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Dear Fantasy Reader
Ep. 10 Onyx Storm Deep Dive: Ch. 29-33 | Easter Eggs, Theories & Key Moments
02:18:14
Join your favorite Quest Squadmates—Hannah, Kinsey, and Karly—as they dive deep into chapters 29–33 of Rebecca Yarros' captivating fantasy, Onyx Storm! First, they'll journey into the Archives Vault for a quick chapter recap before diving...
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- [00:00]
Cascade Natural Gas
Cascade Natural Gas believes a warm home, hot water and natural gas energy should be available to everyone. That's why Cascade established the Oregon Low Income Bill Assistance and Energy Discount Programs. These programs provide income qualified applicants a discount on their monthly bill and if needed, help with past due balances. Qualifying for assistance is easy by calling Cascade or any of our partner community action agencies. Get complete bill assistance info@cngc.com help are we ready?
- [00:31]
Carly
Yes.
- [00:32]
Hannah
I am so ready.
- [00:34]
Carly
Are you Hannah?
- [00:36]
Hannah
I hope so. Dearest Fantasy Readers, welcome to the Dear Fantasy Reader Podcast where we travel through the pages of our favorite Romantasy novels. I'm Hannah.
- [00:52]
Kinsey
I'm Kinsey.
- [00:53]
Carly
And I'm Carly.
- [00:54]
Hannah
Join us as we take flight light into the world of the Empyrean series, diving deep into Onyx Storm, breaking down characters, scenes foreshadowing and lore, fangirling over shadow daddies building theories as we go, and more.
- [01:10]
Carly
With that content warning and spoiler alert, we will be covering anything and everything Empyrean series to this day and any content Rebecca Yarros has given us. So if you haven't read 4th Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm in its entirety, go do that and we will be here waiting when you are done.
- [01:23]
Kinsey
Also, due to the nature of these books, this podcast is rated R in content and language.
- [01:28]
Hannah
As Rebecca Yarros says, readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note and prepare to face the storm. We have dragons to ride. I just wanted to make a quick comment if you've made it to our 13th episode and you still have not read Onyx Stories Storm. What are you doing? I know we put that there just in case, but it was funny to me.
- [01:54]
Carly
Also 13 in case you stumbled in here on accident.
- [01:58]
Hannah
Yeah, exactly. Quick reminder, we have a monthly book club now where you can join us on Discord for chats all month long and on Patreon for a monthly live stream. This month's Book Club Live will take place on April 30th at 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time. April's book selection is Riftborne by Parker Lennox and Bree Greenwich, a book we have each read and loved. You've heard me rave about it and Duskbound, which is book number two on the pod several times now. So as you can imagine, I cannot wait to chat about it with all of you. Riftborne is available on Kindle Unlimited and has an audiobook. You can check out our Patreon linked down in the Show Notes for more details on how to join this week's.
- [02:49]
Carly
Star of Navarre Award for feedback that made our hearts soar. Goes to Liv H. Who sent us the following message Girls, I can't get enough of your pod. You pick up on such small details that nobody else does. And as a mum of two littles, thanks for keeping me entertained on long days and for helping me hold on to the three brain cells I feel I have left at the moment. Love from Australia.
- [03:13]
Kinsey
It's okay, we have three brain cells too. Each for one. One for each of us.
- [03:18]
Carly
Yes, thank you so much Liv. Messages, comments and reviews like this mean so much to us. If you are also enjoying the show, please consider leaving us a review. It's a small thing that makes a big difference.
- [03:29]
Hannah
Thank you Liv.
- [03:30]
Carly
Thank you and good luck with your Littles. Yeah, that's so cute.
- [03:35]
Hannah
As a reminder for everyone before we dive in, if you would like to jump around to any section of our episodes, you can find the timestamps for each one down in our show notes. First objective Breaking into the Archives vault for a summary report of chapters 29 through 33 with our squad mate Kinsey.
- [03:54]
Kinsey
Merrin and Trager join Quest Squad as they prepare to leave for Unbriel, the Isle of Dune. Instead of returning to report to Cenarium after each island stop, Quest Squad decides to disobey orders and keep searching until they find the Irids. Cue family drama when Auric reveals himself to Halden, effectively kicking Halden off Quest Squad. Finally, the drama doesn't stop there, as Violet finds out Meera secretly visited their estranged grandmother. Shortly after arriving in Unbriel, they're surrounded by soldiers and told that in order to gain an audience with the Queen, they must prove their worthiness by winning a fight. Violet chooses to take Zedan to challenge Arryk to speak for Navarre, Cat for Peromial, Dain to translate, and herself, which leaves everyone else behind. They pass the heavily fortified walls of Isdal, the capital of Unbryol, and meet in a plaza outside Dune's temple. Violet is shocked to see every single temple attendant has silver hair.
- [04:47]
Hannah
What? Silver hair? Not white silver?
- [04:52]
Kinsey
Not only that, but there's a little girl with hair just like Violet's. But don't get too excited because Taryn repeatedly tells Violet to ask questions later and focus on survival first. Yeah. Dain struggles to translate, and Arc surprises everyone by being perfectly fluent. They must choose a fighter and spill their blood to earn an audience with the queen. Zaden is selected by the priestess of Dune first, and as Violet gets upset by Zaden's disadvantage, the priestess suddenly cuts Dain officially evening the playing field the priestess, who has a suspiciously familiar forehead tattoo, then asks Violet if she chose her path as a Dragon Rider and cryptically mentions that it's good they never finished her dedication before selecting Violet as the third and final fighter. The fights begin, and although Violet tries to focus solely on her opponent Marlis, she sees that Dane is knocked out and Zaden is in trouble. Violet and Indarna, who isn't supposed to be there, are consumed with rage, and two mysterious lightning bolts strike the plaza to Violet's left and right. She questions if it could have been Dune, since there's no magic here, but Marlis is convinced Violet did it and yields. Marlis is then dramatically revealed as the Queen of Unbriel. Since Violet and Zaden each won their matches, Marlis agrees to discuss a potential alliance with Violet. Frustratingly, Queen Marlis decides to take the Deverelli approach and will allow Quest Squad to take shelter on their island, but explains that if they want Umbriel to fight alongside them, then they must pay in dragon eggs. 12 to be exact. Outraged that Queen Melis would request such a thing, the group rejects her offer, leaves the city, and reunites with the rest of Quest Squad. Mera questions Violet on whether and how she wielded magic, and still curious about the dedication comment, Violet asks Mera when her hair started turning silver. Shortly after the squad travels to the next isle, Hadatas, which is even paler than the other islands. Andarna is immediately uncomfortable and knows that the Irids will not be found there. They are quickly and suspiciously greeted by Faris, an elected member of the Triumvirate with oddly colored purple eyes. He makes it the world's most awkward family reunion by introducing his wife Talia, but Zaden doesn't need an introduction because it's his mom.
- [07:12]
Hannah
What a reveal. And a cliffhanger. Sorry guys, we're not talking about that one this week.
- [07:19]
Kinsey
Save it for next.
- [07:21]
Hannah
Grab your leathers, Quest Squad, as we are officially heading to Unbryo. Diving right into our Analysis and discussion section, where we walk through the most important and interesting plot points and moments in this section of chapters, starting with.
- [07:34]
Carly
The very topic that Hannah is maybe most excited to talk about across any Empyrean book, and we've barely been able to keep her to contain herself. We have to talk about this suspicious bracelet that Mira came back from her secretive visit with their estranged grandmother. Here's how Violet describes it. Thinking quote Mira asks, rotating a beaded bracelet of what looks like black tourmaline on her wrist, and my eye catching on the Bracelet. Something about the knotwork holding the metallic beads tickles the back of my brain, and I swear I can smell parchment for the smallest of seconds. Before I look away, I want to point out that Violet typically associates the smell of parchment with her father as it reminds her of the archives. Does that mean the knotwork is something her dad showed her? And if Tearish knot tying is associated with runes, does that mean the grandmother has a connection to Tyrandor?
- [08:37]
Kinsey
See, and I think this is really interesting because we know that her grandmother currently lives in Lucerys, but rune knots are definitely a Tearish custom. We don't know where their grandfather's from, so maybe she could have, like, picked it up from her husband, but it's. I don't see how she should know about these Tearish runes and knots.
- [08:57]
Hannah
I'm trying not to get ahead of myself because there's so many things about this that I want to talk about. I don't know if it means that it's from her dad showing her how to do that, to be clear, but.
- [09:11]
Kinsey
I don't think that her grandmother has a connection to Tyrandor unless their grandfather happens to be from there because we don't know where he's from. But we know that she currently lives in Lucerys, which is a completely different province. But the Reared knots are definitely a Teerish custom. So I don't know where she gets it from. And it's very bizarre.
- [09:31]
Hannah
Yeah, I feel like there's probably some sort of connection. It doesn't have to be, like, familial or, like, necessarily. I think somehow she does is. I'm also on track with the, like, parchment. To me, for the context clues we have, at least at this point in the story, is her dad. But I'm going to further double down on the fact that this is Teish, because Tirish knots are runes. Back in Fourth Wing, Violet described Tirish knots specifically as runes. Thinking quote, I study the blade in his hands. It's beautiful. With the solid black hilt engraved with teariish knots, old mythical runes of intricate swirls and ties. End quote. So based on that wording, Rebecca has already said in so many words that they're the same.
- [10:21]
Carly
I mean, runes traditionally are language. So I wonder if the Tirish knots are supposed to be more the language side of runes than the magical side of runes. I'm not really sure if it's supposed to be both or one is language and one is, like, you know, becomes a rune when it's imbued with magic.
- [10:41]
Kinsey
Yeah, I was just Thinking of when Zaden gave Violet the book, an iron flame of iron, that's where my mind went. Yeah. It's like, you need to practice these knots. And so, to me, I always just associated it with, like, oh, it's the same knots that Violet was working on when Zaden gave her the book, an iron flame, but this time, it's in a bracelet.
- [10:57]
Hannah
The way we think of runes right now is that it's the strands. You weave those shapes with magic and you press them into an object. But to me, I think it's quite interesting to consider the weaving of not magical strands to still make those same shapes. And if that holds some sort of power imbued in some other capacity. And I'm convinced that is the case. But that's going to go along with my overarching theory about this bracelet, which is exactly what I have been inching to not jump ahead all season and discuss. But here we are, the moment I have been waiting for. I've, like, worked it up in my head so much so I'm like, okay, okay, here we go. I believe that this bracelet was given to Mira to protect herself from Violet. And I think that her grandmother had it because this stone, or the stone that it's made out of, can protect the wearer against magic, or at the very least, against an energy or lightning wielder. Hear me out. Black Tourmaline is the stone that the bracelet's made out of. And we have established that gemstones do have a higher significance in this series, according to crystal. Rainbowstar.com you guys are getting the source quote. When Black Tourmaline comes into contact with EMFs, which are electromagnetic fields, it creates a protective field around itself that absorbs and neutralizes the harmful waves. In this way, it acts as a shield, protecting the person wearing it from the dangers of electromagnetic radiation. Now, stay with me. Electromagnetic fields, or EMFs, are invisible waves of energy that are produced whenever we use electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, and WI fi routers. Or perhaps, again, a pure energy wielder. We know from Felix back in Iron Flame that Violet's power is pure energy that she chooses to wield it in the form of lightning. When Felix is explaining to Violet how she was able to kill Wyvern using clouds, he says it's about the energy fields. It's quite similar to magic that way. And you are the greatest energy field of all. I'm not done. He also says, you just might wield the most devastating signet on the continent, but you know nothing about it. Nothing about the energy fields that draw it. End quote. Now, importantly, Rebecca consistently uses the words power, magic, and energy synonymously throughout the series. And we see many moments where Violet senses energy shifts in the air, which is all through energy fields. And also consistently describes Violet's power as electric and electricity that charges the air. In chapter 49, there are three main types of energy fields. We've got electric, magnetic, and gravitational. Bypassing all of the many gravity references that we get in this series, which is far too many to be coincidental, I am wondering if Violet is literally a walking electromagnetic field.
- [14:29]
Carly
What?
- [14:31]
Hannah
Which. I'm just saying. Vera is wearing this bracelet, which. That same crystal website claims that the easiest way to protect yourself from EMF's electromagnetic fields with black tourmaline is to wear it as jewelry. I'm not saying Rebecca did all this research, but I'm saying Rebecca did all this research. Like, what is. There's no way that this is a coincidence. And we know that both Mira and their grandmother believed Violet was destined to turn Venon. And I think that the grandmother gave Meera this bracelet, hoping or knowing that it could neutralize Violet's energy ability in some capacity. Which is also really interesting considering that Mira herself is a shield. I haven't quite teased that part out. You can't tell me that this is not the best find ever. You can't.
- [15:29]
Carly
So Myr is a shield. She has this bracelet that blocks us. Do we think this works in with her signet and makes it even stronger?
- [15:39]
Hannah
I don't think it's coincidence that she's also a shield.
- [15:43]
Carly
Yeah, because when Zaden weaves those wards in their signet sparring mat, he says there's only one exception that he can't, like, protect them from. Or he says there's a couple, but one of them is Violet's lightning. What if Mira's wards also can't protect her from Violet's lightning, but this bracelet allows her to be.
- [16:02]
Hannah
Wait, wait, wait. My brain is struggling to process. Can you repeat that for me?
- [16:06]
Carly
Because we know that that signet sparring matt that Zaden designed. Violet is an exception to that rule, right? Her signet cannot be contained in it. So what if Mira's wards also can't protect her from Violet's lightning? But what if this bracelet is the equalizer and boosts her signet to protect her from Violet's lightning?
- [16:25]
Hannah
Yeah, I'm convinced. I'm fully convinced when I tell you that I. Because I knew I have black tourmaline somewhere around here and I keep it near my computers. And so I recognized it when I first read it. And I was like, wait, I need to, like, look up. That is something to do with electricity. And sure enough, because Rebecca has other ways of calling these what she'll call multicolored quartz or gemstones, she can be vague. She was very intentional about using the word black tourmaline here. Like, she let us know exactly which one it was. And going back to this conversation here about how the stones, the gemstones, are woven into a bracelet with these knots, which we have shown are also tearish runes in some capacity, in some form, because it's no longer just, oh, you know, we've shown in through the last couple episodes that the gemstones have some sort of magical ability going on. Something's going on here, but we don't know the extent that they can. But we also know just how much runes can do that we still aren't aware of.
- [17:29]
Carly
Yeah.
- [17:30]
Hannah
So combining those in such an intentional way. And the only context that we get from this grandmother is that she and Mira are scared. So it's like, it only makes sense that she would give her something that is going to kind of like try to prevent or prepare Mira against whatever she thinks she's facing, which at this point is a Ven. And Violet.
- [17:52]
Kinsey
Yeah, they're so scared. I mean, you just have to think, too. When they get back from fighting at the capital of Unbriel, Mira is so defensive, and she's like, did you wield magic? Did you use your signet? Like, she's freaked out because she totally thought she turned. She thought she turned venon, like, 100%. And so she's like, oh, shit, time to make friendship bracelets for everybody and start passing this out or something.
- [18:13]
Hannah
And then that begs the question to me, is it specific to Violet? Which I think it is. Because if it was to Venon in general, like, we would have seen in some capacity this interact with Satan. Right. But I don't even know what that could look like. It feels specific to Violet.
- [18:33]
Kinsey
I do think it's specific to Violet. However, Zaden was really irritable in this chapter. Like, Drake was talking, and he just snaps on him. And to me, I just felt like that was more him going through withdrawals from magic. But maybe it could have been because of her bracelet, but I don't know. I think that the black tourmaline specifically is targeting Violet's power. It's kind of like how when Violet made the hearing rune, she didn't put a directional rune to it. So she just was overwhelmed by noise everywhere. So you kind of have to put a target specifically to how you want.
- [19:08]
Hannah
The rune to be. Maybe the grandma made it with Violet in mind. Oh, shit. But then that would imply that she's the one weaving those knots. And she for sure would have some sort of connection to Tyrndor to, like, know and be able to do that.
- [19:20]
Kinsey
Yeah, but I think the black tourmaline makes it specifically so the runes work against Violet. Not necessarily all Venon.
