episode 8

Two friends, Brenna and Marissa, discuss the last section of the book "Throne of Glass". They talk about attending the "Yule Mist Ball" and Selina's suspicions about Princess Nehemia. Selina and Dorian share a kiss and Selina discovers that the word marks summon a creature called the Riddurak. Selina wins the final trial and signs a contract as the king's assassin. They also discuss the significance of the rings in the story. All righty, well, let's put a bookmark in it so I can welcome you to the Fiction Corner. I'm your host, Brenna. Here with me is Marissa again. Woo! Excited for the last section of Drone and Glass. Yes. We were talking about this before. We both finished this, like, five days ago, so we've just been, like, waiting to record this so that we could just start Crown of Midnight because, yeah, it's just good, it's good. So much has happened. Seriously, though. So many predictions, so much happening. So we are kind of switching up the podcast a little bit, more so because me and Marissa are getting a little greedy on how much we want to read. And so with that being said, we're going to focus, you know, just on the books. I'm going to drop the debate topic and the quote for right now. If, you know, us and our many, many listeners want to cause an uprising, you can. Let me know if you want me to change that. But we decided, you know, we just want to talk on the book more and thus try and read more as well. Obviously, this is all new. This is trial and error. And again, if you have not read to where we are, please know there will be spoilers. So that's really the biggest thing with anything we do. So like I said, we're going to try and read a little bit more. So if it's too much for you, you know, that is not the pace you have to keep. But still, we would love you to join us so that we can talk about the book afterwards. With that being said, we are finishing off the Throne of Glass book and doing that last one third of it, which we knew everything was going to hit the fan. So we are just going to dive right into it because we need to, because there's a lot. So Marissa, take the wheel. Yeah. So the synopsis for this one. So just to give a brief, like, overview, just at the very end of the last section that we read, Selina found that the Princess Nehemia was in the library writing these word marks. So at this point in this section, Selina suspects that the princess is behind the murders of the contestants. So she decides to sneak into the Yule Mist Ball. She isn't invited to to keep an eye on the princess. She ends up dancing with Dorian. They share a kiss. Selina does some more research on the word marks that were near Varin's body that she saw. And she finds out these word marks summon a creature called the Riddurak, that when it eats a sacrifice, it grants the summoner the victim's strength. So we find out that the summoner is Cain, which is why he's been so beatable in the trials. And then the final trial comes down to Selina and Cain, which we did expect. However, before the trial begins, Selina is poisoned by Keltane. And during her duel with Cain in the trial, she encounters evil creatures and is saved by the spirit of Queen Elena, who is summoned by Princess Nehemia. Selina ultimately wins the trial as the king's champion and Cale kills Cain to protect her. We then find out that the king and Duke Parrington have involvement as well and can use this magic, too. And then finally, at the end of the book, Selina signs her four-year contract as the king's assassin. So a lot, very, very brief overview, but a lot of knowledge. So much. So we're just going to try and go in, you know, as good of an order as we can. This will be kind of a combination of, you know, emotional and thriller, I guess would be the best way to say it. But we are starting with Yulnus Mourning, that she wakes up to this packet of candy from Dorian and then getting her new puppy, Fleetfoot. But they're very cute together. You know, Dorian and her have their little interaction that morning. I didn't think a ton came from that. It just kind of increased their, you know, depth of relationship. And then it jumps to what I thought was the next big thing was the Yulnus Ball. One, I want to go to a ball. I don't know if anyone's hosting one. Me, too. Yes, right? I don't know if you know anyone. I am your plus one. I literally have told my husband that I was like, you need to just take me to a ball. Yes, or host me one. I don't know. You know. Yeah, right? It's very simple, the thing that I want. So Selena sneaks out with the help of her lady's maid and gets to the Yulnus Ball just looking, you know, absolutely stunning. Kale pulls her aside and is basically like, what the heck, dude? Like, come on now. But again, the whole purpose of this is to keep an eye on the princess that, you know, she's very worried that she is the one causing all this havoc. And us as the reader, I was very back and forth because I was like, is she, isn't she? I mean, they're kind of, you know, leaving little nuggets, but the princess then leaves the ball. And so we don't really see the princess the rest of the night. So at least from my standpoint, Marissa, I don't know what your thoughts were. The Yulnus Ball was just, you know, her again, getting closer to Dorian. Yeah, that's, I agree. I think it kind of showed their relationship a little bit more. I think even she said, I think at the ball, like, oh, she's, she's left, so she probably isn't behind these murders. And I don't think I really suspected her, honestly. I think she, like, I had a feeling she knew about this, like, magic and these boardmarks. But I was like, I just feel like it wouldn't be her. Because everything with Cain and then, like, I was really suspecting Duke Parrington and like, yeah, and Kelte and like, you know, the three of them, I was really like, oh, suspicious of