Deep Dive: Onyx Storm

Join Jordan, Devonnie, and Christina as they discuss the latest installment in Rebecca Yarros' Empyrian Series, Onyx Storm. If you've finished the book, we invite you along to celebrate, react, and rant with us. We discuss everything from the dragons, the gods, young love, our theories, and more. This won't be a chapter by chapter breakdown but will be full of our honest reactions and discussions. Whether you loved it or hated it, this deep dive is for you.



Unlike our usual episodes, this one will feature only one book title. If you're looking for new romance book recommendations, we invite you to check out the rest of our catalogue where we recommend books based on a different trope or genre each episode. 


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Episode Transcript

Devonnie (00:02):
Welcome to Romance Recs, where book besties explore
the world of romance novels andencourage you to expand your
TBR.
Join us as we dive into thehottest releases and hidden gems
of the genre.
You can find us on Instagram andthreads at Romance Recs Pod.
Hi guys.
Hi, it's Dev.
I just finished listening to TheNight is Defying by Chloe C.

(00:25):
Penaranda, and I am about tostart on audiobook.
I'm on an audiobook wave.
So Let Them Burn by Camila Cole,because I got an advanced
listeners copy to her second inthat series, which is This Ends
in Embers.
So I'm excited about all theaudiobooks I'll have to listen
to.

Jordan (00:44):
Hi, I'm Jordan.
I'm here.
I am currently reading BrokenSouls Little Hope Series Number
3 by Ariana Cane.
I am also just starting an ARCcopy of Spring Awakening by J.
S.

(01:05):
Jasper.
And surprisingly, I am betweenaudiobooks.
I do not have an audiobook foryou today.

Christina (01:11):
Hi guys, it's Kristina, and I am currently
reading Goldfinch by RavenKennedy, which is the last in
the Plated Prisoner series.
And today we're gonna buckle upfor some Onyx Storm bookish
banter.

Jordan (01:25):
Yay!

Devonnie (01:27):
Yes.
Yes.
Bring on the dragons.

Jordan (01:30):
Yes, let's dive deep into this.
This is not our usual content.
Usually we will give you recsbased on genres or tropes within
the romance, genre as a whole.
But today we're gonna dive deepinto just this one book.
The third installment of theEmpyrean series by Rebecca
Yaros.
No matter how we feel aboutcertain books, or the direction

(01:52):
it's going, or anything likethat, or the questionable,
decisions made about certainthings by the author that we may
or may not agree with, it'sstill meaningful.

Devonnie (02:04):
yeah,

Jordan (02:05):
Here we are.

Devonnie (02:06):
series is why we're here together.
So we got to kind of love it forat least that

Jordan (02:12):
Yep.

Devonnie (02:12):
yeah, let's kick this party off.
We've got onyx storm hypeeverywhere.
Everyone's probably droppingtheir reviews right now So thank
you so much for tuning intoours.
This is not a spoiler freeepisode.
I'm gonna tell you that rightnow So if you just buckled in
and you're ready for bleeps andcover ups and cutouts unbuckle,
babe Unbuckle.
This is not the episode for you.

(02:33):
Things

Jordan (02:33):
Pull the parachute.

Devonnie (02:34):
was, yeah, it will be very spoiled in this episode.
Uh, we are not holding back.
I'mma give you some time to gofinish your read, and then come
back and listen.

Jordan (02:42):
Yeah, or just go find another episode to listen to for
a new rec if,

Devonnie (02:47):
Yeah.
No spoiler free.

Jordan (02:49):
I think we're gonna start with our quick overall
rating rank and then we can doour quotes.

Devonnie (02:55):
Quotes?
We all picked quotes from thebook, right?

Jordan (02:58):
I did.

Christina (02:59):
Yes.

Devonnie (02:59):
You did?
Yeah, I did too.
Okay, cool.
Overall rank or rating?
Ooh, what is this?
Is this out of five stars?
Are we doing

Jordan (03:05):
So overall star rating.
Yeah, for those of you who justtuned in to us for the first
time on this episode because ofOnyx Storm, thank you.
Normally we don't rate books.
We tell you why we liked them orwhy you might like them because
rating is such a personal thing.
But just to give you a littleglimpse as to what you're gonna
get from Our POV for Onyx Storm.

(03:26):
Yeah, we're going to give youour overall ranking.

Devonnie (03:28):
Yeah.

Jordan (03:29):
Christina, why don't you start us out with your star
ranking?

Devonnie (03:34):
And then give us your quote.
We'll do the rating and then the

Jordan (03:36):
And there's no judgment here.
A little bit.

Christina (03:38):
We listen and we don't judge.

Devonnie (03:40):
listen, we don't judge.
Ooh, you beat me to it,Christina.
Oof.

Christina (03:43):
So my rating of Onyx Storm overall was a 2.
5.
My rating of Fourth Wing wasfive stars and Iron Flame was
like three and a half, fourstars.

Jordan (03:57):
Okay, so it's just hopping

Christina (03:59):
gone down for me, but that's okay.

Devonnie (04:02):
Yeah.

Jordan (04:02):
Alright, Dev, what do you got?
What did you

Devonnie (04:05):
I gave it a 3.
5, but I think on Goodreads Iactually rounded up to 4 because
you can't do half and ratherthan let it sit at a 3, I pushed
it to a 4.
But yeah, I think a 3.
5 is my happy place with thebook.

Jordan (04:19):
Okay, and compared to the other three, where does it
rank for you?

Devonnie (04:22):
Uh, I Fourth Wing was 5 Yeah, fourth wing was a five
star read for me for sure.
Iron Flame, do I want to saythat, baby that was a two.
Uh, we did get some redeemingqualities from me in Onyx Storm.
We did.
But Iron Flame just was not myfavorite of the series.

Jordan (04:40):
Okay I gave it a four on Goodreads.
When I was reading it the wholetime, I'm like, maybe a three.
and then the last 15 percent hitand I'm like, this is a solid 4.

Devonnie (04:54):
Yeah.
Yeah, the ending came to saveit.

Jordan (04:58):
to be fair, the more I think about the book, the more I
like it.
So I think I'm going to give itlike a 3.
75.
Like it's right there.
I think on my reread I'll do ithigher.
For me, fourth wing still fivestars.
Like I loved it.
This one.
Yeah, this one is definitely Ithink my second favorite so far

(05:20):
And then iron flame.
I don't even know why I'd rankit.
I couldn't even reread it beforeStarting this because I just
couldn't bring myself to.
Let's do quotes though before weforget and we get too far into
it.
Usually we start our episodeswith a recent book quote we've
stumbled across, or a rant, or arave.
Okay.

Devonnie (05:38):
I've got a couple.
I've got two that I'm gonna saynow, though.
I'm gonna save one for later,but the first quote actually
happens very early into thebook, and It's when Andarna is
talking to Violet, kinda inreference to Xaden and Violet's
feelings towards Xaden.
At this point we all know she'sgetting like flack from some

(06:00):
people who know, or from herselftoo, and Tairn was not playing,
but Andarna goes, I am asunknown as he is, and you still
trust me.
I will not be another battle youhave to fight.
And I really love that quote.
I think Andarna is just, even inthe middle of her like, teenage
tantrum that she has been havingfor two books I think that was

(06:21):
just a beautiful representationof how much she loves Violet and
cares for Violet.
But also how understanding sheis of the fact that Yeah, we're,
I'm different.
He's different.
I get it.
This is weird, but you love me.
I love that.
And just pulling herself out ofthe equation, especially when
Tairn is not playing withViolet.
He lets it be known that he doesnot like Xaden.

(06:42):
He's over this man.
I think, having one of yourdragons be nice is cool or
whatever.
Yeah, I've got that one.
And then the other one isactually Violet's mom in
correspondence that wasdiscovered from her to Violet's
dad.
She says, and I quote, help hermy love.

