Page 551 - Fourth Wing

arms over his chest, standing at my side. “According to the missive, if we

leave now, we’ll make it to the new location of headquarters for Fourth
Wing at Eltuval in time to carry out our orders for War Games, but if we

leave, the trading post of Resson and its occupants will be destroyed.”

“By what?” Imogen asks.
“Venin,” Liam responds.

My stomach drops.

“You’re positive?” Xaden asks.
Liam nods. “As sure as I can be without having actually seen them

before. Four of them. Purple robes. Distended red veins spidering all around

bright red eyes. Creepy as shit.”
“Sounds about right.” Xaden’s weight shifts.

“I liked it better when we just delivered the weapons,” Bodhi mutters.
“Oh, and one guy with a giant-ass staff,” Liam continues. “And I swear to

Dunne, one second the plain was clear and the next they were just…there,

walking toward the gates.” His eyes are wide, his pupils blown as he uses
his signet to see to the bottom of the valley.

“Red veins?” Imogen asks.
“Because magic corrupts their blood as they lose their souls,” I murmur,

looking up at Xaden, wondering if he remembers what Andarna said the

night we took the tunnel to the flight field. “Nature likes everything in
balance.”

Every head but Liam’s swings my way.

“If the fables are true, at least.” A part of me hopes they are, or I know
next to nothing about the enemy below. Of course, if they’re true…

“Seven gryphons have landed next to us,” Tairn tells me.

Everyone else stiffens, no doubt receiving the same message from their
dragons.

“Andarna, stay with Tairn,” I say. Xaden might trust the fliers, but
Andarna is damn near defenseless.