“October first is always Threshing Day. Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday—it doesn’t matter where it falls in any given year. On the first of October, the first-year cadets of the Riders Quadrant enter the bowl-shaped, forested valley to the southwest of the citadel and pray they come out alive.”
And now, to celebrate Threshing Day, Rebecca Yarros has given us the most amazing surprise.
The mysterious Untitled Empyrean book officially has a title and a cover. The new book is called Threshing Day, and it will take us back to Basgiath through 13 stories about some of our favorite characters and their dragons.
Before we get too carried away, though: Threshing Day is NOT the fourth main Empyrean book.
It is a companion collection set within the Empyrean world, giving us the chance to experience Threshing from the perspectives of characters other than Violet.
And honestly, what better way to introduce more character POVs than by showing us the day each rider’s life changed forever?
Threshing Day book: Quick facts
- Title: Threshing Day
- Author: Rebecca Yarros
- Series: The Empyrean
- Type of book: Companion story collection
- Number of stories: 13
- Release date: September 29, 2026
- Is it Empyrean Book 4? No
- Confirmed character: Xaden Riorson
- Deluxe first edition: 16 original full-color illustrations
- Official tagline: “Thirteen unforgettable stories. One legendary day. The bond that changes everything.”
Rebecca Yarros’s official website lists Threshing Day as an Empyrean “Secret Project” coming on September 29, 2026. Her announcement confirms that the collection contains 13 Threshing stories and that Xaden’s story is included.
What is the Threshing Day book about?
I’m not sure if you remember, but Rebecca Yarros made it perfectly clear a while back, in one of her interviews, that she would absolutely want to write stories from more characters’ POVs. And what better time to introduce them than by telling us how Threshing went from the perspectives of 13 cadets?
In the Empyrean world, Threshing is the terrifying day when first-year cadets enter the valley and attempt to bond a dragon. Some cadets emerge as riders. Some leave without a dragon. Many do not leave the valley alive at all.
Most of the main Empyrean series is told from Violet Sorrengail’s perspective, which means we know very little about what happened during the other riders’ Threshings.
That is finally going to change.
The new collection should allow us to experience the fear, danger and emotional intensity of Threshing through the eyes of 13 different characters. We may also learn more about why certain dragons selected their riders, and what those dragons saw in them before anyone else did.
What do we know so far about Threshing Day—the book?
On her Instagram, Rebecca Yarros posted the following:
“Welcome to Conscription Day, Cadets! I’m thrilled to share the title and cover of my next book (not book four!) in the Empyrean series: Threshing Day!
This collection contains thirteen threshing stories about some of your favorite characters and their dragons. And the deluxe first edition has sixteen beautiful original pieces of full-color art by @joerequeza.art! (Seriously, it’s all so gorgeous!)
If you’re looking for copies outside the US, keep an eye on my foreign publishers’ social media for updates about their release dates.
And as a Threshing Day gift, Xaden’s story is included in the collection and, as usual, will be up on my website!
I hope this gives you a fun trip back to Basgiath while I’m writing book four! So grab your leathers… The dragons are waiting! On sale September 29, 2026.”
We also got a beautiful reel with a silver background that looks metallic and scratched. There is dragon fire, along with the following words, spoken clearly by one of the dragons:
“You need not question me. I have seen your soul. Every haunted memory, every vile thought, every malevolent desire for revenge. I am cognizant of your downfalls, and yet I see the potential of everything you can become. I see it all.”
Thirteen unforgettable stories. One legendary day.
We don’t actually know whose POVs we will be getting. There might be more information released soon, but at the moment, we simply don’t know. She does say “favorite characters,” though.
Is Threshing Day Empyrean Book 4?
No. Threshing Day is not Book 4 of the Empyrean series.
Rebecca Yarros made this very clear in her announcement, referring to it as her next Empyrean book but adding “not book four.”
Book 4 will continue the main storyline following the events of Onyx Storm. Threshing Day, meanwhile, is a separate companion collection that allows us to revisit Basgiath while Yarros continues writing the fourth novel.
