Latest / Deep Trope Fantasy & Romance Podcast / Fury Bound Ch 19-39: Fated Mates, One-Horse, & Shirtless Shadow Daddies

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Fury Bound Ch 19-39: Fated Mates, One-Horse, & Shirtless Shadow Daddies · Deep Trope Fantasy & Romance Podcast

• Rachel: Welcome to Deep Trope, where we go deep into fantasy and romance books, trope at a time, we're your two book besties gushing over plot, characters, Easter eggs theories, and of course, our favorite spicy moments. I'm Rachel, Romantasy Theorist. So we're back in Meryn POV and Stark and Meryn go for a long walk to discuss, ending up by some rock formations outside of the city. If they believe Lucien, once they let the Astreonan forces into Nocturna, what's to stop him from turning on them? Meryn notes that he doesn't seem particularly ambitious, so they decide to spend the next few days observing getting to know him. Kate: and I'm Kate, lover of all things dark and spicy. Rachel: And today is episode two of our deep dive into Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen, book two of the Wolves of Ruin series. This episode will cover chapters 19 to 39 of the book from the perspective of two people who have read the full book. So that means spoilers for both Dire Bound and Fury Bound. If you haven't traveled to Brightbane yet, pause the podcast and finish reading Fury Bound before joining us. I mean, yes, it seems wise not to allow forces to infiltrate your country after knowing this guy for ⁓ meal. Kate: Yeah, maybe not. Maybe you need a little bit more time to get to know him. And as always, we're still a new podcast right now, so we truly appreciate every like, subscribe, and share. go ahead, share this with a friend who needs a little spice in their life. ⁓ goal is to make sure every romance and fantasy reader has a book bestie to gush over their favorite theories and their favorite spicy scenes. So be sure to connect with us on social media to join in all the fun. ⁓ can join us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook at DeepTropePodcast. Rachel: But most importantly, we're about to get some sexy time in the desert against these rocks. So Kate, as our smut expert, would you like to break down this spicy scene for us? Kate: Rachel, I would love to. Alright. ⁓ it starts with Stark getting jealous over the idea of Meryn getting to know Lucien, which we know he's a beautiful siphon, but Meryn has zero interest. ⁓ Stark really doesn't need to be jealous. ⁓ Meryn calls him out on his shit saying, ⁓ made it perfectly clear how I feel about you. You are the one holding back. ⁓ him Meryn, you know? Rachel: Let's get into it. Kate: And Stark admits that when he thought he lost her, he realized he needs to tell her how he feels. Just like he said, takes a near death experience for him to come to his senses. He tells her, if I'm a bad man, you make me want to do bad things for the right reasons. You are my right reason. Rachel: Yup. We pick up with all of Phylax defecting to Killian We're in a Stark POV chapter and he's about to go for a direwolf ride with our favorite Phylax, Noemi. So we get to see the Phylax defect happen in real time. Stark feels a twist in his brain, Noemi collapses, and when she comes to, she's in a trance, saying she needs to go join King Killian. Stark says, fuck you are, pulls her off her direwolf, Ephyse and holds her to the ground. See WOOOON! Kate: Hahaha And then once he gets enthusiastic consent from Meryn, which again, we love, they go at it. A few key things that I particularly enjoyed about this scene. So first off, his nipples are the ones that become sharp peaks instead of just hers. I feel like that's something that we always see like, her nipples stand out attention, whatever. ⁓ no, he had pointy nips. Rachel: He calls for Meryn who as queen is able to command her to resist her alpha. Stark went into full protective big bro mode here. love to see it. Kate: I don't know why that stood out to me, but I felt like it's something that we don't get that often. Rachel: Razor sharp. Kate: And then they talk about his size. So his size is definitely large, but the descriptions are not like insanely unrealistic. When she wraps her hand around him, her fingers barely touch, but they do touch. yeah, one hand. Okay. So if like me and what you're seeing on the screen, you immediately made a circle with your fingers. You're like, yeah, I mean, like that seems like a reasonable enough. Rachel: The remaining Alphas meet to determine a plan. Phylax was heavily represented at the front, protecting their crops in Weisenstat. it's time for Meryn to head to the front where she'll need to use her Phylax powers to shield the border from the Astreonan forces. Venna Noemi and Stark will accompany her. One hand? Is it one hand? I love that we are getting a completed unit here with a representative from each of the packs. Kate: size. Like, you know, I feel like we get descriptions sometimes that just sound like, like she could barely fit her hands around it. And you're like, okay, well, no, thank you. I don't think I want that anywhere near me. So I just liked that they made it very clear that he is a, you know, above average, like a good size, but not that he's like some kind of monster dick. So I appreciated that. And I also Rachel: Meryn is exhausted and despite her best efforts to avoid it, falls asleep landing directly in the Shadow Realm with Killian. And when she wakes up, who's waiting for her in the cuck chair in the corner? That's right, Stark is there and demanding to know the truth about her night terrors. I do not like this line. ⁓ Kate: just liked that he wasn't described as some kind of like Coke can baseball bat, but instead was just the right size to have her feeling quote, perfectly whole. Rachel: And I know you don't need me to tell you that I would kill him in this world and then chase him straight into death and kill him and any others. This feels concerning to me, Kate, for book three. Kate: ⁓ I agree. I do not like the sound of Stark offing himself just to chase Killian into the afterlife. what? It sounds like a total waste of a perfectly good Shadow Daddy to me. Rachel: So we've talked about Stark versus Killian. So Stark is like, barely touching, so I'm gonna go. Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: Yes, and I'm worried that does that mean that somehow, Killistaire at least Alistair still exists? Kate: Yeah, I mean, like she's tall. I assume that her hands are like, you know, a little bit above average for a woman, but. Rachel: So if it's fingers barely touching for Stark, is it like? Kate: I mean, we did theorize that that's possible, right? Because all we really see is him like go up in smoke, but I don't trust it. It didn't feel fully finished, but we'll get into that at the end of the book. Rachel: What do we think for Killian? it like, I guess this is tough for a podcast. It's like the A-OK sign. Kate: Yeah. Rachel: Top of the pointer finger to middle thumb knuckle. That's right. We also get a very, very lovely quote from Stark. Quote, I see you, Meryn Sturmfrost I see who you are and who you could become. It's about the hope you give me for a better future for our country and my selfish desire to bring it to fruition. I choose to serve at your side because I want that. So tell me what you need because it's very late at night and I'm running short on patience. Kate: Yeah. Rachel: That's what we're saying for Killian. Kate: Yeah, that seems right. ⁓ Rachel: And then, Kate, wait, I forgot to tell you this. Somebody commented on one of our episodes or it was either one of our episodes or like the social clip saying how... how Killian had her in a thrall. So he probably has like really the tiniest and he was using his siphon mind powers to make her think that he was like huge and it was, it was an enjoyable experience. Kate: Unfortunately, she then actually told him what she needed, which is sleep, rather than telling him what she and we desperately wanted, which is that the my God. ⁓ ⁓ we've said this before, size is not everything, okay? If you know what you're doing, it doesn't really matter what size you are, but it's still, ⁓ description of Stark made seem like it would be a very enjoyable experience for Meryn. Damn her for actually prioritizing her physical needs in this moment. Rachel: Who does that? Who does that? Especially with a shadow daddy. mean, she doesn't know he is, but like soon to be shadow daddy. Just sitting in the couch chair. Kate: Yeah. Rachel: Yeah, I mean, I'm here for quality and quantity. Kate: Yeah, we can have both, you know, it's, that's fine. So anyway, his size, I appreciated the description seems perfect, right? In that like Goldilocks zone. Why does every hotel room have a cuck chair, by the way? What is it with that? Rachel: That's a question. That's a great question. I guess they know their audience. They know their target audience. Kate: I guess so. Yeah. And then Stark makes sure that Meryn knows that he's planning to ruin her physically, but not emotionally. Rachel: As you said, Meryn needs to sleep. So what does Stark do? That's right. He jumps into bed with her. Kate, this is one of my favorite micro tropes, platonic sleeping. It's something that Sarah J. Maas has used in several of her books as well. And as a self-certified cuddle bug, I can't get enough of this trope in a slow burn situation. It just adds to the tension and yearning while building that foundation of comfort and safety. Kate: because she said that she wouldn't let him ruin her. And he was like, hold up, I am going to ruin you, but you're gonna like it. I'm gonna ruin you in the best kind of way. Rachel: I'm gonna beat that pussy up. Mm-hmm. within the relationship. Kate: And then we finally get a fully naked Stark. Hallelujah. I mean, yeah, like that sounds really nice, but I think you lost me at platonic. They, I think you mentioned this before when we got him shirtless that, ⁓ you know, they describe his like six pack abs. And I do have to wonder, would they use that description if a six pack, like do they have six packs? You know what I mean? Like I assume that that description came from like a drink six pack, right? Rachel: It's not really platonic. It like starts platonic, but then it leads to something more. Kate: Yeah. Like, ⁓ yeah, we just sleep together because it's the only way that both of us can fall asleep. We're certainly not planning on taking it any further anytime soon, because that would be crazy. Rachel: ⁓ Did they say six pack? I thought it was too many abs to count Kate: They said six pack. I think they said six pack at some point in this book, because I remember thinking like, would we use them? Rachel: I just like that it gives us a little bit of that tension and yearning. It gives us like a little hope, a little spark of hope. Kate: but I don't know, I'll have to double check that. You call it a spark of hope, I call it teasing. Agree to disagree. Rachel: ⁓ you're saying do they have six packs of beer? They probably have six packs of ale. Kate: Yeah. Like, yeah. Rachel: Ha ha. On the way to the front, they stopped just before Linsfall to feed Saela who is showing signs of hunger. What the fuck? Why ⁓ they have fed the baby siphon before the trip? Like I'm not even a mom and I know that you feed the baby early and often to attempt to avoid and unfortunately time to melt down. Kate: Hahaha get it to go from ye olde brewery. Rachel: Yes. Kate: Anyway, I'll have to double check that because I do read multiple books at once, so it's possible that I was reading another scene where they describe a six pack that I questioned, but I'll double check that. But anyway, we get a fully naked Stark. Hallelujah. Then she says, I was made for you. And he replies, no, princess, we were made for each other. seriously, like as careful and protective as they've been of Saela up to this point, why the fuck would they risk letting her get hungry? Like she's still a baby siphon. She doesn't know how to control her hunger, especially when they're traveling with people who don't know that she's a siphon and like wouldn't know to defend themselves. Like this is just terrible planning and it seemed insane that like one of the most important things they're like, we'll eat when we get there. Rachel: by the gods. Kate: And we think, yeah, we think maybe they really were made for each other because they're fated mates, maybe? Rachel: I so. I think so. Kate: But good line, good line, very, very swoon worthy. Rachel: We'll eat in the car. Kate: We've got snacks at home, guys. And then as they're you know, mid coitus, he's very rough, but he's still caring for her comfort and her pleasure. Like he's making sure that she doesn't hit her head on the rocks, but is also like not being gentle with her, you know, which I feel like is the perfect balance that she wants. Because as she said specifically, like she's not going to let him break her. So. Rachel: And it's also, it's not like they left right away. Like they had a full night's rest before they left. Kate: Well, even just the fact that like, you know, anytime that she needs to eat, Anassa or Cratos just goes and like gets her a little snack, you know, like they're outside. They didn't have to wait until she ⁓ actively hungry to get her a snack. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Kate: Don't treat her like she's fragile. Rachel: When Meryn and Saela head to the woods while Anassa hunts, someone snags Saela, saying, gotcha, usurper. ⁓ these poor, Sturmfrost women, not again. Not again. Yeah. But I loved when he was, I did love when he was protecting her head from the rocks. Kate: And then f- Yes, yes. Because again, being rough doesn't mean that you're an asshole. It just means that like, yeah, like she's, she's not going to break, but ⁓ she is, you know, still a human and can get abrasions and head trauma from a rock. You know, that's not the kind of ⁓ soreness that we're looking for after this encounter. Why does this keep happening to me? Rachel: Suddenly they are surrounded by about 30 men, but Stark, Noemi and Venna rush to the rescue and of course take them out pretty quickly. But Saela, who we mentioned is hangry, cannot resist the delicious smell of 30 bleeding bodies helps herself to a Ephyse. What a way for Venna and Noemi to find out that Saela is a siphon. The shock, the betrayal. All things considered, they take it pretty well, honestly. Anassa is just working to keep her head healed over and over ⁓ with every thrust. ⁓ Yes, they do decide to head into town alone, without them, they need space, but I was personally impressed that neither of them tried to behead Saela, especially considering in a few chapters we see just how reactive Noemi can be. Kate: As it's banging against the rock. ⁓ my God. Yeah. Anyway, finally he makes sure that she comes first. What a gentleman. Mandatory. So it was, it was a really great scene. ⁓ it was not my favorite sex scene from the book. We'll get to that one, but it was for their first, ⁓ full spice scene, know, covered Rachel: Mandatory. Kate: absolutely. If I was Vena though, I would be furious at Meryn for keeping this from me. Like after everything that they've been through, everything Vena has done to help Meryn, I be so hurt and angry that she didn't trust me with this very crucial piece of information. ⁓ Not mention the fact that Vena has been spending a bunch of time with Saela with their like lessons. ⁓ And just really feel like she'd Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: pretty much all the bases. It was good. It was very good. Rachel: ⁓ Can you remind us, Kate, when you say covered all the bases, do they go straight from first all the way home or do they touch on all the bases first? Kate: deserved to know the potential risks of that and just in general, Venna has given Meryn no reason not to trust her. Rachel: You're absolutely right. And I think, ⁓ Venna does say that to her. Venna shares all of that with her. Kate: Well, OK, don't don't listen. don't ever I feel like everybody has different ideas of what the bases are. But ⁓ they definitely do ⁓ reciprocal oral. So he does actually let her go downtown as well this time, which he stopped her before. So that was nice. And then. I feel like like he goes downtown a little bit, but. Yeah, like it's one thing for Noemi, more of an unknown, know, Meryn doesn't have a history with her to fully trust her. I get that, but Venna, come on. Rachel: Okay. Yeah, I I think because of Venna's loss and obviously Meryn's loss too, but especially Venna's loss of her sister. She's open to being understanding to Meryn's protectiveness over Saela. So she can understand that perspective and she gives her a little of leeway, which is why I think we are able to move past this as quickly as we do. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Kate: I think they're a little bit impatient at that point. So it's not as lengthy as a process as last time. And then, yes, ⁓ full penetration. Yes. Rachel: Okay. Kate: But I mean, there's certainly things that they didn't do. There's plenty more to explore. But as far as their spicy scenes before this, you this is like, you do get to home base. So. Yes, it's very, very understanding of Venna Rachel: Yes. ⁓ for sure. Venna and Noemi leave Meryn and Stark to fend for themselves in the wilderness with Saela. A romantic night camping under the stars. Yeah, yeah, yeah, was, you know, Kate, that was, Kate, that was excellent journalism right there. Just full coverage. Kate: Mm-hmm. Yeah, with a depressed little sister with them. How romantic Rachel: Details, details, Kate. Kate: full coverage, which is something that neither of them had at the end because their clothes were in tatters. Because we did get a microtrope here of like a ripped bodice. He used his knife to cut her out of her dress and like cut the lacing on the back. ⁓ I have no idea what kind of state they're in when they cobble their clothing back together ⁓ get back to town. But it seemed like they describe it as like they Rachel: As Meryn looks at Stark, covered in blood and gore, she considers how he fought that day, killing at least 20 men on his own, and she thinks it's astounding that anyone could have that much power without making some sort of corrupt bargain. Hmm. That's right. Kate: Hmm, indeed. Rachel: This was an amazing little Easter egg and it caught my eye immediately on the first read. At that point I was thinking that Stark somehow personally made a deal with a god, not that he inherited it. Kate: collect like the shreds of their clothing. Rachel: Yes, which is such a, I mean, I get that they are just desperate for one another at this point, but it is a wild move when you're already having, you know, sex in public to also say, I'll just destroy our clothes too. Kate: ⁓ yeah, same. I didn't consider it being like a generational curse at this point. Rachel: Stark tosses his bloody clothes in the fire and, my god, Stark shirtless, yes. Meryn was just as shooketh as we are, and we get a detailed description of his many abs, tattoos, and, ⁓ scars all over his body. Since Wolves heal cuts too quickly to leave scars like this, they must be from before he bonded, and since Stark was Kate: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I know that they were feeling a little bit impatient, but they weren't really like against the clock, you know, they could have taken like two seconds to untie some things, but it did seem like it was like a lot of laces. So I kind of get it. But ultimately, it's always short sighted when you destroy your clothes in the heat of passion. Rachel: It sure is. Sure is. only 18 when he bonded. This means unfortunately they are from his childhood. Cue who did this to you? This time coming from Meryn. Well, afterward, they lie down and cuddle together, and suddenly Meryn is overwhelmed. Noemi is in trouble. And they arrive back at the castle, as you said, Kate, in just tattered clothing, to find Lucien calm, but covered in blood as Venna and Noemi fight his guards. Meryn, of course, commands them to stop. And we find out that apparently Noemi snuck into his room and attacked him with a poison dagger. Venna came running to her rescue when Meryn alerted her Noemi was in trouble. Noemi is livid, saying that Lucien deserves to die, and how could Meryn consider allying with someone who treats women like cattle? Though Lucien seems calm, there's a deadly undercurrent. You know things have taken a turn when your diplomat tries to kill the king. Kate: Yeah, this one, mean, I know that Noemi was not comfortable or not happy with what she saw them doing with the humans at the dinner, but I was surprised when she like hatched this ⁓ assassination plan, you know? But I mean, we've talked about this before. Trauma can manifest itself in some really wild ways. You know, it can make people act or feel certain ways. Rachel: Mm-hmm. I'm not. Kate: that seem really contrary to who they are. Like you said, she's typically the one that is the diplomat, like good at keeping the peace and getting people to get along. But her trauma is, deep. So this was a surprising way for it to kind of show itself. Especially because this this didn't really feel like a heat of the moment thing. Like she she got a poisoned dagger. She like found him in his room to try to murder him. You know, like it's not like they were like in an argument or she witnessed something and immediately just like, you know, crime of passion. Like lost her cool. Yeah, this this was a this was a planned attack, so that was that was what was surprising to me, honestly. Rachel: Yeah. Mm-hmm. No, this is Murder One. This is Murder One for sure. Mm-hmm. here we have two popular microtropes. The first being a physically scarred MMC. ⁓ And this is such a popular microtrope. talking, we've got the OG MMC, Jamie Probably most famous scarred MMC, Xaden Riorson Gavin Smith, ⁓ Prince Luther Corbois Yeah, yeah, I agree. As the guards move to take Noemi away, Meryn demands to speak with her privately. And here we learn Noemi was King Cyril's chosen companion during the bonding trials, which her father, Lord Eisenfall, arranged. Apparently, King Cyril saw her she was 12 and communicated his interest. Rich, powerful men preying on children! What this? America? Zade Meadows. mean, the list could go on. Kate: Absolutely. Rachel: then get the who did this to you. And I just love that we are flipping this microchip on its head and it's coming from Meryn here. Kate: I love the protectiveness. It's great no matter what side it's coming from. Rachel: Yes, and like then he even says like stand down queen or stand down princess. Like it's already been taken care of. I love it. Kate: Yeah, like he's not, doesn't feel emasculated from it, which I love. Stark is very confident in his masculinity. He is not threatened by a protective woman. Rachel: Release the files. Kate: You know what? We know what's in the files, okay? Let's just start arresting some men, please. Rachel: Exactly. Yes. Or send Noemi. Kate: Send somebody in. Rachel: Not at all. Also because he has already taken care of it. Yeah, I mean, it's just so disgusting, you know, that that was all arranged when she was 12. Like we knew that King Cyril, right, right. And like we see that he's scum in the book, but and we know that King Cyril is scum and doing creepy things with children. But yeah, it's just seeing the impact it actually had on someone is just awful. Kate: Ugh. and by her father again. Rachel: just wanted to please her father. Like, she was aware that he was an asshole. She knew it was fucked up, but there was still something in her that wanted to please him. And Meryn can relate, thinking of her time with Killian. Even though she was consenting, ⁓ was still coercion. And this is the first time that she admits to herself that the relationship violated her autonomy. I know we talked about this a lot with our Dire Bound coverage and how the relationship was questionable, blurring the lines because of her desire to be submissive in the bedroom. So I'm glad that we're getting Meryn processing this on page and that we don't just gloss over it. I would say women I know have had at least one questionable sexual encounter in their life. And even if it was just ⁓ line, I found it refreshing to see it acknowledged in the book. Yes, Meryn consented, sort of, but she was manipulated into it. And I also liked that they used the word rape to describe Noemi's experience. Again, she might've chosen to be there, sort of, but it certainly wasn't consensual. She could perform or she could die. So Stark reveals the scars are from his weapons trainer as a child, who Siegrid hired to make Stark quote, strong enough to survive the end of the world. And we finally find out how Stark got the mysterious scar on his jaw that I know you've been obsessed with Kate. That was from Siegrid herself when he was just 12. Kate: Yeah, mean, consent is not just saying yes or no. I mean, at this point, it's 2026. We know that it's much more nuanced than that. And especially when extreme