I started this post while doing a reread of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame ahead of the Onyx Storm release. Now that I’ve finished Onyx Storm—and have a million more questions in place of the ones that were answered—it feels more important than ever to pay close attention to the chapter epigraphs.
Rebecca Yarros leaves plenty of breadcrumbs for us to follow, and the in-world quotes that open each chapter are some of the biggest lore clues she gives us. While the epigraphs themselves don’t repeat, their sources do—and those recurring books, manuals, and records can reveal patterns worth digging into.
I looked around and couldn’t find a single site that’s grouped the most commonly referenced epigraph sources together in one place for theorizing and cross-referencing. So, I decided to make one myself.
Who's your favorite Fourth Wing character?
Who's your favorite Fourth Wing character?
Epigraphs Grouped By Their Source
Originally I went through all the quotes in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame to gather all the sources together, mostly to do some detective work on what Rebecca Yarros’s secret project is which led to this blog post. If you want to read about what I think the secret project is, here’s the link of me breaking down what I think she’s working on.
But now that I’m all caught up on Onyx Storm and Book 4 of The Empyrean nowhere in sight, it seems important to have a compendium of the epigraphs so we can stay up to date on the lore of the world as we wait impatiently.
Either way it led to this hefty collection of quotes from the books and all of their sources, and it’ll be so exciting to see what compendiums we can come up with once the series is complete — if we’re still emotionally intact, of course.
You’ll find all the chapter epigraphs below, grouped by their in-world source and ordered from most-quoted to least.
I’m planning on updating this post with each new book release, but in the mean time here are all the quotes and their sources, happy theory crafting!
All epigraph quotes are from The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, published by Entangled Publishing. Shared here under fair use for commentary and educational purposes.
Major Afendra’s Guide to the Riders Quadrant
(Unauthorized Edition)
Appears in: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm
Total Quotes: 16
Major Afendra is a female rider in the Riders Quadrant. Since The Empyrean is framed as a historical account written years after the events of the main story (remember, Jesinia transcribed the events we’re reading), it’s possible Afendra is one of the riders we’ve already met—just under a different name. The fact that this is an unauthorized guide suggests there’s an official version, likely one that’s heavily censored or edited, especially given Navarrian leadership’s tendency to suppress or reshape information through propaganda.
There’s also a running theory that Major Afendra is actually General Sorrengail writing under a pseudonym, but we currently have no in-text evidence to support that.
Most of the quotes highlight the brutality and cruelty of the Riders Quadrant—where physical strength is valued above all else, and morality is barely a blip on the horizon. These excerpts show just how volatile and ruthless the rider system truly is.
- Riders are not mindless murderers, they weed out the weak and become a bit feral when dragons are involved
- A Rider’s physical strength is directly correlated to their ability to bond a dragon
- The strength of a Rider’s signet is proportional to their dragon’s strength, but greater the power the greater the risk for it to backfire on the Cadet
- There is friction between the Rider’s Quadrant and other Quadrants, in fact it is not-so-subtlety implied that the Riders have a superiority complex and live by their own rules
“There’s a misconception that it’s kill or be killed in the Riders Quadrant. Riders, as a whole, aren’t out to assassinate other cadets…unless there’s a shortage of dragons that year or a cadet is a liability to their wing. Then things may get…interesting.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 2
“The sparring ring is where riders are made or broken. After all, no respectable dragon would choose a rider who cannot defend themselves, and no respectable cadet would allow such a threat to the wing to continue training.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 4
“It is therefore only natural that the more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the signet its rider manifests. One should beware of a strong rider who bonds a smaller dragon, but even warier of the unbonded cadet, who will stop at nothing to seize a chance to bond.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 17
“The most worrisome sight for any instructor is most definitely when powers backfire. We lost nine cadets my first year to signets that could not be controlled from their first manifestation. Pity.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 27
“The death of a cadet is an inevitable yet acceptable tragedy. This process thins the herd, leaving only the strongest riders, and as long as the cause of death does not break the Codex, any rider involved in extinguishing another’s life shall not be punished.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 29
“The inability to control a powerful signet is just as dangerous
to a rider—and everyone in their vicinity—
as never manifesting one.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 33
“There is no moment as rewarding, as stirring, as…anticlimactic as a Riders Quadrant Graduation. It’s the only time I’ve ever envied the Infantry Quadrant. Now those cadets know how to hold a ceremony.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 3
“What no one openly says is that while all four quadrants obey the Code of Conduct, a rider’s first responsibility is to the Codex, which often overrules the regulations other quadrants live by.
By definition: the riders make their own rules.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 6
“There is a natural distrust that must be overcome between infantry cadets and riders. This exists mainly because riders will never trust that infantry has the courage to hold the line when dragons arrive, and infantry will never trust that the dragons won’t eat them.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 14
“The things that happen behind closed doors in the Riders Quadrant in order to turn young cadets into full-fledged riders are enough to turn even the staunchest of stomachs. Those prone to queasiness should not pry.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 23
“Every few years, a squad comes along that defies all expectations. They rise through the ranks, secure every patch, win every challenge. And then…they inexplicably falter, then fall. They call it the burnout effect: they flare too fast, too bright to sustain the pace. Sad, really, but mildly entertaining to watch them turn on one another.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 24
“Gods save us from the ambitions of second-years. They think they’ve experienced everything because they’ve survived their first year, but in reality, they only know enough to get themselves killed.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 32
“The only signet more terrifying than an inntinnsic is a truth-sayer. And yet we let them live.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 35
“The only crime worse than murdering a cadet is the unfathomable act of attacking leadership.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 36
“Mastery of one’s signet does not occur at Basgiath, nor in the years directly after. No rider alive truly believes they’ve reached the limitations of their power. The dead ones may feel differently.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 50
“Never turn your back on a rider.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 6
The Book of Brennan
Appears in: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm
Total Quotes: 15
The Book of Brennan is my favorite source in the epigraphs (followed closely by any Recovered correspondence we get). Brennan gives the book to Mira when she enters the Riders Quadrant, sharing everything he learned to help her survive. It basically becomes a guide to staying alive—filled with warnings, advice, and sharp observations.
