Below is a chapter summary of Fourth Wing, the first book in Rebecca Yarros’s The Empyrean series. For a quick synopsis and review of the novel, I recommend visiting Wildwood Reads.
Chapter 1
It’s Conscription Day, which means that thousands of twenty year olds, like Violet Sorrengail, will be joining one of four quadrants in Basgiath’s War College to serve their country, Navarre. She is to join the Rider’s Quadrant—the one that trains people to fly dragons—and she has only had 6 months to train, while the others have been training their whole lives.
She joins her sister, Mira, in her mother’s office, who we learn is a general of the Rider’s Quadrant. Mira is angry with their mother for forcing Violet to join the quadrant, when she has been training her whole life to be a scribe. We learn that Violet had a brother, Brennan, who died five years ago, fighting in the Tyrrish rebellion to the south, and that their father is deceased as well, likely due to some kind of heart condition after Brennan’s death.
Violet’s mother dismisses them from her office, and Mira helps Violet pack for Conscription Day, giving her all kinds of advice for how to survive it. They wait together in line to be checked in at the Rider’s Quadrant. In front of them stands a man named Xaden Riorson, whose father is known as the Great Betrayer, who had led a rebellion against Navarre. Mira advises Violet to stay away from him, as he will likely try to kill her.
Violet checks in, and Mira leaves her. She stands in line behind a girl named Rhiannon and a boy named Dylan. Violet trades Rhiannon her left boot, noting that Rhiannon is not wearing rider boots, which grip the parapet better. We learn that the parapet is a test to see how well a cadet will be able to balance to ride dragons, and roughly 15% of the candidates fall to their deaths in this first test.
At the front of the line, Violet meets Xaden Riorson for the first time, and we learn that her mother captured his father and oversaw his father’s execution, and that her father had killed Violet’s older brother, Brennan.
The boy in front of them named Dylan walks across the parapet and falls to his death.
Chapter 2
Violet walks the parapet. A boy named Jack Barlowe throws another candidate off the parapet and charges at her. Violet makes it off the parapet and into the courtyard, where two riders await her.
Jack reaches Violet, but she spins around and holds a dagger to his balls to prevent him from attacking her. She tells Jack that he is not allowed to kill her, since there are other riders present, and they are technically “in formation,” and killing another rider while the wing is in formation is against the rules. The other riders in the courtyard confirm this. Although he cannot kill her now, Jack vows that he will eventually kill her one day.
Chapter 3
Violet reunites with her old childhood friend, Dain Aetos, who is one of the leaders of the Second Wing. She notices that he has grown much more attractive over the years. She is notably nauseous from surviving Jack and the parapet, and she has hurt her knee as well.
Rhiannon has survived the parapet and meets up with them. Dain tells them to find a red-headed woman with the roll of candidates and to tell her that he put them both into his squad. He then takes Violet to his room to get her knee wrapped up.
While in Dain’s room, there is some sexual tension between the two of them. Dain says that he will escort her to the Scribe Quadrant, but Violet pushes back on this, saying her mother won’t stand for it. Dain doesn’t believe this at first, but relents when Violet tells her that not even her sister Mira could talk their mother out of it. Dain sends her off to meet up with the other first-years.
Violet finds Rhiannon again, who introduces her to a girl named Tara. They stand in the courtyard with the other parapet survivors in front of a man named Commandant Panchek. He announces that 301 of them have survived the parapet, while 67 of them perished. We learn that Commandant Panchek wants Violet’s mother’s job, then General Melgren’s job after that. However, this is unlikely, as Melgren’s dragon gives him the signet ability to see a battle’s outcome before it happens.
A senior wingleader named Nyra informs them to take up formation behind their squad leader when their names are called. Rhiannon and Violet are both called to Dain’s squad, section, and wing. However, Xaden informs them that Dain’s squad will switch with someone named Aura Beinhaven’s squad. Violet and Rhiannon are effectively moved to the Fouth Wing—Xaden’s wing.
During this gathering, eight dragons emerge from below the cliffs, flying over the candidates. One of the candidates flees in fear, and a dragon lights him on fire. A navy-colored dragon seems to focus on Violet for a moment, then looks away.
Chapter 4
Violet stands in silent formation with the other riders in the courtyard, donning a black uniform. Their leaders take roll, and the first-years are sent to their classes. Dain checks in on Violet, and Violet asks him why her squad was moved from the Second Wing to the Fourth Wing the day before. Dain tells her that it’s because Xaden Riorson wants her dead. Violet also learns that the navy blue dragon was his, and it’s a particularly vicious dragon named Sgaeyl.
Violet wonders what Dain’s signet is—the special abilities that he gains from his dragon—and he tells her that he can read a person’s recent memories. He reassures Violet that Xaden will not go outside of the codex rules to kill her.
However, as Violet walks to class, Xaden is watching her from a distance, and he gives chase to her.
Chapter 5
Violet attends her first Battle Brief with professor Devera. The professor discusses how a drift of Braevi gryphons and their riders attacked the Eastern Wing of their army the night before. She wants to see what questions the class would ask about the attack. Violet tells Rhiannon to ask about the altitude of the village. The professor, knowing it’s Violet’s question, asks her to elaborate on it. Violet claims that the time it took the squad of riders is suspiciously quick, and the professor points out that this is because one of the dragons in the wing sensed the faltering ward, and so they flew out quickly and helped to minimize the casualties.
Xaden enters the class, and claims the gyphons’ riders were looking for something, raising the question of what they had wanted in that ward so badly. The professor reiterates that in Battle Briefs, they only learn which questions to ask so that the riders have a chance of coming home alive.
Later, Violet joins a sparring session led by Professor Emetterio. She agrees to help Rhiannon with history classes, and Rhiannon will help her with hand-to-hand combat. As they are watching the sparring sessions, Jack Barlowe breaks the neck of a first-year and kills him. Then, Rhiannon enters the ring, making quick work of another first-year named Tynan. Finally, Violet enters the sparring ring, and a girl with pink hair named Imogen breaks her arm and dislocates her shoulder.
Chapter 6
Dain carries Violet to the Healer’s Quadrant. Here, she is seen to by a healer named Winifred. Winifred calls for a mender named Nolon, but Dain protests, hoping that instead she can be sent back to the scribes and taken in as a late admission. In Violet’s drugged out state, we learn that Imogen’s mother was one of Fenn Riorson’s separatists, which is likely why she was so violent with Violet.
