off" during an important meeting (cough garrick cough) and you remember that these bitches are in their 20s

Brennan, Xaden, and tairn: violet protection squad

ANDARNAS BACK YYYAAAYYY

YUH SLAY FOURTH WING

flame section is the iron section? One might say they're the iron flame....wink wink

patiently waiting for a sorrengail sibling reunion...pls bring Mira into the loop

YES MIRA BEAT HIS ASS

Mira beating the shit out of Brennan, Violet yelling at them to grow tf up, and ultimately Mira and Brennen rebonding over the ickiness of xaden/violet pda...the best sibling reunion EVER

"I have control" girl be so for real rn...the only time you use your power is when you're mid-orgasm, you're not controlling shit

Mira and Xaden being "let's overprotect violet" partners in crime...straight vibes

Andarna: The Hungry One (trademark)

oooooooo violets in trooouubbblleeee

jealous Violet storyline is about to be just as stupid as I'm keeping my friends safe by distancing myself Violet storyline

oh God not talking in 3rd person

"I wasn't in love with you then," *jim halpert camera stare* stfu xaden

DAMMMMNNNNN he's def being annoying but saying he's acting like dain is looooooowwwww

yeah cat just stfu...violet is better than you don't be a bitch

YOU WEAR YOUR HAIR DOWN VIOLET...TORTURE HIM BUT ISTG IF YOU LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT BS....

YESSS Liam mentions make me so happy...also I'm so ready for Violet and Sloane to bond

dain just bc you saved her doesn't mean you're not on extremely thin ice...stfu

HA, a length joke...I like Maren

IF YOU KILL RIDOC RIGHT NOW REBECCA, I WILL HAUNT YOU

HES SAFE....fab 4 lives another day

cat's a bitch...that's all

Cat's a bitch...but you know who isn't? Rhiannan. gave her bestie the best fighting skills

well that's one way to combat jealousy

he really said "You were annoying and emotional last year, this year it's my turn" Live laugh love healthy relationships

fab 4 are my favorite group of fantasy besties ever....icons..every single one of them

I'm very very excited for the Sawyer and Jesinia subplot...also I don't think I'm opposed to a Dain redemption arch, he just needs to learn his place

"I might even be in love with him after that declaration" HA game recognizes game dain, love that for you

ROLL CREDITS

Garrick doesn't get enough credit for being just as awesome as Rhi....slay besties

girlie pop bickering with a side of danger mission and dragon obedience school...my favorite

HAH grammar jokes

"I get the feeling that this '2nd signet' thing is gonna be a BIG issue...like the plot twist that ends the book BIG

tbh I feel like I don't know him either so I get why she's mad at him

BRUUUUHHH he redeems himself with the "less than a minute" comment

tairn is girl dad...yelling at Violet and Andarna for their shit, yelling at Xaden for talking to Violet...girl dad icon

"Mom and Dad are fighting" See tairn and Sgaeyl are Mom and Dad

poor mama sorrengail...that's not the best way to break that news brennen you bitch

I'm really hoping Violet gets iron squad to go help bc them leaving the others to die is bullshit

they mentioned that the venin had runes, but they were confused as to how. cat is the best at them, and I really really really don't like how sus that is

everyone is so over Violet and her friends bc they're the only ones saying true things

YUH IRON SQUAD...my favorite squad of besties

FUCKING JACK

that was the most stressful thing ever read in my life...if Rhiannan dies I will never recover

I thought Sawyer was going to die and I started crying

YES ANDARNA BE SPECIAL AND SLAY

The fact the andarna hatched just for Violet is so sweet

you better not fucking sacrifice yourself right now violet unknownmiddlename sorrengail

DUMBASS

rip mama sorrengail...this was the redemption arch you deserved

violet breaking down to Rhi is EVERYTHING

FAB 4 LIVES TO SEE ANOTHER DAY (along with Imogen, Quinn, Sloane, Jesinia, Aaric, Maren, and Cat because yall bitches grew on me)

yay xaden's safe, was worried for a bit

IM SORRY WHAT NOW

I'M SORRY WHAT NOW

saying that xaden cant feel sgaeyl better be a fucking joke rn

FUCKING JACK

#violet sorrengail #fourth wing #xaden riorson #rhiannon matthias #iron flame #sawyer fourth wing #imogen fourth wing #mira sorrengail #brennan sorrengail #violet and tairn #tairn and andarna #tairn and sgaeyl #goodreads #live tweeting #quinn fourth wing #liam and sloane

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fourthwingfan · 8 days

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Madness - Chapter 18

Hello there, my Lovely Readers! Here is the new chapter, enjoy :)

ui: and again, thanks for the likes and reblogs, you're awesome!