- [19:28]
Hannah
What if the difference. Because we've said this about Asher before. Like, the grandma's not supposed to have magic. How is she weaving runes? So what if weaving knots can somehow be imbued by, like, if a magical person is wearing it. Say a magical person, someone with that has magic is wearing it. Or. Or maybe Mira found a way to. She can't necessarily imbue, but, like, she is a shield. Can she somehow activate? I don't know.
- [19:55]
Kinsey
I think she could with her lesser magic. Because any writer can make a rune. So I think she, like, the knot's there, so all she has to do is just like, replicate that with her magic.
- [20:06]
Hannah
So I'm convinced of all this. Right? Like, I've like, been waiting to talk about this, but I've only gotten as far as I for sure think that this is. Is going to come up in some capacity against Violet. What do you guys think that that could look like if this is for real? A bracelet that is going to impact in some way, Violet's first signet. What do we think that's going to look like?
- [20:31]
Kinsey
I think it's going to be like Meera's going to try to kill Zaden in one of the future books. And Violet's going to step in her way and be like, you can't do that. Because Mira's just full blown. Like, I feel like she sees everything in black and white. She doesn't really see very much gray space. And so I think she would probably try to kill Zaden for being a Venon. And then Violet will try to intercept that and try to attack Meera.
- [20:54]
Hannah
But it won't work, maybe because I think there's something to be said for why we haven't seen it impact Violet is because it's not. Violet hasn't tried to attack, essentially, is what I would imagine.
- [21:10]
Kinsey
But Mera does already know that Zaden turned. Like she finds that out after Andarna leaves Violet. So I guess if she was going to attack Zayden, she already would have. But maybe it's different now that he's Asam, I don't know, but that's just the situation that I could see it in is like, Violet defending Zayden or maybe somebody else that she loves. What were you thinking, Carly?
- [21:30]
Carly
I. It's hard for me to imagine Violet using her signet against Tamira. It's really hard for me to imagine where my brain is going, which might be in a totally different direction. Is I'm wondering about the grandmother and these knots and this bracelet. And did she know about this stuff before or after she found about Violet's dedication or failed dedication? And this. I don't know if you want to call it a prophecy or not. About what the priestess said about Violet.
- [22:01]
Hannah
It sounds like she's known for a really long time. So you're saying, has she been, like, building this?
- [22:06]
Carly
But my question is, is did she figure out runes and not work because of Violet, or did she already know about it?
- [22:14]
Kinsey
I feel like she'd have to.
- [22:15]
Carly
Interesting.
- [22:16]
Kinsey
I mean, like, she fully separated herself from their family. I feel like that's. That was, like, out of protection for herself and so learning the runes would make sense. Cause it's, like, extra measures to make.
- [22:29]
Hannah
Sure she's also older. So, like, at what point was she able to.
- [22:34]
Carly
I'm just wondering if this is a trick she already had up her sleeve or if she found out stuff about Violet and started doing research.
- [22:40]
Kinsey
Yeah, I mean, she wouldn't have known Violet was gonna be a lightning wielder.
- [22:43]
Hannah
That's what I was about to say is she's only known a certain amount of time because she's only been a lightning wielder a certain amount of time. But it's so intriguing to me. First of all, it's intriguing from a magic system standpoint of the limitation that Rebecca could put on Violet's signet here, which we know that she likes to limit her. She doesn't want an overpowerful main character, so she likes to place limits. And I think it's really fascinating to consider what that limit is going to do for our story, how it's going to impact what Violet can do, but also what that means for our other signets. Yes. There happens to be a gemstone that interacts with electricity in that way. But are there other ones? Are we gonna see other bracelets like you said? Are they gonna start handing friendship bracelets with protections on it?
- [23:33]
Kinsey
Yeah. Is there a stone for rejecting darkness or something like shadows and mind control?
- [23:39]
Carly
Maybe it's not even about countering the one signet. Maybe it's just about boosting Your own.
- [23:44]
Hannah
Well, and that's what we've seen, right? We've seen that with the flyers. They say that when they graduate they get a crystal. They call them gemstones that amplify their lesser magic. Though I thought it was interesting that they don't say a specific kind. So you'd think that it would be unique to. Which just opens up a bunch of doors. And I love this. I as a crystal girly, you can see it on my bookshelf. Love that it's being integrated. And I hope she goes pretty far with it. I don't know how she's going to do that in two books to throw that full fledged. But I think it's going to be really interesting, especially for Violet and Meera's dynamic, to see Violet finding out that Mira is wearing that in the name of protecting herself from Violet.
- [24:29]
Kinsey
Mm. I mean, Violet could also find out whatever Mira could potentially be hiding from Violet from like, research that she took out of her mom's journals.
- [24:41]
Hannah
Oh, and I totally think that's happening.
- [24:42]
Kinsey
Cause I 100% believe that Mira has removed incriminating evidence from their mother's journals. And maybe that's something that Violet will find out and then get really upset about. I don't know.
- [24:53]
Hannah
Shit is gonna go down.
- [24:54]
Kinsey
Mira, she did something suspicious and we have our eyes on her.
- [24:58]
Hannah
And her grandma.
- [24:59]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [25:00]
Carly
Yeah. And her little grandma too.
- [25:03]
Kinsey
Yeah. What is a Scooby Doo?
- [25:08]
Hannah
Okay, are we ready for the next one?
- [25:10]
Kinsey
Mm.
- [25:10]
Carly
Yes.
- [25:11]
Hannah
On to Auric. We're gonna talk about Auric and where we think. I mean, at this point, can we say that we're all confident that he has manifested his signet? That shit is fully fledged manifest at this point.
- [25:23]
Carly
Right. I thought you were gonna ask. Can we all say that we all agree he's hot. And I'm like, yes.
- [25:27]
Hannah
Oh, that's no. Y'all know Arika. Get it? That is not changing. Yes. But I wanted to preface with that because we've had some conversations over previous episodes. We're like, oh, we're not quite sure. And I was waiting for the door, him to take the kid out from in front of the door. But no, at this point, I'm convinced. And so we're gonna start here. Arc says, quote, I'm not going to sit aside and watch while Halden gets you killed.
- [25:54]
Carly
Right.
- [25:54]
Hannah
So he's replacing Halden on Quest Squad, which is like the best decision they've made this entire book. And I'm actually wondering if this was him using his signet, whether he was aware of it or not. And he actually foresaw them dying if Halden went, like, yes, he was, he could just be saying that. But like, for a second, knowing what he could do, like, he literally says, I'm not going to sit by and watch while the Haldig gets you all killed. But it's not even just all of them, because he goes on to say, I do mind him condemning the continent to death by Dark Wielder because he can't take a deep breath and count to three when he gets mad. And again, these are all funny, relatable lines because Halden is annoying. But also technically, if he would have blown up this mission, they're all done for, for real.
- [26:40]
Kinsey
So especially in Unbreil being their next target, he definitely would have insulted the queen. They would have given their asses beat. He would have done something so foolish.
- [26:51]
Hannah
Which begs the question again of how far is he able to see in the future? Can he actually see the destruction of the continent? I don't know, but it's fun to theorize literally every single thing he says. Now when Violet is choosing who to take to meet the queen, she voices to the group that she chose Dain for his ability to translate over their second strongest fighter, Garak. Aryk could have spoken up right here and said that he could translate fluently, might I add, perfectly. But he didn't. So I'm wondering why. And it feels like whatever Auric could have foreseen before he left, when he still had magic back on the land with magic like that made him wait to reveal that until later, knowing that Dain was like, needed there as a fighter.
- [27:45]
Kinsey
It's weird, but I actually had a theory on this too. I think that Arryk fully knew that they'd need multiple fighters, which is why they brought Dane along, because he knew that they wouldn't really need him to translate. But it still is interesting that he wouldn't just mention it there so that Garak can join them.
- [28:04]
Hannah
It begs the question of why Garak? Like, why was Dain the one that needed to go in there?
- [28:09]
Kinsey
Maybe he saw somebody dying, but he didn't know who, and he didn't know that Violet was going to be challenged because, yeah, because like, Auric was insisting that he be the one to battle. So maybe by Auric not being in the battle and then Violet ended up helping out Zayden and by helping Zaden, that allowed the battle to win. So they were done because it was two to three or they had best two out of three. But if Violet didn't help Zaden. Zaden would have lost. Dain would have lost and maybe died because his throat was constricted. I don't know.
- [28:42]
Hannah
But that's kind of where I was going with it, but a little bit different, because the question would be, like, why not Garak still? So then I was like, okay, maybe Arryk could see that Garak would die if he went. And then he was like, I've got to switch up who it could be. And of course, like, it was the perfect opportunity to put Dane in there. But he couldn't see how him rearranging the chessboard would change the outcome. Because clearly, it's not going to be Garrick. And all of this is based on however his signet works. Right? Like, does if he changes the piece, does he immediately see the future again or. I'm assuming not. He needs to have some limits, Right?
- [29:22]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [29:23]
Hannah
So then I was just like, maybe he just didn't know and was willing to take the risk because Garrick was gonna for sure die if he went. The logic there, and if you needed a fighter, you would pick Garak for sure.
- [29:38]
Carly
I think you're right. I think he foresaw Garak dying. And then he tried to put himself in for that spot. He tried to say he was gonna be the one to fight, and they were like, no.
- [29:50]
Hannah
Which is also fucking crazy. Stop trying to sacrifice yourself. Yeah, but we need you.
- [29:55]
Carly
I think that's literally what he was doing. He's like, I will just sacrifice myself. But what else do you do? Because if he's thinking that the second fighter is gonna die, well, he was.
- [30:02]
Hannah
Also so shocked that Violet got picked. So that's why I was like, oh, my gosh. He didn't know who.
- [30:08]
Carly
But I think this is this thing that he's realizing that once you start changing pieces, you start changing many things. And so once Violet gets put in, he's shocked. He's like, oh, my gosh.
- [30:19]
Hannah
He's probably scared. If he knew someone had died.
- [30:21]
Carly
Yeah. And so he's probably even more terrified. Cause what I'm thinking, he thought, this is going to be a one for one exchange. I'll go in for Garak and I'll die because I'm not as strong as fighter Garrick. If Garrick's going to die, I'm definitely going to die. But he doesn't want anybody else to die, because who are you going to put in for yourself? Who are you? Like, he's not going to sacrifice someone else on his squad. So he's Going to put himself in, and when that isn't allowed to happen and Dain is in, and then all of a sudden, Violet gets pulled in. He's like, whoa, we changed a variable and now many things have changed.
- [30:49]
Hannah
Do we think he. Because I'm right there with you. Do we think that he, Zayden, was always going to be picked?
- [30:54]
Kinsey
Yeah, that was his purpose.
- [30:56]
Hannah
So do we think it was always going to be that Zaden was picked and then Garrick was also picked to even the playing field? Because that does not necessarily feel as. Even as it would have been like Zaden and Dain.
- [31:07]
Kinsey
Well, I feel like. I mean, it would even the playing field against these unbreal people, but I know we're going to talk about the lightning later, but it makes me wonder if this changing of fate somehow allowed the lightning strike to happen. Because Auric was, like, manipulating who was supposed to die.
- [31:25]
Hannah
And, like, you know who that could piss off?
- [31:28]
Kinsey
Malik.
- [31:30]
Hannah
Because guess who didn't get a soul.
- [31:32]
Kinsey
Malik.
- [31:33]
Hannah
Oh, shit.
- [31:35]
Kinsey
It just came in my mind, and I was. I was worried that I'd forget, so I had to.
- [31:39]
Hannah
No, I love that.
- [31:41]
Carly
Yeah. I definitely think, though, this is a moment where Arik has realized once you change a piece, dominoes start falling and everything gets changed. And I don't think he realized that until this moment that, like, how different it would be once he changed a piece. And I think you can see that in his reactions and what he tried to do.
- [31:58]
Kinsey
Oh, for sure.
- [31:59]
Carly
Violet makes a comment to the priestess, like, oh, he's fighting without his best weapon. And she's like, yeah, you're right. You're going in, too. And I think what the priestess, like, realized or saw was that he was fighting without Garrick.
- [32:12]
Kinsey
Oh, I was thinking about his signal.
- [32:14]
Hannah
Oh, my gosh.
- [32:15]
Carly
And that's what changed. And so she's like, what really changed there? What he lost was Garruk. He's fighting with Dain instead of Garrick. And so now Violet has to go in, too.
- [32:26]
Kinsey
But, I mean, didn't he say that or. She said that the priestess before they selected Dain. Right. Or was it only before Violet?
- [32:33]
Carly
No, it was after Dain, before Violet. She's like, you're right.
- [32:37]
Hannah
I love that.
- [32:38]
Carly
She's like, you're right. And so she puts Violet in. And so I think that's what all.
- [32:44]
Hannah
Those dominoes were, which is very intriguing to consider that, like, otherwise the queen wouldn't have fought until she said that. Like, they had three come in. That makes me kind of wonder if she has Some sort of hold it in.
- [32:58]
Kinsey
I have a theory on that.
- [32:59]
Hannah
Yeah, I was about to say, I feel like one of y'all have already beat me to this.
- [33:02]
Kinsey
I wrote an essay.
- [33:04]
Hannah
Okay, I'll hold it. I'll hold. Okay.
- [33:05]
Carly
We will wait for your thesis.
- [33:08]
Kinsey
Yes.
- [33:09]
Hannah
Perfect. Okay. Well, speaking of.
- [33:11]
Kinsey
Yes?
- [33:12]
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- [33:44]
Hannah
We're going to talk about the priestess for a minute. So we get to unbriel and part of the squad is taken to the queen. We get several partial reveals, including that the attendants all have full silver hair from being dedicated to Dune. Which pause for the reaction I had. Oh my gosh. But not as great as the little girl that was also seemingly touched by Dune with brown and silver hair like violets. Okay, we're not done. Either that the priestess of Dune has a tattoo on her forehead like theophany. Never did I see that tattoo leading to this. Did not expect this at all. And that violet had been touched by Dune when Asher attempted to dedicate her. So I just jumped ahead and gave you all of my reactions. What were your reactions? And did you enjoy this particular form of edging? Did you, Carly?
- [34:54]
Carly
I feel like if Hannah wrote the tagline for Onyx Storm, it'd be like get edged.
- [34:59]
Kinsey
Like not in a good way to.
- [35:03]
Carly
Say about everything this book. And I understand.
- [35:08]
Hannah
Oh yeah.
- [35:10]
Carly
I mean, would I have liked more information in this moment? Yes.
- [35:14]
Kinsey
Yes.
- [35:15]
Carly
Yeah, I don't think it would have made sense.
- [35:18]
Hannah
Do tell.
- [35:19]
Carly
They are running up against this clock. They are defying orders. It is the season of treason for our quest squad. They are doing whatever the fuck they want. And they are up against both this time clock to try to get back as quickly as possible. Because they're already not going back in between trips like they're supposed to. And two, they're on the six months timeline for the wards failing in Orisha. And they're trying to fix the wards in Orisha, find Andarna's kind, cure Zaden before it's too late. The immense time pressure she must be feeling. I'm guessing she didn't feel like she had time for those answers. And also, what would they would have wanted from her for the information? Because this place is very much. Everything's a trade, everything's a transaction. So I don't think she was willing to get into the logistics of that in that moment. And I think while it's frustrating as a reader to be like, I want this information so bad, I don't think it would have made sense for her character or the scene or. Or their timeline.
- [36:23]
Hannah
It's not like she had a lot of time to process either. She had like five minutes and she was fighting during it.
- [36:28]
Carly
Yeah, yeah.
- [36:29]
Kinsey
But like, Carly and I, we've. We've had this argument before. I. I wholeheartedly disagree because Violet literally said, I have to know about this girl. And I'm like, baby girl, it would be a literal. Like, it could have been like a five minute conversation. Like, she could have ran after that girl and been like, what the fuck's up with your hair? Because she's like, are her bones like me? Are her ligaments Like, I just feel like this is like a question you've had your entire life. You'd want to get answers. And I feel like it would not take that much time to divert away from their quest. And I'm like, you're the smartest girl of your class or your year. And I'm like, but you can't. Like, I don't know. I just feel like every single time Violet had a question in this book, we got no answers. And I was, like, getting really fed up at this point because I was so excited for the big reveal. And then Taryn just kept saying, oh, just don't think about that. Don't think about that. You don't need to get answers. We'll get answers later. We'll get answers later. Just, like, work on the present. And I was like, taryn, shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up, Taryn. Because I just needed Violet to just, like, ask a fucking question for once and get an answer.
