Page 232 - Fourth Wing

Heat rushes through every vein, wakes every nerve ending. I hate the

reaction of my body to the sight of him, but I can’t deny it. His appeal is so
fucking inconvenient.

“You manipulated Threshing.” Dain’s hands drop from my shoulders, and

he turns to face our wingleader, the set of his shoulders rigid as he puts
himself between us.

Oh shit, that’s a huge allegation to hurl.

“Dain, that’s…” Paranoid. I sidestep Dain’s back. If Xaden was going to
kill me, he wouldn’t have waited this long to do it. He’s had every possible

opportunity, and yet I’m still standing here. Bonded. To his dragon’s mate.

Xaden’s not going to kill me. The realization makes my chest tighten,
makes me reexamine everything that happened in that field, makes my

sense of gravity shift beneath my feet.
“Is that an official accusation?” Xaden looks at Dain like a hindrance, an

annoyance.

“Did you step in?” Dain demands.
“Did I what?” Xaden arches a dark brow and levels a look on Dain that

would make a lesser person wither. “Did I see her outnumbered and already
wounded? Did I think her bravery was as admirable as it was fucking

reckless?” He turns that stare on me, and I feel the impact all the way to my

toes.
“And I would do it again.” I raise my chin.

“Well-the-fuck-aware,” Xaden roars, losing his temper for the first time

since I met him on Parapet.
I pull in a quick breath, and Xaden does the same, as if he’s just as

shocked by his outburst as I am.

“Did I see her fight off three bigger cadets?” His glare pivots to Dain.
“Because the answer to all of those is yes. But you’re asking the wrong

question, Aetos. What you should be asking is if Sgaeyl saw it, too.”
Dain swallows and looks away, obviously rethinking his position.