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skyfallscotland · 5 months ago

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Ok so Rebecca did a one hour panel today in Sydney with Lynette Noni hosting, where she asked questions and then they opened it to fans. I've kind of summarised the things I haven't seen mentioned over and over, but I don't frequent the subreddit anymore or use TikTok, so there might be overlap. In any case, it's long. Settle in. I've sectioned it into plot/character relevant first, then themes and interesting facts about her and her writing. Basically, you all came with me. 💗

• In book three (and every book thereafter) we'll be going to more and more new places. She specifically worded it as "watching the map expand" whether that's significant or not, I don't know. (I was thinking Isle Kingdoms for OS, but maybe that's just my wishful thinking).

• She implied Jack will have a reason (explained) for uh...being a power-hungry prick? lol

• She's hella defensive of Dain, which I love. #DainApologistsClub 😌 Some highlights include:

"You guys give Dain so much shit for the same thing Xaden does. You really do and you're so fast to forgive Xaden and not Dain. Why? Is it because he's hot?"

And, "when push comes to shove, all Dain did—yes he violated her boundaries, as does Xaden—but all he did was trust his dad when his best friend no longer spoke to him. That's it."

"When Dain looks at her (in the interrogation chamber) and says 'if you had just told me, none of this would have happened', he's not just talking about the interrogation, he's talking about Liam, he's talking about if she had just trusted him (in Fourth Wing) it never would have happened." 😢

• She was asked about Liam's appearance in the interrogation chamber and definitively put to rest any signet theories involving that. "She's so alone in that moment and...I don't read fan theories but sometimes they reach my ears; she's completely disconnected from her magic in that moment, she can't even reach out for Tairn or Andarna, which are the bonds that are actually most important to her. She can't reach out for Xaden. And that's the one person who would have prevented that from happening the last year, so it's natural that's who her mind would summon."

• She's thought about a spin-off series, but she's just trying to survive this series.

• Someone asked her if there'd be any redemption and romance for Jack Barlowe and honestly, thanks guys, I don't think she's ever coming back to this country 💀 ("Are you getting enough sleep? Uh...I mean, from his prison cell maybe? No.")

• Someone asked "what is Garrick's signet and why hasn't it been shown yet?" (shoutout to this girl, she's the real MVP) to which Rebecca said "it's very much in book three, I love it."

• Someone asked about the orange dragons and unpredictability re: Amber, Jack, Varrish and then Imogen and Brennan. Rebecca said some dragons might look for traits like their own and some look for balance because it's a partnership; and that Brennan as a strategist needed that little bit of unpredictability in his life (lol, I think he got it).

• She didn't always plan for Violet to have two dragons. Originally it was going to be one (Tairn) and the editor had hoped that she would sway towards a weaker, smaller dragon and she thought that was a little too close to Abraxos in ToG, and so they compromised and gave her both. She also went on to say she doesn't like overpowered heroines and since Tairn is extremely powerful, Andarna balanced that out. (I'm not...I'm not sure how that works out? But that's what was said.)

• We are definitely going to find out more about the original six (and Lynette asked if that was a spin-off possibility and was shushed, so she's thought about it at least, but I get the idea she's thought about a lot of possibilities 😂)

• There's no timeframe for the release of the final two books.

• Someone asked if Violet's dad was Malek to which she was kind of shocked. He's not a god, guys. And low-key I JUST WANT TO KNOW HIS NAME. 😤

• On Sgaeyl: "You do (get more of her) but holy crap is she pissed. So—I'll tell you that about Onyx Storm—she is really, really mad at Xaden and she's not exactly speaking to him at the moment. So it's hard for her to speak into that bond when she's not speaking to him." 💔

• She was asked about the Violet dated Halden theory (which was fucking hilarious because the poor girl misspoke and asked if Xaden dated the prince and we were all really confused about which TikToks the poor thing had seen (note to self: consider cam/xaden), anyway after we got to the bottom of that, Rebecca replied, "I think you should read the third book." Which I'm taking to mean, the man is making a damn appearance and we're gonna find out for ourselves �� Hey, if I'm lucky maybe we'll even find out his surname

• Finally she said she has EP on the Amazon series, they've all been exceptionally protective of it and that she's happy with how it's going (they're not near casting yet and she doesn't want to really comment on that ever, to leave each role open to as diverse a cast as possible). She said the production team has come to the signings in LA to meet readers and see what they love and are passionate about when it comes to the series to make sure that's honoured.

"Like I mean, I've seen certain...like what can I say without getting tackled to the ground? Let's just say they've already taken steps to make sure that what you guys love about the story is envisioned and that it's not run amok. And I'm very happy with it, they're super protective of it." Which could just be me reading into it, but the first place my brain went was the dragons 👀🐉 and the CGI or whatever.

• She was asked about where the inspiration for the universe came from and she said that when her Entangled decided they were going to do romantasy they asked her for five pitches and Fourth Wing was one of them (she won't say what the others were because she might still write them someday). She said she likes the fated mates trope but she wondered what that would look like if the dragons were the ones mated, not the humans and the humans who couldn't stand each other were forced to be around each other because of this.

• Her first ever book was romantasy but it didn't sell

• She's never really written enemies to lovers before.

• She likes found family themes because she was raised in a military family and moved around a lot, so that makes it hard to keep in touch with your extended family, and after she married her husband and became a military wife, it was their found family that was there for her—it was her found family who helped her move her house, who sat with her when her husband was injured in Iraq, etc, so she thinks it's very important to show that your family is also the people you choose and that can be just as strong as any blood tie.

• She was asked (by Lynette) why she wanted to show death and the reality of war and she said, "I've been surrounded by it. My husband's been at war since 2003, he spent 22 years in the army, first as a 19 Delta cavalry scout and then ten years as an apache pilot and we buried our friends. And I saw what it did to him, and I saw what it did to our friends, I saw what it did to our children, to us, and I love being able to examine it from a fantasy perspective just because I think fantasy gives us a unique environment from which to critique our own world by viewing it through the lens of another. And I've always delved into those themes as to why we do this to each other and where is there hope to stop it?"

• As an author her favourite scenes in Fourth Wing were the dagger stealing scene (very important to their chemistry and romantic development—"she's the only person he's taught ever, how to actually kill him") and the first kiss scene.

In Iron Flame it was the interrogation scene and how that ends with Dain and Xaden and everything coming together.

When asked about a similar scene from Onyx Storm that elicited the same strong emotion from her she said "you're not gonna like it" and that's it 💀

• She would consider writing fantasy again after she's done with the Empyrean world, maybe one of her other pitches, but she won't truly think about it until she's survived this one.

• She spoke about the "kill your darlings" writing advice and how if you love a scene but it doesn't move the plot, you've gotta cut it, and how she did that with the final scene in Fourth Wing, which was originally 7k words of Violet POV pulling information out of Xaden.

• When asked about fan theories she actually said something I found a little sad. "I don't listen to fan theories. One, I'm not on TikTok—it's a little bit more important for me to be alive than to listen to what other people think they know about me, and two, I don't ever want fan theories to bleed into my writing."

〰️ And that's it! If anyone's going tomorrow, please voice record the whole thing and report back lmao 🙏 🫶🏼

ETA: part two is here, x

#fourth wing #the empyrean #rebecca yarros #fourth wing spoilers #iron flame spoilers #onyx storm #onyx storm theories

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nomie-11 · 2 months ago

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Chapter 13 - An Inferno of Desire

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CONTENT WARNING: my poor attempt at writing smut for the first time!

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This surge of… emotions was overpowering.

Genevieve couldn’t handle it, and Tairn needed to get a grip. Whatever he and Sgaeyl were doing, they needed to stop. Now.

She stumbled forward, nearly collapsing as she made her way from the chair at the window to her cloak at the door, before she slammed it open.

Fuck me, she groaned, as Liam immediately slammed his door open too, hair tousled and night shirt thrown on halfway, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and surprise.

“Genevieve! Are you alright? I came as soon as I heard your door-” Genevieve held her hand up, clutching her cloak tightly around herself.

“For the love of Zihnal, Liam get out of my way!” She spoke through gritted teeth, suppressing the urge to do ungodly things to him.

“You look insane, are you ok?” He asked again, his voice laced with worry. “You’re looking at me like…”

Genevieve licked her bottom lip.

“Like what?”

“Like…” he cocks his head to the side. “Like you're not yourself. You don’t look like you feel—you know—like yourself.”

Because I don’t! She wants to scream. Tairn and Sgaeyl are fucking and ruining my night!

“I’m good! Go to bed!” She quickly says, shoving Liam back through his open door. She catches a glimpse of Violet in his room but shuts the door behind him before she does something else to Liam.

Once his door is shut tightly, Genevieve runs.

She makes it to the entrance of the spiral steps leading down from her hallway before she needs to lean back against the cold stone wall and breathe through the fog of Tairn’s emotions. Once the wave passes, she races down the steps, keeping one hand against the wall in case she’s pulled under again.

Away. She has to get away from everyone until Tairn finishes whatever the hell he and Sgaeyl are doing. Stumbling out of the stairwell, she emerges at the foundation of the walls of the citadel. Snow fills the sky, and she tips her head back, savoring the brief kiss of snowflakes on skin that's heated for all the wrong reasons

The air is crisp and chilled, and—

Her eyes pop open at the scent in the air and she whirls around, her cloak whipping behind her as she finds the source of the sweet, easily identifiable smoke.

Xaden is leaning back against the wall, one foot braced on the stone, smoking and watching her like she doesn't have a care in the world.

“Give me a drag of that right now,” She says, her voice firm but full of desire as she eyes the Churam in his hand.

“Woah, Gen,” he blows out a puff of smoke. “Want some? Unless you’re here to continue our long-standing argument, in which case, none for you.”

Her jaw practically unhinges. “Oh my gods, Xaden, don’t play games.”

His eyes light up, clearly enjoying this ordeal. “You know we aren’t allowed to smoke, right, Gen?”

“Whoever made that stupid rule clearly never bonded mated dragons,” A smirk lifts the corner of his mouth at her biting words.

Gods, she could stare at his lips forever. They are perfectly shaped and yet entirely too decadent for the slashing line of his jaw. His hands, hold out in a truce, the perfectly rolled Churam resting neatly, waiting. He offers it to her with a cocked eyebrow, and she notices that it's the one with the scar.

“It helps with the distancing yourself,” he says, clicking his lighter but not holding it up to her roll. “Beyond what shielding does, of course.”

She shakes her head and crosses through the newly filled snow to brace her weight on the wall beside him, letting her head fall back on the stone.

“Suit yourself,” he inhales deeply on the Churam and then puts it out against the wall.

“Gods, could you just fuck me already?” She asks, her voice strained. “It feels like I’m on fucking fire.”

“Yeah. That happens.” His laugh holds a wicked edge, and she makes the utterly unforgivable mistake of turning to see his smile. Xaden, while brooding and bossy, dangerous and lethal, is a toe-curling sight that makes her pulse quicken. But Xaden laughing, his head thrown back with a smile curving his mouth, is drop-dead beautiful. her stupid, foolish heart feels like there’s a fist around it.

There is nothing she wouldn’t sacrifice, nothing she wouldn’t give to have one unguarded moment with this man she’s going to be tethered to for the rest of her life. This has to be Tairn. It just has to be.

And yet, she knows it isn’t. While she’d admired Liam upstairs, she is completely, utterly obsessed with Xaden.

His eyes meet hers in the moonlight.

“Oh, Gen, you’re going to have to learn to shield against Tairn or his escapades with Sgaeyl will drive you mad—or into someone’s bed.”

She squeezes her eyes shut so she can escape his gorgeous eyes for a moment as a jolt of heat flashes through her, making every inch of her skin tingle and burn. She reaches a hand out to steady herself against the wall. “Oh, I know. I am horrified to see Liam again.”

“Liam? Why?” He pivots to face her, and she laughs at his jealous expression. “Where the hell is your bodyguard.”

“Relax, Xaden,” She says, her tone surprisingly light for the blinding desire that shackles her entire body. “He's with Violet for the night. I have my eyes set on someone else.”

“And who might that be?” He says, trying to be nonchalant as he questions her. His eyes were trained at the sky, but she could see him stealing a glance at her every few moments.

“You.”

A wave of desire, a different desire crashes into her. It’s undeniable, unquenchable, and need nearly taking her down to her knees. Xaden wraps an arm around her, steadying her, but his touch burns a flame brighter than she could have ever dreamed of.

“Why the hell aren’t you shielding?”

“Not all of us have been given lessons! Professor Carr refuses to even teach me how to shield because he believes that if I have full, undeniable access to his power I’ll be a better weapon.” She explains, her words gritted out through clenched teeth.

“Always thought that man was psycho.” He sighs. “All right. Crash course. Only because I’ve been where you are and woken up with a few regrets.”

“You’re actually going to help me?”

“I’ve been helping you for months.” His hand flexes at her waist, and she can swear she can feel the warmth of his touch through her cloak and night clothes.

“No, you’ve been kissing me and confusing me for months. And then you sent Liam to help. He’s been helping me for months.” Her forehead puckers. “Weeks. almost months. Whatever.”

Genevieve rolls her eyes at the fact that Xaden has the nerve to look offended.

“I’m the one who burst through your door and killed everyone who attacked you, and then I removed every other threat in your life with multiple other very public, very polarizing displays of vengeance. Liam didn’t do that. I did.”

“You didn’t have to do that, I had it under control. If I’m correct, I’m the one with the signet that can take the life force out of a human with a touch of my hand.”

He groaned, and made a motion that said ‘seriously,’ causing her to roll her eyes.

“Fine. But let’s not pretend that you didn’t do most of that protecting for yourself. It would be inconvenient for you if I died.” She shrugs, blatantly poking at him to help ignore the rising tide of lust thundering against her head.

He stares at her with disbelief. “You know what? We’re not fighting tonight. Not if you want to learn how to shield.”

“Fine, we’re not fighting. Teach me.”

She tilts her head upwards to meet his. Gods, she barely reaches above his shoulders.

“Ask me nicely,” He leans closer.

“Have you always been this tall?” She blurts the first thing that comes to her mind.

“No. I was a child at some point.” She rolls her eyes.

“Ask me nicely, Gen,” he whispers, his breaths grazing her ears. “Or I’m gone.”

She can feel Tairn at the edge of her mind, his emotions ebbing and flowering, and she knows the next wave is going to hit hard. How fucking long are those two dragons going to take. “How often is it like this with them?”

“Often enough that you’re going to need proper shields. You won’t ever be able to block them out completely, and sometimes they forget to block us, like tonight. That’s why the Churam helps, but at least it’s like walking by a brothel instead of actively participating in one.”

Well shit.

“Right then. All right. Will you teach me how to shield?”

A smile curves his mouth, and her gaze drops to his lips. Kiss me.

“Say please.”

“Are you always this difficult?”

“Yes. What can I say, I like watching you squirm. It’s like sweet payback for what you’ve put me through these last couple of months.” He brushes snow off of her hair, as if he knows he’s torturing her.

“What I’ve put you through.” Unbelievable.

“You’ve scared me nearly to death once or twice, so I think saying please is a fair request.”

Genevieve is simmering with annoyance and need, her mind reeling with the fact that he’s never played fair for a day in his life. She takes a deep breath, and swats at a that lands on her nose.

“As you prefer. Xaden?” She smiles sweetly, her face innocent but her eyes seductive. “Would you pretty, pretty please teach me how to shield before I ‘accidentally’ climb you like a tree and we both wake up with regrets.”

A flash of something crosses his face, before he smiles again, and she feels it like a caress.

“I’m fully in control of myself.”

Dangerous. This is so damned dangerous. Heat is everywhere, flushing her skin to the point where she debates tossing her cloak off and rolling in the snow to get the tiniest bit of relief. Notably, Xaden isn’t wearing one.

