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Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 66

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Written by: Cory

Onyx Storm Read Along – Chapter 66

Well, here we are… the last chapter. It’s bittersweet, to be fair, because I absolutely adored writing these read-alongs, and now I’m faced with the final one. It’s hard to accept that we’ll have to wait… 1–2 years for the next book. But that’s okay, because we love Rebecca Yarros, and we want her to take her time and create masterpieces. Alright, ready? Let’s go!

The epigraph is… telling.

“lieutenants are permitted to marry whomever they choose upon graduation.”

Oh look, Xaden is not only a Duke but also a lieutenant.

Okay, it’s weird that we’re starting with Brennan. If Brennan were Venin, wouldn’t his eyes still be red 12 hours later? More importantly, would Xaden allow him near Violet? Wouldn’t Brennan know what happened? Interestingly enough, one person is missing: Garrick. Which would make sense… if he were the Venin. What’s more, I’m starting to wonder—could Garrick be the sibling? Do we know anything about his family?

So, who’s in the courtyard? Brennan, Violet, Imogen, and… Andarna. Andarna speaks directly to Violet, meaning they’re bonded again, right?

“I will not let them burn you,”

That was definitely a shocking statement from Andarna. Why would her brother burn her?

“My thoughts are…slow. Something’s off.”

It’s nice to finally understand how Imogen’s signet works—and get a taste of how it affects others. Violet sounds almost… groggy!

Also—who the hell is Weilsen?

“Official numbers are four riders, their dragons, and three elders murdered in the valley in what we’re estimating is the last few hours,”

So many questions. Are we talking about people Xaden specifically killed in the canyon? Or are these casualties from the Battle of Draithus?

There are five riders missing—four now that Violet is back. Xaden is one of them, also Garrick. Which means two are still unknown.

“My stomach lurches, and Imogen tenses so hard she might as well be stone.”

Knowing that Imogen’s second signet is literally turning things to stone—what a clever line. Bravo, Mrs. Yarros. Bravo.

“The wards are holding in Draithus as of the last report, but who knows how many of those desiccations during the battle were actually him.”

Oh! So some of the riders Xaden killed were Venin? There are Venin among the ranks.

“And so far, the tally is at six missing eggs from the hatching ground, but they’re double-checking.”

Six dragon types. Six missing eggs. Could it be Xaden took the eggs to Dunne’s island for an exchange?

Missing eggs? I reach for Tairn, but the bond feels foggy, like he’s asleep.
“He needs a cycle of rest to recover,” Andarna clarifies.
“Recover from what?”

Andarna can break bonds. She is magic. Did she break the bond between Tairn and Sgaeyl? Because in Book 4, we need to keep Xaden away. Sgaeyl and Tairn would be in agony if separated for long. Breaking their bond would be the first move to ensure Violet is safe from proximity to Xaden.

Violet’s arm is splinted. Splinted—not mended. Which suggests Brennan wasn’t there as the new brother to help heal her. So… where was Brennan?

“My left arm is splinted, and a beautiful gold ring with an emerald the size of my thumbnail sits on my hand. Oh gods, I know that stone. It matches the others from the Blade of Aretia upstairs on Xaden’s nightstand.”

From the moment we saw that stone missing, we knew Xaden would use it to make a ring. We just assumed it would be for a proposal—not that they’d already be married! Either way, green of Tyrrendor suits her.

“I fling myself down the bond, but there’s nothing there. It’s gone. Or he’s too far away to feel it, I remind myself to keep from panicking.”

I’m convinced the bond is gone. Andarna made sure of that.

“Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.”

Tyrrendor. The province. It’s Violet’s now. Don’t look for him—which is, of course, exactly what Violet will do. So why rush the marriage? The logical answer: Bodhi turned Venin, and Xaden needed someone to inherit the province fast, or risk losing it back to Navarre. But I don’t think that’s the real reason. I think he was preparing Bodhi to be his right-hand man. He wouldn’t trust anyone else to protect Violet. He’s always wanted to marry her, to use Tyrrendor as a shield for her. Title trumps rank—so maybe that was the plan all along.

Here’s my theory: maybe Bodhi didn’t realize Xaden can actually read minds. Xaden said only Sgaeyl and Violet know he’s inntinnsic. I think Bodhi likes Violet—Xaden knows this. That’s why he trusts him above all to protect her. That’s why he trusted Bodhi to be with her in the field when Theo showed up. Or maybe I’m just overthinking it.

The ending? Probably the best one yet. You can feel Violet’s emotion rising to full-blown anger, and Imogen’s crushing guilt for what she had to do—wipe Violet’s recent memories. Violet is married to Xaden… and she remembers none of it.

And this is it. The end. Are you suffering from POSD? Post Onyx Storm Depression? You’re not alone. Dive into our theories here on the site—it’s at least something to keep us going until the next book. Until next time… sending hugs.

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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 66”

  1. Zuzle Avatar
    Zuzle

    “… but who knows how many of those desiccations during the battle were actually him,” …I understood it as him thinking that Xaden dessicated them in the sense of “drained them”.

    Reply

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