Page 168 - Fourth Wing

that?” If he knows…if he tells, Dain is in danger.

A wicked smile curves Xaden’s perfect lips. “I know everything that goes
on here.” Darkness swirls around us. “Shadows, remember? They hear

everything, see everything, conceal everything.” The rest of the world

disappears. He could do anything to me in here and no one would be the
wiser.

“My mother would definitely reward you if you told her about Dain’s

plan,” I say softly.
“She’d definitely reward you for telling her about my little…what did you

call it? Club.”

“I’m not going to tell her.” The words sound defensive.
“I know. It’s why you’re still alive.” He holds my gaze locked with his.

“Here’s the thing, Sorrengail. Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing. It steals
your focus and aims it toward the possibilities instead of keeping it where it

belongs—on the probabilities.”

“So I’m supposed to what? Not hope that I live? Just plan for death?”
“You’re supposed to focus on the things that can kill you so you find

ways to not die.” He shakes his head. “I can barely count the number of
people in this quadrant who want you dead, either as revenge against your

mother or because you’re just really good at pissing people off, but you’re

still here, defying the odds.” Shadows wrap around me, and I swear I feel a
caress along the side of my wounded cheek. “It’s been rather surprising to

watch, actually.”

“Happy to be your entertainment. I’m going to bed.” Spinning on my
heel, I head toward the entrance to the barracks, but he’s right behind me,

close enough that the door would slam in his face if he wasn’t so

unnaturally fast at catching it.
“Maybe if you stopped sulking in your self-pity, you’d see that you have

everything you need to scale the Gauntlet,” he calls after me, his voice
echoing down the hallway.