Page 523 - Fourth Wing

second-year, because I don’t, but Sgaeyl and Tairn can’t be separated for

longer than a few days—”
Of course. Now it makes sense.

“That you know of!” Dain exclaims. “Or can you honestly tell me Sgaeyl

was at her wit’s end when you showed up at Montserrat? You’ve never fully
tested how long they can be apart.”

“Feel like asking her yourself?” Xaden quips, arching a brow.

A low growl rumbles as Sgaeyl stalks forward, menace gleaming in her
eyes. My heart launches into my throat on Dain’s behalf. It doesn’t matter

how often I’m around her—there’s always a part of me that sees her as the

death sentence she is.
“Don’t do this. Riders are known to die during War Games, and she’s

safer with me,” Dain argues. “Anything could happen once we’re away
from Basgiath, let alone you taking her beyond the wards.”

“I’m not dignifying that with a response. This is an order.”

Dain’s eyes narrow. “Or has this been your plan all along? To separate her
from her squad so you can use her to get your need for revenge on her

mother?”
“Dain!” I shake my head at him. “You know that’s not going to happen.”

“Do I?” he fires back. “He’s made a big deal out of the whole if-she-dies-

I-die thing, but do you know it for a fact? Do you know Tairn won’t survive
your death? Or has it all been a ploy to earn your trust, Violet?”

I suck in a sharp breath. “You need to stop right now.”

“Please, do quit while you’re behind, Aetos,” Xaden seethes. “You want
the truth? She’s a fuck of a lot safer with me beyond the wards than she is

with you within them. We both know it.” The look in his eyes is similar to

the one in Sgaeyl’s, and it dawns on me why she chose him. They’re both
ruthless, both willing to annihilate whatever stands between them and what

they want.
And Dain is in Xaden’s path.