Later that night, Violet returns to the barracks in a sling. Rhiannon offers to help her get ready for the mat challenges the next day. She also gives her a note from Mira as well as her brother’s journal, which she calls “the book of Brennan.”
Chapter 7
Violet wanders out beside a river beneath the citadel during a moonlit night. She scales up a fonilee tree, picking at its berries as she climbs. However, she is interrupted by the approaching figures of Xaden, Imogen, and some other first-years. She hides in the canopy of the tree, listening in on them as Xaden gives the first-years advice on how to survive their training.
They are apparently all from the same province, and a meeting of more than three “marked ones” (children of seditious parents) like this is technically illegal. However, they aren’t doing anything else wrong, besides perhaps wanting to know when they get to kill Violet. Xaden tells them that Violet is his to handle, and dismisses them to bed.
When the coast seems clear, Violet sneaks out of the tree, but Xaden is waiting for her and surprises her. We learn that Xaden’s signet is a shadow wielder, meaning the can use shadows to disorient and manipulate things. Violet threatens him by throwing daggers at the tree behind him, but Xaden’s shadows pluck the daggers from the tree and return them to him. Surprisingly, he gives the daggers back to Violet, and asks if she is going to tell anyone about the illegal meeting they held. Violet says she won’t tell, and Xaden leaves her. She asks Xaden why he is waiting to kill her, and he tells her it would be no fun if she expected it.
Chapter 8
Dain escorts Violet to duty early in the morning. He asks her about her sex life as they make their way to the commons. Violet feels guilty about keeping Xaden’s secret. She sprinkles the powder from the fonilee berries the night before over a boy named Oren Siefert’s scrambled eggs.
Later, Violet is in class learning about dragons with Professor Kaori. We learn that the wards are faltering more and more, meaning that either Navarre is weakening or their enemies are getting stronger. Professor Kaori projects an image of blue dragons, and talks about Sgaeyl, who he says is a Blue Daggertail. He mentions that Sgaeyl does whatever she wants, and that her previous rider was a relative of Xaden.
They talk of black dragons, which are the rarest and most intelligent of dragons. We learn that there are only two black dragons in existence. One belongs to General Melgren, and the other has refused to bond since his previous and only rider was killed during an uprising. Its previous rider, Naolin, had a signet, which was siphoning, meaning he could absorb power from various sources—other dragons and riders—and then use it or redistribute it. We learn that Naolin tried to use this siphoning power to resurrect someone, but killed himself in the process of doing this.
After class, Violet approaches Professor Kaori, and asks him if the man Naiolin had tried to resurrect was Brennan, to which the Professor confirms was true. Professor Kaori tells Violet that dragons respect strength and shrewdness, and that not all strength is physical.
Later, Violet faces off with Oren during the mat challenges. Oren gets sick while he is fighting her, giving her an advantage over him and allowing her to force him to yield.
Several weeks pass, and Violet is able to weaken all of her opponents during the mat challenges with various poisonous plants and berries. However, she pushes it too far one day, and one of her opponents is unable to step into the ring because she had to be taken to the healers before the match could start. Much to Violet’s chagrin, Xaden offers to step in for her disabled opponent.
Chapter 9
Xaden faces off with Violet in the mat challenge. He tells her that he knows she’s been weakening her opponents before they enter the mat with her, and that she won’t get any better at these challenges if she isn’t testing herself. He spars briefly with her, easily gaining advantage, and advises her to stop going for bigger moves that will expose her. He lets her go without disarming her. Violet struggles with her intense attraction towards him.
Later, Dain massages Violet’s sore muscles in his room. They get into an argument because Dain had asked the scribe Markham if they would still take Violet into their quadrant. She is upset because she feels that Dain doesn’t think she can cut it as a rider. Dain worries about what will happen at Threshing. She promises Dain that she will at least think about joining the Scribe Quadrant.
Chapter 10
The rider candidates have a practice session going through the Gauntlet, an obstacle course designed to weed out weaker riders before Threshing. They are to have nine practice sessions in the Gauntlet before they are ranked by their final performance for Presentation, which will determine if the dragons find the riders worthy at Threshing. The course itself is designed to mimic the challenges the riders will face in battle, including balance, strength for maneuvers, and stamina.
A boy named Sawyer completes the course easily. Violet makes her way through the course, reciting dragon facts as she goes along. A green dragon passes overhead, and a girl named Auriele falls to her death. Later, Captain Fitzgibbon takes roll, and we learn that at least twenty candidates have died in the Gauntlet.
The next night, Violet vows to handle Auriele’s personal belongings and present them to her parents, as she was the last one to see Auriele alive. She walks through Basgiath’s courtyard, and notices that the door opens up behind her, revealing Xaden, Garrick, and Xaden’s cousin, Bodhi. Violet hides in the darkness and eavesdrops on them.
Xaden notices her presence immediately and dismisses both Garrick and Bodhi. They talk briefly, and Violet tells him that hope is the worst thing about Basgiath—that having it when your chances of death are so high is a terrible thing. Xaden tells her that it’s natural for people to die here, but that what makes a rider is what you do after people die. He tells her that every day he lets her live, he gets to convince himself that he’s still a decent person. Violet laments that she is too short to span the distance of one of the obstacles in the Gauntlet, and Xaden tells her that the right way to overcome this obstacle isn’t the only way to do it.
Chapter 11
Violet undergoes several more practice sessions of the Gauntlet, unable to make it past a chimney obstacle that is meant to simulate the strength and agility it takes to mount a dragon.
Presentation Day arrives, and, in order to get to the flight field, the rider candidates will have to climb the Gauntlet first. Dain is notably upset with Violet for going through with the Gauntlet and Presentation, rather than heeding his advice to join the Scribes.
Violet goes through the obstacle course, and she manages to overcome the chimney obstacle by using a rope to buoy herself up its surface. Later, she reaches her last obstacle, which is a wooden ramp that juts out from a cliff wall, meant to test a cadet’s ability to scale a dragon’s foreleg and reach its saddle. Violet is too short for it, but she remembers how Xaden said that the right way wasn’t the only way. She jumps up onto the ramp and uses her daggers to fling herself up that last foot or so upward to clear it. By doing this, she is able to finally complete the Gauntlet.
However, a wingleader from the Third Wing named Amber Mavis argues that Violet cheated on the obstacle course. Violet accepts a thirty-second penalty for using the ropes on the chimney, but she claims the knives she used did not constitute cheating because of a rule stating that once the riders carry something across the parapet, that item is considered part of their person, and, therefore, the knives are a part of her person. As a result, she didn’t use any outside items to cheat on the obstacle course.
