Page 269 - Fourth Wing

“And you just took her word for it? Without asking me what happened?”

“She’s a wingleader, Vi. I’m not about to question her integrity!”
“I proved myself with the Codex, and Riorson accepted it. He’s a

wingleader, too.”

“Fine. You made it up. Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t stand myself if
something happened to you, whether you were handling the trial the right or

wrong way. And then I thought you’d be fine if you survived Threshing, but

even bonded to the strongest of them…” He shakes his head.
“Go ahead. Say it.” My hands curl into fists, my nails biting into my

palms.

“I’m terrified you’re not going to make it to graduation, Vi.” His
shoulders slump. “You know exactly how I feel about you, whether or not I

can do anything about it, and I’m terrified.”
It’s that last line that does me in. Laughter bubbles up through my throat

and escapes.

His eyes widen.
“This place cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever

you are at your core.” I repeat his words from this summer. “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?”

The warmth drains from his brown eyes.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Dain.” I take a step closer, but the distance
between us only widens. “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.” I move
to the side and march past him through the tunnel, forcing air through my