- [37:38]
Carly
Well, I'm glad you're brave enough to tell Taryn to shut the fuck up, because I never was.
- [37:41]
Hannah
I was not either.
- [37:43]
Kinsey
Good thing he's not real. So. No, but for real, I was like, taren, stopping a fucking asshole and let Violet ask one goddamn question. Please, we need the fucking answers.
- [37:56]
Carly
I do understand what you're saying. I just don't think it would have made sense in the scene. But I understand what you're saying. Where it's a frustration where we're getting this partial reveal, but also why. When did this happen?
- [38:11]
Hannah
I thought it was Going to be the time.
- [38:13]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [38:14]
Hannah
Which, first of all, did any of us see this being the reason for her silver hair? Absolutely not.
- [38:19]
Kinsey
No.
- [38:20]
Hannah
Absolutely not. So we were just like, whiplash. And then I thought, like, oh, this is it. And, you know, it's so funny, and I might have mentioned this before on the pod, but it's just in case Matthew knew I was going up to those chapters, and I had just seen the silver hair attendants, and I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, I'm gonna get to know the reason for her silver hair. And he looks at me, and he tries to not spoil, but he. He does his best.
- [38:43]
Kinsey
Okay.
- [38:44]
Hannah
And he says, what if you don't? And I was like, what do you mean? He was like, well, like, what if you don't get to know the full reason?
- [38:52]
Kinsey
I love that. Oh.
- [38:55]
Hannah
And I just kind of pretended he didn't say it, and then I got to that, and I was like, oh, that makes sense now. Cause we really did it. We really did it.
- [39:03]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [39:03]
Carly
I love your level of blinders of just no delusion.
- [39:08]
Kinsey
Like, yeah, yeah.
- [39:09]
Hannah
Because at this point, I was still convinced that there was a cure and that he was not fully turning. So, like, there's a lot of delusion in this book.
- [39:16]
Carly
I love it.
- [39:17]
Kinsey
I just think, like, if they have time to go shopping in, Deverelli and Zaden can literally get lingerie.
- [39:23]
Hannah
Priorities, I thought was a priority.
- [39:25]
Kinsey
There's time for Violet to have one conversation with people. Like, I just feel like it wouldn't have taken very long. Hell, they could have skipped the entire Isle of Hadatas, because the moment they land there and Darna's like, something's wrong here. This isn't right. The Irids aren't here. Let's le. But then they're like, no, let's stay.
- [39:43]
Hannah
Well, but.
- [39:44]
Carly
But.
- [39:44]
Hannah
But Violet gives the reason is she's not just out there looking for the Irids, she's looking for the Irids, hoping they have the answer to the cure.
- [39:49]
Kinsey
That's true.
- [39:49]
Hannah
And she's saying they don't have to be the same thing. So in her mind, she literally thought. Because I thought the same thing. I was like, oh, she knew immediately. But then Violet was like, nah, but they could stop the cure. So, like, she is zoned. And I know Rebecca has said that, like, she's not labeling Violet as neurodivergent or with adhd. She's. She's been asked that in an interview, but she has said that she is and that she writes her, you know, Violet. So that she probably has symptoms and experiences of that. And I will say, as important as some things are to me, sometimes if I get distracted by another big event, which is all throughout this set of chapters, I could see it being. I don't know. I.
- [40:29]
Carly
Well, and it's not just about the irides of the cure. They have to meet with every island to see if they'll give them an alliance. Yeah. So they have to. Like, that's part of their whole thing. They can't go back after they've committed more treason and been like, we just skipped that one. Like, we can't do that.
- [40:46]
Hannah
Well, and maybe Violet was thinking she was asking so much already because she does get to present this deal with the Queen of Umbriel. And so maybe she felt like she was asking so much. And also, I think it's important to note Violet also doesn't want to know at the same time as she wants to. She very much so. Like, she kept thinking, like, dedicated. And then she just starts giving reasons for it to not be the truth. And I just. That's where I see what Rebecca said about, yeah, we'll get a silver hair, like, the reason behind it revealed, and Violet will grapple with the reason behind it. And I see the grappling is more with actually Violet even wanting the information to begin with. I think she's like scared of the knowledge in a way.
- [41:29]
Carly
Yeah. That and like, that her dad would make that decision for her to try to do that. Like, why? Like, that's. I mean, it's messed up.
- [41:41]
Hannah
Which we're kind of getting a little bit ahead here. We haven't gotten all of the pieces in this set of chapters, but knowing now, reading with the pieces, it's like, oh, that makes a little bit more sense. Yikes.
- [41:55]
Carly
That leads us to this conversation about Violet's attempted dedication. We get quote, Tell me, did you choose this path yourself? The priestess brings her weathered gaze to mine. My mother, I start. But then I remember every time Dane tried to get me out of the quadrant, and I face forward as he and Zaden approach their opponents to negotiate weapons. I chose my life. Ah, then it is good we did not complete your dedication. But do you not yearn for temple? Usually the touch creates such longing that you can't help but return. Or perhaps you now favor another God. She glances up at Taryn, ignoring my outburst, and then her eyes slide to Zaden.
- [42:41]
Hannah
So, yeah, I know that was right. Which calls back to the which God are you calling out for Zaden? I don't share Zaddy okay, so there's a lot in this, and I think we've pretty much touched on, like, our reactions to, like, the dedication part of it, at the very least. But I find it so interesting that line about, but do you not yearn for temple? Because it's not just this priestess that said that. Theophany says that. And so I just want to take a second and talk about the fact that Violet doesn't yearn for temple. And the priestess implies here that that would be because she favors another God. And so, you know, the priestess is implying that that could be the dragons slash Taryn. She, like, glances up to Taryn, which I think is really, really interesting to be, like, considering him a God. That switches things up. But then also it makes. I'm jumping ahead a little bit here, but at the end of this book, Violet is given that dagger, and there's that suspicious letter with the wording where it's basically like, implying that if she were to use it that she would now be binding herself to Dune. She's choosing to dedicate herself. And I don't pretend to know how that works, but she used it. So whatever. That there's be some sort of consequence to her using her implication. And she does use it. And so if she did, and she is now dedicated, she chose that path in that moment by using that dagger. Which is crazy that that's how you could make that choice. Not equates. But will Violet then yearn for temple? I do not want to read a book where this word Violet is just like, in a temple all the time. You know, so what?
- [44:25]
Kinsey
I think she already does yearn for a temple, and that temple happens to be Zaden's body. Like, they're just.
- [44:31]
Hannah
Is that like a eh, comment or.
- [44:32]
Carly
Are you like, theory comment?
- [44:34]
Kinsey
No, like, for real. Because, like, I mean, like, ah, too. But. But like, they're so obsessed with each other and they're so possessive, and they're always like, mine. He, like, literally worships her.
- [44:49]
Hannah
He literally says, my loyalty is to Violet.
- [44:51]
Kinsey
Yeah. And he's like, I'm gonna worship your body and shit like that. So I'm just like, you know, I think they somehow accidentally pledge themselves to each other and, like, that's her yearning.
- [45:02]
Hannah
But you know what? That makes me think of the whole spiel about the password for the book about how, like, for a rider.
- [45:09]
Kinsey
Oh, your first love.
- [45:10]
Hannah
Your first love is actually your dragon. Like, your dragon will come first. And I don't know that I could see. Like, I wouldn't want to see Zaden or Violet be in a position where they have to choose each other or their dragon. But like, we do see that Zaden didn't just turn for Violet. He turned for scale too. So I just think it's really interesting if we're. We're playing gods and dedication here. Like, it's not just 1v1, you know, like there's a lot going on.
- [45:39]
Kinsey
And Satan and Violet have a mental bond similar to how dragons have bonds with their riders too. So just ties back.
- [45:46]
Hannah
You mean like dragons have to each other? Like mating bonds?
- [45:51]
Kinsey
Well, just faded maids mating bonds. And also dragons to their riders too. Like they can communicate mind to mind. They have their own separate bond. So, like, maybe that's what happened. Like she's. I don't know. It's weird. I think it's Zaddy, though. I think she worships him.
- [46:07]
Carly
So I'm with you on this, Kinsey. I have a whole theory on it. We'll get it down to it at the theory section. But I think that they have a connection greater than just. They're just a couple. Any old couple.
- [46:18]
Kinsey
Yeah, it's full blown worship, man. That's my religion too, Zaddy.
- [46:22]
Hannah
That's how I like to read my books. Anyway, so bringing on Rebecca, I also.
- [46:28]
Carly
Don'T think she would have ever yearned for a traditional temple because I don't think that was her path.
- [46:32]
Hannah
Well, and that's what's so interesting about this whole paths thing. Like, there's so many different references. It's not just that her paths were between these two gods that favor her.
- [46:41]
Carly
Right.
- [46:42]
Hannah
Which is like, we're going to theorize about that a lot because it's kind of spelled out. But there's other points to this where we get these paths of choosing to be a writer versus the scribes, or, you know, the different paths that Mira and Violet went on even as writers. And then the path that they thought she would take is turning venom. Like, there's so many different things that we get references to about these paths and it all comes down to a dagger is her choice. That's why I have such a hard time believing that that's like that was the deciding factor. Because she didn't choose that. She chose to, like, save people. Yeah.
- [47:19]
Carly
I don't know that it chooses her path so much as I think it was gonna bring even more attention from the gods that she didn't necessarily want. So we'll see in the next book.
- [47:31]
Kinsey
And only someone who was already like, touched or dedicated to that God could wield it. So she was already touched. So I don't think she necessarily was, like, adding more to the path. It was just. I'm able to wield this because I am touched by dun already.
- [47:42]
Hannah
Yeah, but that wording. I agree, but that wording implied a consequence of her still doing it. And that's what I'm saying is like, the implication could be that committing yourself and dedicating is the consequence, but there's some sort of consequence in there. I think it's. Anyways, we'll save it for that set of chapters.
- [47:58]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [47:59]
Carly
Let's talk about how sus the way the fight went down.
- [48:05]
Hannah
I love the way you said that, Carly.
- [48:07]
Carly
I am pretty sure I sent you guys the most unhinged voice message about this. It's the end of the fight. Why is it that Marlis expected Violet to choose between her and helping Zaden, and when Violet chose to help Zaden taking her dagger off Marlis's throat, Marlis didn't take advantage of it and still allowed Violet to keep her pinned.
- [48:32]
Hannah
And to be clear, because we didn't include this exact detail in the summary, but Violet throws a dagger to save Zaden, and then she says within one second she's already got another dagger pulled and on Marlis's throat. So you're asking, like, why Marlis didn't take advantage of that moment.
- [48:47]
Carly
Yeah. Yeah.
- [48:48]
Hannah
That's a good fucking question.
- [48:49]
Kinsey
Especially considering how tall and strong she is. She could have thrown Violet off of her, like, immediately, but she.
- [48:56]
Hannah
She also didn't want to yield. So, like, the alternative to that is making Violet kill her. She literally told her, yeah, you're going to either have to kill me or save him.
- [49:06]
Kinsey
Yeah, it was basically lose Xaden or win.
- [49:09]
Hannah
Yeah. And so. But she got both. But it's like, why did you let her do that?
- [49:13]
Carly
This has kept me up at night.
- [49:16]
Hannah
Clearly we don't have answers.
- [49:17]
Kinsey
But maybe she wanted them to win because she wants to barter for dragon eggs and without proving their worthiness, that wouldn't allow the opportunity. Yeah, but I mean, like, homie's got to pretend like she's making a deal with them. And, like, that's.
- [49:36]
Hannah
I feel like it was implied that, like, Violet was just so fast that Marlis just couldn't. She says it was like, within one second, she had already sheathed the dagger and held up. So maybe. Maybe it was less about Marlis taking advantage and more about Violet supposedly being so good at this by now and, like, showing her strength and worthiness that she was so quick. She didn't give her the chance.
- [50:02]
Carly
I just.
- [50:04]
Hannah
You're like, I am not convinced.
- [50:06]
Carly
It doesn't fit for me because she is having trouble keeping up with Marlis. Cause Marlis is so fast, and she's talking about how she's pouring all of of her energy into being faster because she's, like, not fast enough with Marlis. And that was always one of Violet's biggest strengths, was her speed. Even before getting magic, she was always fast, and she's having trouble keeping up with Marlis. That whole scene is written so weird because Marlis is basically like, fuck you. I'm not yielding. You can either win or. Or save him. It's one or the other. And then she does both. Marlis is expecting it, and it still happens. And I'm like, this is so weird to me. And I only have one small, teeny, tiny baby theory to explain it. And it's based off an old theory I have in Fourth Wing. And Darna tells Violet we can stop time. And in Iron Flame, she tells Violet I can no longer stop time. And so I have theorized for a while that Violet still has a remnant of the feathertail gift and can slow down time and doesn't know it. And that's why she talks about things happening in heartbeats and seeing these things happen scene by scene.
- [51:16]
Hannah
And that's why she would make that comment about it within one second. Yeah. Because I was like, that's such a suspicious way to word this.
- [51:23]
Carly
And so I'm wondering if in this moment, she slowed down time, doesn't know it, and that's why Marlis wasn't prepared.
- [51:33]
Kinsey
I'll accept that.
- [51:35]
Hannah
I do accept that.
- [51:36]
Carly
So it's the only way I have it, explaining it. But it's still without that. I don't know how else to explain it, because I'm like, marlis was ready for you, and then she wasn't.
- [51:45]
Kinsey
The only other thing I can think of is Marlis immediately yielded once Violet or once something caused the lightning. It could have been nature. It could have been a God. It could have been Violet. The moment there was lightning, she yielded. She refused to beforehand. So I think maybe she was almost, like, edging her to, like, we're gonna kill your friend. We're gonna kill your boyfriend. I'm not gonna give up. I know that you're not gonna cut me. You're not gonna slit my throat, so I'm just gonna keep you here until you get so angry that we can prove. Because they're, like, right by the temple, they're by all these priestesses. We can assume the priestesses have some form of their own power and magic. I'll get into that later. But Marlis knows that Violet is touched by Dune in some way. Like they know about the silver hair. They have all the answers. Violet does not. So I think perhaps she was using that to get Violet to use magic or something. Cause something to happen.
- [52:44]
Hannah
I like that theory. I see it kind of a little bit different of perspective. I see it as she stopped and yielded when she saw the lightning. Because it was like. Like she took it as a sign from Dune. This is not one. You are not supposed to die today. She is not like, this is your sign. Or it freaked her out enough to know this woman is way more powerful. We can take advantage of this here. I don't know.
- [53:07]
Carly
I think Marlis's reaction to the lightning has so much shock in it that I don't think she thought that's what was gonna happen personally. Otherwise, I don't think her reaction would have been written the way it was.
- [53:18]
Kinsey
That's true. But she did ask was that you.
- [53:21]
Hannah
Would be really suspicious that this many people would expect Violet Signet to be working in Lance without magic. Because Tokarys and Cortland, like I already have my eyes on. Was it Cortland? Was the other one that King Cortland? Yeah, that was the one. He expected her to have it as well. Which you can kind of explain away those two. But if there is any way that anyone else is suspecting that she can use it, there's something bigger going on.
- [53:46]
Kinsey
Maybe she was shocked that it actually happened. But after the fight was over, Marlis just went to asking Violet, how did you do it? So I think she was hoping it would happen maybe. And then it did happen.
- [54:00]
Hannah
But you're in a land without magic, so I think how was.
- [54:02]
Kinsey
Yeah. And then she's like, oh, shit. And then how. But I don't know. I'm not tied to it. I'm not married to that idea. And I have one more question about the fight itself. Do we think there's significance to Violet being the only one who won without struggling? Daen was knocked out. Zaden could have died if Violet didn't intervene. Do we think there's a reason Dain was knocked out so quickly? Like, what's the significance here?
- [54:24]
Carly
I think there's some symbology here.
- [54:25]
Hannah
Yeah, that's what I was gonna go is like symbolism that Violet was the one to hold her own and more. She didn't just hold her own. She also Saved Zaden.
