Major spoilers ahead. I’m going to assume you’ve finished the entire series. These chapters include spoilers from all the books, not just Fourth Wing.
Chapter 3 opens beautifully with a snippet about dragons, foreshadowing the moment we meet our first blue dragon. We quickly learn that blues are not only extraordinary but also incredibly rare due to their daggered tails, making them even more remarkable.
The chapter begins with: “If Jack wants to kill me, he needs to get in line. Besides, I have a feeling Xaden Riorson is going to beat him to it.” Could this tie into my earlier theory—that Jack might have to kill her so she can reach Malek to save Xaden’s soul? Perhaps, but here, it almost hints that Xaden might be the one to end her life instead. Is this foreshadowing that Violet may have to die for him?
We’ve discussed before how Malek could be the key to saving Xaden’s soul, so in a twisted way, it all connects.
And just like that, we meet Dain Aetos. The contrast is clear: Xaden is described as flaming hot, while Dain is the gorgeous boy next door. There’s a difference in tone, but we’re here for the intrigue and the hinted romance. Their introduction is sweet—they’ve known each other for fifteen years, and he’s been there for many pivotal moments in her life. We also learn about his father, (now) General Aetos, whom Violet describes as Lilith Sorrengail’s most trusted advisor. What do they say? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Here’s a cute little Easter Egg: “With one hand on my back and the other under my elbow, he quickly guides me away from the crowd and into an alcove in the wall, close to the first defensive turret of the citadel. It’s a shady, hidden spot with a hard wooden bench, which he sits me on, then helps me out of my rucksack.”
Shady, hidden spot. Want to bet Xaden’s shadows are there, listening, paying attention to everything? From now on, I’ll be noting every moment shadows appear.
Check this out: “Every Sorrengail is a rider, don’t you know?”
This quote threw me off a bit. In Onyx Storm, we learn that Violet’s dad, Asher, was originally a Daxton—a scribe just like his mother. After marrying Lilith, he took her surname, becoming Sorrengail. So, in a sense, it’s odd. Was Asher somehow a rider too? I doubt a dragon would bond with a scribe, but it makes me wonder, why make that remark?
This chapter also features Dain being, well… dramatic. I understand he wants his best friend to survive, but isn’t he a little too overbearing? We want friends who support us, not suffocate us with worry.
We’re also introduced to two major players: Panchek and General Melgren. Two things stand out here. First, the comments about Panchek wanting to lead Navarre. We all know what he turns out to be—a coward and a traitor. Then there’s Melgren. Violet describes him with beady eyes that always gave her the creeps.
Here’s something that still puzzles me: “Take a look at your squad. These are the only people guaranteed by Codex not to kill you.”
Guaranteed not to kill you… yet Imogen is part of this squad as we all know. Why did she try to kill Violet on the mat? Are they allowed to kill each other during sparring, squad mates or not? I think this is the only part I didn’t fully understand in the book. As far as I know, squad mates cannot kill each other no matter what, right? Not even on the mat. As you remember in Iron Flame, before fliers and riders became one squad, they had the chance to “fight it off” on the mat to resolve issues, but after that they weren’t allowed to…
We’re also introduced to dragons for the first time: five different colors—red, orange, green, brown, and navy. Violet describes them as stunning, breathtaking creatures. We, of course, know that there are two more missing: black dragons, and well…”golden” dragons.
The chapter ends with a powerful statement: dragons do not care about humans. Or at least, that’s how it seems for now.
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