Iron Flame Chapters 5–8 Summary & Analysis

Summary: Chapters 5–8

Chapter 5

Violet and the other cadets party and celebrate moving up. The rest of Fourth Wing asks what it was like to see real fighting, and Violet is overcome with emotion. Imogen saves her and ends the conversation by raising a toast in Liam’s honor. Violet senses Xaden’s presence and the two walk away from the festivities to discuss Xaden’s impending departure. Violet is devastated to lose him but unwilling to continue their romantic relationship until Xaden is willing to offer full disclosure of all his secrets.

While they talk, Colonel Aetos, who has been fired and relocated to a coastal outpost, approaches them. He introduces the pair to the new Vice Commandant, Burton Varrish, whom they instantly distrust. Aetos then gives them letters granting them leave to see each other every seven days since their dragons are mated. This upsets them both; their dragons have never spent more than three days apart, and will be in constant pain. Aetos then leaves with a thinly veiled threat, saying that secrets are only good leverage if the person with the secret is alive to tell it.

Chapter 6

Violet and Xaden speak in private, relying primarily on their bond to communicate with their minds so they are not overheard. Xaden tells Violet to not get involved with the revolution because she does not have a Rebellion relic that shields her actions from General Melgren like Xaden and his fellow marked ones. He then reminds her to stay on her guard at all times against new marked ones entering Basgiath who may want to kill her because her mother oversaw their parents’ executions. Violet still has feelings for Xaden, but will not act on them until he agrees to her terms. Xaden, however, says that she has to let him set boundaries too. He says he wants Violet but he is willing to wait until she is ready because he knows she still loves him. Xaden leaves, and Violet runs into Rhiannon who delivers the news: Dain is the new wingleader, and Rhiannon is the new squad leader for Fourth Wing.

Chapter 7

Violet and her friends attend their first class as second-years. A new professor named Professor Grady introduces himself and says that he teaches a top-secret class called the Rider Survival Course (RSC) which teaches cadets how to survive if they are ever separated from their dragon and taken behind enemy lines. The class focuses on practical skills such as navigation and survival techniques, as well as how to withstand torture. Violet is concerned because she has secrets that could be exposed in this class, which would put the revolution at risk. Later, Violet goes to the Archives and lies to her friend Jesinia about needing texts on the creation of Navarre’s wards for a history debate. She wants to figure out how to fix Aretia’s wards so that they are no longer defenseless against venin.

Chapter 8

It is Conscription Day, and Violet and her squadmates watch as would-be first-years line up to cross the parapet. Violet feels helpless, knowing that so many will die while trying to walk along the narrow stone walkway into Basgiath as she did the previous year. Later, Violet and Dain recognize the king’s third-youngest son (Prince Camlaen Aaric Tauri), who gives a fake name, Aaric Graycastle. The two let him cross despite worrying what his father will say. Violet then spots Liam’s younger sister Sloane, and tries to offer her advice, having promised Liam that she would look after her. However, Sloane blames Violet for her brother’s death and wants nothing to do with her. Unfortunately for Sloane, she is later added to Violet’s squad.

Three first-years try to run away, terrified, when they see the dragons for the first time. Solas, Vice Commandant Varrish’s dragon, kills them and many other students including Ciaran—one of the marked cadets who fought venin with Violet at Resson at the end of Fourth Wing. Tairn is furious and arrives to intimidate Solas, and he threatens both him and Varrish should they ever try to hurt Violet again. Violet is sure that Varrish is her enemy now, if he was not already.