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Iron Flame Live Reactions: Chapters 56-END
This book and I are locked in single combat and I am going to win.
Okay, so we open with Violet and co. getting ready to raise the wards. I will pause here to complain about a small detail:
Hey, so we've heard a lot about Violet's daggers, including that they're runed and contain the special venin-killing alloy. And getting said metal for weapons has been a major problem that our heroes have been working to solve for most of the book. So...why is Violet leaving behind any of her daggers? She should really have at least tried to retrieve them.
Back to the plot. Violet explains to Brennan the way the ward raising will work: they need a dragon from each den (each color? I assume so) and that each dragon can only activate one wardstone. For some reason, the founders of Navarre created two but only activated one. Hmm. Interesting. My guess is that there's some kind of consequence to activating this one--will the involved riders/dragons die, or be permanently depleted? Can only one wardstone be active at a time? We shall see.
Brennan tells Violet he's proud of her for figuring this out. Way to leave out Dain.
Okay, it's ward raising time. All the gathered dragons breathe fire onto the wardstone. Something happens--it's not clear what--and they hope for the best as they get ready for battle.
Next scene. Violet and Xaden are alone, high up watching for the approach of the wyvern, and now is the time Violet confronts Xaden about his secret second signet. He does not want to tell her.
Well, I'm hoping for that too, Xaden, but you're the love interest of this five book series, so I think you're going to okay.
He's gotta be a mind-reader, right? That's the forbidden signet in this world, and it would make sense. I mean, actually it does not make sense, because we should have found this out during the Xaden POV chapter in Fourth Wing. But regardless.
Oh, for fuck's sake. Why does Yarros overcomplicate things like this? This is a tense, emotional scene and does not need this kind of clunky exposition. He should just straightforwardly be a mindreader, or this should be explained much differently, so that it doesn't weigh down the scene. Oh, and apparently Tairn did not know this, and now he and Sgaeyl are fighting.
Violet decides that she can live with this, but it has to wait for later, because the wyvern are here. Hundreds of them.
Hey, let's workshop this a bit. How could we fix this scene? Well, what I would do is simply interrupt them earlier in the conversation. Violet should figure out Xaden is a mind-reader and then the wyvern should immediately start blasting them. They should have no time for discussion or explanation, so that the reader (and Violet) can worry about it a little bit longer.
What does Yarros do? Well, she has the venin and wyvern attack after Violet's already decided she still loves Xaden and after the reader has been assured he's a special type of mind-reader that is morally justifiable or whatever. Listen, this would be a more compelling romance if it turned out Xaden was a mind-reader with the shame and restraint of Edward Cullen and Violet had to actually wrestle with that. It would be a real breach of trust, unlike the thing she has been mad at him about, which is not telling her things that he really should not have told her.
This battle lasts like half a page--the wards work and the wyverns die as soon as they cross them.
Okay, we're back at the rebel camp in Aretia. Violet, Mira, and a delegation of two marked ones have been summoned to Navarre for a meeting. It's obviously a trap. And on top of that, Syrena (Cat's sister) tells Violet that her powers still work and therefore the wards aren't right.
Pretty anti-climactic chapter, but let's keep going.
Next chapter. After a night of studying, Violet, Xaden, and some others have come out somewhere for a meeting with someone. I know that it is the meeting with Violet's mom, but the chapter takes forever to get to the point. Violet is mad at Xaden but willing to forgive him, and they're gonna fight later, and Xaden doesn't read her intentions anymore because he loves her, and who actually gives a fuck.
Side note: there is not a great explanation so far for why this meeting, which is obviously a trap, is happening. Melgren, the guy who orchestrated it, specifically can see the future and specifically requested that fewer than two marked ones come so that he would be able to do that. So like...what do our heroes have to gain here? I don't know, because Violet hasn't seemed to have thought about it.
Melgren has called this meeting because he saw Navarre overrun by wyverns already--if they can take out outposts, the wards will retract, shifting back the borders. He knows that the rebels weren't fighting in that battle, because otherwise he wouldn't be able to see it, so he's come to make them work with them against their common enemy.