What’s more is that Brennan never intended Violet to have this book, so we get these quiet, emotional moments where he talks about her indirectly—how he and Mira need to set an example, how she’s too soft for this life. It’s one of the few times we see Brennan not as the mysterious rebel leader, but as a brother trying to protect his sisters in the only way he can.
Not only does the book give us a window into Brennan’s inner world, but it also shows us how Violet grows as she adds her own notes to it. It even gets to a point where Tairn contributes his own thoughts. It’s a genius literary device—using epigraphs to let us get to know characters as their past versions, to track Violet’s evolution, and to show how her relationships deepen as the siblings continue the Book of Brennan together.
It also reveals something more subtle: how Brennan—and likely Mira too—see Violet as their fragile little sister. Throughout the entries, there’s a protectiveness in his tone, a belief that she wouldn’t survive Basgiath, that she isn’t made for this world. We see this again in Iron Flame, once the siblings reunite and try to shield her from what they think she can’t handle.
But we, as readers, know Violet is so much more than they see. These moments show us how Violet is underestimated even by the people who love her most, and how far she’s come from the version of herself they still hold onto.
“I will not die today.”
Violet Sorrengail’s personal addendum
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 9
“Don’t underestimate the challenge of the Gauntlet, Mira. It’s designed to test your balance, strength, and agility. The times don’t matter for shit, only that you make it to the top. Reach for the ropes when you have to. Coming in last is better than coming in dead.”
Page forty-six
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 10
“Just because you survive Threshing doesn’t mean you’ll survive the ride to the flight field. Being chosen isn’t the only test, and if you can’t hold your seat, then you’ll fly straight into the ground.”
Page fifty
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 15
“Don’t freak out if you can’t immediately channel your dragon’s powers, Mira. Yeah, I know you have to be the best at everything, but this isn’t something you can control. They’ll channel when they feel you’re ready. And once they do, you’d better be ready to manifest a signet. Until then, you’re not ready. Don’t push it.”
Page sixty-one
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 21
“The first rush of power is unmistakable. The first time it forms to you, surrounds you with a seemingly endless supply of energy, you’ll be addicted to the high, to the possibilities of all you can do with it, to the control you hold in the palm of your hand. But here’s the thing, that power can quickly turn and control you.”
Page sixty-four
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 22
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but sometimes you have to know when to take the death blow, Mira. It’s why you have to be sure that Violet enters the Scribe Quadrant. She’ll never be able to take a life.”
Page seventy
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 24
“The Squad Battle is more important than the wingleaders
Page seventy-seven
will let on. They like to joke that it’s a game, that it’s just bragging rights for the squad leaders and the winning squad, but it’s not. They’re all watching. The commandant, the professors, the commanding officers—they’re watching to see who will rise to the top. They’re salivating to see who will fall.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 25
“Winning the War Games isn’t about strength. It’s about cunning. To know how to strike, you have to understand where your enemies—your friends—are most vulnerable. No one stays friends forever, Mira. Eventually those closest to us become our enemies in some way, even if it’s through well-intentioned love or apathy, or if we live long enough to become their villains.”
Page eighty
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 28
“It is one thing to cross the parapet your first year. But watching countless candidates lose their life to it feels a little like dying, too.
Page Eighty-Four
Don’t watch if you can help it.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 8
“There’s a course second year that I can’t tell you about, other than to say that it’s hell. My only advice? Don’t piss off anyone else’s dragon.”
Page ninety-six
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 15
“At some point, probably during your second year, you’ll realize the trust you feel for your friends and family has nothing on the loyalty you develop for your squad.”
Page Ninety-one
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 22
“Everyone thinks most Riders cadets die from dragon fire. Truth be told, it’s usually gravity that gets us.”
Page Forty-Seven
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 31
“We do not eat our allies.”
Tairn’s personal addendum as quoted by Cadet Violet Sorrengail
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 59
“I will not die today.
Violet Sorrengail’s personal addendum
I will save him.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 1
“But even harder than taking a life is doing nothing while one is extinguished beside you. Keep your eyes forward, Mira.”
Page Seventy One
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 57
Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind
Appears in: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm
Total Quotes: 14
Can we please talk about how genius it is to put a textbook in the epigraphs? Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind is an exceptional source for us to nibble on. In fantasy, so many pages are wasted on lore dumps—authors telling us instead of showing—but here, the epigraphs quietly teach us about dragons without ever slowing the plot.
It’s smart, efficient worldbuilding. Instead of Violet (or anyone else) sitting through a lecture on dragon biology or bonding psychology, we get bite-sized, in-universe lessons from someone who clearly thinks they’re an expert—but isn’t always right.
This guide gives us insights into dragon temperaments, the helplessness of humans in the face of draconic power, bonding instincts, the mysterious Dreamless Sleep, and even breeding lines and hatch grounds. And it’s all delivered with a slightly dry, academic tone that makes it feel so immersive.
It also shows us what we don’t know. Kaori’s knowledge of dragons is limited to exactly what the dragons allow her to know. Remember in Iron Flame when Violet scolds her for following her around just to sneak a peek at Andarna? It’s not just nosiness—it’s a reminder that human understanding of dragonkind is filtered through dragon permission.