There is nothing more sacred than the Archives. Even temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be rewritten.

—Colonel Daxton’s Guide to Excelling in the Scribe Quadrant

The wooden library cart squeaks as I push it over the bridge that connects the Riders Quadrant to the Healer, and then past the clinic doors into the heart of Basgiath.

After Threshing I was assigned to Archives duty. It seems that our library’s maintenance is a “less desirable” chore, and one of the unbonded took our place. So here I am. But at least I was paired up with Violet.

Mage lights illuminate our way down the tunnels as we take a path so familiar that I could walk it with my eyes shut. I’ve been here with Violet countless times.

I nod to the first-year scribe at the entrance to the Archives and he jumps out of his seat, hurrying to open the vault-like door.

“Good morning, Cadet Sorrengail, Cadet Melgren” he says, holding the entrance open so we can pass.

„Good morning, Cadet Pierson.” I nod as I push the cart through.

The Archives smell like parchment, book-binding glue, and ink.

Rows of twenty-foot-high shelves run the length of the cavernous structure, and we wait by the table nearest the entrance. Only scribes may pass any farther, and I am a rider.

The thought brings a smile to my lips as a woman approaches in a cream tunic and hood, a single rectangle of gold woven onto her shoulder. A first-year. When she pulls the fabric from her head, baring long brown hair, and brings her gaze to meet mine, I full-on grin. I sign, “Jesinia!”

“Cadet Sorrengail, Cadet Melgren.” she signs back. Her bright eyes sparkle, but she smothers her smile.

For just this second, I abhor the rituals and customs of the scribes. There would be nothing wrong with her smiling at us, but she’d be chastised for a loss of composure. After all, how could we know how earnest the scribes are about their work, how dedicated they remain, if they were to crack a smile?

“It’s really good to see you,” I sign and can’t quit grinning. “I knew you’d pass the test.”

“Only because I studied with Violet for the past year,” she signs back, pressing her lips together so they don’t curve upward. Then her face falls. “I was horrified to hear about you being forced into the Riders Quadrant.” She turns to Violet. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she assures her. “I’m bonded and…I’m happy.”

Her eyes widen. “Aren’t you constantly worried you’re going to—” She glances left and right, but there’s no one near enough to see us. “You know…die?”

“Sure.” She nods. “But oddly enough, you kind of get used to that.”

“Something like that.” I laugh quietly.

“If you say so.” She looks skeptical. “Let’s get you taken care of. Are these all returns?”

I nod and reach into the pocket of my pants for a small scroll of parchment and hand it to her before signing, “And a few requests from Professor Devera.” The unbonded in charge of our small library sends a list of requests and the returns every night, and we fetch them before breakfast, which is probably why my stomach is growling.

Burning all the extra calories from a combination of flight, sparring lessons and studying with Liam late into the night means I have an all-new capacity for food.

“Anything else?” she asks after putting the scroll in a hidden pocket in her robes.

I shake my head.

“Any chance you guys have a copy of The Fables of the Barren?” Violet signs.

Jesinia’s brow furrows. “I’m not familiar with that text.”

I blink. It’s strange. Jesinia is a scribe and she has been preparing for this her whole life.

“It’s not for academics or anything, just a collection of folklore my dad shared with us. A little on the dark side, honestly, but I love it.” Violet shrugs. “Wyvern, venin, magic, the battles of good and evil—you know, the good stuff.” She grins. If anyone understands her love of books, it’s Jesinia.

“I’ve never heard of that one, but I’ll look for it while I pull these.”

“Thank you. I’d really appreciate it.”

I know what she means. Now that we’re going to be the one wielding magic, we could use a few good folktales of what happens when humans defile the power channeled to them. No doubt they were written as a parable to warn us of the dangers of bonding dragons, but in Navarre’s six-hundred-year history of unification, I’ve never read of a single rider losing their soul to their powers. The dragons keep us from that.

