While Waiting for Empyrean Book 4, Rebecca Yarros Says Threshing Day Is Officially the Most Important Read

A companion with clues

Threshing Day is a collection of short stories centered on the dangerous ceremony, rather than a single continuous narrative. Marketed as “The Empyrean book 3.5,” it features 13 points of view, including Xaden, Sloane and Mira.

Some fans have skipped it because it is presented as a companion book. But comments Yarros made at a Denver launch event suggest it offers more than extra perspectives on the ceremony.

Yarros points to book four

She did not identify particular chapters. Readers who want to look for hints before the next novel may find the collection especially appealing; the article also reports that some readers say it changes what they know about the dragons.

Optional, but revealing

Yarros said the companion book is not required to understand the main story. “The reveals in Threshing will come in book 4,” she said, adding that she does not want readers to feel they must buy another book to follow the plot.

That leaves fans to choose whether to seek out the clues now or wait for the next installment. Threshing Day was released on September 29, 2026.

The wait continues

Almost a year after Onyx Storm was released, no date has been announced for Empyrean book 4. Yarros began drafting it in March 2026, and the article estimates a possible release around mid-to-late 2027.

That estimate could shift if Yarros is developing books 4 and 5 together, a possibility described as heavily rumored. The article notes that waiting longer may allow time for a stronger book.