“But since you asked so nicely,” he adjusts his stance and brings both of his hands to her face, cradling her head the way he did when she was so close to burnout that she almost died, before sliding them back to hold her head. “Close your eyes.”

“It requires you touching me?” Her eyes flutter shut at the now familiar sensation of his skin against hers.

“Not at all. Just one of the perks of not thinking too clearly. You have soft skin.”

The compliment draws a breath from her lungs. So much for control.

“You need to envision somewhere safe. I prefer the top of my favorite hillside near what’s left of Aretia. Wherever it is, it needs to feel like home.”

The only place she can think of is the library adjoined to her mother’s room in her grandmother’s manor. The smell of old books and her mothers perfume is still clear in her mind as she envisioned herself in the plush red armchair in the window, watching the rain pour down onto the fields of wildflowers.

“Feel your feet hit the ground and dig in some.”

Her feet hit the warm carpet by the crackling fire, she can feel the worn threads. “Got it.”

“That’s called grounding, keeping your mental self somewhere so you aren’t swept away by the power. Now call to your power. Open your senses.”

Her palms begin to tingle, and a flood of energy surrounds her, just as saturating as it was when it manifested, but without the pain. It’s everywhere, filling the library and pushing at the walls, books fall from the shelves and the wood threatens to crack. “Too much.”

“Focus on your feet. Stay grounded. Can you see where the power flows from?”

She nods, her eyes traveling to the open door. The one that led to the hallway that went right to her old bedroom. Golden light wrapped with dark vines floods in from the doorway.

“I see it.”

“Perfect. You’re a natural. It takes most people a week to learn how to ground. Now, do whatever you need to mentally do to wall yourself off from that current. Tairn is the source. Block the power and you get some control back.”

The door. She just needs to close the door and lock it shut.

Desire makes her heart pound, and she grabs onto his arms, anchoring herself in reality.

“You’ve got this.” His voice sounds strained. “Whatever you create in your mind is real to you. Shut off the valve. Build a wall. Whatever makes sense.”

“It’s a door.” Her fingers dig into the soft material of his tunic, and mentally, she pulls at the door, trying to get it to shut one inch at a time.

“There you go. Keep going.”

Her physical body trembles at the effort it takes to mentally shove the door shut, but she gets it there, the warm light leaving the room, leaving her illuminated by the fire. “I’ve got the door shut.”

“Great. Lock it.”

She spins the nob, hearing the soft and familiar click of the lock shifting into place. The relief is immediate, a cool blast of snow against her feverish skin. Power pulses, and it’s as if she can see through the door.

“The door is see-through now.” She comments, desperation still in her words.

“Yeah. You’ll never be able to get him fully blocked out. Got it locked?”

She nods.

“Open your eyes, but do your best to keep that door locked. Keep one foot grounded. If it slips, we just start again.”

She opens her eyes, keeping the mental picture of the library door shut. While her body is still flushed with warmth, that inescapable, driving need is… somewhat muted. “He’s…” she can’t find the words.

Xaden studies her with an intensity that makes her sway toward him. “You are astonishing.” she shakes his head. “I couldn’t do that for weeks.”

“Guess I have a superior teacher.” She’s overjoyed. She’s not just good, she’s astonishing. Astonishing to Xaden.

His thumbs stroke over the soft skin under her ears, and his gaze drops to her mouth.

“Would it be a bad idea to kiss you again?” He whispers, his words falling on deaf ears.

Genevieve's breath hitches as she stares at his lips, heart pounding in time with the slow rhythm of his thumbs tracing her skin.

“Probably catastrophic,” she whispers back, not moving an inch away from him. But despite the caution in her words, her body betrays her, inching closer, drawn to him like a magnet. The air between them crackles with a tension so thick she feels like she’s suffocating under the weight of it.

Xaden’s hands tighten ever so slightly, his breath warm against her skin as he leans closer, his lips ghosting just above hers.

“Tell me to stop,” he says, his voice rough, low, a dangerous edge to it that makes her blood heat all over again.

Genevieve can’t think straight. The grounding she just mastered feels like it’s slipping already. The door she locked—she swears she hears it rattle in her mind, Tairn’s presence still there, but distant, almost irrelevant compared to the man holding her now.

“I—” She’s not even sure what she’s about to say because all she can focus on is Xaden, the way his eyes have darkened, the tension vibrating in every inch of his body.

Then, against all better judgment, she whispers, “Don’t stop.”

That’s all it takes.

Xaden’s mouth crashes onto hers, and all the restraint she had thought she had disappears. The kiss is fire and desperation, an apology for the wrong words and mistrust between them. It burned through her veins and seared away at whatever rational thoughts remained. Her hands tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer, needing him closer, as if he’s the only thing grounding her now.

His grip on her waist tightens, pulling her flush against him, and a groan escapes his throat—a sound that sends a new wave of desire ripping through her. It’s like nothing else matters at this moment but him. Xaden, who’s always been there, infuriating and protective, impossible and undeniable.

Genevieve’s pulse quickened as Xaden deepened the kiss, his lips moving against hers with a ferocity that matched the storm raging in her mind. Tairn and Sgaeyl’s connection still hummed in the background, a faint reminder of what started this, but all of it—every chaotic, wild emotion—paled in comparison to what she felt with Xaden.

His hands slid down her waist, settling firmly at her hips as if anchoring her to reality. Every place his fingers touched sent sparks of heat across her skin, and she wasn’t sure if it was his power or hers igniting the fire between them. She’d never felt anything like this—like she was completely untethered, yet more grounded than she’d ever been in her life.

She broke away just enough to catch her breath, her forehead resting against his. Her heart was racing, her entire body buzzing with the aftermath of their kiss. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his breath warm on her cheek, but his hands never left her, still holding her as if he wasn’t ready to let her go.

“Gods, Xaden,” she whispered, barely able to speak through the whirlwind of emotions swirling in her chest. “What are we doing?”

He chuckled, a low, rough sound that made her shiver. “Whatever this is, it’s too late to stop now.”

She knew he was right. There was no going back from this. the tension that had built between them over months, through heated agreements, stolen glances, every word unspoken and spoken, had finally snapped. And now, there was no more pretending, no more hiding from the truth of what they were to each other.

Genevieve closed her eyes, trying to steady herself, her own energy mixing with Xaden's, causing her knees to buckle. He caught her, pulling her closer.

“My room, now,” she whispered, her voice soft.

Xaden hesitated for just a second, his eyes searching hers as if waiting for her to change her mind. But she didn’t. The need was unbearable, the tether between them pulsing like a live wire, impossible to ignore.

His grip tightened on her waist, and with a sharp nod, he pulled her along, guiding her back up the narrow stairs she’d descended in a frenzy not too long before. Genevieve’s legs were unsteady, but she didn’t care. The air between them felt electric, and every inch of her body vibrated in anticipation.

They reached her door, and she fumbled for the handle, trying to force it open with trembling hands. Xaden brushed her aside, opening it with a swift motion, and before she could even register the movement, she was pressed against the inside of the door, Xaden’s lips on hers again.

“See,” he said in between kisses, this one slower but no less intense. It was as if they had all the time in the world, despite the frantic pounding of her heart. “The doors unlocked.”

She nodded, his hands sliding up her back, tangling in her hair, and she could feel the rough scrape of his calloused fingers against her scalp. She arched into him, a low moan escaping her as her body melted into his. Gods, how had she resisted this for so long? His lips tasted so good against hers, it was almost intoxicating.

“Genevieve,” he murmured against her lips, his voice rough and desperate. “Tell me this isn’t just the dragons.”

“It’s not,” she gasped, pulling him closer, her hands sliding under his shirt, quickly pulling it up and over his head as she felt the heat of his skin beneath her fingertips. “This… this is us.”

That seemed to be all the confirmation he needed. In one swift motion, he pulled her away from the door and toward the bed, their bodies still intertwined as if breaking apart would be impossible. She didn’t even care about him seeing the mess of books and clothes scattered across the floor, her focus solely on the feeling of his hands, his lips, his breath against her skin.

Every kiss was fueled by their raw desire, and gods it was so good. Her hands traveled the expanse of his body, mapping every dip and ridge with her calloused and weathered fingertips. He was so attractive, her mind was a fog of any thoughts except her need for him.

They collapsed onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and whispered curses, the weight of their emotions almost too much to bear. Every touch, every kiss felt like it was burning though her, igniting something inside her she hadn’t known was there.

She barely noticed the glow of her signet, the faint shimmer of energy sparking between them, but Xaden did. He pulled back for just a moment, his eyes dark and intense, as if he were trying to understand what was happening.

“You’re glowing,” he said softly, his fingers brushing over the delicate veins of light tracing her skin.

Genevieve blinked, looking down at her hands. Sure enough, the faint glow of her signet was spilling out, wrapping around them like a protective barrier. she should have been concerned, but right now, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Not when Xaden was looking at her like that, his eyes filled with something more than just desire.

“It’s… it’s fine,” she breathed, reaching up to pull him back down to her. “We’ll figure it out later?”

Xaden’s lips curled into a half-smile as he leaned down, his forehead resting against hers. “Later, huh?”

She nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “Yeah. Later.” And she kissed him again, her mouth traveling down to his jaw and then down his throat, stopping just above his chest, she glanced up at him.

“Tell me this is what you want,” he said, his voice husky but pleading, as if a rejection would shatter him into a million pieces, never to be put back together again.

“This is what I want,” she responded, her voice clear despite the desperation she felt.

And with that, they gave in to the storm that had been brewing between them for far too long, finally letting it break.

His own shirt was on the floor by the door, discarded early on in a flurry of motions Genevieve had gone through between the five steps that took them from the closed and warded door and the bed. Xaden made quick work of Genevieve’s cloak, tossing it onto the floor by the door as well as he pushed her down onto the bed.

In another few ragged breaths, his hands ran over her body, snaking up underneath her shirt, trailing the curve of her waist and up the ridge of her back. He could feel the bumps and ridges of scars littering her back as he touched her. Pulling her shirt up, he tore it off in one fell swoop, and she shudders as her bare skin comes into contact with his.

Her body under his was perfect, she was perfect. Pale skin glowing with a sheen of sweat and white hair tousled against his rough hands, her muscular body, she was in every right a warrior, a machine, perfectly toned for war, but she was so beautiful.

He brushes their lips together before he moves his attention down, kissing her neck with a long trail of desperate nips that draw shallow gasps from the depths of her throat. Her hands splay out of his back, pulling him closer to her as his lips trail lower and lower.

The second they couldn’t go any further, he shred the ragged chest wraps she still insisted on wearing off of her body. His eyes roamed freely, drinking in every dip and valley of her upper body.

Genevieve’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her breathing shallow as the last remnants of restraint dissolved between them. Xaden’s eyes darkened with want as he took in her bare upper body, his gaze trailing down the sharp lines of her collarbone to the small swell of her breasts, freed from the constraints of the wraps she’d worn for so long. Her body was a masterpiece of strength and survival, every scar a testament to battle fought and won, every curve a contradiction of softness amidst the hard muscle beneath.

He traced a hand lightly over the jagged scar that ran from her left shoulder down across her ribs, a reminder of the life she’d led before this moment, before him. The muscles beneath her skin flexed involuntarily, her strength palpable even in her vulnerability. The curve of her breasts—small but firm—fit perfectly into his palms, the heat of her skin searing his touch.

His thumb grazed her nipple, and a gasp escaped her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut, the intensity of the moment written in every shiver that passed through her. He lowered his mouth to her breast, teasing her sensitive skin with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue. Her back arched beneath him, her hands threading through his hair, pulling him closer, needing more, wanting everything.

Her body was a battlefield, marked and worn, but beneath it all, she was alive. Xaden pressed kisses along her chest, her ribs, her stomach, farther down, her breath catching as his hands ran down over her body, trailing the line of teasing kisses he had just left, moving down slowly inching closer and closer to the upper hem of her pants, teasing her.

“Gods, Genevieve,” he rasped, biting at her lower lip. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

She moves to shake her head no, to break away from him now that he’s seen her like this, but he holds her head firmly in place with a kiss.

“You’re breathtaking,” he manages to say, his words breathy and desperate.

Her hands grip the rough skin of his back, every touch of his amplified as his calloused hands held the bare skin of her waist firmly in place. Fuck, I want this so bad.

She doesn’t even have a chance to ask, and his hands move lower, trailing the skin of her inner thighs through the loose night trousers she wore. Her back instinctively arches into his touch as his hands press further, harder but gentle with every motion.

“Please,” she pants, her breathing ragged and desperate as he teases her, his hands rubbing circles on the sensitive skin of her upper inner thigh. “Xaden, please-”

Her gasps are like a drug, invigorating Xaden, as Genevieve’s hands moved down his torso to the waist of his pants. Her nimble hands made quick work of his belt.

“Let me please you first,” his words came out husked, his lips coming to hers, biting at her lower lip as he caressed her. “I want to hear you,” he whispered, their lips barely brushing together.

He grabbed at the waist of her pants, messily pulling them down and over her hips and tossing them to the ground. Gods, in his eyes, she’s perfect.

Geneiveve’s breath hitched as Xaden’s gaze roamed over her, dark and hungry. She felt exposed, raw, but the way he looked at her—like she was everything—kept her from retreating into the shame that threatened to consume her as his gaze swept over her. His touch was reverent, his fingers tracing the lines of her body, closer and closer to where her heat coiled in her, his gentleness that contrasted the fire in his eyes.

She trembled as his hands grabbed her thighs, parting them with one strong motion, his fingers brushed the sensitive skin that led to her.

The anticipation was agonizing, her body aching for more, every nerve on high alert. “Xaden,” she pleaded, her voice desperate. “Don’t tease.”

His lips curved into a wicked smile as he kissed his way down her body, his hot breath sending shivers up her spine. “I told you,” he murmured against his skin. “I want to hear you.”

Xaden’s teasing only heightened the electric tension crackling between them, and Genevieve’s heart raced as he lowered his mouth, trailing soft kisses down the valley of her stomach. Each brush of his lips was like a spark against her skin, igniting a fire that spread through her with dizzying intensity. The sensation of his warm breath against her most intimate parts sent a wave of longing coursing through her veins.

“Xaden,” she gasped, the sound barely escaping her throat, a blend of impatience and desire. She could feel the heat poling deep within her, a pressure building that begged for release. But his teasing was relentless, the wicked grin on his face only fueling her hunger.

“Just a moment longer,” he whispered, his voice low and thick with lust as he continued to explore her body, his fingers dancing along her thighs. She could feel her muscles tense and flex beneath his touch, every movement drawing her closer and closer to him.

“Please,” she urged, her voice trembling as she pushed her hips closer, seeking the friction that would relieve the overwhelming ache. His hands were strong, yet gentle, holding her in place, and she felt a mix of desperation and exhilaration coursing through her. Every second stretched into eternity, the world outside fading into nothingness as she focused solely on him and the sensations he was stirring within her.

Xaden lifted his head, his dark eyes locked onto hers, filled with a fierce intensity that made her heart skip. “You’re so beautiful like this,” he said, his voice gravelly. “I need you to let go for me. Show me how much you want this.”

His words, infused with sincerity and raw passion, ignited something deep within her. Geneveive nodded, breathing hard as she surrendered to the moment, allowing her vulnerability to spill into the space between them. “I want you, Xaden,” she breathed, her voice low but filled with conviction.

With that, he descended upon her, his mouth finally connecting with her most sensitive skin, sending shockwaves through her body. A gasp erupted from her lips, her back arching off the bed as he lavished her with attention, his tongue expertly coaxing her further into bliss. Each stroke was a heady mix of ecstasy and relief, pushing her toward the precipice of euphoria.

She could feel herself losing control, her signet pulsing erratically with every surge of pleasure. The glow that had been faint moments before began to intensify, the tendrils of light spreading across her skin, brighter, hotter.

