Page 330 - Fourth Wing

“Not behind yours anymore.” His jaw ticks. “I made sure of it.”

“Because I’m supposed to trust you?”
“Yes.” A vein in his neck bulges.

“And you make it so easy.” Sarcasm drips from my voice.

“You know I can’t kill you. Fuck, Sorrengail, the entire quadrant knows I
can’t kill you.” He leans into my space, eclipsing the rest of the room.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t hurt me.”

He blinks and shifts backward, composing himself in less than a heartbeat
while mine still races. “Stop training with a bow staff. It’s too easy to knock

out of your hands. Stick to the daggers.”

To my surprise, he doesn’t snatch it away just to prove he can.
“I was doing just fine until Tairn barged into my head with all his anger

and distracted me,” I argue, my defenses rising like the hackles of a dog.
“Then learn how to block him out.” He says it like it’s just that simple.

“What, with all this power I’m wielding?” My brows rise. “Or were you

unaware that I’m still not channeling?” I want to throttle him, to shake
some ever-loving sense into that beautiful head of his.

He leans in so we’re almost nose to nose. “I am annoyingly aware of
everything you do.”

Thanks to Liam.

Every inch of my body vibrates with anger, with irritation, with…
whatever this electric tension is between us as we stand there, our eyes

locked in combat.

“Wingleader Riorson,” Dain starts. “She’s just not used to the bond yet.
She’ll learn how to block it out.”

Dain’s words sting like a blow. I inhale sharply and step back from

Xaden. Good gods, we’ve been putting on a fucking show. What is it about
Xaden that makes me tune out the rest of the world?

“You choose the oddest times to defend her, Aetos.” Xaden all but rolls
his eyes as he looks at Dain. “And the most convenient times not to.”