Jesinia nods and pushes the cart, disappearing into the shelves.

It usually takes about fifteen minutes to gather the requests that come in from both professors and cadets in our quadrant, but I’m more than content to wait. Scribes come and go, some in groups as they train to become our kingdom’s historians.

“Violet?”

I turn to the left and see Professor Markham leading a squad of first-year scribes.

“Hello, Professor.” She smiles at him.

I keep my face emotionless around him. It is easier because I know he’ll expect it. After all I’m a Melgren.

“Professor.” I greet him.

“Cadet Melgren.” He nods and looks toward Violet. “I didn’t realize you had library chore duty.” He glances toward the spot in the shelves where Jesinia disappeared. “Are you being helped?”

“Jesinia—” she cringe. “I mean, Cadet Neilwart is most helpful.”

“You know,” he says to the squad of five as they arc around us, “Cadet Sorrengail here was my prized student until the Riders Quadrant stole her away.” His gaze meets her under his hood. “I had hopes she would return, but alas, she has bonded to not one but two dragons.”

A girl to his right gasps, then covers her mouth and mutters an apology.

“Don’t worry, all of us felt the same way,” I tell her.

“Perhaps you can explain something to Cadet Nasya over here, who was just griping that there’s not nearly enough fresh air in here.” Professor Markham turns his focus to a boy on his left. “This group is just starting their rotation in the Archives.”

Nasya turns beet red under his cream hood.

“It’s part of the fire mitigation system,” Violet tells him. “Less air, less risk of our history burning to the ground.”

“And the stuffy hoods?” Nasya lifts a brow at her.

“Makes it harder for you to stand out against the tomes,” she explains. “A symbol that no one and nothing is more important than the documents and books in this very room.”

“Exactly.” Professor Markham levels a glare at Nasya. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Cadet Sorrengail, we have work to attend. I’ll see you tomorrow in Battle Brief. Cadet Melgren you too.”

“Yes, sir.” I step back, giving the squad room to pass.

“Are you sad?” I ask Vi. She has a strange look on her face.

“It’s just… we’re here. We’re visiting the Archives. It’s hard, but no need to worry,” she tells me.

“It’s hard to love a second home as much as the first.” I smile sadly at her.

“It’s easy when the second home is the right one.” She smiles back.

And I know what she means. Home. That is what the Riders Quadrant has become to me—the right home. There is nothing that can match the adrenaline rush of flight.

Jesinia reappears with the cart, laden down with the requested books and bits of mail for the professors of our quadrant.

She signs, “I’m so sorry, but I couldn’t find that book. I even searched the catalog for wyvern—I think that’s what you said—but there’s nothing.”

I stare for a second. Our Archives have either a copy or the original of almost every book in Navarre. Only ultrarare or forbidden tomes are excluded. When did folklore become either of those? Though, come to think of it, I never came across anything like The Fables of the Barren on the shelves while I was here with Violet. Chimera? Yes. Kraken? Sure. But wyvern or the venin that create them? None. Bizarre.

“That’s all right. Thank you for looking,” she signs back.

“You look different,” she signs to Violet, then hands the cart over. “Not bad different, just…different. Your face is leaner, and even your posture…” She shakes her head.

“I’ve been training.” She pauses “It’s hard, but great, too. I’m getting quicker on the mat.”

“How about you? Is it everything you wanted?” I ask Jesinia.

“It’s everything and more. So much more. The responsibility we have not only to record history but to speed information from the front lines is more than I ever could have imagined, and it’s so fulfilling.” She presses her lips together again.

„Good. I’m happy for you.” And I mean it.

“But I worry for you. Both of you.” She sucks in a breath. “The uptick in attacks along the border…” Concern etches lines into her forehead.

“I know. We hear about them in Battle Brief.” It’s always the same, striking at faltering wards, ransacking villages high in the mountains, and more dead riders.

“And Dain?” she asks Violet as we head for the door. “Have you seen him?”

Her smile falters. “That’s a story for another day.”

She sighs. “I’ll try and be here around this time so I can see you.”

“Sounds wonderful.” I sign as walk through the door she opens.

