Dain Quotes

“Tell him if he harms you, I'll scorch the ground where he stands.'

'Oh, for fuck's sake, Tairn.' I roll my eyes and walk to Dain, whose jaw is locked, but his eyes are wide with apprehension.

'Tell him, or I'll take it up with Cath.'

'Tairn says if you harm me, he'll burn you,' I say as dragons to the left and right launch skyward without their riders, headed back to the Vale. But not Tairn. Nope, he's still standing behind me like an overprotective dad.

'I'm not going to harm you, ' Dain snaps.

'Word for word, Silver One.'

I blow a breath out slowly. 'Sorry, he actually said, if you harm me, he'll scorch the ground where you stand.' I turn and look over my shoulder. 'Better?'

Tairn blinks.

Dain keeps his eyes on me, but I see it there, the swirling anger Tairn warned me about. 'I would rather die than harm you, and you know it.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Violence,' he says softly, 'did Aetos touch you after I told you about Athebyne?'

'What?' My brow furrows, and I shove an errant strand of hair out of my face as the wind swirls around us.

'Like this.' He lifts his hands to my cheek. 'His power requires touching someone's face. Did he touch you like this?'

My lips part. 'Yes, but that's how he always touches me. He would n-never...' I sputter. 'I would know if he read my memories.'

Xaden's face falls, and his hand slips downward, cradling the back of my neck. 'No, Violence. Trust me, you wouldn't.' There's no accusation in his tone, just a resignation that hurts what's left of my heart.

'He wouldn't.' I shake my head. Dain is a lot of things, but he would never violate me like that, never take something I hadn't offered. Except he tried once.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Hopefully he'll forget about his little vendetta against you.'

'Do most men forget when a woman holds a knife to their balls?”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Give me the memory,' he orders.

Indignation lifts my chin. 'Touch me without permission, and you'll spend the rest of your life regretting it.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Good job remaining professional, Aetos.' Xaden scratches the relic on his neck I'm all but certain doesn't actually itch. 'Really shows those leadership qualities to their best advantage.'

One of the riders down the table whistles. 'Do you boys just want to whip it out and measure? It would be faster.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Poison may be a coward's weapon, but it's an effective one.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“She could use a little less protection and a little more instruction.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“I don't know if I can watch,' Dain says, drawing my attention back to his strong face. His perfectly trimmed beard brackets full lips drawn tight into a frown.

'Then close your eyes.' I have a plan- a shitty one, but it's worth a try.

'What changed between Parapet and now?' Dain asks again, a wealth of emotions in his eyes that I can't begin to interpret. Well, except the fear. That doesn't need any interpretation.

'Me.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“You don't have to worry about me.'
...
'I always worry about you.' Dain's hands curl into fists.

'Don't.' I shake my head. 'I can handle myself.'

'I just don't want to see you get hurt again.'

My ribs squeeze my heart like a vice.

'Then don't watch.' I take his calloused hand in mine. 'You can't save me from this, Dain.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“You choose the oddest times to defend her, Aetos,' Xaden all but rolls his eyes as he looks at Dain. 'And the most convenient times not to.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“In a moment, I am going to ask you to put the blade through your hand. When I ask you to do that, I want you to remember where your bones are, where you veins are. I want you to stab through your hand doing the least damage possible.' His voice is lulling, hypnotic, but my heart speeds anyway.

Against my will, I aim the sharp point of the knife. I press is lightly against my skin. I am ready.

I hate him, but I am ready. I hate him, and I hate myself.

'Now,' he says, and the glamour releases me. I take a half step back. I am in control of myself again, still holding the knife.
...
My eyes on him, I slam the knife in to my hand. The pain is a wave that rises higher and higher but never crashes. I make a sound low in my throat. I may not deserve punishment for this, but I deserve punishment.

Dain's expression is odd, blank. He takes a step back from me, as though I am the one who did the shocking thing instead of merely doing what he ordered.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“Did you step in?' Dain demands.

'Did I what?' Xaden arches a dark brow and levels a look on Dain that would make a lesser person wither. 'Did I see her outnumbered and already wounded? Did I think her bravery was as admirable as it was fucking reckless?' He turns that stare on me, and I feel the impact all the way to my toes.

'And I would do it again.' I raise my chin.

'Well-the-fuck-aware,' Xaden roars, losing his temper for the first time since I met him on Parapet.

I pull in a quick breath, and Xaden does the same, as if he's just as shocked by his outburst as I am.