Everyone but Violet refuses--Brennan even shows up to deliver a speech to his mom about how much she sucks. Violet is sad because she thinks about all the innocent Navarre civilians who will die. This is one of the few times Violet's actually expressed her supposed compassion, so I'm glad we've remembered that character trait.
Sorrengail family reunion is rough.
Violet's mom tells them that the wards Violet raised aren't good enough, and gives Violet the journal that she tried to steal earlier in the book and tells her she has to figure it out before it's too late. Violet accepts it and notes it's in a language she does not read.
Violet and Mira go and check the corpses of the wyverns her wards took out, and they are, in fact, still alive. Whoops.
Next chapter.
Violet is mad because Brennan refuses to listen to her--he still thinks it's fine if Navarre is overrun by the wyvern, and she wants to defend civilians on the other side. She's meeting with Xaden in the sparring gym so they can finally fight about his signet.
They have a conversation about it where they agree to full disclosure and commit to the relationship, again. Then he gives her two new daggers to replace the ones she lost fighting Solas. Continuity!
I am going to complain more about Xaden's intention reading. Because what does that mean? He can't read thoughts, or he can? It feels like Yarros wanted him to not be a mind-reader but functionally still...be a mind reader. And I don't get why. Just let him have the full telepathy! Let him go full Midnight Sun!
Anyways. Once again we are in a classroom having Battle Brief. Sigh.
Uh, a couple pages of debate about the upcoming battle. Violet and some others are made about the decision to not fight, some discussion of Melgren's tactics, and then Violet has a revelation and rushes out to find Xaden.
I guess the attack is going to happen at Basgiath, not at Samarra? So Violet and Xaden talk, and he tells her he'll do whatever she wants, and she wants to go fight, so off they go. The Battle Brief section is really boring, turning what should be interesting plot into pages of every named character bantering all at once, reducing all of it to exposition.
I will also once again complain about Xaden's characterization. It's fine if a love interest is insanely devoted to the love interest at the expoense of all others, but then he can't also be a tragically misunderstood good guy who is a rebel leader. There's no reason he and Violet can't decide together to do the morally right thing. Really feels like Yarros is just slapping in romantasy bad boy cliches without thinking.
Next chapter.
They prepare for battle. Andarna is coming but has to wear a harness so she can be carried. The first years are remaining behind, but otherwise 2nd and 3rd year riders are preparing to fly out. Brennan is against it, but Violet and Mira go ahead. And Violet's squad decides they're sticking together this time, no matter what.
I like this bit. Feels like characterization, and for once Violet is prioritizing her squad over her man. Off we go.
As we approach Basgiath, Violet ruminates on the plan--her goal is apparently to reach her mother. Not clear year what the plan actually is, but considering the way Yarros explains most things, I don't mind. I prefer it when the book holds back a bit. They land at Basgiath. Violet immediately does reach her mom, and tells that the wards at Basgiath are in danger. Mira then points out that Basgiath is a skeleton crew right now--everyone is gone preparing for battle at Samara. Like two pages ago, Samarra was empty as Violet and Co. flew over it, but okay.
Throughout their journey to the wards, Violet is reminded of and has flashbacks to Varrish torturing her. And this has happened at least once before in the book, I think, so I'll give the book credit for that nice bit of continuity.
As they reach the wards, they find...two dead guards.
And, of course, fucking Jack Barlowe. And his dragon. Plot twist, extremely evil dude still a villain!
I will now give the book credit again:
It's a little awkward, but it's a genuinely harrowing moment. The book has always upheld the sacred bond between rider and human, regardless of whether they were villains or not. To have Jack kill his dragon with his own hands is fucked up.
The wards are down, y'all. Next chapter.
So Jack's a venin! And he killed his dragon because he hates that dragons are superior to humans! And Nolon's been trying to...fix him? Wait, what? Why?
The venin can in fact exist behind the wards and can still do evil, so after interrogating him a bit Xaden knocks Jack out, Nolon feeds him the signet-suppressing drug that was apparently made for this purpose, and they get ready to defend Basgiath.
And where do they gather? The fucking BATTLE BRIEF classroom. Guys, I can't. I can't. Please, I'm begging, we don't need classroom scenes!