By the time we return the cart to the library and make it through the lunch line, our time is almost up, which means I’m busy shoveling food in my mouth as fast as I can while the members of my new squad chat around me. But it’s only Violet’s friends and Liam with Ethan. The others…They’ve refused to sit with anyone with a rebellion relic.

So, fuck them.

„It was the coolest thing ever,” Ridoc continues. “One second he was sparring against that third-year with the wicked broadsword skills, and then Sawyer—”

“You could let him tell the story,” Rhiannon chides, rolling her eyes.

“No thank you,” Sawyer counters, shaking his head, staring at his fork with a hefty dose of fear.

Ridoc grins, in all his glory telling the story. “And then the sword just twists in Sawyer’s hand, curving toward the third-year even though Sawyer was way off the mark.” He grimaces in Sawyer’s direction. “Sorry, man, but you were. If your sword hadn’t decided to warp and go straight for that guy’s arm—”

“You’re a metallurgist?” Liam’s eyebrows rise. “Really?”

Holy crap, Sawyer can manipulate metals. I force down a little more turkey and openly stare at him. As far as I know, he’s the first of us to display any form of power, let alone a signet.

Sawyer nods. “That’s what Carr says. Aetos dragged me straight to the professor when he saw it happen.”

“I’m so jealous!” Ridoc grabs his chest. “I want my signet power to manifest!”

“You wouldn’t be so excited if it meant you weren’t sure if your fork would stab into the roof of your mouth because you can’t control it yet.” Sawyer shoves his tray away.

“Good point.” Ridoc looks at his own tray.

“You’ll manifest when your dragon is ready to trust you with all that power,” Quinn says, then finishes off her water. “Just hope your dragons trust you before about six months and—” She makes a sound like an explosion and mimics it with her hands.

“Stop scaring the children,” Imogen says. “That hasn’t happened in”—she pauses to think—“decades.” When we all stare at her, she rolls her eyes. “Look, the relic your dragons transferred onto you at Threshing is the conduit to let all that magic into your body. If you don’t manifest a signet and let it out, then after a bunch of months, bad things happen.”

We all gawk.

“The magic consumes you,” Quinn adds, making the explosion sound again.

“Relax, it’s not like a hard deadline or something. It’s just an average.” Imogen shrugs.

“Fuck me, it’s always something around here,” Ridoc mutters.

“Feeling a little luckier now,” Sawyer says, staring at his fork.

“We’ll get you some wooden utensils,” I tell Sawyer. “And you should probably avoid the armory or sparring with… anything.” I grin at him.

Sawyer scoffs. “That’s the truth. At least I’ll be safe during flight this afternoon.”

Adding flight classes to our schedule has been essential since Threshing. The wings rotate for access to the flight field, and today is one of our lucky days of the week.

I feel a tingle in my scalp and know if I turn, I’ll find Xaden watching us. But I don’t give him the satisfaction of looking. He hasn’t said so much as a word to me since Threshing. And I don’t know what it means. I thought that we had a moment… or something.

But I realised that he ordered others to watch over Vi.

There’s always an upperclassman somewhere near when we’re walking the halls or headed to the gym at night.

And they all have rebellion relics.

It must be because of the bond.

“I like it better when we have it in the morning,” Rhiannon says, her face souring. “It’s way worse after we’ve eaten breakfast and lunch.”

“Agreed,” I manage between mouthfuls.

“I’ll see you tonight.” Imogen says to Violet as she and Quinn clear their trays, taking them back to the window for scullery.

“Is she any nicer when she’s training you?” Rhiannon asks.

“No. But she’s efficient.” She finishes the turkey as the room begins to clear, and we all make our way toward the scullery window.

„What’s Professor Carr like?” I ask Sawyer, then tuck my tray onto the stack. The wielding professor is one of the only ones I haven’t met, since I haven’t manifested a signet.

“Fucking terrifying,” Sawyer answers. “I can’t wait for the entire year to start wielding lessons so everyone can enjoy his particular brand of instruction.”

We head out through commons and the rotunda and into the courtyard, all buttoning up our coats. November has hit hard with gusty winds and frosted grass in the morning, and the first snow isn’t far behind.

“I knew it would work!” Jack Barlowe says ahead of us, dragging someone under his arm and thumping her head affectionately.

“Isn’t that Caroline Ashton?” Rhiannon asks, her mouth hanging open as Caroline heads toward the academic wing with Jack.