in the first place. So like, she really wasn't even on my radar, to be honest. And I think kind of Selena, like, kind of wrote her off, too, after she, like, left as well. So but yeah, I mean, I do like that we get to see Selena and Dorian's relationship kind of grow. Obviously, he's like, he really likes her. He's giving her a puppy and candy, like, like the doting, like, boyfriend kind of thing. So early relationship stuff, so I thought that was cute. Yeah. I don't know if you're listening this far in. I would love a new puppy. But I think from there, really the only other big things that happened with the ball and like I said, I felt this was more relationship kind of focus than anything else. There wasn't really, oh, this huge, you know, event happened or no one died during this time or anything like that. I kind of kept waiting for something to happen. But it was really just, you know, the Dorian versus Kale kind of thing that Dorian gets to dance with her and then they end up kissing. And then I okay, I put it on my, you know, Instagram, Marissa is well aware of this. I'm not a Dorian fan right now. I am very much a Sam and a Kale fan. So when she like goes out on the balcony after the kiss, and he's just like looking up at her. I was like, oh, you poor sweet little puppy fan. Yeah, I felt that for him too. Because I mean, I think we kind of talked about it in the last the last episode to like, he's definitely like the background, right? He's way more reserved, quiet, like keeps his feelings to himself or Dorian wears his heart on his sleeve. So he's gonna tell Selena what he feels when he feels it and you know, he's giving her these gifts. He's making his affections like really well known. Whereas Kale just that's not his personality, right? So like, I do feel bad for him because I feel like he, you know, doesn't get his shot to like take that chance with her just because he just doesn't really allow himself to do that. So I do feel bad for him too. And I have different feelings about Dorian. I do like him. But I, we can talk about it towards the end because I have like some more things that I want to say about him at the end. But I do. I don't necessarily like him for Selena, but I do like his character a lot. That's fair. I do think he has grown like he's definitely more than what I expected him to be originally. But yes, I think that's a great way to word it. Yeah. Okay. So then jumping into kind of just everything, the next kind of, you know, big thing, again, they're kind of jumping over all these little tests that she has that they, again, are not as big as this final challenge, but that's really the primary focus of all the duels, all the tests that they go through. And we kind of had made some little notes throughout this whole thing. So some of these may be a little scatterbrained. But throughout the book, you know, we're mentioned on Selena's ring. And so I do want to point that out. And then as it continues, Duke Parenting's ring is also mentioned. And then at the very end, and we'll touch on that, the rings are mentioned a, you know, kind of final time. I do think the rings are kind of this controlling wordmark force, in my mind, that they help connect these people, that it kind of allows them to control certain things. I don't know if it's controlling one another, or specifically controlling kind of this other realm. But I do think that they're going to become more important as time goes, especially because Selena also has one, but she doesn't really understand the depth to it, is how I would say. What are your thoughts? Yeah, I thought this was weird, too, because like, yeah, they definitely focus on like, like the Duke's ring, like when he's like talking to Kelpain, and he's like, then, like, there's a point where he convinces her to poison Selena, the final trial, right, to give Kane the advantage. And he's like, focusing on his, they're like focusing on his ring, or she's staring at his ring, when he's telling her that. So at first, I was like, is he controlling her with the ring? Or what, like, what else is the significance there? Yeah, or does it have some play in the wordmarks? I'm honestly not sure. But yeah, until you had brought it up about Selena's ring that Kel had given her from that other little party they had. I didn't even think about her ring, to be honest. So I was like, oh, shoot, like, what is it? So I don't know what the significance is. And does Kel know what the significance of the ring is? And if it does anything? Or is this just like a little gift? Yeah, like, is it a completely separate ring? Or like, I was like, did they specifically like the Duke, Parrington and the King pass these rings out so that they could control other people? Like, I, I have so many little thoughts on that. Or, you know, it could just be a freaking ring. So there's that. But we do find out at the end that the Duke and the King have these same like obsidian rings. And so something is going to come of that. But as we mentioned last time, Kelteen definitely is getting, I can't say sicker, but she's getting worse, that she's getting far more severe headaches, that she continues to say she's kind of like blanking out in time in certain areas. And then she finally has this like conversation with the Duke where during the whole thing, she's like, I can't concentrate, like I feel foggy, that she basically wants to go get another hit off her opium. And he convinces her like, hey, we need to poison Selina just to a certain degree. And this is what the King wants. So he definitely, again, this kind of reminds me of Erebon that he's understanding her strengths and weaknesses and playing into that, that he's using those against her. Right. Because, yeah, she knows, he knows that like status is everything to her. And she didn't grow up in that like higher ranking. And she's just trying to, like you