M: Hello, Crescent City crew. We are back with episode two of House of Sky and Breath, and things are getting messy. Chapters nine through fifteen bring us questionable decisions, suspicious new information, some seriously tense encounters, and because Bryce apparently Doesn't have a life that's complicated enough, even more secrets. Everyone is investigating everyone, nobody is telling the whole truth, and somehow the list of people we trust is nearly non-existent at this point. So grab your drink, your book journal, possibly some stress-relieving fidget toys, and we are going to dive into chapters 9 through 15. of House of Sky and Breath. Prepare for the unhinged. Let's go.

C: So we ended the last episode. After we've reacquainted ourselves with our favorite characters, gotten a few new characters, found out that there is a lot more going on in the world, or we're starting to see a lot more going on in the world than we did in the first book, outside of Crescent City. Bryce is now magically engaged to some fae butthole and we're not quite sure what we think of him, but we're leaning towards we like him. He's a he's a shadowy person, so we're on board. And we ended with Jesiba giving Bryce a little bit of information as well as giving her a little bit of advice on how terribly boring it would be if she continued to obey the Asterie and didn't do anything else. Which come on, it's Bryce. It's it she's not gonna just sit there and play house with Hunt. She's not doing a very good job of it already. So We also got Ithan coming back into Bryce's life. he is He is wounded, right? That happened.

M: Mm-hmm.

C: Yeah. He is wounded. He was kicked out of the pack. Amelie's pack by Sabine and Amelie. He is also kicked out of the Valbaran wolves completely. He is a wolf without a pack at the moment. So we're gonna get to see him a little bit more. and we also finally have the announcement of who is going to be our next archangel. for this area. we're finally getting the new governor for Lunathian. She's coming the following day. there has been very little information on this woman. her name is Celestina. And from what they can tell is she's fairly green. She has a very small territory currently. she does not have a triari. She kind of has a little army, a legion of her own, but it really just reports up to the Asteri directly. So she's more or less a figurehead in her current governorship. And so now she is being moved over to Lunathian to be the governor over all of Valbara, which is a little odd, at least from everyone's perspective. They're not quite sure why she was selected. we also find out that the star tattoo kind of thing, the star mark that Bryce now has on her chest likes to glow randomly. It specifically has started glowing when Cormac, her now betrothed, first came in to Ruhn's house when she was visiting Ruhn and we start out this chapter with him visiting her at work where she works in the fae Archives, and again it is glowing faintly. and of course, Bryce is super snarky to him as well because she's super snarky to everybody. she does mention that he has a tattoo of strange symbols encircling his left bicep, and that the black ink was glowing in the bright lights. he does kind of confirm that her light glows in his presence. He says it's because their union is predestined. And that it was predestined by the Oracle. And Bryce wants to know which Oracle, and that's when we find out that there are 12 Sphinxes around the world, and that the next one is even more of a B word than the last. And the meanest of all of them dwelled with the ocean queen's court beneath. and Cormac tells her that it was the oracle in Avallen And she specifically told him that he was destined to unite with a princess who possessed a star in her heart, and that our mingling would bring great prosperity to our people. So the oracle didn't specifically say that they would get married, just that their mingling would be prosperous for their people. Cormac is coming to visit her because he wants to see where she works and we get a little bit more information on Avallen essentially the women in Avallen do not work, especially those who have money. And so his comment is essentially you will have to get used to those traditions and not working when we get married and move back to Avallen. because in Avallen the people have left the old traditions untouched. they have not modernized whatsoever. This is true like ancient fe traditions where women have zero rights, essentially. Bryce asks if She can pay him off to leave her alone. And he says no, he has more gold than he knows what to do with, and money holds little power over him. But he does tell her, once you bear me a couple of heirs, then you can take whatever lovers you wish, and I will do the same. The marriage doesn't have to burden either of us. And her response is, except for the part where I'd actually have to sleep with you and live in a backwater land. He continues to bring up, that he's going to you do this for his people. he is not doing it out of any sort of love, obviously, for Bryce or even attraction for her, but out of a desire to unionize his people, their people, the fae people, but also strengthen their bloodlines. And we'll find out why in a little bit. Then we switch to Hunt, and Hunt is meeting with Celestina for the first time. Bryce told him to not be a butthole for this meeting to try and be nice and approachable. with Celestina, he succeeds, but with others he does not. So he does pull a hunt. but we do get a little description on Celestina. She has glowing skin that was as dark as Onyx. light brown eyes, very delicate mouth that seemed always in a patient smile. that was almost gentle or kind, but it throws him off because he's not used to archangels that are gentle or kind or understanding. and that's definitely the vibe that Celestina gives off. that Hunt assumed there was going to be, you know, this large ceremony to welcome her and really she just came in and walked past the crowd and stopped throughout asking angels for their names and thanking them for thanking her for being there for welcoming her. so she kind of not that she's trying to be like them or act like she's one of just the normal angels, but she is trying to be personable, kind of have the open door policy where anyone can walk in and discuss their concerns with her. she tells them that she's happy to meet them, happy to work with them. so it is just Naomi, Isaiah, and Hunt who are left from the original five triari because Victoria and Justinian are dead or gone. and so it's just three out of the five that she has. And she tells them she does not want subservience. She wants her triari to be her partners. to work alongside her to protect the city and the territory and to help it meet its great potential. that Micah did things a certain way and she does not plan to do things the same way. That they are partners and that she has found that having a partnership works wonders with her legion compared to the way other archangels have ruled where there's more of like a hierarchy. Of course, none of them believe her because they just assume this is a front that she's putting on just to kind of lure them in. She does plan on having Isaiah remain the kind of commander of the thirty third and the head of the triari, but she does want Hunt and Naomi to still be a part of it as well. and she even mentions that she learned about Hunt's relationship with Bryce and how Micah did things in the wrong way and she plans to not do things the wrong way, essentially. she mentions that she doesn't mind if Hunt continues to live with Bryce. He does not have to live in the comitium Even says to Naomi and Isaiah, if they choose to buy houses or live outside of the comitium that's fine with her, that they're welcome to do that. that she is not in the business of keeping slaves, and though the Asteri have branded them as such, in her eyes they are all considered free. And to Isaiah, she does say that she will continue to try and push the Asteri to freeing Isaiah, which is apparently what Micah was working towards. and we do kind of get a little bit in this in this chapter, because it is from Hunt's perspective, that he maybe doesn't feel bad that he's free and Isaiah isn't, but he does kind of have that camaraderie with Isaiah and does kind of not regret it. Like I said, it doesn't quite feel bad, but he does a little bit that he got the tattoos removed. And is a branded a free person and no longer a slave, whereas Isaiah is he's not. He still has the slave tattoo and he still has the halo. Celestina does tell us that she does want them to meet every morning to discuss any updates that she has, any news, but to also discuss what they plan to do for that day. she doesn't want them getting up super early, so she's like, well, we'll just be here around nine. That sounds good. she does tell Hunt she wants him to continue his containment and extermination against the demons. So just right on track with what he already does or has done. But she doesn't mention anything about being like her personal assassin. So that is different compared to Micah. she does then have some not great news to share with them that the Asteri was supposed to send them a letter letting them know that this was happening, but they didn't. So Celestina goes on to tell them that the Asteri kind of found themselves in a predicament because they had two archangels that were dead and a full triari from Sandriel and only a partial triari from Micah. And so Celestina is the one who's taken over Crescent City and Valbara. She doesn't have a Triari, so that's why she's taking on these three from Micah's. But that Ephraim, who took over Sandriel's territory, he does have a full triari already. And because of that, he wanted to bring that triari with him. So that left all five of Sandriel's Triari kind of out a job. So what they've decided to do is essentially split up that set of triari. three went to Ephraim, two went to Celestina. And that at that point, Pollux Antonius, the hammer, and Baxian Argos, the hellhound, walk in. These are the two new Triari members for Celestina. We do get a slight description of Baxian because we have not met Baxian, not seen him yet. We did get a description of Pollux. He's essentially like blonde and gorgeous, but super mean, feral. Not sure that we're gonna like him or not. We haven't decided yet. But we do get a description of Baxian. He is the hellhound. he is dark haired, brown skinned, tall, finely muscled, obviously everybody's muscled. he has black wings. that were very similar to crow's feathers and how they shimmered. And a wicked scar snaking down his neck, forking across the column of his throat, and we find out that actually Hunt gave him that scar with his lightning, and that's why it never healed properly. and that Baxian's eyes are described as obsidian. So again, we have our word, obsidian. versus Pollux who is blonde with blue eyes. and it doesn't take much for Hunt to attack Pollux. All Pollux has to say is hello friends and Hunt jumps at him. we switch to Ithan and get our first Ithan perspective in this book. He is hanging out in Bryce's apartment. Super bored, but he can't do a whole lot because he is still healing from everything that Sabine and Amelie did to him. we do find out that it is Perry Ravenscroft, who is Amelie's younger sister and the Omega of the Black Rose pack. She is the one who got Ithan to Bryce's apartment after he was beaten up. and she is now checking in with him to make sure he's still alive. and this is where we get a little snippet of he is a wolf without a pack. It was considered a soul wound, and that most wolves, because they're our social creatures by nature, most wolves that were thrust out of their own packs couldn't overcome the soul wound that that dealt them. But because Ithan was already dealt a soul wound two years ago when his brother died. He thinks he can survive not having a pack. And then we switch back to Bryce. Bryce has been called by Celestina, to come and pick up Hunt because he is in a cell for attacking Pollux. Of course, Pollux is also in a cell because Pollux fought back. So she comes in and is frowning at him because of course he has a black eye, a swollen lip, cuts all over his temple and his hairline. And she says, Her your new boss filled me in. She sounds nice, by the way. Especially since she puts your butts in here and she didn't kick you to the curb. And Then we find out it was actually Isaiah who put them in the cells and not Celestina, because Isaiah is in charge of the Triari as well, and he's trying trying at least to get some sort of order amongst the Triari. We get, of course, some back and forth between the two of them because it's Bryce and Hunt. They're gonna tease each other to the point of being butts. we actually get Baxian, the Hellhound, also his kind of come down with Bryce to overhear what's gonna happen between the three of them as she gets Hunt out of the cell. and we also get another description of the Hellhound that he is an angel with the rare ability to shift. into the form that had given him his nickname. So he shifts into a hellhound, which we I think we've gotten the description a little bit in the first book that there are hellhounds in What's it called? The bone quarter. Hellhounds are like the dogs of Hel, where the the the dead go. And so the under king does have hellhounds. Which we will find more find out more about hellhounds later on. Pollux does try to kind of croon and talk to Bryce. Hunt, of course, cuts him off. Pollux does make a comment about doesn't her kind usually work the night shift? And Bryce's response is any other outdated jobs you want to throw my way? Because sex work is a respectable profession in Crescent City. And it's not my fault that Pangira hasn't caught up with modern times. And Pollock's response is, Micah should have killed you. And she says, Really? That's the best you can come up with? I thought the hammer was supposed to be some kind of badass. And he's like, Well, I thought half breeds were supposed to keep their mouths shut. Fortunately I know the perfect thing to shove down that trap of yours to shut you up. And Bryce's response is Careful, I use teeth Which I'm just

