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Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 17

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 17

It goes without saying that THERE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. If you haven’t read this chapter of Onyx Storm, please go read it first.

In one of her recent Q&As, Rebecca Yarros mentioned that there is usually a double meaning in the epigraphs, so we’re going to pay much closer attention to them. Chapter 17 opens with recovered correspondence from Violet’s father, Asher Sorrengail, to Violet.

He calls her his “brightest light,” and I have no doubt there’s meaning behind it. We also learn that she was taught only half of what she needed to know, and he feels like he failed Brennan and Mira when they crossed the parapet. But why was he so against them becoming riders? The most important piece of information here is that he explicitly tells her she cannot trust anyone.

It’s nice to learn a little more about how Sloane’s power works. I’m sure we all wondered how a first-year could possibly drain someone as powerful as Lilith Sorrengail—and yet, here we are. She really is just like a conduit.

Should we call the conversation between Sloane and Violet a truce? I have zero doubt that Rebecca Yarros has been building up to this moment for… well, two books! Their relationship is just complicated.

For now, we learn that Dain Aetos did really help and betrayed his father, yet again. Should we trust him now? I already felt like we had his redemption arc in Iron Flame, so I’m very conflicted about loving—or not loving—him.

One of our Easter eggs here is learning about Thoirt. Thoirt is a red dragon, and their ancestral hatching grounds were along the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Dunness River. I can’t help but think that every dragon’s ancestral hatching ground is tied to a specific god. I will form a theory for this and share it on the site asap.

We also get more insight into how Asher thinks. It’s actually pretty fun because I love puzzles! Most importantly, it shows that Asher Sorrengail really doesn’t trust anyone… and that he knew runes.

First love is irreplaceable. Raise your hands—how many of you thought it was Halden? But then again, irreplaceable? Too easy, right? And let’s be honest, Halden is every bit replaceable.

“Though I do remember Mira saying he’d been in a relationship with a rider a year or two older than him.”

This is the first confirmation we have that Brennan was in a relationship while at the Quadrant. So… we do think it was Naolin, right?

And there it is—we’re finally having the conversation about Violet’s first love. We’ve been theorizing about Violet and Halden for a while. Is it time for her to admit to everyone that she dated a prince?!

“My father couldn’t stand the first guy I really dated and never knew about the second.”

All right, so clearly, nobody liked Halden to begin with. And with this sentence, I assume we’ll never really learn about the second guy since he’s probably irrelevant to the story.

“You’re going to be the death of me.” […] “So you keep saying.” I try not to think about the other ways that statement could be interpreted.

Whoa, is Rebecca Yarros going there? Yep, I think she finally is. I’ve been saying this for ages—Violet might just have to be the death of Xaden. How it happens, we don’t know yet. But something tells me we’re going to be devastated.

“There’s that cold edge in his eyes that prickles the hair at the back of my neck.”

I feel like, for whatever reason, Violet can truly sense the darkness in Xaden. Have you ever wondered why? Why is she so susceptible to these things? It feels like perception, one way or another. I don’t have the answers yet, but it reminds me of how good he is with scents. Also, please note that she’s not mentioned Xaden’s smell of mint and leather at all!

It’s good to finally see how Vi’s squad fights together. We never really got the chance to see them properly—how their magic and power are just so lethal, especially when used collectively. When this part gets adapted into the series, I’m sure the director and producers are going to have a lot of fun with it.

“But I swear I can see just how green those eyes are from all the way down here.”

Well, hello there, community! You were all right. Aaric’s eyes—the ones Violet could recognize anywhere in the world? They were his brother’s. Prince Halden. We have official confirmation. Halden was Violet’s first love. And he is strikingly beautiful, with gorgeous green eyes and sandy hair.

We can all appreciate that they can be civil, though. So that’s something—even though it turns out he cheated on her with his professor?! As striking and powerful as he might be, we got an instant turn-off, didn’t we? Add to that the fact that he read her missive, and we officially loathe the dude.

It looks like Viscount Tecarus is unexpectedly helpful toward Violet and her mission, and I have to wonder why. Tecarus didn’t seem particularly… amiable toward her given what happened in Iron Flame, so it feels off that he suddenly wants to help. Is it because he wants protection under the wards as well? Is this just for personal gain?

