Onyx Storm: Chapter Summary and Spoilers (Chapters 21-30)

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Chapter Summary & Spoilers (Chapters 21-30)

The Bite-Sized Version

The quest squad embarks on an ambitious journey to Deverelli in the Southern Isles, where magic doesn’t work – a blessing in disguise for Xaden Riorson, who finally gets a break from his venin struggles. After a pit stop at Viscount Tecarus’s palace, they arrive in a tropical paradise only to find a less-than-warm welcome, complete with dragon-killing crossbows and terrified locals. Following Violet’s father’s cryptic instructions, the quest squad tracks down a merchant named Narelle, who tests Violet’s worthiness before handing over secret books her father wrote specifically for her.

Things go from paradise to pandemonium real quick when a diplomatic dinner with King Courtlyn of Deverelli goes spectacularly wrong. The young king, showing off his pet panthers and penchant for dramatic dinner theater, reveals Prince Halden’s attempt to steal magical artifacts and orders everyone’s execution (talk about a dinner party gone wrong!). The situation escalates into a full-blown fight where Xaden mysteriously manages to use his shadow powers in a magic-dead zone – a concerning development that Violet desperately tries to cover up while negotiating their freedom using Andarna’s egg shell as leverage.

The action shifts to a new mission of island-hopping to find more of Andarna’s kind, with a few spicy plot twists thrown in: Prince Halden’s presumed-missing brother Aaric shows up to take his place on the task force, Violet’s sister Mira is secretly testing magic runes in the supposedly magic-free zone, and the quest squad arrives in Unnbriel only to find an entire army waiting for them. The real kicker? They discover a city full of silver-haired people (just like Violet!) and enough anti-dragon weaponry to make anyone nervous. Just another day in the life of our favorite revolutionary dragon riders!

The Bit-Sized Version

Chapter 21

• We kick off with Violet’s squad making a pit stop at Athebyne before pushing through a brutal 24-hour flight to reach Cordyn. While everyone THINKS this marathon flight is to test the gryphons’ endurance, Violet Sorrengail is actually trying to minimize Xaden Riorson’s contact with unwarded ground (because that whole pesky Xaden’s venin situation is definitely not something you want to mess around with).
• They finally arrive at Viscount Tecarus’s palace, where we get some A+ banter between Tairn and dragon Andarna (who’s bringing drama about the weather and potentially eating a tortoise – because apparently even magical creatures need to be told not to eat the local wildlife). But the real tea starts brewing when they meet with Tecarus, and oh boy, does it get spicy. 
• We’ve got Prince Halden serving annoying ex-first love (trying to put his hand on Violet’s back – sir, did you miss the memo about her current relationship status?), while the Duke of Tyrrendor is getting territorial with some shadow action. Meanwhile, Tecarus is just stirring the pot by asking about ALL of Xaden’s titles just to watch chaos unfold – we’re talking professor, duke, lieutenant, the whole enchilada.
• The drama reaches its peak when Xaden pulls the smoothest move ever, tricking Halden into admitting he’s not there as a professor (check and mate!), which gives him the perfect excuse to scoop up our exhausted dragon rider and whisk her away to his room. And just when you think they might get some alone time… enter Tecarus with some actually useful intel about their upcoming mission to Deverelli.
• The chapter wraps up with them preparing to cross the ocean, where they’ll lose their magical abilities (talk about the worst possible time for a power outage). The real kicker? The moment they cross over, not only do they lose their powers, but the dragons can’t even communicate with each other anymore. Oh, and that mental bond between Violet and Xaden? Gone faster than your favorite snack at a party. 

