Ruthless 🗡️/ Fourth Wing

Chapter XXXIX

It had been a full day since I last saw Xaden. That night, his determination to track down Kai had been unwavering. Violet and I had stayed up until the early hours, dissecting everything that had happened to me. Throughout our conversation, she only asked one question: how many men had come after me at the ball. It was an unusual question, but I could see her mind working furiously.

"What's on your mind, Violet?" I asked, sensing her preoccupation.

"It's nothing," she said, though her voice betrayed her unease. "It's just that my mother was speaking with a commanding chief about an incident where she lost seven men. She's been pressing to have the issue resolved but it can't have any correlation right."

The realization struck me like a cold wave. "I fought off seven men," I said, the weight of the connection sinking in. But why would the general have any involvement in this?

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a single lamp casting shadows across the walls. Violet and I were still processing the gravity of our conversation when the door was flung open with a force that made us both jump. Xaden stormed into the room, his face a mask of grim determination.

In his arms, he carried Kai—barely conscious, barely breathing. Kai's once-proud form was now battered and bloodied, his eyes fluttering weakly. The sight was both shocking and rewarding. Judging by Xadens bloody knuckles he had fun.

Xaden's presence was commanding, his eyes locking onto mine with a fierce intensity. "Nora," he said, his voice low but laced with a steely edge, "you deserve to be the one to end this."

"No way not in my dorm room" Violet Screeched

Both me and him look at Violet with a hollow look.

The force of his words hit me like a physical blow. I could see the anger and frustration simmering beneath his controlled exterior. He placed Kai on the floor, his gaze never leaving mine.

"You wanted answers," Xaden continued, his voice growing colder. "Here they are. Kai is the reason behind everything—the instigator of the chaos, the orchestrator of the attacks. You've fought hard and lost much. If anyone has the right to decide his fate, it's you." He said as he walked over to me. The way he looked and the way he cared himself was different. There was a hidden emotion behind his words. Almost a plea and a gift offering.

The weight of his words was immense. Xaden, usually so composed and calculated, was now a figure of raw strength and conviction. His presence was almost overwhelming.

Violet's eyes darted between Xaden and Kai, her expression a mix of shock and apprehension but I could tell she would not have cared if it wasn't in her room. That seems to be the only problem that is turning in her head. I stood frozen, the enormity of the decision before me pressing heavily on my shoulders.

Xaden stepped back, his posture one of respect and submission to the choice I now faced. His strength was not just physical but also moral, and in this moment, it was clear that he believed this was a test of my own strength and justice.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions. The room fell into a tense silence, punctuated only by Kai's labored breathing

I rose from my seat and walked over to where Kai lay, his battered form barely recognizable. My steps were deliberate, each one heavy with the weight of the moment. I knelt beside him, my eyes cold and resolute as I looked at his broken face.

I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me, "you're the one who tried to kill me. Yes, you claimed you wanted my powers, but the truth is, you had no idea who was behind the attacks you orchestrated. You merely planted the seed of doubt by suggesting that my people wanted me dead."

Kai's eyes fluttered weakly, struggling to focus on me. His lips moved, but no sound came out. The realization of his own deception was evident in his pained expression.

"You manipulated the situation, playing both sides," I continued, my tone growing firmer. "You sought to create chaos and discord, to pit me against my own people, to pit me against Xaden. But your lies are exposed now. You wanted power, and you thought that by causing enough destruction, you could seize control. Yet here you are, at my mercy."

The room was silent except for the faint sound of Kai's labored breathing. I could feel the gravity of the moment pressing down on me. Xaden stood nearby, a silent witness to the unfolding confrontation.

"I've always wondered," I said, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and sorrow, "why men are granted the honor of fighting in wars while women are often sidelined, despite the fact that we hold the power to bring entire armies to their knees. Why is it that people want my blood on their hands?"

"They fear what I represent, not just as a woman with power, but as someone who refuses to be controlled or silenced. My blood on their hands is a symbol of their attempt to suppress what they can't control."

Xaden nodded, his eyes reflecting a fierce determination. "The fear of your power is what drives them to target you. But your strength is also your greatest asset.

I took my dagger and stabbed Kai in the side of the neck. Violet looks at me in disbelief but Xaden is holding a smirk. Xaden goes to take the dagger out of Kai's neck but I stop him.

"No, let it be a statement to send him back to his father like this. He did not conspire by himself. His father was well aware and if I know any better my hunch is right general Sorrengail will hear about this too."

I get up as my anger is seething through my veins "Nora" Violet said almost like she was scared but she said my name with question.

That was the last thing I heard before the door slammed shut.