Chapter 139

Violet battles Theophanie in a climactic aerial and ground confrontation after the Maven uses a tornado and net trap to immobilize Tairn and Sgaeyl. With her conduit shattered and burning out on power, Violet uses a marble dagger gifted by Aaric—made from the fractured temple of Dunne—to finally kill Theophanie, discovering the weapon works because Theophanie betrayed her role as high priestess of the goddess.

Violet pursues Theophanie's wyvern through a storm and hail as the Maven uses her weather control to evade lightning strikes. After Violet's glass conduit shatters, she must wield without it, drawing increasingly on her power reserves. Theophanie deliberately dissipates the storm to make wielding harder for Violet. During the aerial chase, Tairn's roar signals that Sgaeyl has been caught in a net trap as well. Theophanie then deploys a massive weighted net that immobilizes Tairn, causing both dragon and rider to crash down the mountainside. Though injured with a broken left arm, Violet and Tairn survive. Using a runed stone, Violet frees Tairn from the net as Theophanie approaches on foot. During their ground battle, Violet discovers through interrogation that Theophanie was once a high priestess of Dunne in Unnbriel but abandoned that role, seeking godhood instead. As Violet weakens, Xaden manifests a devastating wave of dark power with Sgaeyl that engulfs the field. In the darkness, Violet realizes Aaric's cryptic gift—a marble dagger carved from Dunne's fractured temple—is the weapon she needs. She summons Andarna, who materializes as a silver-blue dragon. Violet drives the marble dagger into Theophanie's heart while maintaining a lightning bolt. The weapon kills her because Theophanie, as an apostate high priestess of Dunne, cannot withstand the goddess's wrath. Theophanie desiccates instantly. Violet collapses from burnout as Andarna calls her name.