Iron Flame

Brennan explains to Violet that he joined the rebellion after deciding “[he] can’t stand by, safe behind the barriers of Navarre’s wards, and watch innocent people die at the hands of dark wielders because [their] leadership is too selfish to help” (12). He believes their mother is a coward for justifying Navarre keeping its citizens in the dark about the venin to protect their own borders at the expense of everyone outside them.

Violet and Brennan discuss the venin, who are unified behind a dark wielder leader called the Sage. They are targeting Navarre’s borders in pursuit of its dragon-hatching grounds, which are the most powerful source of magic they can draw from on the Continent. Violet informs Brennan that all the wyverns created by a particular venin die when the venin itself is killed. Brennan reveals Aretia has a dormant wardstone like the active one that powers the wards surrounding most of Navarre, but with the history of the ward’s creation excluded from historical records, their only hope is the luminary which “intensifies dragonfire enough to smelt alloy into the only weapons capable of defeating venin” (15). Violet offers to look for information on the wards in the scribe Archives, but Brennan deems it too risky. Brennan refuses to tell Violet more until she can properly shield Dain Aetos from reading her memories with his signet ability. Violet is angered by Brennan’s and Xaden’s distrust. When Violet joins her fellow rebel cadets to fly back to Basgiath for graduation, she discovers her dragon Andarna’s extreme use of power in Athebyne has rapidly increased her growth; she is much larger and appears to have black scales like Tairn, but her ability to control time is no longer accessible.

Violet, Xaden, and the other Athebyne survivors return to Basgiath. Tairn deposits Andarna in the Vale for the Dreamless Sleep—a critical process wherein adolescent dragons rapidly grow and develop into adults. The war college has a tradition of burning the belongings of deceased cadets, so Xaden and Violet steal the letters Liam wrote to his younger sister, Sloane, during the traditional first-year silence. When Violet runs into her friends Rhiannon and Sawyer in the hallway, she informs them of Liam’s death and tasks Rhiannon with hiding the letters from leadership. Violet confronts Xaden about withholding the truth about the venin, the rebellion, and Brennan from her. Xaden makes it clear that while she can trust him, he cannot give her the full truth without risking the lives of everyone involved. He advises her to lie to her friends if she wants to protect them, too. Violet claims that she cannot be in a relationship with Xaden without full disclosure. Their group enters the courtyard just as Xaden’s name is called on the death roll.

Xaden accuses Dain’s father, Colonel Aetos, of knowingly sending them to an active outpost for War Games. He blames the attack on gryphons rather than venin, knowing that the Navarre leadership will execute them to keep the truth a secret. Colonel Aetos is punished by Violet’s mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, and the group is allowed to graduate. Dain attempts to approach Violet but is warned not to touch her. Violet blames him for Athebyne and Liam’s death; if he had not stolen her memories and reported them to his father, they would not have been sent to die. Violet becomes a second-year cadet. Xaden graduates from Basgiath and is officially commissioned as a lieutenant in Navarre’s army.

Violet celebrates graduation with her friend Imogen and Imogen’s friend Quinn. Only four others in her squad have survived to become second years: Rhiannon, Ridoc, Sawyer, and Nadine. Imogen and Violet are asked about the “gryphon” attack at Athebyne. Imogen credits Violet and Xaden for saving everyone’s lives, saving Violet from having to lie to her friends. Xaden is assigned to the war front; he and Violet are granted only two days a fortnight to visit one another. The decision will place strain on the mating bond that Violet’s dragon, Tairn, shares with Xaden’s dragon Sgaeyl. The mating bond requires both dragons and riders to remain near one another and also links Xaden’s life to Violet’s, ensuring that if one dies, both die.

Xaden and Violet decide to alternate weekend visits. Colonel Aetos, who’s been reassigned to a coastal outpost, introduces them to the new vice commandant, Major Varrish, a strict man tasked with “tighten[ing] the ship” at Basgiath (46).

Colonel Aetos issues a death threat toward Violet, Xaden, and the other Athebyne survivors who know the truth about the venin; if they tell anyone, their lives and the lives of their loved ones will be targeted. Before Xaden leaves for the war front, he warns Violet away from engaging with Bohdi and the others because “[she] do[esn’t] have a rebellion relic to hide [her] actions from Melgren” who can envision certain futures “if [she’s] caught alone” (50). Dain is promoted to wingleader and Rhiannon is chosen as squad leader.

Violet distances herself from Rhiannon instead of lying to her about what she experienced at Athebyne. Eventually, they begin a classified Rider Survival Course (RSC) taught by Professor Grady, which teaches riders “how to survive if [they] become separated from [their] dragon behind enemy lines” and “how to withstand interrogation in case of capture” (55). Ignoring Brennan’s previous warning, Violet visits her scribe friend Jesinia in the Archives to search for books on the founding of Basgiath and its wards.

On Conscription Day, Violet and Rhiannon inscribe candidates’ names before they cross the Parapet. Cam—the third son of King Tauri and Violet’s old friend—pledges under the pseudonym Aaric Graycastle to escape his father’s notice. He is followed by Liam’s younger sister, Sloane, who loathes Violet for her part in Liam’s death. Violet promised Liam she would keep Sloane alive; she breaks the rules by advising Sloane on how to make it safely across the Parapet.

Dain ensures both Aaric and Sloane are placed in Violet’s squad as “some kind of peace offering” to her (66). The dragons scare the first-years by landing on the courtyard walls after they are sorted. Violet regards Major Varrish’s one-eyed Orange Daggertail, Solas, with unease. When first-years begin to flee, Solas breathes fire, torching not only the runners but nearly half of the flame section. Violet’s friends survive, including Imogen, Aaric, and Sloane—but Ciaran, one of the rebel cadets to survive Athebyne, is killed in the blast. Violet wonders if that was intentional, as it means one less person to spread the truth about the venin. Tairn intervenes with force, stopping Solas from killing more cadets with his fire and angering Varrish. Violet fears she has made enemies of Varrish and Solas.

Violet begins going on morning runs with Imogen. During the first Battle Brief of the year, Professor Devera introduces the class to Colonel Markham, the scribe who “handpicked [Violet] to succeed in the Scribe Quadrant” as his star pupil until her mother forced her to join the Riders Quadrant. Violet now hates him after realizing that he knows everything Navarre leadership tries to hide: he “wrote the […] textbook on Navarrian history that all riders are taught from” (77). Rhiannon tells Violet about the Basgiath healer, Nolon, who is busier than usual and always haggard-looking. She also mentions a room in the infirmary that is now heavily guarded. At assessment day, the first-years spar against one another. When Sloane is called to fight Aaric, she instead requests a match against Violet, which is denied. At the mention of Violet, a large first-year shows interest. Nadine pretends to be Violet to mess with the cadet and he snaps her neck.

Violet fights the first-year who killed Nadine. Before she kills him, he repeats Aetos’ threat: “Secrets die with the people who keep them” (87). Violet suspects that the Athebyne survivors at Basgiath are being targeted. Violet struggles to protect Sloane, who is a terrible fighter and refuses instruction. Xaden visits for the weekend, splitting his time between Violet and covert rebel meetings that she is not allowed to join. Xaden leaves Violet with a letter, delivering on his promise to share more of himself with her, even when he cannot tell her the full truth of what he is doing for the rebellion.