Chapter 46

Violet fights a venin one-on-one atop Tairn during an aerial battle, discovering that killing venin destroys the wyvern they created. She and Xaden devise a new strategy: target the venin riders controlling the wyvern horde. Violet channels unprecedented power from Tairn and Andarna to summon lightning and kill the venin leader, collapsing from exhaustion as she falls from Tairn's back.

A venin with red eyes and distended veins attacks Violet on Tairn's back, stabbing her in the side with a poisoned dagger that burns with acid. Despite being outmatched in speed and skill, Violet uses Xaden's shadow magic to create darkness, then her own light signet to disorient the venin and kill her with a runed dagger. When the venin dies, three riderless wyvern fall from the sky—revealing that venin control wyvern and their deaths are linked. Violet realizes the only way to stop the horde is to kill the venin riders. She orders Xaden to drop his shadow barrier holding back the wyvern, recognizing he's approaching burnout. As the wyvern charge, Violet identifies the more powerful venin rider and begins striking with lightning, but she struggles to aim accurately. Despite warnings from Tairn about her limitations, she calls on Andarna's power, slowing time itself. With combined strength from Tairn, Andarna, and her own signet, Violet commands lightning to strike down the venin leader. Half the wyvern fall as their rider dies. Xaden kills the final venin rider with shadow magic and a dagger. Overcome by exhaustion and her poisoned wound, Violet loses consciousness and falls from Tairn's back as Xaden screams her name.