There’s also that bit from interviews Rebecca Yarros has given, where she not-so-subtly hinted that dragons don’t even tell their real names to the record keepers. Which raises the question: Are they even telling their riders their true names? Why does Tairn constantly recite his full ancestral line to Violet? Is that his way of telling her his previous names? Is he hiding his own?
Kaori’s textbook may read as fact—but more and more, it feels like speculative science built on draconic smoke and mirrors.
“Blue dragons descend from the extraordinary Gormfaileas line. Known for their formidable size, they are the most ruthless, especially in the case of the rare Blue Daggertail, whose knifelike spikes at the tip of their tail can disembowel an enemy with one flick.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 3
“Presentation Day is unlike any other. The air is ripe with possibilities, and possibly the stench of sulfur from a dragon who has been offended. Never look a red in the eye. Never back down from a green. If you show trepidation to a brown…well, just don’t.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 12
“There is nothing quite as humbling, or as awe-inspiring, as witnessing Threshing… for those who live through it anyway.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 13
“Though this officer considers himself to be an expert on all matters dragonkind, there is a great deal we don’t know about the way dragons govern themselves. There is a clear hierarchy among the most powerful, and deference is paid to elders, but I have not been able to discern how it is they make laws for themselves or at what point a dragon decided to bond only one rider, rather than go for better odds with two.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 16
“There is no stronger bond than that between two mated dragons. It goes beyond the depth of human love or adoration to a primal, undeniable requirement for proximity. One cannot survive without the other.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 26
“It is the valley above Riorson House, heated by natural thermal energy, that is its greatest asset. For there lie the original hatching grounds of the Dubhmadinn Line, from which two of the greatest dragons of our time—Codagh and Tairn—descend.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 2
“As dragons ferociously guard both their young and any information regarding their development, only four facts are known about the Dreamless Sleep. First, it is a critical time of rapid growth and development. Second, the duration varies from breed to breed. Third, as the name suggests, it is dreamless, and fourth, they wake up hungry.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 4
“Dragons do not answer to the whims of men.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 19
“By their third year, a rider must attain full and complete control over their shields. Otherwise, in moments of extreme stress, they are susceptible to being not only influenced by their dragon’s emotions but controlled by them.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 27
“I’ll say one thing for dragonfire. It kills quickly.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 54
“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 things: disappointment and death.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 33
“What we know about dragonkind is nothing compared to what we don’t.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 41
“No rider has ever survived the loss of their dragon. I can’t imagine wanting to.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 54
“The only thing more stubborn than a dragon is its rider.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 60
Navarre, an Unedited History by Colonel Lewis Markham
Appears in: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame
Total Quotes: 6
This source is one of my favorites, especially considering the ongoing Navarrian gaslighting around everything happening with the Venin and Poromiel. Yes, there are some truths in here—particularly around the strength of dragon-rider bonds, and how dragons feel loss just as deeply as their humans do.
But knowing that Colonel Markham engineered the entire propaganda infrastructure of this generation, the word Unedited in the title feels like a slap in the face. Navarrians know the scribes hold all the power—they control the narrative by controlling the record. So anything in this book should be taken with a massive grain of salt.
It’s actually kind of brazen that this source even includes Fen Riorson’s final words—especially considering everything Fen claimed has since proven to be true. That quote reads more like a PR move to discredit him than a serious historical entry.
But the most important piece in this source? General Daramor. We haven’t met a Maven yet, and it sounds like during the Great War—when Andarna was left to hatch—Daramor was the adversary of the time. I’m a strong believer that General Daramor is the one leading the Venin, and that he’s slowly regathering his strength after the defeat he suffered during that war.
This book, intentionally or not, gives us a window into what the kingdom tried to erase—and what slipped through.
“In the six centuries of recorded history of dragon and rider, there have been hundreds of known cases where a dragon simply cannot emotionally recover from the loss of their bonded rider. This happens when the bond is particularly strong and, in three documented cases, has even caused the untimely death of the dragon.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 14
“In response to the Great War, dragons claimed the western lands and gryphons the central ones, abandoning the Barrens and the memory of General Daramor, who nearly destroyed the Continent with his army. Our allies sailed home and we began a period of peace and prosperity as the provinces of Navarre united for the first time behind the safety of our wards, under the protection of the first bonded riders.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 19
“The first known gryphon attack occurred in 1 AU (After Unification) near what is now the trading post of Resson. At the edge of the dragon-protected border, the post has always been vulnerable to attack and, over the course of the past six centuries, has changed hands no less than eleven times in what has become a never-ending war to secure our borders from our power-hungry enemies.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 34
“In his last days of interrogation, Fen Riorson lost touch with reality, railing against the kingdom of Navarre. He accused King Tauri, and all who came before him, of a conspiracy so vast, so unspeakable, that it does not bear repeating by this historian. The execution was swift and merciful for a madman who cost untold lives.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 35
“The Migration of The First Year is one of the crowning achievements of Navarre’s unification. What a celebration of the human spirit, to leave a life of war and enter one of peace, blending people, languages, and culture from every region of the continent and forming a cohesive, united society, whose only goal is mutual security.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 21
“The day Augustine Melgren manifested his signet changed warfare for the kingdom of Navarre forever.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 57
Major Rorilee’s Guide to Appeasing the Gods, Second Edition
7 quotes
“It is a grave offense against Malek to keep the belongings of a dead loved one. They belong in the beyond with the god of death and the departed. In the absence of a proper temple, any fire will do. He who does not burn for Malek will be burned by Malek.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 11
“While many preach loyalty to Hedeon above all others, especially in Calldyr Province, I find that favoring Zihnal has universal appeal. Everyone wants wisdom but needs luck.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 8
“It is unwise to favor one god above another. Better to shun them all than show favoritism amongst a jealous, prodigious pantheon.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 30
“The god of wisdom is the trickiest to placate. Hedeon seems to only answer those who do not pray to him.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 35
“While most deities allow temple attendants to choose their timeline of service, only two require a lifetime of dedication: Dunne and Loial. For both war and love change souls irrevocably.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 49
“Dedicating oneself to temple work isn’t just a noble pursuit. Becoming high priest or priestess is the closest most of us will get to touching the power of the gods. The rest are riders.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 52
“There is no goddess more wrathful than Dunne. Entering Her temple will slice the soul from any attendant who has shunned Her grace.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 62
The Journal of Warrick of Luceras, translated by Cadet Violet Sorrengail
6 quotes
“With all we’ve sacrificed for this kingdom, we’d better be able to defend it.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 38
“The blood of life of the six and the one combined and set the stone ablaze in an iron rain.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 39
“The breath of life of the six and the one combined and set the stone ablaze in an iron flame.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 52
“Nothing kills powerful, unshakable love faster than opposing ideologies.”