said, climb that social ladder. And her end goal is to marry Dorian, right? So like she keeps thinking, OK, if I keep getting close to Duke Perrington and keep like giving him what he wants, he's going to kind of help me get there. So he definitely can manipulate her in that regard, too. But yeah, I wasn't that's why I wasn't sure like what the headaches meant and what the ring meant. So that's why I'm thinking, is he like manipulating her, but also like kind of controlling her? I don't know. Yeah. Or maybe using some magic on her, too, in some ways that I don't know. Yeah. I was not sure on that one, but I'm sure we'll kind of find more out in the textbook. Yeah. I feel like I'm still kind of uncertain of what it all means because, you know, and I'm sorry, we're jumping around a little bit, that they talk about, well, Cain uses it to get strength, but they use it against Caltain to kind of control her or not control, but like over accentuate her kind of wants, desires to help influence her decisions. And so it seems like this word marks or these rings do different things for different people. And I'm not sure if it's based on who's using it or who has it or, you know, so like Marissa said, I think a lot more will be revealed later on, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on. So the next big, big thing was Selena goes back down into the tunnel because it's I think it's like two days before the final kind of duels or tests because there's five of them left. Nox is still here at this point and finds Cain creating a ritual sacrifice, basically, or calling. Super creepy. What were your kind of initial thoughts? But my first thought was like, you know what, I don't see Cain. But what is right? Yeah. Yeah. I wasn't surprised by seeing Cain at that. At first, I was a little disappointed because I was like, OK, well, what was the deal with Keltain and Duke Parrington? And yeah, they had to have some sort of involvement, but they didn't really reveal that until like the very end. Yeah. So I'm glad they kind of did. But at first I was like, I was hoping to see Duke Parrington in there. I agree. I thought it would be more complicated. Right. Yeah. And then in my head I was like, well, I mean, why wouldn't they get someone to do their dirty work for them? Right. So like, of course, he would be the one to kind of be doing, you know, the summoning and killing and stuff like that. So, yeah, I mean, I definitely wasn't super surprised by him. But yeah, I don't know. I thought like her like confronting the Ridderak and then killing the killing that creature with King's Sword and everything. That was like a cool little. Yeah. She was very clever about getting out of that one. I did like that. I think it shows that, you know, she's kind of getting back to her her full strength. And I did think it was important that it pointed out that the Ridderak, like when she killed it, already smelled dead, like it was already decayed inside, which I did think was important when it came around to when Cain was was killed. But the other thing from that was that and I'm not sure what your thoughts were. So, you know, we see Cain summoning the Ridderak. My first thought outside of like, OK, you know, we figured it was him was why was he so terrified when he saw Selina before? Like if he's the one controlling them, which, you know, again, we kind of guess because with these previous characters, we have Viren who comes up to him and basically has a little chat because he knows him. So, you know, we knew they had to know each other in some way. But I was like, why did Cain have this, you know, tortured, fearful moment running towards Selina? Like, was he trying to go after her, which it didn't seem like it because he was like, oh, I was actually kind of saving you for last. But that was the only thing that kind of threw me off. I wasn't sure what your thoughts were there. Yeah, I was. I thought that was kind of strange to kind of thinking back on that. And I don't know if maybe he was maybe about to summon and maybe he thought she caught him in the act and was like worried she was like spying on him or something. And then he like maybe freaked out like, oh, shit, like she wasn't supposed to know or something. He acted really confident when she like came upon him this last time actually summoning this demon. Yeah. Another thing that I found weird with this situation is like he summons this demon first before he has a victim. That's a good point. Like assumed that like the victim was coming up to him because they didn't know anything was happening or kind of like, surprise, I'm around the corner. Like, yeah, but he's like down in the dungeon summoning it. Yeah, I'm not. Yeah. So I don't know. I mean, maybe the creature like listens to him. I don't know. I like it just like follows him around until it gets its sacrifice. Like taking my dog out for a walk. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The only thing I could think of, which still doesn't make sense, was maybe he didn't have full control over the ritual act at that point. And like maybe it went after him a little bit. But so I was like, he's killed like four or five, like quite a few people with it at this point. So I feel like, well, I'm kind of reaching. So that part, I don't know if that'll ever be answered or if, you know, he was being controlled, though I think he was doing a lot of this on his own versus Kaltain being controlled. So, yeah, but, you know, she while Selene is down there, she gets bitten when she stabs through the ritual act, gets a huge mark on her arm or her hand, which is poisonous in nature, comes upstairs and runs into the princess who, you know, at this point, obviously we know it's not her, but then find out that she's been just kind of doing a lot of behind the scenes work. What were your your thoughts there? Yeah, so this is kind