This chapter continued to increase the tension between Violet and Dain. Violet makes a point to talk about how much Dain has changed. A lot of things are changing for Violet, but the most prominent stressor for her seems to be the amount of death that she can’t seem to escape at Basgiath. She is sad for the lives lost of people around her she barely knew, as well as the possibility of losing her own life. She fears Xaden, but knows that he is limited by the codex in where he can kill her. It seems she expects him to draw it out, and wants to avoid him at all costs.
Rhiannon is also becoming a character mentioned frequently. This proves that Violet is becoming close with her, despite everything else going on. The dream of Violet becoming a scribe seems to be out of the question now that she’s spent a night in the barracks. She’s establishing a friend group within her squad as more and more people are introduced. Dain continues to worry about her, but it seems as if he’s accepted that she isn’t going to the Scribe Quadrant. Her destiny lies with the Riders Quadrant.
The mentioning of sparring gives readers a sense of anxiety; Violet is still injured and seems to be prone to excessive injury with her disability. This doesn’t jade her determination to succeed.
Dain’s signet is significant to the plot because it shows that he is a valuable asset to the Navarrian military force. Despite him being a typical rule follower, he makes exceptions for Violet (i.e. sharing his signet, meeting with her secretly in the rotunda). The mention of Xaden’s dragon is also a threat because of Sgaeyl’s size and interest in Violet. Overall, this chapter seems to serve to build tension in her relationships with Xaden and Dain for different reasons.
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