- [54:36]
Carly
I do think there is some symbology in this, in that what Daen was willing to sacrifice by entering this fight. Not necessarily. That wasn't what he came there to do, but he did it and was, like, knocked down, injured, could have been killed. I think there's symbology in Violet winning and winning it for them and holding the line and saving Zaden. And I think there is also symbology in Zaden probably not being able to be successful without Violet.
- [55:08]
Hannah
I actually really love that. I really do.
- [55:11]
Kinsey
I really do love that.
- [55:13]
Hannah
Because, you know, we typically. We get the, like, man swoops in and saves woman. And it's so refreshing to see it in the skills like this. Also the symbolism in. Well, the daggers for one like that could have changed things up a little bit. Right. But they're also both trained in daggers as well, Dina and Zaden. But also, I thought for sure Dana was done for. I was like, oh, fuck, this is it. This is gonna. Like, I've enjoyed him on the page this far in the book, which I was surprised about, you know, on my first read.
- [55:43]
Carly
Yeah, I was worried.
- [55:45]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [55:46]
Carly
I also think that there is some commentary in here and that Violet is having to deal with this fight and with the pain of it without any sort of lesser magic or anything to boost her in this moment. And she's really the only one used to dealing with this kind of pain without magic.
- [56:06]
Hannah
Oh, yes.
- [56:07]
Carly
And so she can compartmentalize in a way that they probably aren't used to having to do.
- [56:12]
Kinsey
I like that a lot.
- [56:13]
Carly
And so I think that there is some there in that. I think a lot of the language around her compartmentalizing pain and dealing with pain and experiencing it in this book is so well done. It's some of my favorite across three. So, yeah, I do think that there is also some commentary there in the fact that she's used to having to function and struggle and persevere in pain. And they're not.
- [56:38]
Hannah
Why didn't Dane die? Like, why didn't that guy kill him? What stopped that? Because we got. We know why Zaden didn't.
- [56:44]
Carly
But, like, I think it's just that he was knocked out. So it was like, if he would have needed to kill him, that just counted. Yeah. Ended the fight.
- [56:53]
Kinsey
Yeah. Cause, like, Violet noted that there was a pool of blood around Dain, but he also had his boot on his throat, I thought. So it was like he was cutting off his airway. So maybe it was just like, he would have killed him, but he was.
- [57:05]
Hannah
Just, like, taking his time. I think he's already had the two out of three. Yeah, that makes sense. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. Are we ready to talk about.
- [57:12]
Kinsey
We're so ready.
- [57:13]
Hannah
Okay. So, yeah, we're gonna talk as if we haven't sprinkled this throughout the whole episode. Yeah. So we are going to talk specifically about what's going on with Violet, the rain, and the lightning. So there are three specific parts that I want to talk about. This is Queen Marlis when she shouts. No. Violet thinks, and the air charges in a way I'm all too familiar with. We're in danger out here. This is the shit that I have been screaming about. Her power being connected to energy fields. I know. I already got off my soapbox. Humor me for just a second. Literally, in a land without magic, and she's still able to feel it in the air. It's not just her lightning that is working in a land without magic, whatever, her pure energy signet, whatever is going on with that, she's doing more than lightning. I don't want to jump ahead here, but that tells me that's not Dune. Also, her power is connected to heat in various ways, in both how she burns out and how her magic is described throughout the books. Which leads us to what happens next. Fucking yield. The heat within me snaps outward and breaks with my voice. Lightning streaks downward and strikes to the left and right. There's energy and heat, electricity. This bitch is all of the things.
- [58:47]
Kinsey
And when she'd shoot out her lightning, like, when there is magic, she describes it as snapping, too.
- [58:53]
Carly
Mm.
- [58:54]
Kinsey
Which happens here.
- [58:56]
Carly
She describes it as snapping several times.
- [58:59]
Hannah
And I want to point out that this part really, like the way that she is describing this. We're in a physical land without magic. This, to me, supports the several kind of floating theories that we've just discussed on the podcast throughout, about, like, the air potentially being its own magic source in some way.
- [59:22]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [59:23]
Hannah
It's just so the way it's worded. There are Easter eggs all throughout the ship. But right after this, Violet describes and Darna, who is not supposed to be there, mind you, and we get, like, this clue that she shows up in a suspicious way that you almost, like, don't even capture. But Violet puts the pieces together about like her. Her gold eyes flashing. So, like, I'm just saying multiple irides could be here, but we know one was. And Darna. And Violet describes Andarna's scales as rippling with alarm and various shades of black, which, in my head, it's rainbow when it's rippling. It's not black, but. And Darna is like, I am angry. And Violet was just angry, experiencing this rage. And we got so many hints about how. And darn. His emotions in this set of chapters were consuming Violet in various ways at various points. And the anger that Violet is experiencing here is implied to be from Andarna. So if that is the case, is Andarna bending magic to allow Violet to power her first signet, which is not the signet that Andarna powers.
- [60:47]
Kinsey
I think she is. I know you and I were kind of on the same wavelength here, but, like, they're in a land without magic, so she can't, like, shield like, how.
- [60:56]
Hannah
She normally does to protect herself from.
- [60:58]
Kinsey
Her dragons, so she can't, like, block her different pathways. So I think that Andarna somehow was maybe able to, like, share her magic down the pathways, and maybe Violet wasn't realizing, and she was able to, like, siphon into, like, Taryn's chamber of magic, if you will. But I do think it's not a coincidence that Andarna and Violet were both so angry and so full of rage. And I think that somehow. Andarna, you look like you just had an epiphany, Hannah.
- [61:26]
Hannah
I did. I know. Maybe my reaction is. Okay, I'm just. We know that. Well, we think that Darna has the ability to break mating bonds, right? Like, that's the extent. We've theorized that that could be a potential thing, because she's said to be able to bend magic. Can she bend which riders and, like, which dragons can then channel to the riders at a given time from her own magic? Can she just.
- [61:52]
Kinsey
Wait, Didn't Leofan say that she would already know how to manipulate bonds here? She just manipulated the bond with Taryn, right? That's what you're saying?
- [62:00]
Hannah
That's what your theory implies? Well, both, like, we're kind of circling each other here, but, like, we agree she's the reason that this lightning just happened. It's literally implied through that's. We were led by Violet to believe it's Dune, but she is what is. Context clues say it's. And Darna here. If that is the case, in order for Andarna to do that, she is bending their bonds, and it might be easier for her without realizing it because she's so consumed. Just like how Violet can't control her own magic when she's worked up, maybe. And Darna can't either, and she is unconsciously bending her and Taryn and Violet's bond, and maybe it's easier because she's already connected to them to allow Violet to channel that power from Taryn. That is some crazy shit.
- [62:52]
Kinsey
It definitely is.
- [62:53]
Hannah
And did you have anything to add before I. I have another thing. I'm gonna spiral.
- [62:57]
Carly
I'm just letting you know I am completely on a different. I know.
- [63:01]
Kinsey
She totally is.
- [63:02]
Hannah
Kylie, I'm so sorry. We just went with you at. I just.
- [63:06]
Kinsey
Hannah and I just want to be Delulu and accept that they're able to use magic and that it was Violet.
- [63:12]
Hannah
It's gotta be right.
- [63:13]
Carly
To be clear, I think it was Violet. I don't think it's Andarna. And I think there's something else happening to Andarna in this moment. But I'll explain it in our theory section.
- [63:22]
Hannah
You're like, I'm about to be loaded in this theory section.
- [63:25]
Kinsey
I do think that the Dune mention could have just been to deflect for the readers. I think it's a distraction because it was even italicized. Was it Dune? That's not the exact quote, but the whole thing was italic. So Rebecca wants us to think it's Dune. But, like, what I have learned from her writing is we can never take anything at face value. Everything has hidden meanings or two meanings. And I'm just like, you know, it's weird.
- [63:53]
Hannah
What I think is the most suspicious thing going on here within Darna is that if it is her, I'm in that camp. Clearly, if it is, sorry, Carly. And I was hesitant to think that it was even Violet when this first happened, because Violet seems like a bystander to what's happening. And so if it's. And Darna that's doing the spending or whatever, it's almost like somehow and Darna is the one prompting the wielding, like, maybe I. I know that dragons only bond humans because they need opposable thumb to wield signets, but, like, Irids are different. And I'm not trying to full out imply that she can. What? You know, wield her signet, but, like, she's almost treating Violet as a conduit, which writers do. But it was like, passive to Violet and active to end. Or. Is what it seemed like to me.
- [64:44]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [64:45]
Hannah
The only other thing I want to add on this is because clearly it prompts a lot of questions and opens a lot of can of worms. But one thing I've. I've been trying to tease out from, like, the beginning of all our deep dives is if Taryn dies, will Violet keep her lightning signet? And I'm not convinced that it would work smoothly. But what I'm saying is this does open up the possibility that somehow, some way, and Darna is able to still channel her to wield lightning. But if you take Taryn out of the equation and she doesn't have that bond to bend, I don't know if that fits. So I'm not convinced. I'm just. I just wanted to point it out.
- [65:25]
Carly
Yeah. I don't think we know enough about the magic system to know for sure. But I am leaning towards the idea that once a rider has developed a signet, if they have access to magic, they can use that signet even if that dragon's gone.
- [65:38]
Kinsey
I agree. Cause like, you have to think the Venin aren't connected to dragons, but they have signets too. So I think as long as that's.
- [65:46]
Hannah
Also implied that it didn't have to be from a dragon. But then you're right.
- [65:50]
Kinsey
But I think it's just as long as you have access to the source. Cause it also goes back to Carly's theory of the gift of time. Like, and Darna lost that gift, but she never said that. Violet did. She still has access to that magic.
- [66:02]
Carly
I think it's like imbued into Violet.
- [66:04]
Hannah
Basically, for whatever reason, my brain does not want to believe that she gets to keep it. But I cannot see her there being a point where she's not a lightning wielder.
- [66:14]
Kinsey
I mean, they're completely fucked if she's not a lightning wielder.
- [66:17]
Hannah
Exactly that. And maybe it's just because I don't want her to die. It could very well be that.
- [66:22]
Carly
Yeah, I think there's that. But also, Hannah, I understand. I think from like a balance standpoint, it's like, how powerful do you get to be without your source of magic? Without turning venom? Like, I think that there is like a feeling of imbalance if you just get to keep collect these signets like they're freaking Pokemon and your dragons can die and it doesn't matter.
- [66:44]
Hannah
Well, it disrupts how it's supposed to work. Like, the only reason they're supposed to have that signet is because they have that dragon connecting to them to the earth. The things that make Violet different is. For one, no human is supposed to still be alive without their dragon unless they're Venon, which can be explained away by like Venon have a direct link to that source, Violet. The other thing that's a little bit different and unique about Violet is that she is a direct source. That is her literal power. It's not just lightning. She is pure power. So how does that change things? And also she is bonded to an irid. So how does that change things? I could see Rebecca making room to do it.
- [67:19]
Carly
Yeah. She has like a lot of asterisks next to her magic system where it's like, well, except for this and this and this. And I'm like, okay, but like what are the rules?
- [67:28]
Hannah
Which makes for fun yet complicated theories.
- [67:33]
Kinsey
Yes. And it could be that maybe she can wield lightning, but she just doesn't have as much strength or control over it. Like there were only two lightning strikes and it was near her, but like didn't actually hit anybody or anything. She was an ammun. Yeah.
- [67:47]
Hannah
She definitely did not have any sort of control over it.
- [67:50]
Kinsey
Yeah. And even though she felt that snap.
- [67:52]
Carly
She didn't even think she did it.
- [67:53]
Kinsey
Yeah. I was just gonna say even though she felt that snap, she still was like, oh fuck, there's lightning. Like she didn't think that she did it. So it's just very strange. We'll find out in two years, maybe.
- [68:05]
Carly
Two to five years. Please hold.
- [68:07]
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- [68:39]
Hannah
Our final discussion topic for this week. Most of this discussion about Hadatas will be in our next set of chapters. But I want to talk about how Violet describes the isle as paler and how Taryn offers that it could mean that magic is lessened here, which he makes a joke about how like how can you be less than like non existent. Which agreed. But we also get this really suspicious quote. That quote. They raised the original structure about 150 years ago and rebuilt with what dad called intention. Okay. Which begs the question of what happened 150 years ago and whether this indicates that Hidatus. Based on the theory that we've been.
- [69:20]
Carly
We've.
- [69:20]
Hannah
I think we're all in agreeance that our number one theory on what's going on here is that the venom drained it drained the islands. Does this mean that Hidadus is the one that was most recently drained?
- [69:31]
Kinsey
I think so. Because if we're comparing it to all the other islands, this island has little to no color at all. They have similar plants and yet it's described as being, like, almost white. So I think this shows that there's less magic because it happened most recently. I think it does have to do with raising their city 150 years ago. And they had to cut themselves off from other civilizations to do as the irritants suggested, which is having their offspring heal the land. We also have to think about the fact that this is an ocean town and they don't even have a port, so they're not trying to communicate with other isles. I think they had to completely just shut themselves out. Heal. But I do think this is the most recent isle that was drained because it's just the most lacking in color.
- [70:18]
Hannah
Which 150 years ago is not. I would have thought that isles were drained long ago. 150 years is nothing.
- [70:26]
Kinsey
It's still a couple generations, but yeah.
- [70:30]
Hannah
How long has it been since the beginning of Navarre? Like, unification?
- [70:34]
Kinsey
400, 600? I don't know.
- [70:38]
Carly
I think everything about this is super suspicious, which is the running theme of this book and our podcast, and why.
- [70:48]
Hannah
We had a conversation about how can we. Can we use other words other than suspicious? It just can't. It doesn't work.
- [70:53]
Carly
I need a thesaurus on here to be like other words for suspicious. I need synonyms, people. This whole thing with this island. I don't know. Have y'all ever watched White Lotus Girl?
- [71:06]
Kinsey
Yes.
- [71:07]
Carly
Okay.
- [71:07]
Hannah
I hated season three. I'm sorry. I haven't watched it yesterday.
- [71:10]
Carly
I haven't watched it yet.
- [71:11]
Kinsey
Don't forget. I liked it. I liked it.
- [71:14]
Hannah
Not a little tangent.
- [71:15]
Carly
Okay. The first season and the second season, it's like, I haven't watched third season yet, but there is this juxtaposition in these beautiful locations against this very creepy feeling storyline with creeping music and jump shots and things like that, where you just kind of never know what to expect. What's around the corner, what's gonna happen. And that juxtaposition is what I felt. Here. They're out on these islands. It's supposed to be beautiful, but it's not. And it's creepy and it's weird and wild.
- [71:48]
Hannah
Eerie. Yeah.
- [71:49]
Carly
And they can't put their finger on why.
- [71:51]
Kinsey
And I think they note how beautiful the ocean is in this area, too.
- [71:56]
Carly
And these people are afraid of it. They're, like, terrified of it. But we'll get into that in the next chapters because we're not there yet. But everything about this was weird to me. And I agree that there's a reason why these places are so pale. I think we're supposed to think it's evented. I think that's very likely. I think another reason, though, would be God level scorched earth. Because we have that. We have an epigraph where it's talking about how it's dangerous to favor one God against the others in a jealous pantheon. And I'm like, maybe a God scorched this land out of jealousy. I don't know. I think it would be more interesting if there was another explanation other than the Venon. And if it was the gods, I think it might open us up to some more interesting history of the gods.
- [72:45]
Hannah
Not to go down too much of a rabbit hole, but I do want to. For the 15th time. You know, it begs the question of, like, why wisdom is the isle. Like, that's so interesting that that would be the most recent.
- [72:59]
Kinsey
Well, doesn't Carly have a theory that it used to be?
- [73:01]
Hannah
That's what I'm thinking. Your theory is that it's potentially chaos.
- [73:05]
Carly
I mean, I think if you think about everything that happens there. I've said this before. It's much more in line with, like, a Loki style God than it is, like a wisdom God.
- [73:12]
Kinsey
Like.
- [73:13]
Carly
Cause it's supposed to be like, wisdom and peace. And I'm like, where's the wisdom and peace? Because all I experienced on this isle was pure chaos. Everything was chaos. Even when Riddick gets stabbed, he's not actually stabbed. And that whole moment is chaotic. Everything about this isle was written to be chaotic. And so I'm like, I feel like it's not wisdom, but I also think it would make sense if it was at one point Loyal's island, and that's why it was raised and they're covering it up because we never get to go there.
