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 spoilers from future chapters will be found here.

That epigraph was incredible. Can I please read the full journal? Imagine the wealth of information there. For now, this little bit of information will have to do. Gods help us if anyone finds out. What Asher did might not have been entirely legal, perhaps. It also carries a full impact on Lilith too.

In the epigraph, Lilith refers to “Her” as in Violet, just to be clear here.

Have you paid attention to Feirge’s reaction?
“Feirge swings her body to confront the irid, lowering her head and baring her teeth.” Why? Why would a green react like this? Why would any dragon react like this, knowing that the irids just fired the wardstone?

“I have been watching you since my arrival.” Yet again, we do not know where the irids come from or how long they can simply stay hidden. The same as what’s been happening on the isles. They might have followed the quest squad since Deverelli. There is just no telling with… well… invisible dragons, effectively.

We have another, rather annoying conversation with Leothan.
“Yet in none of the ways we value.” But as Violet quickly jumps in:
“You set her up for what you consider failure when you left her here to be raised in the ways of the Empyrean.”

I still wonder—why did they leave one single dragon behind? It seems cruel and selfish to do that to their own. Will we ever find the true motives behind that?

We also find out that Violet was right in pointing out on the isle that Leothan and Andarna’s horns look similar. Turns out, they really are of the same den. Leothan is Andarna’s family.

There is something… magical happening here.
“Tairn snarls, and I reach down the bond, but there’s a stronger shield than his blocking us. Leothan.”
The irid has the capacity to truly cut everyone out, including Tairn, from his own connected human. Can any other dragon do this? Leothan feels scarily powerful.

And then?
“It’s oddly similar to the effects of the serum they dosed us with during RSC.”
One begs the question— is there a relation between the two?

There is a lot of talk of humans and dragons not knowing anything about irids. Not knowing if they are around. Could they be on the continent as bad agents?

And just as you think Leothan is trying to be nice:
“It did not sit well with me that you were judged by the shortcomings of others.”
If we ever thought that dragons are arrogant, the irids are clearly… a different species.

“By then you will have learned enough to know your truth.”
A few years to learn the irids’ way, to learn their truth… What the hell is their truth? He then says:
“This was not meant for you, nor any of our line.”
There is nothing here but war and suffering. Moving from the idea that Leothan is just an ass—what does he mean by this was not meant for the irids? What are they? What god are they connected to?

“Bonds are merely magical ties. You are irid. You are
magic. Bend it, shape it, break it as you see fit.”

Did you also stop breathing by now? Bonds are merely magical ties. Makes sense. Dragons bond humans. Does it mean that all bonds can be broken, shaped, and bent? Or does it mean that only irids, who are magic themselves, can do these things?

Leothan asks Violet who chose her first. Do you remember how the venin asked Violet the same question? Why are they asking? Are venin trying to bond other dragons, or are they trying to understand more about the irids? Venin are old, and what is ironic is that venin are the only ones who seem to really know the full extent of real history. They have lived it, and watched it.

“Humans should only be capable of bonding a single dragon, and yet you forged a second connection where there shouldn’t be one. Only an irid can do that. Your instincts are excellent, but you need instruction. Break the connection and come with me.”

Let’s read this together. Humans should only be capable of bonding a single dragon. That sort of takes away the theory that Ridoc has a second dragon. The only way for riders to bond a second dragon is by bonding an irid. Or for an irid to forge a second connection, right?

“Her other bond will sustain her life.”
And we also have confirmation that should a rider be bonded to two dragons, if one dragon leaves or perishes, the other bond will sustain their life. Which I feel is also terrible, terrible foreshadowing for the future of the books…I said it before and I will say it again, anyone but Tairn. Yes, even Xaden. Anyone, but Tairn is allowed to die.

“I do not know how—” she starts.
A shrieking whistle sounds in my head, and then only silence remains.

Do these noises cause everyone to form temporary bonds? Then be removed just as easily? Is that how the irids can talk to everyone, do they create a temporary bond? Is that even…allowed? Third book and we are left with even more questions about the irids than before.

Be honest—did you cry when you realised that Andarna actually left Violet? Because I felt so many emotions. And anger was one of them. How could she? After all the horrible things the irids have spewed, their arrogance and what feels like ignorance, they decided to take Andarna, and without a second thought, Andarna just… left? I felt so betrayed.

“I was infinite yet moored, and now I’m hollow and adrift in waters too vast to comprehend.”
Exactly this! This is how we all felt when Andarna left us.

If you didn’t cry before because you were too angry at Andarna leaving, then the next paragraph must have done it for you too:

“You will breathe!” His deep, gravelly voice fills my head, and
unyielding strength barrels down the pathway that connects us.
Tairn.
He exists, therefore I must, because we are bound. Never alone. Always connected.”

Because, ladies and gents, Andarna is gone.

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
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 59
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 60
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 61
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 62
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 63
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 64
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 65
• Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 66