of a weird part, too, for me, because like she saved Selene and so we knew she had like some sort of magical something, right? Like for like, how did you save her? Like she mentions like looking down at her hand and she only has like a little thin scar. She's like, how the heck did that happen? Like I get a huge gash on my hand and I was basically dying. But then Selene like reveals her true identity. She obviously trusts Nehemia again because obviously she saw Cain doing the summoning. So we know it's not her. But then at this point, Nehemia doesn't share any information with her. Selene opens up completely and the princess doesn't say anything about like knowing about word marks or magic or anything about the situation. And not that Selene like, I mean, Selene doesn't tell her about the rhetoric at this point either, but like I thought that that would have been like a good time for the princess to be like, hey, I think you got it. Let me give you the lowdown of what's actually happening. But I did think that interaction was kind of nice that she like gives her the name like Alentea, like the spirit that could not be broken. I thought that was kind of cute. Like, so, you know, their relationship is kind of growing too. But yeah, other than that, we don't really hear much about her yet. Yeah. So then we have the king returning. I thought this was huge because I have so many predictions on what like so they say or they find out he actually was up in the White Mountains, which is where Cain is from and where they then kind of throw in like, by the way, this initial like kind of magical force is dated back to that area that it's very big there and it's just the king coming back. All of his men are just dead. No one knows what happened. He doesn't tell anyone. He doesn't tell Cale anything. He just kind of shows back up in his whole creepiness. My first guess was because we had already learned, you know, the Riddick and Cain, I was like, he just brought all of his men with him, sacrificed all of them for either power for himself or power. Like it was a sacrifice in some way. We just don't know what yet. Oh, that's actually a really good prediction. My thought was maybe that he just didn't want other people to have the information that he had. OK, the information about magic in general and wanted to be most powerful and wield it himself, but didn't want his men knowing about it. That's a good point. The sacrificing is like actually kind of smart. Like maybe he sacrificed all of his men to become like a really powerful being and to get all that knowledge. So interesting. Yeah. I mean, honestly, it could be both of these like, well, I don't want them to know anything. So I might as well just tell them to get their power, like, you know, extra life force. But yeah, one of the things that I had written down was when Selena kind of runs into him, she has this she remarks on having like a sensation similar around the king as when Cain was calling on the rhetoric. And I was like, OK, OK, yeah, you know, there's something sketchy happening. Yep. So then it progresses on to or moving towards, you know, closer to the duel that, you know, is a couple of days out. She starts warning Knox and saying, hey, I can't tell you everything except who I am, but you need to leave. Like, there is really nothing holding you here. You're not really going to be punished if you leave. You're very sneaky. Get the hell out of here. Like, I don't know why he didn't leave before. But so, yeah, I mean, it was either like she basically told him, like, if you stay, you're going to die. So if you want to live, then I would leave. And he's like, OK, cool. And just disappears. So like I said, I was like, if you could have done this before, I wouldn't like, I don't know, is the castle food that good or something? I don't know. But again, we had marked on. Tain is noted to have a ring similar to Parrington. So again, we're just kind of going back to this. I actually made a note at one point that I thought Kal Tain was maybe starting to have like visions. And that's why she was getting these headaches. And is she like seeing the like the creatures, though? Yes. So there was one point where and I don't know if it's because she's so doped up on opium or because she's like being controlled and so kind of within this loop. But Tain like passes her at one point. And she's like just looking over his head like, oh, there's some really creepy creatures going that way, too. And just goes on with her day. Yeah, so she would be able to kind of see them like like Selina can see them in the duel and like Tain can see them. And I'm sure the king and the duke can see them. So and I don't know. I wonder if she's going to become more important, honestly. I think so, because at the end, they clearly say she's not dead and that Duke Parrington is like, hey, let's just like keep her around just in case we need her. I was like, oh, you're going to need her. What's going to happen? Yeah, yeah. But that was also like, ah, OK, Elena, I see the bigger evil here. It's those two. I get you. I get it. I get it. But let us jump into the final duel, because that is like the the duel and the ending are just, oh, my gosh, so much happened. So I will say I got a little lost at some points because Selina does go in between not necessarily realms, but she's like seeing into two realms at once that she's in, you know, the natural world and then the spiritual world. And like Tain is holding her into the other world at points or so. Anyways, she starts the duel by saying, I will not be afraid. Call out, Sam. And goes into the ring. Kael wishes her luck. The princess gets her this staff to wield. That's important, too. Yeah, I think they mentioned that a lot, like basically just the symbolism behind that. Right. Of the princess's people kind of destroying Ardalyn and all that. Yeah, that