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Onyx Storm: Chapter 26
Violet rides Tairn to Halden's rescue.
She asks him if he is in pain, and he denies it, but in a way that makes it clear he is in pain and doesn't want to admit it.
So canonically Violet is supposed to have POTS, as I recall, but it comes up extremely infrequently and I can't even remember a single episode of her syncopizing or her actually having to do any treatment for POTS. Make of that what you will.
I'm gonna make a prediction here, also. Tairn says that Andarna seems fine, so I'm gonna guess she still has her magic somehow and that's why Violet and Tairn still have their bond.
They land with Xaden and Sgaeyl outside the Deverelli palace, which seems weirdly undefended. There's a dozen or so guards with spears, but no crossbolts, apparently they only have those on the shore and they can't be turned around to point at the palace.
Violet and co. thereby bluster their way into the palace. They refuse to give up their weapons, and leave behind their dragons as they bicker about being married as they walk. They then find the king of Deverelli, who is young and hot, waiting for them with a knife in hand and Tecarus and Halden at his side. Should we bet on whether he's going to be attracted to Violet? No? You want to keep your money? Fair enough.
Violet and Xaden seem perpetually confused about why the Deverelli have weapons, so I'm kinda feeling like Violet's assessment of their culture might be slightly inaccurate. Also kind of offensive, frankly.
So Courtlyn is pissed because Halden presented with a dagger as a gift that actually belonged to Aretia, but was taken by the king of Navarre during the unification of Navarre. Courtlyn considers this deceitful. Frankly, I have no idea why. Navarre won that fight, you can argue it was spoils of war, it's not like Courtlyn had skin in the game.
Courtlyn threatens to have Halden eaten by panthers, and then offers to make a deal with Xaden instead.
I mean, that's sweet and all, but isn't Xaden supposed to be the leader of Aretia? Didn't he start a whole rebellion and take responsibility for all his fellow rebels, at great personal expense and suffering? It's like all the character traits he had in Fourth Wing have been sucked out. He's just a boring generic shadow daddy now. Yeah, it's great that he loves Violet so much, but he'd feel more like a human being if he cared about literally anything that he cared about before.
This could be really good if it was like...becoming a venin was making Xaden lose his humanity and making him more selfish. But it started back in Iron Flame, prior to the whole venin thing, so I think Yarros just thinks it's romantic.
So war blocks economies, but becoming a war profiteer is where the money is...Yarros, if you're going to create ridiculous villains, please at least let me monologue words that make sense. Also, dude, your isle would look a lot less weak if your crossbolts could be turned around. I'm just saying.
Courtlyn then feeds his panthers the butchered body of Halden's guard, because Halden sent her to steal a bunch of treasures from the Deverelli on the grounds that they rightfully belong to Navarre.
I don't...that's unbelievably dumb. That's such a stupid thing to do that I immediately have to ask what the author was thinking. Halden then makes a bunch of speeches about how the Deverelli screwed him by making unfair deals, which they probably did because Halden was doing illegal under the table trade with them. Xaden and Violet try to rectify the situation by making a deal with Aretia itself, bypassing Halden, but Courtlyn is done with their bullshit and gives the order to kill them all.
Chapter end.
Hey, does anyone watch ANYTHING the princes of this country fucking do? One of them is dead, one of them ran away and became a rider under a fake name and no one has caught him except Violet despite him being the FUCKING PRINCE, and one of them is too dumb to live. Like how am I supposed to take any of the politics in this book seriously when every villain is twirling their mustache and monologuing? Also, again, why was Halden sent with ONE GUARD?
She asks him if he is in pain, and he denies it, but in a way that makes it clear he is in pain and doesn't want to admit it.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Guilt for even suggesting to Xaden that we stay, for not realizing it, settles on my shoulders.
“You live in pain. Do you feel as though you need to alert me every time your knee twinges or your joints slip?” Even his wingbeats change, becoming more staccato. “There have been several moments, even here, when your heartbeat has elevated and you have approached unconsciousness, yet you have not made special note.”
I lean with him as he banks left, following the centuries-old aqueduct. “That’s just everyday life for me. This isn’t normal for you.”
So canonically Violet is supposed to have POTS, as I recall, but it comes up extremely infrequently and I can't even remember a single episode of her syncopizing or her actually having to do any treatment for POTS. Make of that what you will.
I'm gonna make a prediction here, also. Tairn says that Andarna seems fine, so I'm gonna guess she still has her magic somehow and that's why Violet and Tairn still have their bond.
They land with Xaden and Sgaeyl outside the Deverelli palace, which seems weirdly undefended. There's a dozen or so guards with spears, but no crossbolts, apparently they only have those on the shore and they can't be turned around to point at the palace.
“I’m Xaden Riorson, the Duke of Tyrrendor.” Xaden inclines his head. “He’s probably expecting me.”
Blue Sash blinks, then looks in my direction. “And you are?”