M: Yeah.

C: like, Yep. That is a perfect, like the epitome of a Bryce response right there. She does tell him that She is going to make his life a living Hel if he touches Hunt again. and she does step up to Pollux's cell. He lunges for her, trying to grab her neck, obviously to strangle her, and she flares her light enough that it can blind. And so Pollux actually takes a couple steps back. And it's at that point that Baxian, the hellhound, kind of laughs and steps up. And she says to him, I take it I'll be seeing more of you than I'd like. He bows. Baxian bows to her. And he is in lightweight black armor made of overlapping plates. It reminds her very much of Hunt's, but it's more of a reptilian version of Hunt's suit. And Baxian jokes and says, Maybe you'll give me a tour. Hunt, of course, says, Keep dreaming dreaming. But the hellhound does say, I'm glad someone finally put a bullet through Micah's head. And at that point Bryce decides she's going to ignore Baxie and she's done with that conversation. So she's getting Hunt out, tells him he can't get into any more fights. So Celestina does unlock the cell so that he is able to leave. Only if Bryce keeps Hunt in line, essentially. Then we switch to Tharion and we actually get a little bit more information background wise on Tharion and the Myrrh people. So Tharion isn't necessarily in his job because he chose it, which is the theme that we talked about in the first book that a lot of high high or highly powerful, a lot of powerful beings in this world kind of are predestined to have certain jobs. And so he was kind of forced into. the position that he has being the head of the investigative unit. for the Blue Court, which is for the River Queen. that he initially was told to show the daughter of the Queen of the Blue Court, the River Queen, show her daughter how to use a computer, and then because of that he ends up sleeping with her, and then because of that, he is now kind of betrothed to her. Or at least she feels like she has a claim over him. And so the River Queen gave him this job as kind of a peace offering, but also kind of a this is how you're going to stay in line or how I'm going to keep you in line. and then he wasn't really happy with the job. Again, he's not sure how he got it because he was that lazy kid in school, but he does have it. He is looking into Sophie Renast's death. So he was sent out to try and find her body, wasn't able to find it, but did find like the shackles and the blocks on the bottom of the ocean floor, but they had been unlocked. So he's not sure if if Sophie is alive or if someone took or ate her body. But he is now looking into all of Sophie's tech no tech things. So he's looking into her email that Declan Emmett had actually set up a system for him. That he could hack into different things. So he hacks into Sophie's email. and is looking through it. Most of the emails are, you know, most of this stuff is from three years ago before Emile, her brother went, or before her parents died and they were branded as rebels. But most of the emails are just kind of back and forth between Emile and Sophie, very sister brother. Like loving type emails just between two siblings. as he is going through the different emails, we get a little bit of information on the blue court itself and mer and that there is actually kind of like some warehouses or buildings built on the floor of the river for technology, because obviously it doesn't work in water. and so that is where he has an office and that he actually has a living space there as well because he doesn't like sleeping in the water. He prefers to have a warm, comfy bed. And we find out that there is a limited amount of time he can be out of the water without losing his tail. So he has to go and submerge himself completely in water every so often so that he can actually turn back into a mermaid and then he can switch back to having legs without any consequences. He does find some interesting emails between Sophie Renast and someone named or the who uses the email of Banshee Fan56. One of the emails, again, all from three years ago, was very simple and nonsensical, but it stood out because of that. And the subject was Dusk's truth. and that Sophie had written saying working on gaining access will take time and that was it. And that was in response to Banshee fan fifty six saying, Have you gotten inside yet? I wanna know the full story. He searches for Dusk's truth, but isn't able to come up with anything in regards to movies, books, TV shows, nothing. So he searches the email for Banshee Fan 56 to see if there's any other correspondent between the two of them. And there is another email thread that is subject project Thor. And it's not Thor. Thor as in T H O R, it is Thor as in T H U R R. So it's very similar but not quite the same. And the thread says could be useful to you read it from Banshee Fan. Sophie replies with just did, I think it's a long shot and the six will kill me for it. We're assuming that the six are the six Asteri so he searches for Project Thor as well online and isn't able to find anything either, other than news reports on archaeological digs or an art gallery exhibit featuring the ancient demigod. So we did talk in the last episode that Bryce also has a couple run-ins with artifacts, tapestry as well as a bust, that it is Thor, Thor, whoever you however you want to pronounce it for this book. But He is finding something that's in regards to Thor, and she has also come across some ancient artifacts of this character, who is an ancient demigod. So then Banshee Fan56 had written back when you find him, lie low in the place I told you about, where the weary souls find relief from their suffering in Lunathion. It's secure. And so then he pulls up the program that Declan had created for him. searches the sender's address and realizes that Banshee Fan56 was Danika Fendyr So crazy secrets are coming out again.

