When the Moon Hatched Episode 7: Chapters 76 - Epilogue

Summary

Fantasy Fangirls Podcast

When the Moon Hatched Episode 7: Chapters 76 - Epilogue

Date: May 11, 2026
Hosts: Nicole and Lexi

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Episode Overview

In this highly anticipated finale episode, sisters Nicole and Lexi wrap up their deep dive into Sarah A. Parker’s When the Moon Hatched, covering chapters 76 through the epilogue. This episode features an in-depth summary, character analysis, foreshadowing, and bets about the upcoming sequel (Ballad of Falling Dragons). The sisters discuss emotional climaxes, key reveals, the complex power dynamics between characters, and the novel’s many layers of lore. Genuine sisterly banter, laughter, and pop culture references abound as they balance thoughtful analysis with chaotic fun.

“We are literally focusing on the end of When the Moon Hatched this episode. So, spoiler, spoiler, spoilers.” — Lexi (03:14)

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Comprehensive Recap of Chapters 76 - Epilogue

(06:24 – 13:52)
Nicole’s signature "parchment lark delivery" walks listeners through the end of the novel, highlighting:

• Elowyn and Khan’s bittersweet joy and Elowyn’s forced binding to Tyroth.
• Rave and Khan’s climactic romance and "adult conversation"—ending with Rave refusing to erase her memories of Khan.
• Stark portrayals of trauma, agency, and power, especially in nightmare sequences with the Scavenger King.
• Rescue and bonding with the wounded moonplume, Liri, serving as a metaphor for Rave’s journey.
• Key betrayals and political machinations involving King Ostren, Tyroth, and Rhekzaros.
• Veya’s infiltration of the Shade palace using her magical bangle, and the importance of Elowyn’s hidden diary for revealing the buried truth.
• Epilogue: The Scavenger King’s POV reveals his possession of Kazari (Elowyn and Khan’s daughter), his schemes, and the series’ next major conflicts.

"A battle is coming and she can feel it in her bones that she is not going to survive." — Nicole as Elowyn (99:04)

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2. Intimacy, Trauma, and True Partnership – Rave & Khan’s Relationship

(19:34 – 33:48)

• Rave’s avoidance of painful truths and her efforts to protect herself (and Khan) by pushing him away.
• Khan’s growing refusal to be erased from her memory, culminating in a pivotal sex scene where he claims, “I’m not your secret, I'm your truth.”
• The emotional and psychological journey for both characters, reflecting themes of self-worth, vulnerability, and healing.

"He says, 'You feel that? You found us, moonbeam?'" — Lexi, quoting Khan (31:40)

• The podcast’s frank, joyous, and empowering approach to sex positivity and relationship discussion.

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3. Trauma & Recovery: The Scavenger King’s Legacy

(36:13 – 46:38)

• In-depth exploration of Rave’s captivity and the psychological scars it left; the significance of being called "Firelark."
• Theorizing about Fallon’s true identity and connection to the Fade royalty, and the Scavenger King’s ongoing pursuit of power.

"He wants a Navan by his side, which he's got Kazari. What if he tries to get Kazari to marry him?" — Nicole (41:38)

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4. Political Games, Power, and War Foreshadowing

(49:34 – 55:23)

• Rhekzaros’ role as a bounty hunter, his cruelty, and the risk of war if Khan allows personal vendetta to override politics.
• Khan’s calculated patience and strategic thinking regarding shade emissaries and the precarious balance of forces in the three kingdoms.

"If Khan were to let Rave do what they all want her to do, it would have very serious ramifications for the Burn." — Nicole (49:57)

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5. Lore and World-Building: Dragons, Bloodlines, and Magic

(56:00 – 66:17)

• The symbolic and literal rescuing of the moonplume dragon Leary — mirroring Rave’s wish to atone for failing Slotra.
• Discussion on elemental magic languages, the bonds between fae and dragons, and creators’ emotional resonance with characters (especially Rain).
• Theorizing about future moonplume connections, flare-ups for war, and magical Easter eggs.

"It shows us that languages Elowen learned, Rave still knows...This is huge." — Nicole (62:35)

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6. Heists, Hiding, and Key Revelations: Veya and the Shade Palace

(86:31 – 99:13)

• Veya’s infiltration using the identity bangle, commentary on palace life, Tyroth’s cruelty, and the reproductive politics of the kingdom.
• Elowyn’s diary found hidden in her old sleep suite — its contents shatter Tyroth's claim to Kazari and could “rip the world to shreds.”
• Nicole and Lexi’s intricate theories about whose memories are missing, the true murderer of Elowyn, and the future fallout of the diary’s revelations.

“What if Rave is being shoved down this icy lake and she has to learn things? What if she remembers this memory? … I think it’s gonna be from Rave’s POV in the icy lake.” — Nicole (91:00)

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7. Final Diary Entry/Epilogue: Identity, Loss, and New Threats

(99:13 – 126:11, 118:54 – 131:02)

• Elowyn’s final entries: her foreboding of approaching war; confirmation of Khan as Kazari’s father; clarity on the Navan and Vhagor family trees.
• The Scavenger King’s perspective: his motives, backstory as Ostren’s bastard, obsession with Rave/Firelark, and new schemes involving Kazari and parchment larks — setting up the sequel.

"Kazari writes in tiny script within her signature 'kill the sadistic.' However, the Scavenger King notices this because he chuckles and he's even like, huh. Okay, maybe she has more bite than I thought." (124:38)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Khan and Rave:

  "I'm not your secret, I'm your truth. This incredible, miraculous second chance that they get will not be like last time..." — Lexi (28:00)

• On Elowyn’s Courage:

  “Eat dragon shit and choke on it. Gold star for you, Elowyn.” — Nicole (102:59)

• Sister Banter:

  “Turned out last night loose-lipped Rave let it spill that she had a dream about them… And Khan here uses that knowledge to his full advantage.” — Nicole (25:55) “You know, like, my eye would twitch. It's like, yeah.” — Lexi, on waiting tables and carrying ketchup up stairs (88:41)

• On Trauma & Healing:

  “She knows that she did this to Slotra with soul crushing certainty. Oh my gosh. I feel like this is really one of the big moments where she is accepting… of what had previously happened with Elowyn and Slotra.” — Lexi (59:30)

• Fan Theories Galore:

  “What if the Scavenger King's dragon is his father, Ostren Vhagar’s dragon? … Crack theory, that would be… Are you thinking…” — Nicole & Lexi (39:10)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Summary Recap (Nicole): 06:24–13:52
• Emotional Deep Dive – Rave & Khan: 19:34–33:48
• Discussion on Trauma, Scavenger King: 36:13–46:38
• Politics & War Theorizing: 49:34–55:23
• Lore, Dragons, and Worldbuilding: 56:00–66:17
• Veya & the Shade Palace: 86:31–99:13
• Diary Entries & Revelations: 99:13–116:05
• Epilogue & New Threats: 118:54–131:02
• Favorite Quotes & Moments: 142:03–143:59
• Family Tree Deep Dive: 134:57–142:03
• Final Bets for Book Two: 144:09–163:26

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Bets & Wild Predictions for Ballad of Falling Dragons

In characteristic Fantasy Fangirls style, Nicole and Lexi close with a truly exhaustive segment of bets regarding plot points, character arcs, and magical rules for the next book. Stakes include making each other perform public make-up classes, outrageous lip-syncs, and PowerPoint odes to their favorite (and least favorite) characters.

“Let’s tap into our Dragon sight as we finish up our deep dive…most of this episode was predictions, but let’s go through any more little crumbs of speculation for book two.” — Lexi (131:02)

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Tone & Language

The episode is lively, irreverent, and filled with warmth, as Nicole and Lexi toggle between passionate literary analysis and chaotic, loving sister banter. No punches are pulled regarding explicit scenes (“Sex is here and we are not holding back”), trauma, or the need for therapy for fictional characters. Their dynamic makes even deep lore accessible and engaging — and includes frequent asides, wagers, and inside references for their devoted listener base.

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For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

• Comprehensive End-of-Book Analysis: If you haven’t read the end, this is your warning and your perfect catch-up!
• Character-Driven Insight: Explores trauma, love, sacrifice, and agency in fresh, relatable language.
• Lore and Theory Heaven: Delves deep into the interconnected lore, family trees, and yet-to-be-revealed secrets, fueling hype for Book 2.
• Fan Community Connection: Bets, predictions, and shoutouts make listeners feel part of the club.

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Final Thoughts

Nicole and Lexi close with shoutouts to their Fan Club and Discord (“literally popping off”), tease the upcoming author interview with Sarah A. Parker, and invite listeners to the next round of their epic adventure — the Ballad of Falling Dragons Deep Dive.

“Let’s go, Rebellion!” — Nicole (166:12)

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For more fandom, lore, and banter, join Fantasy Fangirls and never miss a parchment lark delivery — and beware those sisterly bets!

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Transcript

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Welcome to Get Real, the show for the reality TV obsessed and stands of the Hulu verse. Find it wherever you get your podcast and stream new episodes. Thursdays on Hulu and Hulu on Disney. This episode is sponsored by Better Help. This May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to celebrate our own journeys to better understand ourselves and to realize that no matter what we're going through, we'll. We don't have to do it alone. If you're looking for a licensed therapist to start or continue your mental health journey, Better Help is a fantastic tool to help you find the right fit.

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Something I've been doing in therapy for, I wish I could say only the last few months, but really it's for the last three years, is learning how to find work life. Balance isn't the right word, but it's learning how to find myself out of work again. And one of the big things that I'm doing is making sure that I end work at a very specific time so that little brain, that little mouse in my brain doesn't go, oh, but you could do more. You could. It just loves to do that. So one of the things that I'm working on with my therapist, Taylor, is I actually have a alarm that says set that goes off every single night where it's like, hey, no more. You're done. And it's been so helpful. And then I get to go cuddle with Ru. And by cuddle, I mean get bitten. But you know what? It's, it's part of my finding myself outside of my work. And I love it.

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You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10 [e-mail] FFG that's better. H E L P.com FFG Foreign.

[A]

Welcome to the Fantasy Fangirls Podcast where two sisters dive deep into beloved fantasy lore, character theme, series and more.

[B]

I'm Lexi, older sister and Fantasy Lore nerd.

[A]

And I'm Nicole, younger sister and romantic at heart.

[B]

And today we are wrapping up our deep dive of when the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker with this episode seven covering chapters 76 through 89, plus of course, the epilogue. As always, please listen closely to our spoiler warning. We are literally focusing on the end of when the Moon Hatched this episode. So spoiler spoiler spoilers.

[A]

So if you, oh, I don't know, haven't finished the book, then you're about to learn everything that happens at the end of the book and that's on you. But if you don't want that, then please, please go finish the book. We will be here when you're done.

[B]

Next, we at Fantasy Fangirls are adults who say adult things about adult books. In other words, friends, this podcast is rated R Con.

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Sex is here and we are not holding back. We've waited seven episodes for this, so please be mindful of those little listening ears. I'm so excited.

[B]

Additionally, we are so excited to see you at upcoming live events.

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We are jazzed to be partnering with Tattered Cover and Book and gather for several upcoming release parties in Denver, Colorado. First on May 18th, join us for Ballad of Falling Dragons the release party. We are so excited. Then on October 26th we have an ACOTAR 6 midnight release party and then ACOTAR 7 on January 11th. Those tickets did go on sale a few weeks ago and VIP is sold out, but there are still a few other tickets left.

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There's also a few more general admission tickets for our live show tour starting in Chicago on September 9, Charlotte, North Carolina on September 24 and New York City on September 27.

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Then of course we will be at the Dragon Gauntlet in Boyne City, Michigan September 11th through 12th and we are going to be going to Lancon in get this Edinburgh, Scotland July 16th through 18th, 2027. Links to all all of these events are in the show notes and on our website.

[B]

Last thing before we jump into this when the Moon Hatched episode. If you love Fantasy Fangirls and want more events, more content, more community and so much more, please check out Fantasy Fan Club.

[A]

We have six media network tiers that you can join, three of which are Fantasy Fangirl specific. Number one, the Hive Mind, which includes access to our Boppin Discord live Q&As from Lexi and I book club, often featuring the authors themselves. Like this month we have Nisha J. Tooley coming. I'm so excited. We have community events events like trivia, promo codes for live events, plus 20% off and access to exclusive merch. That is all. Tier one, that is $6 a month. Or you can join the Spice Watchers which includes everything from the Hive mind level plus early access to ad free episodes, our full episode outlines which are great for ballad prep and of course special voting privileges. That is for $10 a month. And last but not least, we have the Feral Fans which includes everything from the previous two tiers, plus behind the scenes content, a welcome gift giveaways, private Discord channel, and your name shouted out on the podcast. That is for $25 a month. And each of these tiers has an adjacent media network encompassing tier.

[B]

Join the party and learn more [e-mail] fanclub. The link is also of course in the show notes. And as always, thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for making this dream a reality. It is literally all because of you and we appreciate you so much.

[A]

And now it is time to venture into the shade and find Elowyn's diary.

[B]

To start off every episode, let's get a parchment lark delivery where Nicole does us the honor of summarizing what happens in chapter 76 to the end of when the moon Hatched. Take us away, Nicole.

[A]

Chapter 76 diary entry. Elowin is 20 now and life with Khan is oh so good. Last night he got on his knees hello and offered Elowen his malmer. Get your mind out of the gutter. Chapter 77. Rae wakes up and what's this? She's not alone. Rae can't help but take in a botty right next to her. No rave focus. The goal is to get the fuck out of here, remember? Oh, but Khan disagrees. He has no intentions of letting her go until they have a very serious adult conversation. One that Rave very much intends to delay as long as possible. Chapter 6. 78. But you know what she doesn't intend to delay? A little sexy time. Oh, and this sexy time comes with one condition. Rafe cannot erase her memories of Khan. Done. And bang. Bang, bangity bang. I said how did I you with your dreams.

[B]

Bang.

[A]

Chapter 79 diary entry. Let's splash some cold water on us. King Austrian returns with his two sons in tow for the great flirt celebration in the burn. Elwyn is forced to skip sit by Tirath at dinner. But she's not the only one Suffering tonight, even Veya can't escape the harsh treatment of her father, King Ostren. Back in their home, Elowin and Khan hide away in their denial, both desperate to ignore that in 30 days she will be bound to tyros. Chapter 80 Khan and Rave sitting in a tree K I s S I n G Rave is content in their bubble of pretend, but she very much does not want to have that talk with Khan. You know what a great way to distract him is a solo finger bang Fin bang. Fingerty bang. I said there's no more white flags with me, sire. Bang. Not quite your finger bang song, Lexi, but I hope you enjoyed that. Chapter 81 diary entry with his children gone, King Ostren corners Elowen. He knows that she's been canoodling with Khan and uses Khan and Vea as blackmail, binding Elowin to Tyroth. With that, he drops the bomb. Her bleeding is late, but he will allow her to continue and carry the youngling in her belly as long as she convinces Tyroff it's his. What an ass. Chapter 82 rave has a nightmare reliving a memory from her time with the Scavenger King. And it turns out she talks in her sleep. Well, fuck. Colin has a few questions. What's a firelark? None of your damn business. Next. Who hurt you? Also none of your damn business. But wait, what's that flying overhead? Wreck. Fucking Zaros on a moonplume. Too bad he's waving a white flag or he'd already be dead. And as Khan makes her promise not to kill him yet, Rave reluctantly agrees. Chapter 83 Khan POV Khan leaves to deal with Rex Soros, and he's not taking any chances. Wreck is getting full princess treatment. 247 escorts with the iron Cuffs and I'll Suck It Wreck. Unlike Rek, Khan doesn't believe in the mistreatment of animals and arranges for Leary to get food, water and medical treatment. But why would Wreck bring a moonplume to the Burn? Well, the Princess of the Shade is missing, and he couldn't wait until after the Great Flirt celebrations were over to wait for a dragon that can survive this far north. Don't worry, Leary. Soon his missing finger will be the least of rex problems. Chapter 84 Knowing there's a moon plume hurt and nearby, Rave abandons the dwelling and sets out to find the small dragon. After climbing up a literal cliff, Rave reaches the injured creature, where together she and Leary bond over the scars that Rek left behind. On the two of them, Rae feels As though she failed Slotra all those phases ago. But she will not fail this Moonplume. No one will ever hurt Liry again. Chapter 85 Finally, Liri is out of the sun and into a cave. But that's about where the positivity ends. Agni, a flesh thread is here trying to mend Liry's injuries, but they are very severe. I mean, Agni literally passes out from overexertion. Where's Bea when you need a subbin? In an attempt to calm Leary down, Rafe speaks to her. But one question. When the hell did Rave learn the Southern tongue? Probably with Khan, if you know what I mean. Well, let's just tuck that away in the things that we're not gonna tell the King. Speaking of the King, Khan's back and he wants answers. What did Wreck do to her? He took someone from her. She loved someone. Oh, and he whipped her. Well, lucky for you, Rave, Khan has everything all worked out. Why don't you go on a little murdercation to the city of both fame? Chapter 86 diary entry. Oh. Elowen leaves the Burn with Tyros to go back to the shade, leaving behind everything and never getting to tell Khan the truth. Chapter 87 Rekzaros POV Rek heads to Batheim after finding no evidence of Kazari. But instead of dwelling on that fact, homeboy decides he needs a good fuck. And when he's done, he'll kill one of his escorts to claim their dragon for himself. You know, just a regular Tuesday. In his chambers, Rek finds a gorgeous female, exactly his type. But one slight problem. The female rips the air from his lungs and stabs him with an iron pin. Kinky. Chapter 88 the Other POV After Shoving Rave down in her icy lake, the other starts planning out her torture session for Wreck. You see, she doesn't like how he treated the poor little Moonplume. So what better way to make him understand his wrongdoings than to make him accept experience? Exactly how Leary felt. Starting with a red hot poker to his abdomen. Oh, and we can't forget the fistful of fire directly onto his face. Suck it, wreck. Chapter 89 Veya POV Veya arrives in Erithia and uses her identity theft bracelet to disguise herself as a servant named Ada. Which is apparently a wrong choice because it turns out Ada is pregnant with Tyroth's child. After navigating the bajillion sets of stairs that is the Imperial palace of the Shade, Vea finally makes it to Elowen's old sleep suite. Huzzah. After successfully holding herself back from attacking her older brother, Veya is left alone to snoop and hidden under a pallet deep in a hole, Veya finds Elowen's journal and learns everything. Dun dun dun. Final Diary Entry Elowyn grows weaker the further she gets into pregnancy, to the point that she can hardly grab her journal anymore. She can feel a battle is coming and she can feel it in her bones that she is not going to survive. The Epilogue to the Scavenger King POV the Scavenger King watches Kizari while comparing her to his long lost firelark. What a fucking creep. He offers her a deal of sorts. She signs a blank lark and he will release her. Right? But this is just one step in his plan to reclaim the Bronze Throne and take what is rightfully his. Oh yeah, did I mention that the Scavenger King is actually Arkin Vhagor, the long lost bastard son of Ark Austeren Vagor. Oh, and this lark isn't the only one flying through the cave. Nee is here, having successfully returned to its sender cue. Everybody cries the end until May 19th.

