Chapter Seven

Violet pursues Xaden through the tunnels beneath the quadrant after sensing he's taken a dangerous risk, discovering he has visited the interrogation chamber where Jack is imprisoned. She learns that Xaden has channeled from the earth—a venin trait that marks him for execution—and overhears Jack threatening to expose this secret. Violet resolves to find a cure for Xaden's condition, even if it means breaking laws and seeking help from her dragon's kind.

Following their dragon bonds, Violet tracks Xaden through the snow-covered tunnels beneath the quadrant in the wake of a devastating battle. She passes through the Healer Quadrant, where the wounded fill the corridors and soldiers mourn General Sorrengail's death. Violet convinces two guards to let her pass by appealing to their sense of honor, then descends to the interrogation chamber. There she overhears a confrontation between Xaden and Jack, the imprisoned prisoner, who reveals he knows Xaden has channeled from the earth—a transformation that would result in Xaden's arrest and execution if discovered. Jack threatens to expose this secret and taunts Xaden about losing control and harming Violet. Violet realizes she must prevent Jack from revealing what he knows while finding a way to cure Xaden's condition. Her dragon Andarna reveals she may have discovered a way to affect venin through changing her scales during battle, suggesting that Andarna's own kind might possess knowledge of how to cure Xaden. Violet decides to involve only Imogen in her plans, as she will need help navigating the dangerous path ahead. She accepts the risk of breaking laws to save Xaden, resolving to exhaust every possible resource, including potentially seeking aid from Andarna's dragon family.