(07:02):
I'm afraid our daughter hasatrocious taste in men.
And I couldn't agree more.
Okay.

Christina (07:11):
Still agree with her.
Oh my god.

Devonnie (07:12):
Yeah.

Jordan (07:13):
Alright, Mrs.
Atos, calm down over there.

Devonnie (07:17):
Not the Dain girly.

Jordan (07:18):
Alright, well, one of my favorite quotes.
I'm going to read one now andI'm saving one later when it's
relevant when we talk about it.
Violet.
Starts out with Violet.
Do you still love me?
I enunciate every word and leanright into his space just to
prove that I'm not intimidatedby him.
He cups the back of my neck andpulls me within inches of his
face, close enough to kiss.

(07:41):
I could reach the rank of Maven,lead armies of dark wielders
against everyone we care for,and watch every vein in my body
turn red as I channel all thepower in the continent.
And I would still love you.
What I did doesn't change that.
I'm not sure anything can.
And I think that is what wefriends call foreshadowing.

Devonnie (08:03):
Yeah.
Yeah.

Christina (08:05):
There was a lot of foreshadowing in this book.

Devonnie (08:06):
And that's one of my favorite quotes too.
That was actually the third oneI was going to read.
But that's one of my favoritequotes because it reminds me of
the scene in Queen Charlottewhen Queen Charlotte has that
same kind of discussion, thatstand up moment with, King
George.
Yeah.
Do you love me?
And they kind of go tit for tat,but basically all the love just
pours out.
So that's one of my favoritelittle things.

Jordan (08:28):
I just love it.
It's the foreshadowing for me.
The fact that this is prettyearly on in the book, and he
knows what's gonna happen.
He knows he's gonna do this.
This, he's gonna reach the rankof Maven, and he is going to
kill everyone he knows, exceptfor her.
He knows that one spot, that onelight.

Christina (08:47):
Okay, so I couldn't find a single quote I liked in
this book except whenever Tairncalled Xaden the dark wielder.
But, uh, I did really love thededication at the beginning, so
I'll read that.
The dedication says, To the oneswho don't run with the popular
crowd.
The ones who get caught readingunder their desks.
The ones who feel like theynever get invited, included, or

(09:10):
represented.
Get your leathers.
We have dragons to ride.
And I just love that.

Jordan (09:15):
Yeah,

Devonnie (09:16):
Yeah.
That dedication was one of thebest.
Where do we start?

Jordan (09:20):
When the book ended, what were your first kind of
reactions?
In a few words.
Like for me, I felt heavy.
I felt a bigger shock from thisone.
I felt a bigger shock from thisone than I did with Iron Flame.
See, like for me, Iron Flame, itended and everyone was all
shocked and I'm just like, Okay,this is a natural turn of events

(09:42):
in my mind.
Of course, it's five bookseries.
Of course, someone's gonna goevil and of course, it's gonna
be our MMC., duh.
Like, but for me, this one, Ianticipated this move, like at
the end, in a dip, to happen ina different way and to be the
fourth book.
So for it to all of a suddenjump and all of this happen,

(10:05):
because I avoided all thespoilers, thank God, because I
think that would have ruined mywhole read.
I was shooketh,

Devonnie (10:10):
yeah, I honestly the way the book ended number one, I
really wanted it and this canstill happen, but I really
wanted it to be violet.
And what I expected was violetto be.
The one to turn bad.
I really wanted that for her.
I didn't want that for

Jordan (10:27):
I wa

Devonnie (10:28):
that's I know I say I'm saying I want but that's
what I saw happening because andthere's some and the reason I'm
Gonna use a moment.
I wrote this down The firstthing I wrote down in my notes
about onyx storm when I was likethinking about the book was how
she got that broken compass Whenthey were in Zinal and I thought
that was so perfect I was likeyou absolutely deserve a broken

(10:49):
compass cuz you're the wayyou're like trying to say I will
save Xaden I'll say there's somuch other shit going on babes.
What do you mean?
You're gonna you're focused onsaving him I feel like from the
very beginning of the series.
We've seen Violet show thatshe's like an Untrust like
almost a unreliable narrator ina story.

(11:09):
Like you cannot rely on her Soif you start this series
thinking that oh my gosh, she'sfor the down and outs She's
gonna lift her people up.
Absolutely.
Not.
She is actually only servingherself Violet is incredibly
selfish

Jordan (11:25):
yeah, she was forced into this position too.
Every step of the way, she hasbeen forced into it.
Her hand has been forced.
From going on to the parapet, tonow.
Everything has been forced onher.

Devonnie (11:37):
and so when I when she got the compass I was just like
Okay.
Yeah, she's gonna have to chooseshe is going to have a Have to
make a like choice to stand onbusiness about how she wants her
future to look and so when theend came I what I expected was
for violet to channel I thoughtshe would channel and then join
Xaden and then they would figurethis out together But then we'd

(11:57):
see the battle between themtheir dragons the people they
love all of that but I feel likethere's still some things that
can happen because Why would youhave Imogen do that?
I get it.
It's probably something as basicas she doesn't want to know
where Xaden has gone because shedoesn't want to be reliable for
people going after her, readingher mind or whatever.
But I think there is somethingdark and nefarious about that

(12:21):
little hour, hours gap thatshe's been missing that I'm
gonna be like, I feel likethat's where we're gonna see her
moral compass really spinningabout whatever it is she did.

Jordan (12:32):
We'll get into this in the end, because I have more to,
that's different.

Devonnie (12:37):
to say about that.
Hehe.

Christina (12:39):
Of all, real quick, about that compass.
I literally get Pirates of theCaribbean vibes.
It points to what you want most,not north.
So that's kind of what I

Jordan (12:45):
Or Spark of the Everflame.

Devonnie (12:47):
Yeah, true.

Christina (12:48):
So that's kind of what I was thinking.
But, so when I finished readingthe book, I was spoiled by the
way so I already knew theending, so it didn't shock me,
and

Jordan (12:56):
How much what was spoiled?
Because there are

Devonnie (12:58):
Yeah, what did you

Jordan (13:00):
I don't

Christina (13:00):
so I had been told, uh, in the video I watched, it
was, oh, her second signet issleepwalking, or dreamwalking,
and at the very end, you'regonna have Zaden and Violet get
married, then they're, she'sgonna lose twelve, hours of her
life.
And so that's, I knew that goinginto this.
And I was like, that's stupid.
And so when I got to it, I waslike, Oh, I hate that.
Didn't like it.
But

Jordan (13:20):
see, I think it, that ruins it.

Devonnie (13:22):
Yeah, that

Jordan (13:22):
me, reading it, it was amazing, and that's the best
part of the book.

Christina (13:26):
I also,

Devonnie (13:27):
didn't spoil me though.
I predicted that in book two.
Happen in book two.

Christina (13:31):
and you could see the marriage happening to even if I
wasn't spoiled because he

Jordan (13:35):
Yeah, but not that

Christina (13:36):
like chapter four, and he was just declared a Duke.
So I'm like, well, obviouslyshe's going to be duchess.
But

Jordan (13:42):
but that, that, but not that way.
Right after he ranks up in theVenin.

Devonnie (13:47):
see the marriage.
I didn't see the marriage

Jordan (13:49):
No.

Christina (13:50):
Uh, I think he talks about it like three or four
times, because then he talksabout the marriage contract with
her.
But anywho, uh, when I finishedreading the book, I felt like I
had just read Iron Flame.
2.
0.
The whole thing was the exact

Jordan (14:02):
Oh, okay.

Christina (14:02):
You have this exact thing of we're gonna argue about
everything, and then at the end,there's another cliffhanger
that's the exact samecliffhanger as the second book.
It cracked me up.
I was like, that's

Jordan (14:14):
I wouldn't say that's the same

Christina (14:15):
That he turned Venin.
Well, that he turned

Jordan (14:18):
But that's not the cliffhanger.
That's not the cliffhanger ofthis book, though.
He's got to

Christina (14:24):
But then I felt like the,

Jordan (14:25):
different.

