Page 283 - Fourth Wing

the perfect level for me to run my fingers through the thickness. It’s

probably the only thing that’s soft about him. How many women have felt
those strands between their fingers?

Why the hell do I care?

“You’re going to have to walk through the pain, and we have to do it
fast.” He grabs a boot, then taps my foot. “Can you lift it up?”

I nod, lifting my foot. Then he robs me of every logical thought by

putting on my boots and lacing them one at a time.
This is the same man who had no problems with my death just a few

months ago, and my brain can’t seem to wrap itself around the different

sides of him.
“Let’s go.” He wraps my cloak around my shoulders and buttons it at my

collar like I’m something precious. Now I know I’m in shock because I’m
anything but precious to Xaden Riorson. His gaze drifts over my hair and

he blinks once before tugging my hood up over the fading dark-to-light

mass. Then he grasps my hand and tugs me into the hallway. His fingers are
strong as they curl around mine, his grip firm but not too tight.

Every other door is shut. The attack wasn’t even loud enough to rouse my
neighbors. I’d be dead by now if Xaden hadn’t shown up, even if I had

managed to get out of Oren’s hold. But how did that happen?

“Where are we going?” The hallways are dimly lit by blue mage lights,
the kind that signal it’s still night for those without windows.

“Keep talking loud enough for others to hear, and someone will stop us

before we get anywhere.”
“Can’t you just hide us in shadows or something?”

“Sure, because a giant black cloud moving down the hallway isn’t going

to look more suspicious than a couple sneaking around.” He shoots me a
look that keeps me from countering.

Point taken.
Not that we’re a couple.