“Yeah.” Liam tenses. “She bonded Gleann this morning.”

“Wasn’t he already bonded?” Ethan watches them until they disappear into the wing.

“His rider died on our first flight lesson.” I focus on the gate ahead that leads to the flight field.

“So I guess the unbonded still have that shot they’re looking for,” Rhiannon mutters.

„Yeah.” Liam nods, his features tense. “They do.”

…

“You’re improving. You’ll be a good rider after all.” Aon remarks as we land on the flight field.

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or not.” I take deep breaths and try to calm my racing heart.

“Take it as you wish.”

I mentally roll my eyes and scoot out of the seat and I jump to the ground. The move has become so practiced that I barely even think about it anymore. “Besides, you could make it easier, you know.”

„Oh, I know.”

“I’m not the one putting us into spirals with steep banks while Kaori is teaching plain dives.” My feet hit the ground of the field, and I arch an eyebrow at Aon.

“I’m training you for battle. He’s teaching you parlor tricks.” He blinks a golden eye at me and looks away.

“I know you hide something from me. Don’t you want to tell me why we are preparing for battle?” I do all the checks Kaori has taught us, looking for any debris that could have lodged between the long, taloned toes of Aon’s claws or between the rock-hard scales of his underbelly.

“I’m not foolish enough to not know that I have something stuck in my flesh. And I already told you, that you need to learn first. If I were to tell you everything it would only draw unwanted attention. You’re smart. Use your brain, little one.”

“Fine.” I sigh. “And eventually you could call me Aelin, you know.” I take the time to examine every row of his scales. One of the biggest dangers to dragons are the smallest things they can’t remove that penetrate between the scales, causing infection.

“I know,” he replies. “And I could call you Sunshine like the wingleader.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” I narrow my eyes as I move forward, checking where his chest begins to rise. “And you know how much that ass annoys me.”

“Annoys you?” Aon chuckles above me, the sound like a chuffing cat. “Is that what you call it when your heart rate—”

“Don’t even start with me.”

A growl rumbles through Aon’s chest above me and vibrates my very bones.

I turn around to see what made Aon annoyed.

It’s Dain. He approaches Violet.

Oh shit. I know that they haven’t spoken to each other since Threshing.

“You should watch over your friend. He seems angry.”

“Thanks mother hen, I can see it. But I won’t interfere, they need to talk it out.” I say as I watch them.

“Fine. But if he touches you, I will scorch him.” Aon grumbles.

“What? Why would he touch me?” I ask him.

„I’m hungry. I think I’ll partake in a flock of sheep.” He launches with great beats of his wings.

Hm. Interesting.

I see as Violet motions at Rhiannon to go on without her, and she walks ahead with the others, leaving Dain and her to bring up the rear.

I fall back at the edge of the field. I won’t leave her alone with him after Aon’s comment.

I act like someone who is looking for something in the grass. No one has accused me of creativity yet.

“Why didn’t you tell me you can’t keep your fucking seat?” I hear Dain shouts at her, grabbing her elbow.

What the fuck?

“I’m sorry?!” Violet yanks her arm out of his hold.

“All this time, I’ve been letting Kaori teach you, thinking he must have everything under control. After all, if the rider of the strongest dragon in the quadrant couldn’t keep her seat, then surely we’d all know.” He rips his hand over his hair. “Surely I would know if my best friend fell every fucking day that she flew!”

“It’s not a secret!” She shouts back. “Everyone in our wing knows! I’m sorry if you haven’t been keeping tabs on your squad, but trust me, Dain. Everyone knows. And I’m not going to stand here while you lecture me like I’m a child.” Violet turns around to follow our wing.

“You didn’t tell me,” he says, anger in his voice giving way to hurt as he catches up with her as I walk slowly after them.

“There’s not a problem.” She shakes her head. “Tairn can keep me buckled in magically if he needs to. I’m the one asking him to loosen the restraints. And I’d think twice before you question him. He’s more of the char-first-ask-questions-later type.”

“It’s a huge problem, because he can’t channel—

Oh shit, Dain. You’re digging your own grave.

„His full powers?” She asks as we make it out of the field, heading toward the steps that descend next to the Gauntlet. “I know that. Why do you think I’m up there asking him to loosen up?”