'Did I see her fight off three bigger cadets?' His gaze pivots to Dain. 'Because the answer to all of those is yes. But you're asking the wrong question, Aetos. What you should be asking is if Sgaeyl saw it, too.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“You have to know that I would do anything to save you, Violet, to keep you safe,' he blurts, panic in his eyes. 'When Riorson said...' He shook his head.

'I know,' I say reassuringly, nodding even as something cracks in my heart. 'You always want me safe.' He'd do anything. Except break the rules.

'You have to know how I feel about you.' His thumb strokes over my cheek, his eyes searching for something, and then his mouth is on mine.

His lips are soft, but the kiss is firm, and delight races up my spine. After years, Dain is finally kissing me.

The thrill is gone in less than a heartbeat. There's no heat. No energy. No sharp slice of lust. Disappointment sours the moment, but not for Dain. He's all smiles as he pulls away.

It was over in an instant.

It was everything I've ever wanted... except...

Shit. I don't want it anymore.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“You don't have to use your powers, Vi,' Dain starts, his voice soft and comforting.

'Stop. Fucking. Coddling. Her.' Xaden bites out every word at Dain. 'She is not a child. She's a full-grown woman. A rider. Start treating her like one and at least have the decency to give her the truth.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“You just want her to be like you,' Dain argues. 'A cold-blooded killer. Soon you'll be telling her that it's all right, you get used to the killing.'

I inhale a sharp breath.

Xaden nails him with a glare. 'The blood in my veins is as warm as yours, Aetos, and if it's my job you want next year, then you'd better start understanding that you never get used to killing, but you do understand that it's necessary.' He turns back to me, his dark gaze boring into mine. 'This isn't primary school. This is war- and you heard me say it once before, but the ugly truth those not on the front lines choose to forget is there are always body bags in war.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Stop,' I put my hand on Xaden's arm. 'Xaden, stop. If you want me to go with you, I'll go. It's that simple.'

His gaze shifts to meet mine and immediately softens.

'No fucking way,' Dain whispers, but it reverberates in my bones like a lightning strike.

I pivot, dropping my hand from Xaden's arm, but it's obvious by Dain's expression that he now knows there's something between Xaden and me- and he's hurt. My stomach hits the ground. 'Dain-'

'Him?' Dain's eyes widen and his face flushes. 'You and... him?' He shakes his head. 'People talk, and I thought that's all it was, but you...' Disappointment drops his shoulders. 'Don't go, Violet. Please. He's going to get you killed.'

'I know you think Xaden has ulterior motives, but I trust him. He's had every opportunity and has never hurt me.' I move toward Dain. 'At some point, you have to let this go.'

Dain looks horrified for a second but quickly masks it. 'If he's what you choose...' He sighs. 'Then I guess that has to be enough for me, doesn't it?'

'Yes.' I nod. Thank gods all this nonsense is about to be past us.

He swallows hard and leans in to whisper. 'I'll miss you, Violet.' Then he pivots on his heel and heads for Cath.

'Thank you for trusting me,' Xaden says as I reach Tairn's foreleg.

'Always.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“No geas can save you from the effects of our fruits and poisons. Think carefully. I could grant you the power to enrapture all who looked upon you instead. I could give you a spot right there.' He touches my forehead. 'And anyone who saw it would be struck with love. I could give you a magical blade that cuts through starlight.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“In a moment, I am going to ask you to put the blade through your hand. When I ask you to do that, I want you to remember where your bones are, where you veins are. I want you to stab through your hand doing the least damage possible.' His voice is lulling, hypnotic, but my heart speeds anyway.

Against my will, I aim the sharp point of the knife. I press it lightly against my skin. I am ready.

I hate him, but I am ready. I hate him, and I hate myself.

'Now,' he says, and the glamour releases me. I take a half step back. I am in control of myself again, still holding the knife.
...
My eyes on him, I slam the knife in to my hand. The pain is a wave that rises higher and higher but never crashes. I make a sound low in my throat. I may not deserve punishment for this, but I deserve punishment.

Dain's expression is odd, blank. He takes a step back from me, as though I am the one who did the shocking thing instead of merely doing what he ordered.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“Too difficult? Better not to make the attempt? Those are the words of a coward,' Cardan said, full of childish bravado. In truth, his brother intimidated him, but that only made him more scornful.

Prince Dain smiled. 'Let us exchange arrows at least. Then, if you miss, you can say that it was my arrow then went awry.'

