Page 438 - Fourth Wing

degree that nears pain.

Tairn flares his wings, catching air and pulling out of the dive.
“You’re going to have to work on those shoulder muscles, Silver One.

We’ll practice this week.”

Leaning as far as I can out of the saddle, I see Andarna clutched in
Tairn’s claw as we level out in a glide along the valley floor.

“Thanks! I’ve got it now,” Andarna says, and Tairn lets her free.

Power rattles my bones, as if it’s looking for a way out, and I force
myself upright. It’s different than usual…like instead of standing ready to

be molded by my hands, it wants to mold me.

A moment of fear skitters along my spine. What if the backlash of power
from not manifesting a signet has chosen today to finally release? I shake

my head. I do not have time to worry about what might happen—not in the
middle of the War Games. My power is just feeling free because I’m finally

not so focused on falling out of my seat. That’s all it is.

Sitting tall in the saddle, I sweep my unsteady gaze along the landscape
as Tairn begins to climb again, and my heart stutters. Up high on the

western ridgeline is a gray tower that almost blends in to the cliffside. I
would have missed it if not for the—

“Is that what I think it is?” Fear only feeds the uncontrollable energy

prickling my skin.
Tairn’s head is already turned in that direction. “Dragons.”

I glance over my shoulder toward Liam and Rhiannon and see that Tairn

must have relayed the message, because we break formation, scattering as
three dragons launch from the cliff above us, diving in different directions.

We’ve given them multiple targets, but now we’ll face them one-on-one.

A hail of ice pellets strikes my skin, bouncing off Tairn’s scales, but he’s
forced to tuck his wings in tight to avoid damage.

My stomach launches into my throat as we free-fall, the valley floor
rising up at us at an alarming rate. Heat and energy threaten to devour every