For whatever reason, Halden also wants to help move things forward and get to the isles. Of course, we first need to retrieve something from occupied territory in Anca.

“Anyone who’s ever dated a rider knows their first priority—their first love—is their dragon.”

Well, at least the conversation with Halden moved the story forward, and we immediately realize that a rider’s first irreplaceable love is their dragon. Lilith’s dragon.

And hey, we end the chapter with Halden being shoved into a wall. Good for Xaden. And good for us!

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Cory

Hello! I’m Cory, a devoted superfan of the Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and the Empyrean Series. My passion for these epic tales has led me to read and reread the books, each time uncovering new layers of information. I’ve created this site to share my insights and discoveries with fellow fans and anyone interested in exploring the rich world of Empyrean.

9 responses to “Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 17”

  1. Mirja Avatar
    Mirja

    This chapter is full of information we should analyse about Brennan, Mira, Violet and their parents. And it is so much fun to see the squad fighting against Garrick. Reminded me to the scene under the oak tree in FW between X and V. And the end of it when Xaden pushed Halden against the wall. Great show.

    Reply
    1. Cory Avatar
      Cory

      But now that we all finished Onyx Storm. Could it be a clue? THE WHOLE SQUAD AGAINST GARRICK? If you see what I’m saying?

      Reply
  2. Mirja Avatar
    Mirja

    We had scenes with Garrick and he was vulnerable, first meeting Theophanie and then in this chapter. Later in the book I won’t reveal. But I don’t see Garrick as a villain. And there are other reasons for which we would be sad if Garrick could be an enemy or traitor.

    Reply
    1. Cory Avatar
      Cory

      Honestly, I cannot see it. I think he’s the most loial. Or so…I hope

      Reply
  3. Mirja Avatar
    Mirja

    I would be very disappointed for Garrick and another character, if he turns evil. I think he is loyal and I like his humor. He already protects Violet since FW. And his signet is spectecular.

    Reply
    1. Cory Avatar
      Cory

      And in general, he is spectacular. I love him

      Reply
  4. Mel Avatar
    Mel

    I feel that there is something more about Violet’s lovers. « My father couldn’t stand the first guy I really dated and never knew about the second. » Why would Halden be the first one? Maybe Asher didn’t know. It feels that time would be really short to have had someone between Halden and… parapet. Because she does mention that during Dain’s first year she was thinking about him a lot, so I don’t see her dating someone else during this period. As it was said somewhere that it’d been 3.5 since Halden, and she is in her second year, and Dain was 1 year before, it would leave only 6 months for someone inbetween… So I am not sure so sure which one is Halden…

    About the wards, how come Xaden is soooo good with wards and we never really learn about that?? It feels that it is NOT common to produce these wards… Why hasn’t Violet ever tried to make some? I am sure there is more to it…
    Violet notices « I am sure weather isn’t the only thing we’re keeping out [of the wards in the pit Xaden created for Signet Sparring] ». What else is kept out???
    Xaden says that they are « incredibly complex ward that might make even your sister proud » so I feel that as there is a lot of things around runes, so is there around wards!!
    He even says later « but what you don’t see is that the area of the mat has been protected by the best ward-weavers in Navarre. » I am sorry but WHO are the best ward-weavers in Navarre? It can’t be Mira as she wasn’t here in the meantime… so WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT??

    Reply
  5. Mel Avatar
    Mel

    And sorry, one more thing, how can a scribe be good at rune? Doesn’t someone need power to wield in order to temper rune?

    Reply
  6. juli Avatar
    juli

    I have to agree with Mel, I also think there is more to Vi’s previous lovers or let’s name it her FIRST lover…

    When I was re-reading the books, especially chapter 16/17 in OS, after Halden turned up, I was suddenly asking myself WHO was Vi’s first love?
    And WHY is she so adamant with Ridoc when he asks her about her first love?

    Obviously Xaden is her third and last and only true love.