Christina (14:27):
I felt like the cliffhanger in Iron Flame didn't
even really matter because thestakes weren't high for this
book like he's angsty, not evil,

Jordan (14:34):
now he's evil.
Now

Devonnie (14:35):
Yeah.
So I wasn't prepared for him togo that far towards the end.
So for me, I guess I did kind ofcount him leveling up in.
Venin dom.
I don't know.
I wasn't expecting that.
So that was kind of acliffhanger.
I was like, damn.
But when you threaten Violet, Iguess, you know, he gotta do
what he gotta do.
But I don't know what level heis.

(14:56):
I don't know if he's a sage now,or a maven, or whatever.
But I know he's definitely,probably higher than what he,
yeah, than what he was before.

Christina (15:03):
said he's no longer the initiate.
Sage.

Devonnie (15:06):
Exactly.

Jordan (15:06):
Alright, I have more thoughts about his nefarious
happenings.
But we're gonna break it up.

Devonnie (15:13):
Oh,

Jordan (15:14):
I think we should jump in to the beginning of the book.
We just did first startedtalking about the end, but let's
go back to the beginning.
Because the Prologue starts withher following him and this
actually ties into what we werejust saying because if you go
back and think about theprologue, we find her following
Xaden, but he's going down tovisit Jack.
Because we learn later, Jack isnow, in source, his brother.

(15:37):
They have the same Sage or Mavenor whatever.
We should have looked that up alittle bit more closely.
But anyways, I think it's hissage his mentor, right?
That he is now tied to.
And he, I think other thingshappen that we don't see because
he continues to go to visit him.
We know that, but we never hearabout what he does when he goes

(15:57):
there.
So I think, There's a lot ofthings we don't see because he
can't hurt Jack because they areconnected.

Devonnie (16:06):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, and we know his gift islike intention, so he can
literally be down there quizzingand questioning him and
revealing stuff and it.
They don't ever mention ifImogen goes with him, do they?

Jordan (16:20):
No, he goes by himself.

Christina (16:22):
goes with Violet when she goes to visit him.

Devonnie (16:25):
All right.
Okay.
So I was just wondering, becauselike also was Theophany was like
very worried about what Jack hadbeen spilling.
Or not Theophany.
Was that?
No, yeah, it was Theophany.

Christina (16:34):
Yeah, because Pancheck and them were down
there questioning too in betweenwhen we don't see

Devonnie (16:39):
Right.
Right.
There's a lot we don't see.
And that was one of the thingsRebecca mentioned.
Yeah.
Rebecca mentioned like when inthe first I think it was during
fourth wing why we couldn't havea Xaden POV and she's because he
won't stop lying or somethinglike that or he wasn't

Jordan (16:55):
It would give away, what, did she say, it would give
away too many

Devonnie (16:58):
yeah too many things before they were supposed to be
revealed And I think by lettingus know that he was doing all
these things but not showing usand not telling us these things
It's definitely her way ofsneaking some stuff in there
that we are gonna be able tolike unravel later on But yeah,
she's following him

Jordan (17:14):
Yep.
And yeah.
So the first third of the book,the prologue through chapter 22,
it's pretty slow.
I was listening to it cause Ilistened to it on Audible and I
was just like, come on this isnot where I thought we would be
going.
Even if it's not where I thinkwe're going, it's not even a
recap.
It's just hanging out

Devonnie (17:32):
Yeah,

Jordan (17:33):
and not even a fun hanging out.

Devonnie (17:35):
No, I mean they get into some trouble and stuff kind
of but it's like I wanted thestakes at the beginning of this.
I wanted us to be tossedliterally into some high stuff
But I feel like

Jordan (17:47):
In chapter 2, the Venin make it in again.
The Venin attack and they makeit over the wall

Devonnie (17:53):
yeah,

Jordan (17:54):
to get Jack, but here's my thing.
We learn later that Xadenconsents where the Venin are.
Where was he to raise the alarmabout all this?

Devonnie (18:08):
right.

Jordan (18:09):
did not.
And all of a sudden, all theVenin are in?
Where was Xaden?

Devonnie (18:14):
Yeah.
just said we, that's why Garrickand I have been killing or isn't
that what he says?
Garrick and I have been killingthem.
That's what he says, but it'slike I feel like he should have,
we should

Jordan (18:25):
He can feel that others have gotten past them! He
could've! He could've toldSigail,

Devonnie (18:31):
Violet Tairn.

Jordan (18:33):
Everyone could've known, All the dragons could've known,
who could've told their riderswhat is happening?

Christina (18:37):
wasn't talking to Seidon at this time.

Jordan (18:39):
Yeah, but she, but, that's true,

Devonnie (18:42):
I think she still would have told Tairn and then
so he could tell his becauseSegayl don't

Jordan (18:46):
was with Garak, or Bodhi or one of them, if he was with
them, He wouldn't have beenfighting! And he felt them.
He could've just been like,alert everybody.
I mean, there are things theycould've done.
So

Devonnie (18:59):
Maybe that could be like purposeful by Rebecca or
that could be a

Jordan (19:03):
help them?
Did he help them to get Jackout?

Devonnie (19:08):
Yeah, which I mean They didn't succeed and also

Jordan (19:12):
No.
But did he help them by notraising the alarm and tell them
where to get in?
Because he knew where all thepatrols were.
Anyways, that was my big note.
Cause we don't know how muchXaden was, like, being
influenced.

Christina (19:26):
Also, I think in that first 22 chapters, we meet
Halden, and I just want to saythat Violet would have never
been dumb enough to date thatguy.
That seems so dumb to me.

Jordan (19:36):
Oh, not to me.
I can totally see it.
I can totally see her datinghim.
Absolutely.
You have to remember she wasreally smart.
But, she was raised, not just byher father, but around all these
cadets.
And this looser lifestyle.
Higher standing.
This is who she hung out withand her social pool was small

(19:58):
and she would go from place toplace.
And, like she said to her Arc isjust Arc.
That's they're just her friends.
Or her dirty cheating ex.
I loved this.
I absolutely loved that he isher ex.
I ate that up.
Dirty history.
Because, give me a break,Christina.

(20:20):
Think of yourself now.
And think of the people youdated when you were a teenager.

Devonnie (20:24):
Exactly.

Jordan (20:25):
Or you were into as a teenager.

Devonnie (20:27):
Cause I would

Jordan (20:28):
And if

Christina (20:28):
and that was not healthy at all, but that

Jordan (20:31):
Exactly! But that's the thing.
Christina, that's the thing.

Devonnie (20:34):
Yeah.

Jordan (20:36):
your brain isn't he was hot.
He was prince.
He was gonna be king.
He was charismatic.
You can't Like, yeah, he's adouche, but he's charismatic.

Devonnie (20:45):
I think it's very believable for the station of
life and the type of life Violetwas leading at that time.
She was, and this whole time,she was supposed to be a scribe.
The writer's quadrant was nevereven supposed to exist for her.
So I think being aroundknowledge and people and having
access to information, I couldsee Halden being the thing.
And also xaden is Halden.

(21:08):
Without the, I guess the boldface cheating Jack, because
Xaden actually

Jordan (21:13):
He's the loyal

Devonnie (21:14):
but Xaden is still a jerk.
He talks to peopledisrespectfully.
He holds himself higher thaneveryone else because he knows
he's more powerful.
He's powerful in actual power.
Holden is powerful in name.
So I feel like they are, they'rethe same thing.
It's just that Xaden respectsViolet in a way that Holden
didn't.
But she has terrible taste inmen.
Very clear to me, especially nowknowing that her mom wrote that

(21:38):
letter talking about Holdenbecause her mom was probably
punching air watching thatrelationship.
And then then her mom, did hermom get to see her and Xaden or
know about?
She did know about her and say,yeah, then she, then there's a
lot of evidence saying thatViolet makes terrible man
choices.
It's just, we love Xaden becausehe's a shadow daddy and bandages
her up when she's broken.

