Fire Breather

28.

  WITH a wet rag, I cleaned my hands of Lima's blood, walking toward Nim who waited on the field, her silver eyes narrowed directly on me. Yeah, she was pissed with me, and I had no doubt that Garrick would be too.

But Liam was alive and getting the help he needed from healers after I managed to stop his bleeding with my power, making me more tired than I had ever been.

The ground shook under my feet and I halted, seeing Tairn land as the field around me filled with celebrating riders from Fourth Wing and angry ones from First. Most dragons took off as soon as their riders dismounted, but not Tairn or even Nim.

Throwing the rag on the ground, I jogged over to Tairn just when Violet dismounted, stumbling in the mud. Then she hit her knees when she reached where Andarna lay between Tairn's forelegs, exhausted.

"Vi?" I called out, glancing at Tairn once before I crouched down beside the shaking girl.

"You're alive," Violet shakily said, her eyes darting up to me with her hands latching onto mine. Guilt swam through her eyes, reminding me that Jack was her first kill. "Tell me Liam is alive. Tell me it was worth it."

"It was worth it," I promised her, squeezing her hands. "The sword went through his side, and I managed to stop the bleeding with my power. He's being rushed to the Healers Quadrant now."

"Good. Good." She nodded, seeming out of it when she turned to Andarna. "Thank you, Andarna. I know how much that cost you."

My head turned to the golden dragon, and I released one of Violet's hands, reaching out to lay it on Andarna. "I owe you my life, Goldie," I whispered, softly patting her.

"She said you've repaid her already," Violet informed me and I pulled my hand away from Andarna, focusing on her. "Because you helped protect her during Threshing."

I softly smiled, pushing Violet's hair out of her face. "Thank you, Vi."

"Damn, Sorrengail!" Sawyer called out. "Lightning? You've been holding out on us!"

Before either of us could respond, a dark shadow enveloped us when Tairn folded his wings over us, and Violet shoved me away before she threw up everything in her stomach.

"Shit," I lowly cursed, standing up before rubbing her back. "The first kill is always the hardest," I mumbled. "What happened today was needed. If you hadn't done it, then Jack would've been successful next time."

Violet stayed silent for a few minutes before she stood up, dragging the back of her hand over her mouth. "You need to get some rest, don't you?"

At first, I thought she was asking me, but I quickly realized she was asking Andarna whose blinks were slowing down. Tairn drew back his wings, and Andarna walked forward, then launched into the sky toward the Vale.

"We should get some food in you," I softly advised Violet, allowing her to hold my arm when she swayed back. "And you should probably wash yourself then hit the bed."

"Best thing you've ever said, Blade." She weakly smiled up at me, only for a second. "Is it weird that I'm happy you didn't die today?"

I snorted, shaking my head at her. "Is Violet Sorrengail finally admitting that we're friends?"

"Violet?" Dain appeared on her left before she could answer me. "That was you with the lightning strike? The one that took down that tower?"

"Now's probably not the time, Aetos," I quietly warned him, having a strong feeling that Violet didn't want to be reminded of what she had done.

"I've never seen anything like it," he went on. "I don't think there's been a lightning wielder in more than a century—" He paused. "Violet?"

"I killed him," Violet whispered, her hand tightening around my forearm as she stared at the central chest plate of the saddle.