is like, oh, no, she didn't. Goes through her initial battle, wins and then drinks the poison and goes up against Kain, which they do remark that it is Belladonna, the one poison that she missed in the actual challenge that she was helped by Alor, I think is how you say his name, to beat that portion. But she completely misses it because it's odorless, tasteless, all of that within the wine itself. But by using it, she is able to then see these creatures, which is terrifying. I will let you take it over from. Yeah, so I thought this was like just a crazy section, too, because I got confused a little bit, too, during the section. I felt the same way. I had to like reread it a couple of times. OK, where are we at? Can Kain see these people, too, and these creatures? Like, or is he like ignoring them? And then I was confused. I was like, is she hallucinating because of being poisoned or is this real? Yeah. At first, I thought that it was that case. But then I was like, well, no, because like, obviously, we've kind of seen this stuff before with and like heard about the portal and like stuff like that. So I was like, OK, it's got to be real to some extent. But then I was thinking, I was like, why can she only see it? And like you said, does the poison allow her to see it? Or is it just like maybe for like kind of abilities are kind of moving? She's starting to learn how to use magic. I don't know. So, yeah, I was a little confused about that, too. But I thought this was, yeah, it was kind of crazy. I mean, obviously, like Kain is beating the shit out of her. Oh my gosh, yeah. And you know, she's like dying and like it's super disoriented, can't really even see him. She thinks that these creatures that are grabbing her and it's actually Kain, which is wild. And then obviously, we, you know, we kind of hear Dorian's thoughts and Kale's thoughts as well, watching her. Obviously, Dorian is like really like heartbroken from the sidelines, but not doing anything. And then Kale's like, you know, on the ground, like with her, like right like in front of the kind of like the line. Yeah. And reaching towards her about knowing, like, I can't go past this, but I, you know, as much as I can do. Yeah. Like trying to encourage her, which I thought was very sweet. And then, yeah, we see like Nehemia doing some weird shit, drawing some weird stuff in the air and saying stuff. And we're like, OK, what is she doing? So I was OK. I get that she was like doing this, but I was like, is she like out in the open doing this? Because the king has like forbidden magic. So is he going to use this against her to be like, like a whole court just saw you summoning magic? Like, I'm going to kill you. That's what I was wondering, too, at the end. I was like, does anyone see her, like what she's doing? Like, because it seemed like at the end, like no one really mentioned it. So I was like, yeah, well, is she just kind of doing it in secret? Like, yes. Yeah, yeah. So I'm not sure what's happening there. But obviously it helps Selena that Elena comes in in full warrior garb, which we find out like she wasn't just this like damsel in distress. She's like actually a really badass warrior. And Nehemia was the one that actually summoned her to help Selena. Yeah. And so they're, you know, fighting the demons, fighting Cain. And the most that Elena can do is kind of hold off the demons and de-drug, undrug, give her an antidote so that she's not drugged up and can actually have a fair fight against Cain at this point. And so she is able to do that and is, you know, kind of a bigger person that she takes him down, but does not kill him. Which I do think is important to note that she had the option to. But as she's being taken out of the ring, the king shares a look with Cain. And so Cain gets up to kill Selena. And it's not like that was their plan all along. Like Cain was going to win, whatever it cost. And this is where Cale steps in and runs Cain through. I get that Cale is upset by this, but I was like, dude, come on, you should probably kill more people. I know, because he's like head of the king's guard, which is like, and this king is supposed to be like super evil. I was like, how have you not killed anyone yet? Yeah, and of all the people to be upset over. I would have thought that the king would have kind of made you do that already. Yeah, exactly. And I was like, of all the people to be upset over, I mean, come on. Come on. But I guess the fear was that like Cain was technically a soldier as well. And so that he came because of that, like some ritual rites. I don't know, but Cale could be punished for killing Cain, which he doesn't. Thankfully, Dorian does stand up for him there. But like I said, this part really stood out to me that they specifically say Cain smelled of decay as well. That his body, like underneath everything was just he didn't bleed normally. He didn't die. Like his body was literally just Cain, probably because of these ritual sacrifices and kind of, you know, him giving up his soul to have this power. So then Cale is kind of taken away because he's in shock. Dorian takes Selina away, gets her this like very sweet kiss on the head, which I was like, OK, finally, he's like standing next to her and he goes through this whole thought process of she's made me a better person. I'm going to be a bigger person. But oh, God, I just I'm sorry. But then Caltain just cracks. She completely cracks at this point. What were your kind of thoughts there? I actually felt bad for her, obviously. Obviously, I think I don't think she like because I kind of mentioned that she really didn't grow up with like a high status, but that she kind of kind of worked her way up. So like, I think that's just kind of unfortunately, all she knew and kind of all she planned on doing was find the social ladder, marry the future king and become the queen