Chapter 22

• Picture this: Our quest squad FINALLY lands in one of the Southern Isles, Deverelli, and it’s giving major tropical paradise vibes – we’re talking pristine beaches, turquoise waters, and a city that’s basically playing hide and seek in these gorgeous pale green hills. But because nothing can ever be simple at Basgiath War College, the first thing they spot is a wall lined with dragon-killing crossbows. Talk about a less-than-warm welcome!
• The local reaction to dragons is about what you’d expect – people are literally running into their houses screaming. Meanwhile, Andarna is out here living her best life, trying to eat dolphins (which Violet Sorrengail vetoes because apparently even she has limits on what her dragon can snack on).
• But here’s where things get really interesting: remember that whole “losing magic when crossing the ocean” thing? Turns out it’s even worse than expected. While Violet can still somehow chat with both Tairn and Andarna (perks of being bonded to seventh dragon breed), literally everyone else is cut off from their dragons. 
• They end up at Tecarus’s beach house (casual flex), where he’s like “btw, your dragons can hunt over there, just please don’t eat any humans” (the fact that he has to specify this says a lot). The dragons head off to hunt, leaving our crew to deal with their new reality of being magic-less in paradise.
• But wait – there’s actually a silver lining here! Xaden Riorson, our favorite slowly-turning-venin boyfriend, is actually… relaxed? For the first time in forever, he’s not fighting the constant pull of magic. He’s just vibing on the beach, enjoying the view, and for once his heart isn’t racing with the effort of resisting going full dark wielder.
• The chapter ends with Violet seriously considering Tecarus’s earlier offer (you know, the one about staying here forever), and honestly? Looking at peaceful, happy Xaden, can you blame her?
• Also, Violet’s sister Mira sneakily gives Violet some kind of magical sunscreen rock to test if runes work here, which definitely won’t be important later, right? (Narrator voice: It will definitely be important later.)

Chapter 23

• First off, we’ve got Ridoc Gamlyn complaining about having to ride horses (which, coming from a dragon rider, is pretty rich). Violet’s squad is exploring this gorgeous hidden city built under a canopy of massive trees, and honestly? It’s making Basgiath War College look like a total dump in comparison.
• But the real headline here is the Xaden Riorson’s whole personality transplant – our normally broody boy is out here SMILING and WINKING and generally being a complete charmer. He’s even asking about Violet’s childhood with Dain Aetos (which is basically unheard of since he usually pretends that whole friendship never existed). Everyone’s looking at him like he’s been body-snatched, but hey – turns out being away from dark wielders is doing wonders for his mood!
• They hit up the market district where locals keep calling them “fire-bringers” (not a compliment), but manage to get directions to a bookshop called Tomes and Tales where they’re hoping to find the merchant Narelle Violet’s father told her to find. There’s this steamy moment between Violet and Xaden that has Violet’s sister Mira threatening to throw water on them (classic protective sister move).
• But wait, because this bookshop visit goes from zero to YIKES real quick:
  • They walk in thinking it’s just a normal bookstore in the Southern Isles
  • Turns out it’s definitely NOT just a bookstore
  • Some locals try to attack them (rookie mistake)
  • Xaden gets to show off his chair-throwing skills
  • Violet Sorrengail proves why you don’t bring a knife to a dagger fight
• And finally, plot twist: this elderly woman shows up who turns out to be Narelle herself, and she’s been expecting Violet because apparently Violet’s father wrote some books specifically for her? Talk about your not-so-casual shopping trip! 

