Onyx Stormrelease is ticking ever closer, and to celebrate, Rebecca Yarros unveiled anewOnyx Stormexcerptin the winter edition ofCosmopolitan UK. After nearly a 15-month wait between books, audiences are dissecting every detail of her latest teaser. The three-page excerpt was also posted to Yarros’Instagram, giving audiences the best glimpse yet of what will likely play out inthe nextFourth Wingbook.
From the few pages released, it seems thenewOnyx Stormrevealpicks up right whereIron Flameleft off. And from what’s described throughout its events, Yarros has given her characters a very short period of respite before kickingOnyx Storm’splot into motion. While the excerpt provides clues to many future book possibilities,it clearly hints at one major plot involving the scribes of Basgiath and the venin.
The Venin Have Infiltrated The Scribe Quadrant Of Basgiath
Its Possible The Venin Have Been Around From Book One
The excerpt kicks off with the knowledge thatthe venin have made their way inside the walls of Basgiath, and it turns out they have been masquerading as scribes to do so. While Violet made sure to warn the others in the Archives, it begs the question as to how many scribes were involved with the venin’s schemes to begin with. To have been able to sneak in and find enough robes, the venin either had a mole on the inside to coordinate with, or had been infiltrating Basgiath for much longer than Violet might realize.
As theFantasy Fangirls Podcastpointed out on theirInstagram, chapter 25 ofIron Flamemay help to prove this theory. During this chapter, Violet notices a scribe walking through the rider’s quadrant, which she finds odd—not only because they shouldn’t be there, but because she can’t see his or her face with their hood pulled so far forward. Yarros writes:
A scribe cadet walks by, but I can’t see who it is with their hood pulled up. That’s odd. Usually they’re only in the quadrant for death roll or whenever Markham needs extra people.
Yarros' inclusion of this passing comment can’t be a coincidence, and it’s likely the scribes' involvement with the venin will be a primary focus inthe nextFourth Wingsequel.
The Scribe Quadrant May Have Been Founded By The Venin General
The Venin Could Have Originally Been Scribes
Yarros made sure to add plenty of history and world-building throughoutIron Flame, and with the foundation now set in place,the venin should hold a stronger influence over the plot ofOnyx Storm. As the excerpt has shown, the venin have been infiltrating the scribe quadrant to sneak into Basgiath. Operating under the idea that they may have been there all along, one theory suggests that the venin general may be the one who founded the scribe quadrant and the archives. If this proves to be the case, Basgiath was built upon something far more nefarious than originally believed.
Adding to this theory, Andarna tells Violet inIron Flamethat she waited to hatch for over 650 years in order to find the one who would have the heart of a rider, but the mind of a scribe. Assuming Andarna was left behind by her den to help fight the venin,Violet’s scribe background could be helpful in finding a way to defeat them. As the archives are still missing large amounts of Navarre’s history, finding the truth will be a challenge for Violet—but there’s one fable her dad left behind that may help in books to come.
The Fable Of The Barrens Will Play A More Prominent Role In Onyx Storm
Violet Is Poised To Discover Her Father’s Research
The idea that the venin general was once a scribe may also connect him to the Fable of The Barrens—a forbidden tome of children’s folktales mentioned throughout the series. The fable includes a story of three brothers who fought to control magic in an ancient kingdom: one of whom bonded with a dragon, the second a gryphon,and the third, who grew jealous, pulled magic from the source. Given the little information surrounding the venin and how they began, there’s a likely possibility the original venin knew how to siphon power from the Earth because they were scribes.
New Onyx Storm Reveal Makes One Of The Biggest Violet Theories From Fourth Wing A Lot More Likely
Onyx Storm’s new excerpt reveals an action-packed fight against the venin, and one detail from this look could confirm a popular Fourth Wing theory.
While it has yet to be disclosed as to why, Violet’s father made sure his children were knowledgeable of these stories. Violet had trained with him as a scribe, and she notes inIron Flamethat he had always pushed her to read between the lines—and theories suggest there is some hidden truth hiding between the fable’s pages. Given her father’s research is still missing, Yarros is priming Violet to discover what key the Fable of The Barrens may hold in defeating the venin and finding a cure forXaden inOnyx Storm.