Everyone is gathered to hear the news: a thousand wyvern are on their way, and they have to fight for their lives, and they'll probably all die. Jack put lures to attract the venin everyone, so they have to be found and destroyed. Violet's mom tries to posture and assign Mira to Violet's squad, but they push back--Violet wants Xaden, and Mira wants to be with her mother. We pause to be reminded that Violet is the most effective weapon and the best ever. I cannot overstate how annoying it is that the book has these constant pauses to praise Violet. Just have her be badass! We don't need the other characters to tell us she's good! She can't even AIM!
Okay, so Xaden and Violet are having their fraught pre-battle sex, and they are interrupted by Rhiannon and Brennan, who has arrived to defend Basgiath with them with a bunch of fliers as well.
We are at 92%. Let's go.
Getting set up for battle here. Some rehashing of the plan from last chapter, then we learn Jesinia is here, too, working on the journals in an attempt to figure out how to raise the wards. Violet's mom raises a storm to power Violet up.
The battle begins. Violet is struggling for control and for aim, but managing; she's distracted constantly by the fighting around her, even though she knows she has to focus. It's a good scene. She wants to make sure everyone around her is safe, but the reality is that she can't.
Finally, she engages one on one with one of the venin. Violet is confident that she can take him, but immediately gets into trouble.
Rhiannon intervenes, and she and Violet take out the venin at the last second. But then Sawyer, another rider whom I vaguely remember, gets his leg bitten off, and Violet has to unbuckle herself and go running around in midair and jumping to try and save him. Once again Violet's disability has just ceased to matter. Other than the flier she accidentally dropped, she literally has not had a single challenge she couldn't overcome physically.
As Violet delivers Sawyer to the healers, she is attacked by venin, who inform her that the venin Sage who appears in Violet's nightmares wants her. She takes out one of them, but the other destroys the conduit she's been using to wield and starts strangling her. No one can get to Violet in time, but then...Andarna.
Now, all chapter Violet's been saying shit like "no matter what happens, Andarna has to live!" So I am going to predict that she will die.
Nope! She can breathe fire now, which she does. She fries the venin. Melgren has arrived, so Violet and the others go to argue with him--and then Jesinia appears with the answer to the mystery of the wards: it's not six that are needed to raise them, but seven. But there aren't seven breeds of dragon...what can this mean?
Gryphons? That's my theory.
Okay.
We're coming to the climactic moment. I'm wrong: Andarna is of course a secret seventh breed of dragon, and she watched to hatch for Violet because she knew Violet was so special, and a dragon can only raise one set of wards, ever, so Violet can raise the wards here or at Aretia, but not both.
And she chooses here.
Meanwhile, Xaden goes to fight the venin sage himself to buy her time.
So Violet starts to imbue the wardstone so they can raise the wards. It's too much for her, and she realizes she'll die doing it, but she presses on.
I'll give it to Yarros. This is the first time in this book a character death has actually felt like it mattered.
Chapter end.
99%.
Violet finally goes to Xaden. They talk a little. And then...
...goddammit, this book was so close to ending on a high note.
All right. Sorry for the insanely long recap, but I needed to finish the book. Final thoughts to come.
Okay, so we open with Violet and co. getting ready to raise the wards. I will pause here to complain about a small detail:
My own daggers are sheathed—all but the two I left in the cave with Solas’s body—and my pack is strapped to my back.
Hey, so we've heard a lot about Violet's daggers, including that they're runed and contain the special venin-killing alloy. And getting said metal for weapons has been a major problem that our heroes have been working to solve for most of the book. So...why is Violet leaving behind any of her daggers? She should really have at least tried to retrieve them.
Back to the plot. Violet explains to Brennan the way the ward raising will work: they need a dragon from each den (each color? I assume so) and that each dragon can only activate one wardstone. For some reason, the founders of Navarre created two but only activated one. Hmm. Interesting. My guess is that there's some kind of consequence to activating this one--will the involved riders/dragons die, or be permanently depleted? Can only one wardstone be active at a time? We shall see.
Brennan tells Violet he's proud of her for figuring this out. Way to leave out Dain.
Okay, it's ward raising time. All the gathered dragons breathe fire onto the wardstone. Something happens--it's not clear what--and they hope for the best as they get ready for battle.