As Xaden continued to worship her body, Genevieve’s senses heightened, the world narrowing to just the two of them. She could feel every pulse of pleasure, of whisper of air against her skin, and the delicious ache of anticipation building within her. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, urging him on as she surrendered to the waves of sensation crashing over her.

“Xaden,” she moaned, her voice thick with pleasure. “I’m so close. Please- don’t stop!”

He looked up at her, his gaze dark and possessive, a smile dancing across his lips. “Let go, Genevieve. Let me hear you.”

With his words echoing in her mind, she felt the dam within her break, pleasure washing over her in overwhelming waves, drowning her in ecstasy. Her cries filled the room, raw and unrestrained, every stroke of his tongue pushed her deeper into the throes of bliss.

“Xaden—” she gasped, her voice strained, a mix of pleasure and panic. “I—I can’t—”

He looked up, his eyes dark and wild, but there was no fear there, no hesitation. “I’ve got you,” he said, his voice a low growl as he kissed his way back up to her lips, his hands taking the spot his tongue had occupied, swallowing her cries as she came undone beneath him. “I’ve got you, Gen.”

The energy burst from her in a wave, the glow of her signet enveloping them both, but Xaden didn’t pull away. He stayed, grounding her, his hands never leaving her skin as she shattered in his arms.

For a moment, the world fell away. There was no war, no pain, no guilt, no fear. There was only Xaden, the feeling of his body pressed against hers, the steady beat of his heart in her ear.

As the glow faded, Genevieve lay still, her chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. She blinked, her mind slowly clearly as she realized what had happened—what she had done. The power she had been struggling to control had burst out of her again, but this time, it hadn’t destroyed anything. It hadn’t hurt him.

It just looked as if it was spring in her room, vines sprouted from the floorboard, and flowers creeping in from the shattered windows.

She looked up at Xaden, a smile creeping up onto her face. Her eyes glinted with desire and hunger as she looked up at this man who had unraveled her.

“You’re turn,” she purred, wrapping her legs around his waist as she practically climbed onto him, flipping him over on the bed.

Xaden let out a sharp breath as Genevieve flipped him over, the surprise and desire mingling in his darkened gaze. His hands instinctively went to her hips, gripping them with a mix of control and surrender as she straddled him. The way she moved—fluid, confident—ignited something primal inside him, something that made it impossible to think of anything else but her. The way the glow of her power had bloomed around them, it was as if she had become the embodiment of every element of life itself.

Genevieve leaned down, her lips bruising his neck in a slow, deliberate line of kisses down the center line of his abs that sent shivers through his body. His hands tightened on her waist, but he let her take control surrendering to her control completely. Her lips trailed down his chest, tracing the contours of his muscles, her hands following suit, exploring every inch of him as if she had all the time in the world.

“Gods,” he breathed, his voice strained with the weight of his own need. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

Genevieve smirked, her eyes gleaming with the same hunger she’d seen in his moments before. “That’s the plan,” she whispered, her voice teasing, but her movements anything but.

Her fingers grazed over the waistband of his pants, and she felt his muscles tense beneath her touch. She didn’t rush—she savored every second, watching the way his body responded to her, the way his breath hitched whenever her fingers brushed just a little too close to where he ached for her.

When she finally stripped him of the last barrier between them, the air seemed to crackle around them again, her signet sparking faintly in the background like a distant storm on the horizon. She took him in, her breath catching at the sight of him laid out beneath her, strong and waiting.

Xaden was raw power incarnate, his body sculpted from years of battle and discipline. Every muscle defined, a testament to his strength and his life he’s led as a rider. His skin was sun-kissed, the golden hue of a man who was far more than tan, and spent more time outdoors than in, marked with the scars from past fights. They trailed over his broad shoulders, across his chest, and down the firm ridges of his abdomen like stories of battles long survived. But despite the evidence of his hard life, there was something undeniably beautiful about him, something that made Genevieve’s breath hitch.

His body radiated heat, and she could feel it as she hovered over him, every inch of him alive with barely restrained energy. His chest rose and fell with labored breaths, his eyes dark and half-lidded as they traced her form above him. The intensity in his gaze was almost too much to bear—wild, hungry, and vulnerable all at once. His dark hair was mussed from where her fingers had been moments ago, his lips slightly parted, still swollen from their rough kisses.

Genevieve’s gaze traveled lower, to where his hardness stood ready for her, and she couldn’t help but admire the sheer size of him. He was thick and powerful, every part of him mirroring the strength she knew resided inside him. It sent a rush of heat through her body, anticipation coiling in her belly. He was beautiful, yes—but there was also something dangerous in how much she wanted him, how much she needed to feel every inch of him inside her.

For a moment, they were suspended in time—her, poised above him, and him, laid bare beneath her. He was hers to take, and gods, she wanted nothing more than to claim completely.

Xaden’s hands moved to her hips, gripping her firmly as his voice broke the silence, rough and strained. “Genevieve,” he rasped, his control fraying at the edges, “take me.”

She didn’t make him wait long. With a fluid motion, she positioned herself above him, her body moving in perfect harmony with the storm raging in her veins. She could feel the tension between them, the heat, the raw desire that had building for what felt like forever.

Xaden’s hands slid up her things, his grip firm as she lowered herself onto him, a gasp escaping her lips at the contact. He was big, but gods, he felt so good. The connection between them was electric, intense, as if they were made for this—made for each other.

The weight of Genevieve’s body over his sent a shockwave of pleasure coursing through Xaden. His hands gripped her hips tighter as she began to move, slow at first, teasing him with every deliberate motion. He could feel every inch of her, every flew of her muscle as she took control, and it was dirtying him wild.

He had wanted this for so long, longer than he’d ever admitted, and now that he had her—now that she had him—there was nothing else. Just her. The way she moved, the way her body responded to him, the way she made him feel as if every nerve was on fire.

Genevieve leaned down, her hair falling like a curtain around them, her lips finding his again. The kiss was rough, desperate, as if she, too, was fighting to hold onto whatever control she still had. Xaden could feel her trembling, the raw need coursing through her matching his own, and it only fueled his desire. He wanted her to lose herself in him, to let go entirely, to fall apart the way he knew she could.

“Gen,” he groaned, his voice thick with need as she moved faster, her hips bringing down onto him with an intensity that made him see stars. His hands roamed her body, memorizing every inch, every curve, every scare. She was more than he could have ever imagined, more than he deserved, but gods, he would worship her in every way she needed.

Genevieve’s movements became more urgent, each shift of her hips pulling a guttural sound from Xaden’s throat. She could feel him beneath her, every muscle taut, trembling under the strain of holding back. But she didn’t want him to hold back—not anymore. She wanted him to unravel, just like she had, to feel everything she was feeling in that moment.

Her fingers trailed up his arms and to his back, nails grazing his skin lightly as her pace quickened. The room was filled with the sound of their ragged breaths, the creak of the bed beneath them, and the heady rhythm of their bodies moving in perfect sync. Xaden’s hands slid up her back, guiding her classier until their foreheads touched, their breaths mingling in the small space between them.

“Gen,” he rasped, his voice a low growl. His grip on her hips tightened, and she could feel the shift in him—the moment when restraint turned into raw, unfiltered need. “I—fuck—I can’t hold on much longer.”

A wicked smile tugged at the corner of her lips, her body moving in sync with his rising desperation. “Then don’t,” she whispered, her voice breathless but sure. “Let go, Xaden. I want to feel all of you.”

Her words undid him.

With a guttural groan, he shifted beneath her, his hands gripping her waist as he thrust up into her with a force that sent shockwaves through her entire body. Genevieve gasped, her head falling back as the pleasure intensified, her body trembling under the onslaught of sensations. She dug her nails into his shoulders, grounding herself as her world spiraled out of control.

The rhythm between them grew frantic, urgent, as if the world would end if they didn’t find release together. Xaden’s hands never left her body, his touch reverent in the midst of his desperation. She could feel the tension coiling tighter and tighter inside her, ready to snap.

“Gen—” Xaden’s voice was hoarse, his breath coming in ragged gasps, as he thrust into her harder, faster, the intensity building to a breaking point. “I’m—”

“Me too,” she gasped, her body clenching around him as the pleasure became too much to bear. “Xaden, I’m—”

Before she could finish, the wave of ecstasy crashed over her, stealing her breath, her vision, her thoughts. She cried out his name, her body shaking with the force of her release as the world seemed to shatter around her. Xaden followed her over the edge moments later, his body stiffening beneath her as he groaned her name, his release just as powerful, just as overwhelming.

For a long moment, they stayed like that—bodies entwined, chests heaving, the world around them fading into a hazy, blissful silence. Genevieve collapsed onto Xaden’s chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin as she tried to catch her breath. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, as if he couldn’t bear to let her go.

“Gods, you’re incredible,” he murmured, his voice still rough, but there was a softness to it, an intimacy that hadn’t been there before.

Genevieve smiled against his chest, her own heart still racing. “I think we both are.”

He chuckled softly, his fingers threading through her hair. “You’re glowing again.”

Genevieve lifted her head, her eyes meeting his. She knew he wasn’t just talking about her signet this time.

“So are you.”

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omg i cannot believe I just posted this, do you know how hard this was to write?? This is actually my first attempt at writing smut and I don't think I'm very good at it (i suck at it), but i know the only way to get better is to practice, so I wrote this chapter and there will be at least another two(?) before the books end.

If you have any feedback, please let me know. What did you all like? what did you hate? What do you want to see next time? I'm desperate to improve in writing smut, as I still find it a little stiff and awkward, so please tell me everything.

Anyways, thats it for this chapter! Genevieve and Xaden had their moment and we'll be back to scheduled programming (Genevieve being reckless and Xaden wanting her to chill out) on wednesday! Leave a heart, like, comment, or just let me know your thoughts! see you all soon~

#violet sorrengail #fourth wing #fourth wing imagine #fourth wing x reader #fourth wing xaden #liam mairi #xaden and sgaeyl #xaden riorson #xaden riorson x reader #garrick tavis x reader #bodhi durran #the empyrean #the wounded healer #fourth wing smut #rhiannon matthias

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rosemarysage · 5 months ago

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Hello everybody! I’m trying to compile all the information we got about Onyx storm so it's easier to find. So below I have written everything Rebecca has said at recent events that I think could be relevant to OS or the next books. I left out the stuff I didn’t think was relevant like the T.V. show and personal questions about Rebecca. The links are at the bottom. The first two are from an audio recording. Many thanks to Tumblr user Skyfallscotland for posting the audio. I haven’t been able to find recordings for the Perth show and some of the other dates from these so if you have any information from them please let me know and I can update the post. I intend to add the older interviews later but I wanted to get this one up because we got lots of juicy details from the panels.

Fourth wing and iron flame spoilers

Sydney panel 6/22/24 Saturday

She has deviated from the Synopsis she made for the series

She knows what the last scene of the series will be

We will see more of the world in OS and the following books. The map is representative of what Violet knows so it will expand as Violet learns more.

Jack Barlowe is around and serves a purpose. He likely won’t be a main character. Rebecca likes bad characters to have a reason for doing bad things. Jack has always wanted power.

The interviewer asked her not to do a redemption arc for Jack and Rebecca said “Noted”

Dain represents the love you thought you wanted when you were younger

When Dain says, “If you had just told me none of this would have happened” in the interrogation chamber he’s not just talking about the interrogation but also Liam’s death and everything else.

Violet is completely disconnected from her magic in the interrogation chamber. She can’t reach out to her dragons or Xaden. Rebecca said that Violet's mind summoned Liam because he was her protector.

The interrogation scene ending with Dain and Xaden was the driving point of the writing process. There is a scene in OS that elicits similar emotions and Rebecca said we aren’t going to like it

Q&A

Jack likely won’t have a romantic relationship. He’s also probably not “the real enemies to lovers arc”

Garrick's signet is in book three

A rider doesn’t necessarily have the same traits as their dragon's color, sometimes they have the opposite and need their dragon to counter them. Brennan is a tactician and needs unpredictably and Imogen is a wild card. The dragon rider bond is kind of like a marriage.

Her editor got her to add Andarna. She is there to balance Tairns' massive power.

Someone asked if we would hear more about the first six and Andarna and she said “Maybe” is a funny voice

Violet’s dad is not Malek.

Sgaeyl is pissed at Xaden and is not speaking to him at the moment. She also mentioned the bond between them.

Someone accidentally asked if Xaden dated the prince instead of Violet. After they figured that out she said, “I think you should read the third book”

Sydney panel 6/24/24 Monday

She deviated from the plan for OS concerning a character's death.

Jack is an example of the hunger for power and what happens when you aren’t selected for the power you think you deserve

She expected us to figure out the second signet. Her editor asked her if it needed another line to make it clear and she said no they would get it.

The Taylor songs that describe OS are Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me and So It Goes.

Someone asked,” Have you considered doing a prequel on the first six or how the empyrean came about or will this be revealed in further books?” and she skipped it

Melbourne 6/25/24

The interviewer asked, “Do we already have a reference to Onyx that will reveal the title's meaning to us” Rebecca passed

The interviewer asked if we would get another POV from Xaden or anyone else and Rebecca said that she has established a record of showing a little bit of what Xaden is thinking.

She that we have already learned Violet's second signet

The interview asked if Garrick would realize Imogen is into him and Rebecca asked what makes us think he doesn’t know

When asked if we would learn more about Father Sorrengails research about feathertails she said “Maybe” again in a funny voice

Onyx Storm is very Rep coded. She listened to So it Goes a lot while writing OS.

In the interrogation scene, she is cut off from her magic so her mind “pulls” someone who protected her

The interviewer asked if Xaden and Sgaeyl were still bonded and she said, “Next time on fourth wing”

She was asked if Xaden and Violet are endgame and she passed and then said “I write romances”

Her favorite thing about Violet in OS is that she has one goal and she doesn’t care what stands in her way.

Seattle March

Sgaeyl is pissed and not speaking to Xaden

Xaden won’t get more POVs until he quits keeping secrets. His problems with Sgaeyl will be explored externally. The interviewer said that Xaden keeps secrets about things other an Aretia and Rebecca said, “Naturally”. Violet is way better at keeping secrets in OS. She’s in her reputation era.

A lot of things were set up in Fourth Wing that didn’t come into effect in Iron Flame that will in the upcoming books.

We should expect about the same amount of Xaden’s POVs in future books, namely end chapters and bonus chapters.

Rebecca said, “There is a correlation between less and less dragons bonding and more and more dragons saying what we are doing is wrong”

We will learn Violet’s father's name and more about him.

Xaden’s mom’s story will come up in later books.

The other three quadrants can drop out or change quadrants. Only the riders don’t allow this.

Miscellaneous

Rebecca said in an Instagram comment that she wrote a line referencing Xaden and the boys moving Violet’s armoire in OS.

Links

Sydney

https://www.tumblr.com/skyfallscotland/754271162361577472/it-took-me-far-too-long-to-realise-i-could-just

Melbourne 6/25

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8FrFupBTVgY&pp=ygUOcmViZWNjYSB5YXJyb3M%3D

Seattle March

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v0yTEZBtpVQ&t=6s&pp=ygUOcmViZWNjYSB5YXJyb3M%3D

#fourth wing #iron flame #the empyrean #onyx storm #rebecca yarros

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litnerdwrites · 6 months ago

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Did Jack Barlow Know? If so, who else knew and how?

Okay, so hear me out! We know this likely means that either Andarna is linked to this mysterious weapon. We don't know if means she knows where to find it/activate it, if she is the weapon, or if a rider that bonded her species of dragon was what wiped them out. Either way, it's safe to say that it all relates back to her in some way.