- [73:40]
Hannah
That would be super fucking ironic, considering. And I'm saving this for most of the discussion for next episode, but the whole dynamic of their view on love, that's so intriguing.
- [73:51]
Carly
Yeah, well, to me it's interesting if it was. And, like, maybe wisdom did take it over and they raised it because they hate love.
- [73:58]
Hannah
And so. Oh, yeah. So, like, they're like, forcing the lot, which is symbolic, and, like, forcing logic on love.
- [74:03]
Carly
Yeah.
- [74:03]
Hannah
Over it.
- [74:04]
Carly
But, yeah, I won't get into that any more depth because I feel like we're going to talk about it a lot next episode.
- [74:10]
Kinsey
Yeah. I could see the paleness being the result of the Venon draining. It could be like the Irids somehow, like, taking all the magic with them because they have all the color. Or it could be the gods. I Think it could be any of those things. But I do want to also note that Andarna was uncomfortable the moment they arrived, and she said she did not like this place and insisted that they should leave. So I think that she definitely felt a disturbance in the magic here. And if it does end up happening to be something to do with the Irids, then I think that's even crazier.
- [74:39]
Carly
Yeah.
- [74:39]
Hannah
Well, I think also they specifically said the island of Wisdom and peace, and the Irids are supposed to be known for, like, their peace. Their whole thing is peace. Right. Why is it that Indarna had such a stark contrasting reaction to an island that's actually, like, if we had to have guessed based on, like, the dragon's hatching grounds, they change their temperaments. This is shown in, like, what they're most comfortable with. Dragons are born in hotter climates. Prefer the hotter climates. You'd think a dragon who, like, exudes peace and preaches about peace would feel most comfortable in an island of peace. You know, not dedicated to peace in the way that Devarelli is, which is actually quite similar, more, I think, to the Irids. But for this one, I think it supports the theory that it's so much more chaotic. It's so much more like a God of chaos.
- [75:39]
Carly
Yeah. The whole time we were in those chapters, I'm like, this just feels like Loki is taking charge here. It doesn't feel like wisdom.
- [75:47]
Hannah
You know what, though? If there is that second God that's seeking Violet's loyalty or favor, Chaos could definitely. We'd have a lot, a lot of evidence to support that one through this series.
- [76:00]
Kinsey
I don't know if I can handle any more gods. How many are we at? Are we at six gods yet?
- [76:04]
Hannah
Yeah. Is that your idea, is that there is no wisdom?
- [76:08]
Carly
I think it's either. Or that there either is a wisdom and there's also a God of Chaos, or that wisdom isn't really wisdom and it's chaos and it's just been making people think they're wisdom, which I would find more fun.
- [76:19]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [76:20]
Hannah
I don't find our theories unrealistic, but, boy, can we make some. We can. Yap. How is Possible Spiral.
- [76:30]
Kinsey
When the series is over, we'll have to go back and look at every single theory we've ever made and been. Like, we went into way more detail than the author did. Or like, we were so off. Like, I'd be curious to see how we.
- [76:42]
Carly
Have you seen that Office meme about theorists versus authors, where it's like Michael from the Office is like, I think you're overthinking this. And then Jen's like, I think you're underthinking this.
- [76:54]
Hannah
If Rebecca ever watched our podcast, we're definitely overthinking.
- [77:00]
Kinsey
Yeah, it is fun. It's how we, like, spend the time while we wait.
- [77:03]
Hannah
So, yeah, you get to stay in the universe, which everyone who's listening also feels that way. So, you know, we get it. We get it.
- [77:10]
Carly
We're here for fun.
- [77:11]
Kinsey
Exactly. And speaking of fun, it is time to head on over to the healer's quadrant to take a temperature check on our characters, our favorite moments, and standout quotes. Who was hot for you this week, Carly?
- [77:23]
Carly
Violet.
- [77:24]
Hannah
Mm.
- [77:25]
Carly
I loved how decisive she was in these chapters, even though it was hard for her.
- [77:30]
Kinsey
I like that.
- [77:31]
Hannah
Me too.
- [77:32]
Kinsey
She did a good job fighting too. And then Hannah Auric.
- [77:37]
Carly
Same.
- [77:38]
Kinsey
Yeah, I definitely thought Arik was hot this week. Mm.
- [77:43]
Hannah
That doesn't stop. So. No, it's just gonna start being Arryk and Zaden every week for me, guys. Yeah, the occasional Dane.
- [77:52]
Kinsey
Yes, I do disagree with you, Carly. Cause I actually put Violet on my not list this week.
- [77:58]
Hannah
I don't wanna tell ya.
- [77:59]
Kinsey
Because I was upset with her for not trying to get more answers or better answers.
- [78:04]
Hannah
She had a lot going on.
- [78:05]
Kinsey
I know, but it still was enough to make me put her on my not list. I also had Taryn, because why the fuck was he distracting Violet from learning the truth? I thought he was an A hole. And so he's on my not list.
- [78:18]
Hannah
Mine's Mira. Carla, yours is also Mira. You go for it.
- [78:23]
Carly
We chatted about Mira, me and Hannah. We were like, she is just not doing it for us. These chapters, I just. This is not like the sisterly relationship I want to see between them. And I'm disappointed in her, frankly.
- [78:36]
Hannah
I just want to point out, if Violet had found out that Mira was destined to turn, do you know the lengths that she would go to to try and help Meera? The same she's doing for Zaden. And yet Meera is over here just, like, in secret, waiting for the ball to drop. So she can be pissed off.
- [78:54]
Kinsey
Yeah, she's, like, creating these weapons and things against Violet, never telling her what's going on.
- [79:02]
Hannah
The fact that we didn't even talk about this, but the fact that she just went on this leave mysteriously, Violet couldn't even get a letter to her, which maybe was more to do with Panchak. That was fucking suspicious. But just the whole way that Mira handled all of this, just because she was offended that her dad left Violet some important information. Like this. Violet's trying to save the world.
- [79:22]
Kinsey
It's immature.
- [79:24]
Carly
Mira punishing Violet and treating her poorly and distantly because of the choices that her parents made is just frustrating. I want to see siblings overcome that in this. Like, this is a book of found family, and some of that family is her actual family. And when you see the family treating her worse than the found family, it's frustrating.
- [79:49]
Kinsey
I'm holding my tongue, but it's reminding me of a different series.
- [79:54]
Hannah
Hold it.
- [79:56]
Kinsey
Okay, so for our favorite moments, Hannah, it looks like you wrote an essay here.
- [80:00]
Hannah
I did. I did. Okay, so my favorite moment was when Zaden and Dane both agree that the chosen weapon has to be daggers to give Violet the best shot. It is a small moment, but it's so symbolic to me of the positive thing that they share in common, though with different approaches. Excuse me. That they shared in common sense. Like, fourth wing. Right. This is what I'm going on here. Which was keeping Violet safe, but also symbolic in how Violet is still fighting for her own and wins. So I just loved everything about that.
- [80:33]
Kinsey
I loved that scene too. Carly, what was your favorite?
- [80:36]
Carly
It's when Dayne is translating for the guards that show up from Unbriel and they say a few words and Violet realizes one of them is weak, and Dain goes to translate and is like, nevermind and just flips them off. And I'm like, yes, that's so good. Yes, it's so good.
- [80:51]
Kinsey
You know, I nearly put Dain on my hot list this week because I thought he was funny. But anyway, my.
- [80:57]
Hannah
You don't have to justify it anymore, girl. I'm right there with you.
- [81:01]
Kinsey
My favorite moments were both about Arrek. So I loved when he just revealed himself to Halden and ended up taking his place as prince. I thought that was really well done. Especially when he's like, well, you and dad don't know me at all then if you couldn't even find me. But. But I thought it was all good. And then also just Auric casually revealing that he's been fluent and unbrushed this entire time.
- [81:25]
Hannah
Can I retroactively add Halden to my list? Because why the fuck do you not know your brother enough to think he's going to be in brothels? Like, that pissed me off for Arc so much.
- [81:34]
Kinsey
He's like, I'm surprised you weren't in brothels that I go to. And he's like, you were fighting for the Orishan riders.
- [81:41]
Carly
Yeah, I'm gonna try to hold off.
- [81:42]
Hannah
From talking about this. But I'm going to anyways.
- [81:45]
Kinsey
All right.
- [81:45]
Hannah
So that same scene with Arryk and how Halden is like, yeah, dad thought it was me that helped Violet go break into the archives, fall on his own.
- [81:54]
Kinsey
And Halden got in trouble.
- [81:55]
Hannah
Why? If the King thought that Halden was there at Bezgaeth, why did he not search Bezgaeth for the other option that could have broken into the archives hall?
- [82:06]
Carly
That's not how I read that. I don't think he thought Haldon directly helped Violet. I think he thought Holden accidentally gave her information when they were together about the vault.
- [82:15]
Hannah
See, I disagree because you had to have someone in the King's bloodline access it. So I took it as he thought Halden helped her access it. But anyways, pissed me off. Favorite quote. Woo hoo. Kylie, Karlie, you go first.
- [82:35]
Carly
Okay.
- [82:35]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [82:35]
Hannah
Did you have one?
- [82:36]
Carly
Yes. If we are not back by nightfall, burn the place to the ground. Yeah, I love that one.
- [82:43]
Hannah
Who was that one by?
- [82:44]
Carly
Violet.
- [82:45]
Hannah
Perfect for the listeners. I didn't remember either. It's fine.
- [82:49]
Kinsey
No, me neither. I was like, who?
- [82:51]
Carly
It's what Violet tells Meera as they leave with the Unbriel guards. And she's basically letting them know, like, if you don't bring us back, they're gonna destroy your island. And I'm like, yes.
- [83:01]
Kinsey
Hell yeah.
- [83:03]
Hannah
I actually only have two this week. One is Violet. She thinks I cock my head to the side and flip my Decker to pinch its tip as Taryn growls at my back, low and mean, just the way I like daddy Taryn moment. Okay. And then also both of them have to do with their dragons. Zayden translating for Sigale. She says to get fucked.
- [83:27]
Kinsey
I loved that quote.
- [83:28]
Hannah
It's so good. It's so good. Okay, Kinsey, your million.
- [83:33]
Kinsey
My million.
- [83:34]
Hannah
Your million. Four.
- [83:36]
Kinsey
So, okay, Zaden's saying, must kill you that you can't make me. Why don't you scurry into your little basket? That was to Halden.
- [83:43]
Hannah
Halden can get fucked.
- [83:45]
Carly
Yes.
- [83:46]
Kinsey
Okay. And then between Dane and Violet, I loved this interaction so much. Dane said, how in all that's holy, am I to blame for this? He's a first year and you're the wing leader. Vi. I think he outranks me in this department. It's such a good interaction. It's so good. And then this quote from Dane, Love wasting my time because relatable. And finally from Taryn, how could I not include this? I don't like your selection in Mates yet. Here we are.
- [84:19]
Hannah
What a good comeback. He's so sassy.
- [84:22]
Carly
So good. You know what I love, Hannah, is that I had three quotes highlighted for this week, and it was your two and mine. And I was like, I'm gonna choose one of these for this week. I had both of your other two.
- [84:34]
Kinsey
That's so funny. I also had she says to get fucked. I picked that as, like, your main one.
- [84:39]
Hannah
That was gonna be my quote the week. What was my quote of the week for you, Carly?
- [84:43]
Carly
I had the Violet. The Taran growls on my back, low and neutral.
- [84:47]
Hannah
Oh, so you had all of them written down?
- [84:49]
Carly
I had all three of these for me, and I was like, I bet Hannah's gonna pick this one, the Taran one.
- [84:54]
Hannah
You guys know me so well. It makes me feel so loved. So we're continuing our tie streak. Good job. I actually, like, don't want you guys to break it.
- [85:09]
Carly
All right, now let's stop by the scribe quadrant for our epigraph analysis of the most thought provoking epigraphs.
- [85:14]
Kinsey
The chapter 29 epigraph reads, In a culture that worships the goddess of war exclusively, blood is the preferred sacrifice, and cowardice is the ultimate sin. Unbriel, Isle of Dune by second Lieutenant Asher Daxton.
- [85:28]
Hannah
This epigraph sets up the customs Violet, Zayden, and Dain partake in in Unbriel, where each person chosen to fight is cut with a dagger to bleed beforehand with the priestess explaining, quote, the goddess of war demands her payment before you may prove your worth. End quote. Which of how Malik's sacrifice is burning clothing and whether Malik sees the burned clothing as payment. That'd make a ton of sense because wouldn't the loss of someone's someone, their death be enough of a sacrifice to the God of death, who is, like, getting their soul? So I just wanted to throw that out. So anyone, feel free to spiral if you guys would like.
- [86:15]
Kinsey
I mean, in Greek mythology, they still have to pay the tol soul to get to the underworld, so maybe the payment of their soul isn't enough.
- [86:21]
Hannah
That's wild to me, but I love this idea that each God requires some sort of sacrifice. I'm curious to see the other ones. Next epigraph.
- [86:31]
Carly
The Chapter 30 epigraph reads, it is unwise to favor one God above another. Better to shun them all than show favoritism amongst a jealous, prodigious pantheon. Major Rorleigh's Guide to Appeasing the Gods, 2nd Edition.
- [86:45]
Kinsey
Violet is shown favoritism from multiple gods throughout the series, notably from Malak Zannahl, and Dune. I wonder if a lot of her problems are derived from the gods just vying for her attention.
- [86:59]
Hannah
If we consider that Violet is set to choose between two gods that favor her, this pretty much implies that the one she does not end up choosing will become jealous. Or imagine her not choosing an actual God. How jealous those two will be.
- [87:14]
Kinsey
Ooh, a lot of people are gonna start dying. Okay.
- [87:19]
Hannah
Especially if it's Valley. Yep.
- [87:22]
Kinsey
All right. The chapter 31 epigraph reads, quote, guardians are no longer permitted to dedicate children in service to their favored deity. The decision to serve the gods for life must be made after the age of majority and of one's free will. Public Notice 200.417 transcribed by ricelle Lightstone.
- [87:41]
Carly
This epigraph explains the reason for Asher taking Violet all the way to the Isle of Unbriel. To have her dedicated rather than a local temple. Because dedicating children was banned in Navarre and Poromil over 200 years ago. And if you are still confused about why Asher took Violet to be dedicated to begin with, it is implied that he was trying to cure her chronic illness. This epigraph also implies that people can be dedicated to any of their favored deities, not just Dune or Loial, although those are gods people are dedicated to for life. And I will just quickly point out that the public notice numbers are the year in which they take place.
- [88:18]
Kinsey
Oh, good to know.
- [88:21]
Hannah
I was like, yeah, let's go.
- [88:23]
Kinsey
I had no idea. Thought they were random.
- [88:26]
Hannah
The chapter 32 epigraph reads, quote, with such wane coloring in the vegetation, it comes as no surprise that it requires four times the amount of indigo to dye even the simplest garment. I can't help but wonder if the colors of our continent are the exception or if the isles are unbriel. Isle of Dune by second Lieutenant Asher Daxton.
- [88:50]
Kinsey
This epigraph is a mind fuck. So once again, Rebecca is pointing out that the isles have muted coloring, especially compared to the continent. But here, Asher is speculating which landmass could be the exception. What if everywhere but Navarre and Peromiel are muted and for whatever reason, the continent is just extra vibrant? We assume it's related to the flow of magic. And now I can't help but wonder if the continent is the only landmass with magic. We know there's other land out there, and I don't think Rebecca would have included this epigraph for no reason.
- [89:26]
Hannah
She absolutely would not have.
- [89:28]
Kinsey
Yeah. So I'm like, what will your other books be about, Rebecca? If they don't have magic.
- [89:33]
Carly
We want the whole universe.
- [89:35]
Kinsey
Yeah, but it's like, is it the continent that's weird, or is it.
- [89:38]
Hannah
I don't want to know. I don't want to go to lands without magic anymore.
- [89:41]
Kinsey
Yeah, I just. It made me uncomfortable. I was like, Asher. Why?