Amber storms off at her response, and Xaden points out that Violet’s hands are bleeding.
Chapter 12
The obstacle course trials wrap up, and by the time the morning is done, there are 169 rider candidates left, and Violet’s squad has placed 11th out of 36 squads for Presentation.
The dragons await the cadets, arranged in formation to pass judgment on them as they walk by. To everyone’s surprise, a small, golden feathertail is supposed to be present among them. The cadets are advised to talk to one another as they pass underneath the dragons’ gaze, so as to help the dragons to get a sense of who they are and how well they play with others. They are also advised to avoid making eye contact with the dragons for their safety.
Violet and the others chat idly as they walk through, and they notice the feathertail at the end of the line. A cadet named Luca points out that the dragon is too small to carry a rider in battle, and that its gold color is actually yellow, so it is not an adult nor powerful enough to even have a real color. The cadets also talk of wyverns, which are creatures that are supposed to be like dragons but bigger, and with two feet instead of four, with a mane of razor-sharp feathers streaking down their necks and a taste for humans. They are a part of the folklore used to scare poorly behaved children. As they make their way through the procession, a cadet named Pryor is killed by one of the dragons.
Then, two green dragons suddenly take an interest in Violet, sniffing her as she walks by. She realizes they are drawn in by the scent of her dragon-scale armor. The scales are from her sister Mira’s dragon, Teine, and the dragons recognize the scent of one of their own. Violet talks to them and they leave her unharmed. As they complete the Presentation, Luca is killed by a dragon.
Chapter 13
It is October 1st, and Threshing has come. Violet has not talked to Dain once in the past two days since Presentation. She listens as Professor Kaori tells the cadets to spread out throughout the valley before them. He says the dragons should be flying in the area at any minute now. Violet and her squad split up as they enter the valley.
She spots a tree in the valley and climbs it to get a better view. She sees a few green dragons and a dozen first years wandering aimlessly, as well as a flash of the golden feathertail. She hears voices approaching, which belong to the cadets named Tynan, Oren, and Jack Barlowe. They are not supposed to be together, since the candidates are not supposed to be in groups during Threshing. She listens in horror as they plan to kill the golden feathertail, thinking it weak and therefore a liability to the safety of the other dragons and riders.
She decides to warn the dragon of the boys’ plan. She hops out of the tree, but hurts her ankle in the process. She finds the feathertail and warns it to leave, but the dragon doesn’t heed her advice, seemingly oblivious to the danger she is in. The boys overhear Violet, and confront her with their weapons drawn, ready to attack. Xaden steps in, telling them they should rethink their plan. His dragon, Sgaeyl, is waiting behind him with her fangs exposed.
Chapter 14
Jack tells Xaden there is nothing he can do, since a wingleader is not supposed to intervene during Threshing. Xaden tells him it’s not him he should be worried about, but his dragon, Sgaeyl.
The boys ignore Xaden’s warning and attack Violet anyways. Violet is able to fend for herself, injuring her opponents with her daggers, and forcing Jack to run away. Xaden also helps her in the fight by warning her of an attack by Oren from behind, which allows her to knock Oren unconscious. Then, just as Tynan is about to attack her again, the huge, black, unbonded dragon Professor Kaori had told them about appears before them, standing with the golden feathertail tucked underneath its wing. The dragon incinerates Tynan.
The dragon then speaks to Violet, his voice entering her head, rather than speaking aloud, as this is how dragons communicate with their riders. He says that she should kill the unconscious Oren, but she refuses. Meanwhile, Xaden and Sgaeyl take off. The black dragon notes that Violet is bleeding and that she should stop it. Violet wraps her wound, and the dragon tells her that they should go. She realizes that he is choosing her. Violet worries that the golden feathertail will be attacked again when Oren wakes up, however. The feathertail alleviates any worries by flying away, removed from harm’s way.
The black dragon then forms its leg into a ramp so that Violet can mount him with her poor ankle, which is significant because dragons never supplicate for humans. She climbs atop of him and grabs ahold of his scales. The dragon tells her his name is Tairneanach, and that she can call him Tairn. He flies away with her on his back, but as he banks left, Violet falls off.
Chapter 15
Tairn catches Violet in her freefall. Violet asks him why he chose her, and he tells her it’s because she saved the golden feathertail, and because she is the smartest and most cunning of her year. He tells her that strength of courage is more important than physical strength. It’s at this point that Violet realizes he can read her thoughts. They land in a field among the other newly-bonded riders, and the golden feathertail is there awaiting them.
Dusk falls, and lights illuminate a crowd in bleachers before them, with Violet’s mother in attendance, along with Melgren, the commanding general of all Navarrian forces. Violet approaches the roll-keeper to tell her the dragon she bonded with. The golden feather interjects, in her head, telling Violet that her name is Andarnaurram (Andarna for short) and that she would like to be bonded with her as well. Violet protests, but Tairn tells her to inform the roll-keeper that she is bonded with Andarna as well.
Chapter 16
The generals argue over whether or not Violet can bond with two dragons. She gets her wounds seen to, and she sees that Jack Barlowe has bonded with an Orange Scropiontail. Jack confronts her again, but Professor Kaori warns her that Tairn will attack him if he takes another step towards Violet. Jack is clearly envious of Violet’s dragon, and he storms off.
Professor Kaori then tells her that it’s not up to the humans to decide whether or not Violet can bond to two dragons, but the dragons themselves. He tells her that the dragons are going to meet to determine what to do. Tairn and Andarana confirm this, saying it’s up to the Empyrean—the dragon’s leadership—to decide what happens next. Codagh, General Melgren’s dragon, shows up, and the dragon’s take their leave of the humans. Tairn tells Violet to stay close to Xaden.
Violet meets up with Rhiannon, and learns that she has bonded to a Green Daggertail named Feirge. Dain finds Violet and embraces her. Having heard the news of the two dragons choosing her, he tells Violet that she will have to choose one of the dragons, and that he should choose Andarna because it would be safer for her.
Violet also learns that Tairn and Sgaeyl are a mated pair, and that mated pairs can’t be separated for long or their health diminishes, so they’re always stationed together. This means that if Violet is bonded to Tairn, she and Xaden’s fates will be tethered together.