[B]

Thank you as always for that recap, Nicole. We will be right back after a quick word from our sponsors.

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Alright friends, it is time to listen to the elemental songs to explore key insights, character analysis, lore, foreshadowing theories, and oh so much more. Rave slowly wakes up from the best sleep she's ever had and she's back in her dom home. And Khan's still here. Oh, hello. Laying in bed with his arm around her. Yay. As she looks around the room, Rave has a realization that this is not a dream or one of Elwyn's memories and but this is real. She thinks back to the night before during the Great Flirt celebration, when she remembers wishing for things with Khan that he used to do with Elowen, because after a few drinks, laughter and love, she inadvertently threw her contingency wish out the window. But this is Rave. She can't be opening her heart to someone she can't love and let someone love her. If she lets him in, then he'll die, just like Fallon did.

[A]

The writing here is absolutely incredible because it's seamless how Sarah A. Parker goes from Rave looking at Khan all like, wistfully to suddenly imagining him dead and then remembering Fallon. Like, everything about that sequence is so fucking perfect because like you as a reader, you're like, whoa, where did. When did we get here? And you go back and read it and it's oh, it's so good. It's so well done.

[B]

We've been talking all deep dive about why Rave won't let anyone get close to her. They will wind up dead beside her. She has to protect herself, protect her loved ones from losing someone else. Even if it means being alone, even if it means turning away from what feels so right. Rave can't indulge in this love that is not hers. To claim it would be to open her heart and she can't do that. So Rave tries to sneak away or else she'll be too tempted to stay and wrapped in this handsome male who they just snuggled to sleep. So nothing happened, but she just wanted to cuddle as she fell asleep.

[A]

Now, while Rave has been thinking Khan wants to keep her here because he loves her.

[B]

It's true.

[A]

Yes, but. But that's not all. As the drink fog starts to fade, she remembers that he mentioned they need to have a very serious conversation. Quote something about a painful truth. I need to know it's not shocking that Rave is like, yeah, no, I'm good. That's Rave's M.O. in a nutshell. She's been shoving things down her icy lake and she's been quite at peace not knowing things her whole existence. And listen, when it's presented as a painful truth, you need to know I don't blame her. I don't blame her for avoiding it. But as Khan says, this is not just about her and him. There is someone else who her return will greatly affect. Someone who needs her. Ah, there's that word need. It's only now that the idea dawns on her. Was knee not a missed delivery after all, was neat, actually exactly where that little parchment lark needed to be.

[B]

I love the foreshadowing in this moment, because, yes, the person who wrote that they need the recipient is indeed exactly the same person Khan is referring to right here.

[A]

Well, I love how even in the writing you can feel how Rave's curiosity perked up, but not enough to overpower that stubborn I don't want to know nature that is Rave in a nutshell.

[B]

Khan's been patient, but open about needing to talk to Rave about important matters. Overall, he's been respectful of her space and her need to process things on her own time. But this outright refusal and running away to hide forever from it is not an option. Rave might think this all only affects her and, yes, him as well, but she has no idea how much bigger this is than her and Khan. And yeah, by shutting it all out, to say naive and avoid pain, there comes a point when that's not needing time, that is selfishness. And that's just letting yourself stay in this little bubble that you've created for yourself to protect yourself. But the thing is problems and these hard truths will not just go away because Rave wants them to. Girls got to go to therapy to figure her shit out.

[A]

She would be. Honestly, of all the FMCs we deep dove in, she's at the top of my list for one that needs therapy, exactly right behind another one.

[B]

But I think the other one has her own method of therapy that she experiences in the book.

[A]

Rave just needs therapy. Okay, you know what? You make a really good point. I think you're right.

[B]

So, yeah, I don't blame Khan that his patience is waning thin at this point, as Rave makes it very clear she's not necessarily needing more time. She's going for avoidance altogether. And that can't work, not when this is so much bigger than Rave and it affects someone else. Specifically, who Khan cares very deeply for, who he knows Elowyn would have and that Elwyn is still deep down there. As we're finishing up this deep dive and looking ahead to ballad, this part might be what I'm most looking forward to in the sequel. I'm looking forward to so, so, so much. But when Rave is going to learn about Kazari and the Navan bloodline and having been bound to Tyroth, I think that's what I'm most highly anticipating. Assuming that we're gonna get that in book two.

[A]

I think I'm right up that alley with you. And I know we have a bet around that, so I know we'll be talking about it later. But like, I. I completely agree. That is one of my highly anticipated. And we actually have it mentioned we have the arcs. And the first thing we're doing, the second this episode is done is closing our laptops and opening the arcs. Cause we haven't touched them yet. Because no deep dive. I'm so excited. It's just been, like taunting us. It's been like, literally, the box is right there. It's just staring at me now. Khan, in this moment, is giving Rave a nice little option. Do you want to talk now about this painful truth you need to know? Or do you want to pretend a little longer? Shockingly, Rave chooses the latter instead, choosing the thing that she knows will distract them both to the nth degree, asking what sort of things did him and Elowen do before the Aurora Rose? Props to Khan, because homeboy immediately calls her bluff. Turns out last night loose lipped Rave let it spill that she had a dream about Them many wasn't me this time. Yeah. Lexi has a. A phrase called loose lipped Lexi in our discord. Because homegirl cannot keep a secret to save her fucking life. No, I can't.

[B]

I just like to give little hints more often than I probably should.

[A]

So rave. Let it slip when she was four drinks deep last night that she's had many dreams about them. Sexy dreams. Rough, gentle, teasing. Hard, deep and slow. Sir. My God. Oh, we're just getting started. And Khan here uses that knowledge to his full advantage. What I love about the scene, I mean, I love a million things about the scene, but they have two very different emotional beats in this scene. The first is like electric and charged. It's two characters were so fucking horny for each other. Ready to go to pound town. As we see with Khan going down on Raven. It's delicious. Which pause. I love that during the great flirt he mentioned that he can unravel her in seconds. And here we see that. Just. Bravo, sir. Very well done. Excellent job. That really. That muscle memory really clicked in after 123 phases. Good job. But as Raze starts to take charge and go down on Khan, his demeanor completely changes. Where he starts looking like a male who's been seeded for a feast of kings after years of starvation, which isn't entirely wrong. And it changes the level of intensity to level 100. What happened? We don't really get it because we're in Rafe's pov, but this is my headcanon. I think he realized that should Rafe get her away, this is the last time he will be with her. And in a split second he was like, absolutely. The fuck not. I refuse to let that be part of our story.

[B]

Yes, I agree. He is someone who is give, give, give throughout this really whole book. And here he's like, no, I deserve better.

[A]

Finally. Yes, you do. So he flips her over and tells her that he's made a decision. She is not erasing him from her memory. Now, normally rave would be like, fuck you. Too bad. But Khan's got her in quite the position. He's rubbing circles around her tingly spots and dipping in and out of her. Kind of hard to think straight. Bravo, Khan. Oh my God, I love him. He's so smart.

[B]

And hey, whatever works to convince the woman you love more than anything not to erase you, right? No.

[A]

Amazing sex for cowards. Ha ha.

[B]

Rave does not get to take the easy way out. She does not get to stick her head in the sand and pretend her past is not important. Not just to her and Khan, but to the literal world, not when her existence matters too much to people who love her and need her. So fine, Rave, you want to play dirty? Let's fucking go. He says, I'm not your secret, I'm your truth. This incredible, incredible, miraculous second chance that they get will not be like last time, where their love had to be a secret, where they couldn't simply exist together in this world as much as they wanted to together. If Rave truly feels this ache toward him, if she feels this irresistible pull, I think this is all confirmation for Khan that she did not leave back when she was Elowyn because she wanted to, for the reasons that Elowin said in her note to Khan. So what'll it be, Rave? Orgasm? And no erasing the memory or what she selfishly wants to do? And in answer we get a Don't blink Moonbeam. And all the yearning to meet each other on this bridge of exquisite connection is brimming with a magical prickly warmth. These descriptions do bring me back to the idea that these two might be mates or faded together. I'm not saying like the traditional way that we think of in Romancy with fated mates, but this description just feels like I'm going to say there's a divine element beyond the two of them, which we know could be potentially right with the creators and all of that.

[A]

I think that I'll call it like creators blessed for lack of a better term. I feel like that's as close as we can get with the knowledge that we know. But I agree completely. And you're not just brushing over the fact that he did the whole don't blink moonbeam, AKA look at me when I enter you for the first time again like that. Oh my God, I fucking love this.

[B]

Oh God. All Rave feels in her is him. This fear, untameable love, so heavy it makes her breathless. Rave has never experienced this kind of feral, loving connection before in this life. At least she would never let herself. Of course. And my favorite part about this scene is, well, there's a lot of favorite parts, but one of them is that she is not pretending to be Elowyn. She's not giving him a goodbye send off for what they previously deserved. This is Rave describing that a metaphorical mirror was just shoved up against her. She is laid bare having to choose that she wants Khan, not Elwyn, not anybody else. But she. Rave wants Khan. She will yield to not being selfish so she can get this connection she so desperately does want. It's not just release, it's him that she wants. And she's sacrificing her plan to get Khan here. Yes, because he's dangling the orgasm carrot in front of her, but also because he's meeting her stubbornness. He's not backing down. He's not just give, give, giving anymore. And quite frankly, he's sticking up for himself. And I think that's something that she's really recognizing. These two are clashing together. Khan knowing exactly where to circle his thumb and move within her.

[A]

Because of course he does. Of course he does.

[B]

And they go over the edge together.

[A]

Huzzah.

[B]

Tumbling into oblivion together. Feeling that primal satisfaction together. All of this together as one. No pretending. Just them and their soul binding. Love and connection and desire for one another.

[A]

Well done in your first sex scene coverage. Lexi, I. You did so good. That was awesome.

[B]

It was the very last thing that I worked on with the outline because I kept procrastinating because I was so nervous.

[A]

That doesn't sound like you at all. You did great. The moment also that she puts her hand over his heart and he covers hers with his own and he says, quote, you feel that you found us, moonbeam? Like, are you kidding me? Are you kidding?

[B]

I love that so much. And it's not like him trying to bring her back to Elowyn, but it's him. No, like, this is us here in this present moment. And yes, I really just love that about this scene, that it feels so right in that who is mentally present and why they are doing this and how so much had to happen for them to be able to come here so that she can find them in this love and this connection and not just trying to pretend anymore. But her mask is off. Yeah.

[A]

Yes. Later that morning, we've got to very aroused people who need to have a conversation. Have we mentioned it's very important? Shockingly, Rafe's still not ready. She'll never be ready. In fact, she's actually probably less ready than she was earlier. In the last possible. Somehow she managed.

[B]

I know, I know.

[A]

In the last few hours, she went from having very important scrippy leverage to being able to play pretend for once in her life, love this man, and then have it all wiped away from her and she'd just be able to go on with her life. That all went away the second this man edged her so hard that she let go of all that leverage. Honestly. Fair. So, yeah, she doesn't want to know this painful truth. She's just annoyed now that she can't run away. Thus saving Khan's Life in her eyes. We have to remember this is duel. Yes, it is. It's very selfish whims because that is Rave. And it is also her thinking that this is the only way to protect him. I want to give Khan another set of props here because he just deserves all of them. When he calls out this fear of hers because he's pieced it together, he mentions how it is not her job to keep him fucking alive. He can take care of himself, just as he knows she can. I love. That's the verbal version of I will stand to your side, not in front of you, and I fucking love it. Yes.

[B]

And he takes no precautions. There's only one mind weft in Dom Fron of the Curly Quill, who we've already met, and Khan has sent a parchment lark to Pyrock to get this mind weft to a safe house. In other words, away from where Rave can find him and get her memory erased. You know, just in case Khan is like, yeah, I love you so much, Moonbeam, but I don't trust that you will stick to your word because it's

[A]

Rafe, and I don't blame him. Like, I don't retreat. Absolutely.

[B]

I'm realizing I don't know if we have ever covered a FMC and an MMC where we have leaned so much in favor of the mmc.

[A]

I think you're actually very, like, don't get me wrong, it's very. Well, I don't know. Silver Flames might have come a little.

[B]

I was even thinking about that, but I. I think even a little bit more than Silver flames. And that is really saying something.

[A]

I think both of them got a lot of Ls in Silver Flames. I think you're right because COD's gotten none. In the meantime, though, before this conversation that, have we mentioned Rave will do anything to avoid, they decide to play house a little. Rave is not really one used to being upped. I think that actually might be one of her number one pet peeves. So seeing Khan, who just made her unravel, who's now foraging fruit like he's a fucking God, she decides to make him feel like he's yielding to her just to help a little bit with that ego of hers that she feels is crumbling. So, whispering a wall of hardened air into being from her bestie Claude, Rave props herself on the table and starts to go solo. Naturally, this leaves Khan's attention wholly focused on her. As he says, any lost opportunity to worship you is a tragedy. Which makes Rave feel like she has a little bit of that power back. And it also helps that it's extremely hot. I mean, she asks him what he would do if she let him pass, and I'm quoting this entire thing, quote, kneel between your legs and stuff my face between your thighs, eat you until your hips are jerking and you're clenching around my tongue. Then I'd flip you, slip a pillow under your hips so your ass is in the air, fill you with my fingers while my thumb threatens to push into you from behind. Once you're wound up, your entire body's shuddering. I'll spread you, marvel you, then split you like an egg. Call me an omelet.

[B]

Oh, my God, you can scramble me. You can bend me over easy, medium hard, whatever. Oh, gosh, that's.

[A]

Sorry. The next time Rave dreams, it is not a happy, sexy one. Let's splash some cold water over all of us. This is instead a memory of when she was with the Scavenger King. He has her chained up and he's holding fire to her abdomen, telling her that the pain is to harden her and it makes it more entertaining for him to watch her in the pits. This guy sucks. The Scavenger King believes that without him and the pain that he inflicts on her, without him, Rave would not be as marvelous as she is. This guy, this right here, tells us

[B]

everything we need to know about this sadistic fuck.

[A]

And Kazari's with him. Rave wonders to herself what gives him the right to hurt her when she doesn't get to inflict that same pain back to him. Oh, I hope she gets that revenge in ballad we learn in this memory that Fallon is teaching Rave. We've been talking about this on the podcast, but she's teaching her basically how to speak again, what the world looks like outside of their cell. Which really makes me wonder, what the hell is Fallon's backstory? Rae thinks about how it'll be when she finally escapes, how Fallon could show her the real version of the moons they drew on their ceiling and show her the colorful clouds of the Fade. That tells me, or at least that makes me think, that Fallon is from the Fade.

[B]

I agree. And that Fallon is, I'll say, at least old enough to remember what the Fade was like before Caddock took over. Because Rave, earlier in the book, wonders if Fallon was around when it was a wonderful, happy place to live, because that was the fate that she understood from Fallon.

[A]

Does that make you wonder how long Fallon was with the Scavenger King? Because that makes me wonder how long Fallon was with the Scavenger king.

[B]

Oh, it does. It also makes me wonder potentially about who Fallon is. Like, I don't think like royalty, necessarily, but what if Fallon was closely associated with the previous royal family? And when Caddock and all of that happened. Kind of like a grime situation, but in the fade, and then the Scavenger King took her when she was trying to get out or something like that.

[A]

Well, considering he's collecting princesses, I'm actually going to lean into royalty. Oh, like she was the previous Fade princess before Catac swooped in. Or maybe she's the. She was the sister of the Fade queen.

[B]

I don't know if I would go that far, but if you want to make a bet, I will.

