Spoiler alert! We’re discussing important plot points and the ending of “Onyx Storm” by Rebecca Yarros (out now), so beware if you haven’t read it. Seriously, stop reading here if you don’t want to know what happens in Book 3. If Rebecca Yarros fans were emotionally torn over the cliffhanger in “Iron Flame,” then they must be spiraling after that “Onyx Storm” ending. The wildly popular romantasy series spent the first two books, “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Flame,” building out the tumultuous world of Navarre and the love story of dragon riders Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson. Their steamy romance and devotion captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide, so when Xaden channeled magic directly from the source ― a forbidden action that kills the soul ― to save Violet at the end of Book 2, fans were left stunned. Surely Xaden wouldn’t turn evil. There has to be a cure, right? 

The answer in “Onyx Storm” (Entangled Publishing, 527 pp., $29.99) is a resounding no ― a devastating realization Violet and Xaden fight until the book’s final pages. Keep reading for more “Onyx Storm” revelations:

What is Violet’s second signet? 

Violet’s second signet is discovered in Chapter 50, when she wakes from a nightmare and realizes it wasn’t her own, but Xaden’s. The pair pieces together what happened and realizes it wasn’t the first time she slipped into someone else’s mind while they slept. Xaden tells her she’s a dream-walker: “It must be your second signet ― the one being bonded to Andarna gives you. It would make sense. Her kind are peaceful, and the ability itself would be passive, even a gift in a culture like that.” The signet is a form of inntinnsic, a psychic ability so feared that riders who manifest it are executed without question. “It’s more dangerous than lightning,” Xaden says, comparing Violet’s two dragon-fueled powers. 

What happened to Xaden?

“Iron Flame” ended on a cliffhanger after Xaden channeled magic directly from the source, essentially turning him venin, to save Violet during the Battle of Basgiath.The wrong-choice/right-reason twist shocked fans, who wondered what would happen to a hero who’s no longer himself.   Throughout “Onyx Storm,” Violet searches for a cure: anything to mend Xaden’s soul or stop his progression into a dark-wielding venin. Xaden tries his best to resist turning evil but ultimately channels deep into the source of magic when the book’s final battle is all but lost.  “In my final act of resistance, I become the very thing I despise. Maybe it’s good that I can’t feel a single damned thing,” Xaden thinks, unleashing “the fury of an onyx storm” to turn the tides and protect Violet and his bonded dragon, Sgaeyl. The book ends as Violet shows up at Riorson House after being missing for 12 hours with memory loss, a wedding ring on her finger and a note in Xaden’s writing that reads, “Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.”So when is Book Four coming?

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What kind of dragon is Andarna?

After two books, readers finally find out what Andarna and the seventh breed of dragon are called. Andarna is an irid, a highly magical breed unlike other dragons. “Our breed is born for peace, not violence like the others,” an irid explains to Andarna, Violet and their squadmates after they stumble upon the reclusive dragons on a small island. “We are magic,” another of Andarna’s kind says, communicating through mental pathways usually reserved only for rider-dragon pairs. Readers learn tidbits about irids ― they can change their color at will, pick their tails (Andarna chose scorpiontail, while the others she meets are feathertail) and there are hundreds of them ― but their discovery raises more questions than it answers. 

How many books will there be in the Fourth Wing series?

Yarros, who has written several romance and fantasy novels outside “Fourth Wing,” plans five books in the Empyrean series, she told Variety in 2023. No word on when the final two books will be published. 

Is the Fourth Wing series spicy?

Yes, all three books in the series are considered moderately spicy and are intended for mature readers. The sexual scenes are explicit but aren’t meant to overshadow the plot. The books are often described as “medium spice” or “not overly smutty” in online reading communities like Goodreads, Reddit and BookTok. 

Looking for the right book? USA TODAY Books has you covered.

Taste is subjective, and USA TODAY Books has plenty of genres to recommend. If romantasy is your thing, check out books we suggest reading after “Fourth Wing”. If you want something with lower stakes and loveable characters, see if a “cozy mystery” is for you. Or, take a look at our most anticipated 2025 reads. If you want the most popular titles, check out USA TODAY’s Best-selling Booklist.