(21:59):
But really and truly him andHolden are very different.
They're two powerful men.
They just wield their powerdifferently.

Christina (22:05):
I felt just like the storyline was just basically the
cat storyline all over again,just to make someone jealous.

Jordan (22:11):
I liked seeing the other point of view I didn't like the
cat storyline.
I liked this one with that onebecause I liked seeing Xaden
have to deal with it from theother point of view.
I liked that because I hated theway he handled it.
I hate, yeah, and I hated theway that he handled her jealousy
of Kat in Iron Flame.

(22:32):
And so to see him be humbled, Inthat way, I loved

Devonnie (22:38):
Yeah.
Yeah.

Jordan (22:39):
And to see him jealous, I kind of like the way he
handles jealousy.
It didn't feel like too much.
I, well, to be fair shooting himacross the room and into the
wall.
That's fine.
If he was like a good guy ex, Ithink I would definitely have
different feelings, but he couldfeel his intentions.
You have to remember that.
He could feel his intentionstowards Violet.

Devonnie (23:01):
Yeah, that, and Holden's just shitty, but also I
gave everything terrible Xadendid, I gave a grain of salt
because he's Venom, and heshouldn't be normal, he
shouldn't be the regular Xadenwe're used to, he should have to
struggle to not want to killpeople every second, or to suck
magic out of everybody, so Ithink he did a good job being
Venom in this book, kudos toyou, babe! Xaden, you did that,

(23:24):
because I expected you to bedraining people left and right,
the entire book, and You didn't.
You lasted really until the end,until y'all were literally
losing and everybody was downand out.
So yeah, I think he was a goodVenin in this book.
He didn't do too much.

Jordan (23:41):
Because we didn't even get to see really his inner
turmoil very much.
But like looking back,

Devonnie (23:46):
through Violet's dreamwalking.

Jordan (23:49):
which is probably the reason he won't sleep next to
her, because he knows, I thinkhis dreams, he knows they're not
just dreams.
I think he knows this other guyis a dreamwalker because he is
training him whenever Xadensleeps.
And I think that's why he won'tsleep next to Violet.

Devonnie (24:08):
Interesting.
I thought, Oh, wait,

Jordan (24:11):
Because Dreamwalkers can control the dreams, and they
control things in the people'sminds from what we can gather.
So I think at night when he goesto bed, his mentor, I think he
trains him and tries to levelhim up every night.
And I

Christina (24:26):
then she would be the one that was made to match his
ability,

Devonnie (24:30):
Made to match him.

Christina (24:31):
ability.

Jordan (24:31):
Yep.

Devonnie (24:32):
That's interesting.
I didn't think about it astraining.
I thought I guess also, I justthought about the location that
they're in whenever they havethis dream because it's the same
dream, right?
She's been having a milliontimes.
So in my mind, I've beenpicturing that dream as the
moment he turned Venin.
I keep seeing it as the.

Jordan (24:49):
No, it is, but I think that the sage is, I think it's
him doing it to him every nightand making him relive it.
Because at the end, I just relistened to the last couple
chapters before this, we got inhere because I wanted to
understand what happened better.
And I think that's what'shappening in the dreams is I
think he is going into Xaden'sdreams whenever he's in like

(25:12):
range or magic or whatever,right?
And I think he's bringing himback to his low point.
Which is when he turned and Ithink he's forcing him to
channel in the dream Becausethat's how he's training him is
making him channel in the dreamand doing all that

Devonnie (25:27):
Right, and how else would you train a fucking
initiate or whatever do they goto school?
You know, that, that actuallymakes a lot of sense.
I didn't think about there's novet in college.
How are you supposed to put yourhands on all your pupils?

Jordan (25:39):
which is also why later when we hear about Violet, when
she, they have this bigrevelation that she's a
dreamwalker, Xaden's yeah, thoseare real because I think he
knows he's Being manipulated by

Devonnie (25:52):
he could be lying.
Yeah.
You're right, Xaden could belying

Jordan (25:57):
He does lie

Devonnie (25:58):
unfortunate.
He be lying.

Jordan (26:00):
He loves to omit things

Devonnie (26:02):
Yes,

Jordan (26:03):
or just make comments and be like, Oh, really?
Or it could be this withoutsharing with the class.

Devonnie (26:08):
On, in the vein of dreamwalking, I am curious as
why Leothan, the Iriod fromAndarna's Den, why, or I don't
know if it's him specificallywho said this, but they say that
Andarna gave Violet the mostdangerous gift of all.
And if that's dreamwalking, I'mtrying to understand why that's

(26:29):
so dangerous.

Christina (26:32):
I

Devonnie (26:32):
Enterings,

Christina (26:33):
can change people's thoughts in their dream and
manipulate them like anintrinsic.
Almost, she can read theirthoughts and change them and
manipulate them into her, whatshe wants.

Devonnie (26:43):
then if they wake up, doesn't that fall off?

Jordan (26:45):
no, I don't think, I think she can trap them in their
dreams.
Because the only way she findsto get out of that dream is
whenever she gets hurt shephysically hurts herself.
So I

Christina (26:56):
to wake Xaden up

Jordan (26:57):
and like it's said, she doesn't know how to wield this
power yet.
Okay, so I think, we're justgoing all over the place, but I
do have a quote that I markedbecause it's really interesting
to go with her and I think thisis, It's foreshadowing for what
her signet can do.
So at the end, when Theophanysays to her, she said, So

(27:20):
stubborn, it must be killingyou, realizing you don't have
every answer.
You aren't the solution to everyproblem.
You're just another lightningwielder, mortally incapable of
being everywhere at once.
So I think eventually, in a way,she'll be able to be in more
places than one.
Because I think she'll be ableto reach out to other people's

(27:43):
minds when they're like,unconscious, or in a certain
state, or, I don't know what thelimits are.
But we, I don't, any of us knowthat yet.

Devonnie (27:53):
Yeah.
I hope Rebecca knows, becausethis magic system is confusing
as hell.

Jordan (27:57):
Oh

Devonnie (27:58):
I hate when they use the term lesser magic.
Because I'm like, ugh.

Jordan (28:03):
What does that mean?
Can anyone do it?
Or only

Devonnie (28:05):
And right, like I hate it because I'm, I think that
confuses me the most wheneveryone has a signet.
I understand.
But then when in, when you getinto the voice projection and
the lesser magic of it all, I'dbe wanting to punch

Jordan (28:20):
and then runes on top of that?

Christina (28:21):
a pen.

Devonnie (28:23):
yeah, like what a base we are.
I think it's too much.
I think the magic system needsto, it should have just been
signets.
And I would have taken signetsand runes.
No lesser magic.
Okay, you got a little disc, youneed to jump high, you put on,
you draw your little rune onyou, and now you jump high, it
washes off, for 24 hours orwhatever.
I'm getting tired of the lessermagic.

(28:45):
Okay?

Christina (28:46):
Signets, remember when Sarah J.
Maas said, Oh, mates are rare.
And then Rebecca Yarrow said,Second Signets are rare.
And everybody has one.

Devonnie (28:55):
Let me tell you, that, okay, I have big feelings about
the second signets.
One, happy feelings, because Ifeel like some of them may have
been released too early.
Revealed to us in books one andtwo.
I'm not positive, but I feellike I need to reread those two
just to see if I'm right Okay,there's a lot that I'm like,
huh?
On top of that though the secondsignets that were revealed

(29:16):
because everybody got them inthe crew I'm like the inner
circle basically of onyx storm.
Everybody has one yeah So I feellike

Christina (29:24):
don't have one?
Oh,

Devonnie (29:26):
Yeah but they all of them are also lying about them.
And so my understanding nowneeds to be, why are we lying
about having second signets?

Christina (29:33):
Be helpful.