[A]

You know what? I'm feeling chaotic today. Yeah, let's do it. Back to this memory. Rave's thoughts of Fallon are cut off when the Scavenger King draws his fireball down her leg, all the way to the tips of her toes, leaving her muscles spasming. This is terrifying. She looks up at the ceiling to a dark, shadowy hole where the Scavenger King's beast is watching.

[B]

Are we assuming that the beast is a dragon?

[A]

That would be my assumption.

[B]

That was kind of what I was thinking as well. And at that point, Rave would have never seen a dragon, not in this life. So I could see why she's thinking maybe beast versus like a saber scythe or something along those lines. What if. Total crack theory here. What if the Scavenger King's dragon is his father, Oster and Vhagar's dragon? Although I do think that his.

[A]

The.

[B]

His father's dragon is one that chased Arin out of the Boltanic Plains. So it's probably not him. But I was just thinking the possibility of. If Austin's dragon is not dead, which we don't know, then I wouldn't that be interesting?

[A]

Anyway, crack theory, that would be. Are you thinking. Okay, so taking whose dragon it is, other than Arkin's, off of the table, which type of dragon would you think it would be? Saber scythe, probably.

[B]

I going to lean towards a molten maw. Probably.

[A]

I think I'm going to lean towards a moon plume.

[B]

It seems like it might be like a darker beast.

[A]

Well then it would be the saber scythe. But saber scythe can't be in the shade. Maybe it's a. Like a dark shaded moon plume. Just like there's a great silver saber

[B]

scythe there Might be, yeah.

[A]

Rave imagines her pain draining out of her and up into this cleft towards the beast. All while she's humming a tune in her head to keep her grounded. This is her calming tune. This is when we learn that the Scavenger King wants Rave by his side to rule the burn with him where she won't ever have to hurt again because he'll be on his rightful throne and she gets to enjoy the spoils of her own battles. Oh, God, I hate this guy. Rave only has one thought. She will not ever sit by his side.

[B]

This comment from the Scavenger King trips me up so much because he's both wanting Rave to be by his side, she'll never be hurt again and get to enjoy the spoils of her battles. Is that like battles on the daily that she gets to enjoy being his pet, basically, or spoils of battles that she gets to enjoy after he takes his throne from Khan and she's basically one of his main people who's going to be taking it from him kind of thing. The way that this is all about her being by his side, it definitely does seem like it's to be his wife and his queen. And I'm not going to go that far to say, like, in the traditional sense that we think of it really would be more like his pet that I think of, like his feral beast of a pet.

[A]

Yeah. So this makes me think he must know who Rave is and he wants a Navan by his side, which he's got Kazari. What if he tries to get Kazari to marry him? I think this craving for power is very arcane. And if he has K', Zari, who was a direct descendant of the Navan line. I'm really nervous. I'm so afraid for her. I need her out of his clutches as soon as possible.

[B]

Well, maybe because he knows that Kazari is related to him, that she is his niece. He wouldn't do that. It depends on how Game of Thrones Sara is willing to go.

[A]

I don't see Arkin as the kind of person who would overlook the fact that she's his niece if it meant him going to power.

[B]

It's so interesting because, like, in the epilogue, it's. We don't really get that vibe. It's more like.

[A]

I mean, he's torturing Rave. I won't really.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I wouldn't put much past him here. It's Justine.

[A]

I don't know. I don't know.

[B]

Going back here to Rave. I think that he's was, you know, obviously back in the day, wanting her to be his queen because. Yes, I Do agree that he absolutely does know who she is. We'll get into that more when we are in his pov. But I also think that it's not only because of the Navarre bloodline. He wants her by his side because Rave is powerful in more ways than one, both with her magic and in the fighting pits. And you know, that'll make her his guard dog, so to speak. And she has the political power too, as that Navan bloodline.

[A]

Oh. Throughout all of this dream, Rave has not said a word or made a single noise until he threatens to bring Fallon into this room and make her hurt in the same way that he's hurting Rave. But because Rave speaks when he says this, he knows exactly the leverage he needs to get Rave to do anything,

[B]

which is just gutting, because we know that someday Ra will try to wake Fallon up in their cell, and she won't wake up. She'll be dead. And Rave blames herself for Fallon's death. So it seems that this here is the moment when she feels she gives the scavenger king the leverage to use Fallon against her. She let herself be vulnerable in two seconds to show how much Fallon means to her. And now he knows exactly how to motivate Rave, which he most certainly and unfortunately will do. And I'm thinking he will most likely be to torture Fallon, and then when she's kind of thrown back into the cell, she will very sadly die in the cell. And part of that will be on purpose for Rave to be have to be the one to deal with all of that. Yeah. Well, on that note, Khan shakes her awake and Rave fell physically pushes him away. No, he can't see her vulnerable like this. And she's still in her. I'm getting torture mindset right now. It's not very good. Khan questions what is a Firelark? Rave was yelling about it, and it's clear someone was torturing her in her nightmare. So what the fuck was that about? And of course, she doesn't want to relive that time of her life, so she doesn't want to talk about it. But this time, Khan pushes, because he's known for a while that she's hiding something from him. Lots of things from him. But now it's so obvious. And it's beyond just being worried about her this time. Rafe can't just brush it off and pretend like it didn't happen. Not when he saw how much she was affected in her dreams.

[A]

So I want to talk about him and the title Firelark and the bridge of the gap of information there because Khan not knowing who the firelark is, it's not out of the question. That seemed to be definitely more of a southern thing. Khan's been obviously in the north. However, I would not be surprised if in ballad he figures out very soon about the firelark, he starts to learn about it. And in book two he will then go to the pits of kinda to search for the man who tortured her. Which would make the scavenger king very, very happy because he wants Khan, he wants to kill him. And I think that could be a really interesting face off and that would be like an evil villain moment download where Khan would get information from a his half brother. But I would not be surprised if that happens next book.

[B]

I wouldn't be surprised either. I absolutely believe that he is going to learn about Rave's past by putting the pieces together about hearing about some firelark from the fighting pits and he'll immediately be able to start putting the puzzle pieces together and he'll probably have to confront her about it or something like that. I don't. And then is maybe when she will open up a little bit more and tell him. But yeah, I do think that he's going to learn it from somebody else and kind of figure it all out himself.

[A]

Yeah. This dream was everything Raev needed to remember why she doesn't let people in. It's literally one step forward, 10 steps back. While Khan sees those walls now as far thinner, Rave does attempt to rebuild them, reinforcing them and pushing Khan away. Yeah, that might have worked 30 Aurora cycles ago, but haha, not anymore. Not after this.

[B]

This most patient man's patience is used up. He still hardly knows anything, anything about Rave's past 23 phases. She's clearly hiding something and someone has severely hurt her physically and emotionally. She has started to open up to him and here she is shutting him out again, avoiding the hard topics as always. Refusing to let him in keeps him safe. It keeps her distant, it keeps her unattached, it keeps the pain and trauma away. And that is how Rave is able to go about her life, by shoving it all down into her icy lake so she can literally survive day by day without being consumed by what she's been through. And cons like that isn't how life works. You don't get to just live your life entirely like this. Especially with me. Lucky for Rave, in more ways than one. They are interrupted by incoming dragons to the city. Two of them are decked out in silver, revealing that they are shade Emissaries. And the third, riding on a poor silver moon plume, is none other than Rex Zorros. That's right. The guy Rave has been bloodlusting over, itching to hunt down and skin alive, just showed up on a silver platter. Get it? Silver.

[A]

Because he came with the shade Emissaries.

[B]

Anyway, also real quickly I was realizing how, okay, so Khan is the king of the Bronze Throne and then the shade is silver. So that means that the fade would most likely be gold. Right.

[A]

I would be myself. Especially with like the gold. The golden hour in the sky.

[B]

Yes, that makes absolute sense.

[A]

That's good.

[B]

Yes. I hadn't thought about that before. All right, well, what the heck are the odds, right? Rex Soros just came here. See, the Fate herder was right. Don't worry, Rave. Just do this and you'll be fine. You'll get your revenge eventually. I remember reading this for the first time with Rec coming in and he's like waving a white flag and all of that. And he has to shade emissaries with him and cons a little bit like, oh. And I was also like, oh, shit's about to go down. I thought they were all looking for Rave for sure.

[A]

Oh, I didn't think they were looking for Rave. Yeah, looking for Rave. That's so interesting. So it's not an accident that right before Rexaros's arrival, someone that she wants to flay, she had a dream about the Scavenger King. This order of events, the dream specifically primed Rave to remember that she is Rave, not Elowent. She has Raves thirst for revenge. So the moment it registers that it's Wreck who is in the burn, Rave settles inside herself and laser beam focuses on the kill, kill, kill. And she has to be the one to do it. I love how this moment in the writing, it changes to like the sentences get a lot shorter there. It's like all the descriptions go out the window. It's like the blades get dropped. I'm walking out of the dwelling. Like, it's like she is so focused. However, this is a little more complex than kill, kill, kill.

[B]

Politics are involved, damn it. Rave might be all out of white flags, but Wreck is touting a white flag himself. Which means that if his patron, which is Tyroth, learns that Wreck has died on Burn soil, it'll be war. That means Rave cannot kill Wreck in this city. Keyword is in the city or Khan and all of his people are in deep, deep shit.

[A]

If Khan were to let Rave do what they all want her to do it would have very serious ramifications for the Burn. If it gets back to Tyros that Wreck is dead and died on burn soil. That's the very important part. Tyroth would have the perfect excuse to start a war with Khan that he would probably. He meaning Tyroth would team up with Catacon, one that Khan knows they've been looking forward to since he murdered their pa. And while Khan has prepared his best and he's got a pretty decent army, it's not the time yet. Especially considering the might that his brothers would rain on him. He wants to be strategic and a move like this would leave him being reactive.

[B]

So what's the next best thing? Once Leary is healed, Raith can leave for Bothain, where Wreck will have to stop on his way to Gore. Bulthane is neutral territory, which means that would be a fantastic place to, I don't know, kill him and let him disappear from this Earth Rave. Get it, get the hit, Rave. And this would not have any consequences for the Burn. Yay.

[A]

Win.

[B]

Win for everyone but Wreck. As Khan heads out to greet Wreck and the Shade emissaries, quick reminder of who Rex Arrows is. Rek is a bounty hunter well known in the southern kingdoms of the Fade and the Shade, so we know that he business with both Tyroth as he is right now, as well as Cadoc as we saw earlier in this book when he was seeking out the Fear du ath. But Khan is a smart cookie and knows he can't just have Wreck walking around all willy nilly. So Khan has him cuffed with iron as well as escorted by a barrage of beaded chaperones. Aka he's got powerful elemental guards on him literally all times 247 surveillance. The entire time that he is in Burn, Khan is not taking any risks. If it was up to Khan, he would absolutely let Rave have at him right here and right now. The Wreck not con in this moment, but sadly there are rules and politics and since Rec flew in under the guise of a white flag, killing him is a no no right now. Not only is Rex Zarros a shitty person to people, he's also a shit person to animals as well. The dragon he flew in on Leary is a moon plume. And we saw through Elwyn's diary entries what can happen to a moon plume when they come into the Burn. Leary is a quarter of the size of Slotra and her skin is blistering and her wings are frayed. The motherfucker even has spokes on his saddle that cut into Leary's hide. I'm not going to go into any more detail with all that, but bottom line, poor young Leary needs a flesh thread to mend her because she is in no state to fly out of the burn. Khan has Agni come heal her and a blue bead brought in who can shift the clouds to provide the sweet moon plume with more protection from the the sun.

[A]

Why did Rexaros drag this poor little moonplume all the way to the burn? Well, like we mentioned, he's a bounty hunter, but his current target is finding the Princess of the Shade because she's missing and her paw wants her back. Her paw meaning Tyroth. So the paw that everyone thinks is her paw, remember Kazari went missing just after her anointing. What is an anointing? We strongly assume it's when Kazari gave herself to the creators. We know that she smuggled herself into the Fade to meet up with Khan, but we have no clue how she went from that meeting to being captured by the Scavenger King by the end of this book. It's also apparently well known that wreck hangs around Kazari and has for many, many phases. Khan makes the connection that Tyroth is using Rex affections against him as a way to get the bounty hunter to trap down Kazari.

[B]

Shows how messed up Tyroth is and that he's not so much of a doting father. Sending Rex Zaros to collect his daughter. Most likely. Definitely knowing what kind of man Wreck is. They're just two peas in a pod, right?

[A]

That does make me wonder what there's all this like Tyroth loves his child. Do you think Tyroth actually loves Kazari? Or does he love the power that she's given him? Or both?

[B]

I think that it's the power that she gives him.

[A]

I think so.

[B]

I. I am still convinced that he knows that she's not his.

[A]

I think so too.

[B]

And that he's been playing along this whole time because it gives him the power.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And there is a reason that she is always trying to escape. She feels like she is trapped. She wants to get away. And that's not because she's got a doting father at home.

[A]

I agree completely. When Rec is here under the guise of looking for Kazari, Khan suspects that he and the emissaries are actually here to scope out the Burns military might. Since Khan is not open about his military like Kadok is jerking off to his military every single fucking night, his brothers actually have to put effort into finding out how big the military is. There's a penis joke in there somewhere. We know that this is big enough. We know that it's big enough to almost rival them, but not quite. Go, Khan. This is concerning. These people are alive at the end of this book. The emissaries are alive at the end of this book. While they did not get any insights because Khan literally had them under constant guard, the fact that Tyros is sleuthing is very worrisome. I think I'm officially ready to die on the hill. That I am. Team Tyroth will attack under the guise that you. He believes Khan has Kazari next book.

[B]

Yeah, I know that. You've also said that you think that it might be because Wreck has been killed and that might get things going for Tyros where it's like, oh, where's Wreck? And even though he died in the

[A]

neutral territory, I could see Tyrath twisting that and using that to his advantage. I'm not confident enough to make a bet off of that specific detail.

[B]

Okay, but are you confident enough to make a bet off of Tyroth will launch the war because he thinks Khan has Kazari?

[A]

Yes, I am confident in that.

[B]

I will make a bet with you on that. Okay, let's move on to one of my favorite non con scenes.

[A]

I know I specify that part, right,

[B]

Where Rave meets Leary, the just shy of adolescent moonplume, who is very small for her age.

[A]

Could she be her mother's moonplume's? Her mother's moon plumes. Baby moon plume, Yeah.

[B]

I mean, technically, sure, why not?

[A]

Given that Sarah has mentioned we're going to find out more about moonplume connections. I wonder if Leary is related to some moonplume in the Navon line.

[B]

I would love that.

[A]

So. I would love that. That would be so good. Okay. Anyway, when Rave sees Leary, even just in the sky, she has a memory of another moon plume. We know it to be Slotra, but in a very similar situation. She sees Elowen Rave flying on a molten maw through extreme heat of the burn, all while a bloody, blistered moonplume follows her. Rave is screaming at it so much that her throat has gone raw. But the moonplume continues to follow. And Rave watches as her eyes slowly fade from black to gray to light, gray to white. Slotra. No.

[B]

Rave is drawn to this small moon plume and she scales a cliff to find liri coiled up and trembling in the tiniest bit of shadow that's available here. A frosty wail of mourning Threatens to carve up my throat from somewhere deep within my ribs. That's Slotra. That's literally Slotra really pissed off within Raves. See, because Slotra is just feeling this sweet moonplume because Moonplume dragon not doing so well. She's been through this too. With the burn. She. It feels so raw and needing to help in this instance. Oh my heart. When Rave sees how injured Leary is and the wounds on her and how Rave goes, I have them too. Meaning her injuries. She's been abused too. And while they have mended the trauma on her so you can can't see it, it will never go away. And she really does understand that with Leary here. This kinship between Rave broken and scarred, even though she's been physically mended and Liry having just been through it, it's really beautiful in the most heartbreaking way. And it feels so meant to be. Rave is here to help this dragon and to assure her that she is now safe, that no one will ever hurt her again. I imagine this is a promise that. That she wishes she got. That she wishes she could give to Slotra and she can give this promise to this dragon. She can help someone else. Which really does go back to the beginning of this book and Rave's character and who she really is. How she was on a mission to help younglings in cells. We've seen much more of. I'll say the selfish side of her character with going for revenge and not wanting to deal with her own trauma and things like that. But at the end of the day, she really, really wants to help others. And that absolutely 100% extends to this moon plume. Especially because Rave believes the creators are punishing her for failing her own moonplume. And she knows that she did this to Slotra with soul crushing certainty. Oh my gosh. I feel like this is really one of the big moments where she is accepting and I'll call it, I don't want to say embracing, but allowing it into her heart as part of her identity. What had previously happened with Elowyn and Slotra. Oh my goodness gracious. And now she gets to be here for the small Moonplume, who needs someone in her corner, who needs love and support and healing. As Rave says, I think we're meant to find each other.

[A]

Oh my gosh.

[B]

My heart. And her resolve, her promise that plunges through her heart and straightens her spine, reinforces her bones. I wonder if that's Slotra making this promise too. No one will ever hurt Leary again. Oh, I love that it's like this combined effort of Slotra and Rave making this promise to help the small moon plume, each for their own individual but very, very similar reasons.

[A]

Yes. Two things I want to highlight from this interaction. One, it seems like rain arrives semi out of nowhere. Rain, like the actual water falling from the sky. Now it is the burn. So it's not out of the question for just like a torrential downpour to start because it does rain here often. But the timing is very interesting. Is Rave accidentally wielding Rain, the creator here to protect Leary from the sun? Or is Rain doing whatever Rave assumes it is, which is quote, crying for you. I'm leaning towards she's accidentally wielding Rain.