- [89:46]
Carly
The chapter 33 epigraph reads, do not mistake a dragon's bond for fealty. If you expect a dragon to choose their rider over the well being of their own kind, prepare for two disappointment and death. Colonel Kaori's Field Guide to Dragonkind.
- [90:01]
Kinsey
This epigraph foreshadows Sigail actually doing the exact opposite of what Professor Kaori just said. She chose to help and protect Zayan even after he turned Asym, when she could have just as easily killed him. I'd also like to point out that Rebecca placed this epigraph immediately after Marlis had asked for dragons. It's very possible that dragons did choose to sacrifice a few of their own in order to secure an alliance with Unbriel and fight the Venon. We know dragon eggs went missing. We don't know who took them, but a popular assumption is that they are being taken to Unbriel.
- [90:35]
Hannah
Yeah, and I do want to add that it is about perspective. As the queen says, from what I know of them, they're rather dedicated to protecting their own. And perhaps a dozen eggs aren't such a bad price for saving the rest of them. So if Sigail and or Taryn did help smuggle the eggs, it's still in the name of protecting their kind in the grand scheme of things. Now take flight with us to the hatching grounds for our Easter eggs. And moments of foreshadowing, including moments that stood out during this reread and may spiral into theories if it's anything like the rest of this episode, starting with chapter 29. Now, this is a long quote, and bear with my pronunciation. Violet says Demira. Did Grandma Naara say how he found time to study things like the migratory patterns of Terrans and Eras birds or Floronia moths? He spends three pages talking about companion planting, Brison root or Kellanwood, and then goes off about Zacchaea berries and how if the birds migrate to Hedatis too late, they're overripe and the flock drops dead, their little yellow beaks stained blue. Now, Aster seems to be researching poisons specifically because both Zacchaea berries and Floronia moths, which we discussed last episode, are poisonous, which are the only two things that we have more context for in this book. At least, meaning the rest could be. But also, we got foreshadowing for this in chapter 33, when Violet thinks Meera snaps at Drake as they walk over with Garak and Dane, who sidesteps a dead bird. Yuck. The bird was dead because the Zacchaea berries were overripe, which kills the birds. This is the way that Violet connected the poison Garak had, which we're going to discuss next episode.
- [92:21]
Carly
I love that.
- [92:22]
Hannah
I was so proud of that finals.
- [92:24]
Kinsey
I know.
- [92:24]
Carly
That was good.
- [92:25]
Hannah
I was so excited that you guys hadn't already put that in.
- [92:28]
Carly
I loved it.
- [92:28]
Kinsey
I went to go add it to chapter 33's and I was like, she's already got the poisons in here. And so I was like, we'll just keep all the poison in the same spot.
- [92:38]
Hannah
Thank you.
- [92:41]
Carly
Regarding Violet's hair, there is a moment where Violet is questioning when and why their grandmother stopped talking to their parents. And she seems to think that it's the grandmother that cut off contact with the parents and that they cut off contact when the parents got married. And Mira is telling her, you were a toddler right around the age where your hair was coming in thick enough to pull into a little ponytail. And it wasn't Grandma Niara who ended communication. Turns out it was the other way around. I think she. They cut off communication with her once Violet's hair was coming in long enough to realize what Asher had done. He had tried to dedicate her. Her hair was clearly different at this point, and they didn't want the grandmother.
- [93:29]
Hannah
To see, which I think is super interesting, because I had assumed that she would. The grandma would have found out right after he tried to dedicate her. But if what you're saying is if he tried to take her while she was a baby, before her hair had grown out, the grandma didn't realize until much later. And that is really interesting, and especially interesting because that would mean that the grandma would somehow know what silver hair meant and that that meant.
- [93:55]
Kinsey
Yeah, Mera had said, your hair's always been silver. Because Violet had asked her, well, when did it start turning silver? And she's like, what do you mean? Yes, it's always been silver.
- [94:04]
Carly
Yep.
- [94:05]
Kinsey
Granted, she's only, like, a few years older than her, but I feel like she.
- [94:08]
Hannah
Which really doesn't help our timeline too much, other than it was definitely before she a toddler, so probably baby.
- [94:12]
Carly
Yeah.
- [94:14]
Kinsey
We learned that the journey to Unbriel from Basgaith takes about eight days, with Griffin slowing them down with pit stops. And it's about nine hours between Devarelli and Umbriel, again with Griffin slowing them down. This is important to pay attention to when we consider where Zaden disappeared to at the end of Onyx Storm. They won't have Griffin slowing them down this time. And he left from Dreythis instead of Basgiath, which also makes it a shorter trip to. If they use Garruk's second signet to distance wield, it's still a lot of land to cover without being seen once they're in the isles. Because it's unlikely he could have distance wielded without any magic. Yeah, and burnt out, so. Unless.
- [94:52]
Hannah
He would have to be.
- [94:53]
Carly
Unless he's the brother.
- [94:55]
Kinsey
But even still, if there's no magic, they can't channel venom magic on the isles. And I'm not sure if he'd need, like, time to recover before traveling the nine hours to Unbriel, but. But now we have a better idea. If Zaden was the person who stole the dragon eggs in order to form an alliance, or at least we know how long his journey could take.
- [95:14]
Hannah
Whew.
- [95:15]
Carly
This is making me wonder Where. If somebody wants a distance wield and there is a piece of land in between where they want to go to and it doesn't have magic, would it be a barrier? Would they just stop at the barrier?
- [95:27]
Hannah
So you're saying can he even distance wield two lands? Yeah.
- [95:30]
Kinsey
So they'd have to go to Cordan, then.
- [95:32]
Hannah
Wait, I could imagine he's using the magic theoretically, where he is. He's pulling there, and then he can get out. But that doesn't work to get back. Back.
- [95:42]
Carly
Yeah, no, I definitely don't think you can get back. But, like, I'm wondering if, like, there's land between where you want to go with no magic and you just, like.
- [95:49]
Hannah
Middle of the sky into the ocean. That's how the Kraken come in, guys. Yep.
- [95:54]
Kinsey
Yep.
- [95:54]
Hannah
That's it. And the pirates.
- [95:55]
Kinsey
Yep.
- [95:56]
Hannah
Barak's pirate now.
- [95:57]
Kinsey
Yeah, we're back on the cracking with them so that they can breathe underwater. They're gonna go under the water with the Krakens, and it's gonna be a party.
- [96:07]
Carly
I'm gonna go through our transcripts and see how many times we have said Kraken in this season.
- [96:12]
Kinsey
And it's not even a book about Krakens.
- [96:14]
Hannah
I know. No, but it's setting up for one. I'm telling you, she's got it in mind.
- [96:20]
Kinsey
We're just totally on board with the Krakens.
- [96:25]
Hannah
Next.
- [96:26]
Carly
Boy. I think there's a moment where Zaden was reading Halden's thoughts. There is this part where Holden is saying, get out of my face. And Zayden responds, must kill you that you can't make me. A corner of Zayden's mouth rises. Why don't you scurry into your little basket? I love this part. I think in this moment, Zayden was reading his thoughts and realized that Halden had some embarrassment about having to travel in a basket and was picking at him for it because Halden is embarrassed. I just love it. This is canon for me.
- [97:03]
Hannah
Also, I will say that it seems like Halden wears just all of his emotions out of his sleeve, so he must be super fucking easy to read.
- [97:09]
Carly
Yeah, yeah, that's true.
- [97:11]
Kinsey
I just think he was. Zaden was big and ass. Like, usually, like when Violet's not as fun. Yeah, well, like when Violet would notice Zaden using his signet, he'll usually like, furrow a brow or do something when he reads people. So I think Halden is just the type of person to just get. I mean, even Arryk said, oh, you can't count to three and, like, hold in your emotions. So I think, like, everybody knew how pissed Halden was and it didn't take much. It didn't take much.
- [97:37]
Carly
I just like to think that Zaden was, like, rifling through his thoughts and realized he was embarrassed about it and was like, specifically picking at him. And Halden deserves it.
- [97:46]
Kinsey
I like it.
- [97:47]
Carly
Also, there's this weird moment about Dane. It says, quote, dain rubs the bridge of his nose and pushes his finger outward over the heavy dark circles under his eyes. I want to say this is at least the third time Violet has mentioned how tired he is. I wonder if there's going to be more to this in the next book. I think there's something weird going on. I don't know what the fuck's going on with Dain, but he is real tired in these books.
- [98:10]
Hannah
The context we got in this part of it is that he was up, like, devoting himself to learning the dictionaries for Umbreel, which ended up being useless. So bad. But that also reminds me of those weird ass mentions in Zaden's POV bonus chapter of 2027 where he was like, the wards went down and all of a sudden he's commenting on how exhausted and slower Dain was. Which doesn't make sense really for that part of the story. But that was the most recent bonus chapter or part of the empyrean that Rebecca put out before she released Onyx Storm. So continuity. She wouldn't just write that in back and forth wing if it didn't mean something. But it's interesting to note that that's been across the books at this point, I guess.
- [99:02]
Carly
Yeah. And like I said, I think it's at least three mentions just in Onyx Storm. And I'm like, this is weird.
- [99:08]
Hannah
Do we think that means he most recently used his signet?
- [99:12]
Kinsey
I think maybe there's a few things. I think he could be staying up at night just thinking about Sloane.
- [99:19]
Hannah
I like that theory.
- [99:20]
Kinsey
Or maybe it's because as third years in a war, they're having them go on patrol while also still attending classes. So obviously that would make a person exhausted because they're participating in war efforts while also still doing their normal course load. He's also a wing leader, so he's in charge of a lot of other people below him, and they're studying and doing all this research for Quest Squad.
- [99:47]
Hannah
Maybe it's like a realism comment rather than like a, hey, there's something's going on with him. That's more suspicious.
- [99:53]
Kinsey
It could be just in like, that context with it being like him looking at the dictionaries with the language. But I do like the thought of it being something else.
- [100:02]
Carly
Yeah. I just wonder if this is going to be foreshadowing for something. And I don't know. It makes me a little concerned for Dane.
- [100:09]
Hannah
Did we get Dain using his signet at all?
- [100:12]
Kinsey
This book that we know of, I paid attention.
- [100:15]
Carly
I don't think so.
- [100:16]
Hannah
It's kind of like Imogen. Why are y'all not using this stuff? I don't know what he could have been used for, but I want to see these signets in use.
- [100:23]
Kinsey
If he used it, we wouldn't have gotten it from Violet's point of view.
- [100:27]
Hannah
Right.
- [100:27]
Kinsey
But he could have found out that Zaden was a Venin by touching somebody else's face or body, reading their memory about it, and knowing he's still limited to. Yeah, and that could be a justification for maybe turning and becoming another brother. I don't know. But, Rebecca, if you harm a head or a hair on Dain's head, I'm gonna be upset.
- [100:55]
Hannah
Sorry, honey. I think it's gonna happen.
- [100:57]
Kinsey
I know, but I'm just gonna be so upset when it happens.
- [101:00]
Hannah
And our final One for chapter 29, the name Niara, which is the grandmother, Violet Meera, is of Swahili origin and means with utmost purpose or one with high purpose and determination, which literally Tells us that the grandmother serves a higher purpose than we know.
- [101:21]
Kinsey
What?
- [101:21]
Carly
I love that.
- [101:22]
Hannah
I'm so proud. I expected, when I came into this outline, to see Carly had already done it. And so I was like, yes, I did it.
- [101:29]
Carly
I looked up a lot of names in this set of chapters, but that was not one of them.
- [101:35]
Hannah
I got your back.
- [101:36]
Carly
It's a lot. I love it.
- [101:37]
Hannah
Between the three of us, we got this.
- [101:40]
Carly
I love that I have you guys researching the names now. Oh, yeah.
- [101:45]
Kinsey
I think Mulvik was the only name I have researched for this book. And that's because we didn't know RX Dragon's name previously. And I was like, yeah, we're gonna figure out what his signet is because of this. And then it literally means nothing. And I'm like, cool, but there are.
- [101:59]
Hannah
Plenty of names that do. So I'm just throwing out that. That cannot be coincidental.
- [102:04]
Kinsey
Yep. Alright, Moving on to chapter 30. When they arrive in Icell Unbriel's capital city and they see how extensive their defenses are. Like having people literally inside the walls. Violet thinks, quote, dad either left that part out or never saw the inner workings of the defenses. My bet is on the 2nd. Her dad had to have gone inside to enter the Temple of Dune, which means he either intentionally left that part out or it's a new establishment. If it's new, could it be a new establishment because of Violet's dad? Were they upset that they found out that there's a Nevarian, like, sneaking into their isle and using their temples? Because, as we know, Nevarr did cut off their ties with the Isles.
- [102:50]
Hannah
Ooh.
- [102:51]
Kinsey
It's just weird to me that he wouldn't mention that bit.
- [102:55]
Hannah
Yeah, no, it's definitely suspicious. And I think the way she wrote it was, like, between those two options. I don't think it's because it's new. I. I think that he left that out intentionally.
- [103:05]
Carly
I wonder if, one, either he was like, this was a requirement, like, he agreed not to disclose certain information in exchange for being there. Or two, if y'all, I gotta get you guys to raid the Bridge Kingdom. But I wonder if maybe whenever they brought him inside, they blindfolded him and didn't let him see inside the walls, like they were keeping certain things secret.
- [103:27]
Kinsey
I almost started the Bridge Kingdom yesterday, and then I listened to a different audiobook instead.
- [103:32]
Carly
Well, I'm disappointed. I was wondering what to start next.
- [103:34]
Kinsey
That'll be my next audiobook, though.
- [103:37]
Carly
Yeah. That's like a thing in those books. You'll understand if you ever read them.
- [103:41]
Kinsey
I will. It's gonna be my next audiobook, so.
- [103:45]
Carly
Yeah, I think that's free on audible. It is.
- [103:47]
Kinsey
That's why it's gonna be my next. The entire series anyway, so I guess that was the only one for chapter 30. So moving on to chapter 31. When deciding who will fight in Unbriel, Teryn says, quote, navarre needs the soldiers from this alliance to defend the borders, freeing the riders to go on the offensive. Up until this point, Navarre and Peromiel have only defensively fought the Venin. I think this quote foreshadows that Zaden or whoever stole the dragon eggs at the end of Onyx Storm, solidified an alliance with Unbriel. And this will finally allow Navarre the position to hunt the Venin and go on the offensive. Remember, we still don't know where the main Venon hideout is or how and where the wyvern are made. An alliance with Unbriel could definitely change that and give them the time needed to go searching.
- [104:36]
Hannah
I love that idea of switching gears from, like, reading about them being the hunted to them being the hunters. And it would give us a change of scenery. And we're so limited to Violet that, like, it's gonna take her going in, which also could be the excuse for her also searching for Zaden under, you know, low key.
- [104:57]
Carly
Yeah, I like that.
- [104:59]
Hannah
I accept it. That's happening.
- [105:02]
Carly
That's accepted.
- [105:03]
Hannah
All right. For chapter 32, I think we got a little bit of foreshadowing for Trigger's death. When the queen of Unriel said, perhaps it is truly Zanal who blesses you good luck when you search that particular isle. They have a mean streak. Poor cat.
- [105:21]
Kinsey
Just when you start to like a guy.
- [105:24]
Carly
How to lose a guy in 10 days go to Zenal.
- [105:28]
Hannah
What did you just say?
- [105:30]
Kinsey
She said, how to lose a guy in 10 days go to Zenal. I had to say that for you since Kylie's still over here laughing.
- [105:41]
Hannah
I feel like we need a bookmark with that.
- [105:45]
Carly
Sorry, I got a dark sense of humor.
- [105:47]
Kinsey
No, me too. I love it. That's hilarious.
- [105:50]
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- [106:20]
Kinsey
Okay. Earlier in the season, we Said we'd be on blood watch to catch any potential Venin who might not bleed. In chapter 12, Jack made a comment that only initiates bleed. And when Dane was fighting an umbrel, he did have a pool of blood around him. So I think it's safe to officially remove Dain from our suspects list for now.
- [106:42]
Hannah
I like it. I like that we have some way to narrow this down. Thank God.
- [106:47]
Kinsey
Otherwise everybody'd be a suspect. Alright, and our last chapter 33, Queen Marlis requested 12 dragon eggs, two of each breed in order to bring their army to the continent. We think this foreshadows six dragon eggs, likely one of each breed being taken at the end of Onyx Storm.
