Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3)

by Rebecca Yarros

the ones who don’t run with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your leathers. We have dragons to ride.

Xaden is mine. My heart, my soul, my everything. He channeled from the earth to save me, and I’ll scour the world until I find a way to save him right back. Even if it takes bargaining with Tecarus for access to every book on the damned Continent or capturing dark wielders one by one to question, I’ll find a cure.

“‘Your wings won’t hold the weight of this ice,’” Andarna blatantly mocks him. “And yet yours miraculously carry the burden of your ego.”

“Bring their bodies outside once you’re done killing them so we can roast them for fun,” Andarna suggests.

Andarna you are sooo sassy and funny

“Tell me something, Violence.” A muscle in his square jaw ticks as he stares down at me, rippling the tawny-brown skin of his stubbled cheek. “Why is it always you?”

Xaden Riosen is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gods help her, my love, I’m afraid our daughter has atrocious taste in men.

And i oop

“Quiet, cadet, the officers are speaking,” she snaps. Rude.

I love mira

“And if you’re going to wield, then it’s me you’ll be dealing with.”

Badass violet is backkkk

The last time a shadow and lightning wielder fought side by side, they managed to drive the venin back into the Barrens for a few hundred years. We’ll figure out how to do it again.”

Who were the last shadow and lightning wielders?

He takes a deep breath. “He gave me back my title and the seat in the Senarium.” Holy shit. My lips part. “Not just Aretia, either…he gave me Tyrrendor,” Xaden says slowly, like he can’t believe it, either.

Holy shit

“Be careful.” He’s the Duke of Tyrrendor. This is so much bigger than how I feel about him now. There’s an entire province depending on him.

“You ask for speed and then complain when I provide it.” But he slows as the landscape shifts into the high plains.

Dunne.

Malik the god of death Xenol the god of luck Amari the queen nof gods Dune the goddess of war

Maven,

Hierarchy of venins: -initiate -asim -sage (in charge of initiates) -mavens (generals)

The one who gifted you the power of the sky? Or the irid?”

Choose between Tarin or Andarna?

“Irid,” Andarna whispers. “Yes. I remember now. That is what my kind are called. I am an irid scorpiontail.”

“And when you come with him, you will remember that I let you live today and choose me, not Berwyn, as your teacher.” She retreats step by slow step, extending her arms out at her sides.

Whattttttt???

“I’ll let you keep both your dragons while giving you what you want most in the world.” Her gaze drops to the conduit as wind pulses. The others must be here. “Control and knowledge.”

“Did you?” I ask quickly as the wingbeats grow louder. “She called you a walker.” He’d traveled a thousand miles in minutes, and there’s only one way I’ve read about to accomplish that, but no one has done it in centuries.

Garrick is a distance wielder omgggggg

“You have a second signet, don’t you?” And like Xaden, he hid the strongest one.

Garrick has a second signet????

You might be angry when you realize I didn’t wake you to say goodbye. But it’s only because I no longer fully trust my ability to walk away. —Recovered Correspondence of His Grace, Lieutenant Xaden Riorson, Sixteenth Duke of Tyrrendor, to Cadet Violet Sorrengail

“But the thought of you being out there, beyond the wards, facing down a known attack of venin, triggered something in me I’ve never felt before. It was hotter than rage, and sharper than fear, and cut deeper than helplessness, all because I couldn’t get to you.”

“Often enough to be sure Kaori can’t possibly have accurate records, but not too completely that anyone questions why I only present with one,” he answers. “Our dragons came looking for us. They knew what they were doing.” “Giving you a better chance of survival?” I rest my hand over his heart. “If you wax sentimental. More like building their own army.” A corner of his mouth rises. “More signets equal more power.”

“How did that go for him?” Imogen asks, her brow scrunching. “Tairn removed a dozen of her neck scales, and Andarna left teeth marks in her tail.” “We’ll collect enough next time to make you new armor,” Andarna promises.

HAaaahhahahahah

A corner of his mouth lifts. “Initiates, asims—we’re all traceable to one another, but the great hall could fill with Sages and Mavens and I’d never know. Neither would you.”

Or the fact that Riorson and Sorrengail fight like an old married couple?”

Hahaha

“Agreed,” Ridoc says. “And it’s always the same fight.” He lifts his hand to his chest. “I’ll trust you if you stop keeping secrets!” He drops the hand and scowls. “It’s my secretive nature that attracted you, and why can’t you just stay out of harm’s way for five fucking minutes?”

My boy ridoc delivers the punchline again!!

Loial

God of love?

Hedeon

God of wisdom?

It has now been confirmed by three different sources that high-level venin—we believe Sage and Maven—can and do wield signets.”

