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 chapter opens with a rather interesting epigraph—commentary made by Asher Sorrengail in relation to the next isle, Unnbriel. It’s the isle of Dunne, and since Dunne is the Goddess of War, it’s not hard to believe that we’ll encounter, well… warriors dedicated to the Goddess, right? But I did pause when I read that Parapet and Threshing, as deadly as they are, are nothing compared to what they do on Unnbriel. That sounds terrifying. But also… somewhat ideal for dragons.

Violet and the initial quest squad are now back—and straight into Battle Brief. What have they missed? Cygnisen fliers are now at Basgiath, and the venin are moving into Krovla again.

We also immediately find out what deal Courtlyn wanted to broker with Violet: trading Violet and Xaden’s services in exchange for weaponry.

One of the most important things to note here is the date: Mid-February. I cannot stress how important dates are in this book.

So let’s recap:

• Xaden turned on December 21st, during the Battle of Basgiath.
• It is now mid-February.
• Xaden has been venin for almost two months.

I honestly think this is a major Easter egg.

And who knows about Xaden at this point? Violet, Imogen, Bodhi, and Garrick.

Another key piece of information:

“I thought I’d found a temporary answer to stay his progression, but even on an isle without magic, he hadn’t been safe.”
“Or perhaps the isle hadn’t been safe from him,” Tairn interjects.

While Violet treats this as a jab, I treat it as valuable information from a dragon. It reiterates the fact that even on an isle without magic, venin can still exist.

Which leads me to believe—again—that Deverelli has had venin at some point. The colors there were faded compared to the Continent.

And seeing as Deverelli wanted to broker a deal for Violet and Xaden’s services in exchange for weapons?

The Deverelli are afraid.

We also learn that they do have an army—and weapons to trade. They may advertise themselves as neutral, but they are anything but.

And there. Cat finally said what we were all thinking:

“Wanting you as a weapon is weird. They don’t have magic.”

They don’t. So why do they want Violet? And Xaden?

Could it be that Deverelli is also brokering deals with others who do want Violet and Xaden? Maybe… venin?

And finally, during Battle Brief, we discuss the current events regarding venin strategy:

“They somehow know about the Aretian wards and they’re moving into position for the inevitability of them falling.”
A murmur ripples through the room.
Devera nods. “That’s what I think, too.”
My blood runs cold. But how?”

The question is—how do the venin know about Aretian wards and their inevitable failure?

Two possibilities:

1. They have someone inside Basgiath feeding them information.
2. They already know about the one and only irid on the Continent—implying that venin have knowledge that only the first six had.

So which is it? A traitor within Basgiath leadership? The venin being part of the First Six, holding ancient knowledge? (“Waited centuries for someone with your power…”) Or both?

The next part of the chapter provides another valuable information dump on Violet. We move forward to February 21st. Again, pay attention to the dates. Trust me.

We also learn that Mira took personal leave for the first time in her life. A nice little piece of information that will come in handy in the next chapters—once we figure out where she went.

And have you noticed that every single time we learn about a book the squad is reading, it becomes important later?

Well, right now:

“Ridoc sets the Continent’s most redacted volume on Unnbriel’s warlike customs in his lap.”

Since they need to leave for Unnbriel next… I have a feeling we’re about to learn a lot about those war customs soon.

And just as we start sharing knowledge with Poromiel, we get access to their very own early fables from Braevick, which Bodhi is currently reading.

“Bodhi notes, then leans back against the wall and returns to reading his assigned collection of early fables from Braevick.
“He’s looking for tales of dark wielders cured by love, or good deeds, or dancing naked under a full moon after drinking the venom of a rare snake only found on the farthest isle during a lunar eclipse, or… something.”

Take note of this seemingly random phrase:

“A rare snake only found on the farthest isle.”

We might not encounter snakes in Onyx Storm… But—remember that Ridoc is terrified of them, as we learned in Iron Flame. I feel like this is foreshadowing for when they eventually reach the farthest isle—maybe in Book 4?

Now, I love this small bit of information about Asher Sorrengail. Violet notices that Asher’s observations on Unnbriel are sharp and clinical—lacking his usual insight.

Apparently, she can clearly tell the difference between the book he wrote at 23 years old and the last one he left for her before his death. It doesn’t escape me that:

“Quinn is also reading a volume Queen Maraya sent on venin and their medicinal uses.”

Venin (as in poison) from snakes? Or venin as in… dark wielders?

