Iron Flame Chapters 28–31 Summary & Analysis

Summary: Chapters 28–31

Chapter 28

Violet, Xaden, and their dragons land at the rendezvous spot to meet with a drift of gryphons and their fliers. Two women, Syrena and Cat, greet Xaden, and Violet notes that Cat is gazing at Xaden with obvious desire. Xaden informs them that he nearly lost his arm fighting off a gryphon. He then says that he will stop supplying the fliers with weapons if they steal any daggers from the outposts, or if any of Navarre’s wards are weakened as a result of their thievery. He continues on to say that he and the other leaders at Aretia are working on securing a luminary which will allow them to make their own daggers instead of stealing them. Cat says that Xaden has had two different opportunities to obtain a luminary from Viscount Tecarus, but that he refused his demands. She then implies that Xaden’s feelings for Violet influenced his rejection of Tecarus’s terms.

Xaden hands over the twenty-three stolen daggers and says that Garrick will bring the next shipment. He then uses their bond to tell Violet where the other rendezvous spot is, and Violet is touched by his obvious attempt at transparency. Syrena agrees to launch fewer attacks on Navarre outposts but insists that her people will not fully trust Xaden until he is willing to openly supply them. As they leave, Syrena refers to Cat as “Catronia,” and Violet realizes that she is the person from Xaden’s past that Bodhi alluded to earlier.

Chapter 29

On their way back to Samara, Violet asks Xaden if Cat is his ex. Xaden confirms that she is, but that their relationship ended long before he met Violet. Violet feels a mixture of jealousy, anxiety, and insecurity owing to Cat’s obvious beauty and power, but Tairn reminds her that Violet is just as, if not more, impressive as Cat. Switching topics, Violet asks about Viscount Tecarus’s demands. Xaden tells Violet that Tecarus is willing to give his luminary to Aretia if he can see Violet wield. Violet feels this is an easy trade, but Xaden is concerned because Tecarus is known for keeping “precious things” against their will, and he does not want him to add Violet to the Viscount’s collection. Violet and Xaden then agree to spend their remaining few hours together somewhere private so Violet can fill him in on what has been going on at Basgiath concerning Varrish, Jack, and the new signet-blocking elixir.

Violet arrives at Basgiath. She is about to join Rhiannon and her friends when she is stopped by Varrish. He notes that she is wearing a jacket that isn’t hers and accuses her of impersonating a commissioned officer. Luckily, Professor Kaori overhears and defends Violet, claiming that she is clearly not attempting to impersonate anyone and is just wearing a borrowed jacket. Undeterred, Varrish still demands that she hand over the jacket, which causes Violet to panic due to the stolen dagger is still in the pocket. She subtly gestures to Rhiannon, who is listening nearby, with her eyes, telling her where the dagger is, but she does not know if she is successful. Kaori mentions that Violet has been cleared of all charges and will not face a court martial for leaving Basgiath. Varrish is angry when he cannot find anything in the jacket and leaves. Violet goes to Rhiannon’s room, where it’s revealed that Rhiannon was able to use her signet to summon the dagger out of the pocket and into her room. Violet thanks her for saving the day finally decides to tell her friends the truth, explaining that the dagger is for killing venin.

Chapter 30

Violet tells Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer everything. The only information she conceals involves Brennan and the base in Aretia, because she does not think they are her secrets to tell. Violet’s three friends believe her and ask how much time they have, and Violet repeats Brennan’s answer from the start of the book: likely less than a year. She urges Rhiannon to convince her family to move since they live right on the border and are therefore vulnerable to an attack. Much to Violet’s relief, her friends are not angry that she kept such a big secret; instead, they ask how they can help. When Violet explains that she has been researching wards, the three volunteer their assistance. Violet says she and Jesinia are at a loss because Jesinia does not have access to all classified texts, that they need a primary source from one of the First Six that explains how they created the wards. Ridoc stuns Violet by offering up the fact that two of the First Six (Lyra and Warrick) kept journals; he knows they are somewhere in the Archives because he saw them mentioned in a classified ledger in Violet’s mom’s office when they broke in to steal a map for last year’s Squad Battle.

Jesinia agrees to look for information about the sublevel vaults where the journals are likely kept. In the meantime, Violet and her friends divide up Violet’s research on the First Six and the creation of wards. Later, Jesinia sends a coded message saying that she has found a sublevel vault and asks Violet to come meet her. Violet, however, has watch duty, so Ridoc offers to go in her place. Violet goes to relieve a cadet named Eya (one of the marked ones who fought with Violet in Resson) from her shift. However, the two are instantly ambushed by four infantry assassins. Violet and Eya manage to kill three out of the four but not before Eya is stabbed and killed. The last assassin attempts to throw Violet off the parapet, and he nearly does when someone stabs him in the back.

Chapter 31

Violet is shocked to see that Jack Barlowe has rescued her. He tells Violet that his death gave him a second chance and now, in saving her life, he has given her a second chance as well. Violet reconvenes with her friends and tells them what happened. Ridoc joins and confirms that Lyra and Warrick’s journals are in the royal sublevel vault, and that it can only be opened by someone from the king’s bloodline. Everyone else is disheartened by the news—everyone except for Violet, because she knows that Aaric will be able to open it.

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