Page 543 - Fourth Wing

take this.”

Raising his right arm, he takes a black-handled dagger from the sheath at
his side. I’m brutally aware of every move, horrifyingly aware that he’s

been able to kill me whenever he wants, and this moment is no different.

Though it would have been a swifter death if he’d simply used one of the
swords strapped across his back. He moves slowly, extending the dagger as

an offering.

I take it, noting the sharpened blade, but it’s the alloy embedded into the
rune-marked hilt that makes me gasp. “You took this from my mother’s

desk?” My gaze jumps to his.

“No. Your mother probably has one for the same reason you should. To
defend against venin.” There’s so much pity in his eyes that my chest

tightens.
The dagger. The raids. It’s all right there.

“But you told me there was no chance we could be fighting something

like this,” I whisper, clinging to the last of my hope that this is all a horrible
joke.

“No.” He moves closer, reaching for me and then dropping his hand as if
he’s thought better of it. “I told you I would hope that if this threat was out

there, our leadership would tell us.”

“You twisted the truth to suit your needs.” My hand curls around the
dagger’s hilt, and I feel it hum with power. Venin are real. Venin. Are. Real.

“Yes. And I could lie to you, Violence, but I’m not. No matter what you

think right now, I have never lied to you.”
Sure. Right. “And how do I know this is the truth?”

“Because it hurts to think we’re the kind of kingdom that would do this. It

hurts to rearrange everything you think you know. Lies are comforting.
Truth is painful.”

I feel the hum of power within the blade and glare at Xaden. “You could
have told me at any time, but instead you hid everything from me.”