Translated by Cadets Violet Sorrengail and Dain Aetos
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 55
“It was never our continent. From the very beginning, it was theirs, and we were simply allowed to live here.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 56
“The combined hatching grounds at Basgiath is our generation’s greatest asset…and our greatest liability.”
Translated by Cadets Violet Sorrengail and Dain Aetos
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 58
Recovered Correspondence of Lieutenant Xaden Riorson
to Cadet Violet Sorrengail
5 quotes
“Garrick has always been my best friend. His father was my father’s aide, which in a way makes him my Dain, except trustworthy. After Liam, Bodhi was and still is the closest thing I have to a brother, perpetually tagging along a step behind.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 11
“Sgaeyl watched me kill another cadet for bullying Garrick during Threshing. She says she chose me for my ruthlessness, but I think I just reminded her of my grandfather.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 12
“My dad hoped I’d go into the infantry like he did. He thought riders were pompous pricks, and in his defense…we really are.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 16
“In the years after my father died, I forgot what it felt like to be loved. Then I entered the quadrant and became the monster everyone needed me to be, and I never regretted it. But then you gave those words to me, and I remembered…and nearly lost you, too. I’m striving to be better for you just like I promised, but I need you to know that monster is still there, screaming to use every ruthless part of me to get your words back.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 20
“My last words with my father before the Battle of Aretia were spoken in anger, because he was sending me away for my own safety. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself for that, but I like to think he forgives me.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 34
The Basgiath War College Code of Conduct
4 quotes
“In the best interest of preserving peace within Navarre, no more than three cadets carrying rebellion relics may be assigned to any squad of any quadrant.”
Addendum 5.2
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 7
“In addition to last year’s changes, marked ones assembling in groups of three or more will now be considered an act of seditious conspiracy and is hereby a capital offense.”
Addendum 5.2
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 7
“Cadets who are found absent without leave will be subject to court-martial by their chain of command, if they are not executed on sight.”
Article Four, Section One
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 29
“Barring invasion, only riders and designated scribes are permitted in the Riders Quadrant. To enter uninvited as infantry or even healer is to welcome a swift death.”
Article Two, Section Three
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 30
Colonel Daxton’s Guide to Excelling in the Scribe Quadrant
4 quotes
“There is nothing more sacred than the Archives. Even temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be rewritten.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 18
“All tome requests at the Archives of Basgiath must be recorded and filed. Any cadet who fails to do so will be reported for dereliction of duty, as well as punished for the loss of any text they failed to accurately track.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 7
“The first time you are caught in the Archives after the door seals for the evening will be the last. The complex magics put in place to preserve our texts are not compatible with life.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 33
“Most cadets believe their ability to recite historical fact will usher them onto the adept path, but it is actually the ability to observe and recount it that separates the librarians from the scribes.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 58
Subjugated: The Second Uprising of the Krovlan People by Lieutenant Colonel Asher Sorrengail
4 quotes
“Perhaps the point of this is not to deny rebellion, but to only go to war with those you trust implicitly.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 20
“Tyrrendor was the last to cut contact with the isles. The province has a reputation for its cunning leadership, but in this case, I would add: astute.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 21
“It was whispered in academic circles that Cordyn had supplied troops and weaponry for the second Krovlan uprising, but the research has led me across the Arctile Ocean to Deverelli, known to our kingdom as the treacherous isle of merchants, who to my surprise may not have been the source of the arms, but perhaps the broker.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 22
“The uprising suddenly failed overnight on December 13, 433 AU, in what has been called the Midnight Massacre. The foreign troops disappeared, and the rebels were killed in their beds by Poromish forces. It is not their disappearance that strikes this scholar as particularly vicious but their obvious betrayal. There is a saying in Deverelli: The word is the blood. When they make a trade, broker a deal, it is considered law. I cannot help but wonder what part of the deal the Krovlan rebels did not uphold.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 23
The Dragon Rider’s Codex
3 quotes
“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy.
Article One, Section One
A rider without their dragon is dead.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 1
“Though not forbidden, cadets are strongly encouraged not to develop strong romantic attachments while studying in the quadrant for the efficiency of the unit.”
Article Five, Section Seven
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 30
“Though the chain of command may be consulted, the final say in any academic punishment or repercussion lies with the commandant’s office.”
Article Five, Section Seven
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 13
“Calling cadets into active service in times of war may only be authorized by the Commanding General of Basgiath.”
Article Eight, Section One
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 9
“A dragon determines its last flight, and its rider’s.”
Article One, Section Two
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 47
“While cadets are strongly encouraged not to form romantic attachments while studying in the quadrant, lieutenants are permitted to marry whomever they choose upon graduation.”