Jordan (29:34):
because they aren't trusted by the king and the
government,

Devonnie (29:38):
Oh shit, all the people who have second sig
Right, they can tell Violet.
But all the

Jordan (29:43):
but it's only Violet and the Tyrish people that were with
the,

Devonnie (29:47):
I didn't make that

Jordan (29:48):
it's like nature's way of making up for being marked by
the dragons, is their dragons, Isee as A dragon marked them in a
negative way, right, and theirdragons are able to now channel
an extra signet to make up forwhat was done to them by
dragons.

Devonnie (30:08):
Interesting.
I didn't think about who wasgetting them.
I just knew that everybody got

Jordan (30:13):
That's why Dain he's like later.
You're gonna explain how he'sable to do this

Devonnie (30:17):
Also, can we talk about what the hell Imogen's
signet is?
Second signet?
Are we

Christina (30:22):
yeah, just a few chapters before when Sawyer, I
think, said, Oh, there's neverbeen a rock wielder in history.
And then she's wielding stoneand

Jordan (30:30):
oh she was wielding still I do.
I don't even remember that partbecause

Devonnie (30:33):
It's like either she turned stuff into stone, right?
Like she turned metal into stoneAnd so I was like, huh?
And I remembered when so he saidthat no there's never been a
images like

Christina (30:45):
stone wielder, and Imogen's bet.

Jordan (30:48):
There is something there's something I literally
just read darn it.
Where is it?
It was some it was in thecorrespondence at the beginning
of a chapter and it saidsomething like there are I think
it Was it six or twelvesignificant signets that only
appear every century when agreat need is there?

(31:10):
But it's not just two, right?
Oh, so it's the six.
I think that's what's

Christina (31:15):
What we're seeing, yeah, the resurgence of the new
six, yeah.

Jordan (31:19):
Because

Devonnie (31:20):
they're up against the Venin.
That makes sense.
Yeah,

Christina (31:25):
Agreed.

Jordan (31:26):
So I think that's also part of why that's happening.
Which, at least there's anexplanation for it, and it's not
just everybody loves each other.

Devonnie (31:33):
Have some rapid fire thoughts real quick.
They're all over the place, butI think they're

Jordan (31:37):
I think that we're just, we had an outline,

Devonnie (31:39):
We're on

Jordan (31:40):
everywhere now.
We're going on vibes now, sorryeverybody, but here we are.

Devonnie (31:44):
I just see the time so I'm like I gotta get some hits
off.
Who was Theophany as apriestess?
I am very concerned about whoshe was as a priestess, but I
also want to know Who Violet wastalking to or who was, or if
they were talking to Violet'smom.
There was a communication aboutsomething about, fuck you and my
daughters, or something likethat.
Do you guys remember that?
But I don't remember who sentthat communication.

(32:05):
I don't think it was Violet'smom.
I think it came from someoneelse, and I don't know who that
is.
I'm very curious if that wasTheophany in some way or
something.
I don't know.
I was just

Jordan (32:15):
Violet's mom,

Devonnie (32:17):
And Theophany knew

Jordan (32:18):
right?
Lilith, or,

Devonnie (32:20):
Uh huh.

Jordan (32:21):
Lilith, she was the answer to Theothany.
She was the balance.
So Theothany came first, which,badass villainess.
I am

Devonnie (32:31):
favorite part of the

Jordan (32:32):
gone.
She cannot be gone.
I don't want her to be gone.
She

Devonnie (32:34):
She's gone, but she's she was my favorite.

Jordan (32:37):
So

Christina (32:38):
plotline was pointless.

Jordan (32:41):
Not necessarily, we don't know that yet.
No,

Christina (32:43):
because she died and Violet didn't get any of the
answers that she kept promising

Jordan (32:47):
But that's

Devonnie (32:47):
That is

Jordan (32:48):
But that's the point, is we're gonna learn more.
I don't think it was pointless.
The, it, Theophany made herthink about things.
She made decisions because ofTheophany so I think that she, I

Devonnie (33:00):
fact that you was saying Theophany is killing me.
With the tea.

Jordan (33:04):
I know, I'm all over the place with all these Anyways,
yeah, whatever.
I don't have the

Devonnie (33:08):
you both.
Yeah, I agree with you both.
I think, I don't think it waspointless.
I think she was the best villainI've read in so long.
Because she ground my gears withthe way she was always 10 steps
ahead of them.
It was so good.
I'm also pissed now that I can'tget any of these answers.
Because Violet should have wentto the dark side.
When a girl was telling her, Ihave answers for you, babe.

(33:31):
Come get me.
I would say, ooh, coming, babe.
Give me the answers.
Because, yeah, and so now,Jordan, I am pissed, and I hope
she's not dead, because I wouldlove her to regurgitate or
regenerate, whatever.
Regurgitate?
Is that what you vomit up yourfood?
Well, whatever she gotta do toget back in the land of the

(33:52):
living I need Yeah, vomit onherself back up because I need
the secrets when I tell you sheoh my god She was the best she
got me so pissed every time shehopped on the screen on the page
in my ear Anyway, every time shewas like talking or speaking.
I was like damn.
She is so good y'all suck Howdid she get here before you like
you guys suck as cadets?

(34:13):
She

Jordan (34:14):
Yeah,

Devonnie (34:15):
in here left you a little note at the thing you
were getting.

Christina (34:18):
Go off,

Devonnie (34:19):
could honestly, yeah sorry, there goes my rant for
today, right?
How I love Theophany but alsobabe, why are you dead?
and the cadets suck because theycouldn't beat her.
And also why did it take us thatlong to realize that she wasn't
wielding lightning, that she wasactually wielding the storms?

Jordan (34:34):
that's I didn't even think about her being a
stormwheeler, but I thought itwas super weird when she hid.
All of the wyvern in

Devonnie (34:42):
In the cloud!

Jordan (34:44):
I was like, Violet can't do that.
I should have realized that'swhat was happening.
Because

Devonnie (34:48):
that should have made,

Jordan (34:49):
like my first thought was, she can't control the
clouds.
Her lightning just comes down.
So how is that?
How does she

Devonnie (34:55):
that's all.

Jordan (34:56):
to there?

Devonnie (34:57):
that's good writing on Rebecca because that should have
been a plain explanation and it

Jordan (35:01):
people probably did pick that up.
I think some people probablydid.
But not everybody.
And

Devonnie (35:05):
Not I said the cat I was like, oh my gosh, she's
really controlling the lightningguys.
She is making sure she missesher wife her big idiot No, babe.
She's moving the cloud.
She's moving the store

Christina (35:18):
Can we I think we can all agree that we loved Ridoc
this book though.

Jordan (35:22):
Oh, Ra, next question.
Ra, oh my dear.

Devonnie (35:27):
guys, okay.
Y'all know I

Jordan (35:29):
fight all of you for

Devonnie (35:30):
Yes, though, I feel it.
Let me tell you, I was, y'allknow I like to listen and read,
right?
I'm listening to the audio, I'mreading the book.
With my own eyes and my ownears, when it makes it belie
like, when Rebecca tries to makeme think that he was just
stabbed and bleeding out in thepantry,

Jordan (35:48):
You are freaking

Devonnie (35:49):
my book.
I flung my book.
I was screaming in here.
I was like no, he can't die.
But I was expecting a big death.
So Ridoc fit the bill.
I was like, okay, they savedGarrett, but they're going to
save Garrett.
But Ridoc, I didn't realize howmuch I

Christina (36:05):
him and his dragon having contest of who can prank
who is my favorite.

Devonnie (36:10):
But don't they match?
Their energies match so much.
Because why is your dragonplaying?
Yeah

Christina (36:16):
They're the same age?

Devonnie (36:18):
it.
Children, why is your dragonparticipating in this game?