M: Not in a Sarah book. No way.

K: Do we find out in this part where Danika's says when you find lie low in the place I've told you about. Does that do we know that yet?

M: They they speculated that it was potentially bone quarter at one point, and then later on they kind of squashed that in these chapters we read.

K: Okay, okay, okay. Yeah. Okay. Okay.

C: Next set. Yes. Yep.

K: Okay.

M: Haha, I had an answer before well, at the same time as C for once.

K: 'Cause reading over it again I was I was like, Okay, that sounds like the bone quarter, but I couldn't remember if we got that answer or not.

C: Right? It does. It does sound like the bone quarter. so yeah, at this point Dharin has to run to like a a submerged tank area so that he can let the water from the river come in and he can switch shift into a mermaid so that he doesn't lose his fin. But he is thinking through, okay, now he knows Danika knew Sophie, or at least they swapped emails during a six-month period leading up to Danika's death. But that there is nothing prior to that six month period, nor was there obviously anything recent. And then he goes through some reports that he has received. And there is actually a report that came in from the Nelthian marshes that a small boat had been abandoned. It was nothing unusual but its resignation. Snagged his eye because it had made birth in Pangira. And that there was an ad an adolescent-sized life vest with bodograven written on the back that had been found in the boat. No one had no one was in the boat, but a scent lingered. It was human, male, and young. So Tharion is assuming this is Emile Renast. So he does go out to the area in the marshes. we get a little bit of information on the marshes, just in the sense that it sounds very similar to the marshes in Eyllwe in Throne of Glass, that there are lots of river beasts in the marshes, and that. Tharion was very careful in the pathways that he selected on his way through because he did not he didn't want to get attacked by any of the marsh beasts. when he does make it to the boat he realizes that there is also another smell and it is the smell of an adult. Then he finds essentially some body parts stripped up, an arm of a human male. and that the blood was fresher or the scent was fresher than the boy scent on the boat by a day or so. So he's assuming that Emile ran away from wherever on this little boat, landed here on purpose because there's still plenty of gas in the tank. So he could have gone further, but he he sl he landed here most likely on purpose, and that someone came after him, probably trying to find him, track him down as well. finds he does find the ophian insignia on the arm and that there is an extra symbol for the light fall squadron which is led by Pippa spetos. he can then smell several males and a female, all adults, all coming from inland, not from the water. And realizes this is probably Pippa herself. Who led the unit here trying to get the boy? But he doesn't think that she was leading the unit to get the boy out of the goodness of her heart. So he does order some of his men to track down Emile through the marshes to see if they can find him. essentially they don't want to actually find him. They just want to find where he is and then to track him to see where he goes and see who the boy will lead them to. we do switch back to Hunt and Bryce And they're walking back from her letting him out of the the cell. she is walking her bike because it was making some odd noises. And at this point we find out that Hunt actually has a lot of knowledge on fixing machines like this. We find out that one of the things Sandriel made him do was take Ophian's mech suits. Which were essentially like a a skeletal armor that humans would stand in, that they would be within it, and they could pilot it and move as easily as they moved their bodies. They could use a seven-foot sword, some of them charged with first light, some with massive guns, and they could go head to toe with a wolf shifter and still walk away from it. So they were the human army's most valuable asset. And the only way of withstanding the vanir attack. And so we find out that Sandriel had him sabotage some of these mech suits, that they would steal them, mess them up internally with the certain parts, and then give them back so that when the humans went to use them in their rebellion, that they actually stopped working or caused extra issues for them. and so Hunt is going to try and fix Bryce's bike, her little scooter. they do kind of talk a little bit about Celestina. Hunt says that sh he spoke to her for about five minutes before Pollex came in and then the fight broke out. So it wasn't enough time to make a judgment. Bryce says that Naomi and Isaiah told her that they like Celestina so far, but that kind of concerns Hunt because he's used to kind of having a sociopath as an archangel and not someone who's nice and approachable. but they do talk about Pollux being sent and that the Asteri probably sent him there specifically, probably to rile them up, maybe try and get Hunt to do something he shouldn't, like kill Pollux or try to, in excuse for the Asteri to get away with getting rid of Hunt and or Bryce, that there probably wouldn't be a public trial and that they wouldn't have anything To use against them. Bryce is trying to take kind of a more positive thought process with all of this. Hunt is looking at it like a pessimist that nothing good ever happens for them. So why should this be something good? Bryce is kind of taking it as well Celestina might actually be a decent person, he says he's got more to more than 200 years of history telling him to be wary of her, of archangels in general. And Bryce's response is I think we might need to start believing in our good luck.

M: We don't know.

C: And his response is Ithan's arrival is the exact opposite of good luck. and as they're talking, they're walking through the city and we find out at this point that the gates are back to being used as communication devices like they had been in ancient days. Because of what Bryce did when she kind of broadcasted across the city asking for help to close the gates, she kind of reminded everybody that that's what they were initially used for. So now they're being used for public announcements as well as for announcements from the Asteri, specifically from Rhigulus himself. So it's interesting that they've kind of reverted back to old ways since what Bryce did. Probably the Asteri thinking let's control the narrative and kind of pull the focus away from Bryce and what she did and put the focus back on them would be my guess. and then at that point they do end up walking up to the Istros. with ice cream, 'cause they've gotten ice cream. That is how you calm yourself down in case no one knows you need to eat ice cream. so they're having some ice cream after his little high his little fight. And they actually see a reaper come across the river, the Istros, from the bone quarter. and we do get a slight description on the reaper that it was clothed and veiled in billowing black that hid all indication of whether the reaper was male, female, young or old, because such things did not matter to reapers. And we do get, at least I think our first phantom. This is a phantom breeze fluttered the reaper's robes. trailing veil as it aimed for the small park beyond the quay. And it did not look their way. that reapers were considered vanir, that they called themselves immortal, but they could die from trauma, or no, veinier called themselves immortal, but they could die from trauma or sickness. Even the Asteri were killable, but the reapers were not. They were essentially death. they overcame death. that they there were reapers that dwelled in every eternal isle in the world. And so we find out that there are multiple eternal isles, which is essentially places where the dead go. So we have the bone quarter in Lunathion, the catacombs in the eternal city, and the summer lands in Avallen, each of the sacred sleeping domains guarded by a f fierce monarch. Hunt, we're in Hunt's perspective. So he mentions that he had never met the underking of Lunathion and hoped he never would. Foreshadowing I and that

M: Mm.

C: the Reapers are actually like half lives is what people called them. They were humans and vanir who had once been alive and who had faced death and offered their souls to the under king as his private guards and servants instead. The cost was to live forever, unaging and unkillable, but never again able to sleep, eat, or do anything fun. and so the vanir do not mess with them when they come out into the city. And so of course this completely takes away the calming effects of the ice cream they just ate, and Bryce wants more. And Tharion has now come riding on his little rave wave runner super fast up to them because he needs to talk to them. So they do get to Bryce and Hunt's apartment. of course Hunt and Bryce start arguing immediately because Dharien is dirty and he wants to sit on the white couch. And Bryce's response is, don't you dare? And Hunt's response is, I don't know why people would buy white couches unless like you just use an insta spell to get it clean. And Darian's response is domestic domestic bliss, I see that you're living in. So Bryce does send a secret message off to Ruhn as well to get over there as soon as possible because she has a feeling that whatever Therin is going to say, Ruhn is Ruhn needs to hear it as well. And she realizes that whatever Tharion is going to say, she wants Ruhn to know and that that was a weird thought for her, but it was also nice because they're over the last couple of months they've continued to rebuild their relationship. So Tharion tries to beat around the bush a little bit, not give them all the information, but try and get some information in regards to Danika from them. But Bryce, of course, sees through it and gets him to explain everything. That's when he tells us about Sophie Renast and her brother Emile, that they passed as humans, but they were both thunderbird powers. and Hunt, of course, brings up well, I thought the Asteri had dis extinguished them, that they were too dangerous and volatile to be allowed to live. That was the history they'd been spoon-fed in school. A grave threat to the empire. They're little more than myths now. So I think it's super interesting and I'm gonna point it out because I feel like this is not in this set of chapters we're gonna talk about today is this is not the first time we get it hinted that this the history books that they've been kind of spoon fed are incorrect or have been adjusted by the Asteri so that they only know the history the Asteri wants them to know. Which we also kind of got a little bit of that from the first book. in the sense that Jessba had all of those books from before the Asteri got to that world and that the Asteri were would have destroyed all of those books had they known sooner that Jessba had all of them. So we just have another kind of reminder of that. And then Bryce remembers that there was another Another Jelly Jubilee like horse that was a Thunderbird It was blue and white unicorn Pegasus who could wield all types of energy. So essentially had the power of a Thunderbird. and that she hadn't been able to get her hands on one even though she'd wanted one. Tharion goes on to tell them that Emile got away. They're not sure what happened to Sophie. They know she was caught by the hind, but that's all the information that they have. and that the Emile got away only to run into Ophian, but it seems he came this way, and various parties are still very interested in finding him because of the powers he possesses. And Sophie too, if she survived. Hunt's response is, of course, well, no one survives the hind. And Tharion tells them, well, the ocean floor, we found the lead blocks and the chains attached to them, but they were unlocked. It seems that Sophie either made it or someone snatched her corpse. And Bryce asks why the

M: Yeah.

C: river queen wants both the kid and Sophie. Of course, Tharion doesn't know. He does make it a point to say that she is not affiliated with Ophian and the rebels in any way, that the river queen is not. Tharion, of course, wants to go and walk away at that point after telling them that Danika was in contact with Sophie because Ithan and Bryce both don't have any information on this. Bryce, of course, stops him. Ithan brings up an interesting point. He says, if Emile had all of this great power and he was in Kavala for almost three years, why did he not use it to free himself? And Therian's response is to kind of mutter, well, who knows? Maybe he didn't know how to control it. Maybe he was too tired or too drained. Who knows? Of course, Bryce's response is she wants to find Emile because she wants to help him. Not because of the power that he has, but because he is a kid being chased after by lots of powerful people, and she wants to help him have a normal life. And then of course Ruhn steps into the the space as well. Ruhn wants to know what's going on. Bryce tells him that she'll fill him in later. And Bryce at least tells him that Tharion thinks Danika was involved with the rebels because he was in contact with Sophie. and they end up agreeing that the hind one might be on her way to them if Sophie andor Emile is in is headed in this direction and that's somebody else, other people, more than just the River Queen and the Hind might be looking for him. Bryce doesn't want Tharion to hand Emile over to his queen. He says well he would be safe beneath. It takes the Asteri a long time to find him. But of course, Bryce's response is, I'm not gonna let you do that. I'm gonna protect him. Hunt is struggling with this because at this point, Bryce has essentially said she is going to look for Emile. She is stepping in. She is going to essentially become a rebel or become associated with a rebel. and Hunt is concerned because he does not want to be he has just recently overcome so many things that had to do with him being a rebel in the last book, dealt with so much of it 200 years ago from being a rebel. he doesn't want to jump in again. He is putting his foot down, trying to say no, that he does not want to do this, or that they at least need to think it through before they jump in. no one has heard whether the hind is coming to the area or not. We are gonna get a little bit more information in a couple of pages. Hunt does question Bryce, is this really about finding the kid and helping him, or is it just about learning something new about Danika? And of course it's a little bit of both for her because She does not want someone his age to get end up on the battlefield for either side. So she stepped into her own room to change and do that, kinda give herself a breather when she comes back out. she says she's ordering pizza and of course Hunt has gone to his room as well because he also needs a breather. and so then we switch to Hunt's perspective. He's frustrated, obviously, with Tharion for bringing Bryce into all of this, for dangling this in front of them. but this is also her desire to help others is also what attracted him to her. It's one of the things that he loves about her. So he's struggling with it because he doesn't want to jump in and get this close to the rebels, but he knows that this is something Bryce is gonna need to do. So obviously he's gonna let her do it because they're a team and they do things together, but he's gonna try really hard to keep her safe through all of it. So then we get pizza night. And I think it's really funny because Ruhn has stayed. And so it's Hunt, Ruhn, Bryce, and Ithan. And Bryce orders pizza and she knows the different kinds of people pizza that everybody likes. And Hunt and Ithan know the kind of pizza she likes, but Ruhn does not because they have not built that relationship back up just yet. But they're on their way there. And she's not sure if she should be impressed or disturbed at the fact that both Ithan and Hunt both remember her favorite pizza. we do get some mind spank between Ruhn and Bryce, which I think is really funny because we've seen this multiple times in Sarah's other series, that they're kind of talking back and forth. And it's Hunt that says some might consider it rude to have a silent conversation in front of other people. But What they do talk about is that it's weird that Ithan is there. Bryce thinks it's weird for him too. Ruhn does point out that because she is considered a starborn princess, that she's technically harboring an exiled wolf. And because of all the political crap, it could be considered an act of war against Sabine and the other wolves. But Ruhn does offer for him to Ithan to come stay with him and Declan and Flynn. And Bryce's responsible isn't that the same political crap. And he says yes, but I can say I'm hiring him to work for the fae out of the aux claim it's for a top secret investigation. And Sabine can't get around that. So Bryce wants to give Ithan a couple of days so that it doesn't feel like she's trying to kick him out. And then yes, it would probably be a good idea for him to go stay with Ruhn instead. And I think this part is really funny because as soon as they're done having their little private conversation in their heads, Bryce's response, of course, snarky, is, Sorry, you're not magical special fae like this and Hunt's response is, Here we go. I was waiting for this day to come and Ithan's like, What day? And Hunt says, When Bryce realizes how truly obnoxious being a princess allows her to be Like more obnoxious than she already is.

