BOOK 1: FOURTH WING

Summary of Fourth Wing (Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros

In the world of Navarre, Violet Sorrengail has spent her entire life preparing to join the Scribes Quadrant, where she can use her intelligence and love for books to serve as a historian. But her mother, the ruthless General Sorrengail, has other plans—she forces Violet to enter Basgiath War College and train to become a dragon rider, a deadly and highly competitive path where most cadets don’t survive their first year.

At Basgiath, only the strongest endure, and Violet’s small stature and fragile bones make her an easy target for elimination. Many cadets—including Xaden Riorson, a powerful and dangerous opponent—would rather see her dead than allow her to graduate. Xaden, the son of a rebel executed by Violet’s mother, has every reason to hate her, and his dark, brooding presence makes her training even more perilous.

But survival isn’t just about strength—it’s about strategy, intelligence, and forming the right alliances. Against all odds, Violet bonds with not one, but two dragons, an unprecedented event that gives her an advantage but also paints a target on her back. With the support of her dragon Tairn, her loyal friend Rhiannon, and the ever-complicated Xaden, Violet begins to uncover dark secrets about Navarre and its war against the gryphon riders.

As Violet grows into a warrior, she realizes that everything she has been taught might be a lie—and the real enemy may not be who she was led to believe. In a breathtaking climax, Violet is forced to question her loyalties, embrace her power, and face betrayals that will change her forever.

Themes & Highlights:

🔥 Dragons & Magic: A deeply immersive fantasy world with a unique dragon-riding system.
⚔️ Action & Survival: Brutal training sequences, deadly trials, and high-stakes battles.
❤️ Romance & Tension: A slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Violet and Xaden.
🕵️ Secrets & Betrayal: Twists and shocking revelations about Navarre’s leadership.

Fourth Wing is a fast-paced, emotional, and thrilling fantasy novel that sets the stage for the Empyrean series, leaving readers desperate for the next installment.

WORLD MAP

Chapter Recaps

Fourth Wing – Chapter One Recap

📍 Location: Basgiath War College – General Sorrengail’s Office → Conscription Courtyard → The Parapet

Summary:

Conscription Day has arrived, marking the beginning of Violet Sorrengail’s unwanted journey into the deadly Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. Unlike the thousands of candidates who have spent their lives preparing for this moment, Violet has had only six months of rushed training—and even that hasn’t been enough to prepare her for the brutal reality ahead.

As she struggles up the fortress stairs, burdened by her pack and her own fragile body, she overhears an argument coming from General Sorrengail’s office. Inside, her older sister, Mira, is furiously pleading with their mother to reconsider sending Violet to the Riders Quadrant. But General Lilith Sorrengail, legendary, ruthless, and unmoving, is determined—Violet will become a rider, whether she wants to or not.

Mira, a decorated rider herself, is convinced that Violet will not survive. She bluntly points out that Violet is too small, too weak, and too prone to injury—a reality that their mother coldly acknowledges but dismisses. General Sorrengail, unwilling to let any of her children become mere scribes, makes it clear that Violet has no choice. If she doesn’t cross The Parapet—a narrow, deadly bridge suspended hundreds of feet above a ravine—she’ll die trying.

Realizing there is no way out, Violet resigns herself to her fate. But Mira refuses to send her off unprepared. In a brief moment of sisterly care, she arms Violet with a special corset made of dragon scales and forces her to swap out her dangerously smooth boots for ones that will help her grip the slick stones. She also drills Violet with survival advice—don’t trust anyone, forge alliances instead of friendships, and most importantly, stay away from Xaden Riorson.

The Parapet:

With Mira’s words echoing in her mind, Violet heads to the Riders Quadrant entrance, joining the long line of hopefuls preparing to cross The Parapet. Among them, she meets Rhiannon Matthias, a confident and excited first-year, and Dylan, an eager candidate with a ring around his neck, waiting for the day he can return home and propose.

But Violet's nerves only worsen when she encounters Xaden Riorson—the infamous son of the Great Betrayer, Fen Riorson, who led the failed rebellion against Navarre. Xaden is a third-year cadet, a wingleader, and unmistakably deadly. His dark, gold-flecked eyes and rebellion relic tattoo mark him as dangerous, but nothing compares to the sheer, unfiltered hatred that burns in his gaze the moment he hears her name.

Violet tense as Xaden steps toward her, and in an exchange laced with tension, he reminds her that her mother executed his father. Violet refuses to back down, countering that Xaden’s father killed her brother. But rather than immediately taking revenge, Xaden merely smirks, promising that The Parapet will finish the job for him.

As the rain begins to pour, turning the stone bridge slick and deadly, the first tragedy strikes. Dylan slips. His arms flail, his fingers scrape against the wet stone, and before anyone can save him, he plummets into the ravine below.

Violet, shaken but determined not to meet the same fate, faces Xaden one last time before stepping onto The Parapet.

"Why would I waste my energy killing you when the parapet will do it for me?" Xaden taunts.

And with that, Violet takes her first steps toward either survival—or death.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Two Recap

📍 Location: The Parapet → Riders Quadrant Courtyard

Summary:

Violet steels herself for The Parapet, repeating the mantra—I will not die today. The weight of Dylan’s death still lingers, serving as a grim reminder of what’s at stake. With the storm raging around her and Xaden’s hateful gaze burning into her back, she watches Rhiannon step onto the stone bridge. Before leaving, Rhiannon promises to wait for Violet on the other side.

Summoning her courage, Violet gives her name to the rider recording casualties. The moment her surname—Sorrengail—is spoken, she is immediately recognized, and the weight of her mother’s reputation presses down on her once again. There is no escape from the expectations—or from the people who will hunt her down because of them.

Just as Violet prepares to step onto the narrow, rain-slicked path, she hears a sneering voice behind her—Jack Barlowe. Arrogant and dripping with condescension, he taunts her, mocking her balance and questioning her ability to ride. But when Xaden commands her to get moving, Jack suddenly lunges—intending to shove her off the parapet.

The Parapet:

Driven by pure instinct and fear, Violet bolts forward, leaving the safety of the turret. The howling wind and torrential rain make every step treacherous. With her arms out for balance, she focuses on the uneven stones ahead, determined to block out the panic threatening to consume her.

To distract herself, she clings to logic—reciting history facts like she’s studying for an exam. She lists the six provinces of Navarre, the war with Poromiel, the Trade Agreement of Resson—anything to keep herself from looking down into the two-hundred-foot drop below.

She’s halfway across when a sudden gust of wind slams into her. She flails, loses her balance, and drops to her knees, barely stopping herself from falling over the edge. Panic grips her, but she forces herself to keep reciting facts—using knowledge as her weapon against fear.

Then, she glances back.

Jack is following her—but he’s not just crossing. He’s waiting.

With a sickening grin, he grabs the candidate behind him and throws the boy over the edge. The scream barely lasts before the wind swallows it. Jack Barlowe just murdered someone in cold blood.

Then, he turns to Violet.

"You’re next, Sorrengail!"

Heart hammering, Violet pushes herself forward, focusing on getting to safety. But Jack is gaining on her.

The end of the Parapet is so close, but Jack’s taunts grow louder—mocking her frailty, her pack, her uselessness. He promises to kill her himself, insisting he’s doing her a favor by sparing her from being eaten alive by a dragon.

Violet slips—her foot skidding off the edge. Terror claws through her chest, but she manages to haul herself back up.

Jack is right behind her now.

The Riders Quadrant Courtyard:

With a final burst of adrenaline, Violet throws herself into the courtyard, just barely escaping Jack’s grasp. He jumps down after her—but before he can do anything, Violet spins, draws her dagger, and presses it against his groin.

Jack freezes.

The two third-year riders keeping tally—a woman with fiery red hair and a man in a weathered leather jacket—watch with amusement as Violet threatens to castrate Jack. The male rider reminds Jack that, by law, no rider can harm another during formation in the presence of a superior cadet—which means Jack can’t touch her right now.

But once inside the Quadrant? All bets are off.

Faced with no other choice, Jack backs off—but as he leans in close, he whispers:

"You're dead, Sorrengail. And I'm going to be the one to kill you."

Violet has survived the Parapet—but she’s already made a dangerous enemy.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Three Recap

📍 Location: Riders Quadrant Courtyard → Citadel → Second-Year Dorms → Courtyard (Squad Assignments & Dragon Introduction)

After surviving the parapet, Violet barely holds herself together. Her body shakes uncontrollably from exhaustion and adrenaline, and her injured knee throbs violently. Jack Barlowe, who had tried to kill her on the parapet, makes it clear he still sees her as a target. As he scoffs and disappears into the crowd of new cadets and riders, Violet knows she has made an enemy.

Violet is quickly reunited with Rhiannon, who is thrilled they both made it across. However, Violet barely has the strength to celebrate, her body beginning to shut down from the stress and injuries. As they move toward the main courtyard, Violet’s vision blurs, her nausea worsens, and she nearly collapses.

Just then, she stumbles into Dain Aetos, her childhood best friend, now a second-year rider. His reaction is not relief, but anger. He immediately questions why she is there, clearly shocked to see her in the Riders Quadrant. Before Violet can respond, she completely loses balance, collapsing into his arms.

Dain, realizing she is about to pass out, quickly leads her away from the crowd into an alcove near the defensive turret. His protective instincts take over, and he orders Rhiannon not to say a word to anyone about Violet’s condition. Rhiannon, however, stands her ground, making it clear Violet helped her survive the parapet.

As Violet regains control of herself, Dain inspects her injuries, but his frustration only grows. He is furious that she is here and immediately starts making plans to get her out. He directs Rhiannon to report their squad placement, then secretly leads Violet through a hidden tunnel in the citadel’s walls, determined to sneak her into the Scribe Quadrant.

Dain’s Plan: Escape the Riders Quadrant

Dain is adamant that Violet does not belong in the Riders Quadrant. He explains that there is a hidden passage leading to the Scribe Quadrant, where she can still join before it’s too late. However, Violet refuses, reminding him that her mother gave her no choice—she must become a rider or die trying.

Dain is stunned, unable to believe that General Sorrengail would force her own daughter into such a brutal life. When he sees that Violet is serious, he realizes he cannot convince her to leave.

Still, he insists that she needs to take care of her knee before anyone sees her weakness. He brings her to his dorm room, where she can properly wrap her injury. As she does, Dain observes her, noticing how different she looks in leathers, how much she has changed. For a moment, there is a flicker of something between them—familiarity, attraction, or maybe just shared history—but it quickly fades.

As they prepare to return, Dain makes it clear he is still worried. He warns her to stay out of trouble and avoid drawing attention, especially from Xaden Riorson. With that, they part ways, and Violet returns to the courtyard.

Squad Assignments & Xaden’s Power Move

As first-year cadets gather for squad assignments, the Riders Quadrant is formally introduced. Three hundred and one cadets survived the parapet, but sixty-seven were lost. The harsh reality of the Riders Quadrant is clear—death is common, and survival is not guaranteed.

Commandant Panchek gives a speech, reminding them that they will be tested, hunted, and pushed beyond their limits. The squad assignments begin, and Violet is initially placed in Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing—Dain’s squad. She feels a small sense of relief knowing she will be under his leadership.

However, just as she begins to settle in, Xaden Riorson makes a move. The wingleaders engage in a heated discussion, and suddenly, Dain’s squad is reassigned to Fourth Wing—the wing Xaden commands.

Violet immediately understands what is happening. This is no coincidence. Xaden wants her under his command, where he can legally control and torment her. His smug smirk confirms it. She is now his subordinate, vulnerable to whatever punishment he decides to inflict.

The Dragons Arrive

Before the cadets can react to the squad change, a deafening sound fills the air—wingbeats. The entire courtyard looks up as eight enormous dragons descend from the sky.

The dragons are a mix of colors and breeds:

Three reds
Two greens (one similar to Mira’s dragon, Teine)
One brown
One orange
One navy blue—Sgaeyl, Xaden’s dragon

The navy-blue dragon immediately draws Violet’s attention. Its piercing golden eyes, curved horns, and massive wingspan make it an intimidating presence. It seems to study her, assessing her worth.

As the dragons land on the thick stone walls, the entire citadel shakes. Their talons dig into the stone, sending chunks of rock crashing to the ground. The display is both magnificent and terrifying.

Then, chaos erupts.

A panicked cadet tries to flee. The red dragon on the left exhales fire, reducing him to ash before he reaches the keep. Three more cadets attempt to escape and are instantly incinerated. The message is clear—there is no running from this life.

Violet forces herself to remain still, fighting every instinct to flee. The navy dragon tilts its head as if reading her thoughts. It knows she is weaker than the others, knows she is small and fragile, but it also sees her determination.

Xaden, standing at the front, watches her closely. His voice cuts through the silence.

“You’re not untouchable or special to them. To them, you’re just the prey.”

Violet holds his gaze, refusing to look away. She knows this is only the beginning.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Four Recap

📍 Location: Riders Quadrant Courtyard → Rotunda → Academic Wing

The morning begins with Captain Fitzgibbons reading the death roll in the courtyard. The names of those who failed the parapet are spoken out loud, the only memorial they will ever receive before being forgotten by the Riders Quadrant. Violet listens as name after name is called, including Dylan’s, trying to commit them to memory, but the number is overwhelming. A total of sixty-seven cadets died, a higher-than-usual number, likely due to the storm.

Now officially a cadet, Violet is dressed in rider black with a silver four-pointed star on her collar, marking her as a first-year. The Fourth Wing patch on her shoulder is a grim reminder of her new squad’s relocation under Xaden Riorson’s command. They have not yet received flight leathers, as the quadrant does not waste resources on cadets who may not survive to Threshing. The armored corset Mira gave Violet has begun to irritate her skin, but she keeps it on, following her sister’s advice.

As the formation breaks apart, Dain quickly takes charge of his squad, ensuring his first-years know their schedule and warning them that sparring begins that afternoon. Violet dreads this moment, knowing she is at a disadvantage. However, before she can think too much about it, she overhears Sawyer, a repeat cadet, explaining that those who fail to bond with a dragon after Threshing must start their training over from the beginning. Despite the brutal reality, many choose to do so, believing another year will improve their chances.

As Violet makes her way toward the dorms to gather her things for class, she hears a familiar bird whistle—a childhood signal from Dain. He discreetly calls her over to a secluded area behind one of the massive dragon-carved pillars in the rotunda. Concern is written all over his face as he checks if she is injured or if anyone has tried to harm her. While Violet assures him that no one has targeted her—yet—she demands answers about their squad’s sudden reassignment.

Dain confirms what Violet already suspected: Xaden Riorson is determined to see her dead. Their squad was moved to Fourth Wing so he could have direct access to her. Given that Xaden is one of the most powerful and influential wingleaders, no one will question his motives or actions, making Violet an easy target. Dain is furious and desperate to find a way to protect her, but Violet knows there is little he can do. She was placed in the Riders Quadrant by her mother, and there is no escape unless she dies or becomes a full-fledged rider.

Dain urges Violet to keep a low profile, especially in Battle Brief, a class that every cadet, including the wingleaders, must attend. She brushes off his concern, believing that academic lessons should be the least of her worries, but Dain insists that Xaden is ruthless and will use any opportunity to eliminate her. He also reveals that Xaden’s dragon, Sgaeyl, is a Blue Daggertail—one of the most vicious and feared dragons. Even among dragons, Sgaeyl is considered a predator.

Their conversation is cut short when the bells chime, signaling the start of class. Dain urges Violet to leave first, assuring her that he will follow separately. As she steps back into the rotunda, a sudden chill races down her spine. The hair on her arms stands on end, and she has the unsettling feeling of being watched.

