4th Empyrean Book: The Next Fourth Wing Sequel Updates, Story, & Everything We Know

Onyx Storm has finally made its debut, and those powering through the new Fourth Wing sequel may be wondering when the fourth book in The Empyrean Series could arrive. Given Onyx Storm‘s shocking and emotional ending, readers will be eager to get their hands on the next installment. But it looks like there could be a wait between books three and four, giving readers more time to speculate on all the major developments from Onyx Storm.

Onyx Storm‘s conclusion makes it clear that the story isn’t over, and Rebecca Yarros has already confirmed plans for more books. Details about the follow-up to Onyx Storm are sparse, but the sequel gives readers an idea of what they can expect story-wise when the next book arrives. Based on interviews with Yarros and previous release timelines, we can also speculate about a potential release date, even if very little is currently set in stone.

The Fourth Empyrean Series Book Does Not Yet Have A Title

Onyx Storm’s Follow-Up Has Not Been Announced

The sequel to Onyx Storm doesn’t currently have a title, as the publisher has yet to make an official announcement about the book. With the author and publisher focused on Onyx Storm’s release, there’s been no news about the next Empyrean Series book. That could be because Yarros still needs to write Onyx Storm‘s follow-up. In the comments of an Instagram post from January 2025, she confirmed that she hasn’t begun book four yet. She once told Variety that she comes up with her titles while writing, so it could be a while before the next one surfaces.

When The 4th Empyrean Book Could Come Out Based On Fourth Wing & Its Sequels

The Next Book Could Debut In Late 2026 Or Even 2027

Custom Image by Ana Nieves

The seven-month gap between Fourth Wing and Iron Flame was unusually short, and readers shouldn’t expect a quick turnaround like that again. Yarros took more time getting Onyx Storm out, with the newest book arriving over a year after its predecessor. And the fourth Empyrean Series novel may take even longer, especially considering that Yarros hasn’t started working on it yet. She also confirmed that she’s looking to take a break and slow down after Onyx Storm. She told Elle that she isn’t thinking about “what’s next” yet, saying:

“I’ve been really clear that I’m going to rest now. I drove my body to a place that was untenable, and I knew it, and my family knew it, and my husband knew it, and it shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have allowed it to happen.”

Yarros has been vocal about her experience with chronic illness, and this isn’t the first time she’s discussed how it affects her writing, and vice versa. During a 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Yarros revealed that the period between Fourth Wing and Iron Flame “was really hard on [her] body.” This led to a more manageable timeline for Onyx Storm, and judging by her recent interviews, she’s adjusting again for book four.

The Empyrean Series book covers on sparking fire background

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With that in mind, it could be a while before Onyx Storm‘s sequel makes its debut. Assuming it takes Yarros a year or more to finish it — giving it a similar turnaround to Onyx Storm — it could be here in late 2026. It’s possible it will even push into 2027, depending on whether Yarros takes a lot of time off or works on other projects in the interim.

Warning: The next section contains SPOILERS for Onyx Storm. Skip to the following one to avoid them.

The Empyrean Series Book 4 Story: What Onyx Storm Sets Up

The Next Fourth Wing Sequel Will Likely Be The Darkest Yet

Onyx Storm book cover on dark cloudy background
Custom image by Kiersten Hall

Regardless of when the next Empyrean book arrives, readers can expect it to be the darkest and highest-stakes addition to the series yet. While there’s no synopsis to clue us into its story, Onyx Storm‘s ending sets up some intriguing directions for the series to go in. It’s likely Violet and Xaden will be separated for much of the next book, as Xaden gives into his venin transformation and leaves in Onyx Storm, telling Violet not to look for him.

Inheriting this power will force Violet into a position of leadership in Onyx Storm‘s sequel, placing even more weight on her shoulders.

There’s also the matter of their marriage — something Violet has no recollection of, thanks to Imogen’s memory-wiping signet. It seems Xaden married Violet to ensure she’d inherit Aretia and his power over Tyrrendor. There’s no one else he could entrust to keep his people safe, especially with Bohdi seemingly uninterested (and potentially missing). Inheriting this power will force Violet into a position of leadership in Onyx Storm‘s sequel, placing even more weight on her shoulders.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros on purple background with dragon

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The war against the venin will rage on in the fourth Empyrean Series sequel, likely with Xaden on the villains’ side. Onyx Storm‘s ending suggests another one of his and Violet’s friends has turned as well. This means there will be characters that readers love on both sides of the conflict. With so few major deaths in Onyx Storm, it’s possible the next installment will be a bloodbath. And there are still numerous questions that need to be answered in book four, like who the venin Sage really is and whether there are more traitors at Basgiath.

How Many More Books In The Empyrean Series Will There Be

Rebecca Yarros Is Planning 5 Books In Total

The cover of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros with the Iron Flame and Fourth Wing covers enlarged as the background
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon

The fourth book in The Empyrean Series will have high stakes because of everything Onyx Storm sets up — but also because it’s nearing the conclusion of Yarros’ story. After Iron Flame’s release, the author told Variety that she’s currently planning to write five books in total, even though she initially envisioned it as three. “Probably about 30,000 words in, I called my editor and I said, I think this is a five-book series,” she explained.

There’s a lot of ground to cover after Onyx Storm, as the state of Navarre and its surrounding kingdoms isn’t much better than it was at the end of Iron Flame.

On the bright side, this means Onyx Storm‘s follow-up won’t be the last adventure with Violet and Xaden. But it still must set up that finale. There’s a lot of ground to cover after Onyx Storm, as the state of Navarre and its surrounding kingdoms isn’t much better than it was at the end of Iron Flame. The venin remain powerful, and there are still mysteries to solve, leaving Yarros with plenty to do over the last two books.

The Empyrean Series Books Should Stay Ahead Of Fourth Wing’s TV Show

Fourth Wing book cover on television background
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Readers may be eager for the next Empyrean Series book, but they also have Amazon’s Fourth Wing TV show to look forward to. Yarros offered an exciting update while speaking to Good Morning America, revealing that she’s read scripts and is happy with them. “I was super scared to read it,” she admitted, “because when you hand somebody your baby and you say, ‘Tell me what you think is important in here,’ you’re kind of like, ‘It’s all important.’“

Custom image of the special edition Fourth Wing book with a silhouetted dragon and fire in the background. 

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It seems the Fourth Wing series is making progress, but fortunately, it’s unlikely to catch up to the books and face the same issue as Game of Thrones. The series appears to be in the early stages of development, so it probably won’t arrive for another year or two at the earliest. By then, the fourth addition to The Empyrean Series should be close to coming out — if it isn’t out already. With streamers typically taking a year between seasons, there’s a good chance Yarros will be done with the books before Amazon’s show adapts the last two.

And Yarros even told Variety in November 2023 that she doesn’t plan on lagging behind the show: “So I can promise, unless something happens to me, we’re not going to have that situation.” That bodes well for the next Empyrean Series book, offering hope that it won’t take too long to turn around. It’s also an exciting prospect for those excited to see Fourth Wing adapted. It sounds like the TV show and books will give fans plenty of new content in the coming years.

Source: Instagram, Variety, Elle, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America