Prince Cardan ought to have been suspicious of this kindness, but he'd had little enough of the real thing to tell true from false.

Instead, he notched Dain's arrow and pulled back the bowstring, aiming for the walnut. A sinking feeling came over him. He might not shoot true. He might hurt the man. But on the heels of that, angry glee sparked at the idea of doing something so horrifying that his father could no longer ignore him. If he could not get the High King's attention for something good, then perhaps he could get if for something really, really bad.

Cardan's hand wobbled.

The mortal's liquid eyes watched him in frozen fear. Enchanted, of course. No one would stand like that willingly. That was what decided him.

Cardan forced a laugh as he relaxed the bowstring, letting the arrow fall out of the notch. 'I simply will not shoot under these conditions,' he said, feeling ridiculous at having backed down. 'The wind is coming from the north and mussing my hair. It's getting all in my eyes.'

But Prince Dain raised his bow and loosed the arrow Cardan had exchanged with him. It struck the mortal through the throat. He dropped with almost no sound, eyes still open, now staring at nothing.

It happened so fat that Cardan didn't cry out, didn't react. He just stared at his brother, slow, terrible understanding crashing over him.

'Ah,' said Prince Dain with a satisfied smile. 'A shame. It seems your arrow went awry. Perhaps you can complain to our father about that hair in your eyes.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“Too difficult? Better not to make the attempt? Those are the words of a coward,' Cardan said, full of childish bravado. In truth, his brother intimidated him, but that only made him more scornful.

Prince Dain smiled. 'Let us exchange arrows at least. Then, if you miss, you can say that it was my arrow then went awry.'

Prince Cardan ought to have been suspicious of this kindness, but he'd had little enough of the real thing to tell true from false.

Instead, he notched Dain's arrow and pulled back the bowstring, aiming for the walnut. A sinking feeling came over him. He might not shoot true. He might hurt the man. But on the heels of that, angry glee sparked at the idea of doing something so horrifying that his father could no longer ignore him. If he could not get the High King's attention for something good, then perhaps he could get if for something really, really bad.

Cardan's hand wobbled.

The mortal's liquid eyes watched him in frozen fear. Enchanted, of course. No one would stand like that willingly. That was what decided him.

Cardan forced a laugh as he relaxed the bowstring, letting the arrow fall out of the notch. 'I simply will not shoot under these conditions,' he said, feeling ridiculous at having backed down. 'The wind is coming from the north and mussing my hair. It's getting all in my eyes.'

But Prince Dain raised his bow and loosed the arrow Cardan had exchanged with him. It struck the mortal through the throat. He dropped with almost no sound, eyes still open, now staring at nothing.

It happened so fast that Cardan didn't cry out, didn't react. He just stared at his brother, slow, terrible understanding crashing over him.

'Ah,' said Prince Dain with a satisfied smile. 'A shame. It seems your arrow went awry. Perhaps you can complain to our father about that hair in your eyes.”
― Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing

“I shrug. 'They were just dead flowers.'

'They were mutilated violets.' HIs mouth tightens and I go to him, resting my hands on his head.

'It's not like they came with a death note or anything.' I tease, stroking his soft brown hair.

He looks up at me, the mage lights making his eyes a little brighter above his trim beard. 'They're threats.'

I shrug. 'Every cadet gets threatened.'

'Every cadet doesn't have to wrap their knees every day,' he fires back.

'The injured ones do.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“I never said I don't think you can cut it, Violet.'

'You say it every day!' I snap. 'You say it when you walk me from formation to class, which I know makes you late for flight line. You say it when you yell at your wingleader when he takes me to the mat-'

'He had no right to-'

'He's my wingleader!' I shrug my tunic over my head. 'He has the right to do whatever he wants- including execute me.'

'And that's why you need to get the hell out of here!' Dain laces his fingers behind his neck, and begins to pace. 'I've been watching, Vi. He's just toying with you, like a cat plays with a mouse before the kill.'

'I've held my own so far!' My satchel is heavy with books as I settle it on my shoulder. 'I've won every challenge-'

'Except today when he wiped the floor with you time and again.' He grasps my shoulders. 'Or did you miss the part when he took every weapon so you knew exactly how easy it is to defeat you?'

I raise my chin and glare at him. 'I was there, and I've survived almost two months in this place, which is more than I can say for a fourth of my year!”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“I'm not a damned liability.' My chest tightens again, because deep down I know, on the physical level, that I am.