Jordan (36:24):
Oh, but we got good glimpses into other dragons and

Devonnie (36:27):
Dragon, it was

Jordan (36:28):
But we'll get to that.
But Ridoc, when he went off onViolet with some like honest
real talk about Xaden.
I was like, this is whateveryone's thinking.
Real world reality being shovedonto an enemies to lovers, in a
fantasy world.
And it was, So sexy to listento.

(36:48):
I was like, what do you think hesounds like in other places?
If he can do that,

Devonnie (36:54):
Peyton, I hope you're listening.

Christina (36:56):
he

Jordan (36:56):
won't, he doesn't listen to any of these.

Christina (36:58):
how sexy Xaden was.

Devonnie (37:01):
Yeah, I know.
I

Jordan (37:02):
Oh yeah.
When he was like, I don't knowif I'm scared or turned on by
him right now.
And I love that he's foreverybody.
And I,

Devonnie (37:10):
Ridoc Riddick is streets.

Jordan (37:13):
And he calls them out just because I joke around
doesn't mean I'm like, I'm not,I shouldn't be taken seriously
in

Devonnie (37:20):
I loved when he did that.
Because yeah, we can laugh andjoke and we have to because
we're all gonna die.
Life sucks.
But I'm not an idiot.
I have useful advice.
Don't count me down.
And I think we all

Jordan (37:30):
I have a

Devonnie (37:30):
well, some of us, Right, we have people who could,
who are probably like that.
That you think, oh, they'realways laughing, they're always
smiling, they're always joking.
But no they have valid opinionsjust because you laugh doesn't
negate your like intelligence oryour contribution So I really
love that.
He actually Stands on businessand tells his friends like hey
Time out here.

(37:51):
I don't know what you thoughtthis was but this is what it
actually is.
Yeah, so Ridoc strong Yes, hedid

Christina (37:56):
I literally, I

Devonnie (37:58):
sad about

Christina (37:58):
like, when Sawyer gets back on his dragon and he's
look at you! And the dragonstops and says, look at you from
over there!

Devonnie (38:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.

Christina (38:09):
love him.

Devonnie (38:11):
Yeah.
Ridoc was funny.
He was funny.
He was great.
Sawyer, I'm so sad for him.
I miss his energy and he's justso down right now and I get it.
He's got a learning curve and Ilove that he tried to, you know,
get on his, there's a lot goingon with him.
But yeah, my heart goes out tohim because I know this is hard
and like he can't really help asmuch or he thinks he can't, but

(38:32):
he's still useful.
So he's just got to believe heis.

Jordan (38:36):
I liked how he went to different people for different
things.
He went to Violet when he knewhe needed her kind of
encouragement, because sheunderstands what it means to
have to do things in a differentway.
And like someone who wouldn'tpity him.
And I just, yeah, he's great.
I love

Devonnie (38:56):
Yeah.
Wait, I have a question aboutSawyer and Rhiannon.
Are they together?
Did I miss something?
Are they in love?

Christina (39:03):
They did fuck

Jordan (39:04):
on her.

Devonnie (39:06):
Huh?

Jordan (39:07):
Do we know they

Christina (39:08):
in book one, yeah, he came out of her room right after
they became dragons.
I think that first night, firstdragon riders.
She opens the door and he cameout of the room, yeah.

Devonnie (39:16):
Okay.
Cause every time Rhiannon, shewas kind of annoying me a little
bit with her treatment of Sawyerand her like pushing him because
I understand pushing him, butalso he was like, he needed to
eat.
All right.
I don't know.
I guess I'm talking about andI'm understanding both sides
because there really isn't timeto grieve.
Everybody's under attack, but Ifelt like she was just.
Yeah, I think she was just like,I don't know, pushing him a

(39:38):
little too much.
And then I was like, is theremore at stake?
And I couldn't remember if theywere like.
Together or anything.
So I think for me, I wouldunderstand if they were in a
relationship and she was likepushing them.
So they weren't in arelationship, but

Christina (39:50):
dating some other girl.

Devonnie (39:52):
right.
Okay.

Christina (39:53):
some other girl in the second book,

Devonnie (39:54):
That's what I remember.
Yeah.
Okay.

Jordan (39:56):
most of them have slept with each other.

Devonnie (39:59):
Yeah.
They just nasty advice

Jordan (40:00):
Sad that we missed that.
Violet never.
Did all that.
I would have liked to see Violeta year before with Xaden and her
really just taking advantage ofthe who knows when we're gonna
die

Devonnie (40:14):
Yeah.

Christina (40:15):
Rai tells her that.
She's you just need to getfucked and have some fun.
And she's no.

Devonnie (40:20):
fun.
Yeah, that was

Jordan (40:22):
No, I just need to think of him.
Sorry.

Christina (40:25):
Oh,

Devonnie (40:26):
Ha!

Christina (40:26):
that continues into this book.
That's my biggest problem withthis book, where she thinks her
orgasms are more important thanthe safety of the continent.
And I'm like, girl, I want toslap her with the book.
There's more bigger problemsgoing on.
Figure this out later.

Jordan (40:39):
Here's my thing, though.

Devonnie (40:40):
sex scene.
I hated them all.

Jordan (40:43):
Yeah, they were a little theatrical.

Devonnie (40:47):
Too much! Too much theatrics!

Christina (40:49):
was always like, I love you, but you can't be near
me.
Don't touch me, but we shouldkiss and we love each other.
And I'm like, okay.

Jordan (40:57):
okay, but I get that it's annoying, but I think it's
very similar to most couples inother romanticy books.
Every other mailman character.
That is morally gray, puts herabove his people.
So if you have that complaint, Ithink you should have that
complaint with most other MMCs.

(41:18):
Kingfisher Reese, uh,

Christina (41:21):
Oh, I have

Jordan (41:21):
definitely Rowan, doesn't care about anyone else.
I think if you want someonewho's gonna put his people above
the FMC, then you're a Tamlinstan.

Devonnie (41:30):
Yeah.

Jordan (41:31):
Because that's what Tamlin does.

Devonnie (41:34):
Yeah.
I just didn't like I didn't caremuch about her putting the, I
just didn't like the scenes.
I

Jordan (41:40):
Yeah.

Devonnie (41:41):
made me sick.
I couldn't do it.
I just didn't like reading it.
And I, but I also, I think it'sbecause I learned, I didn't love
Violet in this book.
I didn't love her in book twoand I didn't like her in this
book.
So I think, and that might be onpurpose, Rebecca.
Are you doing that on purpose?
Because I don't like her as acharacter.
I'm sick of her.
And you know what I'm sick of?

(42:01):
But I love him! You're gonna befine, babe.
Just, we got this.
There's nothing wrong with

Jordan (42:07):
Oh, yeah.

Devonnie (42:08):
The denial, her denial factor is a little too high.
If she would have easily saidOkay, you're Venin.
This is big.
This is bad.
Let's figure out what, a littlemore panic, babe.
Cause she panics a lot in thisbook.
She shows that she can panic,but for some reason, when it
comes to Xaden, it's just theVenin thing is, it doesn't

(42:30):
matter.
And that's what I don't likebecause this is

Christina (42:32):
that's what my problem is

Jordan (42:33):
Okay

Christina (42:34):
not about above the people.
It's just there's biggerproblems.
You should be focusing on that

Devonnie (42:37):
focused on him.
Yeah.
Yeah

Jordan (42:40):
for me, the biggest problem in this book, This is
getting me worked up now, Iremember.
What is the fucking chain ofcommand?
These are essentially Barely not

Devonnie (42:52):
You're right don't get me

Jordan (42:54):
got handed, they just got handed these all powerful
dragons.
This is where my next quotecomes in.
Are you ready?
You get one chance to form yourown squad, and you choose your
ex, your current lover, thequadrant's resident smartass,
two people who have tried tokill you in the past year, one

(43:16):
over said current lover, andwhatever Dain is.
These are your choices for themost important mission any
writer could possibly undertake.
I'm glad someone said it, Tairnchimes in.
Like, how

Christina (43:30):
Mira and Tairn knew what was going on.

