After returning to Basgiath, leadership separates the group for individual, scribe-attended interrogations lasting twelve hours each. General Aetos reveals King Tauri’s order forbidding punishment due to Aaric’s safe return, easing Violet’s fear of disciplinary action. Mira and Garrick are sent back to the front, Drake leaves for Cordyn, Brennan arrives from Aretia to mend Violet’s ribs, and Xaden is reinstated as a professor and drawn into Senarium meetings. The rest of the cadets resume classes, with Violet struggling most in physics and relying on Rhiannon’s notes.

In their first Battle Brief back, Professors Devera and Kiandra present the alarming spread of venin attacks: large portions of Krovla have fallen, though Cordyn still stands amid a refugee crisis and supply shortages, while Navarre continues restricting civilian entry. Devera confirms the alliance with Zehyllna for forty thousand troops and presses the class on deployment, prompting debate from Cat, Dain, and others about splitting forces between defending Cordyn, the western line, and outposts should wards fail.

The briefing shifts to Suniva’s fall. Devera reports approximately twelve venin and twelve wyvern conducted a coordinated assault: four elements for perimeter, palace, and barracks/armory, while a devastating fire began in the textile district—likely aided by wind wielders—killing an estimated twenty-five thousand, including all four resident drifts except one rider and two dragons who escaped. Xaden arrives briefly to ask about the armory’s contents; Kiandra reveals six crates of alloy-hilted daggers had arrived hours before and were seized, indicating traitors leaked the distribution schedule.

Asked how the enemy reached Suniva undetected, the class identifies seasonal thunderstorms. Violet explains that a skilled lightning wielder could guide a riot within a storm cloud by shaping strikes, allowing infiltration despite grounded patrols. She concludes Theophanie, a lightning-wielding Maven, led the attack, likely igniting the textile fire and downing dragons, a feat requiring decades of practice. Devera agrees and challenges cadets to propose counters.

Suggestions include deploying powerful signets such as Major Edorta’s fire control or Xaden’s shadows, though his presence raises cost concerns. Rhiannon asserts that Violet should be sent in such a scenario to strike into the storm and neutralize wyvern and the opposing lightning wielder if Violet’s presence remains unknown; if not, Violet must become the better wielder. Violet, recognizing Theophanie’s superior experience and that Theophanie wants her alive, silently strategizes but finds limited options.

After class, Ridoc urges Violet, Rhiannon, and Sawyer to the Archives, where Jesinia intercepts a courier package for Violet and ushers them into a private study room. Amid a tense side discussion about Sawyer’s reluctance to fly again with his prosthesis and Sliseag’s potential help, Ridoc presses for disclosure. Violet then tells Rhiannon and Sawyer the truth: Xaden is slowly turning venin, and Rhiannon demands details.