power dynamics are at play like this, you really can't consent in a meaningful way. Like in Meryn's case, she was dealing with emotional manipulation since Killian was gaslighting her for their entire relationship. emotional manipulation invalidates consent. which is just brutal to hear, but I am a little disappointed that it wasn't from a sexy little overzealous bite. ⁓ well. It's much darker, much sadder than that. Rachel: Well, I don't like to imagine him with anybody other than Meryn so I'm glad that it wasn't from a sexy little bite. Mm-hmm. Kate: Fair enough, fair enough. Rachel: After this one-on-one, no, I'm not gonna call it one-on-one. Stark's whole life he has been honed into a weapon, and here we get a clue as to why. While we learn later in the book what exactly being Sovereign Alpha entails, Stark's line here gives us a hint at Siegrid's relationship with Nocturn. Quote, strong enough to survive end the world. The end of the world. this heart to heart, it certainly brings Meryn and Noemi closer and makes them both feel that they're not alone in their experiences. But Meryn does tell her she needs to apologize, and Noemi's aware. She's like, I know this, I messed up. How do I fix this? Shockingly, Lucien accepts their apology pretty quickly, and Meryn notes that he enjoys having this to hold over them, which just gives us a little bit more of like this personality. Something tells me she knew far more about his plans than we realize. Kate: Even with where Siegrid's story goes, I hope we still get more of an understanding of what her relationship with Nocturn looked like. Like, how much was he actively controlling her versus just subtly influencing her? Rachel: that Lucien has. Well, Kate, we're on the lookout for clues, let me tell you. Every single secret scene, we're looking for clues. Meryn thinks she needs Saela's goddess tear. She knows it will make her more powerful to help defeat Alistair. But first, Saela needs to know how to block the sire bond. Kate: Mm-hmm. Yes. Rachel: So she goes to find Saela and Venna and they're speaking animatedly in sign language, but Meryn isn't able to understand it, despite the fact that she's been trying to learn sign language. Meryn pulls Venna aside, who encourages her to talk to Saela. Saela has been confiding in Venna because she can relate to her. Both of them know what it feels like to be marked by difference. Venna with her hearing difference and Saela as a siphon. Saela is excited to be somewhere where she fits in and she's the norm, a problem. The tension is thick in this scene. The revelation about Stark's childhood infuriates Meryn and she struggles to get her shadows under control. Once she does, we get another almost kiss scene, yet again interrupted by the cutest little siphon in Nocturna. Knowing what we know about the end of this book, I love how Venna and Saela are creating this bond. I think it's going to help Venna significantly to have Saela help her process becoming a siphon, and of course, Saela will feel less alone as well. Kate: Saela is just like a professional cock block at this point. Again, as the younger sister, I really hope that I was not this infuriatingly unaware, but I don't know. I don't know. Rachel: Venna asks Meryn about her relationship with Stark and congratulate her. Get it, girl! Meryn says, That means a lot coming from the cryptos killer. ⁓ I just love when she razzes her slutty friend. You probably were. Kate: ⁓ I know. I know. Now I'm just like trying to go through my entire childhood. I'm positive that there was one time that I'm aware of and my sister, who knows what I'm talking about, will probably bring this up next time I talk to her. other than that one time, I don't know if it happened, but I look forward to hearing about it, I'm sure. I mean, we know that what Meryn has with Stark is much deeper than the fun that Venna was having in the bonding trials, but yes. Rachel: And we also know in book three that Meryn's gonna be saying get it girl to Venna when she shows up making out with Lucien and letting him grab her ass. Fredrich and Ruby style. Sorry sis. Venna, Saela, and Meryn go to find Lucien in the Astreonan Royal Library, which they describe as a temple to books. it's a massive and the shelves are carved directly into the castle stone. There are mirrors set up to flood the room with light without damaging the pages. Kate: I mean, absolutely stunning, this description. I want to go to there. Rachel: I want to go there too. And it's also brilliant, the mirrors idea. I don't think I've ever heard of that or seen that before. Kate: Yes. Rachel: When they arrive in Weisenstat the air is thick with smoke. Astreona is burning their crops. The camp is eerily empty and chaotic, and they pass a wagon of bodies, and sees Roddert a Strategos she recognizes from their Rawbond training. Kate: Yeah, just, mean, so bright, but it still sounds almost cozy somehow with like the built-in shelves and stuff. I don't know. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Stark's library was our first sign that he was a good guy. So I also took this as another sign that Lucien isn't all that Kate: I believe he was the one who she described as being dumb as rocks. Rachel: she did and it's surprising that Daegen's body's not on top of his because that was the other one that was dumb. Kate: I mean, men who read are usually a big green flag. I mean, sure, there are some real shit books out there, but usually it's a good sign. You Yeah, like, I mean, I'm sure that they didn't that he didn't die because he was dumb, but it probably didn't help. Rachel: Well, that's because reading does build empathy. Kate: Yes, it does. Rachel: Mm-hmm. So get you a man who reads or get your man a book. You said it. Kate: Sorry, Roddert Rachel: As they discuss their options in the central command tent, Meryn taps into her foresight, but every path she takes ends in death, except for one. She must go into the field alone and use her shadow powers. I also think we shouldn't be surprised when Saela wants to stay in Astreona later. Like, our girl loves books. I wouldn't want to leave this library either. A vacation destination with the best library you've ever seen. Like, just try to pry my immortal ass out of there. Kate: I mean, not to mention the fact that this library more likely to be like uncensored compared to the Nocturna libraries that she's used to, which can't possibly have all the information that she would want to know. ⁓ know, it certainly doesn't have anything about Astreona in it. So this is a whole new realm for her. ⁓ also just being able to read in a warm sun-filled room rather than like a damp, Rachel: Thank the faceless goddess, Meryn has this type of power, but damn, what a strategy. Let's send the queen into battle against our enemy's army ⁓ Mm-hmm. Siegrid says Stark will go with, and since his line can also shadowbend, it won't hurt him. Mm-hmm. Kate: dark, gloomy castle that she's used to. Yeah, I think she's going to be very happy there. Rachel: Yes. Lucien is studying documents on Thrall bracelets to determine why Marens acts differently. He suspects it's something to do with her direwolf bond. And they reveal to Lucien that Killian is Saela's Sire and the tear is blocking the connection. Lucien reveals he's wearing a tear necklace that matches Saela's, just like the tears in the crown's match. And he takes it off and hands it to Meryn, who immediately feels a rush of power. Venna both notice an interested gleam in Lucien's eye. We don't dig into this, so I do feel that Lucien knows something about the tears that... Wanting as much power as possible for this task, Meryn asks Saela to borrow the necklace, and we finally learn its true power. She thinks that combined with the crown, it will give her more power, which it does. But as soon as it's off, Saela starts packing, quote, I must go to him. Without the necklace, she is fully in the thrall of the sire bond. Okay, so I love that we were right about this necklace providing some kind of protection against siphons. will come up in the next book, potentially. The fact that it blocks a sire bond is an especially interesting piece of magic. Kate: Yeah, I mean, I do. I mean, he knows that the tears can give you visions when you when like the right people hold them. So I wonder if he was just like waiting for her to get some kind of vision or revelation or something, because I know that they, you know, work through that as they collect more tears later in the book. So that's Yeah, like it seems, like I don't know that we know the like full extent of what its power can do, but it seems to protect against any kind of mind control later in the book, we also see it work to protect Meryn from Killian's influence when she only succumbs to his control once Noemi takes the necklace from her. so, you know, it ⁓ to just be ⁓ you from. ⁓ Rachel: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mmm. ⁓ that's right. Yes. Kate: That's the thought that I was having here was like he was waiting for her to see something. Rachel: Yeah, yeah, good point. Saela says, crowns help her control her powers while the necklaces give her protection and both tears make her magic stronger. What would happen if one person had all of the tears at once? And I just love that the 12 year old is solving the tears. Like I know she's smart, but can none of these adults make these connections? Kate: the siphon magic controlling you. Rachel: what's interesting about that ⁓ is know that the goddess tears came from Lumina, like crying them out. And I assume that she had a reason for creating each of them. I'm wondering if that's something that we're going to learn about in the next book, like the destruction one. Kate: Listen, I am continually questioning Meryn's Strategos label. like she just is taking a little bit too long to make these connections to, you know, see the threads in everything that's going on. I know she's overwhelmed. I know she's got a lot on her plate right now, but we also saw this when it took her forever to even Rachel: I'm going to need some answers on that one, but. I think definitely gives us little bit of to the theory that Astreon is the Siphon god or created the Siphons or whatever, the Tears seem to have been created in response Siphons and their abilities to control minds. Mm-hmm. Kate: think of the fact that like the opal in her crown and the opal in the necklace and the opal in the priestess's ring were all connected like Rachel: Yeah, or that her lying boyfriend who actually is the prince might have ulterior motives. Kate: Yes. Yeah, like as a strategos, I would think that she would have better pattern recognition skills, you know? Rachel: Right, right. Yeah, maybe we should give some puzzles for Christmas. Like, ⁓ needs to train up on that skill. ⁓ Kate: It seems like the tears, like the powers of them maybe relate to what the faceless goddess needed, what Lumina needed at that time, you know, of like, you know, she has the power of protection against siphon magic. So yeah, what shenanigans was Astreon Mm-hmm. Yeah, do some some brain teasers. Rachel: Yeah. Lucien reveals Siphons have created other jewelry to block Sirebond, so there are other options for Saela outside of the Tears which is a relief. Suddenly, Meryn is overwhelmed by pain in her temples, and she's thrown into Siegrid's mind, seen through her eyes. She's in battle, severely wounded, with a spear in her side. Their forces have been attacked by Phylax and commoner soldiers. Mm-hmm. Kate: getting up to that she felt like she needed that. And then she has, you know, the destructive power, which maybe she just felt like she needed some extra firepower behind her, you know? And then just, that's kind of the way that I'm thinking about it is like the seven Tears are the seven abilities or powers that Lumina Rachel: She sees Tormun with an oddly dulled gaze, holding a ridiculously large mace he shouldn't be able to wield. Kate: needs to kind of protect herself. Rachel: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So Stark and Meryn set out at dawn and Meryn uses rifting to sneak into the siphon camp. silently decapitates one and Anassa smells the next one coming. Which begs the question, if the direwolves can smell siphons, why didn't any of them smell Saela? Siegrid's wolf can't heal her while the lance is in her side, so she rips the lance from her body. Her wolf, Genicos howls, straining to heal her. Jonah is with Tormun. Siegrid and Tormun engage in battle, and Siegrid sends Daemos power Tormun, but the corruption in the pack sends the force back at her. She's too focused on Tormun, and Jonah manages to drive a sword through her, a mortal wound her wolf cannot heal. Kate: not sure really, but two potential theories that I have here is maybe because she doesn't fully have her siphon magic yet. Like maybe she's still close enough to being a human that she's not, she doesn't smell as strongly yet. I don't know. ⁓ maybe they do smell her, but has ordered the wolves to be chill about it and like keep it to themselves. Rachel: Her last thoughts are of Stark, regretting the distance she put between them and wondering if she's prepared him to become Sovereign Alpha and who comes with that role. As everything fades to black, she notices Central Command is in flames. Meryn comes too and says, Nocturna has fallen. Who? Who comes with that role? I clocked that on my first read. Mm-hmm. ⁓ that's interesting because they don't gossip. Like she makes a whole comment about how direwolves don't gossip, that's below them, That's interesting. Because that also begs the question of like... Well... How about you? What did you think here? Kate: I definitely clocked it as well. I wasn't sure exactly who it was at first though. I I thought maybe Alistair, you know, somehow or voice that Meryn has in her head. You know, ⁓ it obviously is ominous, ⁓ right? we, I think that it was anything positive. ⁓ So just about, you know, who do we know at this point that are the enemies? So yeah, I think Rachel: that something they would hide from the riders? Although, clearly some things aren't shared with the direwolves. Like we learn at the end... Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. like they don't know that Nocturn lives inside the Sovereign Alpha. Yeah. Kate: Right. Right, because I think Siegrid kept that from Genicos, right? Rachel: Right? Kate: I, my like best assumption was Alistair but I really didn't have like a firm idea at this point. What about you? Rachel: Mm-hmm, like she makes a whole comment about how some things can't be shared with the wolves. Kate: Yeah. So yeah, so not everything is shared with the wolves, but also we've seen before how they trust Anassa pretty much implicitly. So if she had told them hey guys, just be cool. This is not a big deal. Don't worry about it. ⁓ ⁓ they would just not worry about it. Rachel: No, I thought the same thing. thought Alistair or whatever voice Meryn was to. ⁓ like the way it's written though, because you could definitely interpret that as like who you become in that role if you're not looking for something like that. ⁓ And I do, yeah, we are. Like I would love to know if somebody read this ⁓ is shocked by everything because... Mm-hmm. Kate: But of course we are. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, maybe. Kate: But don't know. I don't think we got anything confirmed. Those are just my guesses. Rachel: I feel like they dropped enough clues in both books that nothing was like super, super shocking, but I don't know. Like I, which I enjoyed, cause I like to solve a puzzle unlike Meryn. ⁓ Kate: I mean, at least, at least one of us is a strategos. Rachel: in the camp, Meryn drops the rift and they continue to attack the siphons. Meryn is beginning to lose control of her shadows when she hears Stark in her head. ⁓ here with you. She reaches out to him and here's where things get interesting. Quote, a shadow spun link seems to connect them. And then we get this line. Finally, a piece of my soul sighs. That's you, I'm a Daemos. Kate: Well, that's probably true. Rachel: In the next chapter, we're in a Stark POV as he experiences this moment. So Stark goes to find Noemi and take her for a walk. He thinks on his regrets when Noemi was in the bonding trials and he wished he would have protected her better. He was already Daemos Alpha at the time and the Daemos instructor was one of his gammas. When Stark found out about what happened to Noemi, he beheaded him. I fucking love protective Stark. Like Big Brother Stark, I am here for. Their shadows and souls ⁓ bind together and act as one as they take out dozens, hundreds of siphons. Kate: always. Rachel: Stark asks if Noemi's okay and she reveals that being at the front distracted her from her memories, but seeing Lucien with the woman the night before just put her right back on Cyril's lap in front of everyone, smiling so that she didn't die. And here we get a different kind of Stark jaw clench. This tells me that they are mates. And it makes me wonder whether Lumina and Nocturn were mates and those are the parts of their souls that are connecting, or if similarly to the goddess tears, there is something hidden within them that yearned to be united. Kate: I love the idea of them being fated mates. I kind of assumed that they might be mates once we learned that their wolves were mates, but since we know that bonded riders don't have mates the way that their wolves do, I'm also curious what is powering this connection. Like, I definitely think it's tied to their link to the gods, but I need to learn more about Nocturn and Lumina's relationship before I can have really solid theory there. But please continue to speculate because I love the way that your mind works on this stuff. Rachel: Noemi reveals that she wishes she was strong like Meryn and let her rage fuel her, but she just feels tired. While Stark comforts her, a searing pain shoots through his vision and he doubles over with pain through his mind and he's surrounded by shadow. describes this as feeling his powers deeper than ever before, and they tempt him to fill himself with it. It reminds him of being on the battlefield with Meryn, but this power feels like his own. He hears voices, one which reveals Siegrid is dead. Coming to, Stark hears the wolves start howling and reveals the news to Noemi, who sits and comforts him. The voices Stark hears seem to be the voices of Pax now that he has access to all of them. Kate: And I wonder how open the lines of communication are. Like are all of the voices that he hears, are they all actively trying to talk to him? Or is he just kind of constantly open to a flood of thoughts and emotions from the packs? Rachel: We get that line. from Siegrid to Stark about how they could show Meryn the documents that prove that the Sturmfrost queens have always mated the rider of their wolf's mate, right? So if it's something with Lumina think it's when they're very, very strong emotions like this and they all are having like the same sort of reaction. That's the sense that I got. It's the same way that like he doesn't feel Meryn's emotions all of the time, but when she has very, very strong ones, he feels it then. I don't know. It just makes me wonder if like the Sturmfrost queens always have a mate, maybe. Whether that's regarding Lumina or it's just something with the queens themselves. But the finally part is what makes me think it's something connected to the gods and it hasn't happened before. Kate: That makes sense. Maybe. Yeah, that makes sense. Rachel: Stark thinks that at least he still has family. Noemi, Cratos, and more than anything, And then he considers what would happen if she died. Foreshadowing, huh? Kate: Right. Yeah. Yeah. Because is it finally like, oh yeah, we've waited, you know, the 500 years for this? Or is it finally like, this is what we've always been waiting for? Rachel: When I read this the first time, I made a note that I was concerned we were getting dead and then siphon Meryn, which was not entirely wrong. We got dead resurrected Meryn and then siphon Venna. Right, or is it finally like I've waited 25 years? haha Kate: Yeah, don't know the context for how long this tension has been building. So yeah, a little bit of both. Rachel: Yeah. So that brings us to the end of, you know, our recap for this episode. Should we count down our tropes? Shockingly, the Siphons further away seem to retreat. Is this a trap? But then, they part and General Ruby Navarro, representing King Lucien Brightbane, proposes a ceasefire so they can unite against their true enemy, Alistair Brightbane. The peace talks are held at Lord and Lady Grunfall's abandoned manor house. While the Siphons do want to pursue Alistair together, they demand that Meryn travel with Ruby to Brightbane and Astreona to meet with King Lucien Kate: Yeah. Should I do a rapid fire again? Rachel: Yeah, yeah, let's hear it. Kate: Alright, we got nickname, princess. We got jaw clench. I think we've got ⁓ different kinds of jaw clenches in this, ⁓ very different contexts, right? Because I think we get jaw clenches of, well, yeah, so we had the one that we just had, which was like out of anger. We also, I think, got one out of like sexual tension earlier. Rachel: ⁓ did we? I know the one we just had. my favorite kind of jaw clench. Or when it's at the same time, there's sexual tension, but he's also really pissed at the person that this tension is focused on. That's good jaw clench. Kate: Of course. We got. Rachel: If she refuses, they plan to enter by force to find him themselves. They give them 24 hours to decide before hostilities will resume. And then, ⁓ a gesture of goodwill, ⁓ bring in Meryn's siphon father. Kate: Which honestly I think like happens with Stark, right? Like ⁓ we got to, yes, all of Dire Brown and also when he's like disgusted kneeling in her filth. Rachel: That was Stark all the dire bound. This was an exciting moment to get to. We've been suspecting all of this since Dire Bound, that Astreona was not the true enemy but rather Alistair was acting on own, ⁓ and that Meryn's father was turned siphon. And all things considered, we got to it fairly quickly in Plenty of authors, George R.R. Martin, I'm looking right at you, would have taken an entire book, or three, to get to this point. True. Yeah. Kate: But anyway, so yeah, we got some jaw clench. ⁓ We also got a fuck it, which we love. That was one where, you know, when we saw it on the list for tropes ahead of this book's release, we just knew we were gonna enjoy that. Rachel: Kate, as people have been reading Fury Bound and they know we're covering it, so they're like messaging us, I've had multiple people, when I ask where they're at in the book, they're like, I just got to the fuck it scene. Kate: It was pretty satisfying to get this one right though. Like, I know this one was not one of our more far-fetched theories. Like we definitely had a lot to back this one up, but it just has so many implications that I'm really glad that we nailed this one. Ha ha! Rachel: Everybody is waiting for that moment. Kate: Yes, yes. I mean, it was good. It was very good. I have no notes. We got a brat kink, which we enjoyed. We did, I put miscommunication in here, it was resolved pretty quickly. So I definitely will not have to rail on that one the same way that I did in Dire Bound. Thank God. ⁓ We have a secretly not dead parent, which I'm counting as a trope as well. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep. ⁓ for sure. Kate: We have some more of that ⁓ dirty oral that we talked about before, literally dirty, like they are in the dirt and we still don't really get it. ⁓ We get the microtrope ripped bodice, which I guess technically I don't know if it was a bodice, whatever, but it counts. And then I also threw in a precocious child here because that's what Saela is giving as she is kind of schooling all of these adults. Rachel: This is really quite a perilous situation for Meryn. She has depleted forces, and if the Siphons continue to burn their crops, her people will starve. However, it's a wild move and a wild ask for them to have to send their queen as a captive into enemy territory. Kate: I know that you said that you wanted a little bit more political intrigue in this book. And for me, this is the best that we get. Like these negotiations here ⁓ the intrigue that I really enjoyed. I agree that it could have gone a little bit deeper, but I do think that it's pretty interesting to think through like each side's motivations and who Meryn can trust. Like the siphons seem to have the upper hand and more negotiating power at this point, but they also could be bluffing knowing with like, have you guys thought about this really obvious thing? Rachel: Yes, yes. And when you describe it like that, it makes me think of April from Gilmore Girls. Kate: ⁓ no. Rachel: I'm just saying. Do we all hate April? Everybody hates April? Well, it's only because she broke up Luke and Lorelai, even though she didn't know it. But that's also, Saela's the biggest cock- Kate: We hate April. Everybody hates April. I mean, that's not the only reason, okay? It's also because she's really fucking annoying. that they can't defeat Alistair without Meryn's power. So I appreciated the intrigue at this part of the book. Rachel: also, Saela's the biggest cockblock in town, so there's connections there. There's connections there. And also, just I'm just saying about... Oh God. Yeah, you're right. That would be so annoying. If April was a siphon, she would definitely get beheaded. Kate: I know, that's true. Rachel: Yes, I do agree with that. I do agree. Kate: ⁓ my god, ⁓ just no part of me wanted that character to be as ubiquitous as she ended up being. Anyway, this is not about Gilmore Girls. Rachel: Anyways, all right, so we've got, what did we say? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine? Is that nine? Nine tropes, nine tropes. Alright, so Kate, I know you and I both have a mile long TBR, so I think we should give everyone a heads up on what we're planning to cover next so they can catch up as well. Kate: Yeah, I think so. Yes. So once we finish Fury Bound, we've got a few fun things planned before our next deep dive. We'll be interviewing Kris K. Haines and then covering her new standalone novel, Hunted by the Fae Duke, which comes out on June 4th. So definitely put that on your TBR because we have arcs and let's just say there's a lot to unpack. We are loving it. Rachel: Everyone leaves so Meryn can get some quality time with dear old dad and she is big mad. Her shadows start to swirl and when her father lifts his hand, he is missing a finger. so I guess he used one of those fancy incurable swords when he Peter pedigrewed himself. a lot to unpack. That was a dick joke. Kate: Aww, got it. Yeah, good one. Rachel: Hahaha Kate: I still think that he should have 12 fingers, honestly. Rachel: Kate's winking for those not watching. I agree. I agree. Kate: ⁓ yeah, wink, wink, wink. Rachel: Especially after we see how horny he is with Ruby. That could be a whole novella. Kate: Like we said before, what them fingers do. Rachel: And then we're featuring Tee Harlowe on the pod. This is another indie author who has several books out. Most recently she released this damsel not in distress, which is available on ebook, physical book and audiobook. ⁓ I did the audiobook, which I absolutely loved. It's a fun whimsical, cozy, romantasy ⁓ Meryn uses her shadows to bind her father to a chair, and we hear his side of the story. He was close to death on the battlefield when Ruby found him and offered him life. and a quick read. She also has a new standalone novel called This Witch is Not Wicked, which comes out June 18th. And while these books are both standalones, they're part of the same sort of world and characters, so you can read them on your own. But if you read both of them, the characters should be familiar. So I'm excited to read that one when it comes out. He tells Meryn just whatever little girl wants to hear. He couldn't go back to his old life, so he viewed them as dead, and he's with Ruby now. Meryn, of course, says what most daughters would in this situation. Isn't she a little young for you? And here we learn that despite looking about Meryn's age, Ruby is apparently 400 years old. Kate: ⁓ yeah, me too. And then we're also planning a special Pride episode, but more to come on that soon. We're very excited. this point in the story, I just had to kind of check in on the timeline for everything that Meryn has been through at this point because oh my god, like I feel like we're still talking what like five months or so from the beginning of Dire Bound. Like, it's we are not talking big jumps of time here and so much has happened to her. Like the revelations just keep coming. Rachel: Yes, yes, very excited for that. So we have a little cozy break before our next deep dive, which is The Silversmith by L.J. Claren, which will start on July 14th. So there's plenty of time to read it. It's not a super long read. I actually read it in one weekend, the first time I read it. But there's plenty of time for you to clear your TBR and read it. The audiobook will be out soon, so you can also listen to that. ⁓ So there's plenty of ways to enjoy it. Kate: just this whirlwind in such a short amount of time. Her sister gets kidnapped, she bonds a direwolf, her boyfriend turns out to be a prince, she becomes an alpha, she kills the king, her prince boyfriend proposes and turns out to be a siphon. She learns she's a long lost queen with insane powers, her best friend is killed, and now her dead dad is a siphon? Like, Jesus. Yeah, I'm very excited about that one. I loved that book. And ⁓ LJ Claren has been doing a lot more promo for the next book in that series, The Incendiary, which, what is it, September? Rachel: And to your point, Kate, maybe they need to invest in therapists in Nocturna. Kate: Because like, again, five months maybe? Like, am I wrong in that? I feel like that's the timeline. Rachel: Yes. Yes, that comes out September 8th. Kate: Yeah, so I've been getting really excited to see that story continue. Rachel: I think it might be six, but yeah, about that. Well, how long are the bonding trials? Two months? Four months? Kate: like Rachel: Yeah, same, same. I can't wait to see what happens. Alright, Kate, we've got a busy couple of months. Should we get out of here and get back to reading? Kate: four months. Yeah, the bonding trials are four months and then she had like three weeks. Yeah. Rachel: three weeks to coronation. Kate: Yeah, we've got a lot to get through, so let's get to it. Rachel: And then they left, they had some time after coronation. Well, wait, so they had the coronation. Alright see you next week. Kate: Bye. Rachel: there was a little bit of time between the coronation and when Phylax defected, right? Kate: don't think it was like a lot of time though. Rachel: Well, yeah, see. Kate: So anyway, somewhere between like five and six months. Rachel: Yeah, you're right. You're right. Yes. Kate: Holy shit. Meanwhile, I'm like, I can't go to the grocery store and watch an episode of my show on the same day. Rachel: But you didn't even mention that her mom died too. Her mom- Kate: ⁓ my god, see? I didn't even... Rachel: Actually, her boyfriend killed her mom so that he could propose to her. Kate: I missed it. There's so much shit going on. I missed a pretty big piece of this about her mother, her poor maddened mother being killed by her siphoned boyfriend. ⁓ my God. So anyway, a moment of peace for Meryn, please. Rachel: honestly, deserves another emberwine night because like our girl, needs to blow off some steam. Well, I guess she's about to actually. So let's get into it. ⁓ Meryn reveals her mother was pregnant with Saela when her father went missing, which he is shocked to learn. This hurt her even more that he didn't even bother to attempt to find out if they were okay. Kate: Jesus Christ, dude. Like, it's one thing to be forced to stay away from them due to the war and him being, you know, like the one thing that they fear most, but to not even attempt to find a way to check on them, not even once. He's fucking a high-ranking general. You know he could have easily gotten some intelligence on them if he tried, like, at all. So that's some real abandonment. Rachel: Right. Sure is, sure is. Her father then tells Meryn that Astreona isn't what they believe. Humans live there peacefully among the siphons. This man has been lying to her for the past 12 years, so of course Meryn is not particularly willing to believe his propaganda. Kate: She has absolutely no reason to listen to anything that he has to say, honestly. Rachel: No, Meryn storms out saying she needs to hurt something, which Stark says he can help with. Kate: Yes, Meryn, hurt him, use him, he can take it. His words. Rachel: And now we're in a Stark POV chapter and he and Meryn ride off together. Anassa is just as worked up and the wolves bite at each other. Let it out, Stark commands Meryn, recognizing that she needs someone to meet her violence, not just take it. And the flirting starts. Hit me, Stark says. Or what, Alpha? Or I'm going to take you over my knee and spank you like the obstinate brat you are. Hello, brat kink Kate: And you know, normally I wouldn't encourage a woman not to hit a man just so that he will hit her, but here we are. Rachel: They fight with their powers and then with their weapons, and Meryn ends up on top, and Stark pulls her in. It seems like they are about to kiss, but she asks about what happened yesterday. What was that? Should we try it again? Stark is hesitant, and we get this internal line. Quote, I ache for her, and I hate her for it. He agrees to try the connection, which bears open their souls to one another. There's No hiding their overwhelming desire at this point. And then we get, fuck it, and Stark flips Meryn over and kisses her. Kate: Thank God. Rachel: Yes! Stay what you want about this book, but I have no complaints about the spice. The tension built up so well, but not too long. And this is exactly the kind of spice and tension that I'm looking for. Like I have butterflies. Kate: I'm so glad that we didn't have to wait until the end of the book for them to get together. I mean, we've been waiting since we first met Stark in Dire ⁓ And I know getting ⁓ from them this early on in the series though did make you suspicious that a big conflict could come up in the next book between ⁓ Like they can't possibly be happy together for a full book and a half. But that aside, the impending potential doom aside, I was very happy that we started to get into this territory at this stage of the book. Rachel: Yes, I don't care. Like get to it now and we will deal with whatever evil monster Stark becomes in the next book. Kate: That's next book's problem. Rachel: What's next? What's problem? ⁓ I actually got into an Instagram argument yesterday about this. Kate: Do tell! Rachel: ⁓ It was from our podcast account, so sorry Kate. ⁓ Kate: ⁓ God. What have you done, Rachel? Rachel: It was all polite. It was all polite. It was all polite. But there is this post where someone, the post, it was like kind of viral post about how they shouldn't even touch until book two, not even touch. Like we're not even talking about spice in book two, not even touch. And if that's not the case, then it's not a slow burn. And I was like, I don't want to read that. Kate: But also, I mean, there's no rules, okay? Anybody who claims that there's some kind of specific formula that you have to follow, like, no. If there's yearning, if there's tension, if, you know, it does take most of a book for them to get to any kind of physical intimacy, like, it's slow burn. And it's about vibes, okay? If you are on the edge of your seat, just waiting for them to get together, Rachel: I agree. Kate: That can be a slow burn. know, there's no rules, okay? Rachel: great. And also, that's what I love so much about Dire Bound. Like, Stark and Meryn did not... Stark and Meryn hated each other in Dire Bound. They did not touch at all in Dire Bound. But it was a very spicy book. Stark and Meryn? yeah, and the And ⁓ that's true. Kate: That's not true. They're all there training. Yeah, some of her favorite moments were them touching. Rachel: Okay, you're right. They did touch. They did touch, but they didn't kiss. Kate: No, like it wasn't romantasy touching yet. It was like maybe sexually fueled with the licking, but Rachel: Well, they was licking and biting. Yeah. Kate: But yeah, they definitely touched on Rachel: Okay, so they touched, but they didn't kiss. My point is that Dire Bound was spicy as hell, but it was still a slow burn, a two book slow burn that took until Fury Bound for the payoff. And all I'm saying is that's ⁓ what I love probably the most about this ⁓ Kate: is that we can get our cake and have our cake and eat it too? Is that it? Rachel: Yes. Yes, we can have our cake and eat it too. That's correct. And Stark's about to eat his cake. Kate: We get the spice and the tension. his strawberry flavored cake. Rachel: Yeah, Stark's about to eat his strawberry shortcake. Like in Meryn's POV, she tells him that she wants to close the bond so that she can be in her own head and fully feel it. His emotions are entangled with hers, and they're just too much in this moment. Before they do anything though, Meryn asks about Noemi, and we can finally put that love triangle behind us, because Stark confirms that she's just like his sister. Although, Meryn does have questions continuing throughout the book. This girl just will not believe him. ⁓ Stark demands that Meryn tell him what she wants and she starts to tear up, never having been asked that before. Meryn tells him she wants him in control and we get this fantastic line, quote, you're always in control Meryn. Now spread your fucking legs. Amazing to see Meryn get the dominance she craves, but with full consent. Kate: This is what we wanted from those Killian scenes. The dominance is just so much hotter when we know that it's actually for her benefit and for her pleasure with her consent. Like Killian, I think was going to be dominant with her no matter what she actually expressed that she was looking for in their sexual relationship. But Stark is like, this is what you want. I'm absolutely going to give it to you, but we're on the same page here. Rachel: and you're gonna need to bag me for it first. Kate: Yes. Rachel: Stark commands her to strip and we get a use me from Meryn. Stark then commands her to get on all fours in the dirt, then pushes her torso down and goes to town and Mingin Meryn ⁓ loves She says, quote, whatever happening here is literally filthy and I've never been so turned on in my life. fucking course, Mingin Meryn loves the dirt. fucking course. Kate: Like she has such a hold over this man. He's going feral and forgetting that he actually prefers to be a clean person. Rachel: so that's such a good point. Sark is literally a clean freak doing like the nastiest dirty right now. Kate: you He, mean, talk about thralls, the control that she has on this man, the choke hold that she has on his desire. It's a beautiful thing, but it is nasty. Okay. This is dirty and then. Rachel: sure is. Kate: It sounds itchy. Rachel: can tell you that I personally am not interested. That sounds like a great way to get poison ivy. Stark doesn't let her reciprocate or undress him, so we haven't seen him fully naked yet. So the slow burn continues, just with the tension slightly released. They lie together after, but then he's broody, which is some fuckboy shit. I hate this so much. It's giving fuck and chuck. It doesn't track at all with anything we know about Stark. And it's just so cruel. Kate: I know that at this point Stark feels like Meryn would be better off without him and he brings out the worst in her, but I don't understand it. Like once again, we're getting a miscommunication trope or the start of one where instead of talking to Meryn about his concerns, he's just gonna be moody and inexplicably distant. I have no patience for miscommunication. Rachel: No, you've been to far too much therapy for that. Kate: hahahaha Yes ma'am. Rachel: Meryn and Stark head back to the war tent to discuss their options, but truly they have none. But they can offer terms of their own, and of course Meryn says, why don't we take my dad's new plaything as a hostage? Kate: What a baller move. Rachel: I know, I love it. They determine that Saela will go with them, as well as Venna and Noemi. Though it seems like terrible choice to send both the Princess and the Queen into enemy territory, taking the Siphon to the Siphon-run country seems like a great idea. Of course, we see later how much of a positive this truly is for Saela, but it also sparks some hope in the moment for Meryn as well. Perhaps they'll find resources for Saela there. And when they are discussing who should go on the trip, I also think we get a clue about Siegrid's relationship with Nocturn. After she says it's fine if Saela goes on the trip, and before she decides that Venna and Noemi will join as well, It reads, a calculating shadow passes over her eyes and she tilts her head as if listening to someone. Meryn assumes that Siegrid is consulting with her wolf, Genicos But Kate, I think this was nocturn. And I think it's because he wanted to make sure that they had a representative from each pack to make it through the trials at the castle. Kate: Once we learned that secret is connected to Nocturn, saw ⁓ of her calculated decisions very differently. ⁓ she did was no longer in the context of just helping herself gain power, but instead in the context of furthering Nocturn's agenda. Rachel: Yep. And especially like the order of things, the fact that she said, yes, Saela should go. And then she starts thinking like, why do you have to think so hard about Venna and Noemi? You know, like it's not, you don't really need to consult on that in theory. Kate: Right. Rachel: Meryn reveals everything to Saela, including their father and the plan to travel to Astreona. And Homegirl does not take it well. Even the next day, she is still sullen, not making eye contact with Meryn. And when I read this, I was convinced that she was Alistair. And that's why she was hiding her eyes from Meryn. Like I had all these notes that are like, Alistair, Alistair, is she Alistair? Does she have bright blue eyes? I guess it's just feelings of being overwhelmed at traveling into their enemy's country, knowing that she is now one of them, and also the feeling of shock and anxiety at meeting the father that she thought was dead her entire life. When she finally meets Fredrich Saela is trembling. Before they depart, Fredrich and Ruby grossly make out and he even grabs her ass, to which Meryn is rightfully horrified. my God, ⁓ only did your dad abandon you for a woman who looks your age, but he's now making out with her in front of you. Vom. Vom, vom, vom. Kate: Like I know he doesn't have much experience being a dad, you know on account of the abandonment But read the fucking room dude. He's making it so hard not to hate him Rachel: He really is. He really is. As they make the journey into Astreona, the siphons are traveling on horses and the direwolves and their riders are losing their minds at how slow the horses are. The horse hate in this book is cracking me up. Kate: They have absolutely no respect for these horses. Cratos is so annoyed having to play nice with his food. Rachel: I know, he's like, I wanna eat one. Let me eat them. Kate: You Rachel: And then there's even a scene where Stark tells him that he's had enough forbidden meat for the day. That was so funny. Kate: Just a nibble, please. Rachel: But the journey goes from boring to contentious pretty quickly when the land around them becomes beautiful and brimming with life. Nothing like the barren wasteland they've heard so much about. All of the riders except for Venna are in awe. The Siphons reveal they've been using their mind magic on Kryptos spies over the years to make Astreona seem less inviting to them. And they continue their display of magic on Venna. Cratos says, ⁓ hell no, and bites off the arm of Hanlen, one of the siphons, and he consumes it in ⁓ one chomp. So first of all, we were right about the Siphon propaganda and what a brilliant way to ensure that the fighting stays largely on the Nocturnan side of the border by making it seem like there is definitely nothing anyone would want to conquer in Astreona. But we also get an amazing Cratos move and Anassa loves it saying, oh, he can't help it. Tearing apart Siphons is just what he was made to do. Kate: I love Cratos, but we can't always get what we want, okay buddy? Like, I was made to read books in a cozy cottage in the woods drinking iced coffee and eating warm bread, but instead I have to participate in capitalism so I can afford to live, okay? We'd all like to metaphorically eat our enemies' arms, but that's just not how the world works. Rachel: Do you think that by getting removed via dire wolf, the arm will not grow back? Kate: I hope so. Rachel: Because I think it was Vanna. One of them makes a, one of them says something like, ⁓ stop whining. Like we all know that you, you can survive without an arm. Like we know this won't kill you. I think it was Vanna. think she says, ⁓ stop whining. We know that losing an arm won't kill you. And I'm just, we don't really get an answer as to whether it grows back or not. Kate: But also if it does grow back, what does that process look like? Like, is there a point where they just have like a like a little baby hand growing out of their shoulder? Rachel: I think so. Haven't you ever grown like a plant from a seed? It's gotta just, you know, just a little sprout. Kate: Yeah, it's gotta start with just a little. Hello, Spur. ⁓ man. Rachel: With Fredrich's help, Meryn and the siphon leader, Elias, broker a peace agreement to avoid a battle. Soon they arrive at a town where the siphons plan to stop for supplies while the direwolves and riders wait outside to avoid any attention. But Stark and Meryn are like, ⁓ we're not falling for that. So Kate, we a ⁓ one trope as Meryn and Stark, who still isn't talking to her, mount the same horse to escort them into town. This trope gets me each and every time. And next up, have a Stark POV chapter where we get to hear just how erect he is on this horse. Kate: Do you have any experience riding horses? Rachel: ⁓ yes, I actually booked a romantasy horse ride on my honeymoon, but we each had our own horse and it was not romantasy. Kate: just asking because I have ridden them a number of times in the past and let me tell you I don't know that I'd have been able to feel anything remotely approaching arousal while riding a horse. It was not comfortable and my lower regions fell asleep almost immediately, kind of dampening the possibility of getting all hot and bothered. So I love the visual of this trope but like My brain is just like, have never been comfortable enough on a horse to be horny. Rachel: Yeah, yeah, maybe if you ride them a lot, it's different. Kate: Yeah, I've never been proficient, you know? Rachel: Yeah, no, me neither. I went on like the intro to riding a horse horse ride on my honeymoon when I had this grand idea of like this Highland adventure because we're in Scotland, this Highland adventure of just, you know, being on my horse like I'm an outlander or something and it was like, let's go around this little field because you don't even know how to make your horse go. Kate: you Rachel: this stark thought process, we also learn that he regrets licking Meryn like a lollipop because he thinks he's moving too fast and endangering her by driving her towards Segrids plans, fucking meddling moms, ⁓ and great, great, great, great, great, ⁓ granddaddies. Kate: But also, like, God forbid he talked to her about his worries. Rachel: ⁓ yes, that would be very mature. You're right. As they arrive in the town, Stark and Meryn are shocked to find sturdy, well-maintained homes with overflowing gardens and well-fed humans living peacefully alongside siphons. David, one of the siphons traveling with them, gives them a download on astrionin culture. All siphons can drink animal blood for sustenance, but fresh human blood is preferred. Bagged blood is also available at meat markets. There is a building in town that sounds almost like a cathedral with a red lantern that colors the street red where humans can sell their blood. And it's immoral and illegal to drink children's blood. We learned that the raid just over the border in Astreona, when they thought they were rescuing Saela in Dire Bound, ⁓ actually a children's orphanage. Apparently, they rescue orphans they find in Nocturna and raise them in Astreona. Meryn is pissed and horrified at this. But when you think about it from the Astreonan perspective, they are rescuing these children from a cold barren country run by an evil monster where commoners are frequently starving. Kate: fair. But like, it's a tricky situation, because there's no guarantee that the children would be safe if they stayed in Nocturna. just because they're orphans doesn't mean that they're without family or people that care about them. ⁓ if you think about Saela, for example, she's technically considered an orphan, you know, before learning that her father is still alive. But she still had a sister and a community that cared about her. ⁓ And if Siphons had found her and decided that she'd be better off in Astreona, away from her community and everything that she knows, that would have been so traumatizing. So maybe some or even most of these kids are better off in Astreona, but I don't think you get to just like unilaterally make that call. So I get why Meryn is so upset. Rachel: Yeah, I agree. It's giving white savior, siphon savior. Kate: Mm hmm. Yeah. They've got a few complexes, okay? You know, white savior complex, siphon savior complex, they definitely have a superiority complex. Rachel: Mm-hmm. ⁓ for sure, for sure. And we get into that once we actually get into Brightbane, for sure. Kate: ⁓ yeah. Rachel: And finally, we learned that turning