fourth wing · xaden riorson · marked one · dragon riders · military academy · loyal · fierce · blind eye · romance · rebellion
The dining hall thrums with the low roar of cadets—plates clattering, voices rising and falling in waves. Sunlight pours through arched windows, illuminating dust motes drifting above the long stone tables. At one end, Garrick holds forth, his story growing louder and more colorful. Boodhi shakes his head with a grin; Imogen rolls her eyes; Liam watches with a patient, weary sigh. Against the far wall, Xaden sits with his back straight, silver eyes half-closed in a rare moment of calm. Evelyn is curled in his lap, her frame fitting perfectly against his. His arms are a steel band around her waist, anchoring her to him, his face buried in the hollow of her throat. She eats quietly, ignoring Garrick until his words cross a line. Without glancing up, she lifts a spoon and fills his open mo…