That distinction is important because Threshing Day is not expected to replace the next part of Violet and Xaden’s main story. It is additional material from within the Empyrean world.
And yes, we are still waiting for the title and release date of the actual fourth book.
Is Threshing Day a novel, novella or short-story collection?
Threshing Day is best described as a story collection or companion collection.
It contains 13 individual Threshing stories rather than one continuous main novel. Calling it an “addendum” does capture what it means for the series, but “companion story collection” explains the format more clearly.
It is also likely that the stories will connect through the shared setting and event, even though they follow different riders.
Will Threshing Day have dragon POVs?
As exciting as that voice might be, do not start imagining that Threshing Day will be narrated by the dragons.
Rebecca Yarros has previously explained that the dragons know too much, which makes writing directly from their perspectives a little complicated.
THE DRAGONS KNOW TOO MUCH, OMG.
The stories are therefore expected to be told from the riders’ perspectives, although their dragons will obviously play an enormous role in each story.
That means we may hear the dragons speak through their mental bonds, but we should not expect the stories themselves to be narrated from inside the dragons’ heads.
Honestly, that might be for the best. Imagine how many secrets Tairn, Sgaeyl and the other dragons have been keeping from everyone.
Whose POV will be in the Threshing Day book?
At the moment, only one character has been officially confirmed: Xaden Riorson.
Rebecca Yarros specifically said:
“Xaden’s story is included in the collection.”
Beyond Xaden, the complete list of characters has not yet been revealed. Yarros has only said that the book will feature some of our “favorite characters.”
We therefore need to separate the characters who are confirmed from those who have only been teased or are part of my personal predictions.
Xaden’s Threshing story is officially confirmed
Xaden is the first and, so far, only officially confirmed character.
This means we are finally going to learn more about the day he bonded Sgaeyl.
And yes, this also means we should get much more of Sgaeyl.
In fact, I would not be surprised if the dragon speaking in the announcement reel is Sgaeyl. The voice discusses haunted memories, dark thoughts and a desire for revenge, which certainly sounds like something she could have seen in Xaden.
It sounds like her, to be honest.
Xaden’s Threshing also has the potential to reveal a lot more than how he bonded Sgaeyl.
During Threshing, Xaden killed Alic after Alic went after Garrick. That means Xaden’s story could give us new information about Garrick, Alic, the marked ones and Xaden’s mindset during his first year at Basgiath.
We may finally see exactly what happened rather than hearing about it after the fact.
Is Ridoc’s POV in Threshing Day?
Ridoc has not been formally confirmed in the main announcement, but Rebecca Yarros has strongly teased his involvement.
In a previous post showing her niece reading the mystery Empyrean project, Yarros wrote:
“Pardon my niece’s face while she’s reading NOT BOOK FOUR, but she just got to the part where Ridoc…”
The sentence conveniently ended there.
So, while I would not place Ridoc in the completely confirmed category just yet, it certainly looks as though he appears in the book. Whether that means an entire Ridoc POV story or a major appearance in someone else’s story remains to be seen.
Still, come on. I think we are getting Ridoc.
Which other characters could appear in Threshing Day?
This is where we leave the confirmed information behind and enter theory territory.
My current prediction for the 13 riders is:
Xaden is confirmed, and Ridoc has been strongly teased. The remaining characters are my guesses based on their importance to the series and how much readers would gain from seeing their Threshing experiences.
Rhiannon, Sawyer and Ridoc are obvious possibilities because they are among Violet’s closest friends.
Imogen, Garrick and Bodhi could reveal more about the marked ones and their experiences at Basgiath before Violet arrived.
Mira and Brennan could give us more information about the Sorrengail family, while Dain’s story could show us a younger version of him before everything became so complicated.
Sloane and Aaric are newer riders whose Threshing stories could answer several questions about their dragons and signets.