[B]

Oh, see, I think it's Rain, the creator is crying.

[A]

The reason I think it's Rave accidentally wielding Rain is because we know the more powerful one is, the more emotional a connection is to the creator. So do they even need to speak the words or do they just have that emotional connection? And the creator follows, especially Rain, who is very emotional.

[B]

I could see there being a little bit of a connection. Like that's kind of what I was interpreting with Rain is feeling this emotional pull from Rave and is responding to it. But it's not necessarily Rave instigating it with her own powers, but it is Rain responding to Rave. I will say this. I don't think that we've seen seen Rave wield water like she has with the other three elements by the end of this book, including with the other in fire, because there is that language that is associated with it. I think that she might.

[A]

I have more to say on that later. I have more to say later. I have the whole thing. Okay. The other interesting that happens in this interaction with Liri, this time with Agni present as the flesh thread who's attempting to save the moon plume. Actually, I'm going to be talking about it right now. Never mind. Rave starts speaking out of nowhere to Leary in the southern tongue, a language spoken in the shade. Rave, in this new life, has not spent time in the shade outside of the pits of kinda. I think that this is a huge Easter egg for two reasons. One, it's mentioned that Agni's mother was an emissary. I wonder if she used to work with Elowyn's family. But that's honestly like a super side plot. Number two, and more importantly, this shows us that languages Elowin learned Rave still knows and knows fluently. So Lexi, this is huge. If she's able to remember the languages of Boulder, Rain ignos that she all knew in a previous life. Because I do think that she would be able to speak all of these languages fluently, because Elowin did. That means she also might know Kahless's language if she heard much of him when she was in. When she had the Ether Stone on. Okay, now you can speak when she

[B]

has the Ether Stone on. She's not able to hear the creators. She was before previously. Yes, but not Kahless. And so that's what makes Kzari so unique, is that she is able to hear with the diadem on and Kahless. So I will agree with the four creators, but I. I'll take Kahless off the list then. Okay. I wonder though, if there is going to be almost like a remnants. Whereas, like what I could see is, let's say that she ends up hearing Kaylis somehow, some way, because I do think that she has that ability. And she'll hear and be like, oh my God, like I have actually heard this, like when I have maybe had the diadem on, but she didn't recognize what it was because it was just like the wailing and her just like kind of not connecting with it like Kazari very uniquely has. So I think that she might be familiar with it, but she wouldn't know the language.

[A]

I think that makes a lot of sense and all of that to say she knows the four languages of the creators fluently.

[B]

I. We don't know that because technically even the other thinks how they only know a few of Boulder's language songs.

[A]

So that doesn't.

[B]

Fluent.

[A]

I think it's going to be in there somewhere. She's gonna have it down. Or maybe it's Slotra. You know what the language Bet. Okay.

[B]

That Rave. That rave knows all of them fluently.

[A]

So I think that this won't be coming about until book three, though. So I don't know if I want to make this a valid bet.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

I don't think she speaks any of them fluently or not.

[A]

Well, that's.

[B]

I don't think that she speaks them fluently, though.

[A]

I think she will figure it out in book three. All right, all right. So no bet.

[B]

No bet.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

I love this scene so much with how Rave is lifting the memory of Slotra in particular from the obsidian shore within her. Again, that icy lake. But really and truly, like, in her chest is where she puts this memory, where it's supposed to be, where she can feel it always Slotra. Her bond with Slotra and her memory of her own mood Plume Like I was saying earlier how she's accepting it and putting really and truly the first memory where it's supposed to be in her heart. We could argue about that kind of like with Elwyn and Khan and all that. But this really feels like it's like taking a piece of Elwyn and making it hers too and accepting that. And it's so beautiful because it's with her dragon who lives within her. With this wonderful full circle moment with healing and Rave and moon plumes and assurances of safety. I've speculated if these two Rave and Leary are bonded by the end of this book.

[A]

Book.

[B]

We get connection vibes. I'll call it though we don't know for sure what the bonding feels like between Fae and dragon when it's actively happening. We get connection vibes though we don't know for sure what the bonding feels like between Fae and dragon. I'm starting to lean more and more toward. Yes, they are bonded because the way that even Khan is like, you know, like, we'll wait until Leary's healed and then you can go. It's kind of like Rave would not leave her dragon until she knows that she's okay. Or does she literally fly Leary? No, she wouldn't. Because they would need a blue bead and she needs to be way more inconspicuous. Never mind on that. So I do think that Leary is still in the burn and Rave does leave Leary there. But does that mean that she'll feel this draw, this pull to come back to get her moon plume?

[A]

I think It's. It's like 75% her moon plume. They just need to like lock it in with like a test draw drive, if you will attest to drive. Pulling it back to our habitat. New dragon coverage.

[B]

I. I do think that there really is that bond that is forming here because again, some of that language and just that connection of them feeling it's varied by one another.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

It feels very bondy language in this bond way.

[A]

I was thinking of a different kind of bonding. Whoa. Whoa. That is so. Oh my God.

[B]

We are unhinged. This episode.

[A]

It's over a day later and Agni has done her best to heal Liri Ravis. Sitting by the moonplume side. When Khan arrives, he confirms two things. One, this moonplume was indeed Rex Zaros'. And two, Rek is searching for the missing princess. I love the long pause before Khan confirms this fact. Because she has no idea that she is literally asking about her own daughter here. And Khan's like, yes, yes. Do you want to ask anything else? In this short exchange, Rave confirms that Wreck did indeed hurt her. But also she opens up to Khan about how Rick killed someone important to her. Go, Rave for opening up to people. And by people, I mean Khan. I'm so proud of you. Khan sees this information for what it is, her trusting him. So he offers her some trust in return, telling her that Rec will be going to Gore, which means stopping in both name. He will keep Rec there until the date after she leaves, basically saying, you go to Balfame and I will send him the day later. He is not saying, if you want none of that. He knows her. He knows that this is a gift, this information. As she says, he's blowing her back to the wind. This gesture is an onion. It has layers and layers and layers and layers. Number one, it shows that he is her partner in this. He's not her dictator, he's not her king. He is her partner. Two, it shows how much he respects her wishes, even if it means her in danger. Number three, it means he trusts her to be in danger. Just as it's not her responsibility to protect him, it's not his to protect, slash, control her. And four, it shows that he firmly, firmly believes that she has the right to make her own choices in her future. She could easily yeet to both fame and never return, but that's a risk he's willing to make, which is why he says, quote, come back to me, to us. Which I wholly believe she will, sooner rather than later, hopefully.

[B]

I agree. I think this act of trust and understanding on Khan's part in and of itself is. Opens Rave up more to him. This is Khan meaning fully acknowledging Rave. Has he already? Yes, and a little bit no. He is blowing her back to the wind to what Rave needs. That has nothing to do with Elwyn or them. This is about Rave's life that he doesn't know really anything about. I think that he also knows that there's a lot going to happen in the near future. And he knows the feeling of needing revenge. Rave needs this before she can truly move on. And he hopes and trusts that when she scratches this itch of killing Wreck, she'll be more capable of moving forward with what's to come. This was her mission before he ever came around. It's not up to him to stop her needing to talk about a painful truth or no.

[A]

We've got a sweet revenge to get to. But first, a quick word from our sponsors, you all.

[B]

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[B]

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[A]

Babe? Jerry checked again and found us an even better rate. Pulled 20 quotes from top insurers, showed them side by side and helped me switch policies in the app.

[B]

It's a car insurance app.

[A]

Yep, that's just Never happened. Do yourself a favor, visit Jerry AI Acast

[B]

new pov. And the only time we get Rexar's pov, for obvious reasons, he's exactly where Khan said he would be. The neutral city of Balfame. While we don't get much time in Rex head thanks to the other here, soon we do get to know him pretty well in the brief time that we're together. Rex every thought is about his own personal gain or pleasure. TL Dr. He's an asshole and we don't like him. He's continuing his search for the missing Shade Princess and Balthame makes sense for the night's stop. But he has a different goal for this evening. To take the large molten maw that belongs to Teros, one of the two Erithian escorts who were charged to come with Rhek to the Burn and share any information they gleaned to Tyroth about Dom's military status. Except, thanks to Khan figuring this was the case, the two Erithian escorts were locked in their rooms and under guard the whole time. So they learned nothing. Anyway, Rek plans to kill Terras tonight, so he's eliminated and Rek can take his dragon for himself. This molten maw is way better than Leary ever was. Boo. You suck. Rek shows what kind of person Rek is. Would he go get his own egg or do the hard work to charm a dragon and bond with it? Nope. He sees what he likes, feels entitled to it and takes it. He forces this bond on these dragons and he's has no problem killing someone just to go ahead and take their dragon. He doesn't have to go to the nesting grounds and deal with all that other stuff. Nope. There's one right here.

[A]

Well, it's only in Rex POV do we learn how sick this is with dragons and with Kazari. He has convinced himself that Kazari wants him, even though she's literally handed herself to the creators to get away from him. Or at least that's what we can understand as a limited pov. He believes that this was all for the game of the chase. And I also want to point out that Wreck ordered, quote, a whore to his sleep suite with blue eyes. We know from Khan's POV that Kazari's eyes are blue. So this sick fuck is literally ordering someone who he can pretend is Kazari. This is disgusting. And I want to point out that this is also maybe, possibly a reason he's acting this way. Or it's definitely helping this way he's Acting. This male believes that him and Kazari are going to be together, AKA that he's going to end up king of the shade. This is ego. Like, this is. God, I hate him. Oh, but this is going to be sweet. Heading up to his sleep suite, he finds a woman that he thinks he ordered down downstairs. As he starts talking, she mentions how she doesn't like fire since she spent time in the pits of Kindaard. Wreck, the sick fuck, of course, believes that this is for his own enjoyment, that she is role playing and he's getting more than he ordered because he, of course he would. But he says something that I think is really interesting about the pits. Quote, sweetheart, nobody makes it out of those pits alive. That's half the fun. Unless you're trying to tell me you're Firelark. Not you're a Firelark, you're Firelark. We need to talk about this.

[B]

We sure do. This reveal from Wreck confirms that it is known that Firelark escaped the Pits of Kindard. But I will say, at least Rhek doesn't know what Firelark would look like. Or he'd be like, wait a second. This is Firelark during his first encounter with Wraith. So that could potentially be notable. Like what if Firelark had a glamour on her made to ensure no one recognized her as the fallen Elowyn? We do know that glamours are possible beyond the magic bangle too.

[A]

I kind of just assumed that she was wearing like a mask or you know, like, like something that covered her face. But that. That is very possible as well. Yeah, both are.

[B]

This also confirms that Rave's pit name must have been Fire Lark. We had previously known that she was certainly called Firelark, but this is like she was known in the pits with this name, meaning that more than just the Scavenger King called her that. He made it her identity. He made it her known name. Also, of course, that Firelark Rave is the only known person to ever escape. It's so deadly in the pits that the sick assholes who enjoy the pits like Wreck, believe that's half the fun. That people don't survive. Also crack theory. What if one of the reasons Rave wanted to go after Wreck earlier in the books in the first place was because she knows he was a patron of the pits or he was a friend of the Scavenger King because at the very beginning she was like all about going after Wreck and we just assumed that it was because he goes after the fear that he's just A bad guy. What if she has a personal vendetta against him as well?

[A]

I love this. Yes.

[B]

Okay, so going off, that's not the crack theory part of this though. This is the crack theory. What if the Scavenger King is Wrecking Father and that is who used to whip him with fire if he did not use his manners? Because that is mentioned in Rex pov. I am completely overlooking the fact that Wreck wants Kozari who would then be related to him. But maybe he doesn't know that his father, the Scavenger King is her uncle. That is such a random wild crack theory.

[A]

That might be your. Your most crack of the crack theories you have presented on this podcast. The legs on that theory non existent. But you know what? Sure, Lexi, sure.

[B]

I'm not willing to make a bet over it, but I saw that about like how he had been whipped because his paw made him have manners. And it just. I know that there's probably a very common incident. We know that. Yeah, the Scavenger King is not the only person who does bad things. But I was like, maybe, who knows? Anyway, so going back to what we were talking about earlier, knowing that more people know of this name Fire Lark like Wreck, we are thinking that Khan will hear the term Firelark in relation to the Pits to the Scavenger King somehow. And because Khan has heard Rave say Firelark and seems like she was getting tortured, that is how he will put together Raves past with the torture and the Scavenger King and the Pits of Kindard and her being the legendary escapee fighter. And that was also close to Slasher's Crater. And he will be the one to confront her about it and she will eventually open up and tell him more of her story. I'm thinking that we readers for the first time will get the story of her escape is when Rave is telling Khan when he kind of pushes it on her to be like, hey, like, look at all these puzzle pieces. You want to help me put them together here? And maybe this will also help Khan figure out where the Scavenger King is. And the Lark says that he has Kazari. So there's so many connected pieces here. What if Wraith has to lead him there to help Kazarian? And that'll be one of the ways that she has to face her fears by going back to the worst place she's ever been. And the only way that she can be convinced to go back to her hell is learning that Kazari is her daughter. Because that could be when Khan is like, yeah, honey moonbeam, remember that painful truth you really need to know. And the climax of the book is the raid to take down the Scavenger king. And that is where Khan will find the final shard of Slotra's back. At this point, I'm just writing a whole fanfic right now, but like I.

[A]

Yeah, I love it. No, I can see this. Okay, okay. If none of that happens in ballad, it will happen in our hearts.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Thank you. Using Claude, the other rips the air from Rex lungs and stabs an iron pin into his thigh and throwing his daggers into the fire. When he stumbles towards the door, his fingers are sliced by razor blades in the place where the knob is supposed to be. Honestly, brilliant thinking from Raven. The other before Wreck is then knocked out. The other. Oh, I love this. The other straddles Wreck, questioning where she should burn him first. She has him bound to the bed, completely at her mercy. That is not the normal context. We say that sentence A. The other wants him to suffer in the same way his dragon liri suffered at his hand. But Wreck remember, he's still knocked out. So she slaps him and he wakes up and he's in full pain. Pull yourself together. Pull yourself together so I can take you apart.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

Leaving Rek on the bed, the other grabs the red hot poker from the fire and holds it over his left eye, taunting Rek about the treatment of the little moonplume. But he protects protected her eyes. So the others like oh well that was nice. So she moves to dragging the hot metal across his chest and Wreck screams, trembles as the smell of his own burning flesh fills the room. The other has to hold herself back from omnomnombing him because she doesn't want to gross out her host, AKA Rave. She knows that Rave would not appreciate her eating him, especially after how Rave responded with her eating his finger.

[B]

What a kind other Slotra this is Slotra.

[A]

Everybody likes Latra. It has to be Slotra. Drawing the poker across his chest again and again, Rhek hisses himself, yeah yo Weenie. The other mentions the metal hot spurs that Rhek used on Leary and digs deep into his abdomen before pulling it out and tossing it away. She speaks a single word of Ignos and the fire in the hearth jumps into her palm. To say Wreck is terrified right now would be such an understatement. In his mind, Rave was only able to wield Claude and Boulder, not Ignos.

[B]

Which also Holy shit, she's wielding Ignos. I Mean the other is not Rave. So as we understand it, Rave would have known some of the fire creators language to be able to wield it. Like you were saying earlier, Nicole. See, I was here wondering maybe she was forced to use fire in the pits. Like could they use their elemental powers in the pits? Or maybe she only ever used Ignos and that's another reason that she hates fire, is because of that strong connection there. But anyway, yeah, it's like, it's so interesting that you know, like the other is like, Rave, you got to go into the icy lake. I love you.

[A]

Time out.

[B]

Yeah, but, but I gotta handle the, the fire stuff right here. I know you don't like it, so you just don't worry about it. I'll handle it. Okay? Okay, bye.

[A]

You have toddlers. Oh my God. The other finishes off her torment with one final question. Quote. Do you know how it feels for a moonplume to scald in the sun's harsh rays? Rex Zaros, she would know a bit like this. And then she touches the fire to his face with two hands.

[B]

All right, friends, by this time you know that we at fantasy fangirls are 1 million trillion percent convinced that slotra is the Other. But just in case you need a little bit more supporting evidence, allow me to present my closing argument. While in the other's chapter, the other calls Rave, quote, a hatchling in her eyes, that is what dragons call the young. And the other also thinks of Rex eyes and how they're a nostalgic blue like the glaciers in the shade. Huh? Slotch is from the shade. And when Wreck threatens the other with a you're dead, the other thinks, strictly speaking, he's not incorrect. Like a calcified moon who gave her life force to her person and is now technically dead. But Rave is alive.

[A]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[B]

And the other can understand and hear the moon plumes. Whales understand the language of this moon plume. And she thinks how the small mercy of protecting eyes was not given to her all those cycles ago. Like 126 phases ago, while following Elo into the burn. And the sun blinded Slotra's eyes.

[A]

I rest my case. Now this scene ends with the other shoving Rae further under the icy lake to protect her. It's not for malicious intent, but I'm firmly in the camp that Rave is still there at the top of this book. Especially after the box we got, which I'll talk about in a second. Yes, the box. The box.

[B]

I wonder if Rave is mad that she didn't get to Go after Rek. It's very likely that she will not remember the sweet, sweet revenge that she's been chasing all book. Hence why it's clear from the others chapter that Rave did not want to go under the lake. The way she kicks and thrashes when the other shoves her down. Again, lovingly, but the other is again like, no, no, no, no, no. What I need to do to this mail is fire. And you understandably cannot handle that. So allow me.

