Page 410 - Fourth Wing

One by one, she tosses painted wooden models of dragons at us, keeping

one for herself. “Pretend Messina and Exal don’t exist back there, and we’re
the only squad available to take back that keep. Think of the power in this

room. Think of what each individual rider brings to the table and how you’d

use those powers in unison to conquer your objective.”
“But they don’t teach that to first-years,” Liam says slowly from the other

side of me.

Mira glances at the whirls of magic on his wrist, but to Liam’s credit, he
doesn’t tug his sleeve down. It’s hard to remember sometimes that the third-

years are the first riders who will serve with the children of the leaders of

the Tyrrish uprising—an uprising that could have left our borders eventually
defenseless and the innocent people of Navarre war casualties. Everyone in

this room has become accustomed to Liam, Imogen…even Xaden. But
those in active service have never flown with anyone marked by a rebellion

relic.

The Tyrrish riders who remained loyal to Navarre during the uprising
were promoted, not punished, and the riders who turned against king and

country were killed or executed. And just like my grief at Brennan’s loss
was directed at Xaden that first day at the parapet, there will be more than

one rider who misdirects their own anger at marked riders.

I clear my throat.
Mira’s gaze meets mine, and I lift an eyebrow at her in clear warning.

Don’t fuck with my friends.

Her eyes widen ever so slightly, and she directs her attention back to
Liam. “They might not teach you this battle strategy as first-years because

you’re all busy trying to stay on your dragons. You had your first taste of

strategy during the Squad Battle, and it’s almost May, which means final
War Games should be beginning, right?”

“Two weeks,” Dain answers.
“Good timing, then. Not all of you will survive the games if you’re not