- [107:05]
Hannah
I love how you say eggs.
- [107:07]
Kinsey
You know, and I almost made a comment earlier about how you said eggs and I was like, what?
- [107:13]
Hannah
No, I. You still said it closer to how you say it.
- [107:16]
Kinsey
I don't know, the way that you said eggs earlier, I was like, what the fuck is she saying? I hate how you say it. It grosses me out.
- [107:23]
Hannah
Oh my God. Okay, first of all, I thought yours was cute.
- [107:26]
Kinsey
Thank you.
- [107:27]
Hannah
Don't be rude.
- [107:28]
Kinsey
No, okay. But like literally earlier when you were saying eggs, I almost made a comment about it and I didn't. And it's funny that I made you mad.
- [107:34]
Hannah
Eggs.
- [107:36]
Carly
Okay, Ace.
- [107:37]
Kinsey
Anyway, yes, this is foreshadowing their dragon eggs being taken at the end of Onyx Storm. But I'd like to point out that Unbriel isn't Deverelli. So we don't know how they'll handle fulfillment of a half promise. But I think there will be repercussions for only delivering 6 instead of 12. Violet thinks of the second Crovlin uprising in the moment Queen Marlis asks for the egg. So with the theme of history repeating itself, I do think that they, they could be in trouble. Even though they get the eggs, I think she's gonna be pissed its half.
- [108:08]
Hannah
I love that analysis. I will say that they technically hadn't like fully made that deal. She's like, come back when you're. When you're desperate.
- [108:15]
Kinsey
When you're desperate enough.
- [108:16]
Hannah
Yeah, for eggs. So I think that maybe they only get half troops, but I don't necessarily see it as much as a consequence. If they had like fully, you know, she didn't say yes, I agree, we'll do that. You know, that was the issue with second cripple and uprising is they committed to something they couldn't.
- [108:33]
Kinsey
That's true. It just seemed like really interesting placement for Rebecca.
- [108:37]
Hannah
Oh, it Was.
- [108:39]
Kinsey
And back with Zaden's cold eyes demeanor. Watch. After arriving in Hadatas, Zaden snapped at Drake and Violet. Notes quote. His tone ices over. Garrick exchanges a tense look with Violet, and she thinks, surely something that innocuous wouldn't trigger. Hadadas is the island with the least magic they've encountered. And I wonder if he's starting to experience withdrawals or irritation after being away from magic for so long.
- [109:02]
Hannah
It was definitely foreshadowing that he was already in a bad mental state. And then his mom. Oh, my God. Okay, all right. So back to the dragons.
- [109:14]
Kinsey
The dragons are the eggs.
- [109:15]
Hannah
No, I'm just kidding. The actual dragons, not the eggs. Quote. Now, this is from Queen Marlis. We want dragons. Not fully grown, of course. Your kind has let them become too headstrong, too arrogant. Now, this, to me, implies that dragons weren't always like this and that there may have been a time when dragons were submissive to humans. That's a rabbit hole I will save for another day, but that's suspicious.
- [109:48]
Carly
I just think the hubris involved in being like, we can control these giant, fire breathing, winged beasts. Like, people have a whole hard time controlling their dogs. That you're gonna control a dragon, maybe Robert, Erwin, I don't know. But not the rest of us mortals.
- [110:06]
Kinsey
They're like, oh, maybe it's like a goose. If we're the first face they see, they'll love us. Like, bitch, get out of here.
- [110:12]
Hannah
I'd also like to comment on the fact that they said that all isles want dragons and that this is not just this generation of island leaders. This goes way back, right? Provolone uprising, probably. Other instances. We don't actually have, like, historical texts for yet, but they've been after these dragons and this sort of mindset. I don't know if I blame how, like, the dragons for being that ruthless against the. I don't know. I need more context before I can fully say that.
- [110:42]
Kinsey
But maybe they want the dragons for the magic so that they can drain magic because they're the descendants of the Venin, and the Venin want the Ven. I don't know.
- [110:50]
Hannah
It's always like, did the dragon or the egg. Egg come first? Like, who. Who was oppressing who first? I need to know that to make, like, informed decisions about how we got here.
- [111:01]
Carly
Yeah, we're gonna spiral.
- [111:04]
Hannah
It's okay.
- [111:04]
Carly
I know I've said before where I'm like, why do they. Why do all the isles want dragons? Like, I've questioned this before, too, because I'M like, they're not currently at war with anyone. What use would this be to them?
- [111:12]
Hannah
They don't have magic.
- [111:13]
Carly
And they don't have magic. I'm like, what? What are you doing? What do you want to do with these dragons? What do you think they're gonna do? Just, like, be your cart horse? Like, what's happening here?
- [111:21]
Kinsey
A hatching dragon does change the magic around it does.
- [111:24]
Carly
It does. And finally, because we haven't been doing.
- [111:28]
Hannah
This the whole episode, that's literally a pretty good episode. The entire episode.
- [111:34]
Carly
Yeah. Let's talk theories. In case you're wondering, sometimes we talk about theories on Spotcast.
- [111:41]
Hannah
Sometimes.
- [111:42]
Kinsey
And we have, like, written essays in this section.
- [111:45]
Carly
Yeah.
- [111:46]
Hannah
Oh. All right, I'm ready. Grab some popcorn, guys.
- [111:50]
Kinsey
Get comfortable.
- [111:51]
Carly
Everybody ready?
- [111:52]
Kinsey
I'm ready.
- [111:53]
Carly
All right, wait.
- [111:56]
Kinsey
Now I'm ready.
- [111:56]
Carly
Kenzie is settled in. Hannah's got her popcorn. We're good to go. This, I know it's one of my longer theories, but I want to circle back to when we were talking about the lightning, the storms, everything that's happening to Umbriel at the very end of that fight with Marlis. Everything in that entire scene in Unbriel, I think, is written in a way to show the connections that not just Violet has to do, but also Zaden. Violet, we know, has this failed dedication, and the priest describes her as being touched. So we know she has some sort of connection to Dune. But Zaden gets compared to Dune by Violet. Several times in Iron Flame, she says, I look up into the wrath of Dune in the form of gold flecked onyx eyes. And while they're in Umbriel, when she looks up at the statue of Dune, she says, I would almost swear her eyes flash golden. So Dune potentially has gold eyes and Zaden has gold flecked eyes. And there are more hints to this. Back in chapter 27, when Violet sees Zaden, she says, whatever is swirling in those onyx eyes is a tempest I've never beheld. It's one step past fury, as though Dune herself has stepped into his eyes and now peers back at me. He's Zaden, but he's not. Additionally, while preparing for this fight in Umbriel, we have a storm rolling in while Zaden's emotions are heightened. When Zaden realizes Violet is going to have to fight as well, she puts her hand on his chest and she notes how fast his heart is racing. And it is in this moment, a raindrop splashes on her forearm. It is almost written in a way to connect Zaden's emotional state to the starting of the storm. This storm continues as they fight and picks up in earnest as Zaden begins to lose his fight. This storm is very reminiscent of the storms that happened in Fourth Wing at Parapet, as well as in Iron Flame at the Viscounts when Violet goes to get the luminary, which are all times Zaden's emotions are heightened. I think these storms are connected to Dune because Zaden is also connected to Zun in some way and is somehow causing these storms. I think this connection between Dune, Zaden and the storms is similar to Violet and how the lightning strikes during her fight with Marlis. I think it is very possible that some, if not all, dragons magic is somehow connected to the gods, and that because Violet is touched by Dune, that is why her signet manifested as pure power and takes the form of lightning. I think Marlis knows this, and that is why she reacts to the lightning the way she does. Are you doing okay over there, Hannah?
- [114:32]
Hannah
I'm.
- [114:33]
Carly
I'm.
- [114:34]
Hannah
I love it. No, I don't want to interrupt. You go ahead.
- [114:36]
Carly
I'll keep going. She refuses to yield until the lightning strikes. It is then that Marlis relents. Quote. I yield. Marlis whispers, her eyes wide beneath me. I yield. She shouts. She is clearly startled by the lightning. And Marlis connects the lightning to Violet, blaming her for the destruction it causes. Additionally, the way Violet is described when she wields and the way the lightning is described can all be connected to things associated with Dune. Just before the lightning strikes, Violet describes, rage devours me from the scalp down, storming through my veins in a surge of heat that sizzles the rain on my skin. And this sounds awfully similar to wrath, which we know is associated with doom. Violet also describes her lightning as a bluish silver streak of death. And we know the color silver must be associated with Dune in some way, since those who are dedicated have hair that turns silver. Essentially, I think the lightning is linked to Dune, and when Violet wields it in some ways, she is summoning Dune's wrath.
- [115:43]
Hannah
Oh, I love it. Oh, I love it.
- [115:46]
Carly
And that is why Andarna was so angry, because she could feel Dune's wrath through Violet.
- [115:54]
Hannah
Oh, my God.
- [115:55]
Carly
Zaden and Violet both having a connection to Dune makes even more sense when you think about why they are so drawn to each other. The priestess asked Violet if she yearns for temple, and Xaden tells Violet, you are the temple where I worship. And it might further explain why he is so drawn to her hair. It also might Explain why Theophany wanted Violet specifically, since she is also likely yearning for temples.
- [116:21]
Kinsey
Wait, what?
- [116:23]
Hannah
I don't know how you end off that temple.
- [116:25]
Carly
Yeah.
- [116:28]
Hannah
This is.
- [116:29]
Kinsey
I'm still just on the hair comment. Like, what?
- [116:32]
Carly
Essentially, I think Violet can wield Dune's wrath. And I think to some extent, Zaden is the embodiment of Dune's wrath.
- [116:42]
Hannah
And she's wielding him. Just like Felix literally said. You wield Zaden back in Iron Flame. And at the end of Onyx Storm, she also mentions Dune's wrath in relation to Theophany and the lightning and.
- [116:58]
Carly
Yep, I think it's all connected.
- [117:01]
Hannah
I do too. Throw my Andarna shit out the window, reverse it.
- [117:05]
Kinsey
You let us talk about that for so long, but all the dragons were. I mean, and Darna the most. But, like, you think that Teryn and Sigale would maybe feel. Or. I guess not. That's Sigail. Cause her. Her bond is, like, terrible.
- [117:18]
Hannah
Yeah.
- [117:18]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [117:18]
Hannah
That's kind of where I. I was wondering what pissed Andarna off that much. Like, we. We. We kind of jumped over that and went straight into just accepting that she is that angry. But, like, she's rippling. She's so angry that it's prompting this. But what pissed her off that bad? They didn't have the conversation about dragons yet. It was literally only. Oh.
- [117:40]
Kinsey
Oh, well, she said that they broke their law, or that's not your law. So, like, she knew what their laws were.
- [117:44]
Hannah
She was p. And she was saying that it only requires one. And she's so pissed. What if it was the wrath of Dune because they broke their own laws. They weren't following her laws and were.
- [117:58]
Carly
Yeah. And to be clear, I think it's possible that you're right, Hannah and Kinsey, that, like, she needed access to Angarne's.
- [118:05]
Hannah
Magic to be able to bend it, to make it. But I have to.
- [118:07]
Carly
But I think she's wielding Dune's wrath.
- [118:10]
Kinsey
Chills.
- [118:11]
Hannah
Oh, my God. So both of them are. Yeah. No, I fully accept that. It's just. We got the mode of how it happened, and you got the reasoning.
- [118:18]
Carly
If you read that section of chapters, those couple of chapters, just look at how it all connects. It's all connected. Zaden, Violet, Dune, the storms. It's all written in a way where you can thread a needle.
- [118:31]
Hannah
The only thing I want to poke one hole in just for the sake of having it out there is when I first read it, I also thought that it was implying that Dune's statue had the golden eyes. But it was then the context was given by Violet that it was Andarna and she was showing up. She wasn't supposed to be there. But even with that, if it's Dune through Andarna, that's even more support.
- [118:56]
Carly
No, but Dune's eyes are golden. She says she looks up at the statue of Dune and her eyes appear to flash golden at me.
- [119:02]
Hannah
Yes, but then there's a continuation of that part where Violet realizes it's Andarna being invisible. It's in Darna's eyes, is what. It's implied.
- [119:12]
Kinsey
I didn't catch that. I thought it was literally two different things.
- [119:16]
Hannah
Typing it out, and I'm. I would like to pull it up, because I also read it like that at first. And then I reread it, and I.
- [119:23]
Kinsey
Was like, oh, because I was gonna Easter egg the eyes thing with dude and stuff, too. And then I saw Violet or Violet's. And then I saw Carly's theory, and I was like, she's got it handled.
- [119:34]
Hannah
And I com. I did comment. This movement catches my attention to the right. And when I look at the statue of Dune, I would almost swear her eyes flash golden and glance my way for a second. Just once. It would be nice if Andarna would stay where I ask her to.
- [119:49]
Kinsey
Oh, well.
- [119:51]
Carly
Well. Yeah. But isn't that because she also feels Andarna.
- [119:56]
Hannah
It's not implied there. Nope.
- [119:58]
Kinsey
She.
- [119:59]
Hannah
She was having a conversation. She talks about Zaden and Dane handing their swords to an attendant. She's scanning the robes. She sees that flash, and then she says that about Indarna. And the next is the conversation about Zaden saying to use speed. So. No. And Darna was not supposed to be there that whole time. She was supposed to have stayed, but she followed them invisible. And Violet put together that it was Andarna for us on page of the Gold Flash. That's how Violet knew that Andarna was there. It still works for the connection between Dunan and Darna.
- [120:31]
Carly
I do remember reading that whole thing and thinking that she could feel like I'd have to go back and reread the whole. But I remember thinking that she was connecting to Undarnaji, being there, to feeling her being too close. But that being said, I still think it's foreshadowing that it's Zaden.
- [120:45]
Hannah
No, I think it's connected, but I just wanted to throw out that part of it.
- [120:49]
Carly
Yeah.
- [120:50]
Kinsey
Because of all the places for Andarna's eyes to be. To be over Dune's statue.
- [120:55]
Hannah
Yeah. Still connects them.
- [120:56]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [120:56]
Hannah
But that's the only part I see about Andarna on that.
- [121:01]
Kinsey
Well, my theory is not nearly as exciting, and we've also briefly touched on this earlier, but I think the priestess of Dune that Violet talks to is goddess blessed and is either an oracle or has some type of intrinsic or precognition power. So since there was lightning inside Dune's temple, we do know certain powers do work in that area, even if the isles themselves don't have magic. And about priestesses having power, I. I know we're not there yet, but the Chapter 52 epigraph says, quote, becoming high priest or priestess is the closest most of us will get to touching the power of the gods. The rest are writers. And in chapter 64, Theophany says, why serve a God when you can be one? This makes me assume that dedicated high priests and priestesses definitely 100% have some sort of power through the gods. Back to the conversation with Violet. So Violet is angry and upset when she sees Zayan's opponent, thinking it's a callous challenge. Then, as if reading Violet's mind, the priestess steps beside her and says, you don't agree with Dune's ways? Violet notices that the priestess has dilated pupils and thinks only Dune herself knows what they're ingesting beyond those pillars. I think it's very likely that the priestess was literally taking something to give her powers. Then later, the priestess makes another unusual comment that to me, almost insinuates that she knows Arryk has precognition. I think Arryk potentially foresaw his own death, and the priestess seems to know it too. She says, you are the prince of your people. Honorable, yet foolish to think you could survive our finest. Do you not know what would happen to those pretty green eyes should you step foot on this battlefield? Even if you accept your death, Dune has not chosen you to prove your skill this day. And later, in chapter 35, Arryk makes a suspicious and similar comment that my brother will be king, though a horrible one. Heirs and alliances aren't my concern. I will fight in this war, most likely die, and do so knowing that I protected others. There's definitely something weird going on here. Between her dilated pupils, the odd comments, and I 100% believe that she was utilizing some sort of power to know and see things that she shouldn't. She could just be an oracle, but I'm like, girl. She was basically reading Violet's mind, and she knows that Arik has Precog. This is before anybody knows.
- [123:29]
Carly
Well, they Also seem to know Violet has multiple paths. So it's like, can they see?