[A]

So I never would have thought that the book would open up with Raves still in the icy lake until we got our Ballad of Falling Dragons PR Boxes. We have not read the book. Let me state that again. But on the box there is a depiction of Slotra overlooking Rave, who is shoved under an icy lake. If this is the case, what on earth are we going to learn in that icy lake? Literally, like Elowen's memories, I think is what we're going to learn in the icy lake. That's where Rave is. And she's gonna start searching around and it's gonna be Elowent's memories. How you doing?

[B]

It's not working as well as I wanted it to.

[A]

Remember it's on the side too, because we opened it.

[B]

No, that's just this part here. Oh, well, here we can at least show this part.

[A]

Yeah. So there's Slotra and there's Rave's hand in the icy lake.

[B]

I really do think that you're onto something and you are right with Slotra. And the other is starting to put a little bit more pressure too, on Rave having to face the icy Lakes depths. Even in the others pov. She thinks how, quote, Rave will grow, adapt, embrace, and therefore conquer if she is open to it. Sounds a lot like what the Mind Weft said at the Curlic. So I think that's gonna be a huge plot point and character arc for Rave, where even Slotra is like, you gotta figure some stuff out now.

[A]

Okay, I have a theory, and it goes against a bet that I've made with you, but I'll save it. And because we're about to go into Vea, and it involves Vea, but I think we're gonna get a lot of Elowyn memories via the icy lake early next book.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Oh, my God, I'm so excited.

[B]

Cutting over to Veya in the shade, we see her attempting to navigate her way through the Imperial palace in Arithia. The palace is massive, cut into the side of the mountain with lots of windows. Again, like the PR box that we got it's also a labyrinth, with each doorway guarded by armed guards. And the halls are filled with a constant stream of maids running around. Did I mention this place was huge? As in over 44 levels, with the 44th level being where Elowen's old bedchamber is. And it's also the presumed location of her diary. So I hope Veya didn't skip leg day, because that's a lot of stairs. Can you imagine walking up 44 flights of stairs to just not find the thing that you were looking for up there? I go up and down our stairs all day long, finding things or grabbing things that I forgot or kids needed something else. And it's like, I would be so mad if I had to go up 44 sites. And it's like, damn it, it's not up here.

[A]

Well, for. For context, the Empire state building is 102 flights of stairs. I can't believe stair math is back. So it's less than half of the Empire State Building. But like, you're saying you'd be walking it constantly. Everyone's butts better be rock solid bubbles like those. Those would be the hottest butts in the whole kingdom.

[B]

So fun fact. I used to work at a restaurant.

[A]

Oh. Had three levels. That has one of the tests that you had to carry a keg up the stairs. Or is that for bussers?

[B]

That was for bussers.

[A]

Cause I never would have passed that one, but.

[B]

And like having to walk up and down those three flights of stairs. We were all in great shape. But like, I remember even if I would take like a week off, you know, like for a vacation or something, I had to come back and I'd have to be going up and down those stairs. It's like, okay, I'm out of practice.

[A]

Shouts to the wall.

[B]

And whenever somebody will be like, oh, can I please have like a catch up. And yes, for our Colorado friends, this is at Weston Tavern in Boulder, Colorado, on Pearl street when I was in college. And if somebody on the top floor on the rooftop was like, oh, can I have ketchup? I'd kind of like, my eye would twitch. It's like, yeah.

[A]

Oh, that's been me on so many occasions. What about barbecue sauce? Is it the same? Is it the same way?

[B]

It was actually what ketchup was up. It was the barbecue sauce, the ranch, like, all of the things that you had to get from the kitchen that was downstairs.

[A]

I apologize to any servers who I've. I've had. I thought it was in the condiment station. Up at the top. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I will bring my own ranch next time. Okay, I do want to point out something real quick about this passage, because multiple times in Veya's chapter here, she mentions how something feels familiar about this place, like she's been here, but doesn't remember. How interesting. From someone who has had 30 cycles missing from her memory. Which brings me to my theory. I think Veya and Khan came here to get Elowyn from the Shade, way, way, way long ago, before she had Kazari. And Khan was somehow deterred. Maybe he was going to get slaughter or something, because he would have been very recognizable. And Veya used her bangle to pretend to be someone else to go get Elwyn in her room. Veya then found a on the brink of the death. Elowin, especially because when Veya is at the door of the royal chambers, she says, quote, my breath catches at the sight of the door. Something inside my brain wiggling like a worm I can't quite manage to pluck free and inspect. So Veya goes into these royal chambers. She sees Elowen looking up at Hay's perch with her diary. Again, why Veya in this chapter is in the position. And she says it feels devastatingly right. But in that moment, Elowen, who is weak beyond measure, then begged Veya to stab her in the chest, thus killing her. So this would have been after Kazari was born. Slotra then goes up to get Elowen, taking her into the sky. This is how Khan saw Elowyn and Silachra become a moon. Veyo was so scarred from stabbing her friend that she got 30 aurora cycles wiped from her memory. And that's how Khan helped Veah throw the bangle away to the Velvetron. Thank you.

[B]

That is such a.

[A]

That just put nobody.

[B]

No.

[A]

Okay, wait.

[B]

I do want to ask one.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Several clarification questions, but one is, you don't think that Khan knows what Veya would have done though, right?

[A]

I actually, I do. I do think he would have. I think he would have seen it for what it was, which was a mercy, but he is probably deeply scarred by it. But I think that's why he helped Veya get rid of the bangle, because it was so deeply painful for her. So I. I do think he would know. This also brings me to my thing earlier, when I was like, well, what if Rave is being shoved down this icy lake and she has to learn things? What if she remembers this memory? And the way we get Elowyn's death is through Rave reliving it in the icy lake. So I know we have a bet of how will we find out who the missing 30 aurora cycles. Will it be from Khan's POV or Vespa's POV? I think it's gonna be from Raves POV in the icy lake.

[B]

That is a fantastic theory. Like that. That really does fit extremely well. I've already made my bet and therefore my bed that Tyroth killed Elwyn.

[A]

Like, I don't know why.

[B]

I just feel that in my bones. Like that feels right. But this is good. What if. Okay, this is my theory on top of yours. What if Tyroth forced Veya to do something and he made sure she didn't remember it by making a mind weft erase what they did. Like, I don't know if Khan would know the way that Veya is so familiar with that room. That was a huge standout thing in that. And definitely with Elowyn's death. I think that would be so poetic. The only other I'll say, like incident of that room is where her parents had died. Yeah, but. And that was poisoning. And I don't know if that would have happened like in that room kind of thing. Right?

[A]

No, it did happen in that room.

[B]

I'm still dying on the hill. I'm going down with the ship. That Tyroth is the reason that Elowen died. I do think that he stabbed her. I think that's. That's what my bet officially says. But damn it, I think you're on to something. I'm thinking. I am absolutely convinced that vey is missing. 30 cycles has to do with Elowyn.

[A]

And I think so too.

[B]

And. And all of this and. And her tragic history.

[A]

Yes. She had to have been there. Because like everything. Everything around this. I'm convinced that Veya stopped her. I'm convinced that Aya is. Veya is the one who killed her. And how fucking rich will that be when Rave and Veya come face to face? Ral know what if she finds out from her icy lake, she will know how she died at Veya's hands. Veya will not know because she's had those 30 cycles removed. Oh my God. Okay, this episode is getting long. We need to keep going. Veya's plan is simple. Get in, find the diary, get the fuck out. And in order to get in without her brother killing her on sight, Veya uses her magical identity stealing bangle to pretend to be one of the maze within the palace. Quick Side note, our content researcher Brooke has ruined me. She put in this outline. I think it was this outline or the outline prior. That gif of Dwight from the Office of Identity Theft is not a joke, Jim. And now every time we talk about the Bengal, all I see is Dwight from the office. So Brooke, you've ruined me. After knocking a random maid out and putting a pillow under her head because she's not a monster, Veya swaps her outfit for for the silver garb of the mates. A long flowing skirt, a plain blouse and a fur collar and cuffs. I love how Ve notes that it's nearly not enough layers because she's fucking freezing. Really only something that someone raised in under the sun would feel because she's freezing her titties off. I also love that their outfits are silver for the moon plumes and the snow and the elf. It's just so cool. So she's knocked out a random maid named Ada. Use the bangle by pricking said maid and thus herself, making her glamour to look like the maid. So that should be all right. She can sneak around the palace. Not so much. The maid is Tyroth's mistress, helpful when it comes to getting into his chambers, but not so helpful when Vaem learns that this maid is pregnant with Tyroth's child. And Tyroth, he's a kind mourning husband. He should be so sweet to his baby mama, right? Wrong.

[B]

As another maid says, you know what he's like when Tyroth is displeased. Tyroth is, as Veya so wonderfully puts it, a sadistic fucking asshole who will threaten poor Ada's life. But it's not just Veya who knows this. People beneath Tyroth in his palace do as well. However, I do wonder how much of the truth of his nature is known beyond the palace. Because obviously it's clear to at least some people like the maids and such in the palace. And I'm sure more than just them know as well. But like, what about throughout the shade? What about in the city? How close is his reputation as a heartbroken widower and doting father? Is it only beyond the shade? Are there rumors that he's not as good of a guy as he's perceived to be? Because he's clearly not within the palace. And I love how this character truth is captured when Veya has one interaction with someone else in the palace and then course he is awful to who he thinks is Ada. Where vey is genuinely concerned for this poor maid's been. I hope that Vey does indeed help Ada out, like she's noting herself to do. And Ada gets safe from here. I was going to ask you, do you think that Ada will play a bigger part in the story next book, or is she just kind of to an end in the plot point right here? Yeah, I think so.

[A]

Yeah. I hope that she just gets to safety. I hope so too. So I'm deeply concerned for her. Now, question. During this exchange with Tyroth, a parchment lark comes in and delivers itself to Ada, AKA Veya. But the parchment lark is blank. Sort of. It's from Khan. Whenever him and Veya are away from the burn, these two send notes to each other only in invisible ink that can be illuminated by dragon flame, so it appears blank, and Tyroth the fucking ass rips it to shreds. First off, rude. Secondly, what does it say? Is it Khan telling her that raves in Balfame? Is it something else? I don't know what?

[B]

So I was here thinking, what if Tyroth does figure out what is said in it and he realizes that was Veya? But then I was like, oh, wait, he does, like, rip it up and he tosses it to the floor. Maybe Veya takes it on her way out. But I definitely missed the part that it was ripped up.

[A]

I think it would have been Khan saying something like, rave has gone to both AIM Maybe he's going to bathe after Rave. Maybe.

[B]

I don't know. Okay, so, Nicole, I do have one more piece of context that could be good for us. It is the back of Ballad of Falling Dragons. And while it is from Khan to Rave, I wonder if this is maybe like a hint to something that he was also saying to be it, because it's kind of important. Moonbeam, a moonfall is coming. Our muskins foreseeing a catastrophic event. Many will fall, and all at once.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Okay, we're not even going to get into all that year right now. Others will soon foresee the moon falls. Once word gets out, folk will panic, things will get messy, Tell no one, and please be careful. And then crossed out, it says, I'm here in B. And I'm thinking that's both AIM Because I think he's going after his advisor, Roan, who is missing. Silly. He's very worried about him. And so I wonder if he wrote a similar message to Veya even. Like, I know the timelines and all that, but, like, let's just say that maybe that is something like, hey, Veya, things are really bad. This is where I'm going to be. And yeah, this.

[A]

I'm down. I'm down for all of this right here. Yes. So once Tyroth leaves, Veya gets to work looking for Elowyn's diary. But she can't find it. The mirror didn't have a hole behind it like it did in a room back in Dome. Veyer remembers that Elwyn was so weak during her pregnancy. Ha. I wonder how you remember Veya that she couldn't even go into the streets to see her people. Something that is cherished by all Arithians since conceiving while wearing the ether stone is so flippin rare. So if Elowen was pallet bound, then she would have had to keep her diary somewhere within reach. Sitting on the bed, Veya puts herself in Elowyn's shoes. She slides herself off the mattress and finds herself with a perfect view of Hadean and Ellum's moon Hayes perch. Reaching her left arm under the pallet, Veya runs a hand along the wall and finds a hole. And inside she discovers Elowen's diary. A black journal with Khan's Malmer painted onto the COVID And here we go.

[B]

Veya has Elowen's diary and the truth comes out. But first let's go back in time a little bit with Elwyn's diary entries. When she is happy with Khan living with him in the burn. Remember how he left for seven days to get the great silver saver size scale? Oh dear.

[A]

This is back.

[B]

Because the dragon Ara came to Khan in a dream and told him that if he did not secure a scale from her shed, he was undeserving of the love he and Elowin shared. And if, if he did not succeed in this scale mission, he would not have the strength to face their biggest challenges that have not yet come to pass. Which we theorize is an important nod to the challenges coming to them in the present day with war looming, obviously Khan survived and got the silver scale. Huzzah. And it is part of his Malmer, which is a hand carved pendant that the warriors of the Botanic Plains offer someone that they are courting. And now he gives Elowen the Malmer carved of dragon scale to represent the her silver moon plume and his saber scythe. Together our girl gives an enthusiastic yes. Clinging to this Malmer and the hope that it serves the representation of their love. Praying to the creators to keep Khan safe, to let them have this love together again. I just think of them being creators blessed, some kind of vision of faded nades. Yeah. Divine intervention, divine pushing them together, all that kind of stuff there. And Elwyn is hoping this especially because she has lost everything else. She wants this one thing. And this is another moment where we see just how alike Elowen and Rave are both so terrified of losing this one that they love the most. And Elowen finally does open her heart to Khan, embracing their love, as scary as it is. And Rave is going to get there eventually. To be fair, she has not had several phases to warm up to Khan like Elowen had. Though I'll give Rave that things with

[A]

Elowen and Khan could not be better in these diary entries. They have a home together. They make music together every night, literally and figuratively. Even the stone that Khan carved their home out of seems to be blessed by Boulder. Again, that creator's blessed.

[B]

It feels pretty notable too, that the Aetherstone likes it here as well. Which makes me wonder, is that strictly only Kahless or the influence of the other creators? Like, with their runes that lock Kahless

[A]

in this diadem, things are perfect for these two right now, who deserve a little flip in perfection. And yet Elowen cannot help the sensation of when is the other shoe going to drop? Fucking relatable girl. Considering that this has been Elowyn's whole life, I don't blame her for this being the immediate response. And also again, another parallel between her and Rafe. As Elowen puts it in her diary, she knows that they're in a bubble here, but she at least feels like the horrors of the rest of the world cannot touch them here. So problem solved. Never leave this dwelling and boom, you're safe.

[B]

Well, as happy and perfect as the setup is, there is one major problem. Elowen is supposed to bind with Khan's brother, and her 21st birthday, which is when she'll be required to bind, is fast approaching in 30 cycles. No matter how much these two lovebirds wish and pretend otherwise. When King Osterun returns to the Burn, which again is his kingdom, he brings the twins. And this is the first time in a while that Elowin sees the male she's supposed to bind with. Their first real interaction together is when Tyroth corners her in the hallway, backing her into a dark corner. Fuck you, Tyroth. And Elowen holds one of her dragon scale blades to his throat. He's laughing at her, telling Nevaeh is a bad influence. But when she defends her friend, he tells Elowyn that she's not allowed to speak yet. So Elowyn tells him to eat dragon shit and choke on it. Gold star for you, Elowyn.

[A]

You tell a fucker eat dragon shit and choke on it is honestly a great diss.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

I also love seeing these little glimpses of Elowyn and how sashy she is. It really just like it. It's that neon sign that she and Rave are the same person. Not the same person, but similar.

[B]

And also, not that we didn't need convincing, but this illustrates just how awful, controlling, misogynistic and cruel Tyroth is. Grieving widower, my ass. He takes what he wants and thinks he's entitled to it because he has a penis. The headstrong Ve we have come to know and love is me, Small by her father. She's quiet, eyes downcast, as her father berates her at dinner. She killed her mott in childbirth and he will never forgive her for that. He regrets bringing Veya into this world and our strong, independent Veya sheds a tear. Poor girl. We know from being in her POV how much the trauma and hatred in her childhood has stayed with her. And we're seeing in the past what it was like for her to simply exist around her father and the twins.

[A]

Quick note about Veya at this dinner. It's mentioned that she's already given herself to the creators, which means Veya has already done her Tuukka trial and fought for herself and won, and then gave herself to the creators. So I'm guessing this all happened before Elwyn came to the Burn.

[B]

That's my guess, since she's already teaching and training at the Academy here in Dom.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So Sarah did tell us that Veya is equivalent to her early to mid 20s, while Khan is like in his early 30s. But Faye do have long lives, so my guess is when Veya came of age, maybe like a decade or so before Elowin came to the Burn, because sure, that sounds right. I'm totally just pulling numbers out of

[A]

my ass right now.

[B]

She had to do the Tuka trial and then give herself to the creators when that did not give her the independence it was supposed to. But I'm guessing that all happened like a decade or so before Elowyn came into the picture.