Chapter 24

• After that dramatic bookshop showdown, the chapter kicks off with Narelle dropping the bombshell that Violet’s father wrote some special books just for his daughter. But hold up – Narelle’s not just handing them over to Violet Sorrengail! First, she’s got to put Violet through the most intense pop quiz ever (and you thought your Basgiath War College finals were rough).
• But there’s this absolutely *chef’s kiss* moment of confusion when Narelle mistakes Xaden Riorson for Dain Aetos based on what Violet’s father wrote about the two of them when they were younger (talk about awkward!). Violet’s sister Mira literally has to leave the room because she’s laughing so hard, while our Duke of Tyrrendor is over here getting all territorial like “excuse me, I’M the broody love interest in this story.” Classic Xaden behavior – just when we thought the tropical paradise had mellowed him out!
• The real meat of the chapter comes from Narelle’s three questions, which are basically:
  • Basic trivia about Violet’s father’s manuscript (easy peasy)
  • A super complex political conflict about the Krovlan uprising failing because they promised dragons and didn’t deliver (yikes)
  • The tea about why Violet dumped her first love, Prince Halden (spoiler: he was caught with a professor – oof)
• After our favorite dragon rider passes this impromptu oral exam with flying colors, she gets her prize: six books written by her dad. The catch? They’re all password-protected because apparently Papa Sorrengail never met a simple solution he couldn’t complicate.
• The chapter wraps up with some steamy bathroom scene vibes – we’re talking Violet in a fancy bathtub, Xaden showing up in just a towel (hello!), and just when things are getting interesting… well, let’s just say Xaden’s done being “polite.” 
• PS: There’s also some fascinating stuff about how Deverelli doesn’t believe in gods and instead views everything through science, which feels like it might be important later but who knows – we’re too busy shipping this bathroom scene to think too hard about it right now! 

Chapter 25

• Buckle up because our favorite couple FINALLY gets their reunion after six weeks of keeping things PG-13! Since they’re in the Southern Isles where there’s no magic (and thus no risk of Xaden’s venin situation), Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson can finally… ahem… catch up on lost time. And let’s just say they christened that poor breakfast table right into splinters.
• But it’s not just about the physical stuff – we get some really tender moments too. There’s this heartbreaking scene where our favorite dragon rider suggests they could just stay here forever (where the Xaden wouldn’t have to fight the whole venin situation), but he refuses because: 
  • The dragons are actually in pain being away from magic (way to kill the mood with reality, buddy)
  • He won’t let Violet abandon everyone she loves
• Just when they’re planning to make the most of their magic-free evening… *knock knock* – because of course the squad has the WORST timing ever. Turns out King Courtlyn of Deverelli has decided to keep (??) Prince Halden, and now our Duke of Tyrrendor has to go play aristocrat since he’s the only one they’ll let in to negotiate.
• The best part? The entire quest squad was standing in the hallway while Xaden answers the door in just a towel, and we get this hilarious moment where Ridoc Gamlyn brings up that broken armoire from their first year (which is news to Violet’s sister Mira – oops!).
• And thus ends what was supposed to be their romantic evening, because apparently even in paradise you can’t escape politics. At least they got to break a table first!

Chapter 26

• So Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson are racing to the palace to deal with this whole “king’s keeping Prince Halden hostage” situation, and we learn some not-so-fun facts along the way – turns out all the dragons are actually in pain being away from magic (which Tairn was too proud to mention earlier, typical dragon pride).
• The palace is this gorgeous open-air setup with blue glowing moths for lighting, and they get escorted in by some very nervous guards. Oh, and the Duke of Tyrrendor casually introduces Violet as his “consort” which is basically fancy aristocrat-speak for “more than a girlfriend but we’re not technically planning a wedding ring ceremony.” Smooth move, buddy!
• But here’s where things go from fancy dinner party to absolute NIGHTMARE real quick:
  • King Courtlyn of Deverelli (who’s way younger and more terrifying than expected) has three white panthers as pets
  • He straight up STABS Prince Halden’s hand to the table with a jeweled dagger
  • Oh, and then serves the decapitated head of Halden’s guard to his panthers for dinner (excuse us while we throw up)
• The real kicker? Turns out Prince Halden’s been trying to steal back magical artifacts that apparently belong to Deverelli (plot twist!). When confronted, our dear prince goes full tantrum mode, flips a table, and basically ruins any chance of diplomacy.
• Just when Xaden tries to salvage the situation by offering some mysterious item from his pack (which has Violet SUPER concerned), Halden keeps yelling about how he’s the only one who can speak for Navarre. The king’s response? “Kill them all except Viscount Tecarus.”
• The chapter ends on this killer cliffhanger (pun absolutely intended), and we’re sitting here wondering if maybe they should’ve just sent a strongly worded letter instead of showing up for dinner!