We also know that Jack Barlow was a Venin before he crossed the parapet, right? And in Kaori's classes, he was very interested in Tairn. Then, during Threshing, his number one goal was to kill Andarna (which isn't smart given where he was). Also, by the end of Iron Flame, he was somehow controlling Baide. Not, seemingly, dissimilar to how Varrash described influencing a dragon instead of allowing it to influence you.

His interest in Tairn is most likely because he wanted to bond a powerful dragon for the Venin to use, or for him to control. He wanted to influence Tairn the way he did Baide, maybe even syphon power from him, and by proxy, Sgaeyl.

He was also weirdly obsessed with Killing Andarna during Threshing, which, at the time, just could be attributed to arrogance, disrespectfulness and self-centredness, which was on brand for him. But now that we know what he is, and what he was doing all along, it's safe to say there could be other Venin in the wards.

There's so much speculation regarding Violet's potential Venin heritage, from either her mother or father's side. Lilith's rank and position means that she and Violet's dad had been close to the hatching grounds for a while. Violet's father specifically was researching Feathertails, and he died one or two years before the start of the book, when Violet was about 18. What else happened when Violet was 18? Andarna. She hatched when Violet was 18, possibly before her father even died.

Who's to say how many other Venin there are within the Wards. There are likely to even be a couple, like VIolet's dad, that were within a four hour flight radius to said wards. If Volet's dad felt Andarna hatch, then any other near by Venin could have too. Going back to his research for a moment, it's worth mentioning, how would he be able to study Feathertail effectively? The only way for there to be information about them in his research that isn't common knowledge, is either, a) he had access to very restricted texts (like the King's personal collection), which seems unlikely, or b) to have seen a feathertail.

If nothing else, I think Andarna knows something of the research he did. Perhaps he even met her for himself. When Varrish was questioning Violet about it, Tairn confirms that he doesn't know about it, but Andarna? The author makes a point to tell us that she went silent. Not that she wasn't there, or grew uninterested, or even went to sleep. She was there, she was listening, but she didn't respond.

By now, I think it's safe to say that she knows something. Throughout the books, Andarna drops hints to her secrets, without outright saying them, or lying about them. She prefers lying by omission, which, towards the end of the first book, Tairn points out to her, can be just as bad. It still seems to be her preferred method of secret keeping, though. Like how she's not like the other juveniles, or how she'd be the head of her own den, all indicating that she really isn't. She's a whole other species, and already the head of her own den.

I think Andarna knows something about the Venin, and about Violet's dad, in which case, it's possible he also knew, somehow, that Andarna would chose Violet. I'm not sure how likely that would be, and would depend on how much Andarna knows of this research.

However, I'm confident that she's the key to stopping the Venin in one form or the other. I also think that, somehow, the Venin knows this too. Either through Violet's dad, who may or may not have had contact with Andarna, or knew of her, at the very least, or through another Venin in Basgaith.

So, finally, going back to Jack Fucking Barlow, the root of this discussion, did he know about all of this? We know he was sent to destroy the wards, but was hellbent on killing Andarna during Threshing.

Powerful dragons can tell what a hatchlings colour will be, before they mature. Is it possible that powerful Venin can too? If there was a Venin near the wards, powerful enough, would they be able to tell as well? It's possible that a Venin inside the wards reported back to a higher rank, about Andarna's hatching, or that a Sage or General to learn about the dragon hatchlings through other Venin, or people like Violet's dad.

If they did, then they could Know what Andarna is. They'd know how she's different, how she's the key to stopping them, and perhaps even the key to their victory. Could it be that the Venin sent Jack to, not only destroy the wards, but to kill Andarna before she became a threat? If the higher ups amongst Venin didn't know, then did Jack figure it out on his own, and do it to earn The Sage's approval? Based on how desperate they are to capture Violet for The Sage, they seem pretty obsessed with proving themselves. Jack might have wanted to become a strong rider to gain the acknowledgment or promotion from The Sage, and later decided to kill Andarna while he was at it.

It's possible that that's the reason that The Sage wants Violet so badly. If you can't beat them, join them. Or have them join you by turning the love of their life into a monster, and using him to kidnap or manipulate them into joining your cause because they're the biggest threat to you and your kind. Perhaps they want her to manipulate Andarna the way Jack did with Baide or Varrish claimed to do with Solas, since it was Andarna, or her kind, that ended the war 600 years ago.

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she-whatshername · 1 month ago

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Hey, Queen, love your headcannons so much! I have a request: Could you make a headcanon on how the Marked ones would be if they were parents to (a) teenager(s)? Ik you did one with toddlers etc, but I want to see one with teens. ❤️

Hello Queen!

Thank you so much for this request, and for the Headcanon love! Ok, Marked Ones teenager edition. Hope this fills your cup!

Bodhi:

I imagine he’d have a lot of children and many around the same age as he and his partner can’t seem to keep their hands off eachother

So he’s got like his four eldest kids around the ages of 18-14 A son, second son, daughter, and third son.

Ya’ll He’d be such a good parent

Honestly, it would piss Xaden off at how much of a natural he’d be.

Though on the inside, this man is overwhelmed lolol. I imagine after the war he’s in some type of Assembly position or second hand to Xaden. So he’s always working or taking on some sort of task Xaden assigns him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bodhi does official acts as king if Xaden is ever away.

But this man will never miss a meal with his kids. Like his mother, he’s home every evening to spend time with his family, even if he is fighting sleep

And because he’s such a family man, His kids know he is wrapped around their fingers and they can literally do anything and he’s like “okay, I’ll let it slide this time”

Mr Durran. It’s been many, many ‘let it slide this time’ lolol

He’s very hands off with them, and gives them a lot of freedom and autonomy. There’s moments when Imogen’s like, “You realize your eldest snuck out with that kid again, right?” And Bodhi responds with a “I know. They don’t think I know, but I do. And I trust that they will be smart and make good choices.”

Though, he’s also protective, so he’d follow up with, “And if that kid decides to break my son’s heart I’ll send you and Cuir after them and whoever gets to them first wins a prize of my choosing.”

And I think because of the freedom and trust he gives them, his kids are angels (they are his kids after all). There’s moments I imagine when Bodhi and Xaden are in some sort of meeting has his second eldest comes in with a frown and confesses to the idea of wanting to break into the kitchens and steal cake. Bodhi’s like “It’s okay, son. I’m so glad you told me. How about we get some together after my meeting? You know, your uncle and I were quite the thieves ourselves in the kitchens when we were younger…”

Xaden is just staring at him clenching his jaw as his cousin is gentle parenting his nephew for thinking of committing a cake heist while his daughter is sneaking out and actually committing various offenses across the kingdom with Violets approval.

Xaden:

I believe I headcannoned that he would have one child, a daughter. For this I’m saying she’s around 16. Third eldest of all the kids but the most rebellious.

I think a lot of Fen would show up when his daughter became a teenager. I know with many people saying they ‘wouldn’t be like their parents’ when they become parents but I think Xaden would slip into his father’s shoes without him knowing.

Meaning, I think he would do a lot of stuff ‘to protect her’ without actually telling her why or the reason.

But he’d be such a good dad like Bodhi. Would be a gentleman to her so she knows what standard to expect when she starts dating

He is 100% thet meme of “I took my daughter to a expensive restaurant so she knows to expect better when you try to take her to a drive thru”

Also, bless the fool who would ever try to court his daughter. He would straight up tell them they weren’t good enough for her or scare them off.

Even if Violet gave her approval of them Xaden would be so salty about it.

If they were to show up to Riorson House for a date he’d pull an old wingleader move and get Tairn and Sgaeyl swoop in and stare them down while they waited for Xaden’s daughter to get ready. Yes, they would be the overprotective dragon parents too, and it was probably Sgaeyl’s idea.

And yes, Xaden would absolutely follow the two of them on their date with his shadows until Violet caught him and made him stop

Also with Xaden, he needs counsel on managing a rebellious teenager so Bodhi is also employed in that regard. Half of their meetings are on raising moody teenagers

But Xaden loves his daughter so much. Even if they were fighting they’d always say I love you before stomping out the room because they know how important those words are.

“You’re grounded and I mean it this time. No flying for two weeks, and I love you.”

“Ughhh!! This is so not fair!! I’m telling mom…and love you too.”

Garrick & Imogen:

I put these two together because I think they would totally be the wealthy aunt and uncle of the group with no children but would spoil and enable the shit out of Bodhi and Xaden’s kids.

Like if any of the kids made a big mistake, they’d go to Garrick and Imogen before their parents

Imogen would absolutely help Xaden’s daughter with any type of sneaking out she’d be doing with her partner or to go up to the nesting grounds to fly with Andarna

Garrick would do all the smooth talking with the parents if they are ever caught assisting their nieces and nephews.

“Relax, Xaden. I made sure to put a tracking rune on her before we helped her sneak out. Shes just south of Aretia and will be fine.”

Bodhi: “Our daughter got extra assignments today because she used inappropriate language today with a classmate. She called her, and I quote - a gryphon faced shit fuck…do you know anything about this Im?” , Imogen: “…I mean it’s technically just ‘a gryphon shit for a face’ but I’m sure it had the same impact. We’ll get it right next time.”

Also, in an alternate headcanon they end up taking care of all the younger marked ones after the war. They refuse to call it fostering, those are their babies now. Garrick gives them all the choice if they want to take either his or Imogene’s last name or keep their family names. Nearly all of them become Tavis-Cardulos

#fourth wing #the empyrean #bodhi durran #xaden riorson #garrick tavis #imogen cardulo #a Tyrrish headcanon you did put a request for

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iaminfourthwing · 6 days ago

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The Generals Daughter

A/N: hello guys. As an apology for the long wait I took the time today to write another chapter for you, I hope you'll like it :) And I'll have a taglist so if you are interested in getting tagged for future chapters don't hesitate to ask :) thank y'all for your support, love you <3

Chapter XV

‚Since we’re already late, we’ll skip the flight maneuver.‘

We’ve been in the air for a few minutes without communicating. I admire the view over the landscape, let my eyes swipe over the valley and look how the golden rays of sunshine hit the nature. It’s a beautiful first day of October. It’s magnificent. Breathtaking. Peaceful.

The cold wind rips little tears from my eyes and I know now, why riders choose to wear goggles.

Normally dragons would test their newly bonded riders to if they are worthy or not. But due to it being already late we have no time for this today.

‚I promise,I will not disappoint you and show, that I am worthy of our bond.‘ I say truthfully. She grumbles in approval.

‚I am Arya, by the way.‘ Not me totally forgetting to introduce myself before I mounted her.

‚I know exactly who you are, Arya Melgren. Fierce, protective, misunderstood‘ her soothing voice echoes through my head. Oh wow, that fits perfectly. I am impressed.

‚My name is Innealfala, Innea for short. I am from the Gormfaileas Line of dragons, the same as your wingleaders dragon.‘ Sgaeyl and her are from the same den? That shouldn’t really surprise me.

She chuckles. Well, at least she got some sense of humor.

‚The small one Tairn chose as his rider‘ she starts.

‚Violet?‘

‚Yes. Andarna bonded her as well. The Empyrean just decided that they are both allowed to bond her after your human leadership wanted to prevent that.‘

Oh. My. God. Both dragons?! Not a single rider since the first ever dragon riders bonded more than one dragon! Wow, that’s truly something. I can imagine how shocked and disapproving the leadership is. As if they would have ever any say in what the dragons do or not.

Damn, what would I have given to see my fathers face when Violet revealed both names of her dragons. I bet Dain was on the verge of an heart attack.

And just then I notice that we approach Basgiath. The flight field comes in sight and we can see the variations of dragons down there. Red, Brown, Green, Orange, Black. Blue as well, you have to see Sgaeyl, even from up here and even if she is just at the side. The flight field is filled with hundreds of dragons and riders. In between them are hopefully my friends.

Innea roars loudly. She is bigger than the other dragons but must be around the same height as Sgaeyl, I’d think. Her roar seems to mean something like „Get out of the way“ because the dragons step aside. Cadets, riders and leadership look our way when we land.

While I dismount I ignore the prying eyes send our way and land steadily on both my feet.

Kaori said no blue dragons are going to bond and yet, here I am. With a gorgeous midnight blue dragon by my side. And if I can read her den leaders glare right, she is not impressed with Inneas choice to bond.

The dry blood on my face suddenly makes me remember how I must look like right now. Completely bloodied face and neck, a triumphant smirk growing in the corners of my mouth while I make my way over to the roll-keeper to tell them my dragons name. Fuck … she really chose me.

‚Of course I did. You are one of the most intelligent, not only in your year but in general. You are strategic, strong, independent and calculating. We’ll make a fantastic team.‘

Gods, I already love her.

Stepping in front of the roll-keeper, I ignore my fathers heated glare and the rest of the leadership. Professor Kaori stares open-mouthed (probably for the second time today) and tries to memorize every single detail of the midnight blue dagger tail behind me, whose eyes never left my retreating figure. I can feel her stare, her golden calculating eyes, on me.

„Wow, Arya. No one has seen her for over fifty years.“ he says impressed.

The roll-keeper looks up and glances sideways to my dragon, throat bobbing nervously while trying to hold her composure. Poor girl probably has enough surprises for today.

„Arya Melgren“ she say while she writes in the Book of Riders. Her eyes swipe over my bloodied figure, noticing how the most of it is not my own. Her wide brown eyes turn back to the book. „For the record, please tell me the name of the dragon who chose you.“ Her shaky voice betrays her. While Tairn is massive and deadly, blue dragons are known for being unpredictable, ferocious and murderous. No wonder the girl is terrified.

„Innealfala“ my strong and cold voice carries over the almost silent flight field.

‚Mh, I am impressed‘ Innea murmurs amused.

‚What can I say, I am a natural.‘

I pivot, ready to finally get back to her when the voice of my father stops me. „You are late“ judgement clouding his words. Of fucking course, that’s the only thing he is concerned about. I clench my fists.

„I was … occupied“ I spit out. Knowing that he wants to say more and try to humiliate me further I ignore every rational thought and walk away from him. More than one sharp intake of air is heard. No one dares to ignore or challenge the General. And I just did.

‚If he ever dares to lay another finger on you, he’ll regret it deeply.‘

‚Maybe get that black beast on the list too.‘

‚Will do.‘ No questions, just acceptance.

Standing in front of her again I look up at her thankful and turn back around to the flight field. General Sorrengail took her place on top of the podest. She closes out the formal portion of the Threshing ceremony, promising the unbonded cadets another chance next October. As if they wouldn’t try and kill riders to get to our dragons. Violet now has a big fat target on her back.

‚Don’t worry. The wingleader will protect her‘ Innea says.

‚Why would Xaden bother to protect her?‘ I ask confused, ignoring the speaking General in the front.

‚Because Sgaeyl and Tairn are a mated pair‘ she replies calmly. My eyes widen. Oh god … that’ll complicate everything.

‚Step forward‘ she grumbles.

Confused I do as she says and then there is a stinging pain and heat blasts at my right side of my back and down my ribs.

‚It’s pretty big, but you’ll like it.‘ My relic!

Rushed footsteps come my way and then I am in strong arms, hugging me tightly. No wait, three pairs of arms.

„We fucking did it!!“ Ridoc shouts loudly. I laugh while Ri and Sawyer cheer.

„Where is Vi-“ in this moment I see her. In Dains arms. Kissing.

Ridoc whistles. A few feet away from the kissing pair stands our wingleader, a murderous glare firmly on his face while his executive, Garrick Tavis, is next to him with an amused smirk.

„Well, I am not so jealous anymore“ I murmur. While my friends have no idea what I am talking about, Innea laughs in my head.

‚Glad to hear that.‘ I just chuckle.

„Actually“ Sawyer starts, „what the fuck happened with you?!“

„Well … let’s just say, Trevor is not going to be a problem anymore, as well as Tynan, and Barlowe has two lapdogs fewer.“ We all laugh again.