Next scene. Violet and Xaden are alone, high up watching for the approach of the wyvern, and now is the time Violet confronts Xaden about his secret second signet. He does not want to tell her.
“How long do you think it takes for someone to fall out of love?” He studies the skyline. “A day? A month? I’m asking because I don’t have any experience with it.”
What the fuck? I fold my arms to keep from giving in to the impulse to jab him with the sharp point of my elbow.
“I’m asking,” he continues, his throat working as he swallows, “because I think it will take you all of a heartbeat once you know.”
Well, I'm hoping for that too, Xaden, but you're the love interest of this five book series, so I think you're going to okay.
He's gotta be a mind-reader, right? That's the forbidden signet in this world, and it would make sense. I mean, actually it does not make sense, because we should have found this out during the Xaden POV chapter in Fourth Wing. But regardless.
“You’re an inntinnsic,” I whisper. Even the accusation is a death sentence among riders.
“I’m a type of inntinnsic,” he repeats slowly, like it’s the first time he’s ever said the words. “I can read intentions. Maybe I would know what to call it if they didn’t kill everyone with even a hint of the signet.”
My eyebrows jolt upward. “Can you read thoughts or not?”
His jaw flexes. “It’s more complicated than that. Think of that breath of a second before the actual thought, the subconscious motivation you might not even be aware of in your mind, or when instinct drives you to move or you’re looking to betray someone. The intention is always there. Mostly they come across as pictures, but some people intend in really clear pictures.”
Oh, for fuck's sake. Why does Yarros overcomplicate things like this? This is a tense, emotional scene and does not need this kind of clunky exposition. He should just straightforwardly be a mindreader, or this should be explained much differently, so that it doesn't weigh down the scene. Oh, and apparently Tairn did not know this, and now he and Sgaeyl are fighting.
Violet decides that she can live with this, but it has to wait for later, because the wyvern are here. Hundreds of them.
Hey, let's workshop this a bit. How could we fix this scene? Well, what I would do is simply interrupt them earlier in the conversation. Violet should figure out Xaden is a mind-reader and then the wyvern should immediately start blasting them. They should have no time for discussion or explanation, so that the reader (and Violet) can worry about it a little bit longer.
What does Yarros do? Well, she has the venin and wyvern attack after Violet's already decided she still loves Xaden and after the reader has been assured he's a special type of mind-reader that is morally justifiable or whatever. Listen, this would be a more compelling romance if it turned out Xaden was a mind-reader with the shame and restraint of Edward Cullen and Violet had to actually wrestle with that. It would be a real breach of trust, unlike the thing she has been mad at him about, which is not telling her things that he really should not have told her.
This battle lasts like half a page--the wards work and the wyverns die as soon as they cross them.
Okay, we're back at the rebel camp in Aretia. Violet, Mira, and a delegation of two marked ones have been summoned to Navarre for a meeting. It's obviously a trap. And on top of that, Syrena (Cat's sister) tells Violet that her powers still work and therefore the wards aren't right.
Pretty anti-climactic chapter, but let's keep going.
Next chapter. After a night of studying, Violet, Xaden, and some others have come out somewhere for a meeting with someone. I know that it is the meeting with Violet's mom, but the chapter takes forever to get to the point. Violet is mad at Xaden but willing to forgive him, and they're gonna fight later, and Xaden doesn't read her intentions anymore because he loves her, and who actually gives a fuck.
Side note: there is not a great explanation so far for why this meeting, which is obviously a trap, is happening. Melgren, the guy who orchestrated it, specifically can see the future and specifically requested that fewer than two marked ones come so that he would be able to do that. So like...what do our heroes have to gain here? I don't know, because Violet hasn't seemed to have thought about it.
Melgren has called this meeting because he saw Navarre overrun by wyverns already--if they can take out outposts, the wards will retract, shifting back the borders. He knows that the rebels weren't fighting in that battle, because otherwise he wouldn't be able to see it, so he's come to make them work with them against their common enemy.
Everyone but Violet refuses--Brennan even shows up to deliver a speech to his mom about how much she sucks. Violet is sad because she thinks about all the innocent Navarre civilians who will die. This is one of the few times Violet's actually expressed her supposed compassion, so I'm glad we've remembered that character trait.