Dain accuses Xaden of manipulating the results of the Threshing. Xaden tells Dain he would’ve done the same thing, given the danger Violet was in, but Dain claims he would have followed the rules. Violet is disappointed by this, because it means that Dain values rule and order more than he values her. The dragons return, and Xaden dismisses Dain to go back to his formation. He warns Violet that the unbonded riders are likely to try to kill her in the hopes that they’ll get Tairn to bond to them.
General Melgren announces that while there has never been a case of two dragons selecting the same rider, there is no dragon law against it. Even though some of their leadership doesn’t feel it is equitable, he claims that dragons make their own laws, and so their decision will stand. The dragons have decided that both Tairn and Andarna’s can bond with Violet. She now has two dragons.
Once the bonds are official, the dragons mark their riders with their magic. Tairn and Andarna mark Violet with a relic of themselves on her back. In the fervor of celebrating the newly-bonded riders, Dain kisses Violet, but she feels nothing for him.
Chapter 17
Violet no longer has to sleep in the barracks and has her own room now. Her ankle is in a brace and a boot. Rhiannon asks her about her kiss with Dain, and Violet tells her that she disappointingly feels nothing for him.
Later, as they eat breakfast in the dining hall, Imogen and a second-year named Quinn join them, along with two other third-years. Rhiannon asks why they are sitting with them, to which Imogen responds that they weren’t interesting enough to sit with before.
Tairn’s voice enters Violet’s head, saying she can trust Imogen. Imogen offers to help Violet with sparring, but Rhiannon protests, saying she is already doing this. Imogen says she can help her with weight training, then. Violet intuits that Xaden had ordered Imogen to help train her, and that it’s likely because their dragon’s are bonded and he therefore wants to keep Violet alive.
A few hours later, Violet attends flight lessons. She trains with Tairn, but not with Andarna because she can’t bear Violet’s weight yet. Professor Kaori announces that there are 41 unbonded riders among them, and that their bonds with their dragons are at their weakest right now. So, if they fail, there’s a good chance their dragon may bond with another unbonded cadet instead. As Violet flies with Tairn, she falls off several times.
Later that evening, Violet heads to the sparring gym. Dain catches up with her along the way, and Violet feels bad that they don’t have any chemistry. They agree to be friends, but for Dain the only reason for that is a political one—he wants to be a squad leader and claims this is the reason they cannot be together. Violet loses respect for him because of this. After Dain leaves, Violet trains with Imogen, working on her inner thighs so that she can better stay on her dragon.
Chapter 18
Violet visits the Archives. She meets an old friend there named Jesinia, who is deaf, and requests a handful of books for Professor Devera. She also asks Jesinia for a copy of The Fables of the Barren, a collection of folklore that Violet’s dad had shared with her when she was younger. Violet runs into Professor Markha, and Andarna reads Violet’s mind, understanding that she is missing the archives, her “first home,” at Basgiath.
Jesinia returns, signing that she could not find the folklore collection Violet requested. She worries about Violet, referencing the uptick in attacks along Navarre’s borders.
Violet then gets lunch with Ridoc, Rhiannon, Sawyer, and Quinn. She learns that Sawyer is a metallurgist, meaning that he can manipulate metals. He is the first one of the newly bonded riders to have a signet.
Later, Violet attends flight lessons again. When they are over, Tairn remarks that she only fell about a dozen times, which is a marked improvement for her. She asks Tairn if they can get Andarna to join them next week, even if it’s just to fly along, but Tairn refuses.
Dain then storms up to her, angry that she didn’t tell him about all the times she’d been falling off Tairn during her flight lessons. He tells her that he is terrified that she is not going to make it to graduation. Violet gets angry with him, criticizing him for not knowing when to bend or break the rules for someone he cares about. She tells him they will never be anything more than friends because he doesn’t have faith in her.
As Violet returns to the courtyards, a boy named Jeremiah has a full-blown melt-down, screaming what everyone is thinking aloud. His signet power is manifesting, meaning that he can read minds, and is known as an inntinnsic. Professor Carr, whom Violet has never seen before, snaps Jeremiah’s neck, essentially mercy killing him.
That night, Violet is awoken from her dreams by Tairn. Seven unbonded cadets surround her, armed and ready to attack. Oren is among them, and he grabs Violet, attempting to slice her throat with his dagger. Before he can kill her, however, Violet’s bedroom door flies open, and Andarna’s voice screams in her head. Everyone in the room besides Violet is suddenly frozen.
Chapter 19
Violet examines Oren, who is still warm, and therefore not dead. Andarna tells her to hurry, since she can’t keep this up any longer; she was the one who froze time for Violet. Xaden storms into her room in a fitful of rage, and her attackers are no longer frozen. Xaden uses his shadows to choke all of Violet’s assailants by the throat, save for Oren. He personally slashes Oren’s throat himself. Xaden’s companions, Garrick and Bohdi, haul the bodies out of the room.
Xaden examines Violet’s ribs to see if they are broken, then puts her boots on for her. They take a secret passage out of Basgiath and meet their dragons out on the flight field. Xaden asks Tairn what kinds of powers he is channeling to Violet. He can communicate with Tairn, but he cannot hear Andarna in his head.
Andarna tells Violet that dragons shouldn’t bond until they are full grown, because they can accidentally gift their powers to humans. She says that dragons cannot channel until they’re big, but they’re all born with something special. It is not like a signet, however, because a signet is a combination of the dragon’s power with the humans’ ability to channel, which reflects who a human is at the core of their being. In essence, Andarna accidentally gave her gift directly to Violet, because she is still a young feathertail.
They learn about Andarna being a juvenile dragon, and that she will be full grown in a year or two. They also learn that Andarna is also an orphan. If the Empryean knew that riders could take Andarna’s gifts for themselves, rather than depending on their own signets, then Andarna would be hunted. They all agree to not tell anyone what Andarna truly is, hoping that she will mature once they are out of the quadrant.
Violet promises that they will only stop time together in small increments, as channeling that gift to Violet has costed Andarna, and if Violet uses too much, she could kill them both. They also agree not to tell anyone that Violet can stop time.
Xaden says that they need to figure out how unbonded cadets got into Violet’s room, and Violet tells him that someone had ran away before he arrived, and that the must have unlocked her room from the outside, and that she thinks she knows who it was.
Chapter 20
Captain Fitzgibbon reads out the death roll the next day. Meanwhile, Xaden informs Dain that he will be receiving a cadet named Liam Mairi in his squad. He is supposed to be a bodyguard for Violet, which she protests against, saying she doesn’t need it. Xaden argues that she does, and that Liam will be with her everywhere she goes from now on.
