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. Please note that some mild spoilers from future chapters will be found here.

The epigraph here is foreshadowing for the books to come. I’m certain of it. A way for Violet to always find Xaden… during the day.

In the spirit of loyalty, Ridoc surprised me and decided not to tell the rest anything about Xaden.

“Loysam has guards but no army. We can establish a diplomatic tie, but they won’t help us win a war.”

Loysam had guards but no army. Sounds similar to how the irids are. Maybe Loysam is the isle of love and peace. But then again, the irids say they do not live with humans. So perhaps they are not on Loysam either.

“As long as we can keep him from channeling from the earth, find a way for him to control that craving, we’ll be all right.”

What about Xaden channeling from the sky? Can he, via Violet? Can venin be taught to channel from the sky so they can counter what they stole? Could that be part of keeping the balance?

Important geography lesson here too: “Technically, on the map, if you were to fly northeast for two days, you’d hit the Cliffs of Dralor.”

I know that this bit of information will come in very handy for us later in the series.

Also important: “Only the larger dragons can fly two straight days.” And Xaden says Tairn, Sgaeyl, Molvic maybe. Good to know that Sgaeyl can fly like this for two days… maybe she will return somewhere here.

“Agate sound-shield rune Ridoc carries” A note to realize that some precious and semi-precious stones clearly can carry runes. Some work, others don’t. I think it will be interesting to know why and how.

“Ridoc was the slowest to forgive when I kept my secrets at the beginning of the year.” And yet, something tells me that Ridoc is the one with some of the biggest secrets here.

“He’s not fully in control, and you know it.” Well, at least I’m glad I got this fun little theory right back during Iron Flame era. And I did say that Violet would be the one who helps him regain control.

“Violet, do you have any respect for your own life?”

I think it’s beautiful that Ridoc pieced everything together so very fast. I think this is also the time to realize: Violet does not have any respect for her life. In fact, she’s always sacrificed herself and put herself in danger for others. Starting with the parapet when she gave that boot to Rhiannon, all the way to this moment, she’s been putting herself in danger for her friends, the people she loves, and her dragons. She respects everyone else first, and then her own life.

“And he’s still an initiate. He doesn’t need to be fed.”

Ok, does this mean that asims do? While they are initiates, venin can somewhat… survive without channeling, but once they are asim, they need to be fed, or they go like Jack? Ugh… well, that’s plenty of foreshadowing.

A quick reminder for the ending of Onyx Storm: “Other than Xaden and me? Garrick, Bodhi, and Imogen.” That’s what Violet tells Ridoc. Also, a reminder that it’s around March when they are having this conversation. And the grand finale of the book happens sometime in May. So a strong reminder that Ridoc has only found out about Xaden about two months prior to the ending of the book. Yes, it’s important for the timeline (please note spoilers if you decide to read this theory).

“Barlowe was nothing. We have a dark wielder sitting in the Senarium.”

Wait until Ridoc realizes just how many venin are within Basgiath’s high ranks.

“There are four ranks to dark wielders, and your man’s already channeled three times. I think eighty percent is mathematically generous, but sure, we’ll live in your delusion for the purpose of the hypothetical. How long do we have until he’s an asim? Until he’s physically unable to deny the call of a Sage?”

Woah! Ridoc. The fun, cute, quirky Ridoc just came out and said all that. I do feel like we don’t give him enough credit. Because we don’t. He’s the jock, the jokester. The funny one that relies on luck. Maybe we were all wrong, and we finally get to see Ridoc for who he really is.

Dear Mrs. Yarros, thank you! Thank you so much for telling us how we are going to find the cure for Xaden: “I just know that I have to find them whether they’re in a forgotten book or some dark wielder’s head.”

This paragraph contains major spoilers. If you haven’t finished Onyx Storm yet, please skip this part!

SPOILERS START HERE ->

“Or some dark wielder’s head.” Because who can just waltz into a dark wielder’s head? Violet. When they cannot shield. In their sleep. Oh, how glorious!!!!

END OF SPOILERS——

We do say that Violet is reckless with her love for Xaden, yes, but she is realistic.

“But Ridoc, we have to keep him on our side, or this war is already lost. There isn’t a rider alive capable of stopping him at full power now, let alone what he could become if he truly turns.”

She’s realized the very thing we’ve been awfully afraid of. If Xaden truly turns, the war is indeed lost. Because she is right—he is the most powerful antagonist then. In more than one way. Shadows, yes, but also because the one more powerful rider alive, Violet, could never harm him. Venin would win!

I wonder at this point if Violet will have to strike Xaden. And will have to kill him. Seeing as she can command the sky, Xaden would be struck with power from the sky, right? Killing him, maybe, but I wonder if that is part of the cure. The balance, remember? To replace the power stolen from the ground.

And again, foreshadowing for us, sadly. I cannot imagine that Rebecca Yarros didn’t speak through Ridoc to tell us what we can expect in the next books…

“Give me a real, logical line he has to cross for you to walk away, and I’ll keep the secret. I’ll help you scour every fucking book you can find. I’m here for the I’m-going-to-save-my-man-at-all-costs mantra and will be on your side in this horrifically dangerous situation if you can just acknowledge there’s a breaking point.”

“But you have to tell me there’s a line where you will let him go.”

Yup, foreshadowing right now… Ugh, we’re going to be crushed by the end of Book 4, aren’t we?

“Fine. Hypothetically, he’d have to kill another rider without cause or hurt civilians. Hurt my friends, my dragons. Hurt… me,” I end in a whisper. “If he hurts me, then he’s not him anymore.”

Kill another rider without cause. I mean, is self-defense cause? Technically, yes. So dark wielder or not, he will probably do it. Hurt civilians? I don’t see Xaden doing it. Hurt her friends, her dragons, hurt her? Oh… tricky. I cannot imagine this happening either. Partly because Rebecca Yarros doesn’t strike me as the type of writer that would allow any sort of… domestic violence. I know I said that before and will say it again—Xaden is the perfect book boyfriend who is morally gray and now an antagonist in a way. I cannot imagine him, honestly to God, hurting Violet. But then… who knows? It is a fantasy book, after all.

And again, if we weren’t in love with Ridoc by now, the fact that despite being afraid of Xaden, he stands up to him—woaaaah. Ridoc, you are the man of the hour! Also, he has some balls to make demands. But hey, fair is fair.

Of course, Xaden was going to say something to make us all melt: “If it’s between her and me, I choose her. Kill the other guy I become.”

We love Xaden, but he is right: “To consider the undeniable fact that I am the worst possible thing for this mission, for my province, and for you.”

Another point to consider here. It takes them 10 days to reach Deverelli, with occasional stops along the isles. It could have taken them two to reach Tyrrendor. Interesting. It helps us understand the geography of the isles.

And that’s a wrap: “Violet was out of control. She kicked a queen’s ass and poisoned Xaden’s mom and all three Hedotic heads of state, but secured us an army.”

We end the chapter with two important bits of information: Theophanie knows where Violet is almost at all times. How? And Queen Maraya is dead. Tecarus now rules Poromiel.

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