[A]

I think she's like eight to 10 years older than Elowyn. Yes, yes, that's what I'm thinking too. Since Elowen's family died, she has been told to shut up, stay silent, stay hidden, and basically let Tyroth and Osterin take over everything in her life and wait until you're useful when you're 21. One of my favorite things about this scene is with all of them. At dinner, Elowen is done being quiet and shoved aside. And here publicly, she rips her veil off, climbs on top of the table and picks up a piece of meat. Like actual meat, not con, which. This is so fucking iconic. It's normal FMC behavior. I'll say. But this is a really big deal. In this world, women are veiled and not seen until their binding ceremony, which is still a month away. For her, this is defy the patriarchy behavior, which hello freaking rave again. As Elowen steps back into her herself, thanks to Khan and Veya's help, we see more of her and raves. Same, same, but differences.

[B]

Yes, yes. Like we were saying a few moments ago, Elowyn and Khan, they're doing their best to avoid the realities of the outside world. The following day for the Great Flirt, these two stay in bed, wrapped up in each other. We know from Khan's POV that he wanted to muster up the courage to ask her not to bind with his brother to defy the Tri Council and they could be together forever. Like they both want. Want we talked about a lot last episode, so I won't rehash it here, but I find it so fascinating how the Great Flirt celebrations are parallel from the past and present. Rafe thought this was goodbye. Like Elowyn unknowingly had it be there goodbye. And Khan thought she did know that this was goodbye and that this was their last hurrah. But instead it's the true beginning. Their first kiss Rave drunkenly letting her walls down and admitting a few things Khan desperately needed reassurance of. Like that she does have feelings for him, but she's scared. How poetic that it's like their love story picked right back up where it ended last time.

[A]

Oh, that's such a good way of putting it. Oh, this future slams into Elowyn and rave as the chain of events we've slowly been learning about as the book goes on unfold. King Osterin sends all of his children off to go rebuild a village that has been torn apart by a rabbit's saber scythe. And then he traps Elowin in a bland room. King Osserin proceeds needs to lay it all out to Elowyn. He knows that her and Khan are. I love that. Elowin specifically puts quotations around the word because that's not how she sees the two of them. They are so in love. They're not just but Daddy, I love him. Only after Elwyn threats to give herself to the creators, meaning she will not bind with anyone, does Osterin suck all the air out of her lungs. Noted that he's, you know, a clone wielder. It's kind of ironic that that's one of raves like go to moves, but I feel like that's a go to move for a lot of people with clone powers. And he lays it all out. She will bind with Tyroth or else he will kill Feya. And then he would tell the twins about Khan and Elowin's fucking, and the twins would hunt Khan down and saw off his head. He's also happy to leave SLA unprotected, as Elowen is carted across the plains back to the shade. And Elowyn can watch her moonplume kill herself trying to follow her back to the shade. AKA bide with Tyroth, or I will kill the only family you have left. Fuck this guy. And just in case it's not clear enough, he knows that Elowen is with Childe, meaning he's got some kind of informant on her maids or something where he has a mind wife. I'm leaning more towards maids. But if she binds with Tyroth, great timing. Tyroth will believe the child is his own. Debatable. AKA hurry the fuck up. Because you either do as I tell you or you and everyone else will die. Fuck you, Oster and Vhagor. I'm glad Khan sawed off your head and fed it to his dragon.

[B]

The way that this breaks Elowyn's heart. She's never known fear so real. And her greatest fear is losing the ones that she loves. Ostren just promised that he would make sure she literally has no one left. And it would be her fault. This time she can save her loved ones, even if it tears her apart. Even if it means lying to reject Khan and break his heart. At least he'll still be alive. I've decided this is the trade off for finding such a great love like Ma and Pa's, that mine too must end in tragedy, bearing the curse of my family name. Who else do we know believes deep in her bones that love only results in tragedy. Rave, no matter what kind of love, becoming close to someone is a curse and means death for them, as both Rave and Elowen have separately experienced. So question. Do you think there really is a curse on their family's name?

[A]

I don't. I don't think there's a real like a Real curse. I think there's a perceived curse, but not a real curse.

[B]

I agree. It's more of like a cause and effect versus. Yeah, actual curse.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Before leaving the Burn, Elowin writes Khan a letter stating that while she enjoyed their time together, Tyroth will be a more gifted siren. Assuming this is in reference to the fact that he's a tri bead again, further cementing to Khan that he is less than his younger brothers because he can only wield two creators. And Tyroth is everything Elowin will need to breed healthy younglings to maintain the Navon family line and their ability to protect the Ether Stone.

[B]

It makes me so sad how disgusted she is with herself for doing this. Thinking how she was once called remarkable. And now look at her. She can't even look at herself, just,

[A]

oh, this is everything Khan has been told his entire life balled up into one letter. You are not enough. Your brothers are more worthy and you are not enough to make me stay. Oh, my God. I. Like, I can't. Like, my heart breaks for Khan 123 phases ago because. Can you just imagine receiving this letter and the fact that I. I still firmly believe he went to the Shade to go get Elowin, because I feel like he knew on. On some fundamental level, this was not her.

[B]

Yes, well, we know that this breaks Khan's heart. He'll never stop loving Elowyn and he'll always wonder if she meant the note as we got from his POV earlier. I wonder if he wanted to be close to her when she was going through all of this. Just kind of like feeling that I need to be close to her. Because earlier in the book, when we were in his pov, they and him were both like, there had to be more to this note because they both really do think that Elwin loved him. But there's always that question, did she mean it? Khan's inner child just knows that he's already not worthy and he really feels that so much. Oh, and then Elowen died, presumably in childbirth. Khan still thinks that, though the burn flesh thread Agni and Alvea know it was probably a stab to the heart. Instead. We still don't know exactly what Khan was doing in the Shade when Elowen died and Slasher will take her up to the sky. So I do wonder if, let's say that it's not the van him, much as I really do believe that at this point. But anyway, I wonder if he was called here for Tyroth to secretly confront him and the plans changed or something. Or he came on his own just to be on the same city as Elwyn or as part of the Vhagar family. It was his duty to be at some ceremony welcoming the new family member. Anyway, point is, this rejection note breaks Khan's heart and he does wonder if she really did choose Tyroth over him, despite. Despite feeling that it was real between him and Elowen.

[A]

The next diary entry we get is from the Shade, after Elowen has bonded to Tyroth and she's near childbirth. While the city folk of Erythia are celebrating the arrival of the soon to be youngling, Elowen is deep in mourning. The Etherstone has sucked away all of her joy and she's barely able to move, not even to see Slotra, which I don't think she sees Slotra again until Slotra barges in, scoops up her dead body and carries her into the sky. Which, by the way, I can only see Slotra now as the Kool Aid Man.

[B]

I was thinking the dragon from Shrek.

[A]

Oh, that works too.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Movie.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That's so good.

[B]

I know I've been harping on this for several episodes now, but here we get it on the page quote I've heard from one of his loyal aides, the only folk I'm allowed contact with, that a bloodlace has arrived on Dragon Back this ride. If she's here to test my youngling's blood once I give birth, the paternal line won't draw in Tyroth's direction. It'll draw north to Khan. And this is Elwyn's final diary entry. This is important and the reason I am convinced that Tyroth knows that Kazari is not actually his, but Khan's friendly reminder that a bloodlace is someone who is gifted with a unique power over blood. They can source familial origin, use someone's blood to make them hurt or feel pleasure, etc. So, first of all, I wonder if a blood lace would be helpful to not feel so much pain during childbirth. Like a blood lace can leverage their abilities to take that pain away.

[A]

Like a little epidural. Like a magical.

[B]

Yeah, like a magical epidural sort of thing. Yeah. I highly doubt that's why there's a blood lace coming here, though. Seems way more likely that this blood lace tests her child's blood and confirms that this baby is not Tyros. And I think that with that information, Tyra stabs Ellen right after the baby has been born and he has spent the last 123 phases pretending that Kazari is his because that is the necessary narrative to keep his power in the shade. And he's got a big ego where he'll never admit his bound fucked his brother. But he knows and I think he's just waiting to play his card. And I am very very worried.

[A]

Now before Elowyn signs off for the last time, she says something mighty interesting quote. A battle is coming. I can feel it in my bones. Ah, she's so right. But it won't be for another 123 phases roughly. I do think a line like this is to directly set us up for Ballad of Falling Dragons. We know from the back of the book we can assume that the war is on the horizon via this note from again that we highly assume is from Khan. So I think that a line like this saying a battle is coming, I can feel it in my bones. This is Sarah A. Parker basically saying buckle up buttercups. There's going to be a huge war in this night. The next book.

[B]

Okay, so this goes back to one of our other questions that we theorized is thinking that the war is in the next book or in the.

[A]

I think the kickoff for the war is next book and then the final like the pinnacle of the war will be in book 3. I agree with that. Yes. I don't think it, I don't think it's going to be a middle of the series over and done with war.

[B]

Yeah, I, I wonder if Elowyn can feel a battle is coming in her bones. Also because of her extra close connection with with the creators, she doesn't feel like she's going to survive. But this does make me curious. If she is referring to Elowen not surviving, what's immediately coming is her feeling like there's a scythe over her head waiting to slice. Foreshadowing for being murdered very soon. Or is this all foreshadowing for the later battle we're speculating has not happened yet. So there's the final diary entry. Now let's jump back to the present time with Veya reading the truth about Elwyn being forced to bind with Tyros. As at the end of this book, Vey is still in this bedroom in the royal castle of the Shade. She still needs to get out and back to the burn to be able to tell her brother this very critical information. I don't think it will be so easy and quick for her to share this vital world altering news with the people who need to know. We need conflict in A book after all. But I do think that eventually, like in the second half of the book, she'll finally be able to share her findings.

[A]

Oh, oh, oh.

[B]

Do you think that she has like the diary with her and Rafe will have the opportunity to read it herself and she'll have to work up the courage to read its contents and face her past. But she will eventually, like you, like, I just see like the diary staring at her for like half the book and then she finally goes and opens it and that'll. It'll be like puzzle pieces fitting all together and part of her self healing journey.

[A]

Okay, I love that. I love that a lot. I think that vey is going to get out of the shade faster than we think. Think so. Because we got a book, we got stuff to do in this next book. I think that she's. Okay, hold on. Actually, I think two things. One, I think she would get out of the shade quickly. The second is, remember how we were saying any saber scythe with silver scales can fly in the shade. So if grime bonds with, let's say the great silver saber scythe Ara, he could fly to Arithia and get Veya. They have a thing so he could go rescue her. Someone in our discord mentioned this and I was like, that's brilliant.

[B]

That'd be awesome.

[A]

That would be awesome. But that would.

[B]

A lot would have to happen while she's stranded in the shade for him to go. Bonded dragon. All right, you want to make a bet?

[A]

Sure. Yeah. I, I feel that not very confident

[B]

about it, but yeah is going to have, I don't know the right word, like conflict. She is going to face obstacles and challenges to get out of the shade and it is not going to be

[A]

as easy as out of the shade or out of Erythyia.

[B]

Out of Erythia, I'll say.

[A]

Okay. Prior to reading this diary, Veya assumed that the note from Elowen was, as far as we know, 100% how she actually felt. Veya is not really one to avoid thinking the worst of someone. She does it and does it often. I think about it as like her way of protecting herself, much like kind of Rafe does. They're very similar.

[B]

I will say Veya does ask Khan earlier in the book if he really believes the note that Elwyn left. So I think that like Khan, Veya does not want to believe it. She can't help but have those feelings of rejection and believe them in her own way as much as she might outwardly be like, no, no, no, that can't possibly be exactly like Khan.

[A]

Yeah, well, but here she learns all of the truth. This is all because of fucking Oster

[B]

and Vhagar and Elowen lied to protect her loved ones. She sacrificed herself and her future to save the people most important to her.

[A]

And while the tragedy of Kahn and Elowen's love story is absolutely heartbreaking for Veya, she also lost a friend too. But the more shocking and earth rattling thing here is that Tyroth is not the father of the Princess of the Shade. And that alone is going to, quote, rip the world to shreds.

[B]

Ah.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

What a way to first end the book. Because, friends, we have an epilogue and it is in a new pov, but with a character first mentioned while torturing Rave in her nightmare. We discussed at the top of this episode that was only the first time Scavenger King was actually mentioned. This new POV is the Scavenger King. I remember when I first read whose POV this is and I was absolutely freaking out that we were going to be getting the Scavenger King's pov. And then he has Kazari. Okay, one thing at a time, starting with who is the Scavenger King?

[A]

The Scavenger King, whose name is Arkin, is the illegitimate son of Austria and Vhagor and an unknown female. I twitches we know that he gets.

[B]

I think that we met this unnamed female in the Bolt.

[A]

I think so too. I think we've met her or have heard of her. Like I think when we learn who it is, it's gonna be like, oh my God. We know he can at least hear Ignos and is the person who held Rafe captive and gave her the name Firelark. Arin has his sights set on taking Khan's throne and getting what he believes is rightfully his, the Bronze Throne and the Kingdom of the Burn. While not officially confirmed on where he lands in the birth order, this goal of his is what has us thinking that he is the oldest Vhagor sibling. So this is a so Arcan is the child of Osterin and someone maybe before Khan's and all of the siblings mother came into the picture, or maybe there was a bit of adultery, we're not entirely sure. As far as Arcin knows, none of his half siblings knows he exists. We don't know if that's a limited narrator POV or if that is as fact. Arkin is extra pissed that Khan stole revenge for himself. We can assume that revenge is killing Austrian for something that he feels like he deserved. Since we know that Austere and treated Khan like absolute crap, we can only imagine what he did to Arkin, who is his bastard son.

[B]

Yeah, well, King Osterin had his dragon, or he himself run Arkin off, cast into the Botanic Plains, like essentially to die. So that is why I'm thinking Arkin's mother is from the Botanic Plains, like even the Jakuh Clan or something like that. Because that is where his father originated. We know that he has a. He gave their mother a Malmer. So he is from these warrior clans. And I bet that's where all this happened. And then Arkin was not welcome there anymore. And so then that's when he went off into the mountains and made a life for himself. Like Nicole mentioned, the Scavenger King wants to take the brain for himself. But not only does he want the throne, we learn from one of Rave's dreams that he wants Rave by his side when he takes it. We talked about that a lot. So I'm just going to keep on going here, everybody. And as we know, the Scavenger King has Kazari. According to him, the Princess fell into his lap as a sign from the creators. She was too good an offer to pass up. And she is giving him the perfect opportunity to enact what he's been working toward for so long. Taking the throne from the burn camp. Who is the only person Kazari requests he contact? Arkansas, like, ha. Thanks, creators. Just kidding. He doesn't strike me as someone who would say thank you while imprisoned in the Dark cell. Kazari is grabbing her hair, she's rocking back and forth, she's saying incoherent words. Ah, we've seen this happen before with the Etherstone wearer. It seems that she is speaking to someone, which makes us think she's trying to or communicating with Kahless. Arkin also keeps making comparison comparisons between Kazari and, quote, his Firelark. She has the same features as only one he's ever encountered before, and they have such an uncanny resemblance to each other. This, to me, cements that he does know who Firelark was, that she was Elowyn Navon. And he is saying essentially on the page, that he's seeing and recognizing and acknowledging how similar mother and daughter are. But he's not actually saying it outright on the page, because I don't think that he considers Elowyn Rave to be that person. He found her broken and forced a new identity onto her, one that he entirely controlled and created the narrative. She was Firelark that was all his firelark. Who needed him, who should be afraid of him. This guy hates what Kazari represents. The cushioned, pampered life of a royal that he thinks he should have had, being a king's son. But he's a bastard who was thrown into the Botanic Plains and told to run while a roar of fire nipped at his heels. And he had to carve out a life for himself in these dank, dark mountains, almost dying plenty of times living a hard life when he feels owed the plushness these others are getting in

[A]

exchange for Kazari's release, which, I'm not gonna lie, I don't believe for even a second he's going to release this girl. Arcann has Kazari sign a blank parchment lark that he will then send to Khan and not her doting pa. I think it's safe to assume here that Arcann does not know who Kazari's real father is. So that does bring us to the question, who does know the truth? Obviously not Khan or Veya. At least before Veya found Elwyn's diary entry, Osterin knew, but he's dead. Assuming Tyroth and the Bloodlace found out the day Kazari was born, we can assume that Tyroth knows. I don't think Tyroth would have told Caddock, though.

[B]

No.

[A]

And then obviously Elowen. Kazari here, though, is the wild card. Do you think she knows that Khan is her real father? Like, do you think she learned it from Kahless? If he's able to know such things,

[B]

I'm going to say no. I think that only at this point in the story, Veya and Tyroth and Elowen, deep, deep down, no, I don't think that Kazari knows the truth. But I also believe that she will not be surprised when she does find out, because she feels so, so much more of a kinship and safeness with her uncle Khan. And I don't think Tyroth would tell anybody, not even Cadock. In fact, if that blood lace is probably not alive anymore.

[A]

Oh, definitely.

[B]

If anyone else knew, he would kill them. That's the vibes that I get from this. Kazari writes in tiny script within her signature quote, kill the sadistic. However, the scavenger king notices this because he chuckles and he's even like, huh. Okay, maybe she has more bite than I thought. Obviously, he does not think it will affect his plans because after writing something on the lark himself, he sends it off to Khan.

[A]

Ah, so I do wonder if one of the opening chapters, or at least Khan's opening chapter, will be him receiving this parchment Lark. And that's gonna be like setting off the book. Him going to. Yes, Ari, yes.

[B]

He might be torn between going to help her and going to both fame. Actually, no. I say that I'm so convinced that he's going to ball fame, but.

