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Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 65

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 65

Can you believe we’re already at the penultimate chapter? Woah.

The epigraph is… fair. I do not like Melgren at all, and I’m very interested to read his full journal. One must beg the question: how did they come into possession of such a journal? Will Melgren eventually die?

“The only thing more unpredictable than the volatile province that is Tyrrendor is her duke. There is a reason reigning aristocracy should never wear black.”

Obviously, I want to contradict Melgren and say that Xaden is not volatile at all… but the truth is far from that.

This chapter is from Xaden’s POV. By now, we should be clear on the timeline. My guess is that this part happens at the same time as Violet fighting Theo and Imogen trying to save Quinn.

The first thing that stands out is the word “summon” in italics. Xaden has been summoned to the canyon south of Draithus—against his will. The Venin have the power to do this.

In all fairness, I won’t lie to you—this chapter left me more confused than before. I have many questions and sadly not enough answers, though I assume that’s the point.

Why can’t Xaden kill Berwyn?

“The bond between Berwyn and me is the kind that should never exist.”

But there’s so much more packed into this line:

“that my Sage has another sibling he can use against me…I’m screwed.”

Another sibling. Not another brother, but sibling he can use against him.

“I glance past Berwyn, past Sgaeyl and the venin, to my new brother and the unconscious dragon lying in the valley beyond the canyon, guarded by seven wyvern. How could he do this? Choose this after watching me stumble and fall over the last five months.”

This is probably the most important part of the book. And of course, the mystery we’re all fighting to understand and unravel.

“My new brother.” Someone close to Xaden turned Venin. But who? We know it’s someone who’s watched him fall apart over the last five months.

As far as we’re aware, only Garrick and Bodhi have known the full story for five months. I have a timeline to prove that Ridoc and Sawyer have only known for two months max. The wild card? Brennan. He’s known about Xaden being Venin—but we don’t know when he found out. That’s a problem.

But there’s more. Just moments earlier, Xaden says Berwyn now has “another sibling” he can use against him. Sibling, not brother.

If Brennan turned, then Xaden saying “Berwyn has another sibling he can use against me” makes sense—first Violet, now Brennan too.

If Garrick turned, then Xaden is saying Berwyn used Violet against him (she’s a sibling), and now maybe Imogen (who had a sister), and she’s got ties to Garrick. Hmm… feels like a weak argument. If that were the case, he might’ve said “another sister he can use against me.”

To me, the only option that fits is Brennan turning. Just my take. Rebecca Yarros did say to pay attention to who’s missing at the end. Not necessarily the end of the book, but the end of the fight. Every single male character is accounted for—except Brennan, who’s tending to Mira and her dragon on the cliff. Maybe he ran out of power, and to save them, he turned. Isn’t that what we think Naolin did to save Brennan? Would be poetic.

We knew there were traitors in Basgiath—we just didn’t know it was Panchek. The traitor!!!

“I’m the only one who can give you access to your son.”

Panchek means Jack. And just like that, Berwyn stabs Panchek’s green, and it desiccates. Green draining from its scales, shrinking in on itself.

Does this mean Panchek was Venin? That his dragon died the same way Venin do?

Berwyn just killed a dragon with a dagger.
How the fuck is that possible?

Exactly. How is it possible to kill a dragon with a dagger? My theory? Different dragons have different vulnerabilities—specific daggers can kill them. Like how Theo was killed with a marble dagger from a temple. Dragons and gods are connected. And they have a weakness. I think dragons turned their backs on the gods, the same way Theo turned her back on Dunne. Hmm…

So… does this mean Panchek just died?

And just like that, we get Xaden. But not sweet Xaden. Shadow-daddy Xaden. Terrifying Xaden. The one who could end worlds. Honestly? At this point, maybe he should. Spare us all the Venin bullshit.

Shadows stream through the canyon. Shadow drags Berwyn from Sgaeyl and knocks both him and “my new brother” unconscious. The other two Venin standing guard? Dead.

“finding the identical heartbeats that mark wyvern and slicing through scale with shadow, ripping their runestones free”

As I said—Xaden in terrifying form. He kills wyvern with ease.

“tearing the heart from the wyvern who has Dain and Cath backed into a corner, rushing over Imogen as she looks to the sky.”

Dain is accounted for—he’s not the new brother. And notice: his shadow rushes over Imogen as she looks to the sky. That means this is happening exactly at the same time as Imogen’s POV—when she sees the sky darkening. Just seconds earlier, Garrick was with her. He’s not the new brother. Imogen’s POV also accounts for Bodhi—he’s on his hands and knees, retching. Not the brother either. It has to be Brennan.

And just like that, Xaden stops his mass destruction and clings to the only logical feeling he still has: Violet.

“Will you forsake me now?” I ask, walking over Berwyn’s unconscious body. I’d kill him if I could. Fuck, I thought I had. I wonder how many initiates feel the same about their Sage? At least one that I know of. But beyond the physical impossibility of it, he has something I need.

Initiates want to kill their Sages—but they can’t.

“At least one that I know of” implies Xaden read someone’s mind.

So what does Berwyn have that Xaden needs?

“And I’m no longer an initiate.” Xaden is an asim.

Xaden lowers his shields and shares his plan with Sgaeyl. Of course, we’re not privy to it—yet. But we find out in the next chapter, so hang tight.

“Even if she agrees, no one will—”
“Someone owes me a favor.”

Someone = the high priestess of Dunne’s temple. We learned that a few chapters ago.

“And her decision will determine our fate.”

Her decision = Violet’s. But what fate? Notice that Sgaeyl says “our fate,” meaning she won’t forsake him—she’s staying by his side.

And with that, we’re all shocked. Left starving for the next chapter.
And for the next book.

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Cory

Hello! I’m Cory, a devoted superfan of the Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and the Empyrean Series. My passion for these epic tales has led me to read and reread the books, each time uncovering new layers of information. I’ve created this site to share my insights and discoveries with fellow fans and anyone interested in exploring the rich world of Empyrean.

One response to “Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 65”

  1. Zuzle Avatar
    Zuzle

    After I found out that all the dreams in IF were Xaden’s, I don’t rule out anything anymore. (If Xaden was running away from the Sage to Tairn, then the new brother could very well be Violet). … But I also think that ‘sibling’ is important. And of the men who have a sibling, the only ones that come to mind are Brennan or Aaric. Could Berwyn have used Alic or Halden against Xaden? Even if my craziest theory, that the highest venin is King Tauri, were true…nothing comes to mind.

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