Rebecca Yarros Teases Fourth Empyrean Book

Author Rebecca Yarros has provided several updates regarding the fourth installment of her popular Empyrean series. Following the release of Onyx Storm in January 2025, which ended on a significant cliffhanger, fans are eager for the next chapter. Yarros has clarified that she has not yet started writing the book, as she is currently focused on a separate contemporary novel contract. She plans to take time off to be with her family before returning to the world of Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson. During recent promotional events and social media posts, Yarros offered hints about the future of the series, including potential character deaths, the expansion of signet powers, and the resolution of the marriage between Violet and Xaden. The series is planned to span five novels in total, all published by Red Tower.

The Empyrean series has seen rapid publication of its first three installments. Fourth Wing was released in April 2023, followed by Iron Flame in October 2023, and Onyx Storm in January 2025. Despite this pace, Yarros has indicated that fans should not expect the fourth book to arrive as quickly. Onyx Storm was noted as the fastest-selling adult novel in 20 years according to The New York Times.

Yarros has stated that she will not commit to a release date for the fourth novel because she is writing a contemporary novel first. Speaking at an engagement in Philadelphia on January 25, 2025, she mentioned plans to take time off to be with her family before beginning work on the next fantasy novel. She also told Elle that she intended to rest because the work in recent years was not good for her mentally or physically, citing her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and POTS.

In June 2025, Yarros confirmed she had started writing her contemporary novel. By December 8, 2025, she provided an update on Instagram, stating the fantasy novel was next in her queue. She wrote, "For transparency's sake… I'm currently working on a contracted contemporary, and once I'm done, I'll be living in the Empyrean world."

The ending of Onyx Storm left readers with numerous mysteries. The book concludes with Xaden using more of his venin power, another unnamed rider turning venin, and Andarna returning to Violet after time with the irids. Violet wakes up with a wedding ring and a blessing from the goddess Dunne, but with no memory of the last 12 hours of her life. Her fellow rider Imogen reveals she wiped Violet's memory at her request.

Violet's brother, Brennan, revealed that six dragon eggs and four riders, including Xaden and his best friend Garrick Tavis, are missing. The fourth book is expected to address:

• What happened between Violet and Xaden during the missing hours
• The location of the missing riders and eggs
• What Andarna learned from the irids
• How Xaden's use of venin powers harmed his soul

Violet is likely to continue searching for a cure for the venin condition while balancing her new role as Duchess of Tyrrendor in Xaden's absence.

During the Onyx Storm book tour in January 2025, Yarros offered specific clues about the future. At an event in Los Angeles on January 21, she warned, "Someone you love won't make it in book four." At an event in St. Louis on January 31, she explained that the lack of a map for the isles in Onyx Storm "was deemed to be too spoilery," suggesting Violet does not yet know everything about the isles.

Speaking in Denver on February 2, 2025, Yarros hinted at the identity of Xaden's new venin brother, advising readers to pay attention to "who's missing at the end" and "someone who feels like whatever they have given is not enough." This led to speculation about Bodhi Durran, Garrick, or Brennan. Yarros also discussed the significance of dragon names, noting that dragons never speak their names to Scribes directly, which could imply potential faux dragon identities or second signet powers.

Yarros revealed that Violet's dream-walking abilities have only been seen at "like 10%" of their potential, and Xaden's inntinnsic signet is at "like 50%" of its potential. At the Los Angeles Festival of Books in April 2025, she confirmed she had picked out a title for the fourth book.

In October 2025, at Romantasy Bookcon in Orlando, Yarros spoke with the Fantasy Fangirls podcast. She confirmed that readers will learn what happened to Violet during her 12 missing hours by the end of the fourth book. She expressed excitement about writing the moment "Violet realizes why Xaden married her." Yarros also warned that readers should "be prepared in book four to see Xaden enter his villain era."

Regarding Imogen's memory-wiping abilities, Yarros did not confirm if she had wiped memories previously, suggesting readers consider Imogen's character. On the topic of Bodhi, Yarros stated, "Bodhi has a thing for what Xaden has. But he doesn't want to," indicating jealousy rather than romantic feelings for Violet. Yarros also mentioned that the fourth book will feature multiple points of view, including some from Sloane Mairi. She advised readers to pay attention to the scarcity of black dragons in the series, noting that the hatching of two new baby black dragons in Iron Flame is "very relevant."