Chapter Thirty-Eight

Violet and her team successfully rescue Aaric from the Archives with stolen journals containing crucial information about the wardstone. After a triumphant escape and passionate farewell with Xaden, Violet is drugged and captured by Nolon in the courtyard, revealing his betrayal as he works with Varrish.

The group escapes the Archives with Aaric and the scribe robes, quickly dispersing according to plan: Rhiannon fetches the mender Dyre for Aaric's burn injuries, Jesinia returns the robes to laundry, and others establish alibis. Quinn reveals her signet allows her to project and distort features in the astral plane, making her projection appear as different people. After crossing the bridge to the Healer Quadrant, the group splits further. Xaden and Violet retreat to a shadowy alcove where they kiss, and Violet shows him Warrick's journal, which contains translations mentioning how the First Six placed wardstones where magic ran deepest and references to an "iron rain." Xaden takes one journal to deliver to Brennan and departs immediately to avoid being searched. Violet watches him fly away, feeling hopeful about their progress in gathering intelligence and building defenses. In the courtyard, Nolon approaches with lemonade, claiming Jack Barlowe told him she was outside. As they converse, Violet notices Jack walking past and feels uneasy. When she mentions Xaden left earlier, Nolon responds cryptically about consequences and civilian safety. Violet realizes too late that the lemonade tastes strange and her magical connections are fuzzy—she's been drugged. As she collapses, Varrish appears above her, and it becomes clear Nolon has betrayed her to the commandant.