When she looks up, Xaden Riorson is standing at the top of the staircase, watching her. His expression is unreadable, but there is something dark in his gaze, something calculated. His relic-covered arm is exposed, a clear warning. A third-year beside him speaks, but Xaden ignores them, his full attention locked onto Violet.

Her heartbeat spikes as she considers her options. Running would be a sign of weakness, but standing still might make her an easy target. As she debates her next move, Xaden’s eyes shift slightly—to the right.

Dain has stepped out from behind the pillar.

A slow, smug smile spreads across Xaden’s face as he mocks their familiarity. He calls them “obvious” and taunts Dain about his connection to her, making it clear that he knows how close they are. With so many eyes on them, the tension in the rotunda is suffocating.

Violet barely has time to process what is happening before Dain issues a single, urgent command.

“Run.”

And she does.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Five Recap

📍 Location: Battle Brief Classroom → Academic Hall → Sparring Gym

The chapter opens with a chilling excerpt from an official brief by General Lilith Sorrengail, where she objects to children witnessing their parents’ executions during the Tyrrish Rebellion—a stark reminder of the brutality Violet’s mother has sanctioned.

In the Battle Brief lecture, Professor Devera and Colonel Markham introduce the cadets to their daily class focused on real-time warfare updates and strategy. Devera, a stern and decorated captain, emphasizes that survival hinges on understanding battles and politics, not just fighting. She highlights an attack on the village of Chakir by Braevi gryphon riders, revealing that the wards along the Esben Mountains failed, allowing the enemy to wield magic inside Navarre. Thirty-seven civilians died before the Eastern Wing repelled the assault, but the wards' failure is deeply alarming.

Violet quickly proves her sharp intellect. When Rhiannon, at Violet’s urging, asks about the altitude of the village, it leads to Violet’s deduction:

The attack made no tactical sense at such a high altitude for gryphons, who are weaker than dragons at that height.
Since the riders arrived within an hour, they must have already been en route before the attack began.

Her logic is confirmed by Devera—a dragon sensed the wards breaking, prompting the wing’s early flight. This revelation exposes a chilling truth: The wards are failing frequently, and leadership is hiding it.

Xaden Riorson then cuts through the chatter with a pointed question: What was the condition of the village? His analysis is razor-sharp: The gryphons weren’t looting—they were searching for something specific. Devera acknowledges his strategic brilliance, and Violet is reminded that raw power alone won’t win battles—intellect and instincts matter.

The afternoon shifts from mental warfare to combat training, and Violet’s anxiety spikes. Despite her sharp mind, her combat skills are weak, and her fragile body puts her at a severe disadvantage. Rhiannon, however, proves to be a skilled fighter, easily defeating Tynan, another first-year, prompting a mutual agreement: Violet will help with history, and Rhiannon will help her survive on the mat.

But Violet’s true danger arrives in the form of Imogen, a second-year with rebellion relics—one of those who blames Violet’s mother for the execution of their families. Imogen seethes with hatred, taunting Violet about her silver hair, a marker of her lineage, and accuses her mother of being a murderer. Violet uses her mother’s cold advice—weaponizing Imogen’s rage against her—until the fight turns deadly.

Imogen breaks the rules, attempting to stab Violet with a concealed dagger, but Mira’s protective vest deflects the blade, saving Violet’s life. Furious and exposed, Imogen shifts to brutal hand-to-hand tactics, using her speed—enhanced by her signet power—to overwhelm Violet.

Despite Violet’s refusal to yield, the fight ends with a sickening pop—Imogen dislocates Violet’s shoulder, shredding the ligaments and breaking bones.

Bruised, battered, and humiliated, Violet’s first day makes one thing brutally clear: Her sharp mind won’t be enough to survive. She must find a way to become stronger—or she’ll die before she ever sees a battlefield.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Six Recap

As flames of agony engulf Violet’s upper arm and chest, Dain carries her through the covered stone bridge leading from the Riders Quadrant to the Healer Quadrant. His strides are long and urgent, but Violet is aware of the implications of this moment—Dain has made it clear to everyone that he cares about her, something she knows will only make her a bigger target.

Despite the pain, she attempts to mentally block out the torment, a technique she’s used countless times before, but it barely works with the extent of her injuries. As he kicks on the healer’s door, she weakly whispers to him that his outburst earlier made it obvious how much she matters to him, and Dain, with his usual protective nature, doesn’t deny it.

When the door swings open, Winifred, the most experienced healer at Basgiath, immediately recognizes Violet and is shocked to see her so soon. The urgency of her reaction confirms how bad the injury must be. As they move through the long infirmary, Violet is reminded that menders—riders with the rare signet ability to heal—are a crucial part of the Riders Quadrant, though they’re few in number. Her brother Brennan had been a mender, one of the best, before he died.

Dain carefully places Violet on a bed while Winifred assesses her. When another healer named Helen walks by, Winifred orders her to fetch Nolon, the best mender available. Dain, to Violet’s confusion, immediately protests. His panic-laced voice demands that they don’t call for a mender, but Winifred shuts him down immediately, reminding Helen that Nolon will be furious if he isn’t summoned to treat Violet.

Dain, clearly desperate, takes a seat by Violet’s bed and pleads his case to Winifred—he doesn’t want her in pain, but he also believes this is an opportunity to get her out of the Riders Quadrant. If she remains injured, they can try to move her to the Scribe Quadrant before it’s too late. But Violet refuses to hear it. Even though the pain makes her delirious, she angrily slurs her refusal, making it clear that she’s not leaving the Riders Quadrant, no matter how much it hurts.

As Dain continues to argue, Nolon arrives, his presence commanding immediate attention. The old rider, still clad in black and leaning on his cane, freezes when he sees Violet. He immediately questions why she’s here and how she got injured, and **Dain explains that Imogen—one of the marked second-years—**dislocated Violet’s shoulder and broke her arm during sparring.

At the mention of Imogen's name, Nolon’s anger flares. He mutters that it was a mistake to force the children of rebellion leaders into the Riders Quadrant, knowing full well that most of them wouldn’t survive. He sees the unfairness in Violet being punished for the actions of her mother, General Sorrengail, who had captured the Great Betrayer and led to their parents' execution.

Dain quietly pleads once more, asking Nolon not to mend Violet’s injuries with magic, claiming that if she needs healing this badly already, she won’t survive long in the quadrant anyway. His desperation is evident—he wants to save his best friend before it’s too late. But Violet fights through the haze of pain and insists that she be mended—just this once. She knows that if the others see her constantly injured and needing mending, they’ll see her as weak. This single healing session must be enough to last her through the upcoming challenges.

With a heavy heart, Nolon agrees to mend her. Winifred places a leather strap between Violet’s teeth, warning her that the process will be agonizing. As Nolon lifts his hands over her shoulder, Violet barely has time to brace before white-hot pain sears through her body, consuming her completely. The pain is so intense and overwhelming that she blacks out.

When Violet returns to the first-year barracks, she immediately realizes how bad the situation is—the barracks are almost full, but three bunks are empty. Whether those cadets are dead or still recovering in the Healer Quadrant remains unknown. The atmosphere is quiet, tense, and filled with exhaustion.

As she makes her way to her bed, cradling her arm in a light-blue sling, she knows how weak it makes her look. A sling in the Riders Quadrant is a neon sign of weakness, telling everyone that she’s fragile and breakable. The thought gnaws at her.

She catches sight of a familiar girl holding a blood-speckled cloth to her swollen lip. The cadet returns Violet’s small smile with a wince, a silent acknowledgment of shared suffering.

Rhiannon, relieved to see Violet back in one piece, immediately rushes over to her bunk. She’s already changed into her sleepwear, her face full of genuine concern. She offers to help Violet train, admitting that she only has one friend in this place, and she doesn’t want to lose her. Violet, in return, promises to help Rhiannon with history. The two cement their alliance and friendship.

As Violet sits on her bed, she suddenly feels something beneath her pillow. She reaches underneath and pulls out a small journal—with a folded note on top from Mira.

The handwriting is unmistakable, and as Violet opens the note, her heart clenches.

Mira explains that she stayed long enough to read the rolls that morning, relieved that Violet wasn’t on them. She also tells her that she can’t stay, but she bribed a scribe to sneak this journal into Violet’s bunk. The journal was written by Brennan—the brother they lost five years ago. He had written it for Mira before she entered the quadrant, full of advice and survival tips. Mira added her own insights, but she knew Brennan would have wanted Violet to have it.

Violet’s eyes burn with unshed tears as she processes what she’s holding—a piece of Brennan, something tangible, something real. Her mother burned everything of his after his death, leaving no trace of him behind. And now, for the first time in years, she sees his handwriting again.

Flipping through the pages, she finds the opening inscription:

Mira, You’re a Sorrengail, so you will survive. Perhaps not as spectacularly as I have, but we all can’t live up to my standards, can we?
All kidding aside, this is everything I’ve learned. Keep it safe. Keep it hidden. You have to live because Violet is watching. You can’t let her see you fall. —Brennan.

The ache of loss tightens her throat, but she doesn’t cry. She thumbs through the pages, reading Brennan’s sarcastic but brilliant insights on how to survive in the Riders Quadrant. Then she stumbles upon something crucial. Brennan reveals a major secret—the challenges aren’t as random as they seem. The instructors already decide who will fight who a week in advance, deliberately weeding out the weakest cadets.

If Violet can figure out who she’s fighting ahead of time, she can prepare. A slow, victorious smile spreads across her face. She may be small, breakable, and underestimated, but now? Now, she has a plan. She’s going to survive.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Seven Recap

In Chapter Seven, Violet sneaks out after curfew to gather ingredients for poisons, aiming to gain every possible advantage before the upcoming challenges. She climbs an oak tree by the Iakobos River to harvest unripe fonilee berries, which are perfect for her arsenal. Despite her injured shoulder, she manages the climb but nearly falls when startled by the sudden appearance of Xaden Riorson and Imogen beneath the tree. Hidden above them, Violet listens as more riders—mostly marked ones with rebellion relics—arrive for a secret meeting, an act punishable by death under Basgiath’s strict rules. She is torn between reporting them and staying silent, fearing the consequences for innocent cadets seeking survival.

Xaden leads the group with a ruthless but protective authority, warning them that they must work together to survive the deadly quadrant. Despite his cold demeanor, he organizes training for those struggling with combat and offers pragmatic advice for surviving classes like Battle Brief. When a panicked first-year declares he wants to leave, Xaden delivers a brutal reality check: there are no guarantees of survival in war, and only those willing to fight have a chance of living through the quadrant. His leadership, though harsh, reflects a deep understanding of their dire situation.

As the group disperses in trios to avoid suspicion, one cadet asks when they will kill Violet Sorrengail. Imogen echoes the desire for revenge, blaming Violet for her family’s deaths, but Xaden silences them, declaring that Violet is his to handle—a chilling and possessive statement that sparks both fear and anger in her. The group debates whether Violet should suffer for her mother’s actions, but Garrick and Xaden argue against punishing her for sins not her own, noting that Violet is already enduring the same deadly challenges they are.

After the meeting, Xaden catches Violet, having sensed her presence through his shadow-wielding signet power, a rare and formidable ability. Instead of killing her, he confronts her with unsettling calm, mocking her weak combat stance but also returning the daggers she threw in warning. Violet, ready to fight, is taken aback by his unexpected restraint and cryptic remarks. She assures him she won’t report their gathering, believing their actions to be about survival, not sedition. Amused by her boldness, Xaden decides not to “handle” her—at least not that night—and leaves, cautioning her to get back to her bunk before anyone notices she’s gone.

As he disappears into the shadows, Violet is left bewildered but alive, clutching her precious fonilee berries and realizing that while Xaden remains a dangerous enemy, he might also be something far more unpredictable.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Eight Recap

In Chapter Eight, Violet prepares for her first challenge of the day, dressing quietly in the women’s hall as her roommate Rhiannon sneaks back from a night with Tara. Dain, ever protective, waits outside to walk her to breakfast duty, voicing his concerns about her safety and urging her to avoid Jack Barlowe. Despite his continued plea to transfer to the Scribe Quadrant, Violet remains firm in her decision to stay. As they reach the kitchen, she discreetly sprinkles powdered fonilee berries, a mild poison inducing nausea, onto her opponent Oren Seifert’s scrambled eggs.

During Professor Kaori’s class on dragon breeds, the cadets learn about various dragon temperaments and approaches for the upcoming Threshing. Violet absorbs every detail, especially about Sgaeyl, Xaden’s formidable Blue Daggertail, and an ancient, unbonded black dragon known for his unmatched battle prowess. The class discussion turns somber when Professor Kaori confirms that Naolin, the black dragon’s former rider, died attempting to resurrect Violet’s brother, Brennan—an impossible feat that cost him his life. The revelation weighs heavily on Violet, deepening her understanding of loss and sacrifice.

At the combat mat, Rhiannon swiftly defeats her opponent, showcasing the skills she has been passing on to Violet. Before Violet’s turn, Jack Barlowe taunts her, but she retaliates by hurling her daggers—one grazing his ear and the other narrowly missing his groin—sending a clear message that she is no easy target. When Violet faces Oren, the effects of the fonilee berries kick in, making him nauseous and sluggish. She skillfully dodges his attacks, lands a sharp kick, and forces him to yield after he vomits mid-match, earning his dagger and her first victory.

Over the following weeks, Violet employs her knowledge of poisons to gain the upper hand. She uses hallucinogenic leighorrel mushrooms, nerve-numbing zihna root, vision-blurring tarsilla leaves, and energy-sapping carmine bark to defeat her opponents. Despite sustaining multiple injuries—bruised ribs, a dislocated thumb, and a split lip—she perseveres, accumulating five daggers from her victories.

However, her streak of calculated wins takes a dangerous turn when her next opponent, Rayma Corrie, is unexpectedly taken to the healer after falling victim to Violet’s early dose of walwyn fruit, which impairs balance. Just as Violet believes she has escaped a fight, Xaden Riorson steps forward to take Rayma’s place, offering to challenge her himself. The chapter ends with Violet’s stomach dropping as she faces a far deadlier opponent than she ever anticipated.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Nine Recap

In Chapter Nine, Violet faces her most formidable opponent yet—Xaden Riorson. As he steps onto the mat, towering and confident, he discards his weapons, signaling he doesn’t need them to beat her. Despite Dain's protests about the fairness of the match, Xaden insists it will be a lesson. Violet, driven by adrenaline and determination, throws her first dagger, but he catches it with ease, showcasing his speed. He quickly disarms her, removing her weapons one by one while effortlessly blocking her attacks. His dominance is both infuriating and instructive, with him whispering warnings and teaching her crucial fighting techniques mid-battle. Despite her frustration and humiliation, Violet learns valuable lessons about targeting weak spots like the throat, ribs, and kidneys—areas where armor is weakest. However, Xaden also reveals that he knows about her secret use of poisons to incapacitate her previous opponents, but he keeps her secret, reminding her that such tactics won't always work in real combat.

The tension between them crackles, not just from the fight but from the undeniable pull Violet feels—an unwelcome attraction to the dangerous man holding her life in his hands. Xaden finally ends the match, letting her live and challenging her to fight smarter, not harder. Despite his ruthless approach, his lessons strike deep, and his refusal to finish her off leaves her questioning his motives.

Later that night, Dain helps Violet soothe her aching muscles, but their conversation turns into a heated argument. Dain, driven by his love and fear for her safety, confesses that he has gone to Colonel Markham and arranged for her to transfer to the Scribe Quadrant—without her knowledge. His desperation is clear; he wants to protect her from the inevitable dangers of Threshing, where first-years often eliminate perceived liabilities. Violet, feeling betrayed and hurt, defends her hard-earned place among the riders, reminding Dain that she has survived challenges that have killed many others. However, his heartfelt plea and the raw vulnerability in his voice shake her resolve. He begs her to consider the transfer, not for herself but for him—because he cannot bear to watch her die.

