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Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 41

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 41

The epigraph is spot on. What we don’t know about dragons is far more than what we do know. I’m obviously very excited that we’ve found the irids, or more like, the irids found us, but ugh, are they rude!

Ok, I have to say, I’m utterly confused by this:

“You speak our language?” I ask the irids.
“We are magic,” the male replies like it’s the most obvious reason in the world.

Don’t all dragons speak all languages? Dragons and gryphons can speak to one another. So can dragons and, I assumed… all humans. This piece of information took me by surprise. Aren’t all dragons… magic?

“I glare at the one whose scales flicker to green.”

Interesting. One of the irids’ scales flickers to green. Andarna’s scales always flicker to black. Could it be that perhaps irids can pick… Gods? Yes, yes, I’m going back to the color and dragons theory here.

The one diagonally to my left lifts their head. “She is the criterion.” Did you pick up on that? It seems like they are about to begin their test. I think there is a lot more to this sentence. Why her? Why Violet? Because Andarna bonded her and is her human? Because they know she is the balance? Because she is smart? Because it is convenient? So many questions. Either way, it reminds me of Hedotis.

A couple of things to tell you just how amazing Rebecca Yarros is. Violet decided to sign to Ridoc! Not speak. She immediately found a way to communicate without the irids learning what she was talking about.

Also… “Tairn lands hard, shaking the ground like thunder.” The analogy, seeing as Violet is lightning. So comforting!

“Tell us what they’ve done to you,” the male in front of us demands.“Done to me? I chose my tail.” Andarna’s tone shifts defensively. “As is my right upon transition from juvenile to adolescent.”

Dragons pick their tails based on necessity, as we know. Do irids not pick one because they live in peace, or because they do not want to? Does it mean that they get to keep their juvenile gift?

Based on the interaction here and Andarna’s storytime, it looks like the irids do not know how Basgiath works. They are definitely not on the continent, hiding somewhere near Navarre. They seem to be against charring humans also.

It’s interesting to hear one of the irids call it “harvest,” the same way the gryphon riders do. Not sure if you remember this from Iron Flame when Maren explained how their bonding works. “Honestly, most of us figured Riorson would nab you after harvest his first year and gift you to us.”

Tairn cranes his neck forward and growls. “You will not raise your voice to her.”
Andarna turns her head and narrows her eyes at Tairn. “Do not ruin this for me.”
Hurt stabs through the bond, and Tairn recoils, his head drawing back to cover Ridoc and me.

This broke my heart. As much as I love Andarna and I understand she is an adolescent, it was so hard to read Tairn being hurt. I feel like Tairn is being hurt by everyone left and right and just trying to keep his cool and be an awesome protective dragon dad.

Two things here:

“Do you not bond humans?” Andarna asks, and I lean forward, resting my forearms on my knees.
“We do not live with humans,” she answers.

They didn’t answer the question, meaning they might bond humans. “We do not live with humans” can mean a lot of things. It can mean they do not live on the same isle where there are humans. Or it could mean they do, but they do not interact with humans, and humans are unaware of their existence. It could also mean, they live with venin. Are venin human?

“Please permit the effrontery of our need for a moment of privacy,” the male in the center says.
They’re so rudely… polite.

If we were to draw a parallel between real human nations and the irids, I bet you all know which nation Rebecca Yarros put in here. One she loves so much too. She was spot on with it, as well.

“You were never the one being tested.” The female sighs and looks over at me. The hair rises on the back of my neck. “You were.”

Does this remind you of Hedeon? Because it reminds me of Hedeon. Tests of wisdom and intelligence. Interestingly enough, it feels half like the test she endured on Deverelli and half like the test she endured on Hedotis. Because her wits were tested (just like in the bookstore) but with ulterior motives (just like on Hedotis). I feel like we’re missing a clue here.

“She uses you.” The female’s eyes fill with sadness, and the scales of her brow scrunch. “She took advantage of a vulnerable child. She used your power as an instrument of warfare, forced your premature growth—and look what you have become.”

