Page 328 - Fourth Wing

Liam stands, putting himself between Jack and me as the first trickle of

air dances into my lungs.
“Simmer down, Mairi. I’m not going to attack your little charge. Not

when I can just challenge her in a couple of weeks and accidentally snap

her scrawny neck in front of an audience.” Jack folds his arms across his
chest and watches me struggle with pure pleasure. “Tell me, though, you are

getting tired of playing the nursemaid, aren’t you?” His friend from First

Wing offers him something—a slice of the orange he’s eating—and Jack
shoves his hand away at the wrist. “Get that noxious shit away from me. Do

you want me to end up in the infirmary?”

“Walk the fuck away, Barlowe,” Liam warns, dagger in hand.
I manage one breath, then two as Jack’s gaze rises from me to someone

standing behind me. That look on his face, half envy, half shitting himself,
means it has to be Xaden.

“She’s only alive because of you,” Jack spits, but the blood drains from

his face.
“Right, because I’m the one who buried a dagger in your shoulder at

Threshing.”
Finally breathing somewhat normally, I scramble for my feet, clutching

the staff with both hands.

“We could just settle this now,” Jack says, sidestepping Liam to look me
in the eyes. “If you’re done hiding behind the big, strong men.”

My stomach hollows out because he’s right. The only reason I don’t

accept his challenge is because I’m not sure I’ll win, and the only reason he
isn’t attacking me is because of Liam and Xaden. If I attack Jack now,

they’ll kill him. Garrick’s hulking frame appears to the left, and I

begrudgingly add him to my list of protectors. Hell, even Imogen has
inched closer, but not on my behalf.

It’s only on his.
“That’s what I thought,” Jack says, blowing me a kiss.