Xaden then takes the podium, announcing what happened to Violet the night before. He says that the attack was orchestrated by Wingleader Amber Mavis, who fled before he arrived. The crowd reacts with shock, and Xaden requests a quorum with the other wingleaders.
Several of the dragons arrive in the courtyard, perching and watching over the events. Violet begs Tairn to share her memory of Amber escaping her room after the attack with the other wingleaders. Tairn protests, saying that a memory has never been shared outside of a mating bond. Violet asks him to only share what the wingleaders need to see.
It works, because the wingleaders unanimously find Amber guilty. Her sentence is to be carried out by fire, and Tairn incinerates her. Amber’s dragon, Claidh, mourns the loss of her rider.
Chapter 21
Liam follows Violet to the archives. He has constantly been shadowing her lately, and she finds that he is a courteous and helpful bodyguard. She learns that after the Tyrrish Rebellion, both he and Xaden were fostered at the same estate, and his father was executed while he was separated from his little sister. The reason he is at Basgiath now is because the children of the rebellion leaders are forced into conscription.
Violet collects some tomes from Jesinia, and a scroll falls out from the top of the pile. It says that a village in Sumerton was ransacked and a convoy was looted there the other night.
Violet then feels Tairn suddenly awaken, and she feels his hunger. The dragon has not channeled to her yet, and she and Liam are a few of the only first year riders that have yet to channel.
Later, Violet goes to class with her friends, and she learns that Xaden has warded her door so that only she can open it. Professor Markham and Devera enter the classroom, and announce that the winners of this year’s Squad Battle will be going to the front lines to shadow an active wing. Then, the professors dissect an old battle, and Violet feels as though this is strange, considering the circumstances in Sumerton. She questions if the scroll she and Liam found in the library was perhaps classified.
Chapter 22
November passes, and none of the professors have mentioned the attack in Sumerton in Battle Brief, so Violet is convinced the report she and Liam found in the archives was classified, even if it wasn’t marked as such.
She spars with Rhiannon on the mats. Xaden and Garrick show up, sparring with their shirts off. Violet lusts after Xaden.
Jack Barlowe confronts Violet, drawing the attention of Xaden and Garrick. He tries to attack Violet, but Liam fends him off. Afterwards Xaden admonishes Violet for not wearing her dragon-scale armor. He tells her to stop training with a bow staff, to stick with her daggers instead. Violet argues that she was sparring just fine until Tairn barged into her head, to which Dain defends her, saying that she isn’t used to her bond and doesn’t know how to block Tairn out yet. Xaden leaves, telling her to put her armor back on, and Tairn commends Violet for keeping her temper.
Later, Violet feels Tairn’s lust inside of her, and she seeks an outlet for it. She escapes her room to find Xaden smoking churam outside. He gives her a cash course on shielding herself from Tairn’s emotions (referred to as just “shielding”).
He shows her how to “ground,” where Violet is instructed to find a place in her mind that feels like home, allowing her to keep her mental self somewhere so that she isn’t swept away by her dragon’s power. Then she is instructed to call her upon own power and open her senses. There is a lot of tension between them as they talk, and finally it breaks and Xaden kisses her passionately. He dismisses her, however, because he doesn’t want to act on a desire that isn’t hers, but rather, belongs to Tairn.
Chapter 23
Now that Violet has felt Tairn’s lust, she can effectively channel the dragon’s magic. She talks to Rhiannon about what happened with Xaden the night before. She learns that Rhiannon’s signet is summoning, meaning that she can make objects disappear and bring them to her. This is different from “wielding,” which is the ability to move objects and lock doors, which is the product of small magics when one can channel. Rhiannon’s signet power is therefore unique.
Later, Violet confronts Dain about the way he has been treating her. She tells Dain that she is a rider at her core, and that this is the reason Tairn and Andarna chose her. She tells him to stop looking for ways to keep her in a locked cage. Dain points out that Xaden is just as controlling as he is, and to be wary of him. She responds that it’s different for her and Xaden because of their dragons being bonded, and that she doesn’t need protection from him. Dain relents and apologizes for how he has treated her lately.
Violet then heads into Professor Carr’s classroom. The professor tells her that her siblings both had extraordinary signet powers. Mira, for example, has the ability to manifest a ward around her, which is useful in battles, and Brennan was a talented mender. He says he expects an earth-shattering signet from her since Tairn has chosen her as a rider.
Time passes, and December turns to January. Violet has been studying for tests, prepping for flights, and lifting weights with Imogen. She also struggles with figuring out what parts of her mind are Tairn or Andarna channeling. She does not have her signet yet, but she can use lesser magics, like ink pens and locking and opening doors.
She finds out that Jack is going to challenge her on the mats. She tells Liam, but asks him not to say anything to Xaden.
Later, as she is fighting Jack on the mats, he channels his own power into her body, causing her shocking internal pain. However, she is able to defend herself by shoving a vial of orange peels into Jack’s mouth, which he is allergic to. She passes out just as Jack succumbs to his allergic reaction. She later wakes to Xaden at her side.
Chapter 24
Xaden and Violet finally talk about their kiss. He tells her it was a mistake, and that getting involved would be a colossal blunder, considering they will be stationed together for the rest of their lives.
The next day, Xaden gifts her a hand-carved Tyrrish blade. He spars with her on the mat, using his powers to take her down. She says this isn’t fair, but he says that out in the real world, the field is anything but level, and that she will have to learn to use what she’s got.
February flies by, and Xaden trains with Violet a lot on the mats. Violet still has not received her signet power yet. She understands that this power is all about her, and not about her dragons. They are weeks away from their Squad Battle.
Dain criticizes Xaden for not allowing Violet time to wield, but Xaden has been giving her extra wielding lessons as they spar. Violet displays her wielding ability adeptly, summoning a watch to herself from Xaden’s hands.
Later, Xaden informs Violet that she will be on the front lines with him and the other third years the next year. They run into Commandant Panchek, Dain’s father, and Violet’s mother. Her mother asks her what powers she is wielding from Andarna, to which Violet lies, saying it’s nothing. Dain’s father asks to study Andarna, but Violet refuses, saying the dragon likely wouldn’t be comfortable with that. There is tension between Violet’s mother and Xaden.
Xaden takes her out to the flight field, saying that he, Violet, and their three dragons are all going to learn how to fly better together.
Chapter 25
The cadets have reached the last of the mat challenges for the Squad Battle, and Violet’s squad is seventh of 24 squads. Liam easily wins the fight he is participating in.
