Fourth Wing | Chapter Summary & Spoilers (Chapters 22-26)

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Chapter Summary & Spoilers (Chapters 22-26)

The Bite-Sized Version

In a whirlwind of dragon-powered drama at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail survives a nail-biting challenge against the psychopathic Jack Barlowe by weaponizing orange juice (because why not?), nearly passes out from pain, and wakes up to find Xaden Riorson looking like he wants to simultaneously strangle and protect her. Violet and the Second Squad pull off a military intelligence heist that would make Ocean’s Eleven look amateur, snagging top-secret maps right from her mother’s office while using everyone’s signet powers like some kind of magical special ops team.

The romantic tension cranks up to eleven as Violet navigates steamy combat training with Xaden, who gifts her a custom dagger (basically a marriage proposal in dragon rider world) and takes over her training with enough sexual tension to make everyone uncomfortably hot. Meanwhile, Violet’s older sister Mira unexpectedly appears at a remote fortress, triggering an emotional sister reunion complete with trauma dumping and secret sharing, all while Violet’s fellow cadets in the Riders Quadrant are literally combusting from magical manifestation.

Our girl Violet is serving pure chaotic energy, caught between mysterious family secrets, supernatural training challenges, and a seriously complicated love life. From nearly jumping Liam’s bones during an unexpected dragon-induced lust moment to outsmarting enemies and stealing critical intelligence, she’s navigating a world where nothing is simple and everyone has an agenda. And just when you think things can’t get more complicated? Xaden materializes from the shadows while they’re at the fortress like the ultimate brooding love interest, because of course he does. Can you imagine how bored we’d be if we were reading about her quiet life in the Scribe Quadrant rn. 
 

The Bit-Sized Version

Chapter 22

In this bit, Violet FINALLY unlocks her dragon-channeling powers, but surprise, surprise – it comes with a side of uncontrollable lust. Because of course it does. Nothing’s ever easy for our girl! Right as she taps into her large black dragon Tairn’s abilities during combat practice, she gets hit with some secondhand lust from his mating session with Xaden’s dragon Sgaeyl. Nearly jumping poor Liam’s bones, she flees and runs into rule-breaker Xaden smoking churam by the river. He offers to teach her mental shielding techniques, which turns into the steamiest magic lesson ever.

• Our girl Violet is at combat practice trying to focus on sparring with her best friend Rhiannon, when who should show up shirtless but Xaden and Garrick! And let me tell you, the view has everyone DISTRACTED. We’re talking rippling muscles, dragon relics, and enough eye candy to give the whole training room diabetes. (Special shoutout to Xaden’s back tattoo complete with mysterious scars – we love a man with trauma!)
• Later that night, Violet FINALLY gets her channeling powers! But because timing is never on her side, it happens right when Tairn and Sgaeyl are getting it on. Our girl is suddenly hit with ALL the dragon horniness and nearly jumps poor unsuspecting Liam in the hallway. She makes a run for it before any bad decisions can be made!
• She ends up finding Xaden outside looking like a full on Shadow Daddy (SD) in the snow, casually breaking rules by smoking churam (sighhh we love a bad boy). He’s like “yeah this helps block out our dragons’ sexy times” and offers to teach her how to shield herself mentally.
• Cue the most sexually tense magic lesson ever! It’s all “close your eyes” and “imagine your happy place” while they’re standing WAY too close to each other in the falling snow. 
• And then BAM – they’re making out against the wall like their lives depend on it! We’re talking legs wrapped around waists, hands in hair, the WORKS. But just when things are getting really steamy, Xaden has to go and be all noble about it. He’s like “these aren’t your real feelings” and sends her back inside. UGH!!
• The first of our spicy chapters wraps with Violet heading back to her room, mad at herself for almost hooking up with a guy she claims not to like or trust. (Girl, who are you kidding? We are all on your side!)
• Meanwhile there’s all this other drama brewing with Jack Barlowe threatening to fight her, Dain Aetos being weird about the whole Amber Mavis situation, and the readers trying to pretend they’re not shipping Violet and Xaden HARD. Looks like our girl’s in for a whole new world of complications. Can’t wait to see how she messes this one up next!

