Page 73 - Fourth Wing

reach. “I have to get to class.” Already, there are a few voices echoing in the

rotunda as cadets pass through.
His jaw works for a second, and the lines are back between his eyebrows.

“Just do your best to keep a low profile, especially when we’re in Battle

Brief. Not like the colors in your hair don’t give you away, but that’s the
one class the entire quadrant takes. I’ll see if one of the second-years can

stand guard—”

“No one is going to assassinate me during history.” I roll my eyes.
“Academics are the one place I don’t have to worry. What is Xaden going

to do? Pull me out of class and run me through with a sword in the middle

of the hallway? Or do you honestly think he’ll stab me in the middle of
Battle Brief?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s fucking ruthless, Violet. Why do you
think his dragon chose him?”

“The navy-blue one who landed behind the dais yesterday?” My stomach

twists. The way those golden eyes assessed me…
Dain nods. “Sgaeyl is a Blue Daggertail, and she’s…vicious.” He

swallows. “Don’t get me wrong. Cath is a nasty piece of work when he gets
riled—all Red Swordtails are—but even most dragons steer clear of

Sgaeyl.”

I stare at Dain, at the scar that defines his jaw and the hard set of his eyes
that are familiar and yet not.

“What?” he asks. The voices around us grow louder, and there are more

footsteps coming and going.
“You bonded a dragon. You have powers I don’t even know about. You

open doors with magic. You’re a squad leader.” I say the sentences slowly,

hoping they’ll sink in, that I’ll truly grasp how much he’s changed. “It’s just
hard to wrap my head around you still being…Dain.”

“I’m still me.” His posture softens, and he lifts the short sleeve of his
tunic, revealing the relic of a red dragon on his shoulder. “I just have this