Commandant Panchek announces the last portion of the Squad Battle. The squad’s leaders have been detained, and so each squad will have to operate this last portion without their normal leaders. Their mission is to find and acquire, by any means necessary, the one thing that would be most advantageous to their enemies regarding the war effort.
Violet’s squad elects Imogen their leader, but as they brainstorm what to do, they all look to Violet for advice. Violet formulates a plan, saying they will break into her mother’s office that night.
They shuffle through Violet’s mother’s office, and decide to steal a war map hanging on its walls. Their squad uses their signet powers to successfully escape the offices without getting caught by her mother’s guards.
Later, they present their item to the professors. Violet claims the map is important to their enemies because it’s an up-to-date map of all the current outposts of Navarrian wings, including troop strength of infantry battlements, as well as the locations of all current skirmishes in the last thirty days, including the previous night. They are asked where they got the map from, and when they reveal it’s from Violet’s mother’s office, absolute mayhem breaks out.
Chapter 26
The cadets fly for six hours for their week-long tour of a forward outpost in Montserrat. Rhiannon tells Violet that her home village is less than an hour away on foot. Violet runs into her sister Mira, and they embrace each other during an emotional reunion.
Two days later, Rhiannon and Violet attempt to sneak out to go to Rhiannon’s home village. However, Mira stops them. They are able to convince Mira to come along, and the three of them visit Rhiannon’s sister and nephew.
While there, Mira tells Violet that if she wants her signet to manifest, then she should stop blocking it by thinking it has anything to do with their mother, and that her power is hers and hers alone. Mira also asks her what is going on between her and Dain, and warns her to steer clear of Xaden. She tells Violet that she snagged one of her books and has kept it for her at Montserrat. As she and Mira leave Rhiannon’s sister’s home, Xaden shows up.
Chapter 27
The cadets have been split into two groups for the day. Violet’s group spent the morning on a two-hour flight around the surrounding area, and they are now studying previous battles at the outpost. Xaden is with their group.
Mira tells them that several third-years have been called to these outposts to keep guard because the riders have been called to the front for an emergency. She tells them that first-years aren’t taught much battle strategy outside of Squad Battle, but they will learn more strategy during something called War Games, which is set to start in two weeks. Violet discovers that she can hear Xaden’s voice in her head because of the way they are linked through their dragons.
Mira then speaks alone to see Dain, Violet, and Xaden. She chastises Violet and Dain for being at odds with one another, because it has an effect on their squad. She also warns Violet that Xaden may be pulling her away from her training, and she may be missing out on key experience as a rider because of it. Mira also learns that Violet can’t hold her seat on her dragon. As they discuss this, their dragons warn them that gryphons are headed their way.
Mira orders Xaden to get Violet away from the outpost since she can’t keep her seat and would therefore be in danger. Violet protests, but Xaden forces her to leave, stalling her with a kiss until Tairn arrives.
Chapter 28
It’s been two days since Violet has left Montserrat, and she is on library duty. Xaden finds her, and they talk. She asks him what changed with him, and why he decided not to ruin her. Xaden says it happened over several moments, and that he can’t stop thinking about doing more than just kissing her. Violet learns she can now speak inside of Xaden’s head. Professor Markham shows up and informs them that no riders were lost at Montserrat. Violet rejoices that her sister is still alive.
Later, as they train on the mat, Violet asks several questions about Xaden, like if he has siblings, and where the silver scars on his back came from.
Then, the first battle of the War Games begins, which signifies the approach of graduation. The Fourth Wing is pitted against the First Wing. The Fourth Wing must capture an egg from the First Wing, but they must defend a flag from them as well. Tairn and Xaden have designed a saddle for Violet that will allow her to keep her seat on the dragon as she flies.
During the War Games, Jack jumps from his dragon onto Liam’s and thrusts a sword through his side. Liam falls off his dragon, and Violet channels Andarna’s power to stop time and save him. Once she’s saved Liam, she attacks Jack in her anger. She is able to summon a lightning bolt which strikes the tower Jack is stationed on. The tower explodes, and the avalanche of stones kills him. Finally, Violet has manifested her signet, which is wielding lightning.
Chapter 29
Fourth Wing was able to both capture First Wing’s egg and defend their flag, effectively winning the War Games. Violet feels guilty for killing Jack, but Xaden reassures her that it was the right thing to do. Violet also feels guilty that she cannot tell Rhiannon about her ability to channel Andarna and stop time.
Later, Violet spends time in her room, aimlessly throwing daggers at a wooden target. Xaden finds her, and they talk about the guilt she is feeling. She reflects on how she had always thought she would be different, that she would never be a rider or be this destructive, and that maybe her signet would be something like Brennan’s, being able to mend things instead of destroy them. She worries that her powers will change her.
Xaden consoles her, telling her to do what she needs to do to get the anguish out of her system. She chooses to kiss him.
Chapter 30
Xaden resists at first, but he gives into Violet’s kiss. One thing leads to another, and they end up making passionate love in her room, knocking several things over in the process. Their powers manifest as they make love, and Violet causes several lightning bolts to flash outside of their room, and she even sets her curtains on fire, while Xaden’s shadows fill the room.
After they have sex, Xaden opens up to her about his scars. There are 107 of them on his back, one for each of the 107 kids the rebellion’s leaders left behind. The scars are a part of his deal with Navarre’s leaders—by accepting this punishment and conscription into Basgiath’s War College, he can avoid being executed. And, if any of the 107 children betray Navarrre, then his life is forfeit. The scars are a reminder of that.
Violet begs Xaden to stay the night with her, and he agrees. He tells her that he knew she could wield lightning before she had killed Jack. He says he had seen her do it the first night Tairn channeled power to her, but he wasn’t sure, so he didn’t say anything. Violet asks her when this happened, and he says it was the first time she kissed him.
Later, Violet awakens and Xaden is gone. He has left her a handful of sprig violets in his wake. Professor Carr finds her, telling her they have work to do. Twenty minutes later, they are out on the flight field, and Tairn is saddled. Violet is surprised he can get the saddle on himself without any help.
Violet asks Professor Carr why mind-reading is a death sentence. The professor says because knowledge is power, and they can’t have someone walking around with unfettered access to classified material.
Together, they fly up to the mountaintops so Violet can practice manifesting her signet. She is able to wield her lightning when she thinks about sleeping with Xaden the night before.
