Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros.Rebecca Yarros' Empyrean Series novels, but after Onyx Storm's reveal, everything Iron Flame set up for Violet's second signet was pretty straight forward.

Throughout Iron Flame's narrative, Violet is seen on several occasions waking from nightmares revolving around the venin. These dreams were earlier assumed to be a traumatic response to the end of Fourth Wing, where Violet herself battled with the venin, very nearly died, and lost Liam. However, knowing that Violet's second signet is in fact dream walking, it confirms that the nightmares she was experiencing were Xaden's from the very beginning.

What Is Violet's Second Signet? Onyx Storm's Dream Walking Reveal Explained

Violet's Venin Nightmares Were Actually Xaden's

Onyx Storm continues the nightmare storyline that originated in Iron Flame, but these dreams slowly become more descriptive than Violet's previous ones. After finally speaking to Xaden about her reoccurring dreams when they both wake from a nightmare, he confirms that those aren't Violet's dreams she's experiencing, but his own. This conversation introduces the idea of dream walking—a signet ability Andarna later confirms to have gifted Violet. While Violet has been unaware of this ability for some time, it's made clear she's been manifesting and entering other people's dreams for quite some time.

Dream walking provides Violet with the signet ability to enter a person's dreams or nightmares, and is apparently a dangerous type of inntinnsic ability.

Onyx Storm's dream walking signet provides Violet with the ability to enter a person's dreams or nightmares, and is apparently a dangerous type of inntinnsic ability. Not only can Violet enter someone's dreams, but she can do so without them knowing. This ability gives her access to another's mind in their most vulnerable state, and Xaden explains they would not be able to shield themselves against her. Violet's second signet also allows her to meddle, or alter a person's dreams—as Violet later separates herself from Xaden in his dream and helps to stop him from drawing power from the source.

All The Clues In Iron Flame That Set Up Violet's Dream Walking

Her Dreams Mirrored Xaden's In His Iron Flame Bonus Chapter

Each of Violet's dreams in Iron Flame are kept intentionally vague—picking up mid-conversation in order to keep readers from discovering Violet's second signet too soon. However, after Xaden's bonus chapter in Iron Flame, there are obvious connections between his and Violet's dreams. Violet has three distinct nightmares in Iron Flame, the first in Chapter 22 where the venin sage states "you will never escape me, not when I've waited centuries for someone with your power." Knowing how interested the venin are in Violet's lightning signet ability—it's easy to assume they are speaking to her.

However, in another of Violet's dreams, the venin sage specifically states that the person they want to turn venin will do it "for the most illogical of mortal emotions—love." This is later confirmed in Xaden's bonus chapter, when his dream recounts the events that made him turn venin. During the dream, the venin sage reminds Xaden that he foretold he would turn for love—which is exactly what Xaden did in order to save Violet. This revelation at the end of Iron Flame forces the reader to view Violet's dreams in a new light, as they are eerily similar to each other.

Due to this, Violet could not speak to Andarna for much of Iron Flame—and Violet's worry over the dreamless sleep and desire to speak with her was another clue from Yarros.

Yarros also reinforces the power of dreams by making Andarna's dreamless sleep a major focus throughout the narrative. After expending too much power in Resson, Andarna is forced to enter into the dreamless sleep—a deep and prolonged period of rest that is crucial to helping juvenile dragons develop and grow. Due to this, Violet could not speak to Andarna for much of Iron Flame—and Violet's worry over the dreamless sleep and desire to speak with her was another clue from Yarros. Riders develop signets based on their deepest needs, and Violet's concern over Andarna is what pushed her to manifest.

When Did Violet First Use Her Second Signet Before Onyx Storm

Violet's Dream Walking Begins Early In Iron Flame

Violet uses her dream walking signet only three times throughout Iron Flame, but each one becomes progressively more lucid. Violet's first dream seems to be a reenactment of the battle in Resson, with Violet attempting to outrun the life-draining magic of the venin on the ground—and later wakes up reassuring herself it was only a dream. But as Violet's dreams continue to progress, she becomes gradually more aware that, while inside the dream, it is one she's experienced before. And in her final dream from Chapter 52 of Iron Flame, she finally recognizes them as a reoccurring nightmare.

"I recognize the scenario for what it is now—a recurring nightmare—and yet I'm still held powerless, still too slow to reach Tairn, still can't force my consciousness to snap me awake."

—Iron Flame, Chapter 52

The fact that Violet is able to feel a sense of lucidity in her dreams is a clear indicator of her dream walking signet ability—as most who experience nightmares are unable to make distinctions between what is a dream and what is reality. However, Violet's dream walking ability gives her complete control of another's dream—and it's clear in these early instances her inexperience or practice with the signet is what keeps her held as a spectator. These dreams also typically occurred in tandem with her proximity to Xaden, but wasn't always the case.

How Violet's Second Signet Evolves From Iron Flame To Onyx Storm

Her Dream Walking Signet Grows Significantly

Violet's dream walking signet from Iron Flame to Onyx Storm evolves in many ways, as Violet begins to walk into other characters' dreams aside from Xaden, becomes more lucid in the dreams she enters, and is even able to alter the outcome. This is first seen when Violet enters into Maren's nightmare when stationed in Samara, in which she experiences the flier searching for her family's portrait in a burning building. And later when Violet enters into another of Xaden's dreams, she is able to recognize that the hands she's looking down upon are not her own.

The growth in awareness shows how much Violet's signet abilities are evolving throughout the narrative.

The growth in awareness shows how much Violet's signet abilities are evolving throughout the narrative, and the final time she enters a dream of Xaden's, she is able to separate herself from him during the dream sequence. Xaden is then able to see and speak with Violet, and Xaden even stops him from running towards Draithus in his dream—which seems to be Violet's meddling ability Xaden mentioned prior. In the dream, Violet is also able to speak with the venin sage, Berwyn, who also knows she is a dream walker.

I slide my hand down my hip and find the hilt of a dagger. Before I can second-guess my plan, I wrench it free.

The Sage's eyes widen on the polished, wooden handle, but I'm already swinging it toward my arm. The blade sings into my skin—

I jolt upright in bed and gasp for breath, blinking furiously to clear the haze of the nightmare as dawn breaks outside our bedroom window.

Violet is able to operate differently than Xaden in these dreams. Where Xaden is unable to use his power against Berwyn, or reach any weapons before they disappear—assumedly by the sage's control—Violet is able to wield weapons and use them to wake herself up, which is clearly something the sage does not expect her to do. From his reaction, it's clear Violet is more powerful at dream walking in Onyx Storm than Berwyn might have previously believed. And it's likely that in the next Fourth Wing book, Violet could physically meddle with the dreams she enters into.