Suddenly, Innea hisses loudly. Heavy footsteps approach us. Making eye contact with my father, I realize some curious glances are thrown our way. My friends tense but don’t move away from my sides. Amari, I am so happy to have them.

Over my fathers strong shoulder I can see Xaden, Garrick and Liam, who must have joined them, observe us. While I can’t describe Xadens mimic, Liam is obviously worried and Garrick tense.

„I’d like to speak to Cadet Melgren alone, if you don’t mind.“ That was no question. That was a command, to leave us alone. They have no choice but to go away, probably to Violet. But I know they’ll let their eyes on us. In case … he tries to hurt me again.

Taglist: @puttyly @tinystudentmiracle @freyagallileaevans @aroacemushroom

#fourth wing #iron flame #fourth wing x reader #bodhi durran #xaden riorson #bodhi durran x oc #bodhi durran x reader #violet sorrengail #booktok #fourth wing by rebecca yarros

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justallihere · 9 months ago

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Hi there! Welcome - I'm Alli (she/her). I like concerts, books, and science. My favorite color is pink and my favorite band is Fall Out Boy. At this time I'm writing fics for The Empyrean (Fourth Wing) series, but someday in the future I might expand that list. Thanks for joining the chaos!

Most of you probably know me from AO3 by the same username. Below you can find my entire masterlist of fics as well as some frequently asked questions. If there's something you'd like to know that isn't addressed below, my ask box is always open 🫶🏻

✨ masterlist:

storm in the quiet (E)

Xaden/Violet, arranged marriage AU, 342k words, complete

It took only a few minutes for Violet to figure out what purpose she served. No one said it out loud—not yet, but they’d get there—but they kept throwing out words like formalizing alliances and uniting two groups, and she understood. Violet was a sacrificial lamb, and Xaden Riorson was the wolf, and her slaughter would be their marriage.

(find sitq deleted moments here, here, here, and here)

all resistance wearing thin (E)

Imogen/Garrick, one shot set in the sitq world, 7.3k words, complete

It was a dangerous thing to be alone with Imogen Cardulo.

simmer (E)

Xaden/Violet, one shot, 4.1k words, complete

The night that Tairn began channeling to Violet, she didn’t stumble upon Xaden in the snow. She found someone else to take care of her, and when Xaden realized, he was less than amused.

violence in my veins (E)

Xaden/Violet, one shot, 4.1k words, complete

The Riders’ Quadrant had something of an obsession with piercings. The only person Violet Sorrengail knew without any was, of course, Xaden Riorson. Or so she thought.

invisible in a violet sea (E)

Xaden/Violet, one shot, 2k words, complete

“It’s just me here, love. Tell me what you need so badly, Violence.” There was something about the way he said the private nickname in this context, with his voice low and husky, that made it feel entirely different from every other time he called her that. Like it was reverent and special and it, like her, belonged only to him. “You,” she said. “I need you, Xaden.”

void of all composure (E)

Liam/Violet/Cam, one shot, 2.8k words, complete

Liam Mairi figured it couldn’t be that hard to keep Violet Sorrengail out of trouble. Unfortunately, he didn’t account for the fact that her version of trouble was Cam Tauri, and Liam was certainly going to go down with her.

flower bud in concrete (T)

Xaden/Violet, pregnancy fic, companion to somehow i still love you more, 7.5k words, complete

There was nothing Violet wanted more than to complete her family with Xaden with a child of their own. It took longer than they thought, but the wait was worth it.

somehow i still love you more (G)

Xaden/Violet, kid fic, companion to flower bud in concrete, 800 words, complete

Xaden’s favorite time was the middle of the night, when his wife slept peacefully and he got to hold his daughter and watch the snow falling.

come together, come apart (E)

Liam/Violet/Xaden, one shot, 12.4k words, complete

Following the battle at Resson, Violet felt out of control in the wake of so many lies revealed. Xaden and Liam offered her a way to take some of it back.

✨FAQs:

Do you have an update schedule?

Nope. Fanfic is a hobby for me—I have other responsibilities and a full-time job. I write because it’s fun, and in order for it to stay that way I write and post as I’m able, and sometimes I step away for a week or two to maintain my own sanity. Unless I specifically say it, I promise my fics aren’t abandoned just because it’s been a few days or even weeks without a new chapter. Please don’t ask me about updates!

Do you take requests for fics?

I do not. I write things that I love or am inspired by. Trying to conform to specific requests kind of sucks the joy out of writing for me.

Can I write or draw something inspired by/based on/in the same universe as one of your fics?

Yes. Please just let me know once you post and link back to my work in some way!

Can I bind your fics?

Yes, for personal use only. You may not commission any third party that would make a profit off binding the fic to do the work for you. You may not sell bound copies of my fics. Everything I’ve written has been done for free, as my own personal love letter from me to fandom. Keep fanfiction safe and legal. And send me pictures—I’d love to see your finished projects.

Can I translate your fic to another language?

I would be honored! Please keep all translations to AO3 only and use the “this work is a translation” feature to link back to the original. I do not consent to my work being reposted to other sites in any way.

Will you ever write your own book?

I'd love to one day! I have lots of ideas floating around at all times, even though I don't talk about them much. I promise if I ever publish any original works, you'll know.

Will storm in the quiet have a sequel?

Nope.

✨ other info:

Find some of my favorite book recs here

Some great Fourth Wing fic recs here (my own faves and a lot of other good ones that I missed in the comments)

If you’re interested in what I might be currently reading, click here

#about me

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fourthwingfanclub · 11 months ago

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Violets Second Signet **Spoiler Warning**

Ok, after a long time thinking about this, and reading Iron Flame 4 times I think I am ready to theorize my idea for Violets second signet.

Let's start by summarizing what we know.

I have seen that some people have speculated that her signet is Distance wielder because she asked Xaden if that was his. While I don't think that was just brought up without a purpose, I don't think that would be her signet. (I think Aaric might end up being that).

I also think Violet's signet is going to be something that either we have never seen before, or very rare. This power comes from Andarna, she's a special breed of Dragon that has been basically extinct for 650 years.

Signets are based on the rider, and what they need most at their core. Violet needs information, Facts.

It is also mentioned many times that Violet has a mind of a scribe and the heart of a rider. I think this is important, more important than we know yet.

I think Violet can process events and information in slow motion. I think she can see everything around her happening, giving her time to process and record the events within her mind. While this doesn't seem significant, to Violet its everything. There are a few events that's stood out to me that made me think this.

First, when she reviews what Aiofe wrote and admits she missed some things. Also, Jesinia mentions that stories can change depending on who is transcribing them. Violet is mad about the amount of information that has been forgotten or changed due to scribes hiding the Venin from Navarre. She would want to recount everything correctly.

“Absolutely.” I nod, then take the notebook and skim Aoife’s neat handwriting. It’s amazingly accurate, with little details I’d missed, like the two infantry cadets who’d offered to be the healers’ aides because that’s their job for the squad. They have designated roles for each mission. I set it down on top of the book I’m returning to sign. “This is incredible.” “Glad to hear it’s accurate.” She glances over her shoulder, as if checking to see if we’re alone, which we are. “The tricky thing is to capture the truth and not just an interpretation. Stories can change depending on who tells them.”

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (p. 224). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

Second, the way some of the events and wording were portrayed made me suspicious that these were written a specific way. They were very detailed catching events that were happening in seconds or described as happening in slow motion. I think we see some clues to this being her signet once we get to Part 2 of the book and Andarna is awake and Channeling. We know Violets first signet showed up right after she started channeling with Tairn (that first kiss with Xaden), so it would make sense that she could have been showing signs of her second signet without realizing it. I don't think she was fully able to wield until the final battle though. My reasoning for this is if she was, even if she was unaware, Tairn would have sensed her pulling power from another source and wielding. If he did during the battle, we won't know that until the 3rd book since we don't get much info on events once battle has ended.

Examples of her signet showing up prior to final battle as follows...

Time slows to sluggish heartbeats as I watch him reach for the ground.

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (p. 567). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

Everything somehow slows and yet happens at once.

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (p. 597). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

Time slows to heartbeats, my breath freezing in my heated chest. Then the wyvern crosses the invisible barrier, and my heart stops beating altogether as its wings flap once. Twice.

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (p. 745). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

During the battle, two events really stood out - when Violet was waiting for the Venin to come upon them and worried about her friends. She says they have 10 seconds maybe. It is then described in detail all the events taking place a second at a time. Shes following this dagger being repaired while simultaneously aware of everything and everyone around her. She is able to gather copious amounts of information in a short, small amount of time.

One. Ridoc waves his hands at my right, holding a dagger that’s been snapped in two. Shit, if his only remaining blade is broken—I blink when the pieces disappear. He wasn’t waving at me. Two. Snapping my head to the left, I find the pieces already in Rhiannon’s hands as Feirge dives to where Sliseag hovers beneath. Three. Feirge flies alongside Sliseag, and Rhiannon tosses the pieces. Four. To Sawyer’s credit, he catches them. Five. Sgaeyl rises to take Feirge’s place, and I lock eyes with Xaden only long enough to see that he’s unharmed. Blood both drips from Sgaeyl’s mouth and runs in rain-driven rivulets down the side of Xaden’s face, but I instinctively know it’s not his and focus on the imminent threat. Six. Breathe. I have to breathe through the firestorm in my chest or I’ll burn out. It’s not that I don’t recognize the signs: the trembling, the heat, the fatigue. It’s just that they don’t matter. Everyone I love is on this field. Seven. They’re almost on us, and I look down at the ward chamber, where Marbh stands watch with a Blue Clubtail I don’t recognize and a vague shape I hope is Andarna, and when a flash of sunlight reflects on the dagger in Sawyer’s hand, it disappears again, Feirge already on the move. Eight. “Dajalair is frustrated by the unflyable conditions,” Tairn relays as Feirge rises alongside Aotrom. Nine. “Tell them they’re more efficient guarding the courtyard and incoming wounded than struggling with waterlogged wings,” I note. “They’d be a liability up here right now, not an asset.” The dagger changes hands, and Ridoc is once again armed. I grin at how seamlessly we work as a team, then face the coming tidal wave. Ten. “You’re beginning to think—” Tairn starts. “Like Brennan?” I suggest as the wyvern enter our airspace. “Like Tairn,” Sgaeyl answers,

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (pp. 827-828). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

The last scene that made me think this was when Sawyer and Aotrom was being attacked by multiple wyverns. Violet is able to assess the situation, gather the information, which gave her the opportunity to save her friends. I think this speaks directly to the battle at Resson, her world had been so turned upside down with the realization that everything she knew was false she was unable to fully piece together the information she did know about how wyvern is made from Venin, she feels responsible for Liam.

We’re almost there, but everything happens so fucking fast that it’s as if the rest of the world slows down. In one heartbeat, the closest wyvern opens its jaws. In the second, it blasts green fire across Sliseag and Sawyer dives backward out of the seat, narrowly avoiding being burned to death and rolling down Sliseag’s spine with a smoking boot. In the third, it completes its assault, snapping at Sliseag’s exposed side. Sawyer kicks at the gaping jaws to save his dragon from the bite, but in the next, he takes it himself, his leg disappearing between the wyvern’s massive teeth.

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (p. 833). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

With that I leave you with this blurb from Xaden

“You have to find your center again, Violet. I can’t do it for you.” He holds my gaze, letting his words sink in, before adding, “You are a creature of logic and facts, and everything you know got turned upside down and shaken. You’ll never know how truly sorry I am for that. But you can’t just sit there and hope. You want it to change, then you have to figure it out, just like Gauntlet. You’re the only one who can.”

Yarros, Rebecca. Iron Flame (The Empyrean Book 2) (p. 663). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

#fourth wing #iron flame #rebecca yarros #violet and xaden #xaden riorson #xadenviolet #andarna #tairn and andarna #the empyrean #violet sorrengail #signet #wyvern #venin

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angstywaifu · 5 months ago

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The Lost Sister - Part 39

Synopsis: Xaden is known as an only child due to his sister who 'died' during the Rebellion. Little do they know she didn't die and has been so close this entire time.

Garrick Tavis x OC (Ophelia Riorson)

The Lost Sister Masterlist | Masterlist

Minutes later we’re all stood with our dragons on the ridgeline, surveying what awaits us below. There was a high chance none of us would walk out of here, but we couldn’t leave those people down there to die. Leadership wanted to test our loyalty, see where we really stood. Which apparently was flying to Eltuval and leaving everyone here to die. If that’s how they wanted me to prove my loyalty to a cause that hide the truth and lied to it’s people then fuck them. We we’re trained to fight and protect our people, not let them die.

”Promise me you’ll run if this starts going south.” Garrick says quietly from behind me, somehow approaching without me noticing.

”You know I can’t do that.” I say as I turn my head to look at him. “If today is the day I meet Malek, then today is that day. I’m not running. And I know you aren’t either.”

He nods slowly. “But at least one of us could survive this.”

”And then what? I go back to Basgiath where they’ll lock me away or kill me? No thank you.” I say as I turn back to the town below us. “We can do this.”

Out of the corner of my eyes I catch the look he gives me. He doesn’t think we can make it out of this. At least not all of us. If two can level a whole city… What could four do? I honestly didn’t want to find out, my hand tightening around the dagger’s Xaden had given to me as we left the garrison. And even if we did survive…. what would await us back at Basgiath? Another thing I didn’t want to find out. But depending how this went, those we’re our options. And I felt like either way I wasn’t surviving.

”I hope you’re right.” He says solemnly as he looks at me.

”I hope so to.” I say quietly.

We have to go little one. Mealladh informs me as the others start to mount up.

Garrick must receive the same information from Chradh, nodding his head slightly before turning to me. Both of us look at each other, not sure what to say to each other. Neither of us wanting to say goodbye, because we don’t want this to be goodbye. But there’s a chance it could be. There’s a chance this could be. Garrick pulls a small box from a pocket on his jacket, shoving it into my hands before pulling me into a quick and deep kiss as our dragons huff behind us.

”Just in case something happens…. hold onto this for me. And if I don’t make it….” He whispers against my lips.

”No. You will make it.” I tell him sternly as I grip onto the box.

I try and fail to shove the box back into his hands before he turns and mounts Chradh. Leaving me to safely place the box in the pocket of my flight jacket, before I turn and mount Mealladh. She wastes no time, and as soon as I’m seated and secure she launches into the air as Chradh and Fuil follow us as we dip into a deep dive down into the valley. My eyes scan the perimeter, looking for anything we could use to our advantage. Below us the screams of people fill my ears as they try and rush to safety beyond the outpost gates.

Have the others found anything yet? I ask Mealladh as we soar past a tower which I’m pretty sure has a venin stationed on top.

Not yet. Mealladh informs me solemnly.

We needed to find something fast. The venin we’re already proving their strength. Most of the town already in ruin. And who knew when that Wyvern we had spotted would return. As if on queue two Wyvern appear over the tree line, one heading for Violet and Tairn, the other heading straight for us. I’m hit with a wave of familiarity as I see the Wyvern properly for the first time. It’s colour is almost identical to most of Mealladh, the only exception to being the red tips to her wings, tail and horns, as well as the bright white alone her back. But if you weren’t looking at how many legs she had and just saw her fly above, she could almost be mistaken for the Wyvern heading straight for us. Mealladh throws us into another drop as the Wyvern skims past us, the heat of it’s flames narrowly missing us as I see blue light up the sky above me. I turn to see it disappear beyond the tree line again. Clearly I wasn’t it’s focus right now.

Soleil and Fuil have found a mine entrance we can evacuate everyone out. Mealladh informs me as we do another loop of the outpost.

Get me close to the ground, I’ll help them get everyone out.

She gets us as low as she can, banking as I time my jump perfectly, rolling to break my fall as I land on the ground. Around me everything is in chaos. People are rushing everywhere, trying to get their loved ones and get out. Debris lines the street from the various buildings the venin have already attacked or destroyed. I look up to see Garrick and Bodhi further up the street directing everyone down to me, towards the mine entrance. To my right the street is in chaos, these people not knowing where to head for safety.