[A]

But then. Then maybe he doesn't get the lark.

[B]

Maybe he doesn't get the Lark.

[A]

How long does it take? How long does it. What if Arkin sends it to like, what if he thinks like go to Kazari's uncle and then it goes to Tyros? Oh.

[B]

Or what if it does? Okay, no, it could find Khan when he's on his way, because it goes to the person, not necessarily the location. So it could find him no matter where he is. And he could be really torn between his current mission of helping his friend and obviously helping his niece, which I'm sure Roan is a great guy, but I think Kazari be a priority here. So I could see that really being like a conflict for him where it's like, I need to be in more places than one. Oh my gosh. And then. And that's why he enlists Wraith's help to go get Kazarian.

[A]

Would he try? I don't know if he would be like, rave, I need you to go back to the place. I think he would swap places.

[B]

Very good point.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So what do you think is said on this parchment Lark that Arcann is sending? Like, is he telling Khan to meet him somewhere so they can battle it out for the burn, and in exchange he will grant Kazari her release. Or maybe he's threatening that if Khan does not do whatever he says, then bye bye Kazari.

[A]

And I do think he's.

[B]

Yeah, I do think that he's offering something that Khan has to do that will put Arkin in a position of legitimately seizing power in exchange for Kazari's release?

[A]

Yep, I agree completely. But that's not the only parchment Lark we get in this chapter. Flying through the cells and right into Kazari's lap is a small wobbly lark with a tear in its wing and blood on its. Its tail. Knee. The little knee right here that I'm wearing. I remember vividly the out of body experience I had reading this for the first time. And it also makes me wonder how long did it take me to get to Kazari. This is not this. Maybe I'm. This is my 21st century showing this is taking a long time because they've been gone for at minimum that's 30 cycles. We'll call it a month. So a month and a half. It's been minimum a month and a half since Rave sent me to who returned to sender.

[B]

That is assuming that the epilogue follows the same timeline. It could be a few weeks before or something. Because it seems like he only just got Kazari.

[A]

It does. Okay. It does seem like that. So.

[B]

So I'm wondering if it's kind of a little bit more like a few weeks in the past, which would mean that Khan would definitely still be in the burn when that happens.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Interesting.

[A]

Oh, dear. I think you might be right.

[B]

Do we think that knee's little personality will be like it was with Rafe and keep Kazari company while she's in the cell also?

[A]

Hope so.

[B]

Yeah. Also, I'm just gonna come back to it because I am still convinced that there is something special about me. Sarah said one of her signal. Sarah's very, very early on that she alluded to there being something a little bit special about me. I think that there is Kalis magic within Nii somehow because of Kazari. And I could see this. It could be like her little animal companion in book two.

[A]

That's real cute. That's real.

[B]

Also.

[A]

Also, she does need a buddy.

[B]

Also, the artwork inside the ballad hardcover is Kazari in her cell. And there is writing all over the cell, which.

[A]

Before you get at us. Hold on. Before you get at us. Yes. We opened up the.

[B]

We literally opened this up.

[A]

This is what we did. That's literally all we did. We did not read any. I'm saying that before the Internet comes at us.

[B]

I'm scared. Please need to trust us.

[A]

It's a torture. It's a torture.

[B]

We just have to finish this episode and then we can start reading it.

[A]

Okay. So go, go. Okay.

[B]

There's writing all over her cell in this artwork, on the hard copy. Which makes me go back to what I was wondering a few episodes ago is if Kazari is in the same cell that Rave and Fallon had been in, where they drew on the walls. Drew the moons on the ceiling. What if Kazari recognizes the handwriting in the note from Rae that says, no, you don't. Because there was a lot of emphasis on Rave's handwriting earlier in the book and how it has not gotten better from when she learned in one of these cells. You all. That is some fantastic. Like, that has to be an Easter egg. Right? And Kzari will figure out that the person who sent me back, who she wrote to, looking for her mom, that's a whole other thing. And she'll realize that the person who wrote back to her is the same person who was in the cell. And something will come of that. What if the Scavenger King. Then I'm just going crazy this episode. What if the Scavenger King confirms that this is true and that's how we know he knew exactly who Firelark was all along.

[A]

Okay, okay. Now I'm. Yes. I don't know if I'd go that far, but I definitely think she's going to put together the handwriting similarities. I absolutely think that. But I actually think it's going to stop there. I don't think it's going to go any further. I want Kazari to get out of here soon.

[B]

I want her to.

[A]

Okay, fine.

[B]

Her and me, they will escape together, and it'll be wonderful. I'm telling you, Kaylis has something to do with me being special. And now that is back with. With Kazari.

[A]

I can be special together. I think I am saying the bet that you are wanting to make is a little too nuanced on this round. Our bets are already nuanced by nature. I think this one's a little too on that. Very.

[B]

Fair enough. Fair enough. I'm just writing fanfic at this point.

[A]

I love, love this.

[B]

I say writing. I'm telling fanfic at this point.

[A]

It's about time.

[B]

I don't need to write anymore. I have my own story that I

[A]

really need to write.

[B]

Anyway, let's tap into our Dragon sight as we finish up our deep dive of when the Moon Hatched. I know most of this episode was predictions, but let's go through any more little crumbs of speculation for book two, Ballad of Falling Dragons, that we got to get out here before we start. Start reading it.

[A]

Okay, this might be nothing, but I have to flag it. There's a line from Rave that she's worried in their perfect paradise of their dwelling that, oh, God quote, death will sliver up those stairs like a serpent and sink its teeth into somebody else who's lodged themselves in the clefts of my heart. Is Khan going to be okay? That's all I'm gonna ask.

[B]

Stop asking this question. I'm putting it out into the universe, Nicole.

[A]

Then stop.

[B]

Happens to Khan. I am blaming you, not Sarah. Okay? Are you?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because you put it out in the universe. So. Okay, everyone, if I go missing you know why? Okay. This. Other than that there is a moment of. Of perfect con and Kazari foreshadowing. He says to rec quote, find some comfort in the fact that if she Kazari were my daughter, I'd do anything in my power to keep her, well, the away from you. She is. Oh my God, I love this.

[B]

I think that when he finds out the truth, he'll just know in his bones that it's true. Like one of those my subconscious knew all along kind of things.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

With our theorizing that we will be in both Fame, the neutral city where Raiders currently is and where Khan's council member Roan is supposed to be, I want to pull out the name of this tavern. The Velvet Snog, which what a name. I love that so much. It's a place of comings and goings, of sealed deals and neutral agency. Sounds like somewhere our characters might want to conduct business.

[A]

In book two, the Velvet Snog being part brothel is so good. I. Whoever names that. Well done. Yes. Question. Khan mentions that Wreck is going to go to quote, chase down a lead. Who? What lead is he talking about? I mean he won't be going to Gore, so we won't really know because he's dead. Dead, dead. But I. I'm assuming Gore.

[B]

I see a body.

[A]

Oh, I know, I know. Slytra would not.

[B]

The only reason you wouldn't see a

[A]

body is because she'd eat it.

[B]

So what if it's a lead that she was captured by the scavenger king or the lead was planted by the scavenger king. Oh for Kazari. Because the last time she was seen was literally in Gore.

[A]

Yeah, maybe, maybe. Oh, I like that. Yeah, that would make sense.

[B]

Last speculation in this segment is Rave thinks about how there's something big brewing within her quote, something monstrous and she doesn't want to be in Dom when it bursts. Is it her need to kill Wreck or rather slashes like. That's kind of what I'm thinking that the other is going to be taking over here soon because kind of things and she's like I can't be here.

[A]

I need to be somewhere else where

[B]

I won't go crazy.

[A]

That's exactly what I'm thinking. And I think that she knows this is going to be such a big blow up because like Flatra is like I'm about to shove you the down in this icy like again she says sees it from protection. I don't think Rave's gonna see it that way, but yeah, I definitely Think that like something monstrous is referring to Slotra and it's gonna within her.

[B]

Yeah. Instead of like the big battle coming that she can feel in her bones like Elowyn had written in her final diary entry.

[A]

Okay, that's my guess. All right, friends, it is time to infiltrate the Tri Council where each episode Lexi guides us through a world building topic to help us deepen our understanding of this world.

[B]

And.

[A]

And it's magic.

[B]

Today's Infiltrating the Tri Council topic is family trees and family history. We've talked so much about these families throughout the Deep Dive, so we're gonna bring it all together here. First up, we have the Divan family. The rulers of the Shade were previously King Adric and Queen Adora Navon, who were the parents of Hadean and Elwyn Navon. They ruled until Elwyn was 18 phases old. After Elowen's paw turned down Ostren Vhagor's proposal to arrange a marriage between Tyroth and Elowen, Odric, Adora and Hadeon were poisoned at Ostrun's order. Once her family was no longer around to protect Elowen, she was then promised to Tyroth and eventually bound to him, even though she was already with Childe by Khan Vhagor. We don't know much about Elwyn's father's line, except that he grew up in the Burn in one of the warrior clans of the Botanic Plains. Elowen Navan's mother, on the other hand, is part of the family line tied to the Aetherstone. The Aetherstone is passed down and guarded by the Divan bloodline. The first guardian of the Stone was a mighty Fae warrior, known for his strength and wisdom. The Creators themselves gifted him with a power immense enough that he was able to host the Stone and keep Kahless contained. This gift is what is passed down through the Divan line and allows them to wear the Ether Stone to have enough power to be able to bear wearing it. We know that over the past several generations, at minimum, it has been the women of the Navan family who bear the Stone. Hedion was the oldest Navan child, and we don't know exactly how old he was, but we can assume he was around 18 phases old when he went to Netheren to get his dragon. Since we know he could not hear the creators by 18, it's safe to assume that he never would. So he was a Gnoll. When Elowen was nine phases old, Hydion left to steal a dragon egg. Of his own. And if it wasn't for his little sister sneaking to come with him, neither he nor his egg would have made it out alive. Thanks to Elowen, Hedion was able to bond with Elume even though he was paralyzed. After Hedion passed, Elume scooped him up and they calcified into a moon together. Finally we have Elwyn Rave Navan, the youngest of the Navan siblings. Elwyn can hear four of the creators, Claude, Boulder, Rain and Ignos, and she bonded with Slotra when she was only nine phases old after she came to Netheren too. Elwen had an unconventional childhood for a princess. Her parents did not expect her to stay silent and veiled like what is expected from the other kingdoms and like we've talked a lot of by now. After her parents death, she fell in love with Khan. But once Ostren discovered she was with Childe, he forced her to bond with Tyroth. Her and Khan's child is Kazari, the youngest and last of the Navan bloodline who who currently wears the Aether stone. But instead of passing the stone down to her child, as has always been the case, Kazari has given herself to the creators and plans to set Kahless free instead. Then there are the Vhagors, Ostrun Vhagor, who is bound to Kavinah Vhagor after she died giving birth to Veya, his youngest and only daughter, after which he ruled alone. Ostrun was a ruthless, power hungry king who is not afraid to manipulate those around him to get what he wants wanted done. Due to his scheming, he was able to successfully put his bloodline into the royal families of all three kingdoms and on the thrones. This ruthlessness unfortunately applied to his own children as well, specifically Khan and Veya, who in his eyes were not strong enough since they could not hear. Three creators. His children are Khan twins, Kadok and Tyroth Vea and then his secret son Arkin Vagor, who he had with an unknown woman. This hidden son is the Scavenger King and wants the Burns crown for himself as he believes it is his birthright. This is the reason why we believe that he is the oldest child of Ostrorunds, but again, that's not officially confirmed. He is of course the person who kept Wraith captive in the Pits of Kindard and gave her the name Firelark. Next we have the current King of the Burn Khan, Luke Vhagor, who took the throne after he killed his father less than 100 faces ago. He is Unbonded. Although he is madly in love with El Halloween Wraith. Since Slasha Fell, he's traveled the world looking for her shards and has spent a majority of his rule fixing the kingdom his father ruled with an iron fist. Khan can hear Boulder and Ignos, and he is the father of Kazari, but believes her to be his niece. Speaking of Kazari, she is the princess of the Shade. She is the current guardian of the Aetherstone, and recently she gave herself to the creators and took a vow of chastity. She is known to slip through tyranny fingers and sneak out of the palace so that she can breathe and enjoy life just a little bit. Since she was born, she's been able to hear all five creators and has recently fallen in love with Kahless, the God of Aether, with the goal of setting him free. Like I had mentioned, then we have the Vhagor middle siblings, the twins, starting with Cahdoc Kadok. Vhagor is the king of the Fade. He's bound to Dothea Vhagor, and together they have a son, Turin. Cadoc is a tribeat and since taking over the Fade, he has focused most of his energy into growing his military. According to Dothea herself, Caddock slithered into her sleeping space where they conceived Turin and then they were forced to bond, securing Caddock's place on the Fade throne. We definitely theorize that he and his father and all of them, they, they're very purposeful in making sure that happened. Dothaya can only hear one creator, Claude, but their son can hear three, though we don't know which three he can hear. Speaking of Turin, it is rumored that he has gone mad and has been locked away by Kadok, which is why he has not been seen in many, many phases. Yes, we do believe that is going to be important for later in our story. Moving on to Tyroth Vhagor, current king of the Shade. Like his twin, he is a tribe bead. Confirmed. To hear Claude, Boulder and Ignos, it's always interesting how I feel like rain is the least elemental one and I

[A]

think it's because you know that there are emotional and I think that she only bonds with people who have that depth of emotion.

[B]

Oh, interesting.

[A]

I like that Tyrone is not one of them.

[B]

That is absolutely true. Tyroth is the assumed father of Kazari and is the actual father of an unborn child with one of the maids, Ada. Unfortunately, I would not be surprised whatsoever if this was not his first bastard born child like his father, Tyroth is traditional in believing that women are to be veiled and silent until they are bonded. Outwardly, he is viewed as a doting, protective father, but in reality he is a controlling, even allowing Kazari's tutors to use physical punishment if she was not perfect during her lessons. And finally, we have Vaea Vhagor, Princess of the Burn. Va is the youngest Faygor sibling and has only known hate and pain from her father. Since she can only hear Bolder. At some point during her life, she was sent to the Jakul clan where she won her own Tuga trial and then decided to give herself to the creators. She is dealt with abuse at the hands of her brothers Caddock and Tyroth. But her and Khan have always been extremely close. He's been always very protective over his little sister because he knows that he's the only one to care for her now after their mother is no longer with them. Veya is very adept at fighting and teaches combat at Drok Academy, or at least she used to. It's unsure if she still does or not. She even gave Elowyn training when she first arrived in the Burn. And there we have it, friends. That is what we know about the two primary families in this series.

[A]

Let us close out this final when the Moon Hatched episode with shopping at the Curly Quill and discussing our favorite moments. The line quote, how did I fuck you in your dreams? Is iconic while I'm on favorite.

[B]

Great end to a chapter as well.

[A]

So good. When Rave says that he's biased, he comes back with quote, no, I'm fucking obsessed. Also from that scene. This is more funny than hot quote, this is from Rave. I really don't appreciate having a mirror shoved in my face while I'm edging towards an orgasm.

[B]

I would feel the same way, girl. And again, it's so notable that the mirror, again, it's like, yep, Rave, he's

[A]

having sex with you, not Elowyn. Yes, exactly. Oh, it's so good. A moment of appreciation also for the question from Khan. Well, do you want to fight or fuck about it? Gentlemen, this is a good thing to have in your back pocket. Read the room, read the room. But a good, A good thing to

[B]

have in your back pocket when Khan knocks down the dwelling wall to get Rave's attention as she's strapping herself with all the weapons and she's like, you broke my wall. And he's like, our wall, Khan, I will happily share a wall with you. Wow. But really, this sums them up in a nutshell yes. Another con moment when he thinks about how he could probably politically get around popping one of Rex eyeballs. I will say that's a very Lexi think in their con, and I love it. But he's like, oh, that would piss rave off. And she wants them all to herself. What a sweet relationship.

[A]

Truly. Rygon fussing over rave while she's having to wait back while Khan deals with Rek is so cute. And she's like, stop fussing. And Raycon's like, too damn bad. We also learn about sedatives in this stretch gorsey grass. When the stems are cracked, they release a sedative. I think that is so cool. Like, it really just shows how much Sarah has thought about flipping everything.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

All right, Lexi, it is time to go through our bets for Ballad of Falling Dragons. I'm not gonna lie. We have a lot more than I thought we did.

[B]

Very bet happy the last few episodes.

[A]

We really have been. But all right, starting off strong. Kaylis is not purposefully making the moons fall. Lexi says he is not purposefully making moons fall. Nicole says, yes, it is on purpose. Lexi, if I win, you have to take the puppy for an overnight stay.

[B]

All right, I'm gonna flip that on you. Then if I win, you get the kids for an overnight stay.

[A]

I don't have a space for said children.

[B]

Wonderful. Sounds like we have a guest bedroom. You can come on over to our house and go out for a date night.

[A]

That sounds great. Okay, I accept that. Next bet. We will have more than one moonfall. Next book. Lexi says no. Only one moonfall. Nicole thinks there's going to be more than one moonfall. Lexi, if I win, you have to take a makeup class and pay for it. And a good makeup class class before our next event so you can do your own makeup so I can get ready in the time that it takes me to get ready and I don't have to stress over about getting myself ready. And then also doing your. I love doing your makeup. Please do not get me wrong. No, you don't. Wait, hold on. This is a makeup class. Who doesn't?