“She sacrificed you, too, Violet,” Mira reminds me. “Maybe she put you into the Riders Quadrant to save you from being killed as a scribe once you learned the truth, or maybe she did it to kill you before you could learn the truth and tear her precious war college to the ground”—she glances sideways at me—“which you did, if you remember.”
Mom straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin, pulling herself together with astonishing, enviable speed. “I need a word with my daughters,” she says to Xaden.
Sorrengail family reunion is rough.
Violet's mom tells them that the wards Violet raised aren't good enough, and gives Violet the journal that she tried to steal earlier in the book and tells her she has to figure it out before it's too late. Violet accepts it and notes it's in a language she does not read.
She looks longingly over my shoulder, then glances at both Mira and me in turn. “You don’t have to understand my choices. You simply have to survive. I love you enough to bear the weight of your disappointment.” Before either of us responds, she turns on her heel and walks past Aimsir and disappears into the woods.I like this, to be honest. I appreciate the complexity of Violet's mother, and that the narrative just lets her be complicated.
Violet and Mira go and check the corpses of the wyverns her wards took out, and they are, in fact, still alive. Whoops.
Next chapter.
Violet is mad because Brennan refuses to listen to her--he still thinks it's fine if Navarre is overrun by the wyvern, and she wants to defend civilians on the other side. She's meeting with Xaden in the sparring gym so they can finally fight about his signet.
They have a conversation about it where they agree to full disclosure and commit to the relationship, again. Then he gives her two new daggers to replace the ones she lost fighting Solas. Continuity!
I am going to complain more about Xaden's intention reading. Because what does that mean? He can't read thoughts, or he can? It feels like Yarros wanted him to not be a mind-reader but functionally still...be a mind reader. And I don't get why. Just let him have the full telepathy! Let him go full Midnight Sun!
Anyways. Once again we are in a classroom having Battle Brief. Sigh.
Uh, a couple pages of debate about the upcoming battle. Violet and some others are made about the decision to not fight, some discussion of Melgren's tactics, and then Violet has a revelation and rushes out to find Xaden.
I guess the attack is going to happen at Basgiath, not at Samarra? So Violet and Xaden talk, and he tells her he'll do whatever she wants, and she wants to go fight, so off they go. The Battle Brief section is really boring, turning what should be interesting plot into pages of every named character bantering all at once, reducing all of it to exposition.
I will also once again complain about Xaden's characterization. It's fine if a love interest is insanely devoted to the love interest at the expoense of all others, but then he can't also be a tragically misunderstood good guy who is a rebel leader. There's no reason he and Violet can't decide together to do the morally right thing. Really feels like Yarros is just slapping in romantasy bad boy cliches without thinking.
Next chapter.
They prepare for battle. Andarna is coming but has to wear a harness so she can be carried. The first years are remaining behind, but otherwise 2nd and 3rd year riders are preparing to fly out. Brennan is against it, but Violet and Mira go ahead. And Violet's squad decides they're sticking together this time, no matter what.
“With all due respect”—Rhiannon straightens her posture and stares him down—“unlike War Games, Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing will remain intact, though you’re welcome to join us.”
Sawyer and Ridoc move to my sides, and I know if I fall back, Quinn and Imogen will be there waiting.
Xaden lifts his scarred brow at me, and instead of contradicting Rhiannon, I glance at my sister. “Same goes for you. You’re welcome to join, but I stay with my squad.”
I like this bit. Feels like characterization, and for once Violet is prioritizing her squad over her man. Off we go.
As we approach Basgiath, Violet ruminates on the plan--her goal is apparently to reach her mother. Not clear year what the plan actually is, but considering the way Yarros explains most things, I don't mind. I prefer it when the book holds back a bit. They land at Basgiath. Violet immediately does reach her mom, and tells that the wards at Basgiath are in danger. Mira then points out that Basgiath is a skeleton crew right now--everyone is gone preparing for battle at Samara. Like two pages ago, Samarra was empty as Violet and Co. flew over it, but okay.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
I hear the sound in my mind as clearly as if it were real, as if I were back in that interrogation chamber. Xaden’s hand takes mine, lacing his fingers through my own.
“You all right?” he asks, shadows wrapping around our joined hands, their touch as soft as velvet.