This was very powerful. Do humans use dragons, or do dragons use humans? It always seemed like the humans are the dragons’ pets. Why do the irids feel otherwise? In her Q&A, Rebecca Yarros always points out that it’s the dragons that use humans as pets. Is she trying to mess with us?

“We think you’re a weapon,” the male responds.

A weapon. Is she THE weapon, though?

“Our breed is born for peace, not violence like others.” He spares Tairn a single glance before returning to Andarna. “You were left behind as the criterion. The measurement of their growth, their ability to choose tranquility and harmony with all living things. We’d hoped you would return to tell us the humans had evolved, that they had blossomed under the wardstones and no longer used magic as a weapon, but instead you have shown us the opposite.”

I read this passage over and over again. The irids say they are born for peace. They look at Tairn to basically suggest that his breed is born specifically for violence.

It feels like the irids are vilifying humans and not dragons here. We know that in the Fables of the Barrens, the stories vilify dragons. Could it be that they vilify specific breeds of dragons? Like irids? Or all dragons? I somehow think those fables are more truthful than the irids.

“And dragonkind has not learned their lesson, either. While you”—the male in the center’s gaze jumps to Aotrom—“gifted your human with ice”—he dares to shift his focus to Tairn—“you armed yours with lightning.”
“That’s not how signets work,” Ridoc argues.

Oh, I think we might have found out something amazing about signets. Could it be that dragons actually gift their riders signets as they see fit? Could it be that signets working as a specific chemistry between rider and dragon is just something dragons told humans?

The chapter ends telling us yet again that Violet has a second signet. But we’re still to discover it.

A moment here. We are all focused on how the irids tell us signets are being gifted rather than developed! But have you considered the fact that the irids can tell one’s signet just by looking at them? Can all dragons do that? That changes things…

Edit to add
Zuzle picked up on the idea that the irids used the word “wardstones”—as in plural. Please go ahead and read her comment below. It’s very good!

Do we think that the Aretia wardstone was functioning at some point? Who (or what) broke it? It just needed to be imbued and fired up.

Excellent point—totally needed to add it here!

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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.

3 responses to “Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 41”

  1. Zuzle Avatar
    Zuzle

    What caught my attention in this chapter was “under the wardstones” … plural. Did they think Andarna hatched earlier? Or were more wardstones ignited and then extinguished?
    “Gifted the signet” – this made me think that the signet is simply already theirs – it remains theirs regardless of the dragon (if you turn venin and loose your dragon), after Andarna’s departure (Violet is wielding her second signet), they just need to find a source of power(another dragon, channeling from the earth, wielding pure energy).

    Reply
    1. Cory Avatar
      Cory

      Three things here:
      – Omg, I’m so so excited to finally analyse the chapters. And to hear from a familiar friend. I’m so emotionally exhausted and seeing your comment here made my day. thank you!
      – that they had blossomed under the wardstones…Oh. No no no. I think actually Aretia did have their wardstone fired. You are right. They did use plural. There is only one other stone…that we know of! Could it be that Poromiel had stones too? I somehow doubt it.
      – That is def the case! It explains why venin can wield. But do think the wording has to do with the actual chemistry between rider and dragon? Or can the dragon pick?

      Reply
      1. Zuzle Avatar
        Zuzle

        Nice to “see” you again! I don’t know. That’s how it seemed to me. But then Lyra writes: “All who channel from dragon and gryphon alike should flourish under the wards, and now Aretia will be that haven should one of the others ever return.” That sounds like she’s expecting, so the wards aren’t there. Unless the wards were only there for a short time, before her post. Or maybe a different stone, I read somewhere speculation that in Cordyn there is mention of a big black column. But I don’t know. Or maybe the Irids are just out of the loop and don’t know the second one doesn’t work? But then Leothan wouldn’t have come, right?

        Reply

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