or whatever. And so I do feel bad because like she was totally manipulated. Yeah, she was trying to manipulate the Duke in a way. She was wanted, but she was totally blindsided. Basically, the Duke and the king had this plan from the start. They knew that she would be easily manipulated because of what she wanted. And they basically blamed everything on her to basically save their own skin. And of course, no one's going to believe anything that she says. And they know it. So even if she opens her mouth and said, this is all the Duke's plan, the king's plan. Well, basically, I mean, I feel like that's almost treason. You're like, yeah, blaming the king for something. And, you know, he's the most powerful person. So like, there's no one's just going to believe her, right? She's like, she really is a nobody. Yeah, yeah. So like, I feel bad in a way, like, because she had her mind set on this stupid dream, but like, they totally crushed her. And they definitely used her. And now she's like in prison for who knows how long. So yeah, I know. I agree that I feel bad for Kaltain too, because yes, she, you know, doesn't, she doesn't have a great personality to start with. But I do feel like the Duke and the king used that against her and just accentuated so much that she really just becomes worse and worse and worse. And it's like, okay, when do they start tapping into this and kind of start trying to control her? So, you know, was she kind of an okay person prior to the Duke bringing her back to court? And then, you know, they just, like I said, over accentuated everything or, you know, what was she like beforehand? So yeah, yeah. Poor girl. But we'll see, I guess what happens with her. Yeah, because she obviously doesn't trust the king or the Duke. So I think that's good. So maybe we'll, maybe she'll have a little redemption arc in the next book. No, no, I agree. I agree. So a lot of other things happened during this battle as well. The next big thing was Selena. We finally figure out what was going on with her forehead. That for the princess, yes, she did actually have something on her forehead that we learned the princess knows how to use word marks. She knows how to summon them. She can see creatures from these other realms or worlds. And she can see the symbol that Selena has specifically on herself that no one else can see. Idiot for thinking that we're surveying on her actual forehead. When they first looked at that, I was like, is there like a word mark on her forehead? And then I was thinking, I was like, no, that's stupid. And there was. You were right. You were right. Yeah, mic drop for Marissa. I know, I was like, am I reading too much into this? Like, I don't know, but yeah, she did actually have something, but they do mention no one knows what it means that it's a symbol that she is not familiar with, which is very big for her because this is a kind of, I don't want to say training, but specialty that has been passed down generation to generation from the princess's people. So, you know, of all the people to know, she would probably be one of them. And she doesn't have any idea, but she does have something there. It does last for long enough that the king sees it. We don't know who else did, though. Or if it's like, hey, you have to have, again, some certain ability to see it. But it definitely did flare up. The king, which is the worst thing, did see it. But yeah. And then also we find out the princess, again, like I said, has been doing a lot of behind the scenes things. She's been sending these rituals back. She's been trying to spy on the king. She's been working against Cain. She's been trying to protect Selina, which we did guess at that, that, like, you know, someone was putting the word marks under Selina's bed as a protective spell versus, you know. So that was all good. Any final thoughts on the princess and Kaltain? No, I think, yeah, we didn't hear a lot about her. Just really when her and Selina would hang out. So, yes, hearing all the stuff that she's been doing on the side, I was like, oh, you're just casually, like, you know, trying to beat all of these, like, creatures and protect people. Like, does she ever sleep? I know. Seriously. Like, girl, oh, my gosh. So it was cool to find out that she's, like, she's got, like, a big story in the background there. Yeah. So I'm excited to learn more about her. I do think she'll become more front and center as things go. And like we said, Kaltain, I do think will come up again in some way. I don't know when, but in some way. And then, you know, the last final things are Selina's breakup for Dorian. Yeah, I'm going to have to hear your thoughts on Dorian some more. I'm so crushed. So when he went and picked her up, kissed her on the forehead and took her off the field, and then it's kind of having these thoughts about how much he loves her and how he would do anything for her. I was like, okay, Dorian, if you keep this up, you and me could be friends. And then he just goes and, like, punches himself in the freaking face. So he goes to talk to his dad. I get it. His dad is not great. But, you know, he has this whole long speech in his head about how he's going to stick by Selina. And his dad goes, so you guys got a thing? And he's like, oh, no, not us. I'm like, really? We're going to backpedal again now? And so I'm sorry. I was happy when she dumped him. I was like, come on. Again, I get that this kanga is terrible, but because you can't see me, I'm, like, rolling my eyes aggressively at him. So I just, yeah, what were your thoughts? Let's stop talking. Yeah, I get that, too. Like, he obviously didn't, like, you know, do a great job of really defending her. But, like, I don't know. I think still he's too, like, he has a lot to grow still, I think, his character. Like, he's still young. He's still trying to figure out how to be, you know, a