- [123:34]
Hannah
I don't know that this is a theory of mine. Like, I don't know if it's a theory or if it's proven, but I've made the assumption that this high priestess of Dune is the same priestess that Asher took Violet to. Like, in my head, that's the same person. And so I've always wondered how it was that when she was. Whatever the process is for, the ceremony is for dedication, how the priestess knew that she had different paths and things like that. And we were kind of thrown a little curveball that theophany seemed to have some of this context, and we would use similar language, but I think that could be covering up the fact that this priestess has abilities. I don't know if I agree that I think it's ingesting something. I think maybe that's how Violet just rationalized this people's comment. I think if you're like, a high priestess, it would make sense that Dune would bless you with a gift.
- [124:31]
Carly
Well, I've also wondered, though, why they kill the Intensics. And this has me wondering if maybe this is. Is something to do with the gods and that's why they kill them.
- [124:42]
Hannah
Oh, shit.
- [124:44]
Carly
And maybe we're all onto something here where they can know what people are thinking. Kenzie, you're saying that you think that she has some sort of intrinsic ability, and what if that ability is too close to the gods and that's why they kill them and they don't want.
- [124:59]
Hannah
Well, it could be gifted by the gods, like, if we think Zaden is connected to Dune in this capacity.
- [125:05]
Kinsey
That's what I was just gonna say. Zaden's connected, and he is an intrinsic.
- [125:11]
Carly
It makes me wonder why they really kill the Intensics. And if maybe they're trying to keep the gods out of this for some reason.
- [125:19]
Kinsey
Now, I wonder about the characters like Dain and Imogen who have sort of intrinsic abilities, but, like, not quite even.
- [125:26]
Hannah
Violet, her second signet. But we also have an Irid.
- [125:29]
Carly
So, like, irid is another asterisk next to her power.
- [125:33]
Kinsey
Oh, my gosh.
- [125:37]
Hannah
We have spiraled into really great conversations today, though.
- [125:40]
Kinsey
It's a spiral episode.
- [125:42]
Carly
Yeah. Honestly, this is some of my favorites that I shatter. So it doesn't say, I love this set.
- [125:47]
Kinsey
It was good.
- [125:47]
Carly
It was good. I have some thoughts on the symbols of war we get at Dune. It says, quote, the polished stones shimmer in the light, making them appear almost silver. And each has been carved With a different symbol. Sword, shield, Fire, Water, Claw. My eyebrows rise when my gaze reaches the final pillar on the right. Book. All tools of warfare.
- [126:12]
Hannah
Six.
- [126:13]
Carly
Six symbols of warfare. Six gods. The first six riders. Six dragon tail types.
- [126:20]
Hannah
Rebecca has six children.
- [126:23]
Carly
And I'm wondering, are the symbols of war representative of six individuals of war? We had the first six who allegedly helped drive the Venant into the Barrens. So are each of these symbols pointing to different characters? And if so, who is each symbol pointing to? My guess for sword would be Zaden, and that's because his best weapon is the sword. We find this out in Umbriel and when Violet is talking to him because he's going to give up using the sword to use daggers instead. So that Violet can have daggers. And she says, but that's your best weapon. But she doesn't actually say sword in this sentence. Sword is further back when he's choosing the weapons. So what I love about this is that if Rebecca was trying to make this so if she's like, oh, people are going to see these symbols and they're going to start searching their Kindle for every time sword is mentioned. It would never say best weapon is your sword. It would never come up in that same sentence in that kindle search. So she broke them apart so it's not associated. You'd have to remember the whole scene to know that the sword was his best weapon. So it's almost like it's getting hidden from a Kindle search, which I love.
- [127:35]
Hannah
Sneaky, sneaky Rebecca.
- [127:37]
Carly
So I would guess that sword is Zaden. I would guess that shield is Mira since she's a ward. The only thing I can think of for fire would be tied to Violet. I think Violet is likely book, but Andarna has unique fire, so it's possible that this one is also for Violet. I don't know what else fire would be at this point.
- [127:56]
Hannah
Well, I want to add to fire we get these suspicious references that like, maybe these all don't have to be good people.
- [128:02]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [128:03]
Hannah
And so we get Ara was a fire wielder, and then she got replaced by another fire wielder. And we all said it was such an interesting way to word that.
- [128:11]
Kinsey
Car is a fire wielder.
- [128:13]
Carly
Yeah. Carr is a powerful fire wielder, but also fire.
- [128:17]
Kinsey
We gotta think flame section. They're in the flame section. All of them.
- [128:22]
Hannah
My brain is just on this track already. So keep spiraling. We also have the burn pit for Malak and how they have to burn Wyvern and clothes. And it could Symbolize not good things.
- [128:36]
Carly
But I still think it's gonna be pointing to a character personally. So it's like, who would fire represent? And I'm not sure. Like I said, the only thing I could think of for a direct character that's in our cast of characters that we would assume she would pull from. The only one I can think of is Violet, because she has Indarna, who has a unique fire.
- [128:52]
Kinsey
I thought of somebody who Brennan for rebirth. Like a Phoenix. And also, like, wildfires. Cause, like, wildfires are actually good because they help the seeds sprout. So, like, I was already kind of like, in my brain. Thinking of fire helps with regrowth. Like the Isles. But Brennan. Cause he was resurrected. He's like a Phoenix.
- [129:12]
Carly
That's good. I like that. Maybe it is Brennan I really like that.
- [129:15]
Kinsey
Rises to the end. And he's a strategist.
- [129:17]
Carly
Yeah. For water. My best guess would be Riddick. For claw. The only thing I have is that when Drake draws the claw symbol ends and all, that's the only other thing I can think of. I don't know what else it would be.
- [129:31]
Hannah
I love how we are on FaceTime the other day, and we were going through the outline, and Kenzie and I were like, I think, Carla, you were like, yeah, if you guys think of any others for these. And we were like, we both came to the outline to put claw, and that's the only one we got.
- [129:43]
Kinsey
Yeah. I was like, Drake. We were all like, Drake. And then I was like, claw section, who's in claw section?
- [129:49]
Hannah
I like, that's a great connection.
- [129:50]
Kinsey
I did, like, a Google search. I'm like, oh, it's just like Quinn's girlfriend. Oh, it's like the only person we know.
- [129:57]
Carly
Do we even have their name?
- [129:58]
Kinsey
No, it's unnamed cadet parenthesis. Quinn's girlfriend.
- [130:02]
Carly
Oh, Rip. And then for book, likely, probably Violet. But just in case Violet is fire, I will also point to Dain, who gets tasked with all of the translation journals. But also maybe Arryk, whose education was only second to Violet's.
- [130:19]
Kinsey
Ooh.
- [130:20]
Hannah
I'm inclined for Dain, especially because we found out that he was also semi raised to be a scribe. Like, Asher thought there was a chance he was gonna go into the scribe quadrant. Yeah.
- [130:29]
Carly
Keep an eye on those symbols.
- [130:31]
Kinsey
Now I'm like, okay. Sword, definitely. Zaden Shield, definitely Mira. It's just like, water Claw. Like, it's like, what does Drake have to do with anything? Like, I guess we have to add somebody from Promial.
- [130:43]
Carly
Yeah. I think for me, where I get up in the air. It is Fireclaw and Book. Those are the three that I tend to move people around in.
- [130:50]
Kinsey
But not sure.
- [130:52]
Carly
But I love the idea that fire is Brennan.
- [130:54]
Hannah
Well, we'll be doing a lot of theorizing when we get to the Xenaal chapters about what their symbols mean. So we'll deep dive those.
- [131:02]
Kinsey
What if water's like Talia or some shit? Because they're afraid of water and it's someone from Hadatas? I don't know. I doubt it.
- [131:11]
Carly
Maybe. But I think it's gonna be somebody with access to magic to some extent. Personally. Personally.
- [131:16]
Hannah
Well, being afraid of water could be symbolic of whoever it is that is that individual.
- [131:20]
Kinsey
And Riddick almost died there.
- [131:22]
Carly
I'm sorry. Which character is it that can breathe underwater again?
- [131:25]
Kinsey
Keaton.
- [131:25]
Carly
Keaton. Maybe they will come up in this.
- [131:29]
Hannah
Well, we're in the Isles. I was really. That was one of my theories.
- [131:32]
Kinsey
I was convinced that they would be in this section for sure.
- [131:35]
Hannah
If you're putting together a quest squad to the Isles.
- [131:38]
Kinsey
You know, it was one of my theories that I was really sad didn't happen. I was like, you guys just left Heaton behind. It is what it is.
- [131:45]
Carly
It is what it is.
- [131:46]
Hannah
We've got two more books.
- [131:47]
Carly
And then the last little mini non fleshed out theory I have for this section is regarding Taryn. It says, quote, taryn recites the lore of his breed from the first of his line up to Thoreau, the first black dragon to ever successfully bond back during the Great War, then stops. Apparently the story is no longer worth telling once humans are involved. I find it interesting that the history during and after the Great War is not important. And I'm wondering if it's possible Taran does not know his own history or if it has somehow been erased from the dragons as well. And if that's why they don't know how to defeat the Venice. Dragons have longer lifespans than humans and yet allegedly do not have the answers for whatever the weapon was that defeated the venom during the Great War. And I think it's possible an ability like Imogen's could also work on the dragons if it is used on the rider. And that is a possibility for how the knowledge to defeat the venom has been lost. Because how else could it be lost?
- [132:43]
Kinsey
Yeah.
- [132:43]
Carly
Yes. And I also just briefly point out I found this interesting again on looking up names. Thoreau is eerily similar to the last name of Paul Thoreau, just spelled slightly differently. The author of several books, including Picture palace, which is about A photographer who has to grapple with secrets that are revealed when they go through their archives. I think it might be foreshadowing that Taryn will have secrets that he will reveal as he goes through his history. And I want to point out that Taylor Swift does some Easter egg shenanigans very similarly in her songs when she Easter eggs in movies that also have more meaning to her songs. And we know Rebecca loves Taylor Swift also.
- [133:23]
Hannah
This is our 13th episode this season, so I'm so glad that you found a reason to bring Taylor Swift up. I love that for us. Okay. Do we think glamours are a thing in this universe? Because I wonder if it's almost like glamour to conceal history.
- [133:43]
Kinsey
Oh, oh. I was like the Irids glamour themselves.
- [133:46]
Hannah
No, I mean like something that you can put on someone's mind. It depends on the series that you read it in, how it's utilized. But I was more inclined for this section. I love this theory to think that Taryn was intentionally not naming who came after. Which calls back to. I don't know how this fits in, but it just makes me think of Rebecca's comment at the Denver Q and A about how there are dragons that are telling their riders the different name to then bond someone who was like, in their lineage. But then everything that she was trying to say with her comment was that that would give that rider a second signet. And Violet already has that. There's no need for her to have more. Nor do I think Rebecca would try and give her multiple more than two. I guess I should say.
- [134:34]
Carly
I mean, I definitely think the dragons are hiding a lot, but I don't know. It's hard for me to get to why they would hide what would defeat the Venon and why would they allow that information to be lost unless it really was taken from them in some way? Unless whatever defeats the Venon affects dragons access to magic and they don't want to.
- [134:53]
Hannah
But then are there certain dragons trying to interfere and prevent it from being found?
- [134:57]
Carly
Yeah, well, that's what I'm saying. I think that's where dragons might be. Like, oh, yeah, we're going to need to hide this from them because we don't want to lose our access to magic. So unless it would hinder the dragons in some way. Either they're hiding something more about this weapon they don't want the people to know about, or this information really was taken from them. And how. And the only way I have explained this point is somebody like Imogen.
- [135:19]
Kinsey
Yeah, I was thinking like Imogen could Be the counterbalance to a venon that is a memory eraser.
- [135:25]
Carly
Yeah.
- [135:26]
Kinsey
But also, maybe the dragons don't want to share that information with their writers on the off chance that they do turn like. Cause then they could sabotage the weapon. But you'd think in a war, well.
- [135:38]
Carly
They'Re at the point where somebody needs to know.
- [135:40]
Kinsey
Exactly. I was like, you'd think that at this point they'd be like, okay, we know what side you're on. Let's take care of it.
- [135:46]
Carly
Yeah.
- [135:47]
Hannah
I find it intriguing because Rebecca has told us that Taryn is going to continue to keep dragons secrets. He respects whatever rules they've got going on because we don't get a lot of details about that, but that Andarna is more loose with it that she told us to expect to see that in this book, which I don't know that I really felt like I saw a lot of. Which likely means some of that got moved to book four. Or we're just missing where the parts that she was meaning that about. It's hard to decipher for me. Like, to what extent is Taryn detaching himself to rebel against, like, what the Furian is doing by becoming an Orishan dragon in the Eretian riot, but also still concealing this much information. There's gotta be stuff that would be helpful. Like, you're saying, other than Rebecca just not wanting us to know yet.
- [136:35]
Carly
There's gonna have to be a good reason why the dragons haven't just been like, this is how we win, or, this is why we don't know how we win.
- [136:44]
Kinsey
It would almost be anticlimactic if it just ends up being the dragons telling them what it is.
- [136:49]
Hannah
That's true. But there's gotta be a reason that she can avoid.
- [136:52]
Carly
Yeah, I do think there has to be a good reason.
- [136:54]
Hannah
And.
- [136:54]
Carly
And I. I've theorized before that I think the dragons are the ones that, like, burned their books and their archives and destroyed their history hundreds of years ago. Like, what was so bad that they were like, we're gonna have to destroy this and start over? So I don't know. It's suspicious. And on that, my favorite word.
- [137:15]
Kinsey
Yeah. And on that note, that wraps up our Deep Dive episode on Onyx Storm, chapters 29 to 33. Thank you so much for listening. Before we go, we want to give a special shout out to our newest Feathertail Patreon members, Mary C, Samantha B, Amanda T. And Autumn C. Thank you all so much for supporting the podcast and helping us to continue creating High quality content. If you'd like to hear your name in a future episode, you can join our Feather Tales Tier three and we'll make sure to shout you out in our next recorded episode as a Feather Tale.
- [137:47]
Hannah
You'll also get exclusive ad free full video episodes with the option of audio only, early access to our regular season episodes, access to our book club Discord and Livestream meeting, voting privileges for our book club and various PDF resources including Carly's weekly Onyx Storm annotations and more. If you'd like to join but would prefer to keep your name private, just let us know. You can check out our Patreon Linked in the show notes to see all the perks across all three of our tiers. We also have a base tier for general support donations and please note that Apple now charges a 30% fee for Patreon memberships on iOS devices, which is technically if you use the app. So we highly recommend using a web browser or desktop to become a member so you aren't charged that fee. And if Patreon isn't for you, there are still plenty of ways to support leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify subscribing. Recommending us to your fellow Empyrean readers and simply tuning into each episode goes so far.
- [138:42]
Carly
Thank you again for listening. Don't forget to join us for our next episode where we Deep Dive chapters 34 through 37. If you haven't already, check out our first season chapter by Chapters Deep Dive. A fourth ring through the lens of Iron Flame. Over 30 hours of binge worthy content to explore where we pick up all of the things that Iron Flame changed about Fourth Wing, including all the times Aiden used his intrinsic abilities.
- [139:00]
Kinsey
As always, we encourage you to email us all of your thoughts, theories and suggestions. Feel free to DM us on Instagram or join us over on our free Discord Group chat. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It would mean the world to us.
- [139:12]
Hannah
Until next time, Dearest fantasy readers, prepare yourselves for some intense Shadow Daddy mommy issues as we continue our journey through the Empyrean series.
- [139:25]
Kinsey
And bring some chocolate cake. Outraged that Queen Marlas would request such a thing, the group rejects her offer, leaves the city and reunites with the rest of Quest. I fucking done. Outrage. Peter Outraged. God damn it. And I have to do it again.
- [139:47]
Hannah
That was so cute though.
- [139:48]
Kinsey
Okay, Peter, get your shit together. Hannah. I'm trying to get through this. Okay, Peter Outraged that Queen Mylas would request such a thing, the group rejects her offer, leaves the city and reunites with the rest of Quest Squat. I'm fucking. I'm just going to start it. And reunites with her and react with the rest of us.
- [140:11]
Hannah
I know you're getting frustrated, but you're really cute. This is gonna be great.
- [140:13]
Kinsey
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