Chapter 23

This bit starts with a solid yap sesh between Rihannon and Violet, where Violet spares no detail about her kiss with Xaden. Violet then proceeds to spend the next month panicking about not manifesting her signet power as no one around her helps by reminding her of her brother Brennan and Mira’s extraordinary ones. Oh, and she finally has to face enemy #1, Jack Barlowe in a challenge. Hard to manifest a signet power when you’re dead, Violet!

• During gossip hour with Rhiannon, Violet rules out any chances with Xaden as she’s a first year in Xaden’s wing, and their dragons being mated means that no matter what, they’ll always be in each other’s lives, making any romance complicated. Keep telling yourself that, girlfriend. 
• Rhiannon interrupts Violet’s broadcast by showing her new signet power: the ability to summon objects from a short distance, which is super rare and powerful. Okay bad gal ri-ri.
• Dain pulls Violet for a chat, and they hash out their trust issues. Unsurprisingly, the focal point of the conversation is Xaden. Dain can’t help but go helicopter mom and let Violet know he thinks Xaden has nefarious intentions and probably just wants to use her as a weird pawn to get revenge against Violet’s mother. 
• We spend the next month with Violet attending Professor Carr’s classes, and spending a lot of time in her mental archives as she tries to learn how to manage how much power is coming through her bond with Tairn (one of the downsides of bonding one of the most powerful dragons?). Meanwhile, everyone around her is developing their signet power while she’s still stuck with lame party tricks like locking doors. 
• Don’t get too comfortable, folks. Violet learns that our lead psychopath, Jack Barlowe, will finally get his chance to challenge her. She confides in her personal stalker and friend, Liam, but asks him not to tell Xaden. Secrets secrets are no fun!
• The fight goes about as well as you’d expect. Jack finally gets his chance at a Kill Bill reenactment and Violet’s playing the role of human punching bag. But, we know that Violet doesn’t come to a challenge unprepared. 
• Just as Jack illegally uses his signet power to inflict extreme pain on her, she dumps a vial of orange juice in his mouth. Normally, one would appreciate the dose of Vitamin C, but Jack’s a loser and extremely allergic to oranges.
• Violet passes out from the pain and wakes up in the infirmary to find Xaden at her bedside, looking like he wants to strangle her himself. 
• The chapter ends with a one word question from Xaden: “Oranges?” Time to conveniently pass out again, Violet.

Chapter 24

This bit has Xaden and Violet serving peak tension – claiming their kiss meant nothing while simultaneously taking over her steamy combat sessions. While students are literally combusting from signet power manifestation, Violet gets a drive-by dragging from her mommy, General Sorrengail, who drops mysterious hints about Xaden’s past. Between hiding secrets about her dad’s golden feathertail research and trying to learn proper dragon flying, Violet’s got her hands full – and possibly her heart too…

• There’s tension brewing between Violet and Xaden regarding that lil ole kiss they shared last night. Xaden dismisses it as a mistake, citing their future professional relationship as a reason to avoid personal involvement. But in contradictory fashion, our shadow daddy then decides to take over ALL of Violet’s training because apparently everyone else is too soft on her.
• Xaden shows up to practice looking like a whole snack with daggers everywhere (and thankfully wearing a shirt or Vi and the readers might combust) and gifts Violet a custom-made dagger, designed specifically for her body type. This gesture confuses Violet and us as that is basically proposing when you live at Basgiath War College. 
• The training scene is EVERYTHING – they’re both trying so hard to be professional while literally rolling around on the mat, sweating, pinning her underneath him, claiming it’s for training purposes only! Hand me one of those daggers, so I can cut this sexual tension!!
• Meanwhile, Basgiath keeps Basgiath-ing with more students going bye bye from signet power manifestation. One poor kid literally burst into flames in class! Violet’s still signet-less but its starting to look like that’s for the best rn because at least she’s alive…
• Violet encounters Mommy Dearest, General Sorrengail, along with other high-ranking officials.  Violet’s mother proceeds to deliver a masterclass in passive-aggressive parenting, questioning Violet’s abilities while throwing some serious shade at Xaden for the rebellion Xaden’s father led six years ago. There’s clearly some juicy backstory about Xaden “paying the price for loyalty” that everyone’s keeping under wraps. Speaking of secrets, there’s this mysterious bit about Violet’s father’s unfinished research on feathertails…
• The chapter wraps up with prep for the most complicated flying lesson ever. Everyone’s got homework: Violet needs to master staying on (kind of important), little golden dragon Andarna needs a speed boost, Tairn needs to learn to share (kindergarten 101), and Sgaeyl has to practice not being in charge (who can blame a strong woman). Stay tuned for what Xaden needs to learn…