prince. And I think he's been trying to avoid his dad for so long. It's so against him on so many things that I think he's just so used to avoiding him, honestly. Yeah. It's kind of how I felt. Like, he's just, like, used to being a kid and just kind of trying to run away from his prince duties and his, like, you know, he's going to be the king, right? The future king. So he's got he has to accept it eventually, but he really hasn't, I think. And so I think this is kind of the first time where he's, like, learning that because I actually kind of liked the conversation he had with his dad because I feel like it was almost like the first time he's, like, learning, oh, wait, I can kind of manipulate my dad in a way. Like, when he talks about to, like, to try and get his dad to, like, tell the duke to not use the princess as a hostage, like, that was smart. Like, he did it in a way, like, hey, this could be bad for you because he's not really doing it for his dad and for his kingdom. He's doing it for his own reasons because he likes the princess and he knows the princess is close with Selena. So I think, yeah, he's realizing now that he can kind of secretly manipulate his dad. And I honestly hope that that continues. Yeah, like, I don't think that he's right for Selena. I don't think they have too much in common, to be honest. I think that they're, I don't know. It just doesn't make sense that she would be with, like, a king, essentially, in a way. Like, I don't know. I think, like, Kayle is more on her level because they're both, like, kind of badass fighters or whatever. So, like, I see her with him more. But I do like his character a lot. And I think he's going to be important. In my head, I think, like, yeah, the princess, Nehemia, is like, oh, if the two of them get together, they can protect her people, fight against his dad. Make a better, yeah. So, like, I do like him. I just hope that the author doesn't write him off as, like, a jealous asshole. Like, after, because obviously she kind of, like, dumped him and then kind of gets with Kayle in a way, which I thought was kind of weird at the end. Yeah, I thought it was day for breakfast. I know. And I was just like, okay, wait, you just made this whole pitch to Dorian about how you want your freedom and now you're just, like, kind of, like, ready to get with Kayle. I don't know. I thought that was kind of strange of her. But I don't know. I don't necessarily, like, I don't see her and, like, Selena and him together. So I definitely think, yeah, I mean, I think that them breaking it off is a good idea. But yeah, I do still like his character. And I think he's going to be important later. At least I hope. That is what I've been told after, again, I made a whole comment on my Instagram page and people were like, hashtag Team Dorian. And I'm sorry. So hopefully I grow to like him more. I think I'm still hashtag Team Sam. So yeah, yeah. It was hard to, yeah, when you read that book. And it was just like, their relationship was so nice. And then he died so horribly. It was just like, how can you not, like, have feelings for yourself? So we'll see. Hopefully, you know, he'll grow on me. I know he will. I just, I'm fighting it. I really am. But yeah, so he does stand up to his dad in some ways. You know, asks for the protection for the princess. Also asks for protection for Cale, which both are granted. And that's kind of like the final words that the king says to the duke. Like, oh, by the way, we're going to stop using the princess. Which is awesome. Yeah. But their final talk definitely reveals a lot. The king and the duke that, you know, they've been plotting this for a while. We still don't know what happened in the mountains. But that they both have these rings. They were controlling Kelting to some degree. That it's not complete control. But it is manipulation of emotions to help you do things. And this actually made me think of, and I'm going to completely forget her name. If anyone's read the Fourth Wing series, in Iron Flame, they talk about the Griffin Riders and one of the characters from it. She is able to heighten the emotions of people around her. And that's who I kind of thought of. Like, okay, if you're able to heighten someone's emotion enough, and in this case, Kelting's want of power, what can you kind of push them to do? And then, you know, again, talks about Kane and how he had a ring as well. And they're not necessarily controlling of him, but using of him. And that they had planned for him to be the champion. So the king kind of like goes back and forth. Like, am I going to let Selina be the actual champion? Or, you know, I was a little nervous there. I thought something was going to happen. But she does officially sign the contract. Doesn't actually read the contract. So I don't know what's in the fine print. Yeah, exactly. It's a fine penmanship. I'm sure no contract is anything, you know, like, whatever he says goes, basically. Threaten her to like, he's like, I'll kill the princess. I'll kill Kel if you don't do what I tell you to do. Yeah, basically locked in. So, and it's literally anyone he's like, you don't ask questions. I say a name, you take care of it. Um, which also obviously makes us very nervous, but that he's like, you know, it's either this person or I'm going to take someone that you love. And he goes beyond that to be like, oh, and with the princess, I'll actually go after her family and this person and this person. And so, you know, I'll pretty much torture the people you love and then I'll kill them too. But I was surprised that he doesn't mention his son at any point. Oh, I noticed that too. Yes. And so I was like, okay, I know he's, you know, not a great person. But he has at least not gone as far as to threaten his own family, or at least Dorian. So I was very intrigued by that. Yeah, and I think it's just because