Onyx Storm Chapters 63–66 Summary & Analysis

Summary: Chapters 63–66

Chapter 63

This chapter is told from Imogen’s point of view. Imogen and her dragon, Glane, kill several wyvern. She sees venin heading towards a turret where her best friend, Quinn, is stationed. Imogen and Glane decide to head towards her. They arrive at the base of the turret and are joined by Dain. Fire comes their way, and Imogen reveals that she too has a secret second signet, creating a stone shield to protect them from the flames. Imogen rushes to get to Quinn while Dain remains to fight the venin on the wall. Imogen sees that her friend is using her signet to project images of herself while she sneaks up on a venin. Together, Imogen and Quinn kill the venin, but not before the venin stabs Quinn in the chest. Imogen is unable to save Quinn, and her best friend dies in her arms. Garrick suddenly emerges and tells Imogen they need to leave because the venin are draining the building. He uses his second signet to get himself, Imogen, and Quinn’s body to safety. Garrick and Imogen want to continue helping, but Garrick knows he is on the brink of burnout and is not strong enough to walk them back to the battle. Imogen tells her dragon to tell the other dragons that any available riders within the walls need to come to Imogen and disarm to power the wards if they want to live. She hopes Violet is able to take out Theophanie, or they will all die.

Chapter 64

The narrative reverts to Violet’s point of view. Violet’s conduit shatters, and Theophanie slows the storm, making it harder for Violet to wield. Theophanie then hurls a net towards Tairn and Violet; caught within it, they begin to plummet. They manage to break their fall, but Violet snaps her arm and loses her knife. She then discovers a marble dagger in the package from Aaric, a gift from the high priestess of Dunne’s temple in Aretia. Aaric’s note instructs Violet to use the dagger after she loses hers, and to strike in the dark.

Theophanie arrives and nearly kills Violet but extremely powerful shadows surround them just in time. Violet realizes these shadows are too powerful, and that Xaden must be channeling. This discovery pains her, but she tells Xaden she loves him through their bond. Tairn instructs Violet to use the darkness to her advantage, and Violet realizes Aaric’s signet is precognition (the ability to see into the future)—this, then, is what his note meant. Violet wields lighting in the darkness, disorienting Theophanie, who dives to the side and hits what appears to be an invisible wall. The “wall” snarls and shifts colors, and Violet realizes Andarna has returned. Theophanie is stunned by Andarna’s presence, and Violet uses her temporary distraction to stab Theophanie with the marble dagger. Theophanie is shocked to see that she is bleeding because stone is not supposed to kill venin, but Violet reminds her she was “never just venin”—she used to be a high priestess of Dunne. She tells Theophanie that Dunne is a “wrathful goddess to high priestesses who turn their backs on Her,” and Theophanie dies. Violet just manages to hear Andarna whisper her name before she passes out.

Chapter 65

This chapter is told from Xaden’s point of view. He and Sgaeyl are ensnared in the same net that took down Violet and Tairn, and Sgaeyl is wounded. They are confronted by Berwyn, the venin Sage, who clearly survived after Xaden “killed” him at the end of Iron Flame. Xaden realizes he cannot kill Berwyn because Berwyn is Xaden’s Sage. Xaden is then horrified to realize that Berwyn has created another “sibling” for Xaden. Xaden does not reveal the identity of his new “brother,” but he is stunned that this unidentified person could choose this path after watching Xaden struggle for the past five months. Commandant Panchek and his dragon are also ensnared—Xaden realizes that Panchek has been passing information to the venin army this entire time. Panchek begins to argue with Berwyn, who stabs Panchek’s dragon, causing the green to drain from its scales before shrinking in on itself down to a husk. Xaden is horrified; he did not think that was possible.

Berwyn then raises the same dagger to Sgaeyl, and Xaden channels in order to save her, knocking Berwyn unconscious in the process. He sends his shadows careening towards the battle, the same shadows that save Violet in Chapter 66, and his soul starts to chip away as he feels his venin abilities consume him. However, he hears Violet’s whispered “I love you” through their bond, and he clings to Violet’s love and manages to stop channeling before he loses himself entirely. He is, however, no longer an initiate. He once again wishes he could kill Berwyn, but acknowledges he has something that Xaden needs. Sgaeyl informs Xaden that Violet is wounded but alive, and that the wards are complete but extend no farther than Draithus. He begs Sgaeyl to ask Tairn to bring Violet to him, because he has a plan—but Violet will have to agree to it first.

Chapter 66

The narrative returns to Violet’s point of view. She wakes in a courtyard in Riorson House with Imogen standing nearby. Brennan bursts in, and an officer informs Brennan that four riders, their dragons, and three elder riders were killed in the battle. Violet also learns that four riders, including Garrick, and six eggs from the hatching grounds are missing. Xaden is presumed to be responsible, and Violet realizes she cannot reach Xaden through their bond. She tries to ask Tairn what’s going on via their bond but it is Andarna who answers, saying Tairn needs a cycle of rest to recover, though she does not specify from what.

Brennan is startled by something on Violet’s person and tells Violet to look at her hand. She realizes she is wearing an emerald ring on her finger, and Violet recognizes the stone from the Blade of Aretia, which Xaden keeps on his nightstand. Brennan and Violet find an official marriage blessing from the priestess of Dunne in Violet’s pocket; Violet realizes that she must have married Xaden but has no memory of it. On the other side of the missive is a note, in Xaden’s handwriting, that says, “Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.” Violet realizes that Xaden is gone. She also learns that she was missing for a total of twelve hours. She turns to Imogen, comprehension dawning on her, and asks why she erased her memories; Imogen replies that Violet asked her to.

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