“You’ve been flying for a month, and you’re still falling.” I hear his voice as he follows Violet down the staircase.

“So is half the wing, Dain!”

“Not a dozen times, they aren’t,” he shoots back. He’s on her heels as she picks up her pace toward the path that will lead back to the citadel. “I just want to help you, Vi. How can I help?”

I halt at the mouth of the tunnel to give them some place. I’ve never seen Violet so angry before.

But I’m proud of her.

I slowly walk after them. I hope they’re done with the arguing.

„This place cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever you are at your core.” I hear Violet’s voice. “Isn’t that what you said to me? Is this who you really are at your core? Someone so enamored with rules that he doesn’t know when to bend or break them for someone he cares about? Someone so focused on the least I’m capable of doing, he can’t believe I can do so much more?”

Come on Vi, tell him!

“Let’s get one thing straight, Dain.” She takes a step closer. “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.”

Sunlight overpowers me for a second as I walk into the courtyard after Vi. Classes are out for the afternoon, and I see Xaden and Garrick leaned up against the wall of the academic building like gods surveying their domain.

Xaden arches a dark eyebrow as she passes by.

She flips him the middle finger.

Oh wow, she is really pissed off.

“Everything all right?” I ask as I catch up to her.

“Dain is an ass—”

“Make it stop!” someone screams, rushing down the steps of the rotunda and holding his head. It’s a first-year in Third Wing who sits two rows beneath me in Battle Brief and perpetually drops his quill. “For gods’ sake, make it stop!” he shrieks, stumbling into the courtyard.

My hands hover over my blades.

A shadow moves to my left, and a glance tells me Xaden has moved, casually putting himself just ahead of Violet.

My heart clenches.

The crowd hollows, forming a circle around the first-year as he screams, clutching his head.

“Jeremiah!” someone shouts, coming forward.

“You!” Jeremiah spins, pointing his finger at the third-year. “You think I’ve lost it!” His head tilts, and his eyes flare. “How does he know? He shouldn’t know!” His tone shifts, like the words aren’t his own.

Chills race down my spine, dragging my stomach to the ground. Oh fuck.

“And you!” He spins again, pointing at a second-year in First Wing. “What the hell is wrong with him? Why is he screaming?” He turns again, focused on Dain. “Is Violet going to hate me forever? Why can’t she see that I just want to keep her alive? How is he…? He’s reading my thoughts!”

Jeremiah’s signet power is manifesting. He can read minds—an inntinnsic. His power is a death sentence.

Violet stumbles backward on my left—gently shoved back—and I don’t need to look to know whose muscled arm now brushes my shoulder as Violet stands behind us. The scent of mint somehow steadies my heartbeat. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Liam as he stands on my right.

Jeremiah unsheathes his shortsword. “Make it stop! Can’t any of you see? The thoughts won’t stop!” His panic is palpable, clogging my own throat.

“Do something,” Violet begs Xaden, glancing up at him.

His unwavering, lethal focus is on Jeremiah, but his body tenses at her plea.

“Start mentally reciting whatever book you can think of.” I turn to Violet.

“I’m sorry?” She asks, looking at me with wide eyes.

„If you value your secrets, clear your thoughts. Now,” I order her. “He’s an inntinnsic and you really don’t want him to read your mind.”

“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.

I swallow the boulder in my throat.

Damn. I don’t want to know what Garrick was thinking.

A professor pushes through the crowd, his shock of white hair bouncing with every step of his large frame.

“He’s an inntinnsic!” someone shouts, and that seems to be all that’s necessary.

The professor grips Jeremiah’s head with both hands, and a crack echoes off the walls of the silent courtyard. Xaden’s shadows melt away and Jeremiah falls to the ground, his head at an unnatural, macabre angle. His neck is broken.

The professor bends down and lifts Jeremiah’s body with surprising strength, carrying him into the rotunda.

Xaden inhales sharply beside me, then walks away with Garrick, headed toward the academic wing. Nice to see you, too.

“Maybe I don’t want a signet power after all,” Ridoc murmurs.

“That death is merciful compared to what will happen if you don’t manifest one,” Dain says, and I swear I start to feel my relic burn across my back even though my dragon hasn’t started channeling.

“And that,” Sawyer says from Rhiannon’s side, “was Professor Carr.”