Torn between loyalty, pride, and survival, Violet makes no promises but agrees to think about it, leaving her with a heavy heart and the crushing weight of choice as Threshing looms ever closer.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Ten Recap

Violet and her squad face the Gauntlet, a deadly obstacle course carved into the side of a cliff with five brutal switchbacks designed to test their agility, strength, and endurance. The stakes are life or death—cadets either reach the top or fall. As they stare at the course, Aurelie is the only one excited, sharing how her father, a former rider, trained her and her brother on similar obstacles. She warns Violet about the spinning logs, which can crush anyone too slow. Despite the squad's nerves, tensions flare when Tynan accuses Violet of receiving preferential treatment from Dain, implying they’re sleeping together. Rhiannon shuts him down, revealing Violet and Dain’s lifelong friendship. The moment passes, but Violet is rattled—not just by Tynan’s accusation but by the course ahead.

The squad runs the Gauntlet in turn, with Sawyer, a second-year who failed to bond last year, demonstrating the perfect technique. He conquers every obstacle—the spinning logs, buoy balls, and the near-vertical final ramp—showing skill that makes Violet’s stomach sink. If someone that good didn’t bond with a dragon, what chance does she have? As the others climb, Tynan freezes on the buoy balls, panicking mid-air. Rhiannon, with quick thinking, tosses him a rope, but instead of swinging forward, he climbs down in fear—surviving but costing the squad valuable time.

When Violet’s turn comes, she uses her greatest strength—her knowledge—to stay calm. She recites facts about dragons aloud, using the rhythm of her studies to steady her nerves as she crosses the spinning log and swings from one buoy ball to the next. But on the swinging metal rails, she slips and slams her face into the rock wall. Dazed and bleeding, she barely grabs a rope to avoid falling. With sheer determination, she reaches the spinning staircase logs.

Suddenly, a Green Daggertail dragon flies overhead, the wind blast knocking Aurelie off balance behind her. Violet lunges, her fingers grazing Aurelie’s outstretched hand—but she falls. Violet watches in horror as Aurelie plummets to her death.

The next morning at formation, Aurelie’s name is called on the Death Roll, along with many others Violet knew. The roll feels crueler than ever—one moment to honor the dead, then life moves on. Violet allows herself a single tear, which mixes with blood from her scraped cheek, letting the loss mark her. That night, she carries Aurelie’s pack to the burn pit, knowing her parents refused to claim her body. She burns Aurelie’s belongings alone.

As Violet lingers in the courtyard, she spots Xaden, Garrick, and Bodhi returning from a secret mission, overhearing them say they’re “doing everything they can.” Xaden senses her immediately, his shadows catching her presence. She doesn’t hide and, in frustration, confronts him directly: “Are you going to kill me or not?” The tension between them crackles as Xaden gives her brutal honesty—hope is dangerous. It blinds her to the real threats.

Violet finally breaks, confessing she feels hopeless. She can’t make it up the Gauntlet and wonders if Xaden secretly hopes she’ll fall and save him the trouble of killing her. But Xaden surprises her—his reason for letting her live isn’t cruelty; it’s self-reflection. He admits that every day he lets her live, he proves to himself he isn’t a monster. He challenges her not to quit but to figure out another way up the Gauntlet, reminding her that “the right way isn’t the only way.”

Violet leaves the conversation with no more illusions about hope—only determination. She will survive, and she will find her own way.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Eleven Recap

The next few practice runs on the Gauntlet don’t go any better for Violet. Tynan remains stuck on the buoy balls, while Violet is defeated every time by the chimney ascent, her size making the climb nearly impossible. With Presentation Day approaching—the day cadets must scale the Gauntlet before the dragons watch their entrance—Violet faces a decision: risk the Gauntlet or run to the Scribe Quadrant. Despite knowing it’s safer to leave, she can’t walk away without knowing if she’s strong enough to survive as a rider.

The morning roll call is chilling, with Captain Fitzgibbons reading off another list of the dead. Violet feels the loss more than ever, their formation shrinking with every death. As the squads prepare to march to the Gauntlet, Dain tries one last time to convince Violet to leave, his desperation evident. But Violet stands firm—she has changed since Parapet and refuses to quit.

The ascent begins, and Violet’s determination is fierce. She clears the spinning staircase posts and reaches the dreaded chimney. Instead of tackling it the conventional way, she grabs a rope from the course and uses it as a makeshift aid, walking up the rock wall and pulling herself to the top through burning pain in her hands. She defies every rule of the obstacle, but it works. The squad cheers her triumph, but the hardest test is still ahead—the final vertical ramp, meant to simulate scaling a dragon’s foreleg.

Remembering Xaden’s advice that “the right way isn’t the only way,” Violet executes a bold plan. Sprinting up the slick wooden incline, she uses her momentum and stabs her largest dagger into the ramp to fling herself the last few feet. The strain nearly tears her shoulder apart, but she hauls herself over the edge, victorious.

Her triumph sparks outrage from Amber Mavis, who accuses her of cheating for using the rope and dagger. But Violet fights back with the Codex, citing that any item carried across the parapet is considered part of the rider—including her dagger. She outsmarts Amber on a technicality, earning a rare, approving smirk from Xaden, who declares the challenge valid.

But victory comes at a cost. As the adrenaline fades, Violet realizes her hands are shredded and bleeding from gripping the rope and dagger. Despite the pain, she has conquered the Gauntlet—and with it, her doubts. She belongs here.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twelve Recap

By Presentation Day, only 169 cadets remain. Despite her penalty for using the rope, Violet’s squad places eleventh out of thirty-six, which is a solid achievement. The Gauntlet’s fastest time was earned by Liam Mairi, known for never accepting second place. Now, the cadets must face Presentation, a parade before the dragons, who will evaluate them ahead of Threshing, where the bonds are forged.

The squad lines up under Garrick’s orders, who warns them to stay spaced apart—a dragon’s fire won’t stop for one person. Tension spikes when Luca mentions a rumor about a feathertail dragon, a breed that’s considered mysterious and almost mythical since they don’t bond with riders. Garrick dismisses their concerns, stating it’s probably only there out of curiosity.

As they walk the path through the canyon, hundreds of dragons observe them. Violet and Rhiannon chat to ease their nerves, per the senior wingleader’s advice that dragons observe camaraderie. Their conversation turns personal—Rhiannon hopes for a niece or nephew from her sister, and Violet shares a childhood memory of her fear that her mother could turn into a venin, a mythical dark magic user.

The peace is shattered when a red dragon steps forward and incinerates Pryor, reducing him to ashes. The squad freezes, horrified. As they edge around his remains, Violet’s tension skyrockets—this is a reminder that the dragons judge mercilessly.

Suddenly, two green dragons break formation and approach Violet. The massive creatures chuff and sniff her, their hot breath washing over her. She realizes they smell the dragon-scale armor beneath her vest, which her sister Mira crafted from the discarded scales of her dragon, Teine, for protection. Speaking softly, Violet explains who she is and how Mira kept her safe. The greens, recognizing Teine’s scent, accept her and retreat, sparing her life.

The encounter leaves Violet shaken, but she shares her secret with Rhiannon, trusting her not to reveal the hidden armor. Their bond deepens in the aftermath.

As the squad continues, Luca mocks Pryor’s death, insulting his indecisiveness. Her cruelty is immediately punished—a dragon’s fire annihilates her on the spot, leaving only six members of their squad standing.

The lesson is clear: Dragons detest weakness, arrogance, and cruelty. Survival isn’t just about strength but courage, integrity, and respect.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirteen Recap

It is October 1st—Threshing Day, the day when first-year cadets enter the valley to be chosen by a dragon or die trying. The air is tense with fear, and 147 cadets remain. Professor Kaori reminds them to listen to their instincts, as chosen cadets will feel the dragon's call. Rhiannon has her eyes on the green dragon from Presentation, but Violet feels no connection to any dragon and worries she is destined for failure.

As the cadets scatter into the valley, Violet’s squad splits up, knowing groups are more likely to be incinerated. Hours pass as Violet encounters several dragons—greens, oranges, a brown, and even a red—none of which call to her. She begins to doubt her worth, fearing she will never bond.

Determined, Violet climbs a tree for a better view of the valley, spotting a golden feathertail dragon basking alone in a clearing. Before she can move, she overhears voices—Jack, Oren, and Tynan—plotting to kill the feathertail, calling it weak and useless in battle.

Fury ignites in Violet. Though she knows it is a death sentence, she races to the clearing to warn the dragon, but an ankle injury from a fall slows her down. Reaching the clearing just ahead of the trio, she finds the feathertail defenseless, without fire or visible weapons.

Without hesitation, Violet steps between the dragon and its would-be killers, drawing her daggers. Jack mocks her, relishing the chance to kill both “weaklings” together. Violet tries to reason with Oren, but Jack insists that weakness must be eliminated.

Before the fight can begin, a commanding voice halts the confrontation—Xaden Riorson. He stands against a tree, his voice cold with warning, and beside him is his mighty, navy-blue daggertail, Sgaeyl, her golden eyes locked on the scene. The standoff crackles with danger, with Violet’s life and the feathertail’s survival hanging in the balance.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Fourteen Recap

Violet stands her ground against Jack, Oren, and Tynan, knowing that Xaden, despite being present, cannot interfere with the fight. Jack mocks the rules, confident that Violet is doomed. Violet desperately asks the small golden dragon for help, but it only chuffs, revealing it has no claws—completely defenseless.

The battle is brutal. Violet throws a dagger into Jack’s shoulder, disabling his sword arm and sending him running like a coward. She wounds Tynan’s thigh and slashes Oren’s ribs, but Oren cuts her upper arm, drawing blood despite her dragon-scale armor from Mira. Weakened and bleeding, Violet fights on, but her strength is waning.

Suddenly, the golden dragon snaps at Oren, startling him and giving Violet the chance to knock him unconscious. Now, only Tynan remains, circling her for a killing blow. Violet’s dagger slips from her bloody hand, leaving her defenseless. Just as Tynan raises his sword to strike—

A gust of wind and a thunderous landing shake the earth. A massive black dragon—the legendary unbonded dragon from class—appears, shielding the golden one beneath its enormous, scarred wing. Tynan flees in terror, but the black dragon incinerates him in a fiery blast, leaving only scorched earth behind.

To Violet’s shock, the dragon speaks to her telepathically, ordering, “Step aside, Silver One.” When the dragon advises her to finish off Oren, she refuses, standing by her principles even though Oren would kill her without hesitation.

As Xaden and Sgaeyl fly off, leaving her alone with the dragons, the black dragon addresses her directly: “Let’s go, Violet Sorrengail.” He knows her name. The golden dragon takes off into the sky, finally revealing it can fly.

The black dragon, Tairneanach—Tairn for short, lowers his massive front leg, bowing to let her climb on—a rare act of grace from a dragon. Despite her wounds, Violet crawls onto his back, finding the seat between his colossal scales.

Tairn introduces himself with pride, declaring his noble lineage but allowing her to call him Tairn. Before she can process the enormity of what’s happening—

Tairn launches skyward with incredible speed, his wings beating the air like thunder, and Violet struggles to hold on, her body lifting off his back under the force. She loses her grip, slipping past his wings and—

Plummets into free fall.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Fifteen Recap

Violet plummets from Tairn's back, the ground rushing toward her, but just before impact, Tairn catches her in his massive claws, scolding her for making him look bad. She clings to his claws, breathless and disoriented. Then, to her horror, he tosses her into the air—only to catch her neatly on his back, urging her to find her seat and hold on properly this time.

Struggling with her weakened body, Violet crawls to the rider’s seat, gripping his ridges with all her strength. Despite her protests that her legs aren’t strong enough to hold on, Tairn uses his power to lock her in place, applying a band of invisible force around her thighs. She apologizes, admitting she never expected to survive this far, but Tairn surprises her with a sigh, confessing he hadn’t expected to choose a rider either.

With her secured, Tairn puts on a show of aerial prowess, soaring, diving, and spiraling through the sky with terrifying speed and grace. Violet experiences the exhilarating rush of riding him—fear and wonder crashing together in her chest. Around them, other bonded pairs complete their trials, but Violet can’t tear her eyes from the sky.

When Violet asks why Tairn chose her, his response stuns her:
“Because you saved her.” He gestures toward the small golden dragon flying alongside them—the one Violet risked her life to protect. Despite Violet’s belief that dragons only value strength and ferocity, Tairn reminds her that dragons value what they choose to value.

They approach the flight field, where hundreds of dragons and riders gather, forming two lines: bonded dragons from past years on one side and newly bonded pairs on the other. As they descend, the entire assembly roars in recognition of Tairn, the legendary, unbonded black dragon of Navarre, parting to grant him a place of honor at the center.

Violet dismounts clumsily, sliding down his leg and landing on her injured ankle with pain shooting through her body. Despite the agony, she turns to the golden dragon and, with warmth, thanks her for surviving—joking that next time, she should fly away when danger comes. The dragon responds telepathically:

"Maybe I was saving you."

Violet is shocked—dragons aren’t supposed to speak to anyone but their riders. Yet the golden one speaks to her.

At the official roll-call, Violet limps forward, conscious of the crowd’s stunned whispers. Her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, watches Tairn with cold calculation, not even sparing a glance at Violet’s wounded state. It’s exactly the indifference Violet expected from her mother—but it still cuts deep.

The roll-keeper asks for her dragon’s name, and Violet proudly declares:
"Tairneanach."

But then, in her mind, the golden dragon’s sweet voice speaks up:
“Andarnaurram. Andarna for short.”

Violet’s blood runs cold. She turns, seeing Andarna tucked beneath Tairn’s protective wing. She’s bonded to them both.

When she hesitantly tells the roll-keeper:
“Andarnaurram.”

The woman’s face goes pale with utter shock.
“Both dragons?” she gasps.

Violet nods—

And chaos erupts.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Sixteen Recap

Chapter Sixteen Recap

Violet sits in a makeshift medical station, her arm freshly stitched and her ankle splinted, but the real pain is in her thoughts—two dragons. She has bonded two dragons. The generals on the dais are furiously arguing, their voices loud even from across the field.

Meanwhile, Jack Barlowe, smug despite his injuries, glares at Violet from a nearby table. When he storms toward her, Professor Kaori steps between them, warning Jack that Tairn is watching and would have no problem incinerating him if he made a move against Violet. Jack, seeing the truth in Kaori’s words and the fearsome black dragon’s protective gaze, backs off with a scowl.

Violet asks Kaori if there’s ever been a case of two dragons bonding a single rider, and his answer is chilling:
“You would be the first.” He reminds her that dragons, not humans, make the rules. It’s their decision alone.

Suddenly, the field empties of dragons—they all take flight together, heading for a peak in the distance. Kaori informs her:
“The dragons are holding a meeting of the Empyrean.”

As Violet stands beside Tairn and Andarna, the most massive dragon she has ever seen arrives: Codagh, General Melgren’s ancient and battle-scarred beast. His golden eyes meet Tairn’s, and Violet knows with certainty that she is the subject of the council’s debate. Tairn orders her to stay with the wingleader—and it’s clear he means Xaden.

The moment the dragons vanish, chaos erupts among the first-years—shouting, hugging, and celebrating their survival. Violet finds her friends:

Rhiannon, bonded to the Green Daggertail, Feirge
Ridoc, with the Brown Swordtail, Aotrom
Sawyer, with the Red Swordtail, Sliseag

But when she asks about Trina, Sawyer’s face falls—he saw her fall from a dragon’s back. She didn’t make it.

