Chapter Fifty-Six

Violist confides in Xaden about the devastating loss at Draithus, where Xaden nearly died and civilians were killed. A week later, while translating Warrick's journal with Dain, Violist makes a crucial discovery: the wards require dragon blood (or breath), not rider blood, which means raising them would require sacrificing dragons. She rushes to tell Rhiannon, uncertain whether they should proceed.

Violist climbs to the academy roofline to find Xaden processing the aftermath of the Draithus attack. She brings chocolate cake and learns that Xaden and Garrick flew in from Draithus after Emery's call; by the time they arrived, the battle was over—ten times worse than Resson. Xaden was nearly killed when a venin channeled behind Sgaeyl, but Violist's sister called the retreat specifically to protect him, treating him as a vulnerable extension of Violist rather than risking her. Xaden expresses frustration that they are outmatched, spread too thin, and fifty years too late to mount an effective defense. Over the following weeks, Violist and Dain intensify their translation work at the library, with Xaden helping imbue stones when available. They nearly complete Warrick's journal but struggle with the passage about raising the wards. Dain eventually leaves for bed around midnight. Violist continues alone and makes a breakthrough: the symbol they translated as "blood" actually means "breath," and the phrase "blood of life" should read "breath of life." Reviewing earlier entries, she realizes the six does not refer to six riders—it refers to six dragons. Raising the wards would require dragon sacrifice. Knowing Dain would act only on rules without considering ethics, Violist rushes to Rhiannon's room and tells her she knows how to raise the wards but is unsure they should.