Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3)

by Rebecca Yarros

“Because you’re first in line!” Xaden clasps the back of his cousin’s neck. “Neither of us have an heir. We’re all there is, Bodhi. I don’t have time to argue, and you will do as ordered. Our family just got Tyrrendor back, and we will not lose her because of your ego. Understood?”

Dedicating oneself to temple work isn’t just a noble pursuit. Becoming high priest or priestess is the closest most of us will get to touching the power of the gods. The rest are riders.

Violet as priestesss?

The faded forehead tattoo. Theophanie was a priestess of Dunne. Her silver hair matches the attendants’ on Unnbriel…matches mine—

“It seemed necessary to fire your wardstone,” Leothan says. My stomach bottoms out. The irids have come.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER OMG YES THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU

“I love you and I want you to feel complete,” I tell her, and she slowly meets my gaze. “I want you happy and safe and thriving. I want you to live.” My voice breaks. “Even if it’s not with me.”

Yearning floods the bond, so deep it aches within my own chest, and the pain of it sucks the breath from my lungs. I force my head to nod, feeling everything she can’t say.

Noooo

Mira twists the bracelet, then looks me straight in the eye. “She said the heart that beat for you—or within you—would do the wrong thing for the right reason, reach for unspeakable power, and turn dark.”

“Harder. Rougher. I can do that.” I nod, then reach into my Archives and yank a strand of Tairn’s power loose. “I’m sure you can, considering who you’re sleeping with,” Ridoc teases.

excuse me ridoc!!!!!!!

He retrieves two missives from his front pocket and hands them over. “Oh, and I’d love to know why the King of Deverelli referred to my sister as your consort in his last offer.”

“I had something else in mind.” He glances toward the throne. “Yes, please.” I flick my wrist and shut the door using lesser magic, then lock it. His smile instantly becomes a core memory.

She draws the blade across Mira’s neck and slits her throat.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo

“Eyes here,” Dain says, and Sloane looks his way. “Pull from the excess you feel in me, and push to the deficit in him. You’re not a weapon of destruction. You’re not venin. You’re the artery power chooses to flow through. You’re life.” Her brow knits, and Dain flinches. “I’m going to hurt you.” “Gods, don’t I know it.” He nods. “But you’re not going to kill me, no matter how badly you want to. Now do it.”

Hello daddy Dain redemption arc

“Now that the Duke of Angst is gone,” Bodhi says, his voice rising, “we have a problem.”

As long as Bodhi counters her signet, we can end her before Tairn even gets back.

Bohi's signet is that he can counter signet??

“My signet is always the balance,” Bodhi argues, lifting his hand as the wind rises to a constant roar at our backs. “I can stop her!”

“It’s simple, actually. Occupying ground that has already had its magic repurposed creates a barrier.” She lifts her silver brows. “The easiest solution is to drain it yourself. If you do so before I get there, you’ll live.

A gift from one servant of Dunne to another. I must warn you—only those touched by the gods should wield their wrath. I will pray to Her that she need not use it to avoid reacquainting herself with the other who curries her favor. Her path is still not set. —Recovered Correspondence of High Priestess Deservee to His Royal Highness, Cadet Aaric Graycastle, Prince Camlaen of Navarre

“He’s a fucking precog,” I whisper in awe. A real one—not like Melgren, who can only foresee battles.

Aaric's signet is precognition? He is an intinnsic Omg

A wall that snarls. Scales shimmer to the same silver-blue as my strike, and a small dragon stalks toward Theophanie, her head low, teeth bared. And just like that, my stammering heartbeat stabilizes. Andarna.

The bond between Berwyn and me is the kind that should never exist, and now that my Sage has another sibling he can use against me…I’m screwed.

I glance past Berwyn, past Sgaeyl and the venin, to my new brother and the unconscious dragon lying in the valley beyond the canyon, guarded by seven wyvern. How could he do this? Choose this after watching me stumble and fall over the last five months. How could he willingly walk the path I’ve fought like hell to leave? He’s the last person I ever would have expected to turn, and yet here we are.

WHO TURNED VENIN

I don’t bother looking in their direction. Fucker deserves to suffer for selling us out.

Panchek is a traitor!?!?!?

My eyes flare. We’re married? A thousand emotions try to force their way through my jumbled thoughts, but the immediate rush of awe trips right over the logic of how.

So xaden left tyrrendor to violet but not bohdi? does that mean bodhi has become a venin and no longer be able to rule? and garrick is missing????