Article Five, Section Seven
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 66
Captain Lera Dorrell’s Guide to Vanquishing the Venin Property of Cliffsbane Academy
3 quotes
“It was only in the last fifty years that we realized they were no longer solely coming from the Barrens. They’d begun to take recruits, teaching those who never bonded a gryphon to channel what was not theirs to take, to upset the balance of magic by stealing it from the very source. The problem with mankind is we too often find our souls to be a fair price for power.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 46
“It is somewhat fitting that the only weapon capable of killing a dark wielder is the same thing that drove them to soullessness…power.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 46
“Many of our most esteemed tacticians have tried to estimate the approaching tipping point—where the outcome of the war may have been decided even though we still fight. Many believe it will come in the next decade. I fear it will arrive much sooner than that.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 51
Major Frederick’s Modern Guide for Healers
3 quotes
“It is my opinion that of all the signet powers riders provide, mending is the most precious, but we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent when in the company of such a signet. For menders are rare, and the wounded are not.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 6
“In the event that you come across a poison you do not recognize, it is best to treat with any and every antidote. Either way, the patient will die, but at least this way you
would have learned something.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 38
“Menders are not healers. Healers are bound to the Code of Chricton, sworn to aide all in time of need and never to harm a beating heart. Menders are riders. They’re only sworn to the Codex. They can as easily bring harm as heal.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 26
The Tactical Guide to Defeating Dragons by Colonel Elijah Joben
3 quotes
“Never forget that dragon riders have been selected, trained, and even bred for cruelty. Expecting mercy from a rider is a mistake, for none will be given.”
Chapter One
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 5
“From the dangerous waves of the Arctile Ocean to the lowest plains of the Tyrrendor plateau, the Cliffs of Dralor rise to over twelve thousand feet in places, making them unflyable by gryphon. While there are three well-carved paths within Navarre to ascend the plateau, along the Krovlan border exists only one…and it is deadly to both gryphon and flier. Do not attempt under any circumstances.”
Chapter Three
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 43
“The easiest way to defeat a dragon is to kill its rider. Though the creature will most likely survive the blow, it will be stunned long enough to be felled.”
Chapter Three
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 62
Unnbriel: Isle of Dunne by Second Lieutenant Asher Daxton
3 quotes
“There are times I look at Parapet, at the very act of Threshing and marvel that dragons have not been to Unnbriel. What we call treacherous is their idea of primary school.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 28
“In a culture that worships the goddess of war exclusively, blood is the preferred sacrifice and cowardice is the ultimate sin.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 29
“With such wan 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.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 32
The Tyrrish Rebellion, an official brief
1 quote
“Knowing I am in direct disagreement with General Melgren’s orders, I am officially objecting to the plan set forth in today’s briefing. It is not this general’s opinion that the children of the rebellion’s leaders should be forced to witness their parents’ executions. No child should watch their parent put to death.”
For King Tauri by General Lilith Sorrengail
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 5
Effective Uses of Wild and Cultivated Herbs by Captain Lawrence Medina
1 quote
“There is an art to poison not often discussed, and that is timing. Only a master can properly dose and administer for effective onset. One must take into account the mass of the individual as well as the method of delivery.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 8
My Time as a Cadet: A Memoir by General Augustine Melgren
1 quote
“Accusing a wingleader of wrongdoing is the most dangerous of all accusations. If you’re right, then we’ve failed as a quadrant to select the best wingleaders. If you’re wrong, you’re dead.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 20
Journal of General Augustine Melgren
1 quote
“The only thing more unpredictable than the volatile province that is Tyrrendor is her duke. There is a reason reigning aristocracy should never wear black.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 65
Recovered Correspondence Of General Augustine Melgren To His Majesty King Tauri
1 quote
“Securing Basgiath and the wards has come at great cost, including General Sorrengail’s life. Strategy must adjust. It is in the realm’s best interest to ally with Poromiel, even temporarily.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Prologue
Official Correspondence of General Augustine Melgren to Queen Maraya
1 quote
“While the enemy’s advance throughout Krovla makes it impossible to station a full riot at Suniva, we offer you four dragons and their riders. In the spirit of our alliance, you may expect a shipment of our most valuable resource—weaponry—to be used at your discretion.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 42
Recommendation for Award from Major Potsdam to General Sorrengail
1 quote
“For valor above and beyond the call of duty in the battle of Strythmore, where her bravery resulted not only in the destruction of a battery behind enemy lines but also saved the lives of an entire company of infantry, I recommend Mira Sorrengail receive the Star of Navarre. But if the criterion is not met, which I assure you it has been, downgrading to the Order of the Talon would be a shame, but sufficient.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 27
Royal Proclamation of King Tauri the Wise
1 quote
“July first, the anniversary of the Battle of Aretia,
is hereby proclaimed Reunification Day and will be celebrated throughout Navarre on this date every year to honor the lives lost during the war to save our kingdom from separatists and those saved by the Treaty of Aretia.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 31
The Treaty of Aretia
1 quote
“As for the 107 innocents, the children of the executed officers, they now carry what shall be known as the rebellion relic, transferred by the dragon who carried out the king’s justice.
Addendum 4.2
And to show the mercy of our great king, they will all be conscripted into the prestigious Riders Quadrant
at Basgiath, so they may prove their loyalty to our
kingdom with their service or with their death.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 32
The Fables of the Barren
2 quotes
“For there, in the land beyond the shadows, were monsters that dwelled in the night and dined on the souls of children
“The Wyvern’s Cry”
who wandered too close to the woods.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 36
“But it was the third brother, who commanded the sky to surrender its greatest power, who finally vanquished his jealous sibling at a great and terrible price.”
