AFTERWORD

Chapter 11

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Overview

Violet and Tairn fly toward Stonewater Valley to rescue Maren's family, discovering the village under attack by wyverns. They encounter a venin named Theophanie who reveals herself as a dark wielder with lightning powers—abilities venin shouldn't possess. After a devastating encounter with a tornado and collateral damage to both dragons, Theophanie demands information about Violet's two dragon bonds in exchange for sparing Garrick's life.

Summary

Violet and Tairn depart for Stonewater Valley ahead of the main force, with Tairn dismissing Maise's orders to return. They arrive to find the village engulfed in smoke and flames. Violet engages multiple wyverns using lightning channeled through her conduit, initially fighting two before being joined by Garrick riding Chradh, a brown scorpiontail dragon. When additional wyverns attack from above, Tairn performs evasive maneuvers that leave Violet dangling from her saddle. A catastrophic tornado strikes, created by Theophanie, the silver-haired dark wielder from Jack's cell. The funnel throws both Tairn and Chradh down a mountainside; both dragons are knocked unconscious on impact. Violet dislocates her knee but Garrick arrives and helps her relocate it and down from the saddle. She discovers Garrick reached her impossibly fast—within forty minutes of Maise seeing them depart—raising questions about how he traveled so far. Theophanie approaches openly, revealing she killed Maren's parents but spared her brothers as a sign of goodwill. She levitates Garrick and threatens him with a venin blade, then introduces herself and demands to know which of Violet's two dragons bonded with her first. Throughout, Andarna remains distant and aware of approaching reinforcements.

Characters

  • Violet SorrengailThe protagonist who flies Tairn toward Stonewater Valley, fights wyverns, survives a tornado and mountainside crash, dislocates her knee, and confronts the venin Theophanie.
  • TairnViolet's primary dragon bond who carries her into battle, fights wyverns, and is knocked unconscious by impacts during the tornado-induced crash.
  • TheophanieA silver-haired venin with red eyes and lightning-wielding abilities who created the tornado trap, killed Maren's parents, and confronts Violet demanding information about her dragon bonds.
  • Garrick DunneA wind-wielder riding Chradh who arrives to assist Violet, helps her relocate her dislocated knee, and is threatened by Theophanie with a venin blade.
  • ChradhA brown scorpiontail dragon ridden by Garrick who bites a wyvern mid-air and is knocked unconscious during the mountainside crash.
  • AndarnaA young dragon bonded to Violet who remains positioned away from the battle, blocked from communicating with the other riders, and expresses concern for Violet throughout the conflict.
  • MaiseA figure at the wards who witnesses Violet and Tairn's departure and relays orders for them to return immediately.
  • FeirgeA gryphon rider who approaches the crash site with other reinforcements as part of the rescue mission.
  • AotromA dragon ridden by one of the approaching reinforcements.
  • KiraOne of the riders approaching the crash site.
  • DajaOne of the riders approaching the crash site.
  • TragerA flier riding Sila, a gryphon who approaches the crash site.
  • SilaA gryphon ridden by Trager as part of the approaching reinforcements.
  • MarenA character whose family (parents and brothers) is the target of the rescue mission; her parents are killed by Theophanie.
  • JackReferenced as imprisoned, having previously informed Theophanie about Violet's existence and her dragon bonds.
  • XadenReferenced as being eight hours away; Garrick mentions Xaden's extreme emotional reaction upon learning Violet crossed the border.