Fourth Wing
by Rebecca Yarros
Contents
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Overview
Post-Threshing, social power realigns as Violet’s bond with Tairn elevates and isolates her. Squads condense, and Xaden quietly tasks Imogen (with Garrick) to harden Violet’s body. In first flight drills, Tairn pushes her past limits; she repeatedly falls and survives only because he catches her. Dain ends any romance for his career.
Summary
Violet wakes in her new private room and heads to breakfast with Rhiannon and Ridoc, noting Sawyer’s night with Rhiannon and admitting her disappointment that Dain’s kiss sparked nothing. In the hall, Oren glares, tables clear for Violet, and Jack Barlowe is shunned. Imogen explains that bonding Tairn shifts the power balance and that Violet is now feared. Upperclass squadmates join them; Emery reveals air manipulation, and they confirm Seifert tried to kill Andarna. Imogen orders Violet to meet for training, hinting squads will condense, and Violet realizes Xaden directed it.
On the flight field, Kaori announces there are only ninety-two riders and warns dragons may let weak bonds fail. Tairn accommodates Violet’s mounting but then mirrors and intensifies Kaori’s maneuvers. After arguing that she must learn to stay seated unaided, Tairn removes his hold; Violet falls repeatedly, and Tairn catches and resets her each time. A rider from another pair apparently dies, underscoring the stakes.
That evening, Dain intercepts Violet, advising her to ask Tairn to ease up. He says their kiss should not have happened due to chain-of-command and his ambitions, effectively ending any romance. Violet accepts but respects him less.
Imogen collects Violet for covert conditioning. In a hidden gym, with Garrick training another first-year, Imogen imposes strict rules about referring to Xaden and begins a regimen focused on strengthening Violet’s inner thighs to keep her in the saddle.
Who Appears
- Violet SorrengailNow feared after bonding Tairn; struggles to stay seated in flight; begins intensive strength training.
- TairnMassive dragon; overprotective yet demanding, repeatedly catches Violet during maneuvers and orders her to eat.
- ImogenSecond-year with rebellion relic; ordered to train Violet; imposes strict rules and starts inner-thigh conditioning.
- Dain AetosSquad leader; ends potential romance citing chain-of-command and ambition; urges Tairn to ease up.
- Xaden RiorsonWingleader; silently directs Imogen to keep Violet alive, observing her during breakfast.
- KaoriFlight instructor; announces tiny class size, warns weak bonds may be allowed to fail during training.
- RhiannonFriend and squadmate; celebrates with Sawyer; pushes Violet to eat and trains her in sparring.
- RidocSquadmate; observes shifting power dynamics and shares breakfast with Violet’s group.
- SawyerSquadmate; leaves Rhiannon’s room, joins their table after bonding.
- GarrickExecutive officer; worries over Violet’s situation and helps oversee conditioning in the hidden gym.
- OrenHostile cadet on kitchen duty; glares at Violet, prompting her to avoid his station.
- Jack BarloweAntagonistic rider; socially shunned after bonding a smaller Scorpiontail.
- EmeryThird-year squadmate; demonstrates air manipulation signet during breakfast conversation.