For a second, I debate playing it off, but I was the one who demanded full disclosure, so it only seems fair that I give it. “It smells like the interrogation chamber.”
Throughout their journey to the wards, Violet is reminded of and has flashbacks to Varrish torturing her. And this has happened at least once before in the book, I think, so I'll give the book credit for that nice bit of continuity.
As they reach the wards, they find...two dead guards.
And, of course, fucking Jack Barlowe. And his dragon. Plot twist, extremely evil dude still a villain!
I will now give the book credit again:
Baide is up on her back legs, her front claws grasping the top of the flaming wardstone, and Barlowe isn’t in his seat. It takes a precious second we don’t have to spot him holding on to the top of Baide’s neck, clutching one of her horns.
Not even Xaden is fast enough to stop the downward plunge of Jack’s shortsword between the scales alongside Baide’s neck. The dragon’s cry shakes the foundation of the chamber and stops abruptly when Jack pushes the blade all the way through the front of her throat.
Jack’s head swings in our direction, and he wields with an outward-facing palm, throwing a shield that deflects Xaden’s shadows as blood sprays from Baide’s throat onto the wardstone. The black flames extinguish an instant before Baide collapses, her weight pitching forward.
It's a little awkward, but it's a genuinely harrowing moment. The book has always upheld the sacred bond between rider and human, regardless of whether they were villains or not. To have Jack kill his dragon with his own hands is fucked up.
The wards are down, y'all. Next chapter.
So Jack's a venin! And he killed his dragon because he hates that dragons are superior to humans! And Nolon's been trying to...fix him? Wait, what? Why?
The venin can in fact exist behind the wards and can still do evil, so after interrogating him a bit Xaden knocks Jack out, Nolon feeds him the signet-suppressing drug that was apparently made for this purpose, and they get ready to defend Basgiath.
And where do they gather? The fucking BATTLE BRIEF classroom. Guys, I can't. I can't. Please, I'm begging, we don't need classroom scenes!
Everyone is gathered to hear the news: a thousand wyvern are on their way, and they have to fight for their lives, and they'll probably all die. Jack put lures to attract the venin everyone, so they have to be found and destroyed. Violet's mom tries to posture and assign Mira to Violet's squad, but they push back--Violet wants Xaden, and Mira wants to be with her mother. We pause to be reminded that Violet is the most effective weapon and the best ever. I cannot overstate how annoying it is that the book has these constant pauses to praise Violet. Just have her be badass! We don't need the other characters to tell us she's good! She can't even AIM!
Okay, so Xaden and Violet are having their fraught pre-battle sex, and they are interrupted by Rhiannon and Brennan, who has arrived to defend Basgiath with them with a bunch of fliers as well.
I grab onto Brennan’s arms, and a spark of hope lights within my chest. “Have you ever encountered something you can’t mend?”Hmm. interesting. I think I see what's going to happen--Violet's going to figure out how to properly raise the wards here, but there'll be some kind of last minute sacrifice required. I wouldn't put it past Yarros to kill another random character off here, but ideally it should be someone meaningful. Andarna, maybe--she insisted on coming to battle. I don't think Yarros would kill off Tairn or Sgaeyl. But she might kill one of Violet's other squad mates off, or one of her siblings...or her mom?
“Magic,” he answers. “I can’t mend a relic or anything. Probably not a rune, either.”
If he can do it, we’ll just have to hold on long enough for Codagh to arrive. “What about a wardstone?”
Brennan’s eyebrows shoot up, and I glance past him to Rhiannon. “We have to guard the chamber, at least let him try.”
We are at 92%. Let's go.
Getting set up for battle here. Some rehashing of the plan from last chapter, then we learn Jesinia is here, too, working on the journals in an attempt to figure out how to raise the wards. Violet's mom raises a storm to power Violet up.
“You’ll only have a clear firing field for a matter of seconds,” Tairn reminds me.
“I know.” Once the dragons engage, I’m just as likely to strike one of our own as I am a wyvern. This first strike counts for everything. I lift my hands and open the Archives door to a steady but manageable flow of power, savoring the quick sizzle along my skin that comes with the rush of energy.
