Page 132 - Fourth Wing

raised. “But you’ll only be a hazard to your wing.”

He charges at me, but his footwork is sluggish and I spin away, landing a
punch to his kidney before bouncing back on my heels and palming a

dagger.

“I’m no more a hazard than you are,” I accuse.
His chest heaves once and sweat dots his forehead, but he shakes it off,

blinking rapidly as he reaches for his own knife. “My sister is a healer. I’ve

heard your bones snap like twigs.”
“Why don’t you come find out?” I force a smile and wait for him to

charge again, because that’s what he does. I’ve had three sessions to watch

him from a few mats over. He’s a bull, all power and no grace.
His entire body rolls like he’s going to vomit, and he covers his mouth

with his empty hand, breathing deeply before standing straight again. I
should attack, but instead I wait. And then he charges, his blade held high in

a striking position.

My heart pounds as I wait the torturous heartbeats it takes for him to
reach me, my brain somehow convincing my body to hold my ground until

the last possible second. He swings his knife downward, and I dodge to the
left, nicking his side with my blade in the process, then turn and deliver a

kick to his back, sending him sprawling.

Now.
He falls to the mat, and I take immediate advantage, digging a knee into

his spine just like Imogen had with me and putting my blade to his throat.

“Yield.” Who needs strength when you have speed and steel?
“No!” he shouts, but his body undulates under mine, and he retches,

bringing up everything he’s eaten since breakfast and splattering it across

the mat to the side of us.
So fucking gross.

“Oh my gods,” Rhiannon calls out, disgust dripping from her tone.
“Yield,” I demand again, but he’s heaving in earnest now and I have to