Page 537 - Fourth Wing

Instantly, the atmosphere changes, intensifies, and the riders around me

seem to brace for something.
Xaden looks over his shoulder at me, and instead of laughing at the utter

absurdity of what they’re discussing, his face is set in grim lines.

“If you think you’ll ever convince a Sorrengail to risk their neck for
anyone outside their own borders, then you’re a fool,” the man says with a

sneer in my direction.

Power sizzles painfully beneath my skin, demanding an outlet.
The man leans slightly to the side and looks me up and down in obvious

judgment. “I wonder what your king would be willing to pay in order to get

back the daughter of his most illustrious general. I’m willing to bet your
ransom would be worth enough weaponry to defend all of Draithus for a

decade.”
Ransom? Oh, I think not.

Tairn snarls.

“Fuck,” Bodhi mutters, moving closer to me.
“Try. I dare you.” I crook my fingers at them, releasing just enough

power that light flashes within the clouds above us.
Shadows race menacingly from the pine trees on the edge of the meadow

as Xaden raises his hands at his sides, and both gryphon riders tense when

the darkness pauses only inches from their feet. “You take a step toward
that Sorrengail and you’ll be dead before you can even shift your weight,”

Xaden says, his voice dropping lethally. “She’s not up for discussion.”

The woman glances at the shadows, then sighs. “We’ll be there with the
rest of our drift. Just signal if you can get away from the disbelievers.” She

walks away, leading the man back toward their gryphons.

They mount within seconds and launch skyward.
Every head turns toward me with looks that vary from expectation to

something akin to fear, and my stomach sinks. No one was surprised at the
gryphon riders’ familiarity or throwing words like “venin” around. And