“The Origin”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 37
A Study on Signets by Major Dalton Sisneros
2 quotes
“The art of imbuing comes naturally to only a handful of signets, and automatically only to one: the siphon.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 53
“The rarest of signets—those that rise once in a generation or century—have manifested concurrently with an equal twice in our records, both critical times in our history, but only once have the six most powerful walked the Continent simultaneously. As fascinating as that spectacle must have been, I would rather not live to see it happen again.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 2
Gryphons of Poromiel, a Study in Combat by Major Garion Savoy
2 quotes
“Though gryphon riders are not capable of producing signets, they are not powerless. In fact, some would argue that they’ve honed lesser magic, especially mindwork, into the deadliest weapon of all. Underestimating them is an error.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 28
“Some combat signets are fearsome, but any rider can be brought low by two things: lack of a shield…or a group effort. Never give the enemy the advantage of surrounding you.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 15
Hedotis: Isle of Hedeon by Captain Asher Sorrengail
2 quotes
“It has been the experience of my lifetime to spend these months with others who value knowledge just as reverently as I do. But though their intelligence and their wisdom inspire me, their artifice terrifies me.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 34
“The citizenship test for those wishing to reside in Hedotis reminds me of the entrance exam for the Scribe Quadrant, but our test is designed to measure how much a potential cadet has learned, and theirs reads as though to prove how much one has not.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 36
Zehyllna: Isle of Zihnal by Major Asher Sorrengail
2 quotes
“To live amongst the Zihlni, you must prepare to accept luck as your guide and chaos as your standard.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 38
“Sometimes the best gift the god of luck can give is his absence.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 39
Journal of Captain Lilith Sorrengail
2 quotes
“Sometimes diplomacy is best served at swordpoint.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 27
“Asher returned today. Gods help us if anyone finds out. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive him for what he’s done to her.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 53
On Tyrrish History, a Complete Accounting, third edition by Captain Fitzgibbons
2 quotes
“Half palace, half barracks, but entirely a fortress, Riorson House has never been breached by army. It survived countless sieges and three full-out assaults before falling under the flame of the very dragons it existed to serve.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 37
“As our largest province, Tyrrendor provides the most conscripts for our forces. However, the strength of Navarre isn’t only found in Tyrrish soldiers, but also in the province’s most valuable resource: Talladium. Losing it would doom Navarre.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm Chapter 55
Journal of Lyra of Morraine, Translated by Cadet Jesinia Neilwart
2 quotes
“I am alone in thinking the knowledge of wards, the protections they provide, should not solely benefit Navarre, and it has cost me everything.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 63
“If I’m to be court-martialed for helping Braxtyn defend his people, then I shall welcome the trial. All who channel from dragon and gryphon alike should flourish under the wards, and now Aretia will be that haven should one of the others ever return.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 7
Recovered Correspondence of Cadet Violet Sorrengail to His Grace, Lieutenant Xaden Riorson, Sixteenth Duke of Tyrrendor
2 quotes
“I think I started falling for you that night in the tree when I watched you with the marked ones, but I began tumbling the day you gave me Tairn’s saddle. You’ll give some self-serving excuse, but the truth is you’re kinder than you want people to know. Maybe kinder than you know.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 45
“When this is over, we should take as much leave as they’ll give us and spend it all in Aretia. We can figure out what life is supposed to look like without the daily threat of death. You can govern the province you love during the day, then slide into bed with me at night. Or I can always join you in the Assembly chamber. You do some of your best work on that throne.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 46
Tactics part II, A Personal Memoir by Lieutenant Lyron Panchek
2 quotes
“Though fliers only wield lesser magics, in my vast experience with the Northern Wing, they are formidable opponents in both mindwork and hand-to-hand. Take heed, younger riders: do not unseat against them unless forced to do so.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 14
“For maximum potential, riders should be stationed close to their villages if possible. Nothing is a more effective motivator than seeing one’s home on fire.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 51
The Canon of the Flier, Chapter One
2 quotes
“When a gryphon bonds, it does so for life. Guard your life as you would your gryphon’s, for they are forever intertwined.”
Chapter One
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 44
“The gem given to you upon graduation from Cliffsbane should always be worn close to the heart, but if you have not mastered your control, it will only amplify your downfall.”
Chapter Three
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 44
The Sacrifice of Dragonkind by Major Deandra Naveen
2 quotes
“Many historians choose to ignore the sacrifices made by both humans and dragonkind to establish Navarre under the first wards in favor of praising the spirit of unification, but I would be remiss not to mention the losses suffered, both in terms of the ancestral hatching grounds of each dragon breed and the civilians who did not survive the continent-wide migration that resulted from the opening of Navarre’s borders…or those lost when we closed them.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 17
“It was not without risk that the first dragons bonded humans, for though they clearly hold the power, their bonded riders made them the one thing they could not tolerate: vulnerable. Many dragons suffered the loss of their bonded riders in the name of self-preservation.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 59
Venin, A Compendium by Captain Drake Cordella, the Nightwing Drift
2 quotes
“Defeating a dark wielder begins with knowing where they rank in age and experience. Initiates have reddish rings to their eyes that come and go depending on how often they drain. Asims’ eyes fluctuate in degrees of red, and their veins distend when riled. Sages’—those responsible for initiates—eyes are permanently red, their veins perpetually distended toward their temples, expanding with age. Mavens—their generals—have never been captured for examination.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 47
“If possible, hunt the enemy during the day. Their markings are so easily hidden by the shadows of night that it would not surprise me to find they walk among us.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 43
The last words of Fen Riorson (redacted)
1 quote
“You’re all cowards.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing, Chapter 39
Confiscated Correspondence of Fen Riorson to Unknown Intended Recipient
1 quote
“The most useless word in the language of aristocracy has always been and will forever be: love. Marriage is a necessary evil to secure the line. Nothing more. Save love for your children.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 25
Official Correspondence of His Grace, Lieutenant Xaden Riorson, Sixteenth Duke of Tyrrendor, to His Majesty, King Tauri the Wise
1 quote
“Your Majesty, Tyrrendor hereby officially declines your request for a Provincial Commitment of troops for our current conflict. Having resigned my professorship at Basgiath War College, I am now in rightful command of all Tyrrish citizens in military service.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 50
Official Correspondence of His Majesty, King Tauri the Wise, to His Grace, Lieutenant Xaden Riorson, Sixteenth Duke of Tyrrendor
1 quote
“If Tyrrendor does not immediately restore the flow of Talladium, the consequences will be dire not only for the province but the Continent. This is not a request—it is an order from your king.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 56
Public Notice 200.417 Transcribed by Racel Lightstone
1 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.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 31
Public Notice 628.85 transcribed by Cerella Neilwart
1 quote
“In this, the 628th year of our Unification, it is hereby recorded that Aretia has been burned by dragon in accordance with the Treaty ending the separatist movement. Those who fled, survived, and those who did not remain entombed in her ruins.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 1
Public Notice 628.86, transcribed by Cerella Neilwart
“As a result of the Treaty of Aretia, the power to represent the province of Tyrrendor in the King’s Senarium has hereby been transferred from the House of Riorson to the House of Lewellen.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 48
Public Notice 634.23 Transcribed by Percival Fitzgibbons
“Conscription rates are hereby doubled for each province until further notice.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 40
Posted Bulletin, Village of Chantara Transcribed by Percival Fitzgibbons
1 quote
“It is hereby suggested strongly that neither bonded dragon nor gryphon shall be allowed to land or hunt in a one mile vicinity of the village of Chantara in order to sustain the endeavors of our sheep herders through this surge of demand.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 16
Missive from Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi, Samara Outpost, to General Melgren
1 quote
“After three consecutive deaths of prisoners during his interrogations, it is this command’s opinion that Major Burton Varrish should be reassigned from an active wing until further notice.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 5
United Navarre, a Study in Survival by Grato Burnell, Curator of the Scribe Quadrant
1 quote
“And in the mountains of the Steelridge range, the green dragons of the Uaineloidsig line, known for their keen intellect and rational countenance, offered their ancestral hatching grounds for the good of dragonkind, and the wards of Navarre were woven by the First Six at what is now Basgiath War College.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 9
Official Notice from Commandant Panchek
to General Sorrengail
1 quote
“It is not unheard of that a candidate enters the Riders Quadrant having been paid to assassinate a cadet. I’m sorry Mira was targeted but proud to say she dispatched the threat quickly. You have enemies, General.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 10
The Journey of the First Six
1 quote
“It was only when we pushed the wards to their true limits, extending them far past what we first thought possible and to what I now question as sustainable, that we defined the borders of Navarre, regretfully knowing not every citizen would benefit from their protection.”
—The Journey of the First Six, a Secondhand Account by Sagar Olsen, First Curator of the Scribe Quadrant, Basgiath War College
—Translated into the common language by Captain Madilyn Calros, Twelfth Curator of the Scribe Quadrant, Basgiath War College
—Translated and Redacted for Academic Consumption by Colonel Phineas Cartland, Twenty-seventh Curator of the Scribe Quadrant, Basgiath War College
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 18
Tactics, a Personal Memoir by Lieutenant Lyron Panchek
1 quote
“If we ever choose to invade enemy territory—which we don’t—I would choose Zolya as my first target. Take out Cliffsbane Academy and you take out years of gryphon riders in one strike.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 25
Tactics, a Modern Guide to Aerial Combat by Major Constance Cara
1 quote
“Weather is the one great equalizer in battle, equally detrimental or favorable to both sides given the conditions. Without our wielders swaying that element to our advantage, we are at its mercy.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 10
The Tyrrish Rebellion, a Forbidden History by Colonel Felix Gerault
1 quote
“His first true action of rebellion was to seek allies, the first of which was Viscount Tecarus of the Poromish province of Krovla.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 40
On the Aristocracy of Poromiel by Pearson Kito
1 quote
“Having refused every proposal from the isle kingdoms, Queen Maraya has named her distant cousin, Viscount Tecarus of Cordyn, as her heir. As the viscount is living in his fifth decade and has no direct heirs of his own, the decision has not been a popular one.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 41
Memorandum from Professor Carr to General Sorrengail
1 quote
“Though her extraordinary signet allows her to extend the wards around herself and her dragon, Cadet Sorrengail lacks the consistent ability to produce her own wards without extreme emotional distress. I’m sorry to report I doubt this ability will develop in time. I had such hopes for her.”
Memorandum from Professor Carr to General Sorrengail
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 42
Article Two, Section One The Aretia Accord
1 quote
“Fliers and riders are held equal in every regard with the exception of wing structure.
Riders will maintain their wings, sections, and squads, as well as retain their commands.
Every drift will be absorbed by a squad, and their leader will replace the squad’s current executive officer for unit cohesiveness and efficiency.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 49
Magic: a Universal Study for Riders by Colonel Emezine Ruthorn
1 quote
“At its core, magic demands balance. Whatever you take will be recouped, and it is not the wielder who determines the price.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 60
Major Edvard Tiller’s Unaccredited Study of the Venin, Property of the Library of Cordyn
1 quote
“Though there is some debate, it is greatly believed that turning venin heightens one of the dark wielder’s senses. It is this scholar’s belief that the one responsible for the death of King Grethwild developed keener eyesight. For not even the best of His Majesty’s royal fliers could see through the darkness the venin hid within to slay our beloved king.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 61
Recovered Correspondence of Cadet Liam Mairi to Sloane Mairi
1 quote
“You’re going to love Violet. She’s smart and stubborn. Reminds me a lot of you, actually. You just have to remember when you meet her: she’s not her mother.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 64
Recovered Correspondence of Lieutenant Colonel Asher Sorrengail to Violet Sorrengail
1 quote
“My brightest light, I meant to prepare you but only had time for half the lessons you need, half the history, half the truth, and now time runs short. I failed Brennan the day I watched him walk the parapet, failed Mira when I could not stop her from following, but I fear my death will fail you. Your mother and I trust no one, and neither can you.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 17
Recovered Correspondence of His Grace, Lieutenant Xaden Riorson, Sixteenth Duke of Tyrrendor, to Cadet Violet Sorrengail
1 quote
“You might be angry when you realize I didn’t wake you to say goodbye. But it’s only because I no longer fully trust my ability to walk away.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 12
Recovered Correspondence of Cadet Violet Sorrengail to Cadet Rhiannon Matthias
1 quote
“I wish you and Sawyer were with us, but I’m grateful to have Ridoc, even if his sarcasm is wearing on Mira’s last nerve.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 37
Recovered Correspondence of High Priestess Deservee to His Royal Highness, Cadet Aaric Graycastle, Prince Camlaen of Navarre
1 quote
“A gift from one servant of Dunne to another. I must warn you—only those touched by the gods should wield their wrath. I will pray to Her that she need not use it to avoid reacquainting herself with the other who curries her favor. Her path is still not set.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 64
Recovered, Unsent Correspondence of General Lilith Sorrengail
1 quote
“Most generals dream of dying in service to their kingdom. But you know me better than that, my love. When I fall, it will be for one reason only: to protect our children.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 65
“Sometimes I worry about Violet. She has your sharp wit, quick mind, and steadfast heart paired with my bullheaded tenacity. When she finally and truly gives that heart, I fear it will overrule the other gifts you’ve given her and logic will cede its voice to love.
And if her first two liaisons are any indication of what we might expect… Gods help her, my love, I’m afraid our daughter has atrocious taste in men.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm Chapter 3
“She won’t understand why you’ve kept her in the dark. You left too soon, left too many of your plans unfinished. Now we can only hope the bond between our daughters is strong enough to endure the paths they’ve chosen. They’ll need each other to survive.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm Chapter 24
Missive from Lieutenant Colonel Nolon Colbersy to General Lilith Sorrengail
1 quote
“We have tried every method we know of, as you requested. There is no cure. There is only control.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame, Chapter 66
Sharpen the Talon: A Professor’s Guide by Colonel Tispany Calthea
1 quote
“There are two reasons rider cadets are not given the same summer and winter leave as others: Firstly, civilians do not react well to dragons casually roaming their villages. Secondly, raising tigers for war requires locking their cages lest they turn on each other…or you.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 4
Recorded Correspondence of Nirali Ilan, Commanding General, Cliffsbane Fortress, to Lyra Mykel, Deputy Commanding General,
Basgiath War Camp
1 quote
“In the hope and excitement this new development of the bonds between dragons, gryphons, and their humans brings, I wonder who has stopped to contemplate the nature of magic’s balance. Do we not risk the equal rise of the very powers we seek to wield?”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 11
Official Records: Scribe Quadrant, Colonel Lewis Markham, Commandant
1 quote
“Upon failure of three exams, Jesinia Neilwart has been removed from the adept path and stripped of all its responsibilities and sacred privileges as of January 15. Under protest, I transfer her command to Professor Grady at his over-authoritative request.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 13
The Last Admiral, a Memoir by Admiral Levian Croslight
1 quote
“I cannot imagine sustainable life beyond the Emerald Sea. No ship has ever survived the tempests that form its ice-tipped waves, and the only sailors who return from her exploration do so defeated.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 18
A Study in the Anatomy of the Enemy by Captain Dominic Prishel
1 quote
“In the first twenty-four hours of removal from source magic, the subject—an asim—presented as even-tempered. But withdrawal quickly revealed the subject’s true nature, requiring the subject’s immediate transfer to stage two of the study. Her results can be found with group thirty-three B under the category: DEATH BY FIRE, and subsequently group forty-six C under the category: DEATH BY POISON.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 26
Unsent, Drafted Correspondence of Colonel Agatha Mayfair, Royal Archivist
1 quote
“Your Majesty, unfortunately I can find no law that supersedes the Unification Scrolls. The Provincial Commitment under Queen Alondra the Bold (207.1)—consolidating the provinces’ armies under the queen’s standard for the Poromish conflict—expired with the Second Aretia Accord, and control of all forces should must return to the provinces from which they hail. I recommend demanding asking for a new Provincial Commitment covering our current conflict.
The provinces will never agree after the rise in conscription rates. My advice: do not anger Tyrrendor’s duke, who now commands the largest portion of our army. Screw this. I hate my job.“
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 44
The Resurgence of Evil, a timeline, by Pierson Haliwell
1 quote
“472 AU, Willhaven, Braevick: With the exception of one house, the village was desiccated overnight by a single venin estimated to be a Sage. The only adult amongst the three survivors described her as, “Astonishingly ageless. Hair as black as the day we married, but in place of the age lines I’d expected were bulging scarlet veins branching outward from her red-ringed eyes.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 48
Leadership for Second-Years by Major Pipa Donans
1 quote
“Command is built on respect, rules, and obedience. Squads are built on trust.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 61
The last words of Tracila Cardulo (redacted)
1 quote
“Fuck you. My daughter and I will meet Malek with clean consciences. Will you and your daughters be able to say the same when they come for you?”
― Rebecca Yarros, Onyx Storm, Chapter 63
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