CHAPTER EIGHT

Summary

• The story begins with the protagonist, Violet, getting ready for duty, and going to meet Dain, a squad leader who seems to have romantic interest in her.
• Violet and Dain discuss the daily duties and events at their place of residence, hinting at a possibly dangerous and challenging environment.
• While walking, they came across Rhiannon and Tara, having apparently broken curfew rules, and Dain admonishes them. However, they do not take the lecture seriously.
• Along their conversation, Dain expresses his concern for Violet knowing she will face challenges and possibly dangerous situations. Violet reassures him, expressing her determination to survive and overcome whatever comes her way.
• Violet discreetly poisons her upcoming opponent, Oren Seifert, in the hopes of getting an advantage in the upcoming challenge which is potentially deadly.
• The students then attend classes about dragons, their characteristics, and how to deal with them, divulging a world of dragon riders and warriors.
• Another character, Jack Barlowe, is shown to have enmity towards Violet and desires to acquire a certain black dragon. This stirs worry and suspicion in Violet and her friends.
• They also discuss an ancient black dragon who managed to bond with a powerful rider despite known conventions, indicating a deeper, more complex world and history.
• After class, Violet confronts Jack Barlowe, threatening him with her daggers to prevent any harm he might do to her.
• The chapter ends as Violet steps into her challenged fight with Oren, who is now feeling the effects of the poison she served him earlier.

• The protagonist is in some sort of combat situation where she's able to take down her opponent using a combination of speed, steel and strategy despite his strength.
• Her opponent becomes sick during their fight and she ultimately wins the round.
• The protagonist has been manipulating her opponents by adding various substances to their food or drinks which impact their abilities in the combat ring.
• She continues to win her combat matches through these methods and receives a dagger with a ruby in the hilt for her fifth win in August.
• She anticipates her sixth fight against Rayma Corrie, but learns she has been taken to the healers due to the effects of walwyn fruit that the protagonist mixed into her morning pastry.
• Instead of Rayma, Xaden, a character who clearly unnerves the protagonist, volunteers to replace her in the combat ring.