    Remember the beginning of Chapter 3 in OS? In the opening we read a Correspondence of Vi’s mom (to her husband – a letter which she did not sent, probably due to his death/dying):

    “Sometimes I worry about Violet. She has your sharp wit, quick mind, and steadfast heart paired with my bullheaded tenacity. When she finally and truly gives that heart, I fear it will overrule the other gift’s you have given her and logic will cede its voice to love. AND IF HER FIRST TWO LIAISONS are ANY INDICATION OF WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT …GODS help her, my love, I’m afraid our daughter has ATROCIOUS TASTE in men.”

    (..guess we can agree with Vi’s mom regarding Halden being atrocious..)

    Also, in FW, Chapter 1 – when Mira started to braid Vi’s hair before the parapet, while they are talking about Teines scales in Vi’s armor and how they came about, Vi thinks about her previous lovers:
    “Mira: I happen to know a rider whose powers can make big things very small… And smaller things… much, much bigger.
    (Vi:) I roll my eyes. Mira’s always been more vocal about her men than I have been.. about ALL TWO of them.”

    So, Xaden is definitely her third lover, her true love.

    And I am pretty sure Halden is her second, the one her father didn’t know about (because he was in his lasts months of his live):
    Xaden asks Vi in the next Chapter (Ch 18/OS): “Did you love him (Halden)?”.
    Vi answers: ” I was with Halden years ago …I was 18.. we were only together about 7 months – before his Conscription Day until December – I was infatuated and enarmored.”

    Now in FW, right at the beginning in Ch 1, Vi is 20 years old. When she is still in her mom’s office with Mira, we read about Vi’s Father: “It’ been MORE THAN A YEAR since his heart finally failed”
    That means she was between 18 and 19 years old when her father died, apparently around the same time she dated Halden. Thats why her father didn’t know about Halden at all.

    After Halden her father died and she was grieving – then she apparently started to develop the first tiny feelings for Dain, which we learn about when she starts becoming a rider. So no one came in between. But there was someone before, her first lover, her father did know him and didn’t like him at all…

    So WHO is the first love of Vi?
    The one she says her father couldn’t stand?
    Obviously her mother didn’t like him either, regarding the letter mentioned above about Vi’s atrocious taste in men.

    When Ridoc asks Vi who her first love was, she immediately thinks “Oh, that’s not happening. Then she notices ‘more infantry pouring in about us and thinks “Nothing like being humbled in front of an audience.”
    Aaric asks her (not the name! he knows she won’t tell!) instead “how many letters?”
    Vi: I narrow my eyes. ‘Six’
    Aaric: “..it fits” (because they are still looking for the code-word)
    Vi: ‘Absolutely not’. Heat stings in my cheeks.

    So apparently she agrees with her mom and dad about her first love(r). She seems to be ashamed to name or even think about him. I wonder why?
    If he is a nobody, Vi could name him. But Vi has a tendency for nobility, we learn about it – from Aaric I think – when they hear about Xaden being made Duke of Tyrrendor.
    “She’d be a great politician,” Aaric continues. “Or a general, maybe? Definitely nobility” (Ch 6, OS)

    My guess when first reading this chapter was that Aaric already knew about his signet at that time (actually I believe strongly that his signet manifested the first time when Vi’s mom gave her life at the Basgiath-wardstone > Aaric ran to Vi and kept her away from her mom… sorry, sidestepped)

    Now, back to the question: Who is Vi’s first lover?
    If everything has a double meaning in RY books, then we can perhaps ponder – after Aaric mentioning it – if Vi’s first lover is somebody ‘higher up’ as well, somebody who’s name (or family) is not unknown to the others?
    It definitely feels like they would be shocked if they hear who he is, hear his name?

    Perhaps he is someone ‘higher up’ in infantry?
    Do we know if i.e. General Melgren has a son?
    …
    Any ideas?

    Not sure if my long rambling about Vi’s first lover is interesting for anyone or even important for the storyline of the books. Hopefully nobody feels bored.
    Just kept me thinking…

    thanks for reading!

    Reply

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Hello! This site is dedicated to the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. I’ve made this place to explore the rich world of Empyrean, full of characters, theories, and places. Each post is carefully researched and updated with the newest details from the series. This site is also a great spot for discussing theories about the Empyrean Series. 🐉
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