Chapter 25

This bit throws us to the end of the Squad Battle in the Riders Quadrant, where Violet’s squad within the Fourth Wing (Second Squad) are trying to up their chances of winning. Liam obviously dominates in one of the final challenges, and his win brings them from seventh place to third. Violet takes this moment to reflect on her performance in the gauntlet sky race, where she went too hard on main character energy and made Tairn release his magic hold on her and they got the slowest time. There’s no “I” in “team” Violet and you know this. She makes up for her ego trip by helping them steal an impressive item that helps them stand out in the final task.

1. After Liam’s save, Commandant Panchek surprises everyone by mic-dropping the final task on them that they have to complete with no guidance from their squad leader and also in three hours. This guy’s job sounds way too fun.
2. They’re tasked with stealing something that would be useful to their enemies in the war effort, and Imogen takes quick charge of Second Squad. Everyone throws out vanilla ideas until Violet finally pipes up with a proposal to steal from her mom, General Sorrengail’s office. 
3. The squad goes full Ocean’s Eleven on their heist, using each squad member’s signet power. Ridoc’s ice-wielding, Rhiannon’s object retrieval, Sawyer’s manipulation of metal, Imogen’s mind-wiping of recent memories, Emery’s wind control, and Quinn’s astral projection. Oh, and Violet’s George Clooney.
4. They manage to snag a map that’s basically the holy grail of military intel – outposts, troop strength, recent skirmishes, the whole shebang. But, while they were in her mother’s office, Violet managed to do some extra snooping and found two important letters: one detailing the dire situation at an outpost near Athebyne, and another about growing protests in Tyrrendor against conscription laws. But what does it all MEAN.
5. The squad arrives at the Battle Brief room just in time for presentations. Other squads present their stolen items, including a manual on dragon habits and a professor’s uniform (lame). 
6. Drumroll for Second Squad’s turn, where Violet presents the map and reveals its source. The crowd does, in fact, go wild, and we end the chapter with Violet feeling like George Clooney at the Bellagio as she makes eyes with an approving Xaden.

Chapter 26

This bit opens up after surviving a brutal 6-hour flight to Montserrat fortress, Surprise! Violet’s older sister Mira is stationed there! The waterworks barely dry before our girls embark on a secret mission to visit Rhiannon’s family nearby. During this cozy family visit, Violet and Mira catch up on everything from recent attacks on the border to magic struggles and boy drama. Queue said drama. Xaden materializes from the shadows as they leave because apparently stalking is caring in this world. We’re not mad about it though!

• Our favorite crew just landed at Montserrat outpost after a killer 6-hour flight. This place is basically a fortress on steroids with a dozen riders keeping watch! Something is up here. 
• Hold on to your dragons because the best plot twist happens – Violet’s older sister Mira is stationed there! Queue the most emotional sister reunion with lots of hugging and crying while Violet trauma dumps on Mira about everything she’s been going through. Meanwhile, everyone watches as the Sorrengail sisters lose their minds and wonder if they need a psychiatric hold. 
• Then, things get sneaky as Violet and Rhiannon try to pull a midnight escape to visit Rhiannon’s family who lives in a village nearby. But surprise! Big sis Mira catches them red-handed. After Violet hits her with the “but what if it was your niece/nephew?” card, Mira caves and joins their little adventure. Girls trip!!
• At Rhiannon’s sister’s house, it’s all cozy family vibes while Violet and Mira have some quality sister time. Mira’s sporting this wild scar from a gryphon attack that apparently never made the news (sketchy much?). They cover everything from Violet’s magic troubles to her messy situation with Dain and the whole Xaden drama. 
• Just when you think this chapter is a little snoozy and a bit of filler, who shows up like a creeper in the shadows? Xaden Riorson. Because of course he did. This man really said “surprise, I’ve been following you this whole time.” Can’t wait to see how this plays out!