Then Dain finds her, pulling her into a desperate hug. His voice cracks as he takes in her wounds. But when he hears about both dragons, his face darkens with panic. He insists:
“They’re going to make you choose. And it has to be Andarna.”

Violet is stunned—how could he say that? She refuses to choose. But Dain presses: Tairn is too dangerous. Worse, he reveals that Tairn and Xaden’s dragon, Sgaeyl, are mates. Their lives are intertwined. If she bonds Tairn, she and Xaden will be permanently linked.

Before Violet can fully process this, Xaden arrives, his voice cold and cutting through the tension. Dain accuses him of manipulating Threshing, implying he orchestrated the events that led to Tairn’s choice. But Xaden turns the accusation back on Dain, revealing the truth:

It was Sgaeyl who called Tairn to the field, not him.

But the conversation unearths something deeper:
Xaden asks Dain point-blank if he would have broken the rules to save Violet’s life. And Dain’s answer destroys her:
“No. I wouldn’t have.”

Her heart shatters. She’s always known Dain’s loyalty to rules outweighed his loyalty to her, but hearing it aloud leaves her crushed.

As the dragons return, Xaden delivers a harsh truth:
“If you die, I die. There is no ‘you’ without ‘us’ anymore.” Because their dragons are mates, their lives are interdependent. And because of Tairn’s unmatched power, every unbonded rider will now try to kill Violet, hoping to steal Tairn for themselves. She is officially:
Target Number One.

The Empyrean’s verdict arrives through General Melgren:
There is no law against a rider bonding two dragons—because it has never happened before.
Both Tairn and Andarna’s choices stand. Violet keeps them both.

The crowd erupts, but Violet’s body erupts in pain—her back searing with heat as the bond fully claims her. When it passes, she finds herself marked: a jet-black dragon mid-flight, and in its heart, a shimmering golden one. The mark of Tairn and Andarna’s power.

Dain—desperate and overwhelmed—finally kisses her.

But to Violet’s surprise... the spark isn’t there.

It was everything she had ever dreamed of—

And she doesn’t want it anymore.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Seventeen Recap

The morning after Threshing, Violet wakes up in her own room, savoring the privacy after months in the crowded barracks. She limps out into the hallway, her ankle still sore but manageable with a brace. She spots Sawyer leaving Rhiannon’s room, and they exchange awkward smiles—clearly, some celebrating happened last night. Rhiannon soon joins Violet and teases her about not celebrating, hinting at the kiss with Dain that the entire quadrant seems to know about. Violet admits the kiss was disappointing—no spark, no heat—nothing. The realization stings, as she’d always imagined something more with her best friend.

At breakfast, Violet notices a shift in power dynamics. Cadets scramble out of her way, and Jack Barlowe is outright shunned, struggling to find a seat. Even cadets she once fought, like the girl from her second challenge, offer polite greetings. The source of this sudden fear becomes clear when Imogen, the second-year who once broke Violet’s arm, joins her at the table. Imogen explains bluntly: "You’re the most powerful rider here because of Tairn. People are afraid of you." But Imogen’s sudden interest isn’t kindness—it’s an order from Xaden, which becomes obvious when she commands Violet to meet her for sparring and strength training later that day.

Later, during their first flight lesson, Violet faces her greatest challenge yet—staying on Tairn’s back. Unlike the other riders, she can’t mount with the standard climb due to her injuries, so Tairn lowers his leg as a ramp—which feels like failure. In the air, Tairn uses his power to clamp her legs and hold her in place, but Violet argues that he won’t always be able to protect her. At her insistence, he lets her go—and she falls. He catches her midair and tosses her back on his back. The pattern repeats—fall after fall—until she is bruised, exhausted, and humiliated. Yet, she refuses to quit.

That evening, on her way to the gym, Violet is intercepted by Dain, who brings up the kiss from the night before. To her relief, he says it shouldn’t have happened, but then adds that his only reason for not pursuing her is his rank: "Maybe after graduation…" Violet realizes it was never about feelings, only career and rules. She sees Dain clearly for the first time—not as the boy she once longed for, but as a man whose love is conditional.

In the sparring gym, Imogen waits, revealing that she’s there under Xaden’s orders. She wastes no time, putting Violet on a thigh-strengthening machine, explaining that inner thigh strength is the key to staying on Tairn’s back. Despite her usual hostility, Imogen commits to training Violet because Xaden commanded it. Violet, exhausted from the flight lesson and Dain’s rejection, realizes something unsettling—Xaden Riorson, her supposed enemy, is the one truly invested in keeping her alive.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Eighteen Recap

Violet begins her morning on Archives duty, her favorite quadrant chore that allows her to reconnect with her scribe past. As she pushes the cart of book returns, the familiar scent of parchment and ink brings a comforting wave of nostalgia. She’s greeted by Jesinia, her old friend and study partner, now a first-year scribe. They sign to each other in quiet joy, though the scribe code forbids displays of emotion. Jesinia expresses concern about Violet’s forced transfer to the Riders Quadrant, but Violet assures her that, despite the danger, she is happy. She even requests a childhood favorite, The Fables of the Barren, a book filled with dark folktales her father once read to her. Jesinia searches the Archives but finds no record of the book or its mention of wyvern or venin, which puzzles Violet, as the Archives contain nearly every text in Navarre.

Professor Markham, Violet’s former instructor, interrupts with a group of first-year scribes, using Violet as an example of a talented student lost to the Riders Quadrant. He mentions her bond with two dragons, shocking the young scribes. Despite the pang of homesickness, Violet knows that the Riders Quadrant has become her true home.

During lunch, Violet joins her original squad, now expanded with new cadets from a dissolved third squad. The newcomers refuse to sit with anyone bearing a rebellion relic, causing division. Their conversation shifts when Sawyer announces that his signet power has manifested—he is a metallurgist, capable of manipulating metal. The group is both amazed and uneasy when Imogen and Quinn reveal that if a rider fails to manifest a signet after bonding, the unchecked magic will consume them from within.

That afternoon’s flight lesson is another grueling session with Tairn, who refuses to follow the instructor’s basic maneuvers, instead pushing Violet through advanced combat drills. She falls from his back repeatedly, but he always catches her before impact. Despite her frustration, Violet knows his harsh training could one day save her life.

After the lesson, Dain confronts Violet, furious that she never told him she couldn’t keep her seat. His frustration reveals his deep fear for her survival, but Violet, exhausted from his constant doubt, lashes out: “The reason we’ll never be more than friends isn’t because of your rules—it’s because you have no faith in me.” She walks away, realizing that Dain’s refusal to believe in her strength is a friendship-breaking flaw.

Suddenly, a chilling commotion breaks out in the courtyard. A first-year named Jeremiah screams in agony, clutching his head and spewing the private thoughts of everyone around him. His signet power—mind reading—has manifested, a power so dangerous that he is immediately executed by Professor Carr, who snaps his neck without hesitation. The quadrant watches in stunned silence, reminded that some signet powers are more curse than gift.

That night, Violet’s sleep is shattered by Tairn’s urgent command to wake up. A sword slashes through her blankets, barely missing her. Seven unbonded cadets, including the traitorous Oren, have broken into her room to kill her and claim Tairn. Violet fights back with every ounce of skill she has, injuring several attackers, but they overwhelm her. Oren grips her throat, cutting off her air as he raises a blade to her neck.

Just as her vision darkens and death seems certain, a primal, piercing voice fills her head—“Mine!” It’s Andarna. A surge of power Violet has never felt before erupts from her core. When she opens her eyes, the room is frozen in time. The attackers are locked mid-motion, Oren’s blade hovering at her throat—but only Violet can move.

Andarna’s power has manifested—Time has stopped.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Nineteen Recap

Violet finds herself frozen in time, surrounded by her attackers, thanks to Andarna’s mysterious power. The unearthly silence allows her to break free from Oren’s grip and escape his dagger, a cut on her throat the only mark of his attempt. As time resumes, Xaden appears in the doorway, cloaked in lethal calm as his shadows seize and strangle the attackers. He kills Oren with a swift, merciless slash to the throat, declaring coldly that dragons don’t make mistakes—Violet was chosen for a reason.

In the aftermath, Garrick and Bodhi arrive to clear the bodies, and Xaden turns his attention to Violet, his concern masked under a terse, commanding demeanor. He examines her injuries, discovering Mira’s dragon-scale armor beneath her torn nightdress—the only reason she survived the sword strike. Despite his usual cold exterior, he shows unexpected tenderness, lacing her corset and helping her into her boots while demanding honesty about her condition.

Xaden, determined to uncover how the attackers breached her room, leads Violet through a secret tunnel hidden beneath the academic wing. As they navigate the dark passage, Violet’s ribs scream in pain, but she pushes through, warmed by his protective presence despite his sharp remarks.

Emerging onto the flight field, they are met by Tairn, Sgaeyl, and Andarna. Xaden confronts Tairn, demanding to know what power was channeled to Violet during the attack. The confrontation reveals a shocking truth:

Andarna is a feathertail and only two years old—a juvenile dragon.
As a feathertail, Andarna can gift her powers directly to Violet—a highly dangerous and unstable phenomenon.
During the attack, Andarna used her gift to pause time, saving Violet’s life.

The dragons explain that such abilities typically vanish as feathertails mature. If Navarre’s leadership discovers this power, Andarna would be hunted for her gift, and Violet could face the same fate as Jeremiah, the mind reader who was executed without trial.

Xaden makes Violet swear to keep Andarna’s power a secret, warning that rare abilities are the most valuable form of currency—and the most dangerous if known. Violet agrees, fully aware that secrecy is now her best protection from the quadrant’s deadly rules.

Before returning through the tunnel, Violet drops another bombshell:

A rider—a woman—unlocked her door from the outside, allowing the unbonded cadets in. Someone from within the ranks tried to kill her.

Xaden’s fury is cold and lethal. He demands the traitor’s identity, warning that trust between them is no longer a choice but a necessity.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty Recap

At morning formation, Captain Fitzgibbons reads out the names of the dead, including Oren Seifert and the other assailants who attacked Violet. Among them are also two third-years from Second Wing, killed near the Braevick border, which leaves Violet wondering if Xaden had been on that mission before saving her the night before.

Violet’s bruised ribs ache, and the bruises around her neck draw the attention of her fellow cadets. But before she can dwell on it, Xaden arrives, his presence magnetic and his mood sharp. He announces a squad roll change, removing Vaughn Penley from Dain’s command and replacing him with Liam Mairi, a first-year with a towering frame, an undefeated record, and a prominent rebellion relic marking his arm.

Violet immediately realizes the truth: Xaden has assigned her a bodyguard. Furious, she confronts him, but Xaden is unmoved. He coldly reminds her that any threat to her is a threat to him and that Liam will be in every class, challenge, and even on library duty—with a room next to hers. Despite her protests, Xaden makes it clear that her safety comes before her pride.

Before the tension can settle, Commandant Panchek takes the podium, signaling something serious. He announces that a breach of the Dragon Rider’s Codex has occurred and demands the accuser step forward. To Violet’s shock, Xaden strides onto the dais and reveals the reason for the gathering:

A rider in his wing—Violet—was attacked in her sleep with intent to kill, a capital offense under Article Three of the Codex.
He executed six of the attackers on the spot, witnessed by Garrick and Bodhi, both marked riders from Fourth Wing.
However, the rider who orchestrated the attack escaped.

Then, with the weight of his authority and without hesitation, Xaden names the traitor—Wingleader Amber Mavis.

The courtyard erupts in shock. Dain, reeling, refuses to believe it. He demands that Violet deny the accusation, clinging to his belief that a wingleader is beyond reproach. Desperate, he tries to use his signet ability—which allows him to see her memories—to prove her wrong. But Violet pulls back, knowing that if he sees the attack, he will also discover her time-stopping power from Andarna, a revelation that would cost her life.

The dragons intervene, and Tairn, through their connection, projects Violet’s memory to the other dragons and their riders—a sacred and unprecedented sharing, as memories are never shared outside of a mating bond. The truth is undeniable. Amber’s own dragon, Claidh, bows her head in shame, acknowledging her rider’s guilt.

Amber, panicked and exposed, screams that her actions were justified—to protect the quadrant from weakness. But her twisted sense of honor finds no defense in the face of the law.

The wingleaders form a quorum, and their judgment is unanimous—Amber is guilty.

Violet, despite everything, begs for mercy, knowing that Amber’s dragon will suffer the loss. But Tairn’s voice echoes coldly:

“Justice is not always merciful.”

With a single blast of Tairn’s fire, Amber is incinerated. The courtyard falls into a stunned silence, broken only by the agonized wail of Claidh, a cry so raw it shatters a window in the academic wing.

The weight of the morning is absolute. Violet may have survived the night, but the cost—of trust, friendship, and innocence—has left scars far deeper than the ones on her throat.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-One Recap

Violet continues her daily routine in the Archives, accompanied by her ever-present shadow, Liam Mairi, who has been assigned by Xaden to guard her. Despite her initial annoyance at his constant presence, she finds herself warming to him. Liam proves to be courteous, humorous, and skilled—he even fixed the squeaky library cart on his first day. His easy charm becomes evident when he flirts with Jesinia, a scribe and Violet’s old friend, prompting Violet to warn him that Jesinia is the serious, long-term relationship type. Despite her frustration at having a “babysitter,” Violet realizes that Liam is impossible to dislike, even if his whittling habit leaves piles of wood shavings everywhere they go.

Their conversation turns deeply personal when Violet asks Liam about his connection to Xaden. She learns that both of them were fostered together after their parents were executed following the rebellion. Liam explains that after the rebellion’s leaders were executed, their children—107 in total—were forced into the Riders Quadrant, given a grim choice: survive as riders or die trying. He shares that his father, Isaac Mairi, was executed at their family estate, even though he hadn’t taken part in the rebellion. Liam witnessed both his parents’ deaths, which left lasting scars. To Violet’s horror, she learns that all marked children are sent to the quadrant as part of their punishment, and even the youngest, a six-year-old named Julianne, was born with the rebellion relic, marked for a crime she never committed. The chilling truth is clear—their conscription was a slow, state-sanctioned death sentence.

During their errand to deliver a scroll to Professor Markham, Violet catches a glimpse of the document and discovers troubling news: Sumerton, a village on the southern border, has been attacked. A supply convoy was looted, and community storage caves were ransacked. The raid follows a pattern of recent border attacks in areas where warding stones are weakening. Despite the growing threat to Navarre’s borders, the attacks are not being openly discussed, raising Violet’s suspicions. She expects to hear more in their upcoming Battle Brief, but the silence from leadership feels ominous.

Violet and Liam bond over their shared struggles as riders still waiting to manifest their signet powers, a process that can be deadly if their bodies fail to adapt. Violet feels the deep exhaustion of her bonded feathertail, Andarna, who is still recovering from stopping time during the assassination attempt. She also experiences unpredictable emotional surges through her bond with Tairn, from his ravenous hunger to sudden flashes of irritation. Liam sympathizes, explaining that his dragon, Deigh, has strong emotional control, but his anger is overwhelming through the bond. They both know that without their signets, they remain vulnerable and powerless in a world that demands strength.

An unexpected revelation from Liam leaves Violet torn. He casually mentions that Xaden secretly warded her bedroom door after the assassination attempt, ensuring that only she can open it—except for Xaden himself. This means that Xaden can enter her room at any time, and he never told her. Violet’s reaction is a mixture of outrage and uneasy gratitude—it’s controlling, yes, but also protective. The gesture leaves her questioning the complexity of Xaden’s motives and her feelings toward him.

