Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)

In the kingdom of Navarre, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail is thrust into the perilous Basgiath War College by her commanding general mother, despite her lifelong training to be a scribe. Violet's physical fragility, stemming from chronic pain and weak joints, makes her an unlikely candidate for the Riders Quadrant, where cadets bond with dragons to develop magical abilities. Facing lethal trials and a cutthroat environment, she must summon strength beyond what she ever thought possible to survive and soar.

As Violet navigates the brutal training, she reunites with her childhood friend, Dain Aetos, and encounters Xaden Riorson, a marked third-year cadet whose father was executed by Violet's mother for his role in a past rebellion. The tension between Violet and Xaden intensifies as they are forced to work together, their growing attraction complicated by their families' tumultuous history. Violet's journey is fraught with danger, betrayal, and the discovery of her own resilience, all set against the backdrop of a dark, intense, and suspenseful academy where alliances shift and enemies edge into obsession.