And given how cruel Rebecca Yarros can be with our emotions, we will most likely get Liam so we can cry about him all over again.
That would give us all 13.
Will Liam be in Threshing Day?
Liam has not been confirmed.
However, he is unquestionably a fan-favorite character, and his Threshing story would allow Yarros to bring him back without undoing anything that happened in the main series.
His story could also tell us more about Deigh, the marked ones and Liam’s relationship with Xaden before Violet entered the Riders Quadrant.
Would it break our hearts? Absolutely.
Would Rebecca Yarros do that to us? Also absolutely.
Will Violet be in Threshing Day?
Violet has not been announced as one of the 13 POV characters.
We already experienced Violet’s Threshing in detail in Fourth Wing, so the collection may focus entirely on characters whose bonding experiences happened outside her perspective.
That does not mean Violet cannot appear in the book. A story set during Ridoc, Rhiannon, Sawyer or another first-year rider’s Threshing could easily include her…from a different POV.
For now, however, there is no confirmation that Violet has her own story in the collection.
My dream Threshing Day POVs
Wishful thinking…but I would love to get Naolin and Lilith.
I very much doubt we could be so lucky, but experiencing Threshing from Naolin’s perspective would allow us to learn more about Tairn and his former rider.
Anything involving Tairn’s past is immediately going to have my full attention.
I would also love Jack Barlowe’s perspective because it could give us a huge amount of information about how he bonded Baide. There are still so many questions surrounding Jack, his bond and exactly what the dragons knew.
And anything about Lilith would be fascinating. However, I am not sure how relevant her Threshing story would be before she became General Sorrengail—or Mama Sorrengail, for that matter.
Still, I want it.
What is included in the Threshing Day deluxe edition?
The deluxe first edition of Threshing Day will include 16 original pieces of full-color artwork created by Joe Requeza.
The artwork is one of the biggest reasons collectors may want to preorder the first edition rather than waiting for a later printing.
At the moment, the complete list of illustrated characters and scenes has not been revealed.
Given that the book contains 13 stories but 16 pieces of artwork, there may be at least one illustration for each story, along with additional art. That is only my theory, though—the exact distribution has not been confirmed.
Is Threshing Day part of the Wing and Claw Collection?
Some retailer listings currently title the hardcover Threshing Day (Wing and Claw Collection) (The Empyrean).
The Wing and Claw name appears to refer to the collectible edition branding used for Empyrean books rather than a separate fictional series.
Rebecca Yarros’s official website lists Threshing Day under the Empyrean series and describes it as a secret project. Amazon currently includes “Wing and Claw Collection” in the product title for the hardcover edition.
When is the Threshing Day release date?
Threshing Day will be released in the United States on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
That is only two days before October 1—the date of Threshing Day within the Empyrean world.
Coincidence?
Why is Threshing Day being released on September 29?
Rebecca Yarros has not officially said that September 29 was selected because of the fictional date, so this part is my interpretation.
However, Threshing always takes place on October 1, and releasing the book two days earlier gives readers enough time to receive their copies and start reading around Threshing Day.
For readers who do not have access to next-day delivery, preordering early should increase the chances of receiving the book in time.
The release timing feels completely intentional. We will get the book on September 29 and then be emotionally destroyed by October 1.
Perfect planning, really.
Will Threshing Day be released internationally?
International editions are expected, but release dates may vary by country and publisher.
Rebecca Yarros asked readers outside the United States to follow her foreign publishers on social media for local release announcements.
That means September 29, 2026, should not automatically be treated as the confirmed release date in every country.
Check the listing carefully before preordering, especially if you are ordering an imported edition or want a particular set of deluxe features.
How many pages will Threshing Day have?
Rebecca Yarros’s official book page does not currently provide a page count.
Amazon currently lists the Kindle edition with a print length of 224 pages, but retailer details can change before publication. Until the publisher fills in the official book specifications, it is worth treating that number as provisional.
With 13 stories, a 224-page edition would give each story a relatively limited amount of space, although the stories will not necessarily be equal in length.