During Battle Brief, Professors Markham and Devera announce a major incentive for the upcoming Squad Battle: the winning squad will earn a trip to the front lines, offering a chance to shadow active wings. The announcement sparks excitement among the cadets, but Violet and Liam remain uneasy. Instead of addressing the recent attack on Sumerton, Markham begins a lecture on the ancient Battle of Gianfar, which occurred more than six centuries ago. The topic feels painfully irrelevant, especially considering the ongoing border raids. The absence of information about the Sumerton attack, which Violet knows from the scroll they delivered, alarms her deeply. She and Liam exchange tense glances, both realizing that leadership is hiding something. The quadrant may be focused on old battles, but the real war is already brewing at their borders—and no one is talking about it.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Two Recap

The rest of November passes without any official word about the Sumerton attack, and by the time December’s snow arrives, Violet has given up on learning more. She and Liam can’t question their professors without revealing they read a classified report, and the secrecy leaves her wondering how much Battle Briefs omit. Her frustration grows as three-quarters of her year begin channeling, while she still shows no signs of power. Even her bond with Tairn feels like a one-sided stalemate, leading to growing tension.

During hand-to-hand practice with Rhiannon, Violet struggles, both physically and emotionally. Her frustration with Xaden spills out—he placed her under constant guard with Liam, yet offers no personal training or help in unlocking her power. Meanwhile, Xaden and Garrick, stripped to the waist, engage in a blistering sparring match that distracts the entire gym, including Violet, who is helplessly captivated by Xaden’s raw power and sculpted body. Rhiannon’s teasing only highlights Violet’s hopeless attraction to him, despite her efforts to fight it.

The sparring is interrupted by Jack Barlowe, who taunts Violet, mocking her lack of powers and daring her to challenge him. Liam steps between them, ready to protect her, but Violet fires back verbally, accusing Jack of running like a coward during their last fight. Jack nearly snaps, but Xaden’s imposing presence stops him cold. With a flick of shadow-wielding power, Xaden locks Jack out of the gym, but Violet’s defiance leaves Xaden furious, especially since she isn't wearing her dragon-scale armor. Their heated exchange crackles with tension, but it’s Tairn and Andarna’s sudden voices declaring, “She’s ready”, that truly marks a shift in the air.

Hours later, alone in her room, Violet is overwhelmed by an unexpected wave of power. It erupts from within, sending her to the floor in agony, tearing through every nerve until it fills every inch of her body. The energy is undeniable—Tairn has finally begun channeling through her. But the flood of power is quickly overshadowed by a stronger, primal force: lust. The sudden heat is Tairn’s emotions bleeding through their bond, a result of his mating connection with Sgaeyl, Xaden’s dragon. Overcome by a need that isn’t her own, Violet stumbles from her room, running headlong into Liam, whom she nearly pounces on before barely regaining control.

Desperate for relief, Violet flees outside into the snow, only to run into Xaden, who is smoking churam—a plant known for dulling the bond’s intensity. Realizing what she’s experiencing, Xaden offers her advice: She needs to learn to shield her mind from Tairn’s emotions. Though they bicker, he agrees to teach her to shield—a skill he learned the hard way.

Xaden’s lesson is intimate and grounding—he cups her face and guides her to mentally create a safe space (the Archives, for her) and visualize blocking Tairn’s power by shutting a massive door. Despite the overwhelming force of Tairn’s emotions, Violet succeeds, locking the door and regaining control. Xaden is visibly impressed—most cadets take weeks to master what she did in minutes. Their faces are inches apart, and the charged tension between them ignites into a kiss.

The kiss is raw and consuming, a clash of desire and danger, with Violet pinned between Xaden and the wall. Their bodies and emotions collide in a reckless, fiery embrace that consumes every thought. But just as the intensity peaks, Xaden stops, breaking away with great effort. He refuses to act on a desire that might still be Tairn’s influence, not hers. His self-control cuts through the passion, and he sends her away before they both lose themselves completely.

Shaken and confused, Violet retreats, but the aftershock of the kiss lingers in her body and soul. She knows the feelings weren’t just Tairn’s—they were hers too. And as she trudges back to her room, her heart races with a single, undeniable truth:

Xaden Riorson isn’t just her enemy. He’s becoming something much, much more dangerous.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Three Recap

Violet sits cross-legged on Rhiannon’s bed, trying to process everything that has happened since Tairn started channeling. Her relic burns, marking the start of the countdown to her signet manifestation. As she rolls her aching shoulders, she shares with Rhiannon the overwhelming events of the previous night: her first kiss with Xaden and the power coursing through her. Despite her uncertainty about what it means for their already complicated relationship, she can’t deny how much she wants more.

Rhiannon, ever the supportive friend, is thrilled but also curious about how Violet and Xaden will navigate their futures since their dragons’ mating bond means they can never be apart for long. Violet frets over how that might impact their careers—Xaden belongs on the front lines, and she should remain at Basgiath until graduation, but their bond could force them together, affecting their effectiveness as riders.

Their conversation shifts when Rhiannon reveals her new signet power: the ability to summon objects to her. She demonstrates by making a textbook vanish from her desk and reappear in her hands. Violet is ecstatic, recognizing how rare and powerful Rhiannon’s ability is, and celebrates her friend’s breakthrough.

As they head to class, Liam appears, frantic after losing sight of Violet for a moment. Rhiannon shoos him out, teasing him for his relentless devotion. Violet understands Liam’s loyalty stems from his life debt to Xaden, but she’s starting to feel suffocated by his constant watch.

In the hallway near the Battle Brief room, Violet’s gaze finds Xaden, deep in conversation with the other wingleaders. Just seeing him floods her with the memories of their intense kiss, sending her pulse racing. Their eyes meet across the space in a moment crackling with tension—one that is swiftly broken by the arrival of Dain, who pleads for a private conversation.

Dain confronts Violet with his hurt, accusing her of sharing the memory of Amber’s attack with Tairn and Sgaeyl rather than with him directly. He admits his regret for not believing her but also resentment that she went to Xaden first. Violet, in turn, lays bare her feelings: his overprotection has been stifling, and his demand for her memories without asking violated her trust. She tells him plainly that until he stops trying to shield her from every danger, they won’t be able to repair their friendship.

Dain warns her that Xaden has secrets, hinting that there are reasons beyond their bond why Xaden might be dangerous. Yet, Violet firmly shuts him down—Xaden’s connection to her isn’t a choice, but Dain’s behavior is. When he finally relents and offers his support without condition, they reach a fragile truce.

In Professor Carr’s class, Violet finally joins her squad for wielding lessons, though she keeps her ability to stop time secret, as Xaden advised. Carr, ever sharp and cold, pointedly reminds her of her siblings’ legendary signet powers, heightening the pressure for her own to manifest.

The remainder of December and January are grueling:

Carr’s lessons push Violet to the brink as she trains to shield and control her power.
Rhiannon’s sparring builds her strength.
Violet wins her first and second challenges, gaining daggers from other cadets.

Yet, despite her progress, Xaden keeps his distance, and Violet’s signet power remains elusive. In the dead of night, Violet discovers her name on the challenge board: Jack Barlowe has finally been granted his long-awaited chance to kill her—officially sanctioned in front of everyone. The news churns her stomach, but she resolves not to tell Xaden. She confides only in Liam, making him promise to stay out of the fight, knowing Jack has been itching for revenge since Threshing.

The gym is packed, the tension suffocating as Professor Emetterio calls their names. Jack, grinning with sadistic pleasure, mocks her with a single knife, confident that her speed and skill mean nothing against his raw strength. The no-wielding rule is clear, but Jack has no intention of playing fair.

Violet scores the first blood, slashing his hand, but Jack only grows angrier.
He throws her to the mat, but her dragon-scale armor saves her from his death blow.
Violet’s speed keeps her alive, but Jack’s strength begins to overwhelm her, landing a crushing knee to her ribs and a punch that splits her cheek.

Suddenly, Jack’s hands clasp her head, and agony consumes her. Vibrating power courses through her body—a forbidden wielding attack, burning through her nerves as though he’s tearing her apart from the inside. The world darkens, and death feels seconds away.

But Violet is ready. With her last ounce of strength, she shoves a vial against Jack’s lips—one containing a poison targeted to his weakness: oranges.

As he chokes, clawing at his closing throat, Violet collapses, barely whispering: “He’s allergic to oranges.” The vial—a simple but devastating weapon—was her last ace in the hole, proving that wit, not power, can win a battle.

When Violet wakes, it’s in the infirmary, and the first thing she sees isn’t a healer—it’s Xaden, seated beside her, his anger barely contained. His first word, laced with disbelief and frustration, is:

“Oranges?”

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Four Recap

Violet wakes in the infirmary, her arm heavily bandaged from the dagger wound inflicted during her fight with Jack Barlowe. Xaden sits by her side, his anger thinly veiled behind concern as he scolds her for using oranges as a weapon, though he can’t deny her ingenuity. He’s furious that she didn’t tell him about the challenge but acknowledges that Ridoc’s warning got him there in time. Despite everything, Xaden bluntly calls their kiss a mistake, citing the dangers of entangling their lives beyond their already permanent bond through Tairn and Sgaeyl. His cold dismissal leaves Violet wounded far deeper than the dagger did.

But Xaden isn’t backing away entirely. Instead, he declares that from now on, he’s personally taking over her training, blaming Liam for failing to protect her and Rhiannon for not toughening her up. Violet bristles at his arrogance but can’t deny he’s probably the only person capable of making her lethal enough to survive what’s coming.

The next day, while the blizzard cancels flight lessons, Xaden drags Violet to the sparring mat, demanding she leave her daggers behind, a test of her trust. Despite her injured arm, he refuses to go easy on her, reminding her that the enemy won’t care if she’s hurt.

To her shock, he presents her with a custom-made dagger, specially forged for her small hands and weaker grip, designed to prevent the disarming moves that plague her during fights. The blade, engraved with ancient Tyrrish runes, is perfectly balanced, making it easier on her fragile wrists. However, Violet refuses the gift outright—weapons must be earned, not given.

In response, Xaden attacks, sweeping her to the mat in a heartbeat and challenging her to disarm him of the dozen daggers strapped to his body. Their spar quickly becomes a dangerous game of tension, laced with thinly veiled desire and frustration. Violet matches his intensity, stealing daggers from their sheaths as they grapple, her body pressed against his. She even pins him beneath her, snatching the final blade from his hand and offering a cheeky, “Thank you.”

But Xaden proves his point by using his signet power to flip her effortlessly, pinning her again. He warns her that real fights aren’t fair, and if she wants to survive, she’ll need to use everything—wielding, cunning, and instincts. Their banter burns with unspoken tension, but Xaden never crosses the line, denying her the kiss they both crave.

February and March blur into a grueling cycle:

Xaden dominates every spare moment, dragging Violet to the mat and pushing her until she collapses, then sending her to Imogen’s weight room for strength training.
Despite her exhaustion, Violet improves, learning to counter larger opponents, disarm quickly, and fight through pain.
Her signet still hasn’t manifested, and the burning in her relic is becoming unbearable. The recent death of Mushin Vedie, who burned alive during signet manifestation, only increases her dread.

Though Violet grows stronger, her lack of a signet gnaws at her confidence, especially under the shadow of her mother’s towering expectations.

With the Squad Battle approaching, tensions in Dain’s squad escalate. Dain remains frustrated by Xaden’s constant interference, and his discomfort with Violet’s bond with the wingleader is palpable. In front of the squad, Xaden forces Violet to wield publicly, challenging her to telekinetically pull his pocket watch from his palm. She succeeds—barely—proving that her wielding has improved under his private tutelage, leaving Dain stunned and Xaden smug.

As Violet and Xaden head to the flight field, they cross paths with the commandant, Colonel Aetos (Dain’s father), and General Sorrengail. Violet’s mother assesses her coldly, immediately focusing on her lack of a signet, dismissing her achievements and reducing her to a disappointment. She pointedly asks if Violet has any powers from Andarna, forcing Violet to lie, claiming that feathertails can’t channel.

Colonel Aetos hints that Violet’s father once researched feathertails, but the records have gone missing, adding an unsettling layer to her family’s tangled history. Xaden’s tension with General Sorrengail is unmistakable, and he pointedly reminds her that he has already paid the price for his rebellion, alluding to a deep personal cost. When Violet questions him, he shuts her down with a sharp:

“Boundaries, Violence.”

To shake off the encounter, Xaden takes Violet flying with Tairn, Sgaeyl, and Andarna, aiming to teach them all:

Violet to ride in tighter formations.
Andarna to keep up with the larger dragons.
Tairn to fly closer to another dragon without his usual dominance.
Sgaeyl to follow rather than lead.

Violet watches the dragons snap and bicker midair and notes how human relationships are just as complicated:

“Yeah? You should try a human one sometime. Just as vicious, but less fire.”

The line between training and something more is blurring dangerously, but Xaden’s mask of indifference remains firmly in place.

Despite her mother’s coldness, Dain’s overprotection, and Xaden’s walls, Violet is stronger, smarter, and deadlier than she was when she entered the quadrant. But time is running out—her signet is coming, and if she’s not ready when it does, it might kill her before the enemy ever gets the chance.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Five Recap

The Squad Battle reaches its final stage, and the tension is razor-sharp as Liam faces off in the last challenge match against Mikael from Second Wing. The crowd roars as Liam locks Mikael in a brutal leg hold, forcing a desperate tap-out and securing Third Place for their squad. Their celebration is short-lived. The Commandant, Panchek, delivers an unexpected twist:

The final mission begins immediately.

With squad leaders and executive officers “eliminated”, the cadets must complete a mission without leadership:

Steal the most valuable asset an enemy could use against Navarre.

The reward? Sixty points, enough to vault their squad into First Place and grant them the glory of the front lines. But Dain and Cianna—their squad leaders—are missing, leaving them with no clear command. The squad quickly elects Imogen as their leader, despite tension with Nadine, who hates the rebellion relics. But there’s no time for squabbles—every squad is scrambling to outwit the others.

Liam’s suggestion to steal military missives from the Archives is shot down—the vault is impenetrable. Ideas fly, but none have the edge they need. Then, Violet gets a dangerous idea—one that could win everything or destroy them all:

“We’re going to break into my mother’s office.”

With two hours until the deadline, the squad executes their plan:

Quinn (Astral Projection): Scouts ahead unseen and lures the guard away from the office.
Sawyer (Metal Manipulation): Seals the stairwell, blocking the guard’s return.
Nadine (Ward Unweaving): Disables the powerful wards on General Sorrengail’s office.
Emery (Wind Wielding): Blasts the guard into unconsciousness when he returns too soon.
Violet: Guides the break-in, relying on her intimate knowledge of her mother’s workspace.

Inside the office, Violet uncovers alarming letters:

A plea from the Southern Wing for reinforcements due to escalating raids beyond the wards.
Unrest in Tyrrendor due to conscription laws, with warnings of potential uprising if the Tyrrish economy isn’t supported.

But they don’t stop at letters. Violet finds the ultimate prize:

The General’s Military Map — A current, detailed layout of:

All Navarrian Outposts and Infantry Battlements.
The troop strength across borders.
The locations of ongoing skirmishes, including battles from the last 30 days.

Rhiannon uses her retrieval power to teleport the map into her hands just as the guard returns, and the squad flees into the night. They barrel into the Battle Brief room with only minutes to spare, becoming the final squad to present their “prize.”

The room watches in stunned silence as Violet steps forward:

“We have brought the ultimate weapon for our enemies. An up-to-date map of all current outposts, troop strength, and skirmishes… Stolen from General Sorrengail’s office.”