”Down here!” I yell out to them, the ones closest to me looking at me as I point towards the mine where Liam and Soleil are ushering people in as quickly as they can.

I run further into the street, shoving through the crowd as best I can, trying to get more people to follow the rest. But between the screaming, the roars of the dragons and Wyvern they barely hear me. A stray bolt of lightening not helping as it hits a nearby building, showering us in debris. I need more people to help me direct them to safety. But everyone else is too focused on getting to their own safety to help. Wait. I don’t need more people. Not real people anyway. I close my eyes and focus as I reach out with my mind as I’m hit with the over whelming feeling of panic and fear. I imagine the street is lined with other riders, all yelling and telling them to head to the old mine shaft where it’s safe. Immediately I feel a slight dip in the panic of those around me. The slight bit of hope that there’s a way out not too far away. I open my eyes to see the townspeople helping each other. Directing those they can along with the fake riders I’ve called upon. Good, we can get them to safety. I rush down more streets, helping those who have fallen or gotten injured along the way. Passing them onto other townspeople who can help them get to that mine. Before long the streets start to empty as they all make their way down.

Soleil and Fuil are dead. Mealladh’s grim voice speaks in my head. You need to get off the ground and back to me.

What happened? I ask, as I come to a stop in the middle of the street.

Venin draw power from the ground. One of them started channelling and killed them. I need you to get somewhere I can land little one. There’s another one not far from you. I can’t have you meeting the same fate.

Where? Where is it? I demand.

I need to make sure Garrick is safe. If it’s near him.

Mealladh goes silent, clearly hearing my thoughts.

Tell me it’s not near him! I yell down the bond as panic sets in.

I can’t do that little one.

I immediately break into a run as I shove my shield up, heading back towards the street I’d seen him on when I’d first landed. But when I get there he’s nowhere to be seen. Bodhi also missing. I look back down the the mine to see the ground drained of its colour. That must be where the Venin had drawn power. It’s as if it drained the life out of everything. I need to find him and fast.

I turn back to where I had seen them both earlier, running up the street that heads towards the centre of the outpost. Above me Tairn flies over head, trying to get the attention of the Wyvern heading towards where I’m running. The direction I am certain Garrick and Bodhi are. Finally I make it to the centre of outpost, and right in the centre is Garrick. His daggers gripped tightly in his hands as he faces off against the Venin standing in the middle of the rubble that use to be the tower. It’s attention shifts to me, and I feel my magic flair in response as his red eyes meet mine.

The same feeling I’d had when we crossed the border of the wards coming back. Almost as if responding to the Venin in front of me. Garrick follows it’s gaze, his eyes widening as he see’s me standing there. And that’s all it takes for the Venin to make it’s move. Their hand directing the Wyvern soaring over us to head right for Garrick.

It feels as if everything slows down as I watch two Wyvern bank towards us. Towards Garrick. Their mouths opening just like a Dragon’s before it unleashes it’s fire. And I know just like a Dragon’s there is no surviving it. I reach out as if I can pull or push him out of harms way, out of the danger that is fast approaching. Reaching for that part of my signet that can. But instead I feel something else. Something else rushes through me, a cold dead feeling rushing through me instead. It almost feels like…

Death.

This is what I imagine death would feel like. The cold, dead feeling rushing up through me from the ground before it ripples out through my hands, extending towards the Wyverns behind Garrick. It almost looks like smoke… no shadows as it leaves my body and traverses over the centre of the outpost. Just as I see the blue glow ignite in the back of their throats, the shadow passes around Garrick and meets it mark on the Wyverns. Instantly the Wyverns howl in pain as their bodies start to shrivel up as they drop to the ground. Their bodies disintegrating into a cloud of dust as they meet the ground.

The venin turns to me, their red eyes wide with shock as they stare at my shaking hands. Just like I am. What was that? What had I done? The cold, dead feeling still lingering in my body. Almost as if it had drained the life out of me as well. And I think it has. Something isn’t right. Something is very wrong. The cold feeling getting worse by the second. Before a burning feeling starts in my stomach. I lurch forward as I start coughing uncontrollably. Something wet hitting my hand as I go to stifle it. As I remove my shaking hand from my mouth, I look down to see my hand is covered in blood. My body going finally giving into the cold and dead feeling that has consumed me as I fall into darkness.

”OPHELIA!”

@riorgail @going-through-shit @fw-gt @bbkissme99 @xceafh @leptitlu @came-to-laugh-but-cried @onthewaytotimbuktu @daardyrnitta @lovemesomevesey @mxtokko @krowiathemythologynerd @callsign-blue @1islessthan3books @side-angel @wolfbc97 @just-an-ace-elf

#fourth wing fanfic #fourth wing #garrick tavis x reader #garrick tavis #garrick tavis imagine #garrick tavis x oc #the fourth wing #fourth wing x reader #fourth wing x oc #fourth wing imagine

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haveihitanerve · 4 months ago

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The fact that Rebecca Yarros has Violet apologize mentally to Tairn in both books before doing something that she knows might end her because she knows it’ll kill him too and him bellowing at her to come back because he knows he won’t make it in time not because he wants to save his life but hers and I just like

Why.

Why must you do that to me?

Tairn and Violet are possibly my favorite father daughter relationship and he is amazing and her bestie and I love them and please stop having her apologize and go “I am so sorry.” Before blocking his connection and leaving him like 😭 I can’t go through that again and again

#fourth wing #violet sorrengail #tairneanach #besties #violet and tairn #dragon #I love them so much and it gives me so much pain and stress when she says I’m so sorry #and it’s never just I’m sorry #no no it’s worse #it’s I’m so sorry #😭

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callsign-rogueone · 9 months ago

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letters from samara - g.t.

Garrick Tavis x reader (Angel!) part of my Valentine’s Day celly! 💕 words: 1.0k 🏷: FOURTH WING AND IRON FLAME SPOILERS, part of my Garrick and Angel series, so read that first for context! no other warnings, just kinda soft and sad.

Someone drops a thick envelope onto the table in front of you. “From Samara. They said it was important.”

Samara. Brennan had told you that’s where Garrick and Xaden are. Your hands shake as you open the seal, but you relax at the familiar slant of Garrick’s handwriting.

My angel,

I will start with what I know you’re most worried about: I am alive, I am safe, and so is X. He’s brooding in the corner of the room right now -- he’s not taking it well being apart from Vi, but command has allowed them visits every two weeks for Tairn and Sgaeyl’s sakes.

We both miss you more than words can describe. I wish I could have said goodbye before we left, or that we could have taken you with us, but X wouldn’t hear arguments from anyone. I have never seen him that serious about anything before.

I’m so sorry, angel. For all of it, everything. You didn’t deserve to be put through any of that, and I know how deeply it hurt you. It was terrifying to see you that way, so drained and cold. I can’t imagine what it felt like.

Promise me you’ll take care of yourself, my love. You are the most kindhearted person I’ve ever known, and I love that about you, but you have to think of your own needs as well. You deserve peace and rest, especially now. Sleep in as long as you want, make time for your meditation. I’m sure the gardens would appreciate your attention as well; I swear you could make roses grow in dry sand as long as you smiled at them every day.

I couldn’t bear to burn anything of yours, knowing that your heart still beats. I kept the things I thought to be most important to you and took them here with me. I will return them to you as soon as I can, but they are a comfort to me now — my room here feels like it did at Basgiath, with little touches of you scattered around. I keep watching the door, thinking that any moment you’ll come knocking to walk to class with me, or if I reach across the bed in the morning, you’ll be beside me again. I don’t know when I’ll see you next, but I know in my heart that I will. There is nothing and no-one that could keep me from you.

Yours always,

On the sheet below, another.

Until I can lay by your side and tell you about my days, I’ll keep writing to you about them instead.

Being here feels like being a fresh cadet all over again, but different -- bottom of the food chain, getting the shifts nobody wants, but at least we don’t have to constantly prove our strength like we did in our first year at Basgiath, and we already have our dragons.

One of Chradh’s relatives is here, which is cool. I think they’re cousins? They look damn near identical. I walked up to the wrong one on the flight line the other day -- thankfully the guy has a better sense of humor than Chradh, but I’m never making that mistake again.

Every rider here seemed to know exactly who we were when we arrived. Some of them have been more subtle with their distaste for us than others, but nobody’s been dumb enough to try anything -- probably because we look like we can fight, and because Sgaeyl is fucking terrifying, even more so now that she’s separated from Tairn.

I just got off a 12-hour patrol shift, and I’m exhausted, but it’s hard to sleep without you here. I don’t think we’ve ever been apart this long in our lives. Being without either of you has never even felt like a possibility before; it’s always been us three together through the good and the bad. Someday it’ll be like that again, I know it will.

Brennan is the best mender I have ever known. If you choose, he can help you strengthen your ability, but please don’t push yourself too far. I need you to be in one piece when I get back.

There are three more sheets underneath, one in Xaden’s rough script and two more from Garrick, the last dated four days ago -- likely the day he’d sent it.

You realize what an incredible risk it was to write to you at all. It wouldn’t take a genius to put together that X is Xaden, that you’re hiding in Aretia, that you’d faked your death, or rather that your friends had faked it for you. How many hands did these pages pass through to reach you? How many others out there are on your side?

You bring a hand up to cover your yawn, realizing how tired you are. The sun has gone down, a small mage light the only thing illuminating the corner of the study that you occupy. It’s likely nearing midnight.

“The letters and the books will still be there in the morning,” Tab says gently. “Sleep. You’ve had a long day.”

You look down at the torn piece of fabric you’ve been staring at for the last four hours. It has not yet sewn itself back together, no matter how hard you concentrated or “cleared your mind”, how gently you touched it. You’d even asked it nicely, but it did not dignify you with a response.

You set the letters aside for a moment, stacking up the books that you’d found in the house’s library about mending and placing them in a neat pile in the corner of the table you’ve been sitting at every evening for the last week. You fold the black cotton into quarters, setting it atop the pile -- you’ll try again tomorrow.

You can’t help but smile as you tuck the letters back into the envelope, brushing your fingers over the wax seal.

Garrick is right, this is the longest you’ve ever been apart, but as you gaze out the window into the starry sky, holding the letters he’d written you, the distance between you doesn’t seem that far.

#garrick and angel #garrick tavis #garrick tavis x reader #mine #fourth wing #fourth wing x reader #reader insert #trying to write as gare was a Challenge lol

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nomie-11 · 2 months ago

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Chapter 12 - Above the Clouds, Beneath the Earth

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The sky was still dark, still full of stars, when Genevieve woke up in the morning. Tairn had promised her an early morning flight, so she could see the sunrise from his back, above the clouds and mountains. She made sure to be quiet as she snuck out of her room, her steps light as she opened the door.

“AH!” She yelped, jumping out of her skin when she opened the now locked door to her bedroom, just to find Liam sitting outside of the door. “What in Gods’ name are you doing outside my door!? Isn’t your room right next to mine?”

But clearly Xaden had other plans for her.

“Xaden wants a centinel outside your door at night until he can trust that you actually lock your doors, so here I am,” Liam shrugged, stretching the stiffness and sleep out of his body. “Garrick, Bodhi, Xaden, and I, all take shifts,” He paused, looking up at Genevieve in the doorway. “Do you think Violet will like this figurine I made of Astrape?”

The little wooden figurine in his palm was adorable, but Genevieve was too focused on the fact that she had a guard now.

“This is insanity, go back to your room,” Genevieve started, her tone final, but Liam didn’t move. “I don’t need a guard sitting outside of my room at night. We’ve already discovered that I can handle myself.”

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Liam says, his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m just here because Xaden asked me to. If anything, shoot Xaden.”

“I’m not going to shoot Xaden or you,” she groaned, running a hand over her face. It’s too cold outside to be thinking harder than with slight reasoning, and all she wanted was to go outside and ride her dragon into the sunrise, but no. “Can you just let me go outside now?”

Liam laughed, his voice light as he stood up.

“Alright, alright,” He said, moving away from her doorway. “But I’m coming with you.”

“What? Why?” Genevieve asked, exasperated by the circumstances. “I’ll be with Tairn. I won’t die.”

“I have a dragon, too, you know. You’ll never know I was even there if that’s what you want. I’m just going to come with you.”

Genevieve ran a hand through her hair, trying to suppress her irritation. She could already feel the familiar pressure of the day beginning to weigh on her, despite the dark sky and the promise of escape on Tairn’s back.

“You’re not going to let me fly alone, are you?” she asked, although she already knew the answer.

Liam smiled, his expression a mix of amusement and apology, but so charming that it usually disarmed people. “Not a chance. Xaden would have my head. Besides, a little company will do you good, and you still get your sunrise.”

“That’s not the point,” she muttered, crossing her arms, her mind racing for a way out. “I just… I need some space, Liam. Some time to breathe.”

Liam’s smile faltered slightly, his eyes softening with understanding. “I get it. Really, I do. But Xaden is just trying to look out for you. After what happened… Well, no one’s going to take any chances. Especially not him.”

Genevieve clenched her jaw. Of course. The incident with the cadets. She’d killed three people in her own room. Lost control. And now everyone saw her as a ticking time bomb. She sighed, gesturing for Liam to step into her room as she returned to grab her flight gear.

The thought of Xaden assigning her a gear, after everything that had already happened, filled her with a simmering annoyance. She had survived captivity, trained under the most brutal conditions, and yet here he was–deciding she needed to be babysat. But then again, after the incident with the cadets and her newfound, uncontrollable powers, maybe Xaden had a point. Not that she’d admit it.

Train’s voice rumbled in her mind, low and slightly amused. “It’s not the worst idea. You haven’t exactly mastered your abilities yet, and neither of us wants a repeat of what happened yesterday.”

“I don’t need a reminder,” she shot back, pulling on her boots. “And I don’t need a guard either. This is ridiculous.”

“Perhaps,” Train replied, his tone nonchalant. “But would it kill you to let someone have your back?” Genevieve paused at that, staring at her reflection in the small mirror above her dresser. Her eyes were tired, the dark circles under them a reminder of sleepless nights and endless battles–both physical and emotional. The truth was, she had spent so long relying on herself, fighting her own demons in silences, that the idea of someone else watching her back felt foreign. And maybe a little too dangerous.

She shoved the thought aside and grabbed her jacket, throwing it over her shoulders as she stepped to the doorway where Liam was waiting. He was leaning against the doorframe, inspecting the figurine of Astrape.

“Let’s get this over with,” she muttered.

Liam grinned, pushing off the wall and falling into step beside her as they made their way to the flight field.

“Just so you know, I don’t snore,” he said casually.

Genevieve raised an eyebrow. “And why would I need to know that?”

“Because I have a feeling Xaden’s going to keep this little guard situation going for a while,” Liam teased. “You might as well get used to me being around.”

“You are not sleeping in my room,” she grumbled, her responses a low growl as they reached the flight field. But the moment her eyes caught sight of Tairn, the irritation melted away. His massive form was silhouetted against the faintest hint of dawn on the horizon, his dark scales shimmering under the starlight. There was a quiet power in his presence, and for a moment, Genevieve felt the weight of everything lift–just a little.

Tairn dipped his head as she approached, his golden eyes gleaming. “Ready?”

Genevieve nodded, feeling the familiar surge of excitement at the thought of flying. She placed her hands against his warm scales, and with a fluid motion, climbed onto his back.

Liam followed suit, his dragon appearing from the shadows with a low rumble. Deigh was smaller than Tairn, but no less impressive. Her sleek, red body cutting through the early morning as she stood proud for Liam to mount.

“Try to keep up,” Genevieve called out over her shoulder, a faith smile tugging at her lips.