'Not to me,' he whispers, a hand rising to cradle my cheek. 'But they don't know you the way I do, Vi.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Change your mind.' It's barely a whisper.

'No.' I sound way more confident than I feel.

'Change. Your. Mind.' HIs hand finds mine, concealed by our tight formation as we descend through the passage. 'Please.'

'I can't.' I shake my head. 'Any more than you would leave Cath and run to the scribes yourself.'

'That's different.' His hand squeezes mine, and I can feel the tension in his fingers, in his arm. 'I'm a rider.'

'Well, maybe I am, too.' I whisper as light appears ahead. I didn't believe it before, not when I couldn't leave because my mother wouldn't let me, but now I have a choice. And I choose to stay.

'Don't be-' He cuts himself off and drops my hand. 'I don't want to bury you, Vi.'

'It's inevitable that one of us will have to bury the other.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“You want a list of my flaws?' I roll my eyes. 'My thighs are too weak, but I'm building muscle. My hands can't grip the pommel, but they're getting stronger. It took weeks for my biceps to heal, so I'm training that one, too. But you don't have to worry about me, Dain- Imogen is training me.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“I'm terrified you're not going to make it to graduation, Vi.' His shoulders slump. 'You know exactly how I feel about you, whether or not I can do anything about it, and I'm terrified.'

It's that last line that does me in. Laughter bubbles up through my throat and escapes.

His eyes widen.

'This place cuts away the bullshit and the niceties, revealing whoever you are at your core.' I repeat his words from this summer. 'Isn't that what you said to me? Is this who you really are at your core? Someone so enamoured with rules that he doesn't know when to bend or break them for someone he cares about? Someone so focused on the least I'm capable of doing, he can't believe I can do so much more?'

The warmth drains from his brown eyes.

'Let's get one thing straight, Dain.' I take a step closer, but the distance between us only widens.' The reason we'll never be anything more than friends isn't because of your rules. It's because you have no faith in me. Even now, when I've survived against all odds and bonded not just one dragon but two, you still think I won't make it. So forgive me, but you're about to be some of the bullshit that this place cuts away from me.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“It might be convenient for you to want to talk after weeks of ignoring me, but I have class right now.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“When you told me that this place strips everything away from you to reveal what's underneath, I was afraid. What if underneath the brittle bones and frail ligaments, there was just more weakness? Only this time, I wouldn't be able to blame my body.'

'You've never been weak to me, Vi-' Dain starts, but I shake my head.

'Don't you get it?' I interrupt. 'It doesn't matter what you think- it only matters what I think. And you were right. But the Riders Quadrant stripped away the fear and even the anger about being thrown into this quadrant, and it revealed who I really am. At my core, Dain, I'm a rider. Tairn knew it. Andarna knew it. It's why they chose me. And until you can stop looking for ways to keep me in a glass cage, we aren't going to get past things no matter how many years of friendship we have between us.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“What is that look for?' Dain whispers.

'What look?' I ask as the distant roar of a dragon echoes off the stone walls.
...
'The one where someone just sucked the joy out of your world,' Dain responds, bending his head slightly and keeping his voice low enough that only I can hear him.

I could lie to him, but that would make our semi-truce even more awkward. 'I was just remembering the guy I used to climb trees with, that's all.'

He startles like I've slapped him.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

“Don't do this. Riders are known to die during War Games, and she's safer with me.' Dain argues. 'Anything could happen once we're away from Basgiath, let alone you taking her beyond the wards.'

'I'm not dignifying that with a response. This is an order.'

Dain's eyes narrow. 'Or has this been your plan all along? To separate her from her squad so you can use her to get your need for revenge on her mother?'

'Dain!' I shake my head at him. 'You know that's not going to happen.'

'Do I?' he fires back. 'He's made a big deal out of the whole if-she-dies-I-die thing, but do you know it for a fact? Do you know Tairn won't survive your death? Or has it all been a ploy to earn your trust, Violet?'

I suck in a sharp breath. 'You need to stop right now.'

'Please do quit while you're behind, Aetos,' Xaden seethes. 'You want the truth? She's a fuck of a lot safer with me beyond the wards than she is with you within them. We both know it.' The look in his eyes is similar to the one in Sgaeyl's, and it dawns on me why she chose him. They're both ruthless, both willing to annihilate whatever stands between them and what they want.

And Dain is in Xaden's path.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing