Onyx Storm Spoilers: Final 12 Hours Theory

Here's my incomplete break down for the last 12 hours. It's kind of a lot and not perfect in any way so please bear with me here LOL. Please help me add on!

After Xaden channeled directly from the ground to create the onyx storm, he lost parts of his soul. However, the only part of his soul he managed to hold onto was his love for Violet (OS, p 523).

1. Xaden's Conversation with Sgaeyl

After channeling, Xaden turns to Sgaeyl and asks, "Will you forsake me now?" Sgaeyl responds, "What is there left of you [aka what is left of your soul] to forsake?" This moment is so important! Sgaeyl is acknowledging that Xaden has lost nearly everything--but Xaden shows her the one piece of his soul that remains intact: his love for Violet.

2. Breaking the Mating Bond to Protect Violet
Throughout the book, Violet repeatedly promised 2 things:
a.) She would find a cure for Xaden.
b.) She would look after Tyrrendor should anything happen to Xaden.

We also learned that Andarna has the ability to break bonds. Leothan explains to Andarna, "Bonds are merely magical ties. You are irid. You are magic. Bend it, shape it, break it as you see fit" (OS, p 443).

Xaden's plan seems to have been to break the mating bond between Sgaeyl and Tairn to sever the connection that tied Violet's life to his. Why? Because throughout the book, even in the final chapter, multiple characters mentioned that the easiest way to kill Xaden would be to kill Violet. He didn't want to risk Violet's life, so he convinced Tairn and Sgaeyl to break their bond. The evidence for this is found on pages 526 & 527: Tairn needs a full cycle of rest to recover, and Violet can no longer feel her bond with Xaden.

3. Calling in his favor from the high priestess of Dunne
Xaden calls in his favor from the high priestess of Dunne in Aretia. While we don't know what marriage looks like in this world, I believe they truly got married---but it wasn't just a symbolic union. It involved binding Xaden's remaining intact soul to Violet. He likely had to fully give up this last part of his soul.

4. Xaden's ~horcrux~ moment--his soul in the emerald ring
In Harry Potter terms, Xaden essentially "horcruxed" himself. With his last intact fragment of soul, I think the high priestess helped cleave his soul and bind it to Violet--most likely through the emerald ring. That way, there is still something left for Violet to save. Violet now carries the last piece of Xaden's soul, ensuring that a cure is still possible.

5. Xaden's Final Note to Violet
His note to her says, "Don't look for me. It's yours now." Some people initially thought this referred to Tyrrendor, but throughout the entirety of Onyx Storm, Xaden always referred to Tyrrendor as she, never "it." So, what does "it's yours now" mean? His soul. He's telling her she now carries the last remaining part of him.

Where this leaves us for book 4: The next book will likely focus on Violet not only trying to track down Xaden, but more importantly, find a cure for him. The final book will probably be the final war against the venin.