Page 292 - Fourth Wing

could I not see it before now? Her rounded eyes, her paws…

“Of course, you wouldn’t know. Feathertails aren’t supposed to be seen,”
Tairn says, glancing sideways at his mate.

She doesn’t even roll her eyes.

“If leadership knew riders could take her gifts for themselves, rather than
depending on their own signets…” Xaden says, staring at Andarna as she

blinks slower and slower.

“She’d be hunted,” I finish quietly.
“Which is why you can’t tell anyone what she is,” Sgaeyl says.

“Hopefully she’ll mature once you’re out of the quadrant, and the elders

are already placing more…stringent protections on the feathertails.”
“I won’t,” I promise. “Andarna, thank you. Whatever you did saved my

life.”
“I made time stop.” Her mouth drops open into another jaw-cracking

yawn. “But only for a little bit.”

Wait. What? My stomach hits the ground as I stare into Andarna’s golden
eyes and forget the pain, the solid earth beneath my feet, even the need to

breathe as shock rolls through me, robbing me of logic.
No one can stop time. Nothing can stop it. It’s…unheard of.

“What did she say?” Xaden asks, gripping my shoulders to steady me.

Tairn growls and a puff of steam blasts us both.
“I’d take your hands off the rider,” Sgaeyl warns.

Xaden loosens his grip but continues to cradle my shoulders. “Tell me

what she said. Please.” His mouth tightens and I know that last bit cost him.
“She can pause time,” I force out, stumbling over my words. “Briefly.”

Xaden’s features slacken, and for the first time, he doesn’t look like the

stalwart, lethal wingleader I met on the parapet. He’s flat-out shocked as his
gaze swings to Andarna. “You can stop time?”

“And now we can stop it.” She blinks slowly, and I can feel exhaustion
wafting off her. Channeling that gift to me tonight cost her. She can barely