Iron Flame
by Rebecca Yarros
Contents
Chapter Sixty-Two
Overview
Amid the Basgiath battle, Violet performs a reckless midair rescue, saving Sawyer after a wyvern bites off his lower leg. After evacuating him, Violet and Cat confront venin on the ground; Violet kills Wynn, but a stronger venin immobilizes her and destroys her conduit. As capture looms, a camouflaged dragon erupts from the cliff to intervene.
Summary
In driving rain above Basgiath, Violet steadies Rhiannon on Tairn’s back and shoots a venin off them with her crossbow. Reports indicate Melgren is minutes out while many dark wielders hold back. Xaden and Sgaeyl battle below, and Andarna confirms she is hidden. Tairn spots Aotrom under attack, with Sliseag moving to help as more wyvern close in.
When a wyvern breathes fire and then bites Sawyer’s leg, severing it below the knee, Tairn can only save Sawyer or Sliseag in time. Violet cuts her belt and sprints-jumps from Tairn to Aotrom, scrambles over a wyvern, then onto Sliseag, coordinating with Ridoc to shoot. As Tairn kills the remaining threat, Violet tackles Sawyer off Sliseag; they free-fall until Tairn catches them in his claw and lands behind the school.
On the field, Violet tourniquets Sawyer’s thigh with her thigh-sheath belt and calls for aid. Maren arrives on Daja with Cat and Bragen to ferry Sawyer to the Healers Quadrant. Cat offers Violet a dagger as a truce and promises to watch over Sawyer. Tairn relays Brennan’s uncertain mending of the wardstone, then warns Violet of danger behind her.
A venin woman, Wynn, approaches, declaring orders not to kill Violet and her intent to deliver Violet for favor. Cat heightens Wynn’s greed, but a second venin arrives, hurling Cat backward. Violet strikes first, channeling lightning to kill Wynn. The new venin closes his fist, superheating Violet’s conduit until it disintegrates, then suspends Violet helplessly in midair as Tairn and Xaden race toward her.
With capture imminent and the horde poised, the cliff behind the venin stirs: a boulder-shaped form with golden eyes erupts, unfolding into a black-scaled dragon that launches toward the threat.
Who Appears
- Violet SorrengailRescues Sawyer midair, tourniquets him, kills venin Wynn, then is immobilized and loses her conduit.
- TairnBattles wyvern, tail-smashes foes, catches Violet and Sawyer, warns of venin, races back to help.
- SawyerSliseag’s rider; survives after a wyvern bites off his lower leg; evacuated to healers.
- RidocAotrom’s rider; under siege; coordinates with Violet, uses her crossbow, desperate to save Sawyer.
- SliseagSawyer’s red dragon; attacked, unable to defend without losing his rider; banks to aid Violet’s rescue.
- AotromRidoc’s dragon; mauled by a wyvern; Violet lands on him during the rescue sequence.
- CatArrives with the fliers, helps evacuate Sawyer, gives Violet a dagger, manipulates Wynn, then is thrown back.
- MarenFlier who arrives on Daja to ferry Sawyer to the Healers Quadrant through the battle.
- BragenFlier who helps lift and carry Sawyer to the litter for evacuation.
- Xaden RiorsonFights on Sgaeyl, briefly slows Violet’s fall with shadows, races to reach her on the field.
- WynnVenin asim; seeks to deliver Violet alive for favor; killed by Violet’s lightning strike.
- Unnamed veninPowerful dark wielder; hurls Cat, destroys Violet’s conduit, suspends Violet, moving to capture her.
- AndarnaHidden nearby; bursts from the cliff as a black-scaled dragon to intervene at the end.
- Rhiannon MatthiasLeaps onto Feirge mid-battle to defend; survives and returns to formation.