Page 146 - Fourth Wing

you with the first-years. It’s not like you’d have to wait until next

Conscription Day or anything.”
“You what?” I twist, breaking my hold, and back away from my best

friend.

“I saw a way to get you out of danger, and I took it.” He stands.
“You went behind my back because you think I’m not cutting it.” The

truth of the words tightens around my chest like a vise, cutting off my air

instead of holding me together, leaving me weak and breathless. Dain
knows me better than anyone, and if he still thinks I can’t do this after I’ve

made it this far…

Tears well in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Instead, I tuck my chin
and grab my dragon-scale vest, pull it over my head, then wrench the laces

together at the small of my back and tie them.
Dain sighs. “I never said I don’t think you can cut it, Violet.”

“You say it every day!” I snap. “You say it when you walk me from

formation to class, which I know makes you late for flight line. You say it
when you yell at your wingleader when he takes me to the mat—”

“He had no right to—”
“He’s my wingleader!” I shrug my tunic over my head. “He has the right

to do whatever he wants—including execute me.”

“And that’s why you need to get the hell out of here!” Dain laces his
fingers behind his neck and begins to pace. “I’ve been watching, Vi. He’s

just toying with you, like a cat plays with a mouse before the kill.”

“I’ve held my own so far.” My satchel is heavy with books as I settle it
over my shoulder. “I’ve won every challenge—”

“Except today when he wiped the floor with you time and again.” He

grasps my shoulders. “Or did you miss the part where he took every
weapon so you knew exactly how easy it is to defeat you?”

I raise my chin and glare at him. “I was there, and I’ve survived almost
two months in this place, which is more than I can say for a fourth of my