Iron Flame

Violet returns to Basgiath for her second year, keeping the rebellion secret. She cuts ties with Dain, who read her memories without consent, and draws the attention of Vice Commandant Varrish, who eventually captures and tortures her. Xaden, now a lieutenant, keeps secrets from her, but they stay together. Once the truth about the venin gets out, many riders leave Basgiath for Aretia. Violet learns the wardstone needs fire from dragons of every den and realizes Andarna belongs to a seventh breed. The venin attack Basgiath, and Jack Barlowe turns out to be one of them. To restore the wards, Violet's mother gives her life. In the end, Violet sees the cost of victory: to save her, Xaden drew power from the earth and became venin.

1. Behind the scenesRushed to print

   After Fourth Wing took off, the publisher fast-tracked the sequel. Iron Flame came out about six months after the first book.

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2. Behind the scenesHalf a million on day one

   It sold more than 500,000 copies on release day. About 200 Barnes & Noble stores threw midnight release parties.

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3. Behind the scenesThe wrong spine

   The rush showed in the first US printing: spines that read Fourth Wing, upside-down covers and pages out of order. Entangled replaced the faulty copies.

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4. SetupSix dens or seven?

   The Lyra journal Jesinia reads mentions seven dragon dens, but Navarre only knows six. That odd number is the key to the book's ending and to Andarna's secret.

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