Devonnie (43:32):
No.
Yeah.

Jordan (43:37):
Just because of Tairn?
Is that literally all?
But how are How?
Yes, I understand how maybe shecould get away with things
because of Tairn, but How arethey not crucifying all of

Christina (43:47):
tries to do that.
Colonel Atos does that.
He sends him away to Samara orwhatever for two days because he
can't punish her, but he's I'mgonna punish your friends, but
that's the only thing we eversee.

Devonnie (43:56):
That's all.
Yeah.
That's the only thing that getsThe chain of command thing.
Yeah.
I'm with you.
I hate, and you know what it is?
It, there was no chain ofcommand, but I also hate how
violet like puts on her, I'm thebaddest B.
In this town, I've got these twodirect.
That pisses me off because she'sscreaming to everybody.

(44:16):
This is my squad, this is myteam, this is my mission.
Mine mine, mine.
But then she's also thinking,oh, I don't wanna lead a people.
I don't wanna be a queen baby.
But they, these two thingscannot exist as much as they,
you can have second.
Thoughts like, Ooh, am I cut outfor this?
But let me see some of that.
I don't want to lead a peoplewhen you talk about, I have the

(44:38):
two best dragons I understandyou can be a baddie.
But also don't come and tell meyou don't want to be a queen
like I want that I'm the baddeston the throne to

Jordan (44:50):
it's kinda it all, it doesn't feel natural because
yes, it contradicts each other,but it almost feels like Rebecca
wrote that reluctance to lead inher just for the want to be able
to say the famous quote of thebest leaders never wanted to be
leaders.
It's almost like it's beingwritten just to play into that

(45:13):
cliche.
Yeah, it's, it doesn't feelnatural to everything else

Christina (45:19):
Well, cause now she's a duchess, and so I assume she
has control of Tyr and Durr'sarmies,

Devonnie (45:23):
we'll see

Christina (45:23):
didn't say it's yours

Devonnie (45:24):
power.
Yeah.
And that's what I thought fromthat too, that it's yours.
I'm pretty sure he was talkingabout the throne.

Jordan (45:31):
Oh yeah, absolutely.
That's why she has the familyring and everything.

Devonnie (45:35):
Right, right.

Jordan (45:38):
but, I need a whole book just on the dragons.
Cause I do not understand, likeI kind of understand the base
level of their hierarchy, butthey All are super long lived
and they should know most ofthis stuff.
So are they just like playingpuppeteer with all these people
and like laughing at whateverthey do?
Like I don't get it.
Like they have to know

Christina (45:57):
the Empyrean keeps secrets from humans, but that
doesn't seem fair if it'simportant to the survival of
both races,

Jordan (46:04):
I'm really, there's a lot we're missing.
I feel like because it doesn'tmake sense.

Devonnie (46:08):
well, rebecca also didn't name the series the best
guy at war college series.
It's called the empyrean seriesSo this is not about the humans.
It's about the dragons Iultimately feel like we're
getting human content and at theend she's gonna crank up the
same way We kind of got like ourside characters.
We got to know them a littlemore we got to See their
dragons.
I feel like the next book we'regoing to be in with the dragons

(46:29):
because we need to figure outthe areas.
We need to know what did I dofor however many days she was
away and then randomly pop up inthe nick of

Christina (46:37):
Yeah, don't get me

Devonnie (46:37):
like there's.
Yeah, there's a lot of stuffthat I wanted to know about the
dragons and I feel like Rebeccais going to give it to us in the
next book because this series Ifeel is about the dragons.
One thing I don't like is thatTairn, I know it's probably
painful.
Talk about your previous writer,please.
Cause I need to know whathappened,

Christina (46:54):
Darna even says that.
And Darna

Devonnie (46:57):
that he won't

Christina (46:58):
about my

Devonnie (46:58):
about my grief.

Christina (46:59):
about yours.

Jordan (47:00):
Yeah, you and Violet don't talk about yours.

Devonnie (47:02):
You inviolate.
So I think it's important.

Jordan (47:05):
for her.
Like I love,

Devonnie (47:07):
Period.
Yeah, she put her Her wing down.

Christina (47:10):
every time Violet brings it up, Tairn's No.
Immediately, it shuts it off.
So there's something there.

Devonnie (47:15):
There's I know and I want to know.

Christina (47:17):
I think it's important to note, Because
supposedly, Neolyn died savingBrennan, right?
And people had said Brennan wasdead, right?
But the Ereds say you cannotSave death.
But if Nanolin did that, thenthat's the cure to the venin
because that's what the errandsaid.
The errand said there's no cureto venom because you can't cure
death.
But if Nanolin found that wayout, then that would be the

(47:37):
cure,

Jordan (47:38):
I think he is the big head Venin.

Christina (47:40):
A lot of people thought that.
He turned Venn in, channeling tosave

Jordan (47:43):
I think he's the most powerful.
I bet that's why he doesn't wantto talk about him.
Not because he died.
And that's why he is and I betthat is why he is so against
Xaden the moment he turns.
Because it's so personal to

Devonnie (47:57):
Ooh, yeah,

Christina (47:58):
But then does that mean when you turn, does it
break your bond with that rider?

Jordan (48:02):
I think it can be, but we know that dragons can break
their bond.
If they choose to break thatbond with a

Christina (48:07):
because she's pure magic.

Jordan (48:09):
but if Venin's are No, I bet he could I bet Taron could
turn is very powerful I bet ormaybe once they hit a certain
level of Venin and if hechanneled all the power he
possibly could and Just

Christina (48:20):
If has no soul left, then that

Jordan (48:22):
he has no soul

Christina (48:23):
with your soul to a dragon.
So if there's no soul left,there's no bond.

Jordan (48:27):
right.

Devonnie (48:27):
Xaden still has a soul.
We can see it in the way he'sable to come off the ice.

Jordan (48:32):
Now at

Christina (48:32):
one speck.

Devonnie (48:34):
That speck is gone, baby.
Gone in the winds.
That speck is gone.
That was me blowing that speckaway.
Bye, bye

Christina (48:40):
Gonged, gonged like Andarna.

Devonnie (48:42):
yeah, so I want to see how his relationship with Segale
turned out forever, because shedid come back.
And I'm pissed she came back,because she should have stayed.
Anyway,

Christina (48:53):
I thought we were gonna get in book four, Andarna
coming back and having all thisdragon lore.
That's what I was expecting, herbeing this big bad bitch.
Ready to fight and win.
And then no, she came back twoweeks later.
I'm like, what was the point ofBella,

Devonnie (49:05):
Babe.

Christina (49:06):
her

Devonnie (49:06):
Not Bella!

Christina (49:07):
she had her Bella moment.
She had her Bella moment ofcrying in bed that season's
passing and

Jordan (49:13):
I was crying about that though.
I was crying about her leaving.
Oh my god,

Devonnie (49:18):
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.

Christina (49:20):
Exactly it.

Devonnie (49:21):
I did feel bad for her.

Jordan (49:23):
like when they, when she was like, he was like, we have
to leave.
Like that whole interactionbefore Andarna leave.
I was like crying.
I'm like, this is

Devonnie (49:32):
That was really sad.
But also Leothan, right.
She came back.
Leothan gave

Christina (49:38):
felt like it wasn't worth it, yeah.

Devonnie (49:40):
He tore her up.
He was like, you let her dothis.
Yeah.
The let her go because look ather, look at the things she, and
that's true.
And Darna is a representation ofviolet.
I think that she's just likeviolet, whatever violet needed
projected.
It's in and Darna, she was achild.
She hasn't seen all she wasdoing was listening.
Hello shell.
She hasn't actually seen theworld like Tairn and scale.