…

“What did you learn today?” I hear a voice and see The General in front of me.

“What?” I ask slightly disoriented.

Where am I? And how did I get here?

“Don’t you even understand simple questions? You’re useless!” He steps closer with a dagger in his hand. “What did that marked boy thought when the inntinnsic read his mind?”

“I… I don’t know.” I stutter as I tried to step back, but my legs don’t move. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“Don’t lie to me!” He shouts and steps closer. “Your only value is the information you bring. Now tell me!”

“I didn’t hear anything! I swear.” I whisper in a broken voice. I can’t betray them.

“Would you die for them?” He growls inches from me.

“Please.” I beg and I see as he raises his dagger, ready to use it.

I shut my eyes and I can feel tears running down on my face.

„WAKE.” A familiar, consuming voice rumbles through my dreams. A voice that doesn’t belong here.

“You’re useless. I should have let you die.”

„Wake up!” The walls around me tremble, and my heart jolts. “Now!”

My eyes fly open, and I gasp as the dream disintegrates. I’m not there. I’m in my room in the Riders Quadrant.

It was a nightmare. Only a nightmare.

“Move!” Aon bellows. “Your friend is in danger!”

What?

I quickly get up and grab my daggers as I wipe off my tears.

“Violet? Is she in danger?” I ask Aon as I run out of my room.

I wear the armor which Mira gave me, and a short. It’s not the best for a fight but it will do.

“Yes.”

I quickly made my way toward Violet’s room and my blood freezes at scene what I see after I open her door.

One of the unbonded is gripping Vi’s throat as he holds her against the wall.

“Now you’re fucking dead!” I growl at them as I feel the rage inside me.

“Shit. It’s Melgren!” One of them shouts as they turn toward me.

I move my blade and fend off one attack from the left, slicing down a woman’s forearm, and then another to the right, stabbing into a man’s thigh. I quickly bring up my dagger and slice it across his throat.

I can feel his blood on my face, but I don’t have time to wipe it off.

I kick out with my heel and catch another in the gut as he attacks, sending him careening back onto Violet’s bed, his sword tumbling after him.

“Stop, or I will kill her!” I hear the man says who holds Violet.

I freeze and look at them. He holds his dagger against Violet’s throat.

Shit. I try to come up with a plan to save us, but they have the advantage.

Think Aelin! Think!

“Drop your daggers!” He orders. “Now!”

I open my hands and I hear my daggers rattle on the floor.

The woman whose arm was cut quickly collects them.

“Now you’re not that confident aren’t you?” The other man who is with them asks as he punches me in the face.

Damn. It hurts.

I can feel the blood in my mouth. My lips been split.

“Cat got your tounge, Melgren?” He teases.

“You hit like a girl.” I say as I spit the blood in his face.

“Bitch.” He growls and lands a punch in my ribs.

I bend forward trying to catch my breath, and he kicks my legs out from under me.

“Do you have anything else to say?” He asks as he grabs my hair and pulls my head back.

„He’s almost there!” Aon promises, panic lacing his tone.

He who? I can’t breathe.

“Oh, a lot.” I smile at him mockingly. I try to distract them until ‘he’ arrives.

I hear a crack and pain radiates from my nose along with my blood.

He fucking broke my nose.

“Finish her!” one of them yells toward Violet’s captor. “He’ll only respect us if we finish her!”

Shit. They’re after Tairn.

Air rushes into my lungs as I watch as cold metal caresses her throat, the oxygen flooding my blood and clearing my head enough to realize this is it. We’re going to die. From one heartbeat to what will probably be my last, an overwhelming sorrow seizes my chest, and I can’t help but wonder if I would have made it. Would I have been strong enough to graduate? Would I have become worthy of Aon?

The bedroom door flies open, the wood splintering as it slams against the stone wall, but I don’t have a chance to turn to see who is standing there before I can feel something strange.

I lock eyes with Vi and it’s as if everyone in this room is frozen in place…except us.

#fourth wing #fanfiction #fourth wing fanfic #liam mairi #the fourth wing #violet sorrengail #xaden riorson #oc #the empyrean #xaden x oc #tairn #dragons #madness #ridoc gamlyn #sawyer fourth wing #rhiannon matthias #imogen fourth wing

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