“Everyone, welcome our newest member of your leadership team. Professor Riorson,” Devera announces.

Excuse me miss rebecca yarros

“You’re now a professor.” Clutching the straps of my pack keeps me from reaching for him. “I’m a cadet.” “And?” Xaden glowers at me. “Oh shit,” Dain says quietly. “Article Eight, Section One of the Code of Conduct.” “Wait. You two broke up?” Bodhi’s voice rises. “Yes,” I answer.

“No,” Xaden says at the same time, glaring at his cousin, then jerking his gaze to mine. “No,” he repeats.

“I am yours and you are mine, and there’s no law or rule in this world or the next that will change that.”

Cat scoffs. “We’re far from helpless.” She turns a withering glare on Caroline. “You can try your water wielding on me, but I’ll already be in your head, turning your own emotions against you.” “She’s good at it, too,” I admit, shifting the majority of my weight to my right leg.

Oop

“I can wield from anything that casts a shadow, but no one knows the strongest threads are always my own. If you can sort through them, feel their difference, you’ll be able to track where I am in the darkness.”

He doesn’t so much as pause his ascent. “Because you’re the only one capable of killing me.”

“And then there’s Violet,” Ridoc says the next afternoon, waving his mug of ale as we sit at the corner table of the Six Talons pub in Chantara. “Scaring off the professor with a lightning strike. He got the fuck out of there and left her stumbling around in the dark.”

Hahahahah hands down to ridoc for being the funniest

Ridoc stares at me and sighs with complete exaggeration. “Hello, who is your first love?”

Aaric turns his entire torso around to look at me. “How many letters?” I narrow my eyes. “Six.” He lifts two sandy-brown eyebrows. “I mean…it fits.” “Absolutely not.” Heat stings my cheeks.

Halden

“By Malek, I fucking love you,” Xaden says.

I love it when our boy is so proud of his girl

“You’d have to own a heart to break it,” I immediately counter. “And the only hair I remember is your professor’s covering your face when I walked in on her riding you. It was auburn, right?”

“Ouch. You wound me.” Halden rubs his chest. “Yes, I cheated, but you have to remember, I was still suffering from the loss of my twin. I was…” “Stupid? Thoughtless? Cruel?” I suggest. “Grief doesn’t excuse any of that. Never did.”

Is that why violet has trust issues?

“If you’re asking if I’m in love with him, then the answer is wholeheartedly yes.” I glance Xaden’s way and find his eyes already on me. “If you’re prodding to see if we’re still together, then let me assure you, we’re adhering to the Code of Conduct in the way you never bothered to do. You can report that to your father.”

“You what?” I forget all pretense of watching the sparring match, giving Halden my full attention. “I never told you I was sorry.” His face softens, and his gaze skims over my face like he’s noticing every detail that’s changed. “And I should have. If you’re not with Riorson—” “I am in love with him.” I bristle. “I haven’t so much as thought about you in years. Don’t chase just because you like a challenge. You’ll lose.”

Halden scoffs. “Anyone who’s ever dated a rider knows their first priority—their first love—is their dragon. Once you accept that, another man hardly feels like a challenge.” My lips part. He’s right. Our first priorities are our dragons. They’re irreplaceable.

Shadows blast straight through the wards and hit Halden in the chest like a battering ram, sending the crown prince of Navarre flying backward—straight into the rock wall.

Ooop jealous xaden yaaas

“Let’s get three things straight, Your Highness. First, I have remarkable hearing thanks to the shadows at your very feet. Second, I don’t control Violet. Never have. Never will. But third, and most importantly—” He lowers his voice. “She really, honestly hasn’t thought about you. At least not since the second she set eyes on me.” I’m going to fucking kill him.

Yaaaaaaaaas

“Can I take mine off?” Andarna asks, swiveling her head to gnaw on the metal strap across her shoulder. “No!” Tairn and I shout simultaneously. “No,” Andarna mocks. “Fine. I seek sustenance.” “You will wait until our welcome is assured,” Tairn orders, and Andarna huffs a breath of steam in his direction, then sits on her back legs and glowers. “Pick your tail up off the ground right now. Where do you think we are? The Vale?”

Oh andarna you are too cute and i love papa tarin and mama violet being all protective over their baby

“So, not a professor.” Xaden’s eyes narrow, and my whole body tries to sway, held upright by Xaden’s shadows. “No!” Halden’s shout echoes down the hallway. “Not a fucking professor—” “Just wanted to clear that up,” Xaden interrupts, then lifts me into his arms. “We’ll see you once we’re rested.” He takes off past Tecarus, striding down the hall.

What a smartass xaden