The room erupts into chaos, riders shouting and professors charging the stage—
But Violet only sees Xaden, his dark eyes burning with pride as he offers her a subtle, approving bow and a smirk that says—

You’ve already won.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Six Recap

Violet and her squad earn their reward for winning the Squad Battle: a weeklong tour of the Montserrat Outpost, a forward position on the border. The six-hour flight leaves her and the rest of Second Squad utterly exhausted, with every muscle aching from the long journey. Despite the excitement of the new location, tension brews when Rhiannon quietly reveals that her family’s village is less than an hour away. The emotion in her voice is unmistakable—she desperately wants to see her family, including her sister Raegan, who was pregnant when Rhiannon left. Violet, without hesitation, promises to help Rhiannon make the visit, despite the severe consequences they could face if caught.

The outpost tour is abruptly interrupted by an unexpected and joyous reunion—Violet’s sister, Mira, arrives with a patrol. Violet’s heart nearly stops at the familiar voice calling her name, and they collide in an emotional embrace. Tears and laughter spill over as they cling to each other, years of sisterly love and months of separation flooding between them. Violet feels the weight of everything she has endured since entering Basgiath—every battle, every loss, and every triumph—crash down all at once. Yet, in Mira’s arms, she feels something rare and cherished: the warmth of home. For the first time since her father died, Violet feels whole, if only for a fleeting moment.

Determined to keep her promise to Rhiannon, Violet seizes the chance to sneak out of the outpost when Mira leaves for patrol. She and Rhiannon slip out under the cover of darkness, but their plan is immediately derailed when they run straight into Mira, who—predictably—had switched shifts, suspecting her little sister was up to something reckless. Mira demands answers, and when Violet explains Rhiannon’s longing to see her newborn nephew, Mira’s stern resolve begins to crack. Violet appeals to her sister’s heart, asking if she would ever forgive herself if she missed something so precious. Reluctantly, Mira agrees to help, warning them that if they are caught, there will be hell to pay.

The visit to Rhiannon’s family is a heartwarming and emotional experience. Rhiannon holds her baby nephew for the first time, joy radiating from her in a way Violet has never seen. Watching the family’s love and warmth around the fireplace, Violet feels a pang of something unfamiliar—this is a happiness she never had growing up, even when her father and brother were alive. Mira watches the scene with a soft smile, and Violet thanks her for making it possible. In return, Mira surprises Violet with something precious: the book from their childhood that their father used to read to them—the one Violet thought was lost forever. The sisters share a tender conversation, where Mira reminds Violet that her power and her future are hers alone, not a reflection of their mother’s expectations.

As their night winds down, the conversation takes a darker turn. Mira shares stories from the front lines, including a near-fatal battle where a gryphon left her with a scar running from her ear to her collarbone. She reveals that the border wars are far more brutal and frequent than the cadets are ever taught at Basgiath. Violet, troubled by how much is hidden from them, suspects the leadership is concealing critical truths about the growing dangers outside the wards. Mira also expresses a grim understanding of the nature of power—how easily it can corrupt and why some choose to become monsters in pursuit of more.

As they prepare to leave, Violet, lost in thought about the primal bond between mated dragons, wonders aloud how long such a bond could tolerate separation. A familiar voice emerges from the shadows, answering her question with unsettling certainty: “Turns out, about three days is their max.” — Xaden. His sudden appearance sends Violet’s heart pounding, the tension between them as sharp and electrifying as ever. His arrival is more than unexpected—it’s inevitable. With secrets tightening around them and danger closing in from every side, Violet’s world, once again, teeters on the brink of chaos.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Seven Recap

The next afternoon, Violet and her squad are stationed in the outpost’s briefing room, with Mira leading their tactical lesson. The group has been split into two squads: Rhiannon’s group is on patrol, while Violet’s squad is reviewing hypothetical battle scenarios. Mira, ever the commanding force, flicks her wrist and sends Ridoc flying for daring to put his boots on the table. She quickly steers the session into strategy, placing a model of a keep on the table and instructing them to plan an assault. Dain’s leadership is immediately challenged by Liam, who insists that Xaden, their wingleader, should take charge. However, Xaden smugly defers to Dain, preferring to watch him squirm under pressure. Meanwhile, Violet reels from the discovery that Xaden can communicate with her telepathically, a side effect of their dragons' mating bond. The revelation flusters her, as Xaden finds amusement in her shocked reaction.

Mira pushes the squad to consider everyone’s abilities for the mock assault. As they strategize, Dain’s leadership falters—his resentment toward Xaden boiling over into open hostility. Xaden, however, shocks everyone by demonstrating his power, filling the entire room with impenetrable shadows, cutting off every sense of sight. The display leaves everyone, including Mira, unnerved by the depth of his power. The tension between Mira and Xaden flares; she is clearly distrustful of him and warns Violet to be cautious, fearing Xaden’s influence and potential ulterior motives regarding their mother. But Violet stands firm, defending Xaden’s actions and his role in her survival and training.

Their argument is abruptly cut short by a sudden and dire warning from their dragons—gryphons are approaching, and the outpost’s wards have fallen. Mira, with her protective instincts in full force, orders Violet and Xaden to flee, knowing that Violet’s presence would be a liability in the battle, especially since Tairn expends power to keep her seated mid-flight. Violet protests, begging to stay and fight alongside her sister, but Mira’s plea is raw and desperate: “If you love me, you’ll go.” She entrusts Violet’s safety to Xaden, leaving Violet with no choice but to retreat.

Xaden forcefully leads Violet away, racing through the barracks and up the turret to where their dragons will meet them. Violet fights him every step of the way, her heart breaking at the thought of abandoning Mira. The rest of the squad launches into the sky, with only Violet and Xaden left behind. As the battle-ready gryphons darken the sky, Xaden makes a last, desperate attempt to reach Violet—he kisses her. The kiss is fierce, a collision of passion and regret that leaves them both breathless. It’s a silent goodbye and a plea wrapped into one.

With Tairn arriving just in time, Xaden steps back, his voice low and pleading: “Leave for me, Violet.” Before she can fight or argue, Tairn snatches her up, tossing her onto his back mid-flight. As they ascend, Violet’s heart shatters, watching the outpost—and her sister—fall behind. Xaden and Sgaeyl follow closely, the two dragons soaring together as the gryphons descend on Montserrat.

Violet may have escaped the battle, but the war inside her has only just begun.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Eight Recap

Violet waits outside Professor Markham’s office, the cold stone wall pressing into her back as her body thrums with restless power, barely contained beneath her skin. It has been two agonizing days since leaving Montserrat—one spent flying back to Basgiath and another filled with unbearable silence, her heart pounding with fear for her sister Mira’s fate. She has barely slept, skipped meals, and evaded formation, unable to focus on anything but the uncertainty gnawing at her.

Xaden arrives, carrying two steaming mugs of coffee, a peace offering despite their tension. His presence is undeniable, and when he mentions that Sgaeyl told him about her lack of sleep, it sparks a sarcastic exchange. In a rare, vulnerable moment, he reveals he hasn’t slept well since his father’s rebellion more than six years ago. Violet, surprised, realizes how little she truly knows about him despite their growing connection. When she challenges his intentions toward her—when did he stop wanting to ruin her?—Xaden's answer is raw and unguarded. He admits that everything shifted the moment he saw her in danger, from Oren holding a knife to her throat to every moment he longed to protect her, not destroy her. His confession leaves Violet shaken, unsure if she can trust the feelings burning between them.

Their silent, intimate mental bond crackles with unspoken tension as Xaden urges her to try communicating back through their mysterious link. Power hums through Violet as she attempts to reach him mentally, but before she can fully explore the connection, they are interrupted by Dain, whose arrival brings back the awkward push and pull of her old friendship. Moments later, the tension in the air sharpens as Professor Markham appears, and Violet demands news of Mira. Markham hesitates, bound by classified orders, but Violet’s raw desperation breaks through his resolve. His words bring relief crashing over her—Mira is alive, and no riders were lost at Montserrat.

The emotional release is overwhelming. As Dain pulls her into a hug, Violet collapses into the comfort of her oldest friend, her body shaking with pent-up emotions. But once she steadies herself, she seeks solitude. Xaden, without a word, is already gone. Alone on the flight field, Violet finally allows herself to break—falling to her knees, sobbing against Andarna’s comforting scales, repeating the words that make her whole: "She’s alive."

In the days that follow, Violet grows determined to know more about Xaden, pushing beyond their unspoken walls. She peppers him with questions—Does he have siblings? What’s his favorite food? How does he know Liam?—seizing every chance to break down his defenses. Slowly, pieces of him emerge: he’s twenty-three, loves chocolate cake, and was fostered alongside Liam. But when she asks about the silver scars on his back, his walls slam shut. The scars are more than wounds—they are a story he refuses to share. Their banter grows sharper, more charged with every exchange, yet Xaden’s refusal to open up gnaws at her.

The first battle of the War Games arrives beneath a crystal-clear May sky, marking the approach of graduation and raising the stakes for Fourth Wing. Anxiety tightens around Violet—her peers are manifesting signets, but hers remains elusive, an ominous pressure building within her. Dain, leading their squad, shares the mission: Fourth Wing is both offense and defense, tasked with capturing an egg guarded by First Wing while simultaneously protecting their own flag. Their squad will carry the flag, and Dain outlines a strategy inspired by Mira’s lessons—passing the flag frequently and using their unique powers to confuse their opponents.

As they prepare for flight, Violet faces a stunning sight—Tairn has outfitted himself with an ingeniously crafted saddle, complete with buckles and straps designed to keep her seated securely during flight. It is Xaden’s doing, a deeply personal gift forged with care and risk, designed specifically for her needs. Embarrassed and self-conscious, Violet resists using it, fearing it will highlight her weakness. But both Xaden and Tairn confront her insecurities—her body may be different, but her strength is undeniable, and the saddle only amplifies her capability, not diminishes it. Touched by their faith in her, Violet mounts the saddle, finally accepting that her power lies not in conformity but in adaptation.

With Andarna camouflaged in mud for stealth, they launch into the sky. The squad executes their plan, flying in tight formations and passing the flag to remain unpredictable. But the tension sharpens when Violet spots a hidden tower nestled in the mountains—First Wing’s stronghold, guarded by dragons. The battle erupts—ice blasts, fire streams, and dragons collide in a deadly ballet. Tairn shields Violet from a blast of fire, and her raw power surges, wild and untamed, a primal force desperate for release.

Suddenly, the sky turns to chaos—Liam, her closest ally, is locked in a brutal clash with Jack Barlowe, who has never forgiven Violet for humiliating him. In a horrifying moment, Jack leaps onto Liam’s dragon, Deigh, and drives his sword through Liam’s side, sending Liam plummeting toward the rocks below. Violet’s scream splits the air, her heart shattering as she watches Liam fall—the friend who has guarded her life with his own.

Desperation ignites something ancient and powerful within her. Without thinking, she reaches for Andarna’s golden gift, a power they have never fully tested. Time bends around her, and with a searing pulse of magic, the world freezes. Only Tairn and Violet remain in motion, and in a heart-stopping dive, Tairn snatches Liam from certain death, pulling out of the fall just in time. The moment collapses, and the world returns to motion—Liam is alive, barely, but alive.

But Violet’s fury is not spent. Her body crackles with power, and her vision narrows on Jack, who stands atop the tower, his sword dripping with Liam’s blood. Everything else fades—the world, the War Games, the sky—until only Jack remains. As the power within her peaks, the roof of her Archives shatters, and a lethal vortex of storm energy consumes her. She becomes the storm—pure power, raw and infinite, the sky itself given form.

With a scream that splits the heavens, lightning tears from her hands, slamming into the tower with a thunderous explosion, obliterating it in a blast of stone and flame. Jack falls, his body crushed in the avalanche of rock, and his dragon Baide’s mournful cry splits the air. The battle falls silent as the survivors witness the birth of Violet’s signet—a power feared and revered.

From the depths of her soul, the truth emerges—Violet Sorrengail is a Lightning Wielder. ⚡

Fourth Wing – Chapter Twenty-Nine Recap

The battle ends, but Violet's turmoil has only begun. As she and Tairn land in the flight field, chaos swirls around her—Fourth Wing riders erupt in celebration while First Wing seethes in defeat. The battlefield’s dust is still settling, but her world feels irrevocably altered. Jack Barlowe is dead. She killed him. The knowledge weighs on her chest like a boulder, suffocating her. The sounds of victory are distant, hollow echoes against the grim reality of her actions.

Her knees hit the mud beside a weary Andarna, whose golden eyes blink sluggishly from exhaustion. Violet’s voice trembles as she begs Tairn for news of Liam—the friend she risked everything to save. Relief crashes over her when Tairn confirms Liam is alive, though wounded from the sword through his side. "Worth it," Andarna manages, her voice soft and strained before she launches skyward, leaving Violet in the aftermath of destruction.

But the battle within Violet is far from over. Nausea churns through her body—Jack is dead, and her lightning killed him. Her stomach rebels, and she collapses, retching violently into the mud, shielded from prying eyes only by Tairn’s protective wings. His voice is calm but firm: "You did what was necessary." Yet the bile that burns her throat screams otherwise. She never wanted to be a killer. She never wanted this.

When Dain arrives, he is wide-eyed with shock, but his admiration is clear—"Lightning? I’ve never seen anything like it." Yet all Violet can focus on is the haunting truth: "I killed him." Dain holds her tightly, his familiar presence a fleeting balm as he murmurs promises that she doesn’t have to use her power if she doesn’t want to. But Xaden arrives, and his fury is swift.

With a shove, Xaden pulls her from Dain’s arms, his tone sharp but his hands gentle as they frame her face. He demands that she understand the truth—Jack deserved to die. Violet’s power saved not only Liam but potentially countless others from the monster Jack would have become. "You are not just a weapon. You are the weapon," Xaden declares, his dark eyes blazing with conviction.

Violet’s voice breaks under the weight of her grief: "I didn’t mean to. I didn’t want this." The confession spills from her lips—how she had prayed for a signet like her brother Brennan, a power that could heal instead of destroy. But her power—lightning, raw and lethal—feels like a cruel twist of fate. Every other signet she’s seen has a purpose beyond killing. "What am I, Xaden? I’m a fucking weapon."

Xaden’s response is brutal and honest: there is no escaping what she is, but she still chooses how to wield it. War isn’t a game, and power like hers is the only thing standing between life and death for the people she loves—Rhiannon’s family, Mira, even him. His words are a lifeline and a razor’s edge: "With a signet like yours, you are the kingdom’s best hope."

The confrontation dissolves into charged silence, and Xaden entrusts Rhiannon to escort Violet back to the citadel. But before he leaves, he pauses—his voice, softer this time: "Thank you for saving Liam. He’s important to me." Then, as always, he is gone before she can reply.

As Rhiannon leads her away, her teasing tone tries to lighten the shadows clinging to Violet’s heart—"You two have the weirdest relationship." But Violet, raw and wounded, only manages a weak denial. Yet the guilt for another reason tightens its claws—Rhiannon noticed the impossible speed with which she saved Liam, but Violet cannot tell her the truth. The power that stopped time itself is a secret meant to protect dragonkind—a burden she cannot share.

Later, alone in her room, Violet’s rage finds an outlet. Daggers fly, sinking into the target pinned to her wall with lethal precision. Her body aches with the day’s horrors, but her aim is unerring. Yet every throw echoes her self-loathing. What was the point of mercy—of holding back in every battle—when her signet turned her into something worse than any blade?

The knock at her door is unexpected. She barely glances up, her hand already preparing another dagger. The familiar shadow that fills her doorway sets her pulse racing—Xaden.