Chapter 31
Xaden comes knocking at Violet’s door. He helps her clean up her room after they destroyed it in their passionate love-making. As they clean up, they notice a piece of parchment is sticking out of one of Violet’s books. It is a note from her dad, saying how important folklore is to teach them about their past and to avoid history being erased. He says she is the best of both her mother and him. Xaden and Violet remark about how cryptic the note is.
Xaden and Violet then talk about their situation. When they last made love, Xaden had said that they could not fall for each other. Violet tells him that if they keep hooking up, then they will surely end up falling for each other. She pushes for Xaden to admit this, but he doesn’t. She refuses to sleep with him again until she is ready to risk her heart and he admits that they are falling for each other.
Later, it is Reunification Day, and Violet has been training on the mountaintops every day with Professor Carr. She is adept at summoning her lightning now, but she can’t yet aim it very well. They are only ten days away from graduation, which is when Violet will find out how far Xaden is to be sent from Basgiath, as most brand-new lieutenants are given midland posts, closer to the borders.
That very day also marks six years since Brennan was killed. In her emotional state, Violet begs Xaden to take her to bed. When he doesn’t agree to it immediately, she asks Xaden if there is someone else he is sleeping with, like Imogen, which he denies.
Later, a formal event is held at Basgiath for Reunification Day. King Tauri is in attendance, and he approaches Violet, along with her mother and General Melgren, and remarks on how she has bonded with two exceptional dragons. He also jokes about the potential of Xaden starting another war. Violet feels sympathy for Liam, who is looked down upon by Basgiath’s leadership for being a marked one.
Violet leaves the party and goes back to the Riders Quadrant. She acknowledges her true feelings for Xaden, and steps up onto the parapet to walk over to him.
Chapter 32
Violet walks across the parapet to Xaden. She is struck by the realization that everyone is currently celebrating his father’s death, while he is left to mourn it alone. She admits to herself that she is in love with Xaden.
They meet in the middle of the parapet, and Violet tells Xaden that he does want her—that even if he doesn’t say it, he shows it in his actions. She tells him that she is ready to risk her heart for him now. They deal away with their jealousy, confirming that neither Imogen nor Dain are love interests for either of them. Violet pulls Xaden along with her, telling him to take her to his room.
While in his room, Violet admits her feelings for Xaden. They make love again. Violet is shocked when she realizes she blew out his window in their passion. They are interrupted when Garrick comes pounding at their door, announcing that Basgiath is under attack.
Chapter 33
Violet dresses in haste, as she believes the wards of Navarre are falling. She throws Xaden’s flight jacket on and rushes out to the courtyard. Xaden intuits to her that there is no emergency, and they were only roused out of bed for War Games.
Dain’s father reads out to the riders their hypothetical scenario for the War Games: the wards are falling, and there has been an unprecedented, multilevel attack along the borders, putting villages under siege from drifts of gryphon riders, and several deaths have already been reported. He gives orders to each wingleader, telling Xaden he is to establish his headquarters for Fourth Wing at Athebyne.
As they leave, Dain argues that Xaden cannot take Violet with him, as she is a first year. He accuses him of separating her from her squad so he can get revenge on Violet’s mother. They have a tense standoff, and Violet tells Dain that she trusts Xaden, and she goes with him as they ride for Athebyne.
Chapter 34
Violet and the rest of Xaden’s hand-picked riders fly all day, and they cross the barrier of the wards, where the magic is wilder, and it is more difficult for dragons to communicate. They land on the shores of a lake to get some rest. Xaden takes Violet’s hand in a public display of affection. They share an intimate kiss, but they are interrupted by a woman’s voice.
Xaden panics, throwing shadows around them, telling Violet to stay calm. A pair of gryphon riders show up, and the others in Fourth Wing riders arrive too, but they don’t attack. Liam pins Violet’s arms behind her back, apologizing. Xaden tells the gryphon riders that they are early.
Chapter 35
Xaden asks one of the gryphon riders about a missing shipment. Violet realizes that Xaden knows these people and has been working with them to aid their enemy. The betrayal is bitter for her.
One of the gryphon riders informs Xaden that they lost a village nearby to a horde of venin two days ago, and that they had decimated everything.
Much to her dismay, Violet learns that both Tairn and Andarna were in on Xaden’s plan all along, mainly because of Tairn’s bond to Sgaeyl.
Xaden explains himself to Violet. He says that they have been shipping out weapons to gryphon riders on the borders to defend the areas from venin, which are people who can tap into the source of magic without a dragon or a gryphon to channel. Violet claims venin are the stuff of fables, but this causes her to think twice about the letter her father had written her about folklore being important. Xaden affirms that venin are, in fact, real. But Violet finds it hard to believe that Basgiath and Navarre would choose to do nothing about their people being slaughtered, claiming it goes against everything they stand for.
Xaden then tells Violet that he has never lied to her, and that he only hid what they were doing from her because Dain has the ability to see her memories, which would put their whole operation at risk. He tells her that this whole thing is bigger than the two of them, and that the Basgiath leadership would stop at nothing to sit behind their wards and keep the venin a secret. He claims his own father was executed for trying to help these people on the borders.
Violet still feels betrayed by Xaden, but she agrees to go to Athebyne with him. As they take flight, she thinks again about how her father had said it only takes one desperate generation to change history and even erase it. She realizes that her father had spelled this exact situation out to her.
They arrive at an empty outpost, where they immediately realize something is wrong. Xaden asks Violet if Dain had ever touched her face after he told her about Athebyne. Violet says that he did, but that he wouldn’t try to read her memories like that. Just then, Xaden receives a letter from Colonel Aetos, telling their wing that their mission is to survive if they can.
Violet realizes that Dain had read her memories with her permission and that she had unknowingly betrayed Xaden and the rest of the riders present at the outpost.
Chapter 36
The riders are given a choice by Colonel Aetos’s missive: they can leave now, allowing them to make it to the new headquarters for Fourth Wing at Eltuval in time to carry out their orders for the War Games. Or, they can stay and defend the trading post and its occupants from the venin
They realize that there are four venin and ten dragon riders, along with the gryphon fliers they have. However, just two venin alone was enough to bring down an entire city the month before. Four venin are practically a death sentence. One of the gryphon riders says she won’t ask them to fight with them, and that they are willingly walking into their own deaths.
Imogen protests that their dragons have to count for something. The gryphon rider tells them that while their dragons can fly them far and fast, their fire won’t kill the venin; only their daggers will.