M: So

C: And then Flynn and Declan break in to the not break in. They actually have a key into Bryce's apartment. Bryce wants to know how the heck they have keys and how their fingerprints work to get in her door. And they tell her that they took Ruhn's fingerprints one night when he was passed out drunk during the summer solstice. They got away into to get into her system. that Deck added. Both of theirs alongside Ruhn's and then they stole Ruhn's key while he wasn't looking. And Ruhn's like, Wow, thanks, guys. You're really making me look good. and then they turn to Ithan and see Ithan for the first time and f Declan says Bryce needed a new pet. Really? Since Ithan is a dog. Bryce was just about to ask Ruhn about his ordeal because she wants to know a little bit more information on Cormac. And she remembers Ruhn mentioning that Cormac was there when he went through his ordeal. So Declan, Flynn, and Ruhn tell them that they were about twenty-seven when Ruhn's father, the Autumn King, sent them to a Balin to check out the ladies, aka, see if meet some powerful fae females who the Autumn King might want them to marry. and that Cormac and the twins try to kill them. That Cormac literally put a sword through Declan's gut. And we find out that they egged on the Avallen fae to get to this point. we find out the Valbaran fae and the Avallen fae hate each other. The Avallen fae are a bunch of backward buttholes. Prince Cormac might be Ruhn's cousin, but he can drop dread for any for all anyone cares. and then a few weeks into their visit, King Morven who's Cormac's dad, he is considered the fae stag king. He ordered Ruhn to see if he could retrieve the star sword from the caves. And we find out he did this because Declan bragged that he could do it. And then he made fun of Cormac for not having gone to retrieve it himself, and that one of the Valbaran fae warriors was better than ten Avallen warriors. So Deck digs them a nice little hole and gets them all sent into the Cave of Princes to see if any of them can survive. So all three of them go in. They don't realize it until they get in there, but the caves are completely full of mist. Literally full of it. And that he also the king had also sent Cormac and the twins in to hunt them down. that Ruhn Dec and Flynn all got lost in the caves, and there was some scary stuff in there, ghouls, wraiths, all of them old and wicked. and that the six of them went from trying to kill each other to trying to just stay alive. and in the end, that Flynn, Deck, and Ruhn all ended up in the catacombs din deep beneath the cave, surrounded by blood-sucking spirits who were going to eat their bodies, then their souls. Or vice versa. that Ruhn actually got disarmed while fighting them, and he looked into the sarcophagus in the center of the chamber where they were trapped, and there it was, the star sword. so he pulls the star sword out of its sheath. Thankfully it worked, otherwise it would have killed him. and then everybody ran screaming from the caves when Ruhn drew the sword. and all of the bad guys then end up running right into Cormac and the twins, who were trying to hunt down Ruhn and his friends. And so then the three of them, Cormac and the twins, had no choice but to flee back to the castle. And of course, King Morven is not happy about it, especially when Ruhn returns with the star sword. and we end the chapter with Hunt pretty much saying he's not going to let Ithan sleep in Bryce's bed again. He will sleep there. Ithan can stay in his room. So of course, Bryce barely sleeps because she knows Hunt is in the bed with her and they have agreed not to do anything about it just yet. So the next morning Ember, her mom calls, which we love and hate her mother. Bryce puts the speaker phone on her puts the phone on speaker, slides it onto the island, and then backs away a few feet, almost like it's a bomb of compressed first light that was about to explode. Because of course, her mom is calling 'cause she just found out about her engagement to Cormac that has been announced. And Bryce says a wave was building, cresting, and about to break. And of course, Ember's first question is, is this engagement some scheme to prompt Hunt to finally confess his love? Of course, Hunt chokes on

M: Yeah.

C: his coffee because he didn't see that coming. But that's when Bryce tells her no it is to the crown prince of Avallen that she isn't gonna marry him. That's when she remembers that she did not tell anyone that Cormac ambushed her in the fae archives to talk to her. She he didn't actually touch her or anything like that. but that he kind of showed up and just wanted to assert his dominance essentially. but her mom kind of takes things a little too far, and Bryce actually puts her s her foot down for the first time that we've seen her. She does tell her mom, that she doesn't get a say in what she does or doesn't do and if she's smart she'll stay out of this completely. that sh her mom has no idea what she's been through, what she's faced, or what she's dealing with. And That dealing with this bogus engagement is nothing compared to that. So just drop it. Her mom says, Well, I wanna help and Bryce's response is, Yeah, thanks for the guilt trip 'cause that's about all the helping you did. Bryce's mom, of course, then gets pissed off at her and says, Fine, we're still at your disposal. Should you need us, your highness. And then hangs up before Bryce is able to respond. so then of course Hunt is a little upset that she didn't tell him that Cormac came to her job. sh her response is, well, it it didn't really mean anything to me, and therefore I forgot. That's the only reason why I didn't tell you. and they kind of step out at that point. Bryce they're both headed off to work and they're riding the elevator down together and Hunt it wants to know why things are so weird. and her response is, Are things weird? Because she's trying to play it off like nothing's wrong and he says, Don't play stupid. Last night was weird, right now is weird. Something is weird. so yes, things are super weird for them. They decide they're not gonna talk about it right now, but they do need to talk about it and they need to talk about Emile and discuss it, think through it before they jump into everything anything. Bryce agrees that yes, we'll talk about it before we do anything. so then they kind of part ways. Bryce goes to meet with Fury. and we get a very, very little amount of information on Fury. Still very minimal. We don't know a whole lot about her. we do find out that June was not promoted like she was supposed to be. that after everything that happened over the spring, that the C C B had decided to hold off on any new changes, and that included promoting Juniper to and we get get a chance for Bryce to ask Fury about Danika and Sophie. Fury mentions she doesn't know anything about the two of them talking or having emails back and forth. that she doesn't necessarily know anything about Danika being a rebel either. Fury does mention that the bone quarter being the place to lie low based on that hint is probably a little too obvious for something that Danika would recommend. that Fury doesn't know anything about Dusk's truth or Project Thor, but she does say Danika was always interested in weird and random things and that she'd spend hours getting sucked into a research hole. but Fury does tell her that the only other secret I knew about Danika was that she was a bloodhound. We find out a bloodhound can scent the bloodlines. And the secrets within them. And that's when Bryce remembers that she brought Danika home with her one time and Danika had been able to pick the family ties of everyone in Nidaros. And she thought it was just a wolf thing, but apparently it's actually super rare. and Fury says, I only know about it because she confronted me when we first met. She scented me and wanted to understand. We sorted out our stuff, but Danika knew something dangerous about me, and I knew something dangerous about her. And that's all we get. All we get at this point. That there's something in Fury's family line, her bloodline, that Danika Wanted to know about, wanted to understand, and Fury doesn't tell us. And Bryce doesn't ask. WTF. I wanna know. But nope, Bryce is more she's more focused on Danika and what the heck a bloodhound is.

