Empyrean Riders

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Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 24

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 24

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.

The epigraph of this chapter is so damn powerful—it hits you right in the gut. For all the feelings we’ve had about Lilith Sorrengail and her ways, Onyx Storm makes us truly understand her and the immense sacrifices she made to keep Violet alive.

The epigraph explains that “she” won’t understand why Asher kept her in the dark. But the more I read it over and over, the more I feel like Lilith is talking about Mira, not Violet.

Alright, right from the start, we love this Narelle lady. She reminds me of that wave of older TikTok women who tell us that after a certain age, women stop caring about what people think. They become assertive, confident, and just want to enjoy their lives. Am I allowed to be excited about that for my own future too? I want to be like Narelle when I’m 93.

“My, the Continent does have some fine-looking men.”

So, not just Xaden, but Dain is also very good-looking. Good to know. The Fourth Wing cast directors better deliver!

And finally! We get to learn a little more about the gods. I’ve been saying this series would have a strong emphasis on the gods, and YES! It’s happening, and I’m so excited.

“Or what is it you Amaralis say? I have not yet met Malek. He’s your god of death, is he not?”

Amaralis. The Continent is called Amaralis. Oh, I could spin off so many theories here. Based on the descriptions, the largest temple dedicated to Amari is in Aretia. And we already know the theory that Tyrrendor was built to serve dragons—and, in my opinion, was the original seat of the crown.

“Deverelli don’t worship gods.”
“It’s why we’re considered the most neutral of the isles. Perfect for trade.”

Deverelli doesn’t worship gods. Neutral isles. And yet, not neutral enough to not meddle in an entire uprising.

And then comes the next part, which is so interesting I need to read it over and over again. I’m still a little at a loss—how could Malek be just science? Are we missing something obvious, or are the Deverelli just oblivious?

“What you call gods, we call science. What you call fate, we call coincidence. What you call the divine intervention of love, we call…” She flourishes her hand. “Alchemy. Two substances combined to make something entirely new, not unlike what’s between the two of you.”

Will this come into play later when we try to find a cure for Xaden? Could it be related to science, to alchemy rather than divine intervention?

There’s no real relevance to this chapter, but can we take a moment to laugh again and again at this?

“Well, he described you almost perfectly, Dain Aetos.”

HA! The cringe is real. Well played, Mra Yarros, well played.

We quickly learn that Asher Sorrengail came to Deverelli on his own about four years ago—so when Violet was what, 17 or 18? Just a year before his heart failure. And as cruel as it sounds, Asher left specific instructions to only give Violet the books if she had attained the intelligence and understanding necessary to comprehend them.

During Narelle’s interrogation, we finally learn what happened during the second Krovlan uprising, and I’m so excited. Though, I’m still a little confused.

“Krovla didn’t keep their part of whatever deal they made with Deverelli. Rather than lose their reputation, Deverelli withdrew their brokerage, hence the removal of the other isle’s troops, and then told the Poromish king regent where to find the rebels.”

So, Krovla did rebel against Poromiel. But why? Did they want independence? Did they want to become part of Navarre? Tyrrendor?

“I think they promised dragons and couldn’t deliver.”

Let’s gather the facts here:

  • Krovlan rebels attempted to cross into Navarre. “Public Notice 433.323 acknowledges a failed border breach attempt by Krovlan forces near the outpost of Athebyne on December eleventh.”
  • Deverelli was the broker.
  • Deverelli only facilitated the exchange between Krovla and an unnamed isle.

So many questions. What did Deverelli stand to gain? Why was this so important that it fundamentally changed military command, ensuring only riders could be Generals of Navarre’s armies? And the biggest question—why did Krovla want to break from Poromiel? Especially when Cordyn (now home to Tecarus) happens to be in Krovla?

Deverelli brokered a deal between Krovla and an unnamed isle: the isle would provide the army, and Krovla would provide dragons. When Krovla couldn’t, the deal collapsed, the Midnight Massacre happened, and Krovla remained part of Poromiel.

And this part right here is very important:

“One does not just…deal in dragons, let alone take babies to isles that don’t have magic.”

Dragons need magic, or they suffer. Wouldn’t that apply to baby dragons too? And from Fourth Wing, we know:

“Exactly. Bonding too young allows them to give their gift directly, and a rider could easily drain them and burn out.”

Did the people from the unnamed isle want to steal the gifts directly?

And there’s more:

“If leadership knew riders could take her gifts for themselves, rather than depending on their own signets…”

We already know that dragons don’t just protect their young in the Vale from venin—they protect them from everyone. There’s a reason why humans aren’t allowed in the Vale. And that raises an even bigger question: Is this how some venin acquired signets?

Here’s something crucial, too:

“Most feathertail gifts disappear with maturity when they begin to channel.”

So, what do we know so far?

  • Feathertails are special.
  • They are inherently magic, because they are born with something unique: gifts.
  • These gifts disappear once they mature and begin channeling.
  • Dragons channel their magic from the earth, which potentially makes them vulnerable to corruption.

Now, here’s the question: Would having feathertails on an isle bring magic there?

Think about how they felt a special wave of magic in Tyrrendor when some dragons decided that part of Aretia should be a hatching ground—a new Vale, essentially. It begs the question: Why is the Vale so hyper-concentrated with magic?

“Dragons are the only ones capable of powering the wards that make all other magic but their own impossible within our borders. They’re the reason Navarre’s borders are somewhat circular—their power radiates from the Vale and can only extend so far, even with squads stationed at every outpost.”

Now, back to our chapter.

And let’s revisit that seemingly passing comment about how Emerald Sea piracy was a huge problem in the 5th century—around the same time. The Emerald Sea, which is perilous, with its icy tips, and from which very few return. Again, one has to wonder—piracy? But from where?

And finally, the last question, related to the prince. Asher knew it wouldn’t last. But it’s Violet’s response that makes me pause:

“I’ve never sought a crown.”

She really hasn’t. And yet, something tells me she just might end up with one. And not just any crown—the crown. It’s always the ones who don’t seek power who end up with it.

“He didn’t love me, not in the way I deserve to be loved, and no amount of power is worth staying with someone who doesn’t love you.”

A moment to reiterate this for every single one of us here in real life. No amount of anything is worth staying with someone who doesn’t love us. We should print this on t-shirts and wear them with pride.

The next part of the conversation—the cold exchange between Narelle and Mira—“And that right there is why he didn’t leave them for you, dear.” brings me back to the epigraph:

“Now we can only hope the bond between our daughters is strong enough to endure the paths they’ve chosen.”

Because the truth is, while Asher raised Violet for her role, Lilith raised Mira. Something tells me that in the books to come, we’re going to learn a lot more about their plans and, in general, the paths these siblings are on.

I have to say, this has been one of my favorite chapters. Adventure, new characters, puzzles, and mysteries—I love it.

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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.

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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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