The gryphon rider departs, and the riders of Fourth Wing discuss joining them in battle. Liam reports that the gryphon fliers are engaged with the venin, drawing them away from the civilians, and that the venin are wielding a kind of fire he has never seen among riders. He says that three venin surround the city, and one is making his way towards a clock tower.
Violet and Tairn send Andarna away, as she would be a target for the venin. When they go out to fight the venin, they notice creatures flying for Resson. They are the fabled wyvern, the creatures said to be created by the venin to compete with dragons. Instead of channeling power from them, like a rider does a dragon, the venin channel power into the wyvern.
Violet joins the fray as explosions are hitting the town and the civilians are fleeing. For the time being, the approaching wyvern have retreated into a nearby valley. Violet leads Tairn to incinerate the clock tower where one of the venin has attacked, but he walks away from it, unscathed.
Then, Violet and Tairn come under attack from a wyvern, while Tairn relays orders to the other dragons. Meanwhile, Xaden has found a sealed entrance to a mine, and asks Violet to cover them so that Garrick and Bodhi can get the townspeople evacuated through the mine.
Violet then bolts for a venin who is shattering an outbuilding along the hillside. Soleil, a third-year rider, is able to stop the rocks from crushing the people running to the mine below. The venin notices Violet , and begins channeling, sending a wave of death around her. The magic reaches Soleil and her dragon, killing them both.
Garrick and the other third-years come to help Violet with the wyvern and venin, outnumbering their opponents. Some riderless gryphons tear into an approaching wyvern, and Liam mounts his dragon, Deigh, and is able to kill the wyvern by wielding spears of ice at its throat.
Another wyvern flies by an outbuilding with explosive materials in it. Tairn is able to hit this building with fire and ignite it, causing it to explode, but both the wyvern and its venin rider survive.
Next, the riders plan on drawing the venin and wyvern away from the city, as it seems they want something there. Violet is able to draw them off by wielding her lightning, and she is able to strike down two different wyverns with her lightning bolts.
Heady from her recent kills, Violet throws several more lightning bolts out at another wyvern. It gets distracted, allowing Bodhi’s dragon to sink its teeth into the wyvern’s neck and kill it.
Then, some wyverns give chase to both Xaden and Violet. Sgaeyl knocks away the wyvern chasing Violet and devours it in midair.
Violet then spies Liam and Deigh flying hard and fast away from a wyvern with a venin rider. Violet rushes for them to help, but Liam has already leapt off his dragon and onto the wyvern, slashing the venin’s throat. The wyvern immediately dies as its venin rider is killed, and Liam hops back onto his dragon.
Just then, another wyvern drops in from above, attacking Violet and Tairn. But Liam and Deigh fend it off, colliding into the attacking wyvern. The collision sends Liam hurtling off Deigh’s back and onto the base of Tairn’s neck. Violet catches him and holds him there. Meanwhile, Deigh and the wyvern lock into an intense fight. The wyvern digs its claws deep into Deigh’s scales, killing the dragon within its vice-grip.
Because his dragon has died, Liam dies, too. He asks Violet to take care of his sister Sloane before he passes.
A horde of dozens of wyvern then descend upon them. Violet is the only one who can kill them all, so she stays to fend them off. She sends all of her lightning out at once, and is able to kill one of the wyvern, but another one collides with her and Tairn from the left, and Tairn roars out in pain.
Chapter 37
A venin leaps onto Tairn’s back, while three more riderless wyvern give chase. Violet fights the venin, who stabs her in the side. Xaden helps her by throwing shadows around them. Violet, knowing Tairn’s back quite well, has an advantage in the fight. The venin is disoriented, and Violet is able to stab her between the ribs, killing her. Many wyvern tumble from the sky, dying because their rider has been killed.
Noticing this, Violet’s strategy changes—she decides must kill the venin riders in order to defeat all of the wyvern and win this battle.
She asks Xaden to let the shadows fall. She then tells Tairn to spot the most powerful rider, which would leave one last venin for Xaden to take down. Tairn finds a venin seated on a wyvern, and Violet tries to strike him down with her lightning, but her aim is not yet good enough.
She tells Tairn she needs more power, but Tairn fears her burning out and dying, like Naolin had, from not understanding the limits of her power. Andarna, who has actually stuck around, asks to help.
Violet channels Andarna’s power, freezing time. She then channels her lightning, which splits the sky and branches out in every direction. She controls one of its silver-blue veins, focusing it on the closest venin, bringing it down in slow bursts that defy time. She is able to direct it to strike the venin true, killing him. More than half the wyvern fall with him, also dead.
As time resumes again, another wyvern barrels towards Violet and Tairn, but Xaden throws his shadows up, wrapping them around the venin’s neck as he brutally stabs him with his dagger, killing him.
Knowing everyone will live now, Violet lets herself slide off of Tairn’s back.
Chapter 38
Andarna slows time and catches Violet on her back. When time starts again, Xaden gathers her in his arms, and notes that she has been poisoned by the venin who stabbed her in the side.
Violet awakens to several of the riders gathered around her. Xaden notes that her blood is black. They discuss taking her to Nolon, but Xaden says he can take her to someone closer, much to the contention of the group.
Time passes, and Violet awakens again. Xaden implores her to live. She hears a familiar voice.
Chapter 39
Xaden has been waiting around for three days, and he is worried because Violet still hasn’t woken up yet. Tairn criticizes him for not telling her about the venin. Xaden admits to Tairn that he should have done a lot of things differently. Finally, Violet’s eyes open, much to Xaden’s relief.
Xaden promises to make things up to her, which causes Violet to remember that he had wronged her. She tries to check in with her dragons. Xaden reassures her that Andarna isn’t quite the same, but that she is fine. She has grown a lot, but her gift of stopping time is gone now.
Violet then realizes she is in Aretia, which was supposed to be burnt down. Xaden tells her it’s in the process of being rebuilt. She realizes she hasn’t read about this because the leadership at Basgiath doesn’t know about it. Melgren cannot see the outcomes of battles when more than three of the marked ones are together, and that’s why they are not allowed to assemble. That’s why he doesn’t know Aretia is being rebuilt right now.
Later, Xaden asks Violet if she is willing to fight with them, knowing everything she does now. She says that she is in. Xaden finally admits that he fell for her. He says that while she might not trust him, he knows she still loves him. He says that he will tell her anything she wants to know and will spend every day of his life earning back her trust.
A knock comes at Violet’s door. Her brother Brennan is standing before her. He was the one that mended her. He welcomes her to the revolution.
This concludes the Fourth Wing novel. You can read the Iron Flame chapter summary next.