M: No right.

C: And is it really that dangerous?

M: maybe all the things.

C: Which is total grab. But Fury does tell us that because people will pay very highly to use the gift and to kill anyone with it, that's why it's very dangerous to be a bloodhound. she says, imagine being able to tell someone's true lineage, especially if that person is a politician or some royal whose parent is parentage is in question. Apparently the gift came from her sires. line. So this is not a gift passed down from Sabine. It came from whoever Danika's father is. And Fury goes so far as to say it was only one of Danika's many powers. And we don't know who her father is because she didn't tell Bryce that either. Which is total crap, Bryce You need to ask more questions.

M: Yeah.

C: At that point, we jump back to Hunt. He and Isaiah are on the rooftop of one of the comediums watching some sparring from some of their soldiers. at this point, Hunt is also thinking through a couple different things. He's thinking about the possibility of looking for Emile and how close that'll bring them to the rebels. and thinking back to the rebellion that he led with Shahar, that before it happened, the final battle, that Isaiah actually came in and told him that it was it was a mistake to continue the rebellion, that they were going to be slaughtered, they have no allies, no route to retreat, and that the two of them, Hunt and Shahar, were going to get them all killed. And so after Isaiah told Hunt all of this, then Hunt goes to Shahar, who has heard everything, tells Hunt pretty much that Isaiah is wrong, he's just afraid, and Hunt had believed her, because he was also afraid, but he believed her and then they enjoyed their last night together, and then a a few hours after dawn she was dead. So he should have believed Isaiah. but then we get an interesting conversation between Hunt and Baxian the hellhound. So Baxian comes up, And actually tells Hunt that he's surprised he isn't dropped from boredom in Valbara because there's not a lot to do. And Hunt's response is, Well, some of us actually crave a normal life. and Baxian's response is, All those battles, all the glory you won for yourself, and now you simply just want a nine to five job. The male who gave me this and he gestures to a scar would be horrified. And Hunt's response is, the male who gave you that always wanted peace. Hunt brings up the multiple things that the hellhound has had done has done for Sandriel without a second thought. And Baxian actually tells him that he Hunt's always been a the literal sort that he couldn't read between the lines. And Hunt wants to know what he means by that. And Baxian says, I might not have been a slave as you were, but I had as little choice in serving Sandriel as you did. Only I didn't make my displeasure known. And Hunt calls BS on him that he served the Baxian served him, served her gladly. And that he doesn't get to rewrite the history now that he's here and away from Sandriel. But Baxton goes so far as to say, You never asked me why I was in her triari, not once in all those decades.

M: I'm

C: You're like everybody else, you're so surface level. Hunt tries to tell him to go get back to work. Vaccine says, Well, this is my work. Celestina told me to that I was supposed to team up with you. And then at that point, Celestina also messages Hunt. that she wants that Isaiah is going to be escorting her around the city, that Naomi is to help Pollux, and Hunt is to help Baxian, kind of to show them the ropes, not just the ins and outs of the 33rd, but also of the city, and to kind of ease them into life in Valbara. Baxian sounds kind of happy about this because he gets him away from Pollux. He says I've been stuck with that prick for a hundred years. It's someone else's turn to deal with him. And goes so far as to say, let Pollux dig his own grave here. He's too pissed about being separated from the Hind to understand his new reality. And this is where Hunt kind of fishes for a little bit of information. He mentions to Baxian, so the hind really isn't coming. And Baxian says no, Pollux got a call from her this morning and he's been moody ever since. so then Hunt asks, so did Mordoc finally make his move? And Mordoc, we found out at the beginning of the book, was the head of the Hinds dreadwolves. and he's as formidable as the Hind is. Baxian says no, Mordoc's not Lydia's type. Lydia is in the hind, and doesn't have the balls to go head to head with Pollux. Hunt then asks if Mordoc went with the Hind to Ephraim, and Baxian says yes. They're in Forvos right now. Ephraim's been keeping them close for the last few weeks. It's obviously pissed off the hind because she can't hunt for the rebels, but it's also made the harpy very mad. And the harpy is one of the other triari that apparently has also gone to Ephraim. Hunt asks. Or says to Baxian, I thought you and the Harpy were a pair. And Baxian doesn't confirm or deny. He just says she and Pollux would be a better pair than him and Lydia. and then he goes so far as to say, and Lydia will or they'll the harpy will make Ephraim miserable. Too bad I can't see it. Hunt then asks about the Hawk, which is one of the other ones. Baxian says he's doing what he does best, trying to outdo Pollux in cruelty and brutality. We find out he is a hawk shifter. He had long been Pollux's main rival for power, and that Hunt steered clear of him for decades, so at Baxian, because Hunt has never seen Baxian and the Hawk ever interact. So Hunt says to Baxian, you're a free male. Sandril's gone. Why keep serving at all? Baxian says, I can ask you the same question. Hunt makes the excuse excuse of I need the money. And Baxian's response is, really, Bryce Quinlan apparently is an expensive girlfriend. Kind of to taunt, hunt. And Baxtean goes so far as to say, I like her, she's got balls. Hunt then, of course, is going to threaten him because he's talking about Bryce. says, Don't talk to me unless I talk to you. Baxian tries to tell him I'm taking this assign assignment seriously. and then we switch back to Tharion He has come back to Bryce's apartment because he told them the night before that he was gonna come the next day at lunch. Bryce is running late, so it's just Ithan and Tharion hanging out, watching TV. We get some amusing back and forth in regards to Tharion wants to look through Bryce's underwear. Ithan, of course, is gonna try hard not to let him. but I do think it's interesting because Ithan does stand up against Tharion and says that he doesn't appreciate being brought being dragged into this or having Bryce dragged into it either, that Tharion is endangering her simply by mentioning it and hunting for the missing kid is one thing, but all this crap with Ophian is deadly. Tharion essentially says, Well, I have my orders, I have to obey them, and this is my best option. Ithan does give Tharion not really some information that helps, but just a little bit of information. And he says that Danika had told her that she was doing a research project on something that would likely lead her in a heap of trouble. But when I asked her later on what she'd gotten on the paper, she said she'd change subjects. And I always thought it was weird because Danika was relentless. If she was interested in something, she didn't stop. Ithan doesn't really believe that she'd have changed subjects of her paper without a good reason. so Ruhn meets Bryce outside of the fae archives so that they can walk back to her apartment and talk to Tharion together. and that she's actually asked Ruhn to come as her backup. So I said, we're starting to see their relationship grow back into where it was before. she does tell Ruhn that Danika was a bloodhound, which let me pause real fast so that we can talk about bloodhounds because we didn't a second ago. where have we heard bloodhound before? In Throne of Glass. Bloodhounds. Are the shape shifting Ilkin that Erewan sends to track down Manon Blackbeak in Empire of Storms. That the bloodhounds in both series have a crazy sense of smell in how they can track others. In that the bloodhounds in Throne of Glass, it doesn't actually come out and say that they can track bloodlines, but their sense of smell is so strong that they're able to differentiate between people of the same blood but bloodlines. So super freaking similar. So now we really want to know who Danika's daddy is. Any thoughts on that?