Dorian is obviously going to be the future, right? So, like, I think he, as much as a terrible person he is, he doesn't want to, like, lose what, like, is important to him still. So, like, that's interesting too. So, yeah, I don't know. We'll see. We'll see what happens with that. And, I mean, maybe Dorian convinced him enough that they're not a thing. But I think Dorian, kind of like we talked about, wears his heart on his sleeve. So I think he's pretty obvious about his feelings for her. And like you said, we were nervous about him potentially being kind of just jealous about everything. I'm hoping he's not, because when he saw Selena after he'd been dumped, he's still, like, supportive and smiling at her. So I'm hopeful with that, that, like, okay, you know, maybe he'll continue to grow. So the final big thing was, again, I don't know if she's dreaming or down in the tunnels at this point, but Selena's final talk with Elena. What were your thoughts on it? Yeah, so this was kind of crazy, because she basically, like, tells Selena that, like, yeah, you're meant for bigger things, even though you don't want to be, and you just want to get your freedom. Sorry, that's not going to happen. Nehemia, even, like, the conversation with Nehemia, where, like, they talk about, like, hey, like, I'm spying on the king, and, like, I'm going to be doing a lot of stuff, but I'm not going to involve you. Basically, I just took that to mean, okay, no, Selena's definitely going to be involved in some way. I'm going to have to help her with this. And then Elena says blood ties can't be broken. Yes. What the fuck? Are they related? Yeah, and then she just, like, disappears, like, okay, bye. Yeah, I was like, wait, what? I don't know. That was crazy. Yeah, so I'm very intrigued by that, because we did have a couple predictions, like, okay, obviously, we don't really know much about her parents, which, oh, shoot, yeah, I need to go back and touch on that. We don't know much about her parents. We just know she kind of, like, appeared somewhere, Erebon picked her up, trained her, and beyond that, we know she has some kind of magical ability from, you know, talking with the spirits, and she says she's trying to kind of compress things, or not spirits, I'm sorry, like, the fairies and woodland creatures, the stag, that she had something, you know, the word mark on her brow, and all these other, like, little details that hint at, okay, she's got something more. So did she get it from the Fae people and from Elena? Like, is that why Elena's, you know, coming to her and able to speak to her, that, again, these blood ties. Yeah, maybe Elena is part Fae. Like, maybe that is, like, part of her, like, in some way. I don't know, yeah, it's crazy. I'm definitely curious about that. And I'm sorry that I'm throwing this in randomly. The death of Selena's parents, that Kane knows about it, somehow, we're not sure, if he was, like, looking into her memories, or, but somehow, he's aware of it. And I think it was kind of explained, like, they mentioned something about, like, he knew, he himself didn't know it. It was more like, like, he had access to that information from all those, like, weird creatures, summoning, and, like, they gave him that information. To kind of use against her. Yeah, and I don't know how they knew, or whatever. They're just magical beings that kind of know everything, kind of thing. Yeah. But yeah, that was, that was crazy. It was, it was gross up. And she does actually tell Kale about it, in the very end that, you know, when she's, like, inviting him to breakfast, or whatever. But her parents come up again, and it sounds like she basically got up at some point in the middle of the night when she, I think she was eight when they died, gets into bed with them, just thinks, oh, they left the window open, falls asleep, wakes up the next morning, just covered in their blood to find that they're dead. And that's all we know about it. But obviously, super traumatizing. So it's interesting to have someone else kind of claim blood ties to her, some relationship to her, potential relationship to her, besides her parents being dead in this brutal way. That's all we know about, you know, her family and family ties. But yeah, she definitely keeps it very hush hush. So I am curious to see where that goes, if Alayna is going to keep coming back up in some way. Yeah. And it kind of ends with her inviting Kale to breakfast or brunch, you know. I don't know what these people do. Yeah, that was wild. There was so much that happened, it was crazy. So, so much. Any final thoughts or comments or things to add in? No, I really liked this book. I thought this ending part was great. It was, you know, very typical of this author. Just being that the last, like, little bit was crazy and packed with information. And we still don't know the full story. So I'm excited to read the next one and kind of see, kind of, like, have all these, like, ends tied together. Yes, no, I am too. I'm very excited. So with that being said, the next book in the series is The Crown of Midnight. I told Marissa I was going to wait to purchase it, but I didn't. So I bought it, like, last week. But we are going to jump into that book. Like I said, we are going to try something a little bit different because it's up to me and Marissa. So, you know, if you have complaints, you can lodge them and we will take them into consideration. But we were kind of like, screw it, we're going to try something big this week. And we are going to try and read the whole book. We'll see how that goes. If it's an absolute shitshow, I apologize and we will split it up again. But we're going big this week. So join us. Yes, come to the dark side. Alrighty, with all of that being said, we're moving on to The Crown of Midnight. And because we have so much to cover, go read my little bookworms.