His entrance brings no mocking smile or sharp-edged commands. His eyes—dark, heated, searching—sweep over her, and the tension between them thickens, electric and undeniable. He sees her—really sees her—raw, battle-worn, and burning with grief. And he stays. Because he knows. Because he can’t stay away.

Their words dance with the ache of truth—he doesn’t offer comfort, only the space to feel. "You get to be angry. You get to feel however you want within these walls." But outside them? She’s a rider. And riders survive.

The heat between them is no longer just in the air—it is in her blood, crackling like the lightning she commands. Xaden’s body is close enough to touch, his voice low enough to shatter her restraint: "Show me what you’ve got."

And Violet Sorrengail stops fighting.

No more battles. No more blades. No more lies.

She chooses the fire between them.

And she kisses him.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty Recap

The tension between Violet and Xaden ignites into something unstoppable. Their long-simmering desire explodes when Violet kisses him, shattering the fragile barrier between them. Xaden's restraint cracks—he pins her against the door, his hands capturing hers above her head, and a growl of warning escapes him: "This isn’t what you want." But Violet’s voice is firm—"It’s exactly what I want." She demands release from the horrors of the day, craving not thought but feeling. Her lips on his—teasing, nipping, and daring—are the only push he needs to finally lose control.

Their mouths collide, and the kiss is a wild clash of hunger and heat, each touch feeding the storm raging between them. Xaden lifts her, her legs wrapping around his waist as the world narrows to this moment—this man. Their passion crashes through every restraint, knocking aside anything on the desk as he lays her across it, his hands fisting in her hair. He tries to warn her—"You’ll hate me in the morning"—but she silences him with another desperate kiss. When he hesitates, she breaks through his honor with a challenge: "Stop being so fucking honorable and fuck me, Xaden."

Xaden’s control finally shatters. His mouth claims hers with reckless intensity, his hands exploring her body with both reverence and raw desire. His fingers bring her to the edge of pleasure, and Violet falls—hard—shuddering and moaning his name. But their passion is more than physical—it sparks something primal, and as her body surrenders, lightning explodes outside the window, thunder cracking the night sky. The very air responds to their connection, power and desire fused into something untamed and electric.

The room becomes their battlefield. Desks crash, curtains burn from the lightning flaring through her skin, and Xaden’s shadows lash out, shielding her from debris. They don’t stop—they can’t stop. The storm inside them demands to be fed. He takes her—deep, hard, and without mercy—driving them both to the brink. As their bodies collide in a frantic, primal rhythm, Violet’s power rises again, a blinding flash of heat and energy as she shatters into a second, then third, release. Lightning strikes. Thunder rolls. The room breaks. And Xaden follows her over the edge—undone, unleashed, utterly lost in her.

When the madness subsides, they lie breathless amidst the wreckage. Xaden, his voice raw, confesses: "I’ve never lost control like that." Violet, her lips curving into a satisfied smile, answers: "Me neither." Around them, the room is destroyed—curtains scorched, the armoire shattered, her throwing target obliterated by his shadows. But the chaos feels like completion, not destruction.

In the aftermath, Violet traces the silver scars on Xaden’s back, demanding to know their origin. The walls he always keeps up crumble as he reveals the truth: He took responsibility for all 107 rebellion-marked children—including Liam—to save them from execution, earning a scar for each life he vowed to protect. His life would be forfeit if any of them betrayed Navarre. Violet’s heart cracks, the full weight of his burden settling into her soul.

Despite the risks, Violet asks him to stay. Xaden hesitates—**"People will talk"—**but she throws his own words back at him: "When did I ever give you the impression I give a fuck what people think?" And so, for one night, they let the war and the world fall away. Only within these walls, they are simply Violet and Xaden.

The next morning, Xaden is gone, but in his place is a jar of violets, a silent message that says more than words ever could. But there’s no time for reflection. Professor Carr arrives, declaring her too dangerous for Archives duty—the risk of lightning and paper proving a fire hazard.

Instead, Carr takes her to a remote mountain peak, where she must learn to control her deadly power. She struggles to summon lightning on command, her power refusing to answer without the raw emotions that have always fueled it. But when Xaden, ever-present in her mind, **floods her with memories of the night before—of his touch, his hunger, his need—**Violet’s body ignites with power. Lightning crashes across the peaks, and Carr—oblivious to the cause—commends her.

With her body burning from power and desire, Violet knows the truth: She is more than a rider, more than a weapon. She is lightning itself—wild, destructive, and untamable. And with Xaden—the only one who can **match her fury and harness her chaos—**she might just set the world on fire.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-One Recap

The morning after their night of passion, Xaden arrives at Violet’s room, and the tension between them crackles, not just from last night’s destruction but from the unresolved emotions between them. They exchange wry smiles over the room’s ruin—shattered furniture, scorched curtains, and the remains of the armoire Xaden promised to replace. Xaden offers to help clean up, and Violet notes that her lightning set several trees ablaze, requiring water wielders to extinguish the flames. Their banter softens into something vulnerable as Xaden shares his own trauma from his first kill, revealing the humanity beneath his hardened exterior.

As Violet picks up a fallen book of fables gifted by her sister Mira, a hidden letter from her father slips from its binding. His cryptic message urges her to remember the power of folklore and warns that history can be rewritten or erased by the desperate. The note’s solemn tone and mysterious timing leave Violet uneasy, especially as she recalls her father’s increasingly cryptic behavior following Brennan’s death. The stories within the book—**ancient riders, venin, and wyvern—**seem like children’s fables, but her father’s message suggests a deeper truth that sends a chill through her.

The conversation between Violet and Xaden quickly shifts to their complicated relationship. Violet confronts Xaden, telling him plainly that she can’t separate sex from emotion with him and that another night together would mean risking her heart. She challenges him, calling him an “emotional chickenshit” for refusing to admit his feelings. Xaden, ever guarded, asserts that he has "no intention of falling for her", his words clipped and defensive, even as his body and actions betray his desire. Violet, though hurt, refuses to be dictated to, setting her boundary: no more unless he is willing to risk his heart, too. She leaves him with the shattered halves of her throwing target, telling him to replace it when he’s ready to come to his senses.

Days pass, and tension festers between them, unresolved and electric. They continue to spar physically and verbally, their mutual desire bubbling under the surface. Their friends notice the charged atmosphere, and Xaden, frustrated by her relentless teasing, accuses her of playing dirty when she torments him with filthy mental images in the middle of the dining hall, causing him to choke mid-meal in front of everyone. Violet delights in the power she holds over him, but beneath the teasing, her heart aches for something he refuses to give—honesty and vulnerability.

As Reunification Day approaches, marking the anniversary of the Battle of Aretia, tensions rise. The celebration, hosted at Basgiath, is grand, but for many, especially those with rebellion relics like Liam, it is a day of mourning for the families executed in the name of peace. Violet, dressed in formal black with her first-year sash, feels the weight of the night, but Liam stands by her side, a silent protector despite the whispers and judgment from others. His visible rebellion relic draws glares, but he refuses to leave her, shouldering the scrutiny with dignity.

The arrival of King Tauri with General Melgren and Violet’s mother, General Sorrengail, turns the air cold. The king’s patronizing remarks about Xaden’s loyalty sting, especially when he jokes about another rebellion, clearly oblivious to the burden men like Xaden carry. Violet defends Xaden’s heroism during Montserrat, her voice measured but her anger burning beneath. The king, however, is more interested in laying eyes on Xaden, saying he “likes to check on him once a year,” a chilling reminder of the king’s watchful, controlling gaze over every rebellion-marked rider.

But Xaden is absent. Liam, reading Violet’s rising anger and confusion, finally confesses: Xaden didn’t force him to attend the celebration—he came to protect her. The loyalty in Liam’s voice, the sacrifice he makes by enduring this night to shield her from harm, brings Violet to the brink of tears. "You are a good friend, Liam Mairi," she tells him, knowing the cost of this night for him.

But where is Xaden? The absence gnaws at her until she feels him—through their bond. Shadows, faint but familiar, pull her through the courtyard. Ignoring Liam’s protests, she hunts him down, barefoot and unarmored, guided by the invisible thread that has always pulled her to him. She finds his friends, Bodhi and Garrick, posted like sentinels at the forbidden opening in the quadrant’s perimeter, their faces grim with warning.

“You’re not going to want to see him,” Garrick cautions. “He’s not in a good place tonight.” But Violet doesn’t care. Because she knows—Xaden doesn’t need to be alone tonight. Not when the night celebrates the annihilation of his family, the death of his father, and the chains he’s worn since he was a child.

Xaden is breaking—and Violet will be damned if he breaks alone.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Two Recap

In the dead of night, Violet finds Xaden sitting alone on the parapet, a thin stone bridge infamous for its deadly fall, as he mourns the anniversary of his father’s execution. Ignoring her own fear, Violet steps onto the parapet—barefoot, in a dress uniform—risking everything to reach him.

Xaden’s terror is instant and raw. “Go back,” he demands, but Violet stands her ground. She reminds him that her life and death are tied to his through their bond, making his risk her own. His hands grip her waist, both grounding and protecting her, but his anger is born from love and fear, not control.

Finally, Violet confesses the truth she’s been running from: She is in love with him. She lays her heart bare, telling him she knows he wants her—not just physically but in every selfless act he’s shown: in the way he teaches her, protects her, trusts her, and even hunted down violets to leave beside her bed so she wouldn’t feel alone. She dares him to stop denying his feelings.

Xaden, with shadows churning and vulnerability flashing in his eyes, can’t refute her. “There’s only you,” he admits. She presses further, demanding his honesty: Why has he been pushing her away? His fear, he reveals, isn’t that he doesn’t want her—it’s that he can’t bear to lose her.

They return to the safety of the walls, and Violet, emboldened by love and certainty, takes his hand and leads him to his room. Xaden protests, aware that their relationship crosses every line, but Violet reminds him that their connection has never followed rules.

Inside his room—larger, cleaner, and filled with trophies from countless victories—Violet refuses to let him deflect or isolate himself. She undresses him slowly, tenderly, caring for him as he has always cared for her. She sees the cracks in his armor, the grief he carries, and holds him with her touch, her love, and her presence.

And then, with the moonlight spilling through the window, Violet says it aloud: “I love you.” Not because she expects him to say it back, but because she wants him to know he is worth loving.

Xaden’s defenses crumble. He pulls her into a kiss that is raw, consuming, and filled with everything he can’t yet say in words. Their union is more than passion—it is the breaking down of every wall they’ve built and the forging of something undeniable. Their bond explodes into lightning and thunder, shattering the window with the force of their connection.

But their night—one of vulnerability, of passion, of truth—is violently interrupted. A pounding on the door. Garrick’s voice, sharp with urgency: “We’re under attack.”

Xaden and Violet’s world, fragile and newly formed, is about to shatter under the weight of war.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Three Recap

The emergency summons turns out to be the final War Games exercise—an intense five-day simulation designed to mimic real-world combat scenarios. The announcement triggers chaos across the Riders Quadrant as cadets scramble to prepare, but Violet’s heart sinks when Xaden is assigned to lead the Fourth Wing’s headquarters at Athebyne—an outpost beyond the wards. Athebyne, the same place where he conducted his secretive mission, sends a chill down her spine.

Before the squads disperse, Xaden makes a shocking move—he claims Violet, Liam, and Imogen for his headquarters squad. The selection is his prerogative as wingleader, but it immediately triggers an explosive confrontation with Dain.

Dain protests violently, arguing that taking Violet beyond the wards is reckless, dangerous, and likely to get her killed. He accuses Xaden of using Violet to further his hidden agenda against her mother. His desperation boils over into a deeply personal attack, questioning Xaden’s true intentions and even the life-or-death bond between Tairn and Sgaeyl.

But Violet steps between them and does what she’s always done—chooses Xaden. She silences the argument with a simple, resolute statement:
"If you want me to go with you, I'll go. It's that simple."

The betrayal cuts Dain deeply. His eyes reveal more than anger—they reveal heartbreak, disappointment, and the collapse of every hope he’s held onto. Realization dawns—Violet has chosen Xaden not just as a leader, but as something more.

Dain’s final plea—“Don’t go. He’s going to get you killed”—falls on deaf ears. Violet’s response is quiet but unwavering: “I trust him. Always.”

The wedge between them is final. Dain, heartbroken, concedes with a whispered, painful goodbye:
“If he’s what you choose… then I guess that has to be enough for me.”

As Dain walks away, Violet watches both men—one from her past, one from her future—disappear in opposite directions. Her heart chooses the path forward, toward Xaden, toward danger, and toward a fate that is now irrevocably tied to him.

Her world is about to change forever.

The War Games have begun. But for Violet Sorrengail, the real war has already started—one for her heart, her life, and the truth behind the shadows.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Four Recap

Violet and her squad fly through the morning and into the afternoon, making their way toward Athebyne. When Andarna grows tired, she hooks onto Tairn’s harness and quickly falls asleep, her small body pushed to its limit. As they cross beyond the protective wards, Violet feels a strange shift—the magic feels wilder, untamed. Tairn confirms that it’s easier for dragons to communicate within the wards but beyond them, the wild magic changes everything.

The squad stops at a lake to let the dragons drink, and Violet, despite her exhaustion from flying all night, insists she’ll rest only when Tairn does. Liam checks in on her, his usual protective self, and she confesses to feeling uneasy—not physically, but mentally, as if something is off about this mission. Their exchange is warm and familiar, highlighting the deep friendship they share.

Violet is acutely aware of Xaden’s presence, her body still recalling their intimate moments from the night before. The charged glances they exchange leave her heart pounding, and she is painfully aware of how deeply she has fallen for him. Yet, her resolve to remain professional around the others wavers when Xaden, breaking his own rule, takes her hand publicly. His fingers lace with hers as he leads her to a secluded area, declaring that everyone in his squad is trustworthy. Violet, unashamed of their relationship, feels her heart race at his rare public display of affection.

Once alone, Xaden tends to Violet’s sore legs, massaging the tension from her muscles. Their conversation turns teasing, intimate, filled with unspoken promises and simmering desire. Xaden, however, remains protective, insisting she rests before their mission, knowing that her signet drains her strength dangerously when she’s fatigued. The playful tension escalates into a passionate kiss, but their moment is shattered by a sudden shift in Xaden’s demeanor. His body stiffens, his senses on high alert.

A woman’s voice cuts through the air, laced with derision and curiosity. Violet finds herself suddenly enveloped in Xaden’s shadows, blinded from the scene unfolding. The woman identifies her immediately: “General Sorrengail’s youngest.” Panic flashes through Violet—they’ve been discovered.

As the shadows fall, Violet sees the source of the threat—two gryphon riders, their massive beasts looming behind them. Gryphons, smaller than dragons but deadly with their sharp beaks and claws, stand poised for battle. Despite the danger, no one in Xaden’s squad draws a weapon, and Tairn’s arrival sends the gryphons skittering back, his enormous size overwhelming them.

Confusion and frustration mount as Xaden holds Violet back, wrapping her tightly in his arms and whispering urgently for her trust. His tone carries an unspoken plea—a demand for her faith without explanation. Then, to her shock, Xaden pushes her into Liam’s custody, as if passing her like baggage. Liam’s hands clamp around her arms, firm but regretful, and he apologizes—but for what?

Violet’s anger blazes, and Tairn’s roar shakes the earth, his protective fury evident. The force of his warning compels Liam to release her immediately. As Violet breaks free, her gaze locks on Xaden, who strides toward the gryphon riders with Garrick at his side.

Then comes the blow that shatters everything:

“You’re fucking early,” Xaden says.

And Violet’s heart stops. Because he knows them.

