Violet discovers Xaden speaking with imprisoned venin Jack Barlowe, who warns Xaden will eventually drain her magic.

Venin disguised as scribes infiltrate Basgiath and drain people in the infirmary where Violet is visiting injured Sawyer.

Violet meets with the Senarium and is formally assigned a task force to locate the seventh dragon breed.

Violet and her squad secretly alter the wardstone overnight, allowing gryphon fliers to use lesser magic within Navarre's borders.

General Aetos formally charges Violet with treason before the Senarium for altering the protective wards.

Violet's squad is sent to the Samara outpost as punishment but diverts to defend the venin-attacked town of Newhall.

The silver-haired venin introduces herself as Theophanie at Newhall, revealing she lured Violet there by threatening Maren's family.

Violet's quest squad is led into an ambush on their first mission; Captain Grady is burned alive and Aura is killed by a wyvern.

After Captain Grady's death, Violet rejects the Senarium's replacement plan and handpicks her own squad for the mission.

The squad's magic fades entirely as they sail beyond the Continent toward the isle of Deverelli.

Trager draws an arrow card during Zehyllna's gift game and is immediately shot through the heart, dying instantly.

Six irid dragons confront Violet and Andarna on a remote island, refuse to aid the war, and declare there is no cure for venin.

Leothan the irid recharges Aretia's failing wards during a wyvern attack, then asks Andarna to leave with him; Violet lets her go.

Violet uses a marble dagger secretly delivered by Aaric to stab Theophanie through the heart, killing her.

Violet wakes at Riorson House twelve hours after the battle with no memory, a wedding ring on her finger, and a note from Xaden.

Onyx Storm opens with Violet secretly managing the reality that Xaden has turned venin, while Navarre's military leadership struggles to hold its borders against an increasingly organized venin threat. After venin infiltrate Basgiath disguised as scribes, Violet is assigned a task force to locate the mysterious seventh dragon breed, leading her to commit treason by altering the wardstone to secure a necessary rider-flier alliance. Her quest takes her beyond the Continent's wards to distant isles, where the squad suffers losses and the irid dragons they find refuse to offer any cure or aid. The story climaxes when Aretia comes under attack, an irid named Leothan recharges the failing wards, and Andarna breaks her bond with Violet to leave with him. Violet kills the powerful venin Theophanie in the final battle, but wakes hours later with no memory of what followed, wearing a wedding ring that names her Duchess of Tyrrendor.

The war against the venin and Violet's desperate quest to save Xaden.

Imogen uses her mind-compulsion signet to erase Jack Barlowe's memory of learning that Xaden has turned venin.

Violet, Rhiannon, and Ridoc fight off venin attempting to free Jack Barlowe from his cell; the silver-haired venin escapes.

Viscount Tecarus delivers a note giving Violet three days to secure a rider-flier alliance or forfeit their existing deal.

Violet steps in to accept Aura Beinhaven's courtyard challenge and delivers a public speech defending the necessity of the rider-flier alliance.

Queen Maraya of Poromiel arrives at Basgiath and rewards Violet's ward alteration by granting her access to the royal library.

Violet's squad learns that Newhall is under venin attack and flies out to help against their posted orders.

Garrick arrives unexpectedly at Newhall and reveals that his secret second signet is distance wielding.

Violet interrogates Jack Barlowe with Imogen and learns that powerful venin called Sages and Mavens possess signet abilities.

Violet solves the six-letter lock on her father's research book and reads his letter directing her to a merchant in Deverelli.

Violet and her squad find merchant Narelle Anselm in a Deverelli bookstore; Narelle tests Violet's intellect and awards her six locked books.

The Hedotis triumvirate poisons the squad's dessert cake at dinner; Garrick collapses and stops breathing after a single bite.

Violet reveals she already poisoned the triumvirate's arinmint tea and trades their antidote for the remedy that saves Garrick's life.

Aaric negotiates with Zehyllna's queen in the aftermath of Trager's death and secures a pledge of 40,000 troops for the war.

Ridoc confronts Violet about Xaden's venin condition after witnessing the irids expose his red-rimmed eyes on the remote island.

Violet finally reveals Xaden's venin condition to Rhiannon, Sawyer, and Jesinia at the Archives upon returning to Basgiath.

While the main conflict centers on Xaden's corruption and the search for the irids, a rich layer of secondary events drives the political and personal stakes of the novel. Violet navigates difficult negotiations with Poromiel, battles internal Navarre resistance to the flier alliance, and uncovers crucial intelligence about venin abilities from Jack Barlowe. Her squad's journey to the isles is defined by dangerous encounters at each stop, from the Deverelli bookstore where Narelle tests her intellect to the poisoning at Hedotis where Violet's quick thinking saves Garrick's life. The losses and victories accumulate as Aaric quietly secures a massive army from Zehyllna, and Ridoc finally learns the full truth about Xaden's condition. By the time Violet returns to Basgiath and shares Xaden's secret with her closest friends, the weight of what she has been carrying alone becomes fully visible.

The alliances, investigations, and squad moments that shaped the war effort.

Xaden accidentally channels from the alloy in the bedframe during an intimate moment with Violet, leaving grey thumbprints on the headboard.

Xaden is reinstated as Duke of Tyrrendor, given a seat on the Senarium, and reassigned to the Eastern Wing away from Violet.

During their sparring session, Xaden tells Violet he has taught only her to find him within his shadows because only she could kill him.

Xaden and Violet sleep together in Deverelli for the first time since his transformation, and he successfully maintains control without channeling.

Halden's theft scheme at King Courtlyn's palace leads to his guard Anna being killed; Xaden channels to destroy the guards sent to kill them.

Xaden returns from Aretia with permanently amber-flecked eyes instead of gold, proving the venin corruption has irreversibly advanced.

At Dunne's temple, Violet notices that every silver-haired attendant on the steps shares the same distinctive coloring as her own hair.

Violet realizes that Talia served Xaden chocolate cake on the day she abandoned him, proving she knew the squad was coming to Hedotis.

The Hedotis triumvirate proposes Xaden marry Cat for an alliance; Xaden refuses and gives them Violet's full name instead.

Violet accidentally enters Xaden's dream and hears the Sage threatening him, revealing that her signet from Andarna is dream-walking.

Violet and Xaden confirm she once entered Maren's dream at Samara when Maren produces the family portrait Violet saw burning in her nightmare.

Mira reveals their father brought Violet to Dunne's temple as a child, where a priestess prophesied a heart within her would reach for unspeakable power and turn dark.

Xaden steps forward and reveals to Mira that the priestess's prophecy was about him—he is in the beginning stages of turning venin.

Xaden's perspective reveals that Colonel Panchek has betrayed their forces to the venin and that someone Xaden trusted has also willingly turned.

Violet confronts Imogen about her erased memories and learns she herself asked Imogen to wipe the last twelve hours of her life.

Beneath the battles and negotiations of Onyx Storm lies a series of pivotal revelations that reframe the story's emotional and mythological stakes. Xaden's first accidental channeling during an intimate moment with Violet signals that his corruption is advancing faster than either admits, while early clues about Violet's mysterious past at Dunne's temple hint at a destiny she does not yet understand. The journey to the isles forces key confrontations: Xaden declares Violet the only person he would trust to kill him, refuses a political marriage to choose her openly, and maintains control long enough for them to finally be together without catastrophe. The discovery of Violet's dream-walking signet opens a terrifying new front, revealing that the Sage has been speaking directly to Xaden in his sleep. The novel closes with cascading revelations about betrayal within their own ranks, Xaden's full surrender to channeling in the final battle, and the chilling truth that Violet erased her own memories of the hours that followed.