[B]

Like, I've never heard of that before.

[A]

We will talk about that off air. There is makeup. Okay, how about this? Someone in this community would love to do a makeup class for you privately and get paid for it. There you go. A professional makeup stylist there.

[B]

So if I win. If. Okay, I know that you are so smug because you think you're gonna win based on the back of the book. Well, you know what? They haven't fallen yet, so we don't know that the musk could be wrong. It could not even happen in this book. Only one mood could start falling, and before. Before the others start falling. That could be the cliffhanger of the book. That would be the most delicious thing of all time for me. But anyway, if there's only one moon that falls, then you get to do all of my fancy makeup for every event for the rest of the year.

[A]

Okay, for the rest of the year is fine. I thought for a second you were about to say for the rest of my life.

[B]

Complain. Oh, I'm sure we have plenty more bets going on and not complain at all about it.

[A]

Fine. Fine. Okay, next bet. Raygon gets a rabid tick. Lexi says no. Nicole says yes.

[B]

Absolutely does not.

[A]

Okay, if I win and Raygon does get a rabid tick, you have to take Roo for the whole weekend that we move.

[B]

My children are terrified of the little puppy.

[A]

What am I supposed to do? That is called exposure therapy is what that's called. She is £12. Pounds. They have told that to my children.

[B]

All right, fine. If Rygon does not get a rabid tick in ballad, then you have to cosplay a character of the fan club's choosing and do a video of it.

[A]

Okay, I accept that. That sounds cool. Okay, next rave discovers her past as a navon. And Kazari in the first half of the book is my bet. Lexi is the second half of the book. If it is the first half of the book, Lexi, you have to dramatically mime improv the battle brief as I speak it with at least three props for the entire audience. Okay, that sounds great.

[B]

All right. And if I win, if it happens in the second half, we're apparently having a makeup theme here for a week because I know I've done the whole where you can't have any product in your hair before.

[A]

Yeah, and you have.

[B]

Not only that, you can only use makeup that I provide for you.

[A]

We better not have a recording that weekend.

[B]

I that or some live shows or anything like that. Yeah, you're a meanie. Yeah. Man, that would really suck to have some, like, old school makeup that does not match your shade or something like that.

[A]

Oh, my God, you suck.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Okay, next bet. Grime bonds with the great silver saver scythe. Lexi says yes. Nicole says a very unconfident no. If it is no and he actually bonds with one of the eggs. Lexi, you have to do all silver garb. I'm talking makeup, wigs, everything for one Recording of ballad in which that we cover grime bonding.

[B]

That sounds good.

[A]

Cool.

[B]

You have to still love me after I tell you what mine is.

[A]

I don't think I will. I'm scared.

[B]

I get to start. Whenever we get our e arc of burn at the Everflame, I get to start it a whole 24 hours before you. So you have to wait 24 hours after we receive it before you can start, and I can go ahead and start you.

[A]

Okay, well, that's fine, because we can't read past a certain amount. We can only read a certain amount every month. That's correct. Yeah. Okay.

[B]

That is correct. Yes. But I still get to know 24 hours before you.

[A]

God, I hate you.

[B]

Fine.

[A]

Next.

[B]

I am so confident in that one, I'm even putting that up.

[A]

That's so mean. Oh, my God. I'm also very confident for you. Okay, next. Our crew does not go to Erithia. This means rave and con. They do not go to Erithia. Now Lexi says, no, they do not go. I say, yes, they do go. Shocking. If I win, you have to make a PowerPoint about professing your love to Henry from the Kindred's Curse saga at our girls weekend. You have to present said PowerPoint. And yes, we are allowed to videotape it. And, yes, we are allowed to heckle you the entire time. You know, I'm just gonna talk to Pen and be like, pen, can you help me with. No, Jess. I have Jess help me too. That's fine. You can, fine, have as much help as you want, but you have to present this PowerPoint at our girls weekend, and we are allowed to be absolutely terrible.

[B]

You know, our other friends are much nicer than you, so I'm not worried about that.

[A]

Have you met Cassie? I don't know. Okay, fine. On.

[B]

On the same note here, then, no, they do not go to Orithia Khan and rave. Then you have to wear one Henry hat per Burn episode.

[A]

The one already exod.

[B]

Yes, the ones that I already have.

[A]

Yes. Okay, fine. Sounds good. Okay. Oh, dear. Next. When does Khan see Raves runes? I say the first half. Lexi says the second half. If it is the first half, Lexi, you have to do a shot of Malort on stage at our Chicago show. Yes, you can have a chaser.

[B]

Okay. But people, you might not want to sit in the front row. No, don't worry.

[A]

I just.

[B]

Just go over to you at that point. Fine. Wow.

[A]

That's so nice.

[B]

All right. All right, Nicole. So let's go with that same theme here. You have to do a shot of whatever I want on stage at our New York show. And yes, you can have a chaser as well.

[A]

As long as I can have a chaser. Thank you very much. All right, the Fade Prince is with Lexi says the Fear Duath. And I say with the Scavenger King. If he is with the Scavenger King, you have to take a full day and help me move.

[B]

Aren't you hiring movers?

[A]

That's too bad. I have moved so many times over

[B]

the last, like, 10 years.

[A]

That's too bad. You lost a bet, so you have to help me move at least.

[B]

Fine, fine.

[A]

One day. You have to take one day and help me move whenever I find a house.

[B]

But the puppy's gonna be with us at that point.

[A]

If you win, if I fight.

[B]

Fine, fine, fine, fine. Okay, well, then if I win, then for all of our ballad deep dives, your Discord name gets to be whatever you. First of all, it'll most likely be related to how you lost a bet and the fan club, and I get to have fun figuring out what it'll be.

[A]

Okay, sounds good. Oh, dear. All right, next. Tyroth killed Elowin because he knows Kazari is not his. Lexi says yes, Nicole says no.

[B]

All right, so me saying yes is. If that is the case, you have to post a crack theory, fun theory of my choosing, where you have to go all in and be, like, super serious about it, and you'll have to defend it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Including in the comments.

[A]

Oh, my God. Okay, fine, fine, fine. Now, if he is not the one who killed Elowen because he knows Kizari is not his, you have to wrap one of your Tri Council segments for Bat lit, and I'm talking, like, full on rap. And you could not have Brooke help you. Brooke is not allowed to help you write it.

[B]

That's literally why we pay her.

[A]

She can write the first draft, but you have to rapify it. Fine, fine. Next, we meet this book of void Troubled Mind Weft in book two. I say yes. Lexi says no. Shocking. If we do meet her, Lexi, you have to make a video pitching one of the books we've covered as a reality TV show and post it.

[B]

Okay, I don't know how that would work, but sure, that sounds good.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

Mine is, nicole, I love you very, very much, and one of your favorite phrases is. Is oh, my God. So every time you say oh, my God on an episode again of my choosing, I get an hour of babysitting.

[A]

All right, sounds good. Next. Veya's mission at the end of book one is the second painful use of this bangle of hers. Like, I say yes, Lexi shockingly says no, which is a take. All right, if it is the same second use of this bangle, the second painful one. Lex, you have to go up to a random stranger in New York City and pitch a book we've covered as their next read.

[B]

That's, like, dangerous, Nicole. That is dangerous.

[A]

You have Hayden and I following you, but you have to do it. You have to lead the charge.

[B]

Literally, my worst nightmare.

[A]

I know.

[B]

All right, you know what? I'm going to do the exact same thing. You have to go up to the random stranger and New York City and

[A]

pitch the book that we've covered to

[B]

them for their next read.

[A]

Hayden's gonna be like, girls, no. All right, next Caddock, we will meet him on the page. Lexi thinks Caddock will be on the page in book two. I do not think he's going to be on the page in book two.

[B]

So if he is on the page in book two, then, Nicole, you get the honor of figuring out how to get fan art cut out of con. You have to make it happen for me.

[A]

I get to contact Nora and be like, yes, you.

[B]

You get to contact the her. You might have to get some licensing stuff figured out with Sarah. I don't know how it all works, but I just need that cutout. So you're gonna get it for me.

[A]

Oh, I'm. I'm buying it too.

[B]

Oh, of course. Yes.

[A]

That's gonna be, like, 700. Are you kidding me? You are?

[B]

No, like.

[A]

Like, no.

[B]

We don't do those. Like, Cutout is not 700.

[A]

To literally get that drawn is almost a grand.

[B]

Oh, no, it's already drawn, though. And all of that.

[A]

Okay, so I just literally need to have it printed.

[B]

You have to find a way to get the waterfall con as a cutout.

[A]

So can we have a price limit on that? Because that's gonna be expensive. I didn't think it would be. Like, I don't.

[B]

Like, I don't know. Like, I think it would be, like, maybe a hundred bucks.

[A]

No more than 100. If it's more than 100, that's. You get.

[B]

I will help with it then. If that's the case, then.

[A]

All right, I do not think we're going to meet Caddock on the page. And if he is not on the page, Lexi, you have to find and purchase a large cardboard cutout of Jamie Fraser.

[B]

Happily.

[A]

I was gonna say that's a nice one for You. You're welcome. All right, next. What happened to Osterin's dragon? Lexi says that dragon is dead. Nicole says that dragon is alive. If that dragon is alive, Lexi, you have to wear a full dragon onesie for one episode. That's very nice.

[B]

That is very nice. And I'll do the same bet with you then, too.

[A]

Okay. Wow. How kind. Okay, next. This is not. Kahless is maliciously purposefully manipulating Kazari and does not love her in to order. Order to be freed from the diadem. Nicole says yes. Lexi says no. If he is maliciously purposely manipulating Kazari, then when we cover this on the episode, you have to write me a long, formal apology letter in the form of a royal decree and read it out on the episode. All right? All right.

[B]

If I win, you get to boy band music video How Kaylis loves Kazari.

[A]

Like.

[B]

Like Backstreet Boys. You're tearing up my heart. Music video for that and post it.

[A]

So, like, Lost in the woods style from. From Frozen 2.

[B]

Yes, exactly like that. Yes.

[A]

Oh, my God. That's funny. Okay, that's good. Next. Khan has not spoken to Elowin via waif. Lexi says no, he has not talked to her. Nicole says yes, he has talked to her. If I win, Lexi, you have to sing. Yes. Sing. Like, try to sing a try. Council library during our ballad coverage of my choosing. Okay. And nobody's gonna listen like you all.

[B]

You don't want to hear me sing.

[A]

Maybe. We also have to figure out how to auto tune it. Well, try to figure out how to auto tune it as well, if that's possible. Okay.

[B]

All right. And I do not think that he has talked to Elowin. So I get to decide one thing on your shelf that you will have to have for all of our ballad recordings.

[A]

It can't get us canceled on YouTube. Flagged.

[B]

Fine. It can't get us canceled on YouTube.

[A]

Okay, next. Any silver saber scythes can travel to the shade unharmed. Lexi says no. Nicole says yes. Lexi, if they can travel to the shade unharmed, you have to talk in a Scottish accent, Jamie Fraser style for an entire meal that we have out when we're in Chicago.

[B]

Okay, well.

[A]

And Hayden and I are just gonna say nothing. Sorry, Hayden, I'm roping you into this, buddy. All right?

[B]

If it's the same as usual saber size, and they are. They do unfortunately get harmed. Then you have to talk in a Scottish accent for your recap for a battle brief episode.

[A]

Yes. Okay. Sounds good. All right, next. Arkin is dying in Book two. Lexi says no, he survives book two. I say he dies in book two if I win, and he does die. At our next live Q and A on the fan club, you can only answer questions in rhyme in. Only in rhymes for the first half.

[B]

How the hell am I supposed to do that?

[A]

You know what?

[B]

Fine. I'm gonna have the exact same one.

[A]

All right, Copycat. Next. I did not do as many as I thought we needed to. Next, we learn about Vea's missing 30 cycles from. I say Khan's POV. You say Ve's POV. Even though we both kind of changed that this episode.

[B]

No, I still think it is going to be in VE's POV. I'm like. I do. I do think that, though. I. I love your theory and all of that, and I'm going down with my ship.

[A]

Okay, so if. If it's Ve pov, what do I have to do?

[B]

You have to do a whole day with me focused on my book and story and, like, literally go through a world building workshop with me and all of that.

[A]

Okay. Okay, sounds good. I say cons, bov. And if that is the case, you have to do a parchment lark delivery in our ballad coverage. Basically, you're just taking one of my. One of my sections and, like, really go for it.

[B]

Of course I would really go. I would never, ever disappoint the people. Not you.

[A]

You would never disappoint me either. Not ever.

[B]

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.

[A]

Okay, back to being ruthless. Don't be nice to me. Fallon was royalty in the fade. Lexi says no. Nicole says yes. The winner gets to pick out the loser's outfit for the ballad midnight release party.

[B]

Okay, sounds good.

[A]

Next, Tyroth will launch a war because he believes Khan has Kazari. Lexi says no. Nicole says yes. So if I win, you have to help me pack up my entire kitchen for the move.

[B]

I don't like that this is all right. Before you're moving.

[A]

I know. The funny thing is, like, we don't even have a place we're moving to yet. I'm just preemptively. Preemptively doing this.

[B]

All right, well, mine is. Okay, so Jake always is gone on Saturdays because he has his disc golf tournaments, and you get to come over and hang out with the kids on Saturday, and I get to go have a mommy's day on her own.

[A]

Okay, sounds good. I accept. Net. Second to last. Veya is going to have conflict getting out of Arithia. Lexi says yes. Nicole says no. If it is no, Lexi. We get a pool day, just the two we. Look, I'm being nice. We get a pool day, just the two of us. And you could like, no kids, no nothing. It's a sister pool day. If I win.

[B]

I love that. You know what I'm gonna be make mine nice, too. We have a sister lunch date.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I know we've been somewhat recently, but.

[A]

Yeah. Okay, cool.

[B]

And you're paying no pool day. You get to bring all the drinks and snacks and all of that.

[A]

Deal. I mean, I'm putting it on the business credit card. I think you are too, but yeah,

[B]

that's a good point.

[A]

Yes. And last but not least, our traditional bet, the sex bet. Lexi believes there's going to be two or less sex scenes on the page. Whitley, our hairstylist, does not know she's involved in this. She has three locked and loaded.

[B]

She just assume every time.

[A]

And then I have four or more sex scenes. Now, this is a explicit scene written on the page. It does not matter if it's in dream format or any. It is explicit sex on the page. Yes. Cool. Orgasm on the page. Or. And yes, one. One of the parties at least has to reach a pinnacle, if you will. Yes. All right, all right. We did it. We did it.

[B]

Thank you so much for joining us on this. When the Moon Hatched Journey Deep diving. This book. This has been really and truly one of my favorite deep dives. We've done that in the recent memory.

[A]

Yes. Same like this is up there with Kindred Scar saga. For me, this was really.

[B]

Yes, yes, yes. Such a great time.

[A]

All right, friends. Next Monday we will be rereleasing our summer 2024 author interview with Sarah A. Parker to prep us all for Ballad of Falling Dragons. Then we will be jumping straight into our Ballad of Falling Dragons reactions episode on May 25th. Then our ballad of Falling Dragons Deep Dive kicks off with episode one on June 1st. Holy cow. Crap. How are we in June? Oh, my God. I know. That was weird. May 1st, when we're recording this. More details on the episode and chapter breakdowns coming after ballad releases. I'm so excited.

[B]

We would love to give the biggest warm welcome, welcome, welcome to our newest feral fans and deep divers. You all, thank you so, so much from the bottom of our hearts for being here.

[A]

Welcome, welcome, welcome. Becky B, Emily K, Tabby and Lisa. Welcome, welcome, welcome.

[B]

And if you're like, hey, I want my name shout out on the podcast and to shout us all this love to join our Fan Club at fantasyfangirls.com Fan Club link is also in the show Notes.

[A]

If you're also looking for a place to discuss Ballad of Falling Dragons with fellow readers, the discord is literally popping off all the time whenever we have big releases like this.

[B]

So.

[A]

So that is a fun place to be and that's available for all Fantasy Fangirl tiers of the fan club. Thank you as always to our Mind Weft, AKA our content researcher Brooke. Oh my God, what would we do without you? And of course our executive producer, AKA co host of Fantasy Fanfellas, AKA our sanity manager, Hayden.

[B]

We love you.

[A]

We love you Hayden. Sorry you roped into so many of these beds.

[B]

We are very active on social media so please be sure to follow us on Instagram, Instagram and/ or TikTok at Fantasy Fangirls Pod. And if you're watching this on YouTube or want to watch on YouTube, pretty please hit that subscribe button to keep following along.

[A]

While you're hitting buttons, don't forget to hit that rating button on whatever podcasting platform you are listening on. If you want to hit 5 stars, that would be super awesome. Not just for this show, but also for Fantasy Fan Reads, also for Fantasy Fan Fellows and any podcast you regularly listen, listen to. And last but certainly not least, your friend who loves when the Moon Hatched. You should share this episode with them. Listen to these two girls who are absolutely chaotic and have way more bets than they thought they did.

[B]

Thank you everyone.

[A]

We are so excited.

[B]

We will see you on the other side.

[A]

Let's go Rebellion. This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. I remember long, long ago when when we first started ffg, one of the best decisions we made was putting some real time and attention into our website. Websites are an essential part of any small business success. That's why we at Fantasy Fangirls are obsessed with Squarespace. I know I just made my author website with Squarespace and you know me

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