Page 542 - Fourth Wing

watches, his head low as though he might have to incinerate Xaden at any

moment. “Care to add to the discussion?”
“Not yet. I’d prefer you come to your own conclusion. I chose you for

your intelligence and courage, Silver One. Don’t let me down.”

I barely restrain myself from flipping the middle finger at my own
dragon.

“Fine. Were I to believe venin exist and roam the Continent wielding dark

magic, then I’d also have to believe they never attack Navarre because…”
My eyes widen at the possibility’s logical conclusion. “Because our wards

make all non-dragon magic impossible.”

“Yes.” He shifts his weight. “They’d be powerless the second they cross
into Navarre.”

Fuck, that makes sense, and I desperately don’t want it to. “Which means
I would have to believe that we have no clue that Poromiel is being

relentlessly, viciously attacked by dark wielders just beyond our borders.”

My brow furrows.
He glances away and takes a deep breath before looking me in the eye.

“Or you have to believe that we know and choose to do nothing about it.”
Indignation lifts my chin. “Why the hell would we choose to do nothing

about people being slaughtered? It goes against everything we stand for.”

“Because the only thing that kills venin is the very thing powering our
wards.”

He doesn’t say anything else as we stand there, the only sound the water

lapping against the shore in time with the echo of his words beating against
the edges of my heart.

“Is this why there have been raids along our borders? They’re looking for

the material we use to power our wards?” I ask. Not because I believe him,
not yet, but because he’s not trying to convince me. The truth rarely needs

effort, my dad used to say.
He nods. “The material is forged into weapons to fight the venin. Here,