Will there be a Kindle edition?
Yes. A Kindle edition of Threshing Day is currently listed for preorder.
This is particularly useful for international readers and anyone who cannot rely on a physical copy arriving before October 1.
The publisher’s preorder page also links to retailers including Amazon, Apple Books and Kobo, although availability may vary by country.
Will there be a Threshing Day audiobook?
An audiobook edition is offered, but narrator information has not yet been officially announced on Rebecca Yarros’s book page.
Until an official audio listing provides the full cast, running time and release details, we do not know whether the collection will use one narrator or multiple narrators for the different characters.
Personally, I would love a different narrator for each POV, but we will have to wait for confirmation.
Where does Threshing Day fit in the Empyrean reading order?
Rebecca Yarros has not announced an exact position for Threshing Day in the official reading order.
The stories revisit the characters’ past Threshings, but they may reveal information that only makes sense after reading the main novels.
For that reason, I would recommend reading the currently published Empyrean books first:
This is a spoiler-conscious recommendation rather than an officially confirmed reading order.
You could technically read some of these stories earlier because the events take place in the past, but you may not understand the importance of certain characters, relationships or revelations.
Is Threshing Day canon?
Threshing Day is an official Empyrean release written by Rebecca Yarros and published as part of the series.
For that reason, the stories should be treated as part of the official Empyrean world unless Yarros states otherwise.
They may not move the main Book 4 storyline forward, but they can still reveal important information about the characters, their dragons, their bonds and the history of Basgiath.
In other words, this does not sound like a disposable bonus book.
There may be real clues hiding in these stories.
Frequently asked questions about Threshing Day
Is Threshing Day the fourth Empyrean book?
No. It is a separate collection of 13 Threshing stories. Rebecca Yarros is continuing to work on Book 4.
When does Threshing Day come out?
The US release date is September 29, 2026.
How many stories are in Threshing Day?
The collection contains 13 stories about Empyrean characters and their dragons.
Is Xaden in Threshing Day?
Yes. Xaden’s story is officially confirmed.
Will we get Sgaeyl in Threshing Day?
Because Xaden’s Threshing story is included, Sgaeyl should play an important role in it.
Is Ridoc in Threshing Day?
Ridoc has been strongly teased, but his POV has not yet been formally confirmed.
Will Threshing Day have dragon POVs?
The stories are expected to be told from the riders’ perspectives rather than directly from the dragons’ POVs.
Is Violet in Threshing Day?
Violet has not been confirmed as one of the 13 POV characters. It wouldn’t make sense to have her again.
What is included in the deluxe edition?
The deluxe first edition contains 16 original full-color pieces of artwork by Joe Requeza.
How long is Threshing Day?
Amazon currently lists the Kindle edition as 224 pages, but the official author page does not yet confirm a page count.
Is Threshing Day available on Kindle?
Yes, a Kindle edition is currently listed for preorder.
Is there an audiobook?
Audio details and narrators have not yet been officially announced but you can preorder the audio book already.
Can I read Threshing Day before Fourth Wing?
You could, but I would not recommend it. The stories will feature characters and relationships that are introduced throughout the main series.
Are you ready to bond your dragon?
Threshing Day is not Book 4, but it may be exactly what we need while we wait.
We are getting 13 new perspectives, more time with the dragons, Xaden and Sgaeyl’s Threshing story, 16 pieces of deluxe artwork and what will probably be an emotionally devastating return to Basgiath.
The full list of characters has not yet been announced, which means there are still plenty of surprises waiting for us.
Who do you think will be among the 13 riders?
And more importantly…
Are you ready to bond your dragon?
Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros will be released on September 29, 2026. Preorder the hardcover or Kindle edition now so you can return to Basgiath in time for October first.
Preorder in USA
Threshing Day – Hardcover
Threshing Day – Kindle
Threshing Day – Audiobook
Preorder in UK
Threshing Day – Hardcover
Threshing Day – Kindle
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