Chapter Twenty-Three

Violet is arrested for treason related to altering the wardstone, but she confesses publicly to the Senarium, revealing that she orchestrated the change to allow fliers to wield. Because everyone, including the king, had already signed pardons that morning, she cannot be convicted. However, General Aetos (Dain's father) retaliates by ordering Violet's entire squad to a dangerous combat outpost at Samara for two days, threatening to punish her friends each time she disobeys.

Colonel Aetos arrests Violet for treason and brings her before the Senarium, disowning his own son Dain when he attempts to support her. Violet is escorted to the great hall where the Senarium is gathered, including Xaden, who exchanges meaningful looks with her. When Aetos presents his evidence—her lightning-wielder patch—Violet immediately confesses to orchestrating the wardstone alteration, revealing she cut the patch from her uniform. She argues this was necessary to enable fliers to wield and create a path for alliance negotiations. Xaden reveals that the king and all Senarium members had already signed pardons that morning for anyone involved in such actions, making her conviction impossible. Queen Maraya arrives and, impressed by Violet's actions, offers her access to her own extensive library in her summer home—superior to the one Violet had negotiated for—in hopes of finding historical records about defeating venin. After Violet leaves the hall, she encounters her squad and learns of border combat. General Aetos intercepts them in the hallway and, unable to prosecute Violet legally, retaliates by ordering her entire second-year squad to serve two days of duty at the dangerous Samara outpost beginning the next morning, an eighteen-to-twenty-hour flight away. He explicitly threatens to punish her squadmates whenever she disobeys orders, using them as leverage against her.