Everything she thought she understood about this mission, about Xaden, fractures in an instant.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Five Recap

Violet’s heart shatters as she processes the devastating truth—Xaden is working with gryphon riders, Navarre’s long-time enemies. She stands frozen, barely able to breathe, as she watches Xaden converse with the riders, who mention a "shipment" and a warning about an approaching venin horde. The word venin—creatures from fables—is met with horror by the squad, but Violet, unfamiliar with the truth, is shocked that they speak of such beings as real threats.

The tension escalates when one of the gryphon riders sneers at Violet, suggesting that her ransom could buy weapons to protect their people. Before she can react, Xaden steps forward, his shadows racing to protect her, and threatens to kill them if they come near her. The riders back off but invite Xaden to signal them for assistance before they leave. The squad’s calm reaction to the gryphon riders stuns Violet—they clearly knew about this alliance, but she was kept in the dark.

Realization crashes down: every member of Xaden’s squad bears a rebellion relic. Imogen. Bodhi. Garrick. Soleil. Even Liam—her closest friend. They are all the children of separatists. Xaden has built an entire squad of marked ones, all traitors. Violet’s chest tightens with betrayal, and her voice breaks as she confronts her dragons. Tairn and Andarna’s silence confirms it—they knew too.

Her devastation deepens when Tairn confesses that the only bond more sacred than rider and dragon is that of mates—he and Sgaeyl are bonded, which means their riders are forever tied by that connection. Xaden’s choices, his protection, and his secrecy fall into place—but it feels like the ultimate betrayal.

When Xaden approaches, Violet’s pain turns to fury. She confronts Liam, accusing him of watching her fall for Xaden without warning her. Liam, filled with regret, admits he owes Xaden everything but insists they are still friends. Violet shoves him away, her power surging with her anger, lightning crackling through the sky.

Xaden, calm but desperate, tries to explain. He confirms that the gryphon riders—“fliers”—are not enemies but allies against a greater threat: the venin. The venin are no fable—they are real, and they consume magic from the source itself, spreading devastation across the continent. Their existence has been hidden by Navarre’s leaders, who do nothing to stop the destruction beyond their borders, choosing instead to guard their kingdom behind powerful wards.

The horrifying truth: the same magic that powers Navarre’s wards is the only thing that can kill venin. The kingdom hoards that power, leaving their neighbors defenseless. Xaden and his squad supply weapons to the fliers to fight the venin.

Violet’s mind reels. She remembers her father’s warnings in his letter, urging her to see through lies disguised as history. She realizes that Navarre’s scribes, the keepers of history, have erased the truth. Only one generation is needed to rewrite history, and centuries of lies have made the fable of the venin into myth.

As Violet’s world collapses, she demands to know why Xaden never told her. He admits that he didn’t trust her to keep the secret because of Dain’s power. If Dain ever accessed her memories, the rebellion’s existence would be exposed, condemning them all.

Suddenly, Garrick rushes up with a sealed envelope—War Games orders from Colonel Aetos. Xaden breaks the seal and reads the chilling message:

"Your mission is to survive if you can."

Liam, scouting from the tower, calls out a warning, his voice panicked. Xaden’s face hardens with grim realization: they aren’t here for War Games.

They’ve been sent to die.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Six Recap

As Violet and the squad rush to the battlements, tension crackles through the air. Liam, using his enhanced sight, confirms their worst fear—venin have arrived, accompanied by a wielder with a staff and an ominous blue fire blast that has already destroyed Resson’s gates. The War Games have turned deadly real: save the enemy’s village and risk their lives or abandon it and survive. The choice is Xaden’s to make, and the squad watches him, knowing it’s more than a test—it’s a trap designed to kill them all.

Xaden learns from the gryphon fliers that four venin are below—enemies so powerful that two destroyed an entire city and wiped out multiple gryphon drifts last month. The flier warns them to leave, urging Xaden to save his squad from certain death. But Xaden refuses to stand by while innocents die, stating, “Sgaeyl has never run from a fight, and today will not be the first.” He gives the squad a choice: Fly to safety or fight with him.

The squad stands together—Imogen, Bodhi, Garrick, Soleil, and Liam—all ready to fight, honoring the memory of their separatist parents who died for doing the right thing. Violet, despite Xaden’s silent plea to leave, chooses to stay: “I’ve been defenseless. And now I’m a rider. Riders fight.”

The battle begins with chaos and devastation. Venin wield horrifying magic, draining life from the earth and everything around them. Soleil and her dragon Fuil attempt to intercept a venin but step into its expanding dead zone—both die in seconds, their bodies desiccating instantly. Violet tries to wield lightning but struggles with her aim, causing destruction but missing her targets.

As the battle rages, a horrifying new threat emerges—a wyvern. The creature is monstrous, resembling a dragon but with only two legs and a deadly, venomous fire. Violet realizes with terror that the ancient fables were true—venin create wyvern as weapons, channeling power into them instead of from them. The wyvern’s blue fire is deadly, and it moves with terrifying agility.

In a heart-stopping moment, Liam saves Violet and Tairn from a wyvern by launching himself onto the beast’s back. In a stunning show of bravery, he kills the venin rider with a dagger, sending both the wyvern and venin plummeting—but he is thrown off Deigh in the process. Violet catches him mid-air, straining against his weight as Tairn spirals in flight, but the battle continues to spiral out of control.

Suddenly, Deigh is attacked by another wyvern, locked in a deadly struggle. Violet and Tairn try to intervene, but the wyvern refuses to release Deigh, shredding him mid-air. Deigh crashes to the ground, and his death seals Liam’s fate. As Liam’s bond breaks, his life slips away.

Violet, frantic and heartbroken, carries Liam to Deigh’s body as his strength fades. With his last breaths, he begs her to keep his final promises: to take care of his sister, Sloane, and to hear Xaden out. Violet, shattered by grief, promises him everything. Liam dies in her arms, a hero, her friend, and her protector.

Xaden arrives, too late to save Liam, and his anguish echoes through their bond—a silent, soul-wrenching scream. But there is no time to mourn. A horde of wyvern emerges from the valley, led by two venin riders. Knowing he cannot hold them off alone, Xaden throws up a massive wall of shadows, urging Violet to fly and kill them all.

Blinded by grief and rage, Violet mounts Tairn, and they take to the skies with a single purpose: revenge. She unleashes a brutal volley of lightning, downing a wyvern with one devastating strike. But even in her fury, she is outnumbered.

Suddenly, pain sears through the bond—Tairn roars in agony.

The battle isn’t over. It’s only just begun.

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Seven Recap

The battle for Resson rages on as Violet faces death in a brutal confrontation with a venin who has managed to climb onto Tairn’s back. The venin stabs Tairn with a serrated sword, piercing the space between his scales. Violet, despite her injuries and exhaustion, engages the venin in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy is faster, stronger, and frighteningly skilled. Violet suffers a severe stab wound to her side, the blade coated in venom that begins to burn through her body, causing excruciating pain. She realizes she cannot match the venin’s speed and strength—until Xaden casts his shadows over them, plunging the sky into total darkness. In a flash of lightning, Violet uses her power to illuminate the battlefield for a single second, disorienting the venin and driving her dagger through the enemy’s ribs, killing her instantly.

In the aftermath, Violet witnesses a critical phenomenon—when the venin dies, several riderless wyvern fall lifeless from the sky. She makes the vital connection: the wyvern are bound to their venin creators, and killing the venin kills every wyvern they control. With this realization, she knows that victory hinges on eliminating the venin riders leading the horde. But there’s one more obstacle—the most powerful venin of all, the Sage, strides forward, wielding terrifying magic and setting his sights on Xaden.

Xaden, near the brink of burnout, struggles to hold the horde back with his shadows. Violet demands that he drop the shadows and trust her to end the fight. Xaden, torn and terrified for her life, obeys her plea, releasing his shadows. With the barrier gone, the full horde of wyvern charge. It’s Violet, alone, against the sky. She and Tairn focus on the Sage—the source of the largest threat. If they kill him, half the wyvern will fall.

But Violet is outmatched—her body is failing from blood loss and venom, and her lightning is wild and uncontrollable. Suddenly, Andarna arrives, offering her power. Though small and young, Andarna’s gift is potent: the ability to stop time. With time frozen and Tairn pushing every ounce of his strength into her, Violet bends lightning itself, manipulating it inch by inch. Despite her body burning from the power, she holds on until the bolt is directly above the Sage and then lets it strike. The venin leader is obliterated, and with his death, half the wyvern fall from the sky, lifeless.

As Violet’s body begins to break under the strain of power and venom, the last venin rider charges. But Xaden intervenes. A rope of shadows snaps around the venin’s neck, pulling him from his mount. With lethal precision, Xaden drives his dagger into the venin’s chest, killing him instantly—and with his death, the remaining wyvern collapse from the sky. The battle is over.

But victory comes at a devastating cost. Violet, her body shattered from the fight, collapses from Tairn’s back, falling through the air, unconscious and barely clinging to life. As she plummets, her world goes dark to the sound of Xaden’s anguished scream:

“VIOLET!”

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Eight Recap

Violet is falling. The battle, her injuries, and the sheer exhaustion of wielding so much power have finally caught up with her. The wind rushes past as she plummets through the sky, and for a horrifying moment, she is completely disconnected—from Tairn, from Xaden, from her power. Just as the ground seems inevitable, something catches her: Andarna. The young dragon, though too small to carry her, uses every ounce of her strength to stop time and break Violet’s fall. The shimmering gold of Andarna’s magic surrounds her, but the strain is too much for the young dragon, and Violet slips from her back, only to be gathered into Xaden’s arms.

Violet’s body is shutting down. The poison from the venin’s blade is coursing through her veins, turning her blood black and cutting her off from her magic. Xaden, desperate and panicked, holds her tightly, whispering for her to fight. The others gather around, their voices filled with fear and uncertainty. Imogen urges they get Violet to Healer Nolon at Basgiath, but Xaden knows she won’t survive the twelve-hour flight. He makes a decision that stuns everyone—to take her somewhere else, somewhere closer.

The tension among Xaden’s friends is palpable. They argue about the risk of revealing a dangerous secret, about what could happen if they go to this unknown destination. But Xaden doesn’t care about the consequences. His voice, filled with authority and anguish, makes it clear: they will save her, no matter the cost. With Tairn’s agreement, they take to the skies, carrying Violet toward an unknown but closer sanctuary.

Time blurs for Violet. The pain is unrelenting, her body burning from the inside out, and her consciousness slips in and out. She barely registers the movement, the wind, and the arguments around her. Every breath is agony, and the poison is spreading rapidly, threatening to claim her life. The only thing keeping her from slipping into the darkness is Xaden’s voice—soft, desperate, begging her to stay.

As they land, voices rise in heated debate—Xaden’s decision is controversial, reckless, and could cost everything. But none of it matters to him. His priority is Violet. He holds her close, whispering for her to fight, to live, to survive long enough to hate him for all his secrets later. In a raw, vulnerable confession, he tells her:

“You can’t make me fall for you and then die. None of this is worth it without you.”

Violet hears it all—his fear, his desperation, his love. But her body is broken, her magic unreachable, and the venom within her is winning. The world is slipping away, but one final voice reaches her ears, a voice filled with familiarity and authority, demanding:

“You have to save her.”

Fourth Wing – Chapter Thirty-Nine Recap

Xaden sits beside Violet’s unconscious form, his world narrowing to the steady rise and fall of her chest. It has been three agonizing days since she fell, and he has not left her side, his heart caught in a vice of guilt and fear. The guilt for Liam’s death—his foster brother, his friend—gnaws at him, and he knows it was his secrets, his orders, that led to that fatal moment. He should have told Violet the truth long ago, but he was too afraid of losing her. Now, he might lose her anyway.

Tairn, ever the blunt voice of reason, growls at him, condemning his choice to keep the truth from Violet. Xaden agrees. His secrets have brought them all to this breaking point. But his regret runs deeper than strategy—it’s personal. Somewhere along the way, through every challenge, every argument, every brush with death, he fell in love with Violet Sorrengail. He can’t pinpoint the exact moment. Was it when she stood up for Andarna? Or when she fought for her squadmates? Or maybe when she simply refused to give up, refused to be anything less than everything he admired. It doesn’t matter. He loves her. And he never told her.

Suddenly, there is movement. Violet’s eyes flutter open. Xaden’s heart stops and then races, a thousand emotions flooding through him. She’s awake. She’s alive. And, to his surprise, she smiles softly. When he lifts her nightdress to check her wound, he finds only a thin silver scar where the venin’s poison had ravaged her. Relief crashes over him so hard that he feels lightheaded. She is alive, and against every odd, she is healing.

Violet, however, doesn’t understand his fear. She tries to soothe him, brushing her hand over his heart. He confesses, raw and unguarded, how terrified he was that he would lose her. He kisses her forehead, her temple—soft, reverent touches filled with longing and apology. When she kisses him back, his world blazes with hope. But it’s too brief. Because then, the questions start.

Xaden quickly realizes something is off. When he mentions her possible memory loss, her expression shifts. She checks in with Tairn and Andarna, confirming that she remembers everything. And then, her eyes—those hazel eyes that once looked at him with trust and love—turn cold.

Violet scrambles from the bed, her gaze locking on the view beyond the windows: the rebuilt town of Aretia, a place that was supposedly destroyed in the rebellion. Her sharp mind pieces it together instantly. She demands answers. Where are they? Why isn’t Aretia a pile of ruins?

Xaden, knowing there is no more room for lies, tells her the truth. This is Aretia, rebuilt, hidden from the eyes of the kingdom because of the rebellion relics and their ability to blind Melgren’s foresight. It is a haven for those who continue the rebellion, those who still fight against Navarre’s corruption. He offers her everything—every secret, every truth—no more lies.

But it’s not enough. Violet’s voice is sharp, edged with heartbreak as she steps back from him. She’s in, she says. She will fight with them. But her heart? Her trust? Those are gone.

"Just because I believe you and am willing to fight with you doesn’t mean I’ll trust you with my heart again. And I can’t be with someone I don’t trust."

The words are a knife, and Xaden bleeds from them. He tells her he’s never lied to her—because he hasn’t. He kept secrets, yes, but he never spoke a falsehood. He admits that he fell for her—hard, deeply, and irrevocably. And he promises that from this day forward, she will have every piece of him—no more secrets. He will fight, every day, to win back her trust.

Their standoff is shattered by an insistent knock. Xaden warns her that answers are coming—answers she’s not ready for.

The door opens, and there stands the person Violet thought she would never see again.

“That definitely wasn’t an accident, little sister,” says the voice from the doorway.

Violet’s heart stops. Because the voice belongs to her brother—Brennan. The brother she believed dead. The brother her mother told her was gone.

Xaden’s voice is low as he confesses:

“You weren’t healed. You were mended.”

Her brother, Brennan, grins and opens his arms wide:

“Welcome to the revolution, Violet.”

That’s a wrap on Book 1!

I hope you enjoyed this thrilling journey through Violet Sorrengail’s trials, battles, and growth. From surviving the parapet to facing deadly challenges, uncovering secrets, and navigating tension-filled relationships, her journey has only just begun.

But what lies ahead? Will she conquer Threshing, bond with a dragon, and survive the deadly path of a rider? And what role will Xaden Riorson play in her future—enemy, ally, or something far more dangerous?

Stay tuned for the Book 2 Recap, where the stakes are higher, the battles fiercer, and the secrets even more shocking.

Until then, happy reading—and may your daggers stay sharp! 🐉✨📖

THE EMPYREAN SERIES

BOOK 2: IRON FLAME

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BOOK 1 : FOURTH WING