Onyx Storm Chapters 7–9 Summary & Analysis

Summary: Chapters 7–9

Chapter 7

Violet and her friends arrive in the infirmary. Bodhi and Quinn meet them there along with Maren (a second-year flier from their squad, and Cat’s best friend), whom they are deliberately keeping in the dark so that she has plausible deniability if their mysterious plan goes south. They head to Sawyer’s room in the infirmary, and Violet tells him what Mira learned about altering the material into which a rune is tempered without destroying it. Violet needs Sawyer because he is a metallurgist and can use his signet to manipulate some unidentified object that Violet only refers to as “it,” because said object is mostly made of iron. Sawyer agrees to join in their as-yet unspecified treasonous plan, but only after Ridoc convinces him that he is still a rider and part of their squad, even with his injury.

Violet and her friends now head for Basgiath’s wardstone to enact their plan. However, they're surprised to find Mira and Brennan posted there instead of the usual guards. Mira guessed what Violet was up to, and explains that she and Brennan took over the guard shift so they could oversee Violet’s plan and help if necessary. Mira knows that Violet is doing the right thing, but warns her sister that she is putting Navarre’s only wardstone at risk with what they’re going to attempt. Everyone watches as Sawyer begins trying to alter the wardstone with the new rune. It takes several tries, but when Maren suddenly realizes that she can use her signet, it’s clear their plan has worked: they altered the wardstone in such a way so as to allow the fliers to wield, without removing the wardstone’s protections against venin.

The next day, Professor Devera says that she will be co-teaching with Professor Kiandra because rider and flier cadets will now be studying together. They elaborate that the soon-to-be-arriving fliers will be used to help make up for unequal wing sizes and they establish the following wingleaders: Iris Drue (First Wing), Aura Beinhaven (Second Wing), Lyell Stirling (Third Wing), and Dain Aetos (Fourth Wing). Suddenly, Colonel Aetos storms into the classroom and charges Violet with treason.

Chapter 8

Dain tries to stand up to his father on Violet’s behalf, but Colonel Aetos publicly disowns him. He then brings Violet before the Senarium (which now includes Xaden, as Duke of Tyrrendor) for a trial. Violet confesses to being the sole orchestrator behind the altering of Basgiath’s wardstone, and says that Navarre and Poromiel should be able to arrive at an alliance now that fliers can wield inside the wards. Aetos demands that Violet be punished for putting Basgiath at risk and she smugly explains that they cannot punish her; she committed the act last night and, as of this morning, she and the rest of her fellow revolutionaries have been pardoned. Queen Maraya, the Poromish queen, finally makes her presence known and states that she is both impressed and confused as to why Violet was willing to risk her life to ensure that fliers were able to wield in exchange for unrestricted access to Tecarus’s library. Xaden realizes that Violet did this, in part, so that she could research how to cure him. He chastises Violet via their bond but Violet is unrepentant. Maraya announces that her library is bigger than Tecarus’s and gives Violet access to that as well.

Colonel Aetos is furious that Violet got away with her plan and says that he will use his newly appointed position as the Commander of Basgiath—a position previously held by Violet’s mom before her death—to punish her. Violet is not afraid of him; she knows she is too important, due to her powerful signet and her tethered connection to Xaden. Colonel Aetos, now General Aetos, retaliates by targeting the people Violet cares about instead, and he orders every second-year in Violet’s squad to serve two days of active duty at Samara (a Navarre military outpost) as punishment.

Chapter 9

Violet and the second-year riders and fliers in her squad arrive at Samara only to learn that the fighting has already ended. Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi informs them that his troops crossed the border and fought with the Poromish people against the venin, but the alliance was not a popular one. With nothing else to do, Violet brings her squadmates to sleep in Xaden’s old room from when he was previously stationed at Samara. She is soon woken from a nightmare in which she almost dies trying to save a family portrait from a fire. In her dream, Cat tries to save her, but Violet tells Cat to leave her and save herself—she needs to stay alive to become the next Queen of Tyrrendor.

When the rest of her squad wakes, they learn that the small village of Newhall is ordering its civilians to evacuate because it is under attack from venin, but that the Samara outpost cannot spare the soldiers to help. Maren is distressed because her family lives in Newhall. Violet and the rest of the squad vote to rescue Maren’s family and save as many civilians as they can.

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