Chapter 27

• Oh boy, where to even START with this action-packed chapter. So King Courtlyn of Deverelli decides to go full villain mode and orders everyone killed (except Viscount Tecarus, because apparently even murderous kings play favorites).
• What follows is basically the fantasy equivalent of a bar fight, but with way higher stakes. We’ve got:
  • Xaden Riorson tossing Prince Halden a sword to protect himself (shocking display of teamwork!)
  • Violet Sorrengail stabbing people in non-fatal places (she’s trying to be diplomatic, bless her)
  • Some very rude guard yanking our favorite dragon rider by her braid and then getting elbowed in the face (seriously, who does that?)
• But here’s where things get WILD – the Duke of Tyrrendor goes into full protective boyfriend mode after seeing Violet get hurt, and suddenly he’s wielding shadows and snapping necks… which should be IMPOSSIBLE since they’re in a magic-dead zone! Turns out Xaden’s venin powers let him drain the magic from a piece of alloy in Violet’s broken conduit (uhhhhh).
• The real MVP of this chapter though? Andarna, who shows up like a boss and casually picks up one of the king’s precious panthers in her mouth like it’s a misbehaving kitten. Violet uses this A+ intimidation tactic to negotiate:
  • Basically tells the king “let’s deal or my dragon Andarna will have cat snacks”
  • Gets Xaden pardoned (good thinking, since he just killed a dozen guards)
  • Sends Xaden away to go to Riorson House before anyone can ask too many questions about his impossible shadow powers and red-tinted eyes
• The chapter ends with Violet pulling out her trump card – a piece of Andarna’s kind – her egg shell, which apparently is super rare and special since it’s the only one in known history hatched in Navarre. And just when you think it’s all wrapped up, Courtlyn’s like “hey, I might have another deal for you…”
• The biggest takeaway? Xaden somehow accessed dark wielder powers in a place where magic shouldn’t work, and Violet’s doing her best to pretend everything’s fine while probably internally screaming. Just another day in the life of our favorite dragon riders!

Chapter 28

• First up, we’ve got our squad back at Battle Brief class, where everyone’s trying to multitask between learning about military strategy and gossiping about the Deverelli trip (priorities, right?). The class is now PACKED with new characters thanks to the Cygnisen fliers showing up, and we get this hilarious moment where Ridoc Gamlyn tries to flirt with one of them using his “quest squad status” as a pickup line (smooth, buddy, real smooth).
• We also learn that the venin are essentially moving their forces closer to Aretia in preparation of the ward stone failing. HOWMST do they know???
• Meanwhile, Violet Sorrengail is over here playing “try not to worry about your potentially-turning-venin boyfriend” bingo:
  • Xaden Riorson finally shows up after being gone for 8 days
  • Good news: The Duke of Tyrrendor is back and looking fine
  • Bad news: Xaden’s eyes have amber flecks instead of gold ones (cue dramatic music)
• But wait, there’s more! The first years show up wanting to help with reading through Violet’s father’s research, and after some classic “we’re not useless!” arguments, they actually make some solid points and get assigned some reading. Because nothing says “welcome to the rebellion” like homework, am I right?
• So the squad is basically embarking on this massive island-hopping mission to find more of Andarna’s kind. But here’s the catch – they’ve realized their original plan of checking in with the Senarium at Basgiath War College between each island would take WAY too long.
• Why is time such a big deal? Well, remember those amber flecks in Xaden’s eyes that haven’t gone back to gold? Yeah, that’s kind of a huge red flag. Add in the fact that Aretia’s ward stone is on a countdown to failure, and suddenly you’ve got yourself a “time is NOT on our side” situation.
• All of this leads to Violet’s brilliant/terrible plan to just… ignore orders and not come back until they find the irid dragons. What could possibly go wrong? (General Aetos: “Everything”) 
• And just when you think things can’t get more intense in this third book, we get this absolutely horrifying moment where a second-year cadet starts draining magic during training and gets immediately executed. Like, didn’t even get to finish her class presentation level of brutal. 
• The chapter ends with Bodhi basically saying “take Garrick with you pls” in what has to be the most ominous way possible, because apparently Xaden needs some extra babysitting.
• The real MVP of this chapter might be Cat and her sound-shield rune, because plotting treason is way easier when you’ve got magical soundproofing. Just saying!