K: taking me back 'cause I don't remember a whole lot. I mean I do remember but like the specifics down to that. I just I didn't remember that. But What in Empire of Storms, what is happening in that scene?

C: Okay, so in Empire of Storms, where the bloodhound is tracking Manon. That is after she has confronted her grandmother, her grandmother ripped open her stomach, so she is

K: Mm. Yeah.

C: badly hurt. And so she kind of rolls off the side of the the castle that they're at and lands on Abraxos. Abraxos takes her off. They land in Oakwood Forest,

K: Mm-hmm.

C: and she manages to get off of him long enough to go get some water. But isn't able to get back on him. So she kind of sits beside him and falls asleep for a certain amount of time. And then when she wakes up, it is because the bloodhound is there because it needs to bring her back. It's supposed to either kill

K: Hmm.

C: her or bring her back to Erawan.

K: So was just reading over this on Google. Aelin later suspects that this bloodhound may have originally been a shapeshifter.

C: Yes. And Danika can shapeshift at least from human to wolf.

K: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

C: And Fury mentioned that this was only one of Danika's powers. So did she have other powers that Bryce didn't know about? That

K: Mm.

C: we therefore don't know about.

K: Do we know what the bloodhound in Throne of Glass was originally? Do we I don't remember

C: No.

K: if we get that.

C: Just that Aelin suspects that they were shapeshifters originally. like what Lysandra is, that that's why

K: Mm-hmm.

C: they wanted Lysandra was to turn her into a bloodhound.

K: Hmm.

C: Very interesting. So yeah, she tells Ruhn, Bryce tells Ruhn that Danika was a bloodhound. That's how she knew that she and Ruhn were siblings and not distant cousins. Ruhn does also kind of caution Bryce on looking for Emile, on taking kind of a step closer towards the rebellion and Ophian. and Bryce kind of has the attitude that she's invincible because the Asteri didn't do anything to her after she she and and Hunt killed Micah and Sandriel. They just agreed to let her lie low, led a normal life. And so Ruhn points out prior to everything that happened this past spring, if you had started looking for Emile it would have been no big deal. But after everything that happened this past spring, you are a power player now on the board in this world. And if you start looking for Emile People are going to notice and it is going to be an issue. And he goes so far as to say, they left you, the Asteri, they want you alive. I'd start wondering why that e that is. You have the horn in your back and that's no small thing. And now you have all of this power from From the archways, which is also no small thing considering her power is stronger. She's more power than the Autumn King does. but at this point, Bryce and Ruhn come into her apartment and they open the door and kind of just step into it, and that's all the further they make it. And Bryce goes still, like the stillness of a fae as if they were sizing up a threat. And we love this part because then of course he goes on high alert. He knows something's wrong, and he's ready to defend attack, slaughter, whatever he needs to do because his family is being threatened. And Ithan. And Tharion are sitting on the couch eating pizza, watching TV, and Ithan's response as they walk in is your cat's a sweetheart, by the way. Scared the crap out of me when he leapt up onto the counter a few minutes ago. And that's when we realized the cat is pure white with very stunning blue eyes. And they seemed keenly aware as they fixed on Bryce. And all Bryce says is, that's not a cat. And then like the whole room explodes because Ithan and Tharion both realize, crap, this is not just a cat. I'm I'm not just like Ithan's not just a dog petting a cat. It is something else. And of course, Hunt arrives right at that moment. Right as he hears Bryce's words, that's not a cat. And so of course he goes right into the apartment. lightning at his fingertips. then of course it is the Prince of the Chasm, one of our princes of Hel that is is in his cat form, Aidas Hunt then comes banging in and Aidas's response as soon as he does is I thought we were friends, O'Ryan, and calls him by his actual name, not the name he usually goes by. But Bryce then tells him it's

M: Real quick, that's the second time in this book we've gotten Orion, by the way. Just if we're keeping count of things that are coming up and being mentioned repeatedly. That's the second time we've gotten his name. Celestina asked him about it if that's how he wanted to be referred to. So that's twice

C: Did we get did we get his name? That's right. Yep.

M: now. Literally chapters apart.