Liam laughed, unbothered. “Race you to the clouds.”

With a sharp motion, both dragons launched into the air, their wings beating powerfully against the cold morning wind. Genevieve held tight to Tairn as they soared higher, the ground quickly disappearing beneath them. The sky opened up before them, vast and endless, and for the first time in days, she felt free.

As they climbed above the clouds, the horizon began to glow with the first light of dawn. Breaking through the clouds, the sky opened up before them in a blaze with colors–deep purples, fiery oranges, and soft pinks blending together in a breathtaking display. Genevieve’s heart swelled at the beauty of it all. The stars reflected the twinkling of her heart as she laid back and watched them disappear in the light.

For now, there was just the sky, the wind, and the sunrise.

“You fly, and the world falls away,” Tairn murmured in her mind.

And that was exactly what she needed. A moment where the weight of her responsibilities could disappear, even if it was just for a little while. She could pretend, up in the clouds, that she wasn’t a spy, that her heart wasn’t constantly torn between loyalty, revenge, and something far more dangerous.

Up here, she was just Genevieve. No spies. No traitors. No guards, except for Liam who kept true to his promise of keeping his distance. Just her and Tairn, flying free.

“You will always have this,” Tairn whispered, his voice a comforting rumble. “No one can take this from you.”

But as the sun rose, a part of her knew it was only a matter of time before she had to come back down. Back to reality, back to Xaden confusing her heart, back to lies and half-truth that filled every corner of her life.

————————————————-

“Hale!” Professor Carr exclaimed, a sickening expression of joy and excitement on his face. “It’s our first signet training lesson one on one! Isn’t this exciting?”

“Call me Genevieve,” She said, her voice snapping.

His eyes flashed with annoyance.

“I just want to see what you can do today, especially since you tried to hide your signet from me.” He said, and his voice was sickeningly soft and sweet. A horrible contrast to the man who used to spit at her when she was captive. “I knew that with a dragon like Tairn you would be powerful.”

Genevieve nodded, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes.

Her squad and Xaden had tried to keep her signet under wraps, tried to make sure that no one knew how dangerous she was becoming, but it's hard to hide the vines that seem to always be creeping up her legs every time she stood still for too long, and it's hard to hide the flowers that bloomed after every step she took on ground besides stone and wood.

“We’re going to start your training with a simple test,” Professor Carr said, his voice dripping with condescension. “You see, I want to feel what you can do. Unleash your signet, Hale. Let’s see if you can handle it without, well…” He paused for dramatic effect, grinning like a predator, “killing anyone this time.”

Genevieve’s jaw clenched, the memory of the cadet’s lifeless bodies flashing through her mind. Her fingers twitch involuntarily, and she balled them into fists to keep the vines from appearing too soon.

“Relax, Hale,” Carr crooned, stepping closer. His presence felt suffocating, too familiar. “Or should I say Genevieve? You were so much more… compliant under General Sorrengail’s care. Have you forgotten how to be obedient?”

Her heart pounded in her chest, a wave of nausea rolling over her as the memories of her captivity rushed back—the dungeon, General Sorrengail’s smile, the darkness that seemed to swallow her whole. But she wasn’t that girl anymore. She had Tairn now. She had power.

And yet, that power terrified her more than Carr ever could. And she needed him to learn how to control it.

So, taking a deep breath, she focused on the ground around her, willing the vines to stay dormant, and for the ones she had already sprouted to retreat back into the earth. In her mind, the image of their threads of life were woven back into the blanket of the earth instead of manipulated into her own thread of life. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But she could already feel them stirring, breaking out of her weak control, responding to her rising anger.

“Go ahead,” Carr taunted, his voice a low whisper. “Show me what Lilith’s little pet has become.”

Genevieve snapped. Her vision blurred as the ground beneath her cracked open, vines erupting from the earth, spiraling towards Carr with a speed that startled even her. He flinched, his smug grin faltering as the tendrils coiled around his feet, tightening with each passing second.

Tairn’s voice echoed in her mind, a deep, rumbling presence. “Control it, little soldier. Don’t let him bait you.”

But the vines continued to rise, dark flowers blooming in their wake, their petals shimmering with an unnatural sheen. Carr’s eyes widened in fear, and for a moment, Genevieve relished the panic in his expression.

“Stop this!” Carr said, forcing his voice to be strong, but his eyes gave way to the terror that her vines were causing. All the arrogance was drained from his face as the vines twisted higher, nearing his throat.

Genevieve hesitated, her breath ragged, the fury coursing through her veins like wildfire. She could end this. She could make him pay for every moment of her suffering, for every cruel word and sickening smile.

But something inside her wavered. This wasn’t who she wanted to be. She wasn’t General Sorrengail. She wasn’t a monster. Even if she wanted to kill him, he’s the only man alive who is trained to figure out how signets work. She needs him.

With a sharp inhale, she closed her eyes and willed the vines to release. Slowly, they retreated, slithering back into the earth, the flowers withering and crumbling into dust as she took life back.

Carr stumbled back, his face pale with shock. But his grin was sinister, evil almost.

“Good, Hale,” He said, his voice disgustingly shallow. “Do it again. Focus on that target,” he gestured to a dummy across the field from her. “And will those vines to fight. Life Weaving is about giving life and taking it too.”

Genevieve's hands trembled as she released a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. The ground still felt alive beneath her feet, pulsing with energy, but she wasn’t ready to unleash it again. Not yet. She had to remember her goal—control. She was no use to anyone if she couldn’t rein in her power, no matter how satisfying it would be to strangle the life out of Carr.

Her eyes flickered toward the dummy, its lifeless form a far cry from the man in front of her, yet it stirred the same sick sense of hatred. Life and death, she thought, a bitter taste on her tongue. Carr made it sound so simple, so mechanical, but it wasn’t just life and death. It was everything in between.

“You think this is some kind of game?” She snapped, eyes narrowing at Professor Carr. “I’m not your puppet.”

His eyes flickered toward her, still carrying that disgusting amusement, but now there was a trace of something darker beneath it. Fear. “Oh, but you are, Hale. You’re the best weapon we’ve ever had, and deep down, you know it. That’s why General Sorrengail kept you locked up. You’re dangerous. Even she knew you would become something she couldn’t control.”

Genevieve’s chest tightened at his words, the weight of them pressing against her ribs. She had spent over a year under Lilith’s thumb, every day a reminder of how powerless she’d felt. And now, here she was, faced with the power she had always dreamed of, but the cost of wielding it felt heavier than she’d imagined.

Carr’s eyes flickered to the dummy in the distance. “You need to understand your abilities. Control means understanding when to take and when to give. That’s the difference between you and General Sorrengail. She knew exactly how much she could take before she had to give something in return.”

Genevieve gritted her teeth. Lilith had been methodical, cold, ruthless—but she wasn’t the General. She wasn’t going to become her.

But the vines, they were an extension of her now. She could feel them, like a second pulse under her skin, ready to spring forth at her command. Carr was right about one thing: she needed control or the power would consume her.

“I think you underestimate how much I’m holding back,” Genevieve shot back, her voice cold as ice.

Tairn’s presence surged in her mind, steady and grounding. “You control this. Don’t let him get under your skin. He wants you to lose control—don’t give him the satisfaction.”

But Carr’s smug expression was a taunt all on its own, every word out of his mouth pushing her closer to that edge. She turned her gaze to the dummy, focusing her power, trying to draw on the same force she’d just unleashed without letting it overwhelm her. Her palms grew warm, the air around her humming with tension as the earth stirred once more. Vines snake from the ground, slower this time, more deliberate. She focused on each tendril, guiding them towards the target.

“Faster,” Carr barked. “You’re not weaving life, you're playing with it like a child. Do it again.”

Genevieve’s control faltered as his words cut through her concentration. Her pulse quickened, and the vines sped up, twisting violently as they reached the dummy, wrapping around its wooden form. The flowers bloomed again, dark and deadly, their petals shimmering under the sun. She gritted her teeth, trying to rein them in before they consumed everything in sight.

“Better,” Carr said, stepping closer, inspecting her work. “But not good enough. You’re holding back, Genevieve. You can feel it, can’t you? That raw power waiting just beneath the surface. Stop trying to control it—unleash it. Or are you afraid of what you might become?”

She glared at him, chest heaving as she fought to maintain control. “I know exactly what I’ll become if I let go.”

“Oh?” Carr leaned in, his voice a low whisper. “And what’s that? A monster? A Weapon? Something worse?”

Her heart pounded in her ears, and for a moment, the weight of his words pressed down on her. The vines tightened around the dummy, cracking the wood as they constricted, and she felt the pull—an urge to push further, to let the vines spread, to tear the whole training field apart if she wanted.

But she didn’t. She couldn’t. She had to master this power, not let it master her. With a fierce breath, she released the vines, letting them fall limp at the base of the dummy. Her fingers twitched, but she forced herself to stay still, refusing to rise to Carr’s bait.

“Again.” He said, sneering the words between gritted teeth.

And she complied, sticking the target again and again, over and over until the fire simmering underneath her skin exploded.

Her skin radiated heat, and it felt as if she was being struck by lightning. She was nearing burnout, her own body resembling more of a skeleton than a human as she struck again.

“You need to stop,” Tairn bellowed, his voice strict and commanding. Genevieve’s breathing came in ragged gasps, each strike against the target sapping her strength. The air around her crackled with energy, the heat of her signet flaring wildly as she neared burnout, her control slipping. Her skin felt like it was burning from the inside out, the raw power coursing through her veins a searing reminder of just how dangerous she could become. Each command from Carr grove her further, pushing her to the brink of her limits.

“Stop,” Tairn’s voice thundered in her mind, filled with urgency and concern. “You’re on the edge. You’re reaching burnout, you will die if you continue.”

But Carr’s sneer only grew more pronounced as he watched her struggle. “You see, Genevieve? This is what true power looks like. You are destructive because of this power.”

Genevieve’s vision blurred, her hands shaking uncontrollably as the vines grew. She collapsed to her knees. She could feel the power inside her building to an unbearable level, and it was all she could do to keep herself from breaking down completely. The dummy was barely recognizable now, its wooden frame splintered and covered in thick, dark vines.

“No,” she managed to croak, her voice barely audible over the roar of her own power. “I need to stop.”

The intensity of her power was reaching a critical mass, and she felt as if she was teetering on the edge of a precipice. If she went any further, she might not be able to pull back. The threat of losing control was real, and it made her shiver despite the heat radiating from her.

“Genevieve, focus on me.” Tairn’s presence was a grounding force in the chaos, a beacon of calm amidst the storm. “Let go of the anger, and find the balance. You can do this.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out Carr’s taunts and the searing heat that was making her feel faint. She visualized the threads falling back, weaving themselves back into the earth. The flowers wither away, back into the pattern of the world. She willed herself to find the center of her own power, to channel it into control rather than destruction.

With a supreme effort of will, she forced the vines to recede, letting them unravel from the dummy and and sink back into the earth. The heat slowly dissipates from her body, leaving her weak and trembling. Her knees sunk into the now plush grass beneath her.

When she finally opened her eyes, Carr was staring at her with a mixture of disdain and grudging respect. “That was a start. We will do more next lesson.” His words were clipped and cruel. “You have potential, but potential means nothing if you can’t harness it. You’re a force of nature. Learn to control it, or it will control you.:

Genevieve nodded, her breath coming in shaky gasps. “I understand.”

Carr’s lips curled into a thin smile. “Good. Remember, power is a double-edged sword. Wield it wisely.”

As he walked away, Genevieve sank further into the ground, laying on her back as she let the grass grow around her, her strength finally giving out. Tairn’s comforting presence enveloped her, a soothing balm to the raw edges of her psyche. She took deep, shuddering breaths, trying to regain her composure.

“You did well,” Tairn said softly, though there was an undercurrent of concern in his voice. “He will be here soon, to take you from this field.”

Genevieve didn’t respond, she just closed her eyes and nodded, letting the late November sun warm her shocked body.

Xaden was coming to save her, again.

Genevieve lay motionless on the soft grass, her body aching from the strain of her power, every muscle screaming in protest. The earth around her felt as if it was responding to her exhaustion with a gentle embrace, the vines and grass curling around her limbs protectively held her close. It was a small comfort, the only one she had as her mind raced with the lingering sting of Carr’s words.

A force of nature. She wasn’t sure if she liked the sound of that. It implied something wild, uncontrollable. And she couldn’t afford to be either.

Tairn’s presence was still there, steady and reassuring, but even he felt distant now, his concern threading through their bond but not overwhelming her. She needed space to breathe, to think, to push away the fear of what she would become.

But despite everything, her body betrayed her with trembling hands and ragged breaths. Carr had pushed her too far, too fast, and she wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to keep her promise to herself. Control seemed so far out of reach when the anger surged so easily, when every moment was a battle to hold back the power bubbling beneath her skin.

A soft crunch of boots on grass made her heart jump. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know who it was–Xaden’s presence was unmistakable, a dark cloud of tension that always followed him, but today there was something softer in the way he approached, the usual hard edge dulled by worry.

“Gen,” his voice was low, a mixture of anger and concern as he knelt beside her. “What the hell did he do to you?”

She opened her eyes slowly, her vision clouded with exhaustion, but even through the haze, she could see the barely restrained fury in his expression. His jaw was clenched, his dark eyes scanning her face as if he could will her back to strength through sheer force.

“Pushed me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “He wanted… control. He wanted me to break.”

Xaden’s face darkened, his hands hovering beside her as if he didn’t know whether to pull her into his arms or to give her space to breathe “You’re not broken,” he said firmly, the intensity in his voice making her chest tighten. “He doesn’t get to win.”

A weak smile tugged at her lips, though it faded quickly as the reality of her body’s limitations set in. “Feels like he did.”

He waited for a moment, his eyes looking into hers, searching for some semblance of an answer for whether or not she was ok with him touching her. If she felt as if he would die if he got too close, he would back off, wait until she was strong enough to walk on her own and walk with her to her bedroom. But if not-

“It’s ok,” she muttered, her voice strained and tired. “I know I won’t kill you, not anymore. I see the threads now.”

Without hesitation, Xaden gently slid his arms under her, lifting her from the ground with ease. The vines that had wrapped around her limbs loosened, as if sensing she was safe now, retreating back into the earth. His warmth enveloped her, and for the first time in hours, she allowed herself to lean into it, to let the weight of her exhaustion melt into him. Resting her head on his chest, she breathed in, and the scent of mint and leather condition filled her senses. She sighed contently, Xaden smelled like safety.

“I’m going to talk to him,” Xaden muttered, his voice low and dangerous as he carried her away from the training field.

“Not today,” she breathed, the effort of speaking draining her already depleted strength. “We need him… as much as I hate it.”

His arms tightened around her, a silent acknowledgement of the truth in her words, even if it killed him to admit it. She could feel the tension rolling off of him and into their bond, the barely contained rage he was holding back for her sake. But she wasn’t blind to this protectiveness that had bloomed between them, the way he was willing to save her even when she couldn’t save herself.

“Rest,” he murmured, his voice softer now as they moved closer to the buildings of Basgiath and away from the fields, the chaos of the day fading into the background. “I’ll wake you when it’s time for dinner. We’ll figure this out.”

Genevieve nodded, and closed her eyes, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull her into a sense of calm she hadn’t felt in weeks.

For now, she would rest. For now, she would let him carry her.

—----------------------------------------------------------

The rest of November passed in a blink of an eye, leaving in a blur of shadows and strain. Genevieve spent twice a week from mid-November to mid-December with professor Carr in special private sessions, aimed to help her get control with her power, but with each lesson, it felt as if she was getting weaker. Losing control.

In the dimly lit sparring gym, Geneviev and Violet squared off, their staffs made contact with a series of sharp, resounding thwacks. With the force of the blow, Genevieve winced, her arms jolting. Her arms felt like glass, her bones weak.

