Iron Flame

Andarna has aged into a short-tempered adolescent dragon with a wing that will not fully cooperate. Tairn reveals that Andarna’s growth was stunted due to “the mass expenditure of energy at Resson” and her disrupted Dreamless Sleep (349). While he believes she will eventually become strong enough to fly, she will never be able to carry a rider. Cadets resume classes at Riorson House, but history classes are devoted to explaining the true events of the Tyrrish Rebellion six years prior. Professor Devera and Brennan lead Battle Brief, delivering news that General Melgren has managed to keep Navarrian citizens unaware of the wyvern Xaden dumped along the border outposts and the mass desertion from Basgiath. Mira and many other riders from Samara arrive in Aretia; all have been told the truth by General Sorrengail after spotting the wyvern carcasses. Mira is shocked to discover Brennan is alive.

Violet gathers the Assembly and Bodhi, who travel to Aretia’s dormant wardstone. They attempt a blood ritual meant to raise the wards following instructions Violet has translated from the ancient language of Warrick’s journal, but nothing happens. Defeated, Violet suggests they go to Cordyn and meet with Viscount Tecarus to acquire the luminary needed to power the forges and create more weapons capable of defeating venin. Xaden refuses to put her at risk.

Felix, one of the Assembly members, trains Violet to wield lightning with precision. He gifts her a conduit for control—a glass orb etched with Tyrrish runes—through which she can channel excess power. Against Xaden’s orders, Violet convinces Mira and Brennan to accompany her to Cordyn, where she plans to wield her lightning for Tecarus in exchange for the luminary. When they arrive, Xaden is already there.

Xaden is angry at Violet but presents them to Viscount Tecarus. At dinner, Violet learns that Catriona is the viscount’s niece and that Xaden has a room in the palace. When Cat—who is envious of Violet’s relationship with Xaden—makes passive-aggressive comments about her past with him, Violet’s jealousy crescendos. Cat’s ability to heighten people’s emotions only intensifies Violet’s feelings. Violet is taken into a stone arena and given a target to destroy with her lightning in exchange for the luminary—a metal chest that bursts open to reveal a powerful venin.

With the others unable to assist without nullifying the deal, Violet is forced to face the venin alone. She uses the current rainstorm to her advantage, wielding a lightning strike that electrocutes the entire field and the venin just as Tairn arrives to lift her off the ground, saving her from the same fate. Afterward, they enter discussions for the luminary. Tecarus agrees to give them the luminary only if they take 100 gryphon fliers with them to Aretia, where they will be instructed and taught to fight alongside the dragon riders.

Four days later, the luminary has been dispatched to Aretia’s forges, and the riders and gryphon fliers assemble for a navigation exercise in the perilous Cliffs of Dralor. They are tasked with working together to survive the 12-hour ascent, which has been rigged with traps. Violet’s squad is paired with Cat’s drift. During the climb, Violet befriends a gryphon flier named Maren. As they near their final hour of ascent, the altitude begins to affect the unaccustomed riders and their gryphons. Eventually, they come upon a six-foot-long pressure trigger that deploys arrows when activated. Unable to jump the distance like the others, Violet and Luella—the smallest gryphon flier—devise an alternative plan to bridge the distance. Luella triggers the trap, her momentum tackling Visia and herself off the cliffside. Violet holds onto them both, even as their weight strains her fragile joints. Visia is saved by Luella’s gryphon, Cibbe, but before he reaches for Luella and Ridoc he is severely wounded by the arrows triggered by the trap.

Luella’s grip slips from Violet’s before Cibbe can grab ahold of her, and she falls to her death. Dain pops Violet’s dislocated shoulder back in while Brennan heals Ridoc. Cibbe is attacked and pulled from the cliff by a wyvern. With the heavy fog in the cliffs, the dragons struggle to fend off the wyvern. While riders and fliers rush to the top, Violet rides Tairn over the clouds and wields lightning with precision, killing all four wyvern in the area. The controlled wyvern attack reveals that they share a collective consciousness with the venin who created them. With new dragons hatching at Aretia, brought by the dragons bonded to deserting riders, the venin are being drawn to the city as a potential power source.

Andarna grows larger and her black scales seem to change color in certain light. Sawyer learns to sign so he may communicate with Jesinia, and riders’ families begin showing up in Aretia, answering the offers of sanctuary sent out by the Assembly. Professor Trissa teaches the riders and fliers about runes: “strand[s] of magic pulled from [their] power, woven into geometric patterns for specific uses, then placed into an object, either for immediate work or usage at a later date” (439). Weaving runes is a Tyrrish practice that was banned in Navarre because they can be used to equalize the power between dragon riders and gryphon fliers. All afternoon, they practice plucking strands of their power and weaving them into the shape of an unlocking rune. Cat reveals a natural affinity for the technique.

Riders and cadets are summoned to the sparring gym and given a six-hour window to settle their grievances in hand-to-hand combat with their chosen cadets. Trager names Rhiannon, who swiftly defeats him. Cat challenges Violet but when neither can get the upper hand in combat, Violet realizes that Xaden trained them both.