Well, shit. My mouth opens—
“My consort,” Xaden replies casually. “Violet Sorrengail.”
What the actual fuck? My jaw snaps shut so hard my teeth click. I want our bond back and I want it back right now. He can’t just announce things like that without at least a discussion.
“Are congratulations or commiserations in order?” Tairn lifts his head.
“Shut up.” I sheathe my dagger to keep from chucking it at the man I love.
Violet and co. thereby bluster their way into the palace. They refuse to give up their weapons, and leave behind their dragons as they bicker about being married as they walk. They then find the king of Deverelli, who is young and hot, waiting for them with a knife in hand and Tecarus and Halden at his side. Should we bet on whether he's going to be attracted to Violet? No? You want to keep your money? Fair enough.
“They don’t shake hands,” I tell Xaden quietly as we walk down the aisle. “They don’t mince or waste words. They speak in double meanings only when it’s convenient to them. They value status, wealth, knowledge, and secrets— anything that can be traded. If you break your word once, you’re never trusted again.”
“Say what I mean. Don’t lie. Act like a rich, entitled dick. Got it.” He nods.
Violet and Xaden seem perpetually confused about why the Deverelli have weapons, so I'm kinda feeling like Violet's assessment of their culture might be slightly inaccurate. Also kind of offensive, frankly.
So Courtlyn is pissed because Halden presented with a dagger as a gift that actually belonged to Aretia, but was taken by the king of Navarre during the unification of Navarre. Courtlyn considers this deceitful. Frankly, I have no idea why. Navarre won that fight, you can argue it was spoils of war, it's not like Courtlyn had skin in the game.
Courtlyn threatens to have Halden eaten by panthers, and then offers to make a deal with Xaden instead.
Courtlyn rolls the stem of his goblet between his thumb and forefinger. “To whom do you owe your loyalty, Your Grace? Your father was a rebel. From what I hear, you are cut from the same cloth, and yet you’ve been restored to your title, so to whom do you swear your fealty?”
I reach into the right side pocket of my pack for the conduit out of sheer habit as the panthers approach the dais, splitting to surround us. The familiar weight of the orb is comforting in my hand, and I swear I can feel a hum, a swift rise in heat that I know is only in my head, but it’s soothing all the same.
“Navarre,” Courtlyn continues, “or Tyrrendor? Lie, and this discussion is over. We’ve fared quite well without the Continent.”
Xaden tilts his head, studying the king. “Violet.”
I mean, that's sweet and all, but isn't Xaden supposed to be the leader of Aretia? Didn't he start a whole rebellion and take responsibility for all his fellow rebels, at great personal expense and suffering? It's like all the character traits he had in Fourth Wing have been sucked out. He's just a boring generic shadow daddy now. Yeah, it's great that he loves Violet so much, but he'd feel more like a human being if he cared about literally anything that he cared about before.
This could be really good if it was like...becoming a venin was making Xaden lose his humanity and making him more selfish. But it started back in Iron Flame, prior to the whole venin thing, so I think Yarros just thinks it's romantic.
“Oh, we’ve never involved ourselves with venin.” Courtlyn shakes his head. “War destroys isles, blocks economies. Supplying those at war, however… that’s where the money is. We remain neutral in all things and always have. It’s how we’ve maintained trade, commerce, growth, and knowledge for the world no matter what god you worship or magic you can access.”
“But they’ve been here, right?” I narrow my eyes slightly, noting that there’s now a panther perched directly behind me. I lean forward to look around the servant who is still holding our dish shut. “Did you defeat them?” Or cure them?
Courtlyn glares. “To imply that our isle is weak, conquerable, is a line you do not want to cross. Such an assumption is disastrous to an economy that is built on safe, stable trade. People do not invest in unstable isles.” He snaps his fingers.
So war blocks economies, but becoming a war profiteer is where the money is...Yarros, if you're going to create ridiculous villains, please at least let me monologue words that make sense. Also, dude, your isle would look a lot less weak if your crossbolts could be turned around. I'm just saying.
Courtlyn then feeds his panthers the butchered body of Halden's guard, because Halden sent her to steal a bunch of treasures from the Deverelli on the grounds that they rightfully belong to Navarre.
I don't...that's unbelievably dumb. That's such a stupid thing to do that I immediately have to ask what the author was thinking. Halden then makes a bunch of speeches about how the Deverelli screwed him by making unfair deals, which they probably did because Halden was doing illegal under the table trade with them. Xaden and Violet try to rectify the situation by making a deal with Aretia itself, bypassing Halden, but Courtlyn is done with their bullshit and gives the order to kill them all.
Chapter end.
Hey, does anyone watch ANYTHING the princes of this country fucking do? One of them is dead, one of them ran away and became a rider under a fake name and no one has caught him except Violet despite him being the FUCKING PRINCE, and one of them is too dumb to live. Like how am I supposed to take any of the politics in this book seriously when every villain is twirling their mustache and monologuing? Also, again, why was Halden sent with ONE GUARD?