(50:02):
Like they've actually.
Probably done this song anddance all already.
And Darna is just soaking upwhatever she's currently seeing.
Yeah.
So I think it was right for, tolet her go, let her learn about
herself, let her learn about herpeople.
And if it turns out that shelearned enough to say, you know
what?
I love that y'all are peaceful.
Love that for us.
But my people need help.
I would love that to be thereason she came back.

(50:24):
Like she started seeing, youknow?
Yeah, but we'll see, I guess.
How long we have to wait

Jordan (50:29):
we don't know.
I think we do need to I

Devonnie (50:32):
Cute.

Jordan (50:34):
Oh, geez.

Devonnie (50:36):
That was going to be my rant today about how I'm done
reading these long ass seriesbooks.
I'm sick of it because I'm tiredof the, I'm not reading nothing
that's unfinished and that's alie because I am,

Jordan (50:46):
I do think our time is almost up, but I do want to at
least Just acknowledge the fact,which says a lot that we haven't
even talked about it, that theywent island hopping.
We don't need to get into all ofit, but I've been saying since
book one, the first people I getto talk to, I said, these gods
are gonna play a big role inthis series.
I've been saying that since dayone, and I felt so validated

(51:10):
this book.
I will say that.
I was like, yeah, fuck yeah.
And in the, in the whole thingwith her at the temple.
We don't know all that.
We haven't even talked aboutthat.

Devonnie (51:19):
We have,

Jordan (51:20):
like her, little girls.
She's been dedicated but wasn'tI What does that mean?
What does that mean?

Devonnie (51:27):
Yeah.
I actually have that as aquestion.
Why did Asher get her dedicated?
What does it mean?
I guess we kind of know why, butyeah the PR and that ties into
the magic and the prophecy andwhatever

Christina (51:39):
Oh, and Eric, is that everyone's name?
I don't listen.
Eric, uh, being able to haveprecog and send her the thing
from the temple.
I love that.

Devonnie (51:49):
because he was doing it the entire book

Jordan (51:52):
Yessss.
And I wondered what he's doing.
I love him.
I do love him.
I hope he's got lots

Christina (51:57):
I love him.

Devonnie (51:58):
you see Ridoc for you, Arik raw.
Next question.

Jordan (52:02):
see that.

Devonnie (52:04):
Ronics question.
He is what

Jordan (52:06):
I don't fuck

Devonnie (52:07):
could never be.

Christina (52:08):
Oh, hold on.
I have a quote I saw on TikTokor something that, okay.
So here it is.
A marked wing leader and a firstyear when his dad caused her
brother's death is Vi and Xaden.
But now we have a wing leaderand a marked first year when his
dad caused her brother's death.
That's Dain and Sloan.

Jordan (52:28):
I love, oh, I love Dain Sloane.
I love

Christina (52:32):
Eyes on me.
I was like, yes, daddy.

Jordan (52:34):
But the way she responds to him, too, when I don't wanna
hurt you, and he's don't I knowit.
Or I'm gonna really hurt

Devonnie (52:40):
yeah.
Yeah.

Jordan (52:41):
it.
And I'm

Christina (52:41):
But also when she touches him and he, and she
says, you shouldn't have thismuch power.
What power has he got?

Devonnie (52:48):
mean?
What do you mean?
So dayna's lying to us too.
I will say danger redemption arcy'all Henri could never sorry
pen.
Danger redemption arc, but

Jordan (52:58):
not true because in our interview Next week, uh, a new
episode.
We do an interview with PennCole, which we've already
recorded.
It's fucking phenomenal.
You need to stay tuned.
February 4.
But no, she, but had youconverted, you understand Henry.
So don't

Devonnie (53:12):
understand henry now Right, but i'm saying watch
reading henry hasn't Iunderstand him now, but watching
Dain show up for Violet now andshow up for everybody, it has
been so good because we allwanted to throat punch him in
book one.
Get your hands off her, buddy.
So anyway, yeah, I'm loving, Ican't, stay tuned for that.

(53:34):
I want

Jordan (53:35):
but I think, so back to the, our beginning, I think
that's one of the main reasonswhy she had her memory wiped was
so Dain could not

Devonnie (53:45):
Dane, period

Jordan (53:47):
he can't read it.

Devonnie (53:50):
Yeah, you're onto something

Christina (53:52):
I saw a recent interview with Rebecca where she
defends Dain too.
And she says he was only a 21year old boy who was just
listening to his dad.
He didn't know better.
And she said Xaden does theexact same thing with reading
her without her knowing.
And y'all love him just becausehe fucks

Devonnie (54:06):
Yeah, and because he got shadows,

Jordan (54:08):
I agree.
And I, the reason I do, I'mloving Dain, in his redemption,
is because everyone constantlythrows him under the bus and is
like questioning him, and heknows it.
But he just takes it.
He's yes, I deserve this.
And I'm

Devonnie (54:22):
And I'm still gonna

Jordan (54:23):
and I'm not gonna argue with you over this.

Devonnie (54:25):
Right, right.

Jordan (54:26):
I'm here.
And I think that's the greatestthing he

Devonnie (54:29):
That's the best, yeah.
I'm not here for the talking.
Yes, I understand why you hateme.
Now let's go do what we have todo, please.

Jordan (54:36):
He has a lot of guilt.
He carries that

Devonnie (54:38):
He does, yeah.

Jordan (54:39):
and that other one.
I can't remember their name ofand like

Devonnie (54:43):
And his dad is a cry in shame.
His dad is the worst.
And now he can see that his dadis the worst.
Because he

Christina (54:51):
broke into his dad's office for her.

Devonnie (54:53):
Yeah, and that's crazy.
You would not expect that fromfirst year Dain or second year
Dain.

Christina (54:58):
Second year day.
Yeah.

Devonnie (54:59):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah I mean there's so much westill haven't even unpacked for
onyx storm it guys if y'all wantto engage in like debates If you
heard anything on this episodethat really ground your gears or
you want to defend somebody thatI actually hate Jump into the
comments Send us a DM.
We want to talk to you.
I'm pretty sure there's a wayfor you to text us from this
episode in a link, right?

(55:19):
Let me hear your thoughts,besties.
We want to know how you'refeeling.
Are there any theories that youwish we would have covered?
Let us know.

Christina (55:27):
Yeah.

Jordan (55:28):
Do you like these deep dives?
That's what I want to knowbecause we mostly focus on rex
But if you want more deep dives,I mean, we're happy to

Devonnie (55:35):
us know.
Yeah,

Jordan (55:36):
layout for this one, and we just felt so passionately.
We kind of just went off therails.
So let us know what you think ofthese rails.
If what?
Let us

Devonnie (55:45):
I'm a di deep.

Jordan (55:47):
We're going to dive that deep.
So dipping far.
say it like that.

Christina (55:56):
Harder.

Jordan (55:58):
if you're new, if you're new to us, please go back.
We have as of right now, 28other amazing episodes.
We have interviews, so many,hundreds of RECs.
Take us, listen.
If you've been with us for awhile please.
Leave us a rating.
We'd love you to leave a rating,leave a comment, review, follow
us on socials.

(56:19):
Also, yes, share us, subscribe,please subscribe.
That's how we know what we'redoing is being enjoyed and it
just helps everybody.
So thank you.

Christina (56:31):
new book besties.

Jordan (56:32):
Yeah, join us.
Come to the dark side.

Devonnie (56:36):
book besties is always growing.
There will never be a cap, socome on over.
Peeps.

Jordan (56:42):
Thanks for listening to us ramble about Onyx Storm.
If you're looking for moreRomance Recs like we just said,
go follow us on Instagram andthreads, mainly, at Romance Recs
Pod.
You can find our favorite bookRecs from our episodes as well
as behind the scenes content.
Again, that's at Romance RecsPod.

(57:03):
So make sure to give us a followand we'll be back.
Next week, with an interview,the fabulous Penn Cole.

Devonnie (57:11):
Penn Cole.

Jordan (57:12):
Thanks everybody!

Christina (57:14):
Bye.

Devonnie (57:14):
Bye!