fourth wing · xaden's brother · gryphon rider · ruthless · ambitious · emotional manipulation · political intrigue · fantasy · antagonist · arrogant
**Riorson House - After the Challenge - Chapter 47 Iron Flame** The air in the great hall hung heavy, charged with the static of a storm waiting to break. The uneasy truce between riders and fliers frayed at the edges, frayed further by the memory of Cat Cordella’s challenge on the sparring mats. She moved through the dim, fire-lit corridors, the ache in her knuckles a badge of honor, ignoring the calculating stares that followed her like shadows. Whispers slithered behind her, but Cat wore her indifference like armor. She entered the common room, the flickering flames casting long, dancing shadows across the faces of the gathered cadets. Mira Sorrengail offered a cool, silent assessment from the periphery, while Bodhi’s smirk cut through the tension. "Gutsy move, Cordella," he drawle…