CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Contains spoilersOverview
Xaden receives a loyalty test: abandon Resson’s civilians or his command. He and the riders choose to defend, confirming the venin threat and the existence of wyvern. The battle turns catastrophic: Soleil and Fuil die, then Deigh falls and Liam dies. As a wyvern horde approaches, Xaden raises a wall of shadow to buy time while Violet resolves to kill the riders and unleashes devastating lightning—ending with Tairn struck in a cliffhanger.
Summary
From the battlements, Xaden’s wing receives a missive testing his command: leave now for War Games or save Resson, where four venin attack. Liam confirms the venin below, and a gryphon flier warns that four is a death sentence. Despite the risk, Xaden refuses to abandon civilians, offering everyone a choice. The riders commit to defend; Violet and Tairn agree, while Andarna is ordered to hide.
As they launch, a two-legged, blue-fire-breathing wyvern confirms the fables are real. Xaden assigns objectives: evacuate civilians toward a mine and engage the venin with runed daggers. In the first clashes, dragon fire cannot kill venin; Violet’s strike collapses the clock tower but the staff-bearing venin survives. Wyvern flood the skies. Soleil opens the mine route but a venin channels, blighting the ground; Soleil and her dragon Fuil step into the dead zone and desiccate instantly.
Amid chaos, Violet draws wyvern outside the walls and improves her lightning accuracy, downing several. Inside the post, Xaden strangles a wyvern with shadows. Liam makes a daring leap onto a wyvern and slits its venin rider’s throat, dropping both. Moments later, Deigh locks with another wyvern; in the brutal dive that follows, Deigh is mortally torn apart and crashes. Liam, thrown, is caught by Violet onto Tairn’s back.
Tairn lands by Deigh. With the bond severed, Liam is dying. Violet carries him toward Deigh, cradling him as he extracts two promises: protect his sister Sloane and hear Xaden out. Liam dies in Violet’s arms as a vast horde of wyvern pours from the valley. Xaden, grieving, confirms two riders among the horde and throws up a massive wall of shadow to buy time, urging Violet to act.
Rage and resolve coalesce. Violet mounts Tairn, commits to killing the riders, and unleashes lightning, dropping a wyvern. A second wyvern blindsides them, and the chapter ends as Tairn roars in pain.
Who Appears
- Violet Sorrengail
Rider of Tairn; chooses to defend Resson; wields lightning to kill wyvern; cradles dying Liam; vows to kill riders.
- Xaden Riorson
Wingleader; refuses to abandon civilians; commands battle; uses shadows to strangle a wyvern; raises a wall to stall the horde.
- Tairn
Ancient black dragon; coordinates dragons and gryphons; combats multiple wyvern; carries Violet; injured in final moment.
- Liam
Violet’s friend and shadow; kills a venin midair; loses Deigh and dies bonded; extracts promises about Sloane and Xaden.
- Deigh
Liam’s Red Daggertail; battles valiantly but is eviscerated by a wyvern, causing Liam’s death.
- Sgaeyl
Xaden’s dragon; fiercely protects, kills wyvern midair, and assists Xaden’s rapid remount.
- The venin
Soul-corrupted wielders in purple; one with staff on the clock tower; another blights ground, killing Soleil and Fuil.
- Wyvern
Two-legged, blue-fire-breathing abominations; numerous; bonded and riderless; overwhelm the skies and horde from the valley.
- Garrick
Third-year rebel; scouts, evacuates civilians, and hunts venin on foot with dagger.
- Bodhi
Third-year rebel; helps evacuation and joins ground fight to dagger venin.
- Imogen
Third-year; commits to defend Resson; returns through smoke with Garrick during retreat.
- Soleil
Third-year rider; opens mine route; dies with her dragon when caught in venin blight.
- Fuil
Soleil’s Brown Clubtail; aids evacuation; collapses and desiccates in the venin’s expanding dead zone.
- Andarna
Young feathertail; hidden at the outpost by Violet; emotionally linked, grieves Deigh’s death.
- Older brunette gryphon flier
Allied flier; warns the riders to flee, calls four venin a death sentence; fights below.