The battle begins. Violet is struggling for control and for aim, but managing; she's distracted constantly by the fighting around her, even though she knows she has to focus. It's a good scene. She wants to make sure everyone around her is safe, but the reality is that she can't.
Finally, she engages one on one with one of the venin. Violet is confident that she can take him, but immediately gets into trouble.
The venin grabs a horn and holds on, his eerie, red-rimmed eyes never leaving mine during the maneuver or the seconds after when we fall into a rapid descent, the wyvern’s weight pulling us downward. No spiderwebbed veins—he’s just an asim, and I can handle him.
“You’re the one he wants,” the dark wielder announces, shoving his wet, stringy blond hair out of his eyes and striding down Tairn’s neck as I yank at the belt with my left hand, but the buckle doesn’t give.
Rhiannon intervenes, and she and Violet take out the venin at the last second. But then Sawyer, another rider whom I vaguely remember, gets his leg bitten off, and Violet has to unbuckle herself and go running around in midair and jumping to try and save him. Once again Violet's disability has just ceased to matter. Other than the flier she accidentally dropped, she literally has not had a single challenge she couldn't overcome physically.
As Violet delivers Sawyer to the healers, she is attacked by venin, who inform her that the venin Sage who appears in Violet's nightmares wants her. She takes out one of them, but the other destroys the conduit she's been using to wield and starts strangling her. No one can get to Violet in time, but then...Andarna.
Now, all chapter Violet's been saying shit like "no matter what happens, Andarna has to live!" So I am going to predict that she will die.
Nope! She can breathe fire now, which she does. She fries the venin. Melgren has arrived, so Violet and the others go to argue with him--and then Jesinia appears with the answer to the mystery of the wards: it's not six that are needed to raise them, but seven. But there aren't seven breeds of dragon...what can this mean?
Gryphons? That's my theory.
Okay.
We're coming to the climactic moment. I'm wrong: Andarna is of course a secret seventh breed of dragon, and she watched to hatch for Violet because she knew Violet was so special, and a dragon can only raise one set of wards, ever, so Violet can raise the wards here or at Aretia, but not both.
And she chooses here.
Meanwhile, Xaden goes to fight the venin sage himself to buy her time.
So Violet starts to imbue the wardstone so they can raise the wards. It's too much for her, and she realizes she'll die doing it, but she presses on.
Inch by painful inch, I force myself to raise my head, just in time to see Brennan’s eyes widen and Mom’s boot rising toward my shoulder. She makes impact softly, and before I can open my mouth, she kicks with her full strength, sending me sprawling across the chamber floor and breaking my hold on the wardstone.
I'll give it to Yarros. This is the first time in this book a character death has actually felt like it mattered.
So Violet's mother uses Sloane to kill herself so that she can imbue the wardstone, saving Violet's life and also everyone else's.
“Can you hear them up there dying? That’s what’s happening,” Mom says, her tone softer than she’s ever used with me. “Your friends are dying, Cadet Mairi. Tyrrendor’s heir is fighting for his life, and you can stop it. You can save them all.” She picks up her free hand, and to my dread, Sloane doesn’t drop the other from the stone.
“Don’t do it!” I cry. “Sloane, that’s my mother.” This isn’t happening. Maybe Sloane won’t listen to me, but she’ll listen to Xaden. I throw down my shields—
Chapter end.
99%.
Violet finally goes to Xaden. They talk a little. And then...
No. That single word is all I can think, feel, scream internally as I stare up at the man I’m hopelessly in love with.
“Me,” he whispers, a faint, almost indistinguishable red ring emanating from his gold-flecked onyx irises. “You should be scared of me.”
Well. Plot twist. Did not see that one coming--and now we close out the book with the Xaden POV chapter.
“I’d rather die than become one of you.” Fear flavors the words because I feel it, the power beneath the college, the craving to sate the need for it.
“And yet, you just did.” Jack laughs, and the sound curdles my blood. “All this time, you’ve been convincing everyone you’re the hero, and now you’ll be the villain…especially in her story. Welcome to our fucked-up family. Guess we’re brothers now.”
...goddammit, this book was so close to ending on a high note.
All right. Sorry for the insanely long recap, but I needed to finish the book. Final thoughts to come.