And now, it’s time for another Easter egg. Violet asks Bodhi what his second signet is. His answer? Priceless.

“A corner of his mouth lifts into a wry smile that reminds me of his cousin’s. ‘Don’t have one. Just like Xaden. Why?’”

Don’t have one… just like Xaden. Godsdamn. I think Bodhi is an innate intrinsic. Or a variant of one, at the very least.

We also learn that Dain is actually helping—a lot. Which makes me wonder… Is he really just trying to keep Violet alive? Should we finally trust him? And then we get the subtle hint that Sloane likes Dain.

“We’re trying to help,” Sloane argues, her cheeks flushing a second before her narrowed gaze drops away from Dain.”

And then—

“His death will always be on my head. Yours will not.” Dain’s tone sharpens. “I don’t coddle first-years anymore, so train. Your. Signet.”

Ugh. Dain is becoming… Daddy Aetos. But not in a General Aetos way.

You know what I mean. Dain is becoming hot. And then—confirmation:

[…] the look she shoots him, mostly because I can’t tell if she wants to stab him in his seat or—
“Fuck,” [him]

Moving on… Sloane doesn’t want to train because:

“I just want to help in a way that doesn’t suck the magic out of something.”

Which fits my theory perfectly. I still think she will be able to imbue life back into whatever the venin have destroyed.

You know what I can’t decipher? What Aaric asks Violet:

“Are you in over your head, Violet?”

Why would he ask her that? Also, am I the only one utterly in love with Aaric? Just me? Okay.

And then, we see maps. Which—annoyingly—we won’t be able to actually see until Book 4. Which is understandable, since the editors thought they would be spoilers. But here’s what we do learn about new isles we didn’t know about before:

• Unnbriel
• Hedotis
• Zehyllna
• Loysam (the farthest isle)

Wait. Does this mean there are rare snakes on Loysam seeing as it’s the furtherst one? And for those of us who love geography, here’s another detail: There’s another sea.The Cerlian Sea, full of dozens of minor isles.

And oh, uh. Our hearts bled when we read this:

“The whites of his eyes are clear, but something about the color…”

“Glittering onyx wraps around my mind.”

At least the bond doesn’t feel icy this time. But something much darker, much more dangerous, is happening here.

“In terms of intimacy, this is even better—”
“Than sex,” Xaden finishes, and I find myself nodding instead of lecturing him about reading my intentions, but that wasn’t… My eyes widen. Has he been honing his signet like Ridoc?”

No. He hasn’t. But I think this is our cue that Xaden is no longer an initiate. His signets are sharper, more powerful. And Violet realizes it.

“The sun catches on the amber flecks in Xaden’s eyes as he nods before walking away.”

Together with his change in eye color, I think it’s fair to assume—Xaden has leveled up. We assume he’s only just an initiate still but I don’t think that it’s true anymore. I think Xaden is now asim. And that prompts Violet to say screw the rules and act NOW.

What’s even more interesting is Bodhi, again. Wait. Can we read this again? Slowly?

“This is…” Bodhi’s eyes narrow on me. “Come down here.” Magic ripples as I cross the sound shield and step down onto the outer cobblestone rings of the pit.”

I feel like I’m missing something. Was Bodhi out of the sound shield this whole time? How could he hear what was going on? Am I reading too much into this? Just expecting the marked ones to all have a second signet?

Bodhi suggests she take Garrick on the mission. Makes perfect sense. Garrick is a walker. If something terrible happens—if Xaden feeds from the ground instead—Garrick is his only way out.

And the ending? The rider who turned right there in front of everyone? This was probably the darkest chapter yet. After reading it, that cloying silence—that sense of dread—settles in.

Things are getting serious…and Xaden is in serious trouble.

Onyx Storm Read Along

• Onyx Storm Read Along: Prologue
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 1
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 2
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 3
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 4
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 5
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 6
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 7
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 8
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 9
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 10
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 11
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 12
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 13
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 14
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 15
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 16
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 17
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 18
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 19
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 20
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 21
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 22
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 23
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 24
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 25
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 26
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 27
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 28
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 29
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 30
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 31
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 32
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 33
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 34
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 35
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 36
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 37
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 38
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 39
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 40
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 41
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 42
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 43
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 44
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 45
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 46
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 47
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 48
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 49
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 50
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 51
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 52
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 53
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 54
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 55
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 56
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 57
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 58