Summary

• The third book in The Empyrean series is in the works, and its release date is set for January 2025.
• Rebecca Yarros' next Fourth Wing sequel will be called Onyx Storm, a title that could have multiple meanings.
• The third novel's plot is teased during Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, and the title teases what direction it could go in.

Rebecca Yarros' The Empyrean series got off to a strong start with Fourth Wing, which became a massive phenomenon in the book community, along with its sequel Iron Flame — and a third novel called Onyx Storm is planned for the beloved "romantasy" story. Anyone who has read Iron Flame knows that Yarros is setting up a longer narrative for Violet and Xaden, both of whom have come a long way since Violet's early days at Basgiath War College. Fourth Wing sees Violet learning to be a dragon rider and falling for Xaden, and its ending leaves her questioning everything she believes about her home and family.

Iron Flame sees Violet continuing to grapple with these questions as she enters her second year at Basgiath War College — a year that's somehow even more chaotic than her first one at the academy. The threats descending on Basgiath and Navarre get even worse, and Violet's put in the impossible situation of choosing between those she loves and doing what she knows is right. Fortunately, more people come around to her cause as the book goes on. But Iron Flame's many storylines and twisty ending set the stage for her plight to continue in Onyx Storm and later Empyrean novels.

Onyx Storm's Release Date Is Slated For January 2025

The 3rd Empyrean Book Will Take Longer To Arrive Than Iron Flame

Red Tower Books released new details about the third Empyrean book in March 2024, revealing its title and release date on Instagram. Onyx Storm will arrive on January 21, 2025, a little over a year after Iron Flame's October 2023 debut. That's a standard wait for a chunky fantasy sequel, but the gap between the third novel and Iron Flame is longer than the one between the first two books. Yarros revealed why during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. She has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — the condition Violet has in Fourth Wing — and told EW she's "taking [things] a bit slower so that I can be healthy through all of it."

Time away from Violet and Xaden's story will no doubt build anticipation for the next installment, especially after Iron Flame's jaw-dropping ending. In addition to revealing the release date for Onyx Storm, the publisher shared release details on its Instagram account. Red Tower Books confirmed that Onyx Storm will be available in a standard and deluxe edition, the latter of which has sprayed edges and exclusive design elements. Both are available for pre-order as of March 28, 2024, though the deluxe edition is only available for a limited time. All pre-order information can be found via Red Tower Books. Watch Onyx Storm's teaser below:

What Does Onyx Storm Mean? The 3rd Empyrean Book Title Explained

It Could Allude To Violet's Dragons Or Xaden Riorson

Although Fourth Wing fans now know the title of Yarros' next addition to The Empyrean series, the author hasn't revealed what Onyx Storm actually means. Yarros told Variety that the names of her books typically "come to me when I’m plotting." That means the title definitely connects to the third book's main storyline. Given that both Tairn and now Andarna are onyx-colored dragons, it seems likely that the book will focus more on Violet's bond with them. Red Tower Book's teaser suggests as much, as it's narrated by Tairn and teases a dangerous mission for Violet and her companions.

Given that both Tairn and now Andarna are onyx-colored dragons, it seems likely that the book will focus more on Violet's bond with them.

Of course, the "onyx" in the third Emyprean book's title could also refer to Xaden Riorson. Violet often admires Xaden's onyx features, including his eyes, and his signet gives him the ability to control shadows. The darkness in the next book's title could easily refer to Xaden, especially now that he's a venin. The "storm" part of the title also suggests a rocky road ahead. While Tairn and Violet are facing a dangerous mission, Xaden has plenty to worry about as well. His powerful signets combined with his new venin powers could make Xaden himself a storm of sorts. That would certainly be a lot for Violet to grapple with.

Onyx Storm's Story: What Fourth Wing & Iron Flame Set Up

Rebecca Yarros Has Dropped Some Big Hints About Her Next Novel

Those wondering what the plot of the third Empyrean book will cover can look to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame for clues. There's no official synopsis for Onyx Storm yet, but Yarros' first two Empyrean books set up clear threads for Onyx Storm to follow. In particular, Iron Flame sets the stage for the story to go in many different directions. The sequel will need to address Iron Flame's big plot twist: that Xaden is now a venin. That will likely take up much of the narrative on its own, but the general fight between Navarre and the venin is also unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

As for Violet's journey, there's still a lot to learn when it comes to her connection to Andarna and her second signet. On the signet front, Yarros told Variety that she has already dropped plenty of clues about Violet's second power throughout Iron Flame. "I will tell you that that’s third book," she said, "but every single hint you would need to know what her second signet is in Iron Flame." The fact that Andarna is a more mysterious type of dragon also warrants further explanation, so there's plenty of room for Violet's world to expand further.

How Many More Books In The Empyrean Series Will There Be

Fourth Wing Was Just The Beginning Of A Major Saga

There's a lot to address on the heels of Iron Flame, but all readers' questions may not be answered in the third Empyrean book. That's because Yarros has already confirmed that there are several more sequels planned for the series. While it started as three books, Yarros now plans to write five novels in total. "Probably about 30,000 words in, I called my editor and I said, I think this is a five-book series," she told Variety. "And that’s how we went from three to five." That means things may expand even further in the third installment, even after all the work Iron Flame did to build on the world.

Amazon's Fourth Wing TV Show Won't Overtake The Books

The Adaptation Won't Face Game Of Thrones' Biggest Problem

Fourth Wing fans have more Empyrean books to look forward to, but there's also a TV adaptation on the horizon. Amazon is adapting Fourth Wing for the small screen, and with any luck, it will tackle Yarros' entire series. There's no word on when Amazon will begin work on the show, and Yarros can't say much on the subject. However, Fourth Wing being green-lit for an adaptation before the first book's release raised concerns that it would fall into a trap that's hurt other fantasy adaptations: the series surpassing the books.

While this is something that's happened with adaptations as big as Game of Thrones, it doesn't seem to be a concern for the Empyrean series' TV show. For one, Fourth Wing's publication schedule already seems to be moving faster than something like A Song of Ice and Fire. Yarros also told Variety that she doesn't intend to let that happen, saying, "So I can promise, unless something happens to me, we’re not going to have that situation." That's a promising sentiment for fans of the Empyrean series, and it means book three won't take that long to arrive — a major relief after Iron Flame's bombshell ending.

Source: Instagram, Entertainment Weekly, Variety