Chapter 29

• We start this chapter with this absolutely Bravo level family drama when Aaric (aka Cam, Prince Halden’s little brother who everyone thought was missing) shows up like “surprise, I’ve been a dragon rider this whole time” to take Halden’s place on the task force after he proved ~unreliable~ in Deverelli. 
• Talk about a family reunion at Basgiath War College – Halden’s standing there looking like someone just told him dragons aren’t real. But the best part? Aaric’s basically like “yeah, I got tired of you and dad doing nothing about the dark wielders, so I peace’d out to actually make a difference.” BURN!
• Then we get the actual journey part, where Violet’s squad travels a LOT to get to the southern isles:
  • Two days to get to Deverelli (with pit stops because gryphons need their beauty rest)
  • Two more days of chilling in tropical paradise (where Violet’s sister Mira is testing out some magic runes because apparently SOME magic works here – interesting…)
  • And finally, a nine-hour flight over open ocean (which is giving major “are we there yet?” vibes)
• While all this is happening, we’ve got some fun dragon dynamics:
  • Tairn’s out here giving history lessons nobody asked for
  • Dragon Andarna is struggling with her injured wing (but don’t tell her we said that)
  • And everyone’s trying not to think too hard about what happens if they get tired over open water
• They finally make it to Unnbriel (or technically, the isle of Dunne), set up camp in this meadow, and we get this super tense moment between Violet and Mira about their grandmother Niara and Mira going to visit her without telling Violet. Apparently there’s some family drama there that Mira’s not spilling the tea about.
• The chapter ends with a classic “wake up with a stranger holding a knife” scenario (because apparently peaceful camping trips aren’t a thing in this world). But don’t worry – Xaden Riorson’s got it handled with some smooth dagger moves.

Chapter 30

• Remember that super tense cliffhanger where our squad woke up to find themselves surrounded by soldiers in the Southern Isles? Well, turns out those soldiers are just the welcoming committee! And by welcoming committee, I mean an entire platoon plus TWO COMPANIES hiding in the hills (because apparently Unnbriel never learned about subtle diplomacy).
• Our quest squad’s got some choices to make: either leave (ha, as if!) or try to get an audience with the queen through good old-fashioned trial by combat. And since these folks have apparently never seen dragons before (one guy literally peed his pants at the sight of them – yikes!), they’re not exactly jumping at the chance to let our whole crew in.
• So Violet Sorrengail has to pick her away team (very Star Trek of her):
  • The Duke of Tyrrendor (obviously, he’s their best fighter)
  • Aaric (gotta have that royal representation)
  • Cat (for Poromiel relations)
  • Dain Aetos (because someone’s gotta speak the language)
  • And herself (because… well, it’s her mission!)
• They make their way to Eistol, the capital city, which is basically what you’d get if you combined a fortress with a wedding cake – it’s all terraced rings with walls thick enough for dragons to walk on. And speaking of dragons, this place is LOADED with anti-dragon weaponry, which is… interesting for a place that apparently hasn’t seen dragons before.
• The real “hold up, what?” moment comes at the end when they reach this massive temple and see all these attendants with SILVER HAIR. Not gray, not white, but straight-up silver – you know, like a certain dragon rider we know? 
• Also worth noting: Tairn’s out here playing chicken with the city walls (because apparently regular landings are too mainstream), and everyone’s missing their magical bonds. Nothing like losing your magical telepathy to make you appreciate good old-fashioned hand signals!
• The chapter ends with the main characters standing in what feels suspiciously like an arena, surrounded by soldiers, facing a temple dedicated to warfare, and staring at a bunch of silver-haired folks. No pressure or anything!