“I think you’ve been doing too much giving,” Violet says, her breaths heavy and labored. “Maybe it’s time to take some life, too.”

“I’m not going to kill someone because I feel weak, Violet,” Genevieve bit, but the harshness in her words was masked by the concern Violet exuded.

“You look like a skeleton, have you seen yourself?” Rhiannon points out. “Your eyes are completely sunken in and you’ve lost weight. You were skinny to begin with but it’s like your signet is eating away at you. You need something.”

Genevieve groans in annoyance, rolling her eyes. “I know, but last time Carr made me take life it felt as if I was draining the Earth from its pulse. And I can barely sleep after I do it. Not to mention I can’t even lock my door without freaking out so Liam sleeps outside my door and I feel so bad.”

“About that…” Liam trails off, looking away sheepishly. “I talked to Xaden the night you figured out I was doing that so he may or may not have warded your room so that only you can open it.” He stopped, and Genevieve blinked blankly. “It’s not like it’s locked! It just can’t be opened!”

Genevieve stared at Liam, incredulously. “That’s the same thing!”

“No it’s not like that,” he shook his head in protest, face flushed. “You can still get out anytime, just no one can get in.”

“Genevieve, you need rest,” Rhiannon pushed gently, her brow furrowed with worry. “No one’s saying you’re weak, but you can’t keep this up.”

But it was a weakness. Genevieve hated the way her body betrayed her, the way it had begun to recoil every time she drew on her signet. It gnawed at her, sucking her dry. Carr’s lessons were supposed to help, but they were slowly consuming her, leaving her feeling hollow.

“I can handle it,” she snapped, more to herself than to them.

“We all understand that signet training is hard-” Genevieve cut Violet off.

“No, you don’t understand!” She exclaimed, her anger finally blowing over. “Your signet hasn’t manifested! Hell, you haven’t even started channeling!”

Violet immediately backed off, a flash of hurt and jealousy hitting her face like a bolt of lightning.

“Genevieve! Violet has her struggles just like you. We’re all trying our best, be nice.” Rhiannon chastised as if she was talking to a misbehaving child.

“Yeah you all have your struggles but you can’t relate to mine, so stop pretending like you can!” The wooden staff in her hands broke in half, And the break was quickly swallowed by creeping vines and dark flowers. The room fell into a stunned silence as the floral growth consumed the broken staff, the dark blooms spreading out like a living nightmare.

Her friends watched in shocked silence, their fear palpable. Violet’s gaze was fixed on the floor, Rhiannon’s brows furrowed in distress, and even Liam’s usual calm was marred by discomfort.

Between the threads that were constantly now in her vision, she could feel the walls around her growing once more. They thickened with every ounce of fear that the people around her exuded. Genevieve watched as her own heart broke into pieces, and was cemented into the wall around her. The wall that was once broken down and destroyed, allowing Rhiannon, Violet, Sawyer, Ridoc, and now Liam in, was firmly built up strongly once more. Blocking them out.

Genevieve’s heart ached as the silence stretched. “You’re all afraid of me,” she said quietly, the hurt clear in her voice. “You’re afraid of what I might do, of what I could become.”

The silence that followed Genevieve’s words was thick, suffocating. Her friends shifted uneasily, but no one rushed to deny it. The air was heavy with the scent of the dark flowers that had sprouted from her shattered staff, the vines now curling menacingly around the gym floor. She could feel it—their unease, their uncertainty. It pressed against her, invisible but undeniable, just as tangible as the walls she’d erected to keep them at a distance.

“Everytime I look at you guys, I can see these threads connecting you to the Earth. And now I know how to keep myself from snapping those threads with what little control I have of my signet, but even despite this control that I’ve managed to grasp from nothing, you all look at me as if one wrong move and I’ll snip your thread short.” She explained, her voice shaking as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. “I can feel it in the way you talk to me, the way you look at me as if I’m about to explode and take you all down with me.”

Rhiannon’s lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but the words didn’t come. Her usual sharpness was softened by uncertainty. Violet opened her mouth, but closed it again, glancing at Liam, who stood tense beside her, his hands almost protectively clasped around her arm. No one rushed to reassure her, and that silence cut deeper than any words could have.

“We’re not afraid of you,” Liam finally said, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. “We’re worried about you.”

“That’s not true,” Geneveive’s eyes narrowed, her grip on the broken staff tightening. The flowers wrapped around it pulsed as if in tune with her anger. “You’re all terrified. I see it. And don’t you dare try to lie to me about it. I can practically feel your fear.”

Rhiannon, ever the leader, took a cautious step forward, her hand extended “Genevieve, we’re not—”

“You’re lying and you know it!” Genevieve cut her off, stepping back, the vines curling tighter around her feet. “You say you’re worried, but I can feel the space between us growing every day. Don’t you think I notice how you all treat me now? Like I’m some problem waiting to be solved?”

Rhiannon flinched, but held her ground. “We’re not lying. We don’t know how to help you. That’s all it is. But we care. We’re not afraid of you, we’re afraid of losing you.”

Genevieve’s heart twisted at those words. She wanted to believe them, to cling to the hope that her friends hadn’t abandoned her, but the truth that she believed so deeply in her heart felt like a heavy stone lodged in her chest. She had lost them, in some way. That bond, that trust—they were fraying, and she didn’t know how to stop it.

The threads that connected her to them, the ones she saw every time she used her signet, were so fragile. She feared that with one wrong move, she’d snap them, and they’d be gone for good.

“You will lose me,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “At this rate, I’m losing myself.”

Liam’s face fell, and for the first time, he looked truly helpless. “We don’t want that to happen. We’re trying to be here for you, but…”

“But what?” Genevieve pressed, her voice sharp again. “You don’t understand what it feels like. You don’t know what it’s like to have your own power drain the life from you. I can feel myself dying everyday. And when I take life, I can feel myself being filled with power again, being filled with life.”

The admission hung in the air like a death sentence. Genevieve’s words, raw and unfiltered, spoke the truth of her power. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up,” she whispered, her voice cracked, full of fear and exhaustion.

Her friends exchanged glances, tension thick between them. They couldn’t fully understand, but the weight of her words was clear.

“Then let us help,” Violet said softly, stepping closer. “You don’t have to fight this alone, Genevieve.”

Genevieve backed away, shaking her head. “You can’t help. I’m dangerous. One touch from me, and—”

Without hesitation, Liam closed the gap, grabbing her hand. His fingers wrapped firmly around hers, despite the faint pulse of energy beneath her skin. “We’re not afraid of you,” he said quietly, his grip steady.

Rhiannon stepped forward, grabbing her other hand tightly. “When I say this you better believe me,” She paused, looking into Genevieve's eyes and searching for her confirmation. “We aren’t scared of you, Genevieve.“

Violet, not far behind, rested her hand on Genevieve’s arm. “You don’t have another hand, so I can’t hold it, but we trust you.”

Genevieve’s breath caught. Her power hummed beneath the surface, but they didn’t pull away. The walls around her heart cracked, just a little. Maybe she wasn’t alone after all.

“I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered.

“You won’t,” Liam said, squeezing her hand. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”

-------------------------------------------------

Hey guys!! How are you all? I just got an interview with my dream uni, so I'm doing pretty good (OMG I AM FREAKING OUT)!

On another note, I have reposted chapter 1, completely re-written with new information and just a lot better, because I definitely have grown as a writer since the start of the book. I'll be updating on the normal schedule, but also slowly posting the revised chapters as well.

As I re-write, please go back and read them (if you want to, of course), as I will be changing and adding things, so stuff will make more sense. Besides that, chapter 13 will be up either on sunday or saturday, so keep your eyes pealed for that (there will be smut)!

Let me know what you guys think! I'll see you all soon~

#violet sorrengail #fourth wing imagine #fourth wing #fourth wing x reader #fourth wing xaden #liam mairi #xaden and sgaeyl #xaden riorson #xaden riorson x reader #garrick tavis x reader #bodhi durran #the empyrean #basgiath war college #the wounded healer

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skyfallscotland · 9 months ago

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So this has been in my head all day and I just had to get it out. I don't know if I'll just leave it here or uh...yeah. @justallihere I want you to know you're taking FULL responsibility for this nonsense. This is your fault 🫡

(consider this some AU world where Tyrrendor successfully seceded years ago, Xaden is king, and they have their own riders academy but Tairn still bonded Violet because he lives to make Xaden's life difficult, also...violet/cam/liam has a certain appeal to it...no, someone stop me)

“You know you can enjoy yourself while you’re here.” Violet Sorrengail says judgementally. “If you’re forced to follow me around, you may as well have some fun.”

“I’m not forced to follow you around.” He replies immediately, shifting on his feet as his eyes scan the dark tavern, noting each of the patrons lingering by the bar. It’s true he’s not. His brother had asked and he had accepted. It’s the least he can do while they try and figure out how to deal with this—the mess that Tairn has caused, bonding a rider from Navarre.

“Sure you’re not.” There’s that judgemental tone again.

“Perhaps I just enjoy your company.” He tosses back, a hint of flirtation in his voice. Violet eyes his boyish grin before snorting, shaking her head as she picks up her drink—some sweet-looking lavender concoction.

“And if I decide to enjoy someone else’s?” She challenges, a hint of conceit in her voice as she leans around him, nodding her head. “Like maybe Prince Cam’s? He’s been watching me since we got here.”

Liam’s head whips around and he instinctively moves to the side, shielding Violet’s body with his own as his eyes search out Navarre’s third prince. It takes a moment to find him, shrouded in darkness where he sits in the far corner of the tavern, boot on his knee as he nurses a glass of bourbon, his posture unnervingly relaxed.

He can’t quite make out the other man’s eyes across the room, but he knows from memory they’re a deep forest green, just like the rest of his family. “Yeah, totally fine with it.” Violet says sarcastically, drawing his attention back to her. She looks pointedly at his torso and the way it’s shifted automatically to shield her from the prince’s view.

“I’m not forced to do anything.” He insists, dragging his attention back to their conversation. “But I am here to keep you safe and that,” he shifts his eyes back to Cam, “is not safe for you—not anymore.”

It’s entirely out of her control—out of all theirs—but Violet Sorrengail is now the key to taking down Tyrrendor, so regardless of how she might feel about it, he’s going to protect her and that means not going anywhere near Navarrian royalty. “I’ll go and see what he wants.” Liam says sternly, his hand on the shorter girl’s shoulder. “Go back to your friends.”

Her jaw tightens and she opens her mouth like she might protest, but clearly thinks better of it. “Fine.” She rolls her eyes, swiping up her drink and turning on her heel. She tosses one final glance over her shoulder towards the dark corner the subject of their conversation is in, but otherwise doesn’t falter, storming back over to her squad.

He watches, waiting for her to be safely ensconced between Rhiannon and Ridoc before striding slowly to the other side of the tavern, moving easily through the Saturday evening revelry until he’s standing over a man he’s only ever seen in passing.

“Liam Mairi.” The prince’s lips tick up. He drags his eyes up over Liam’s frame as the blond rider does the same. He’s sprawled out in the chair, relaxed as could be, his knees slightly spread as he takes a long draw of liquor. “Come to threaten me away from Sorrengail?”

“You know who I am.” It’s half statement, half question.

“I made it my business to know.” He taps his fingers on the table in front of him. “A Tyrrish citizen attending Basgiath War College? That sort of news travels fast.”

Liam crosses his arms over his chest. “What do you want?”

Cam’s lips tick up like that’s something amusing. “Many things.” He pauses for a moment, studying Liam’s face. “Where’s your king?”

Liam tenses. “In Aretia. Obviously.” He tries to appear as relaxed as the prince in front of him, but he’s certain he fails. “Xaden has a country to run, unlike…some.” His tone is mocking, challenging in a way he should probably refrain from, given his status as a diplomatic representative.

“Yes, it’s terrible being third in line. I really detest having all this free time to do whatever I like, truly.” He downs the rest of the bourbon in his glass, dropping it onto the table. “Tell me, does she know?” He climbs to his feet, circling around the table slowly, like a predator. “Do you plan on filling her in? After all, it’s only fair given the danger it puts her in—being bound to your king.”

“She doesn’t know.” Liam lowers his voice threateningly, “and you’re not going to tell her.” Blue meet forest green in a fierce glare. “Interesting that you do though,” he moves closer until there’s only an inch or two separating them. “I guess that means you’re just like the rest of your family—happy to sit back and watch the world burn.”

That gets a reaction out of him, the younger man stepping forward with a snarl on his lips. “You know nothing about me.” He looks up into Liam’s eyes. “You riders always think yourselves so superior to everyone else.” His voice drops to a low murmur, barely audible over the revelry of the tavern. “Just because I’m not flying around on the back of a dragon, doesn’t mean I’m doing nothing.”

He’s slightly shorter than Liam but just as well built and when he steps further into the blond’s space, Liam can’t help but look. His sandy brown hair is immaculately styled, his clothes are clean and pressed, and when he glances down even the man’s boots shine. It’s obvious he doesn’t belong here but…there’s something in the way the other man holds himself—with a spine of steel—that stirs something within him. That same steel is reflected in his eyes.

“So what are you doing?” He murmurs, the corner of his lips quirking up mockingly. “What’s your plan to help fight a war your family would stop at nothing to keep quiet?” Cam’s jaw is clenched, like he’s fighting to keep something in, rather than speak his mind. Almost against his will, Liam’s hand rises, his fingers sliding over the scruff on the other man’s jawline as he cups it gently. “All that power and what do you have to show for it?”

Cam’s lips part, his eyes roving over the blond’s face. “Nothing I can talk about here.” His green eyes are hard, unflinching as he tilts his head, pressing his cheek into Liam’s hand.

“Are you asking to get me alone?” The Tyrr’s lips curve up in a smirk.

“Would you like that?” The prince fires back.

He would actually. The shock of that revelation has him faltering, his usually unflappable composure dissipating as he stares down at the slow, arrogant smile spreading across full pink lips.

“Tell your king I want to speak to him, Mairi.” The younger man whispers, reaching up to lace his fingers through Liam’s before removing the blond’s hand from his face. It feels like it takes an eternity for their hands to separate, his fingers sliding purposefully over Liam’s own. “Whenever that dragon of his drags him back here.” The prince turns to leave, his torso brushing Liam’s as he slides past him, far too close for it to be considered accidental.

“And where will you be until then?” Liam enquires, his eyes dark.

Cam looks over his shoulder, a smirk on his lips. “I’ll be around.” He disappears into the crowd, going unnoticed by the rest of the taverns patrons and Liam watches him go, a dangerous, terrible curiosity stirring in his chest.

He remains frozen for a moment, unmoving until a flash of silver catches his eye and he shakes it off, striding across the floor to rejoin his new squad.

“That looked like it went well.” There’s laughter in Violet Sorrengail’s voice and a hint of arrogance as she ribs him. “I’m glad you took care of it.” A sarcastic grin slides over her face as she lifts her drink to her lips. “I’m fine here if you need to take care of anything else.”

He stares at her, unimpressed. “Very funny.”

“Mhmm.” She hums, her eyes dancing with mischief. “First time with a man?” This woman is entirely too smart for her own good and it’s only going to cause him more and more headaches as time goes on, he just knows it.

“I’m not into men.” He shuts her down.

“You’re a consummate flirt, Liam Mairi.” She laughs. “I refuse to believe that.”

But he’s not lying. Consummate flirt he may be, but he’s never been interested in anyone of the male gender…until now. Liam knows himself and his own mind well. He’s not into men, but Navarre’s third prince and his quiet arrogance, his ridiculously green eyes and the way his skin feels beneath Liam’s hands? That…that he may be into.

Shit.

#they are my new babies and i love them #why do i have a cute parapet scene circling around my brain now; send help #liam/cam #liam mairi #liam mairi/cam #fourth wing fanfic

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