C: Right? And we got in the first book that he was named Orion after the hunter. And that's why he is called Hunt. But yes, that is now the second person who's called him by his original his actual name. Bryce then of course tells Aidas it's good to see you again. And at that point, Ruhn, Tharion, and Ithan are just like, Wait, what the heck? What do you mean again? Hunt's blood chills as the demon kind of purrs to her, hello princess, which this part reminds me of Rhys saying hello Feyre Darling, because it's Aidas purring, hello princess. Kind of similar, but that's the vibe that I got. So of course, Hunt is a little perturbed at Aidas's response. And I think it's interesting because Hunt specifically says the demon prince purred the word with such intent, such delight, like he had some sort of claim on her. But Aidas, of course, then wants to know why she isn't using her powers. of course, she then has her starlight flare in her palm, says I can use them, and he says those are just party tricks. I meant your real powers, your heritage. So this is the first time we're hearing about this. So Hunt wants to know and Bryce both want to know what powers. And this is where Aidas tells us that there's another part of their history. That they have been told is correct that isn't actually correct. So we find out that Aidas remembers the last starborn queen, Theia and her powers. That Bryce's light is her light. I'd recognize that luster anywhere. I'm assuming you have her other gifts as well. And what's frustrating is that they don't dwell on the other gifts part. they dwell on the wrong part of his statement. And Ruhn's like, you knew the last starborn queen. And Aidas says I did and I knew the snivelling prince whose light you bear and he's talking to Ruhn. Because Ruhn bears the light of Prince Pelias Bryce then says I hadn't realized they'd have individualized starlight. I always thought mine was only just brighter than Ruhn's but she goes on to say, I guess it makes sense that there could be nuances to the light amongst the Fae that got interbred. Theia's elder daughter, Helena, had the gifts and married Prince Pelias Ruhn's ancestor. And that's where Aidas Aidas tells us that Pelias was no true prince, that he was Theia's high general and appointed himself prince after he forcibly wed Helena. And Ithan is just like, wait, I'm sorry. What is this about? And Hunt just wants to say, Well, welcome to our lives. This is the craziness that is the life with Bryce. Aidas goes on to tell us that Theia was dead at that point, that Pelias slew her himself and then stole her blade when he'd finished the sword that belongs to Theia's female heir, not the male offspring who corrupted her line. So he's essentially saying that the star sword belongs to Bryce and not Ruhn. Ruhn then says, I've never heard any of this. That's when Aidas tells us. That her that the celebrated Prince Pelias, the so-called first starborn prince, was an imposter. Theia's other daughter got away, vanished into the night. I'm sorry, what? Theia's other daughter vanished into the night. That's the first time I picked that out, reading it that way. But does that mean she went to the night court? I don't know now. Wouldn't that be awesome? Aidas goes on to say I never learned of her fate. Pelias used the star sword and the horn to set himself up as a prince and then pass them on to his offspring. The children Helena bore him through rape. goes on to mention what Helena looks like. She was night haired with golden skin and poured starlight and shadows, which is just like Ruhn. Bryce wants to know why Aidas is telling them now, and Aidas gives us a little more information. Finally, someone who's giving us info. And Aidas says because I was powerless to help then, I arrived too late and was vastly outnumbered after it was over. That's when I asked my eldest brother for a favor to face Pelias on the battlefield and wipe him from this world. I tell you this now, Bryce, so the past does not repeat itself. Are you doing anything to help in this endless war? So we find out a couple of things that one, we definitely know that the history in this world is skewed. It has been changed by the Asteri to believe one thing. So it makes you wonder what are the things were they told that is incorrect? We don't know for sure at this point. we also know that Prince Pelias wasn't the original starborn prince. That actually Queen Theia was And she had two daughters, one of which Prince Pelias married, and that's where the starborn gifts that Ruhn and Bryce have, that's where they came from, but that her other daughter, whose name we don't even get, just disappeared into the night. And that Aidas tried to help back then, but he was too late. Aidas goes on to tell us that the rebel cause that's happening now is the same war that was fought 15,000 years ago. It's only been renewed. It's the same war that Hunt fought in, just in a different form, in a different time, but that this is the right time to push. Ithan jumps in and says Hel is our enemy. Aidas's response is, is it? Who wrote the history? So again, we have confirmation that the history is incorrect. That the Asteri wrote the history, and Tharion mentions it, and it makes it sound kind of like Tharion knows or has heard some form of the truth. Tharion tells us that he knows the official history of this world is not necessarily to be believed, is in the Asteri's history. that and Aidas then tells us the Asteri fed their lies to your ancestors, made the scholars and philosophers write down their version of events under penalty of death. They erased Theia from the records, that library that Jesiba he doesn't specifically mentioned Jesiba but we know from the end of the first book that they do know each other, that that is all that remains of the truth of the world before the Asteri and the few brave souls who tried to voice that truth afterwards. That Bryce knew them and collect and protected those books for years and yet she has done nothing with that knowledge. There Aidas then asks, What was this world before the Asteri? And Tharion says, Ancient humans and their gods dwelled here. I've heard the ruins of their civilization are deep beneath the sea. And Aidas then asks, and where did the Asteri come from? Where did the Fae or the Shifters or the Angels come from? And Bryce cuts him off. Like, really, Bryce, just let him talk so we get more answers. And she's like, just enough with these questions. Just why don't you just tell us? And so then he shifts gears and doesn't tell us. And he tells us instead that the war approaches its crescendo and your power isn't ready. Bryce says, Whatever my powers are, I want nothing to do with them. Not if they somehow link me to you. The Asteri will consider that a serious threat. Aidas then says, People have died, so you could have this power. People have been dying for this battle for fifteen thousand years, so we could reach this point. Don't play the reluctant hero now. And Hunt then says, so what about your eldest brother with his armies? They seem perfectly content to slaughter innocent men, guardians. And Aidas says those armies have always been to help you, not conquer. And and then of course Hunt brings up the attack on the city from the spring when the beasts had come in through the portals. Add says that was a mistake. The beasts swept in that swept in were pets, animals that Micah had essentially opened the doors to their cages. And that they ran amok as they saw fit. Fortunately, you guys fixed the error and handled the situation before we had to intervene. Ithan, of course, brings up well, many people died. Aidas says, and more will die in this war. Hell's armies shall strike at your command, Bryce. Ruhn, of course, says, This is bullshit. You're just waiting for the right moment when we're all at war with each other, so you'll be able to find a way into this world. And Aidas's response is I already know the way into this world. Through my lovely Bryce and the horn on her back. And then he turns to her and says, It's your choice in the end. It has always been your choice. Which is super similar words from Rhys and ACOTAR Bryce then asks, So you want me to turn rebel and work with Ophian? And he says Essentially, you know, if you need to work with Ophian just so there is a higher power that you you know, a a person above you who's giving you orders, if that makes you feel better, then go for it. And he says, but you should have looked closer at the cats that were picking apart the trash in the alley when you met with Fury to discuss the rebellion. He does go so far as to say, I have no information on the connection between Danika and Sophie. And Bryce's response is, I don't even know any Ophian rebels. And he and Aidas says, Well, that's not true. There's one right behind you. and then Bryce whirls around, of course, all of them do, to the doorway, and Cormac is standing there, shadows fading away from his shoulders. And Aidas's last words before he vanishes is Hello, Agent Agent Silverbow Which is the agent who is helping Sophie get Emile and the other kids out of Kavala at the beginning of the book. So Cormac is a rebel, high enough that he ranks about the same level or pretty close to the same level as Pippa. Yeah. And that's where we're gonna stop for tonight.

K: the crap. I literally had that wrote down

C: Right? On that massive clip hanger.

M: Seriously though.

K: from the very first chapter is Agent Silverboat a code name. I had that written down. I was like that it has to be something different. Did not see that coming at all.

C: Right? foreshadowing. You don't even know. You don't even know yet.

K: We're leaving things on a pretty big plot twist this episode, and somehow we now have even more questions than what we started with. Bryce and Hunt are trying to figure out what their relationship actually looks like, what freedom means for Hunt, and whether they have any chance at a normal life when it seems like literally everything around them is determined to ruin it. We're also getting to know more about the people surrounding them. Ruhn is giving us a little more insight into what's really happening behind that confident exterior. Tharion is bringing his own special brand of chaos, and then there's Cormac, who has officially entered the conversation with secrets of his own. Because apparently Cormac being Agent Silverbow was just casually sitting there waiting to ruin our entire episode. Did anyone see that coming? Because I sure didn't. And now the real question is if Cormac is Agent Silverboat, what exactly is he doing and who else has been keeping secrets? Unfortunately we're going to have to wait until the next episode to find out. If you haven't already, make sure to follow or subscribe and let us know your theories or your favorite moments from these chapters in the comments and we'll catch you next time.