is highly regulated. So people are not just turning humans into siphons willy-nilly, also not attacking people and draining of all their blood constantly, which is what the Nocturnans believe is happening. So maybe these guys aren't as bad as Meryn thinks. Kate: Yeah, I mean, like I said, they're definitely not as bad as the propaganda made them out to be, but they have their own issues, biggest of which is this superiority complex that is just so grating. Rachel: Merrin and Stark explore the town on their own, and Merrin turns down an alley, pushes Stark against a wall, and then pulls a knife on Stark! Plot twist! Kate: Talk to me or else. Like, hallelujah, Meryn is refusing to accept this miscommunication trope. Rachel: That's so true. She really is like, no, we're gonna deal with this. Kate: You We're not fucking dealing with this again. Rachel: Meryn confronts him for ignoring her and he reveals that it was a mistake. Quote, I've tasted you and discovered my favorite flavor. You haunt me. You consume me. And it's sheer agony because whatever that was, it cannot happen again. Kate: Right, his favorite flavor of strawberries and emberwine. Okay. Rachel: know, Kate, we were looking at, there was a day that you and I went shopping and we were looking for a Meryn scented candle of strawberries and emberwine. But I think what we really need ⁓ a Meryn scented ice cream flavor, or excuse me, a Meryn flavored ice cream flavor, because strawberries and wine sounds good. It's like strawberries and champagne, like a white emberwine. This is our... ⁓ This ⁓ gonna our romantasy small shop. Like everybody's doing candles. Everybody's doing merch and swag. We're gonna do romantasy flavored ice cream. Kate: that we really lick Meryn. Maybe we do lollipops for shipping options. Rachel: That's true, that's true. Lollipops would be the easiest to, yeah, to create and sell, but ice cream, it's just my favorite food. Kate: Well, ice cream, get like the dripping, get more of the, ⁓ you know, you really have to, ⁓ once you start, you have to finish, you know. Rachel: ⁓ yeah. When she's popped, the fun don't stop. Kate: We'll workshop this. Rachel: Yeah, TM, TM, TM. We're suing you all. If somebody else takes this idea, sue. Stark admits to himself that it's not just because of Siegrid. He's wrong for her. He brings out the worst in her, encouraging her shadows and darker instincts. But Meryn pushes back. He's more than this one thing. They are equals. What about this connection that they have? I love that Meryn pushes Stark here. Personally, I would feel angry and rejected and embarrassed, and my stubbornness would probably not allow me to have that conversation. At least not at this point in their relationship. But I think this shows just how much Meryn learned from her struggles with Anassa during the bonding trials. And she knows there's something special between her and Stark, and she doesn't want to lose it because of fear and miscommunication. Kate: was so relieved get this moment from her because I was sitting here like preparing myself for another painful round of miscommunication. ⁓ was like, ⁓ fuck not again. But thank God, Meryn came in. She saved us all from that. Just another round of torture. So good stuff. ⁓ Rachel: Mm-hmm. Thank you, Queenie. Their conversation is cut short when they hear a woman scream and find this woman lying on the ground about to be fed on by two siphons over her late rent payment while her child watches. So maybe they are just draining humans in the street. Stark immediately beheads one while the other siphon grabs Meryn by the head, ready to snap her neck. But Elias and David show up just in time, commanding them to stop. on the king's orders and flash a brooch, a son with wavy rays. We learned that blood is payment there and the landlord siphons were well within their rights to collect rent. This brooch has my attention, Kate. I've never seen a brooch in a fantasy book that didn't mean something. along those lines, why does every romantasy book have a brooch? And a dais These are words I never use, but every single romantasy author does. Kate: And let me be clear, I know that you know what a brooch is, but would you like to tell our listeners how you pronounced it the last time you read it in a book? Rachel: I knew that it was pronounced brooch, but I said brooch. Kate: You Rachel: Like I know that it's brooch, but brooch is just, it looks like brooch. It looks like brooch. And dais, dais just gets me retent. It's four, it's only four letters, but is it? Kate: Yeah, I mean, Rachel has a vendetta against these words. And you're right, they come up so often for like, otherwise pretty unpopular vocabulary. Like, they come up so much in these books. And every time I read one, I think about you though, and how you're probably suffering. Rachel: Dias? Diocese? I am, even if I'm like just, like, it's not like I'm sitting there reading it out loud, but it just kills me every time. Kate: I'm Rachel: When they return to the outpost where they are staying, Meryn tells Stark, are a broken man. The shattered pieces of me recognize the shattered pieces of you. And that's why I'm telling you, I will give you time. BRB, I'm crying, Kate. Kate: I mean this felt like one of those like early aughts kind of slightly emo songs. Like it's giving such great heights. The gods made them into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces from the clay. Rachel: Yes. Yes, it's giving Rose an ad-vay. Kate: Ha! Rachel: As their journey continues, the weather gets steadily warmer, but Stark and Meryn are only getting colder. They're avoiding each other except when they sleep and everyone notices. Yeah, because that's weird. So at this point, no one knows that they hooked up, just that they apparently hate each other, but also cuddle up every night. Like, yeah, I'd be talking about you too. Kate: Y'all are making the vibes real weird. Like, figure your shit out and stop making it such a nightmare for your friends. Rachel: finds Saela and Fredrich curled up and chatting and Saela seems like her old self, but she looks guilty and dips her head when Meryn sees. Saela leaves to groom the direwolves, which is apparently her new favorite pastime, and apparently she tried to put a bow on Cratos yesterday. ⁓ Kate ⁓ need fan art of Cratos with a bow and I need it now and I need it framed and on my wall. Kate: Yes, please. I love how he and Anassa put up with her primping. Like, obviously Anassa handles it a little bit better than Cratos does, but the fact that he's willing to indulge her at all is amazing. Rachel: I know, I love it. asks Fredrich if there is a cure to siphonism. He says he searched, but no. Poor Saela, she finally has a present, not delusional parent, and one that is a siphon no less, but she's worried she'll upset Meryn by their relationship. So that's why in this moment, when Meryn catches them, so to speak, you know, she fucks off with the direwolves. Kate: I mean, what a weight for a kid bear. She to balance complicated feelings with her own conflicted reality. ⁓ Like if accepts her father and the reality of her being a siphon, then she feels like she's betraying Meryn in some way. Like, just really complicated emotions and things to be dealing with as a kid. Rachel: That's such a good point. Again, maybe Astreona will have therapists. Kate: I mean, these people are suffering, man, they need some help. Rachel: They sure do, they sure do. They can take her to one that specializes in child turning to siphons. ⁓ One that specializes in siphon child turning. It doesn't sound like a good name. Yes, one that specializes in helping children who are turned into siphons cope with their new realities. There we go. There we go. The next day, they finally arrive in Brightbane, which sounds absolutely stunning. It sounds like something out of an Italian or Greek city, just breezy and warm and built to funnel breezes. Venna and Meryn share the thought that Izabel would have loved it. Kate: turned into siphons There it is. Rachel: this is the first time that they've reminisced about Izabel together since her death, which ⁓ is an important step in the grieving to move from that raw pain to being able to accept the loss and think of them fondly wishing that person was there. The symbol from Elias's brooch sits at the top of the gates, and several beautiful people are waiting for them there. Meryn assumes they are siphons, and she notes that they have ribbons around their neck. Weird. So a few things here, we're definitely on sun with wavy raise watch. Like is this just the Brape Bane logo? That could definitely be what it is. Or will it come up again? Kate: It seems to me like a family crest of some sort for the royals. Rachel: Right, so it could truly just be the family logo. keeping my eye out since it was mentioned twice. Also, these ribbons around their necks are weird. Just saying. Kate: It's just, yeah, it's a weird detail. Rachel: a weird detail. I want to know more about why. They are greeted by Philippe, royal chamberlain of Brightbane Castle, and he says that the king won't greet them. They'll be summoned. And pretty quickly, we deal with a culture clash. quarters where the wolves can stay close, and Philippe responds that they don't keep pets inside. At this Cratos lunges one of the women and pulls the ribbon from her neck. Her head does not topple off, so we get no answers on why they're... I mean, me too. ⁓ Kate: I was expecting that. Rachel: tells that they sleep in beds in Astreona, not outside with their wolves. And he asks if they eat raw meat. Ugh, this is just giving Americans in any other country. Kate: Yes. Or it's also kind of giving any other country to Americans. I feel like we are the ones that they assume are barbarians at this point. And they're honestly not totally wrong. Like in this country, we see something called a doctor when we get sick. Do you know what that is? And our food comes on plates, not in troughs and buckets. Rachel: Yes. Yes. and it doesn't have 55,000 added ingredients to it that you're all allergic to, but for some reason you can just eat here. We all have, we're all like having these aversions to pasta in America and we go to, and cheese and we go to Europe and we can eat all the pasta and cheese we want. And we wonder why. Kate: Yeah, so again, they're not wrong, but you know, it is a little condescending sometimes. Rachel: I'm being condescending to ourself right now. Kate: ⁓ yeah, absolutely we are. Rachel: they get cleaned up and we need a moment the Astreonan in fashion. The women are given lightweight gowns with intricate lacing up the backs, long sleeves and high neck lines. Stark is wearing what sounds like linen pants ⁓ and a shirt in shades of blue, also with sleeves and a high neck. Kate, I gotta know, I wonder why they're all hiding their necks from the ribbons to the high necked clothing. Do you think it has to do with like hiding bite marks? if so, why would it matter? Because I wouldn't imagine that the siphons would have bite marks. And I also don't feel like there's any sort of stigma to having a bite mark in Astreona. Kate: It's a good question. really don't have a theory for it, but I do wonder like what's going on here. Why are they so intent on covering their necks? Rachel: And it's weird too because like they seem to be very open about sexuality. So I don't know why they would want to like cover up their skin more, especially since it's hot there. Kate: Ooh, I actually, just thought of something. So we know that like the only way to kill a siphon is to cut off their head. So what if it's just like, yeah, they're not ashamed of like their tits and their ass or like, you know, they're not ashamed of their sexuality, but they feel more exposed if their neck is exposed. Rachel: Eww. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's interesting. Huh. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's really interesting. I like that theory. Kate: because that's their real weakness. Rachel: They are summoned to dinner with Lucien Brightbane and we finally get to meet the siphon king. He's young, maybe late despite being ancient. He has shoulder length, white blonde hair, ⁓ blue eyes, and a bunch of cunty little earrings. He's wearing a gold crown formed of twisting metal spikes that look both peaceful and lethal, which is the perfect symbol for the beautiful deadly siphons. And what's in the middle of the crown? A tear! At least, Mary noticed this one way sooner than the one on Saela's necklace. Kate: I'm happy to see her learning. Rachel: Before dinner, we get a show. Two women enter wearing armor, but no helmets. Meryn recognizes that one of the women ⁓ woman that Stark saved from being ⁓ on by siphons in town, and the other is a siphon. Lucien explains that this is the woman's punishment for the siphon's death. The riders are horrified as the fighting begins, but the siphon wins with just three quick slices. hardly harming the woman. A bit anti-climatic. It's time for dinner and more beautiful scantily clad people enter the room and sit on the siphon's laps. The woman who lost the fight sits on Sintar the siphon woman who bested her. right as victor, so she licks her wounds. Kate: So this scene, I was just wondering, why bother with the whole fight charade? They know that the siphon is going to win, and it's not actually a matter of life and death, since the woman will be released after she's used as a snack. So it seems more like maybe a power play or something, giving the humans a false sense of control ⁓ to ⁓ keep them in line somehow. even from the human's perspective, she knows that she's not going to win the fight. She also knows that she's going to be fed on no matter what. so why was she fighting so hard against the landlord previously if she knew that she'd have to go through this whole process anyway? I don't know, I'm just like not really getting it. Like if she knows that this would be her potential punishment and that she's not going to win, and she's gonna be fed on anyway, but then she also has to go through this whole like humiliation ritual thing. Why was she like, in my mind, it seems like it would have been easier for her to just give her payment to the landlords initially. Rachel: I I know. I didn't get it either, especially since, as we see, like, it doesn't seem to hurt them. They kind of enjoy it in some ways. So I don't know. It was weird. Kate: Yeah, I'm just like, I'm still not quite understanding the dynamics between the humans and the siphons in Astreona, I feel like, you know, because we get a lot, we get a lot of the Astreonan perspective on it, right? Like they are all convinced that like, yeah, the humans are fine here. Like we treat them so well, but we don't get a human perspective somebody who has lived in Astreona. Rachel: I agree. Kate: with the siphons all this time. we're like getting glimpses of it here and it is it's a weird dynamic. So I would love to learn more about them. Rachel: Me too. Hopefully next book. But now, Kate, it's time for dinner. Lucien bites into the woman on his lap and the snack humans seem to be in a euphoric haze, even moaning, drunk. When they leave, they're described as not walking straight. I'm into this. This is exactly the kind of vampires that I'm into. I would say morally gray for sure, but also fancy and sexy as hell. Warm weather vampires are a vibe. Kate: Once again, we're getting some True Blood influences here. Like there are plenty of humans in that universe that love being fed on. Rachel: Mm-hmm. You know who not into it though? The riders, who are horrified and try not to react, but they are just repulsed by the wet feeding sounds. Kate: I'd say it's misophonia, but I think it's actually a pretty standard reaction to be repulsed by the collective symphony of slurping blood. Rachel: Lucien notes Meryn isn't eating and she says she doesn't trust the food. Fool me once, right? So he feeds it to his snack human to prove that it won't kill her. And now we get quite the data dump. Alistair is Lucien's older brother, but Lucien inherited the throne instead of him. So the entire war was because of vengeance. Kate: and men really will start a war before attempting introspection. Rachel: We learn about siphon powers. siphons can create illusions, but they vanish like smoke. Most can't perform the long-term history erasure Alistair is doing in Nocturna. So how is he doing it? Is it somehow related to the tears? ⁓ until this point, they didn't have any tears in their possession, did they? Kate: Yeah, I believe the first tear that they get is the Mother Priestess's ring, right? So I'm thinking maybe it has to do with all the children that he drained. Like maybe children's blood makes you stronger and that's one of the reasons that it's banned in Astreona. Rachel: Maybe, but we also learn here that... Siphons will age if they drink animal blood. They will not age if they drink human blood. Like the quality of the blood is what prevents them from aging. So Lucien suspects that the Nocturnan kings were not drinking human blood because they wanted to age to hide what was going on. So why were they draining children then? Like, was it just because of the bonding trials and trying to keep that going? There's definitely something weird going on there. Kate: I mean, I also wonder if because this whole magical scaffolding that they're trying to hold up in Nocturna just takes so much power that even with supplementing their animal blood intake with children's blood, it's still just the sheer amount of power that they have to use still wears them down. I don't know. Rachel: Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And also maybe that's why the children aren't just constantly being drained. Like it seems like I think Salah said it was like every couple weeks or something he would come. So maybe that's why it's not like every single day. Kate: Right. Yeah, like they're supplementing, right? Like when they need a little boost of power, they'll have a forbidden snack. But, you know, most of the time maybe they are drinking animal blood. So I don't know. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Meryn still doesn't trust Lucien, so he says he'll show her and tells her to put on his crown. When she does, she plummets into a memory. She sees Lucien in bed with three other people in the middle of an orgy. This tracks. And an older woman interrupts and says to come quickly. His father needs to discuss something regarding Alistair. We then meet Alistair, who looks suspiciously like Killian. as his father confronts him for creating the thrall bracelets. He denies it, but multiple people step forward, showing bracelets that look identical to Meryn's engagement bracelet. For the good of our kingdom, Alistair claims, but his father cuts him off, exiles him, and makes Lucien his heir. At this, Alistair activates his sleeper agents. All of the king's guards are under his thrall too, and they behead the king. At that, Lucien races to put on his father's crown and fights back against Alistair, using illusions to show a dozen Lucians just running around to distract him. Alistair tries to convince Lucien he doesn't want the crown, that he would prefer a life of luxury, but Lucien continues to fight back. Not a chance, you sadistic asshole. And then Alistair vanishes as he tells him he'll take his throne back one day. I love that we get memories through the tears. What an epic memory. But I want to take a moment to discuss how the Crown magic works. In addition to amplifying their existing powers, it seems like they also store the memory of the most recent succession, explaining how the Crown passed to the next ruler. Kate: Which is really interesting. So it seems like if the crowns carry the memories of the line of succession, what do the memories from the other Tears mean? Like are they connected to something specific? ⁓ Are they just memories of the events surrounding where they are hidden like, you know, why they were created, I guess? ⁓ we see the goddess kneeling in the place where the tear is hidden in the statue. We see her crying in the tower where they found the other one. but I'm I'm trying to think of like if all the memories are connected in the same kind of way. Because the other memories are less like distinct of, okay, the crowns clearly are showing the line of succession, but the other memories feel less like distinct in that way. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yes, yes. And obviously we've discussed like, that's going to be a big part of the next book, I'm sure, like figuring out the order of the memories and how they're all connected and what it all actually means. But I just thought it was interesting that both crowns kind of tell the same thing. Kate: Yeah, yeah, that's definitely a clear connection. Rachel: Next, we get another Stark POV chapter, and we learn that during all of this, Meryn collapsed, which is apparently also what happened when she put her crown on. Relieved to find her warm and not dead, we get a moment of Stark thinking maybe he is what she needs, her equal who can help her tame her darkness. Why do these men always need a damn near-death experience to convince them that they need to get over their BS? Kate: The clarity that they get from near-death experiences is the clarity that we get through things like therapy or talking with our friends. Rachel: Ugh, these men. Kate: It doesn't have to be this way. Rachel: They love the drama. When Meryn comes to, she asks about the bracelets Lucienne explains that all siphons can create thralls, which give the siphons an amount of control over the human. It's a two-way exchange requiring a reciprocal drinking of blood with It's temporary regular renewal through fresh blood exchanges and weakened significantly with distance. humans consent to it because it heightens their senses. The bracelets combine a human and a siphon's blood and eliminate the need to actively drink it, making it possible to create non-consensual bonds as long as the siphon can acquire the human's blood. only creator can remove the bracelet. If the wearer removes them, they die. Meryn acknowledges to Stark through her mental bond that Killian had of her blood from healing her after her fights. He's been doing this since the very beginning of their relationship. So, Kate, to that I say, are you really going to tell me I was wrong about Meryn being under a thrall for all of Dire Bound? Because I think she was the entire time. And I don't think that Killian turned after the Unity trial when he said he ⁓ I just think that's when he became Alistair. Kate: be clear, I never said that he didn't have some kind of control over her. I just said that I wasn't sure that he was using siphon magic since he wasn't a siphon yet. I did say that he could be using some other source of power, but also I don't believe that he was a siphon the whole time. If he was using siphon magic to control her before she had the bracelet, then he would have needed her consent, right? And she would have needed to continually be drinking his blood as well, which we don't see. Rachel: Well, we do get a lot of bites though. So maybe she's biting and getting a little drop of blood in there. I might need to do a dire bound reread, at least of the spicy chapters, just to see if I can connect these dots. Kate: I don't think that they acknowledge her like tasting his blood over and over again. Rachel: Maybe it comes from another bodily liquid. Kate: But doesn't it still have to be like, it's the way that they describe this exchange, again, if it's not through the bracelets is that it's a consensual thing. Like, I don't know that just consenting to having his like bodily fluids is the same thing as consenting to that connection. Rachel: Okay, that's true. But even if I'm wrong about her being in a thrall earlier, either way, it seems like he turned earlier than he admitted because of when she got the thrall bracelet. He would have had to have been a siphon to create the bracelet that he put on her when her mother died. Kate: I mean, obviously Killian could have been lying. He's a fuck turd. But what if Alistair is the siphon she's technically bound to with the bracelet? Like if that were the case, then Alistair could have theoretically created the bracelet as Cyril and then maybe it transferred with him to Killian. Rachel: And then that would mean that Alistair actually is dead because the bracelet, she was able to take the bracelet off. Kate: Maybe. I don't know. Rachel: Interesting. Lucien notes Meryn's eyes drift to her wrist, grabs her arm, and he sees the bracelet. knives drawn, everyone settles down after they explain that Meryn seems to work differently, channeling her power rather than controlling her actions. Finally, they get down to negotiations. Lucien proposes a ceasefire and that they become allies against Alistair. Meryn and Stark mind speak and Lucien calls it out. That's cute. He notices because they keep looking at each other. Lucien then shocks them all by saying he will give her control of the Astreonan forces to command.